To the many people who struggle with picking upsets when they fill out their bracket: CSM has you covered. Will Scott went 8 for 10 in his first round upset picks last year, with the two incorrect picks being games decided by 2 and 8 points. He’s back again this year, and still going with plenty of upsets in his bracket.
#9 over #8
Michigan State over Miami
#10 over #7
Marquette over South Carolina
Wichita State over Dayton
#11 Rhode Island over #6 Creighton
The Rams carry an 8-game winning streak into the Big Dance, as they got healthy just at the right time. Creighton on the other hand, has gone 7-8 in their last 15 games, as everything has spiraled downhill since the loss of Maurice Watson.
Rhode Island has a multitude of versatile players that Creighton will have a hard time keeping up with, and I have a really hard time believing that the Jays find a way to win this basketball game. The bottom line: this game is a matchup of a team that is very hot against a team that is very cold. Rhode Island wins by double-digits.
#12 UNC-Wilmington over #5 Virginia
UNC-Wilmington made a name for itself when they nearly stunned Duke last year in the first round. They are back in the Big Dance, and have an even better team than they had last season. They come into this game with a 29-5 record, and a 27 RPI ranking, which is unheard of for a mid-major team. The Seahawks score 85.5 PPG, which ranks 11th in all of D1.
Virginia isn’t playing their best basketball right now, as they finished 6-7 in their last 13 games. The Cavaliers have a solid defense, but don’t put up many points, and I just think that the Seahawks sharpshooters will get the best of UVA in order to pull off the upset.
#12 Nevada over #5 Iowa State
Eric Musselman has revived the Nevada basketball program, winning both the Mountain West regular season and tournament title in just his second season at the helm. The Pack comes in riding a 9-game winning streak, and will be hungry for a tourney win.
Nevada has something most mid-major teams in the tourney don’t: a potential first round draft pick. Cam Oliver has averaged 15.8 PPG and 8.7 RPG, and has been one of the best power forwards in the country. I know Iowa State is in the Big 12, but he will be one of the best big men the Cyclones have faced all year. They have three solid shooters in Marcus Marshall, Jordan Caroline, and DJ Fenner, all averaging higher than 14 PPG. That trio, along with Oliver down low, will create problems for ISU. Nevada is arguably the most loaded mid-major team in the country, and I’m picking the upset here with confidence.
#12 Middle Tennessee over #5 Minnesota
I thought the Gophers might be a wildcard to reach the Elite 8 or Final Four...until I saw they were matched up with Middle Tennessee in the first round. The Blue Raiders are 30-4, and ran through Conference USA with a 17-1 record. Also something to note: they beat Vanderbilt 71-48. Yes, by 23. Middle Tennessee knows a thing or do about upsets, as they pulled off one of the most shocking wins in NCAA Tournament history against 2-seed Michigan State in the first round last year, who many picked to win it all (including myself. I’m still mad).
Kermit Davis’ squad is even better this time around, and even though they are facing a very good Minnesota team, I think they will pull off the upset. They shoot the lights out and I expect Reggie Upshaw to go off like he did in last years win against MSU. Giddy Potts can also score, as we saw in the C-USA Championship game, and Jacorey Williams is averaging a team-best 17.3 PPG. If the Blue Raiders can defend the Gopher offense, they will advance.
Richard Petino has done a magnificent job with this Gopher team, but Middle Tennessee ousts them in the first round.
#14 Florida Gulf Coast over #3 Florida State
This is my big upset pick this year. It was a shock to many that FSU was awarded a 3-seed, as they were expected to be lower according to most bracketologists. Florida Gulf Coast has won 18 of their last 20, as Coach Joe Dooley has led Dunk City back to the Big Dance.
The Eagles can dunk, of course, but can shoot as well. Junior guard Brandon Goodwin averages 18.2 PPG, and Zach Johnson can also shoot the 3 ball very well. Expect FGSU to come out swinging against in-state foe Florida State, and get the win. DUNK CITY pulls off another big March upset.
Other Potential Upsets:
#12 Princeton over #5 Notre Dame
#13 East Tennessee State over #4 Florida
#14 New Mexico State over #3 Baylor
