Obama puts out his March Madness brackets

Former President Obama is predicting a North Carolina win in the NCAA men’s basketball championship, according to his official March Madness bracket released Wednesday.

The ex-president and avid basketball fan has the Tar Heels facing off against top rival Duke in the men’s championship. As for the women’s tournament, Obama is predicting a showdown between the University of Connecticut and Notre Dame, with UConn coming out on top.

During his presidency, Obama filled out his March Madness brackets each year on ESPN. The sports network reportedly extended the same offer to President Trump, but he turned it down.

{mosads}Obama’s brackets for the 2017 tournaments were posted on the Obama Foundation’s website, along with a brief statement from the foundation.

“We heard from many of you that your experiences playing sports have helped you develop confidence, an appreciation for hard work, and a positive outlook despite the ups and downs of life,” the statement reads.

“In the spirit of good sportsmanship and good citizenship, here are President Obama’s picks for this year’s big dance.”

It’s not the first time Obama has chosen North Carolina as the eventual winner. He correctly picked the Tar Heels as the national champions in his 2009 bracket — his first as president. Since then, however, the former president hasn’t been so lucky.

Obama’s brackets became a tradition of sorts during his eight years in office. His 2015 brackets for both the men’s and women’s tournaments belong to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.