NCAA Tournament Picks: Travel, Free Throws, and Upsets

0:00On March 16, the brackets for the 68 team NCAA tournament are out, and it's time to fill yours with some smart angles in mind. No method guarantees perfection, but factors like travel, free throw accuracy, and team histories can tilt your picks. Top seeds face pressure from poor shooters on the line, while long trips across the country have hurt West Coast teams lately. UCLA heads East to face UCF in Philadelphia after struggling in Big Ten road games beyond the Rockies, winning just once their this season. Free throws often decide close tournament gangs, so favor strong shooters like St. Mary's at over 81% or Illinois near 79%, and fade the worst like L.I.U. under 67% or North Carolina at 68.4%. Even big names like Arizona, Duke, and Yukon rank low in this key stat. Coaches in programs chasing their first tournament when at intrigue, like Nebraska under Fred Hoyberg, who's made them fun, but zero for eight in.

1:01Appearances, now facing Troy. Kentucky drew a seven seed against Santa Clara in St. Louis, while Arizona rides hot conference play, but hasn't reached a final four since 2,001. Michigan State's Tom Iso boasts tons of wins overall, but limited success as a three seed. Fans love upsets, but data shows with strength pays off recent tournaments average just six double digit seed victories in the first round, with first. Four teams often advancing furthest among underdogs, highly seeded squads with shaky free throws or travel woes could stumble early. These edges sharpen your bracket without overthinking every matchup, setting you up for a stronger run through March Madness.