March is just around the corner, and the competition is really starting to heat up in college basketball. Teams are fighting for high ranks and top seeds come Selection Sunday, so it is starting to be pretty obvious who will be in and out of the postseason.

Bleacherreport.com has compiled a list of eleven teams who are a tough pick for the tournament, teams that may or may not have even a shot to make it even though they were top picks at the beginning of the season. These teams have around 17 wins and 11 losses each on average, and they are mediocre in their individual conferences.

I see a lot of teams on their list that I personally think have a big shot in the tournament. They have a somewhat solid record and have consistent victories against non-conference teams and multiple plays that will most likely be ranked at the top of them all by the end of the tournament. Plus, they have a history of showing up in the Big Dance year after year, although that is not always a shoe-in for the future—does anyone remember North Carolina being in the tournament in 2010? No? That’s because they actually were not there for once.

Some teams listed, however, most likely do not have a chance on Selection Sunday. I do not think Cincinnati, for example, has a good chance at overcoming tenth-ranked Marquette and South Florida with a 9-5 record in the Big East already. I also do not see the Mississippi State Bulldogs headed to postseason play either, especially with a 6-7 SEC record and not finishing out their scare against Kentucky last week. And it is obviously a surprise to see Connecticut on this list – the defending champions of 2011! These teams may give quite the fright against top ranked ones, but in the end, it is all about winning the game, not just freaking the opposing team out for a few minutes.

We won’t be learning of these teams’ fate until Selection Sunday, but until then, it is all about their fight back into being top contenders for the tournament, so the games in the next few weeks will no doubt be incredibly exciting.

Photo courtesy of MidwestSportsFans.com

By: Chris Ruple

There have been a number of lower seeds knocking off higher seeds in the tournament so far. Here’s a rundown of the first round upsets and a couple teams that may be this years Cinderella.

14 Ohio defeats 3 Georgetown

Out of all the first round upsets, this was probably the most surprising. Not many people had Ohio beating Georgetown in their bracket. They did it just like most teams that have success in the tournament do, solid guard play. Ohio standout guard Armon Basset put up 32 on the Hoyas and led the way to this first round upset. The Bobcats couldn’t even manage a winning record in conference play but were able to knock off the Hoyas. Ohio will clash with Tennessee in the second round and while we shouldn’t count them out yet, it would be a stretch to say the Bobcats will defeat anyone besides the inconsistent Hoyas.

13 Murray State defeats 4 Vanderbilt

One of the more popular upset picks of the tournament lived up to the hype. Impressive guard play from Issac Miles, BJ Jenkins, and big time six man Issiah Cannon helped the Racers pull the upset. Danero Thomas’ buzzer beater for the win provided the best finish to a game thus far. Don’t be surprised if this Murray State team takes their next game against Butler and makes it to the Sweet 16.

7 BYU defeats 10 Florida

While their first victory wasn’t an upset, BYU may have a couple of upset victories in their future. It is very possible that one of the 2 seeds will go down at the hands of a 7-10 team in the second round. Florida knew guard Jimmer Fredette would be key to a Cougar victory, yet they couldn’t stop him. Fredette dropped 37 on the Gators, one of the most impressive performances of the first round, while wing man Michael Lloyd Jr. was 7 for 10 from the field and 26 points. BYU looked very good in their first tournament win since 1992. If they can get past Kansas State in the second round and Fredette stays hot, they could be a surprise Final Four team.

12 Cornell defeats 5 Temple

This was another popular upset and Cornell lived up to the expectations defeating the Owls 78-65. The Big Red lead most of the game thanks to big man Jeff Foote who went for 16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Ivy League squad tallied its first NCAA tournament victory and will look to gain their second against the Wisconsin Badgers. This will be an interesting match up and don’t be surprised to see the Big Red challenging Kentucky for a spot in the Elite 8.

11 Washington defeats 6 Marquette

The Big East woes continued in San Jose as the Huskies defeated the Golden Eagles 80-78. The Huskies entered the Pac-10 tournament needing to make some noise and led by star forward Quincy Pondexter they swept the competition and won the tournament. Pondexter would also makes some noise in the Big Dance by putting up 18 against the Golden Eagles, including banking in a layup with 1.7 seconds left and claiming a berth in the second round. The rolling Huskies will face New Mexico in the second round, a very winnable game as the Lobos struggled in their opening round matchup against Montana.

10 Missouri defeats 7 Clemson

The battle of the Tigers ended with the boys from Missou advancing to the second round. With both teams running high press defenses, it appeared at first that Clemson’s sharpshooters might come out on top. Missouri struggled from the field in the first half but stuck around and were able to pull away in the second half. The Tigers “Fastest 40 minutes in Basketball” pressure defense may be the recipe for success to take down the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second round.

11 Old Dominion defeats 6 Notre Dame

Not too many people thought the Monarchs would take down the Irish but a strong defensive effort help them do just that. Old Dominion held Notre Dame to 35% from the field and forward Frank Hassel accounted for 21 of the Monarchs 51 points. Carelton Scott had a chance to send the game into overtime for Notre Dame with a three pointer but instead the ball was tipped in for two and the Monarchs got the win. The Monarchs aren’t new to first round upsets, they pulled one of the biggest in tournament history in 1995 as they took down 3 Villanova as a 14 seed in a triple overtime thriller. The upset minded Monarchs will face the Baylor Bears in the second round with a chance to reach their first ever Sweet 16.

10 St Mary’s defeats 7 Richmond

The “Boys from Down Under” defeated the Spiders 80-71. The Gael’s roster contains 5 players from Australia but it was California native Omar Samhan who led the way for the Gaels with 29 points and 12 rebounds. The Gaels looked very good in their first round match shooting a cool 49% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc. With 2 seed Villanova struggling against Robert Morris in the first round, don’t be surprised to see the Gaels make the Sweet 16.

This year’s field is full of lower seeded teams that are capable of making deep runs and a couple higher seeded teams that are very venerable to upsets. This year truly shows no one really has a good method to their madness when filling out their bracket in March.

By Jay Ingles

The brackets have been unveiled, and its time for college basketball fans to pick their upsets, cinderellas, and national champion. Let’s take a look as what this year’s tournament offers.

Midwest Region:

Favorite: Kansas. The Jayhawks are the most complete team in college basketball. Sherron Collins is one of the best leaders in the game, and he has the supporting cast to make a national title run. Cole Aldrich is a solid post presence and, along with the Morris twins, gives Kansas a legitimate frontcourt. Xavier Henry is arguably the most skilled freshman in the country. Kansas is not only the favorite in this bracket, but probably the favorite to win the entire tournament.

Sleeper: Michigan State. Last year’s national runner-up has underachieved all year and is not receiving much attention heading into the tournament. But Michigan State is experienced, and Tom Izzo knows how to get it done in the tournament. The Spartans shouldn’t have much trouble getting to the Sweet 16, and they could give Kansas a run for their money if they meet. Kalin Lucas is an elite point guard, and Raymar Morgan, Durrell Summers, and Draymond Green are all dangerous players.

Upset Special: San Diego State over Tennessee. Most people don’t know much about San Diego State, but they might learn quickly. The Aztecs are fresh off a Mountain West Tournament title, while Tennessee’s last game was an embarrassing 29-point loss to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament semifinals. Tennessee managed to do well in the SEC after losing star swingman Tyler Smith earlier this year, but their lack of depth could be an issue in the tournament. Furthermore, San Diego State’s top three scorers reside in the post, where Tennessee can’t match up.

West Region:

Favorite: Syracuse. The Orange lost their first game in the Big East Tournament, but they still have all the pieces to make a run at the national title. Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson has been incredible in his first season of eligibility, and Andy Rautins is perhaps the best shooter in the nation. Sophomore Kris Joseph is a solid contributor, and Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuako have the size and ability inside to give other teams problems.

Sleeper: UTEP. The Miners got jobbed with a No. 12 seed. This team is good enough to make a Sweet 16 run. Louisville transfer Derrick Caracter has been a force in the paint this year and could be a tough task for Butler’s Matt Howard or Vanderbilt’s A.J. Ogilvy. Randy Culpepper is one of the best scoring guards in the country, and UTEP’s potential opponents don’t have have a defender capable of containing him.

Upset Special: Murray State over Vanderbilt. Murray State quietly posted 30 wins this year, and Vanderbilt has a history of losing to 13-seeds (see 2008). The Racers have the most balanced offense in the tournament field, sporting six players that average around ten points per game. In other words, there is no player that a defense can key on, which makes Murray State a tough matchup and thus a tough out. Vanderbilt is good, but they got a bad draw and I can see Murray State pulling the upset.

East Region:

Favorite: West Virginia. Kentucky is the No. 1 seed and has plenty of talent, but the lack of experience of their core will catch up to them eventually. West Virginia has both the talent and the experience to make it to the Final Four. Both teams are coming off conference tournament championships, but the Mountaineers effort was much more impressive. Desean Butler is a stud who performs in the clutch, and Devin Ebanks is a matchup nightmare. I expect these teams to meet in the Elite Eight and West Virginia to come away with the victory.

Sleeper: Marquette. The Golden Eagles flew under the radar in the Big East this season, but they are good enough to make a run in the tournament. Marquette lacks size, but they make up for it with skill. Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler are small for post players, but they combine for 33 points and 14 rebounds a game. Darius Johnson-Odom is an underrated guard who can score. Marquette has a pretty good draw, facing a streaky Washington team and potentially a New Mexico team with whom they match up well.

Upset Special: Cornell over Temple. This is an interesting matchup because both of these teams are good enough to make the Sweet 16. Cornell is undervalued as a No. 12 seed and has a big-time scorer in Ryan Wittman. Temple is a good team, but they may have trouble with a well-schooled Cornell squad. I like the winner of this game beating Wisconsin in the second round.

South Region:

Favorite: Villanova. Duke is not as good as their seed indicates, and Villanova will beat them in the Elite Eight if the Blue Devils get there. The Wildcats have struggled recently, winning just four of their last ten games, but they have enough talent to make their second straight Final Four. Scottie Reynolds may be the best point guard in the nation and has plenty of quality players around him. Coach Jay Wright has won in the tournament in the past, so expect him to do the same this year.

Sleeper: Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have really turned it on lately. They played well without star big man Luke Harangody, and now he has worked himself back into an effective role with the team. Mike Brey has his team firing on all cylinders and primed for an NCAA tournament run. Tim Abromaitis is a player to watch out for, and Tory Jackson and Ben Hansbrough make up a very good backcourt. I see Notre Dame making it to at least the Sweet 16.

Upset Special: Siena over Purdue. Purdue hasn’t been the same since it lost Robbie Hummel. Siena is a senior laden team that has won a game in the past two NCAA Tournaments. The Saints had three players on the All-MAAC first team, and have four players averaging over 13 points per game. Fran McCaffrey is a great coach, and he has got a group of players that are capable of winning games in the tournament.