#12 Akron over #5 Texas Tech
Akron taking down Texas Tech is a very realistic upset for this year’s tournament. The Zips are one of the hottest teams in the country, winning 19 of their last 20 games. They finished 29-5 overall and 17-1 in conference play, then went on to win the Mid-American Conference championship. They have one of the most impressive shooting splits in the country, hitting 50% from the field and 38% from 3-point range. Texas Tech lost its star player, JT Toppin, a few weeks ago to a season-ending torn ACL, making the upset even more likely for the Zips.
#10 Santa Clara over #7 Kentucky
Santa Clara has had one of the best seasons in school history, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years. The Broncos made it to the West Coast Conference (WCC) championship game, falling to a Gonzaga team that ended up with a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. As a mid-major, they did not play much top-tier competition, but their best wins came from defeating Saint Mary’s twice.
Kentucky has been inconsistent all season and has not met the public’s expectations after spending millions of dollars in the portal this past offseason. The Wildcats have lost five of their last seven games and are a very beatable first-round opponent for Santa Clara.
#10 Texas A&M over #7 Saint Mary’s
Playing in a difficult conference like the Southeastern Conference (SEC) will do more than prepare you for the dance. Texas A&M has several notable wins this season, taking down Oklahoma twice, Kentucky, Texas, Auburn and Georgia. The Aggies have a balanced offensive attack with six players averaging double figures. This high-powered offense averages 87 points per game and will be a tough first-round draw for Saint Mary’s.
#11 South Florida over #6 Louisville
South Florida defeating Louisville will be the upset of the first round. The American Athletic Conference champion is hungry to make some noise in March, and what better situation for a No. 11 seed than to match up against a Louisville team without its freshman star, Mikel Brown Jr.? South Florida broke a program record for 3-pointers made in a season (312), averaged 88 points per game and had all five starters averaging double figures. The Bulls have won their last 11 games leading up to the NCAA Tournament and have what it takes to pull off the upset.
All stats are from espn.com as of Mar. 18
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