NCAA Tournament Bracket Prediction Upsets, Underdogs, Cinderella Bets
The NCAA Tournament is the stage in which underdog stories come to life. When every game is a win-or-go-home situation, the March Madness pressure cooker gets the best of some very talented teams. That makes picking these upsets for your bracket or at your sportsbook extremely challenging. And that’s why we’re here to help.
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March Madness First-Round Upsets
It’s worth noting that the general public and bettors can have completely different ideas of what an upset actually is. For example, No. 9 seed Auburn actually opened as a 1.5-point favourite against No. 8 seed Iowa in the Midwest region. If Auburn loses here, many will chalk that up to an upset on their brackets – even though the favoured team won.
It’s the same situation in the South where No. 9 West Virginia also started at -1.5 against No. 8 Maryland and No. 10 Utah State was -2 at No. 7 Missouri. In the West, No. 10 Boise State opened at -1 against No. 7 Northwestern.
March Madness Odds
NCAA Bracket No. 5 seeds vs. No. 12 seeds
No. 5 Miami vs. No. 12 Drake
Drake opened at +2.5 but now sits at +2 ahead of Friday’s date with the Hurricanes. The Bulldogs are tough inside and defend well without fouling, which could pose problems for Miami’s attack. Drake has also won 13 of its last 14 and has one of the oldest starting units in the Tournament.
No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 VCU
Why not VCU? The Rams haven’t been to the dance since 2017 but come into this matchup riding a nine-game winning streak. VCU, a 4-point underdog here, probably won’t light up the scoreboard, but their defence can go toe-to-toe with St. Mary’s. This one could come down to the final possession.
March Madness Cinderella Teams
No. 10 USC Trojans
One major attribute to look for in Cinderella teams is experience and the Trojans have a pile of that. They also have a game-breaker in Boogie Ellis, who averages 18 points a night. This No. 10 seed is listed as just a 2-point underdog against Michigan State on Friday and could give Marquette fits in the next round too.
No. 13 Iona Gaels
Many bettors have come to realize over the years that betting against Rick Pitino this time of year doesn’t end well. Pitino’s Gaels boast excellent guard play and are stingy defenders. They check in as 9.5-point underdogs against No. 4 UConn on Friday.
No. 13 Kent State Golden Flashes
Don’t think for a minute that Kent State will be intimidated by No. 4 Indiana on Friday. The Golden Flashes went down to the wire with Houston and Gonzaga this season and oddsmakers have them pegged as just 4-point underdogs to open the Tournament. If they can get past Indiana, they’ll face the winner of Drake vs. Miami.
