Former Xavier, Providence and Virginia coach Pete Gillen, a CBS Sports Network college analyst and NYC basketball Hall of Famer, shares some of his March Madness thoughts and predictions with The Post. As told to Steve Serby.

I wish you hadn’t reminded me about picking Michigan State to win it all. I’m gonna be working part time cleaning floors at a tattoo parlor. But before The Post fires me, I did have eight teams in the Sweet 16 — that was my average with Brother Rocco Calzone’s math class in junior high.

If it sounds like I’m making excuses … I am! I’ve had a bad decade, I got no money, no friends, no clothes, can’t get a job, can’t get a home game. If I had a team, I’d have a better chance to get a home game. I’ve got a shot at getting a job coaching a bar-league team. Our philosophy is gonna be simple: If you don’t have the jump shot in the corner, pass the ball out, go get a beer.

Syracuse over Gonzaga: Teams don’t get the ball behind Syracuse’s 2-3 zone on the baseline, and they don’t screen the top of the zone. And teams haven’t seen that length and athleticism and the way the Orange extend it so far all year. I think the zone will contain Domantas Sabonis and Kyle Wiltjer, and [Michael] Gbinije is gonna get hot from 3-point land. They’ll cheat toward Sabonis to slow him down. The Zags don’t guard really well.

Virginia over Iowa State: Two worlds collide, a great defensive team (Virginia) and a great offensive team (Iowa State). Malcolm Brogdon might not start on him, but he slows down Georges Niang when he guards him. Iowa State’s not too interested in defense, so Virginia can score enough.

Virginia over Syracuse: Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers will slice up the zone like a porterhouse steak. Point guard London Perrantes knocks down a bunch of 3s.

Notre Dame over Wisconsin: The Irish have too much firepower. Point guard Demetrius Jackson and big man Zach Auguste are the two best players on the court. The Badgers are physical, but the Irish can match their physicality.

North Carolina over Indiana: The Tar Heels have arguably the best front court in the country. They’re a ridiculous rebounding team, they just pound the offensive glass. Thomas Bryant’s a good player, the big-man freshman for Indiana, but he’s by himself with four perimeter guys. Carolina can come at you in waves and waves like the Atlantic Ocean.

North Carolina over Notre Dame: Brice Johnson controls the paint offensively and defensively. He’s like a pogo stick, he plays above the rim.

Kansas over Maryland: The Jayhawks can score from the point guard, the wing and the post. Maryland depends too much on Melo Trimble, who can really get into the lane. When your point is your leading scorer, that’s a problem sometimes, you want to distribute it. Maryland is not a super cohesive team. Kansas is a well-oiled machine. Wayne Selden is the X factor. When he plays well, they’re on another level.

Villanova over Miami: The late Chuck Daly said: “Shooting makes up for a multitude of sins.” He would have loved this Villanova team. The ’Cats are too quick, and their zone press will give Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan some fits. Miami has more turnovers than a bakery.

Villanova over Kansas: Villanova is too quick on the perimeter, and Ryan Arcidiacono, who I think is one of the top five point guards in the country, outplays Frank Mason III, and Daniel Ochefu slows down Perry Ellis. Villanova’s torrid 3-point shooting takes Jay Wright back to the Final Four. They seem like they’re on a mission.

Oregon over Duke: Oregon wears down the Blue Devils with their depth and zone press. Duke’s man-to-man defense has more holes than Swiss cheese, and Dillon Brooks and Elgin Cook run wild. Grayson Allen scores 25, but Brandon Ingram is slowed down.

Oklahoma over Texas A&M: Fantasy Island is over for the Aggies, and Buddy Hield, with assists from Isaiah Cousins, lights them up for 30 points. When I coached, some of my players thought an assist was a lump on your back.

Oklahoma over Oregon: Oklahoma shoots 42 percent from 3. Hield and Jordan Woodard lead the Sooners to the Final Four.

Oklahoma over Villanova: The Sooners are more physical and stronger and guard pretty well. I coached against Lonnie Kruger when he was at K-State and I was at Xavier — very good defensive coach. The Sooners match up well with Villanova with four perimeter guys.

North Carolina over Virginia: Marcus Paige finally gets hot from 3-point land and hurts Virginia’s pack-line defense.

North Carolina over Oklahoma: Oklahoma’s Achilles’ heel is its inside game. Hield gets his 30, but Johnson & Co. are too much for Ryan Spangler.