The 68 spots in the NCAA tournament are set. More importantly, you will be getting an email from a friend, work colleague, family member, or celebrity asking you to fill out a bracket as part of a March Madness Pool.
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Here are five ways to clinch your spot at the top of the NCAA Tournament bracket challenge.
1) Pick a #12 seed to beat a #5 seed.
Only three times in the past 30 years has a 12 seed not beaten a 5 seed. THREE TIMES. In 16 of those years, more than one 12 seed has pulled off the upset. This is not a statistical anomaly, but rather an act from the March Madness gods. This year I like Buffalo to beat West Virginia. Buffalo’s coach is Bobby Hurley. The same Hurley who led Duke to back-to-back national championships.
2) At least one #1 seed will lose.
Only once in the history of the NCAA tournament has all four number one seeds made it to the final four. The number one team with the most difficult bracket is the East. Watch out for Villanova to be a number one who goes down early in the second round to LSU, or in the next round to highly underrated and under seeded Northern Iowa. If they make it to the elite eight, they’ll have to go past ACC Regular Season Champion Virginia. Tread lightly ‘Nova fans.
3) Pick Blue.
In the last 10 years, a school with blue in its school colors has won all but one national championship. The top 8 teams, only Wisconsin doesn’t have blue, just saying.
4) Don’t Pick Duke.
Since 1980, only three number one picks in the NBA draft have won the NCAA National Championship in the same year. Many predict Jahlil Okafor to take home that honor. Wikipedia has already made it official.
5) Get bold.
Most brackets are set up with more points be awarded in the later rounds. So have some fun in the first couple of rounds when upsets run rampant. Pick a 13 seed to beat a 4. You like that North Florida band member’s passion, take the Ospreys for the first round upset. Once you get to the second weekend, start to pick high seeds. 70% of those who make it to the Elite Eight have been seeded three or better. 76% in the Final Four, 83% in the National Championship Game and 89% of champions have been seed three or better. Some sleepers to look out for, 12-seed Buffalo, 11-seed BYU, 10-seed Davidson, and 7-seed Wichita State.
If you would like to join the GMP Sports Bracket Challenge: Click Here. All are welcome. The Password is BRACKET.
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Photo Credit: Flickr/Chuck Holton
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