NCAA Upsets: Smart Picks for Your Bracket

0:00On March 18, everyone loves picking upsets in the NCAA tournament brackets, but history shows they're not all created equal. Since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, 9 seeds have beaten 8 seeds in about 52% of first round. Games, while 10 versus 7, sits around 39%. Lower seeds like 12 over 5, when 36% of the time, but 13 over 4 drops to just 20%. And 16 over 1 is a rare 1%. Last year, brought 6 first round upsets, including 2 each from 9, 10, and 12 seeds, plus 11 over 6. That reminds us the surprises happen often enough to shake up polls, especially on those middle lines where underdogs have real shots. Bracket fans get a thrill from Cinderella stories, rooting for mid majors over big programs, even if it means sweating those conference tournament. Highlights or mascot vibes. It's what makes March madness unite casual watchers with diehards and friendly wagers.

1:03This year, eyes are on teams like Utah State to top Villanova on the 98 line, thanks to sharp guard play and rim attacks. Missouri could push past Miami as a 10 seed, with relentless drives, while Northern Isle was slow defense my frustrates St. John's 12-5. Match-up. Deeper picks include Hofstra shooters against Alabama and North Dakota State's hot threes over Michigan State. With the tournament tipping off soon, nailing a couple smart upsets could turn your bracket from bust to buzz worthy, keeping the madness alive through. The early rounds.