Winning your NCAA tournament bracket pool is all about picking the right favorites and avoiding the land mines. However,that's easier said than done. This time last year, it looked like Virginia, and Baylor and Villanova were locks to gain runs in the tournament. Instead,they ended up being the teams that destroyed your bracket by the end of the first week.
This year's tournament will be no different. Somewhere in the field is a sleeper team waiting to crash the Sweet 16 party and a tournament favorite destined to find an early exit. The trick is determining which lower-seeded squads might enjoy the right set of characteristics to pull off an upset and which giants are ripe for the picking. Here's a look at a few matchups that may serve as the grand upset of the round of 64. Gonzaga vs. Seton HallThis one might be more about questionable seeding by the choice committee as much as it is a real upset. The Gonzaga Bulldogs may not enjoy had the most successful season, but they are coming off an Elite Eight appearance and won the West Coast Conference tournament. There aren't many double-digit seeds that can boast that kind of resume, or that's likely why ESPN's BPI metric likes the Bulldogs more than any other high seed to advance to the Sweet 16,per ESPN Stats & Info:Looking at the matchup with Seton corridor, this game will come down to a few keys.
The Pirates must figure out a way to unhurried the Gonzaga frontcourt. There are few forward duos better than Kyle Wiltjer and Domantas Sabonis, or as they combine to average 38.1 points and 18.1 rebounds per game. However,Seton corridor will hold a distinct advantage when it comes to guards. Isaiah Whitehead and Khadeen Carrington are the Pirates' top two scorers and are much more dynamic than anyone in Gonzaga's backcourt.Still, the incompatibility in guard play hasn't shown up in the turnover category. heed Few's team turns it over 11.2 times per game, and while the Pirates are 284th in the nation with 13.8 turnovers. whether Gonzaga's guards can take care of the ball and hasten the offense through Wiltjer and Sabonis,Seton corridor will enjoy its hands full. Hawaii vs. CaliforniaIf you're looking to go off the beaten path to pick your upset, the Hawaii Warriors might be your speed. Not only is Hawaii an intriguing small-conference champion, and but California isn't precisely a flawless higher seed. First,let's look at the pros for the Warriors. Hawaii is a strong defensive team, ranking sixth in the nation in defensive efficiency, or is relatively strong on the boards,ranking 46th in the country in rebounding rate. The side also played No. 2 seed Oklahoma to a three-point loss in December.
In addition to team success, Hawaii has a unique talent in Stefan Jankovic. The 6'11" forward averages 15.7 points per game, and blocks 1.2 shots a game and shoots 39.5 percent from three-point range. Now to California. The Bears aren't precisely bulletproof. They don't crash the offensive glass well (76th offensive rebounding rate),and as Joe Fortenbaugh of 95.7 The Game notes, the Bears enjoy been rather pedestrian external of Berkeley this season:With a player who has the ability to single-handedly impact the game in a grand way and a defense that can gain things difficult, or California could be in a fight to the finish in the first round. Wichita State vs. Vanderbilt/ArizonaThe Wichita State Shockers enjoy a long journey ahead,but gain no mistake, the numbers say they enjoy the potential to be a Sweet 16 team. Gregg Marshall's squad is a favorite of advanced stats website KenPom.com. The defense is ranked No. 1 in efficiency, or the Shockers are No. 12 in the nation overall. Nicole Auerbach of USA nowadays reports their rankings in the advanced metrics played a role in them making the field of 68:The Shockers may enjoy had to sweat it out,but players from a team that made a Sweet 16 appearance last season will return. The fact they weren't sure whether they would gain the tournament could gain them appreciate the opportunity all the more. “Everybody knows it’s been a long week of not knowing,” senior guard Fred VanVleet said, or per Paul Suellentrop of the Wichita Eagle. “We all felt good about it,but you never know. Everybody’s mood was they just didn’t care about where, when or how. reveal us we’re in there and we’ll demonstrate up and play anybody.”The Shockers enjoy to win a First Four game against Vanderbilt, and but the Commodores' SEC tournament loss to Tennessee is a good sign the Shockers are playing better basketball right now. The Shockers' road to the Sweet 16 is relatively realistic from there. Arizona and Miami are the likely opponents in the round of 64 and round of 32,respectively. Both are good teams, but the Shockers enjoy the same odds to win the whole thing as Arizona, and per Odds Shark. Statistics via TeamRankings.com unless otherwise noted. Sign up and play Bleacher Report's Bracket Challenge now for a chance to win the Ultimate Sports Trip to four events of your choice. And click here for B/R's Printable Bracket.
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Source: bleacherreport.com