2013 NCAA Tournament 2nd Rd Picks and Predictions: Round of 32 Upset Specials

2013 NCAA Tournament 2nd Rd Picks and Predictions: Round of 32 Upset Specials: The first wave of NCAA Tournament games is in the books, and the teams lucky enough to survive will take the court again this weekend with a spot in the Sweet 16 up for grabs. With the likes of Georgetown, New Mexico and Wisconsin all among the list of one-and-done teams, there is a good chance that a lot of brackets are already busted. However, that doesn’t mean there still aren’t opportunities to make some money going forward. In fact, there are a couple of potential matchups in the upcoming Round of 32 that could produce some surprise winners and some substantial payoffs for bettors willing to take the risk. With that in mind, here is a closer look at one game from each of the four regions of the NCAA Bracket where the underdog could emerge victorious.

No. 12 Oregon over No. 4 St. Louis: While I love the balance St. Louis has on both ends of the court, I don’t think the selection committee did the Billikens any favors by slotting the Ducks as a No. 12 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Bracket. After all, Oregon already bounced fifth-seeded Oklahoma State in convincing fashion, and this is the same team that won the Pac-12 Tournament. Plain and simple, the Ducks are a different team when freshmen point guard Dominic Artis is on the court, and they have a 21-4 record with him to prove it. Oregon has the speedy, experienced guards to withstand the pressure applied by St. Louis’ defense. The Ducks also have more perimeter firepower than the Billikens and a force on the glass in senior forward Arsalan Kazemi. Oregon will try to speed up the tempo a bit, and St. Louis will try to slow it down. This matchup should be a back-and-forth affair, and a fully healthy Ducks’ squad could easily come out on top.

No. 10 Iowa State over No. 2 Ohio State: Although the Buckeyes certainly took care of business by pummeling 15th-seeded Iona, the Cyclones were arguably more impressive in their 76-58 dismantling of seventh-seeded Notre Dame in the West Region of the NCAA Bracket. The matchup with the Fighting Irish showed exactly why Iowa State is a dangerous team as five players combined for nine 3-pointers, and the Cyclones dished out 19 assists while committing just six turnovers. Iowa State is loaded with perimeter firepower, and they usually to an excellent job of taking care of the ball. Facing an Ohio State team that relies heavily on defense and is often one dimensional or flat out struggles on offense, a hot shooting game from the Cyclones could be enough to propel them into the Sweet 16. Granted, the Buckeyes have been in a groove on the offensive end lately, but you still get the feeling that they are one bad showing from Deshaun Thomas away from being in serious trouble. Iowa State has the perimeter firepower to make OSU pay if Thomas has that one bad game.

No. 8 North Carolina over No. 1 Kansas: The lackluster Kansas offense wasted little time showing itself, and the Jayhawks actually trailed at halftime against 16th-seeded Western Kentucky. Meanwhile, the Tarheels’ smaller lineup continues to click, and four players scored in double figures as North Carolina toppled Villanova to setup the showdown with Kansas in the South Region of the NCAA Bracket. Yes, the Jayhawks have the athletes to handle North Carolina’s smaller lineup on the perimeter, and they also have a big edge in the paint with center Jeff Withey. However, Kansas still needs to hit shots, and the Tarheels have the perimeter defenders to harass Ben McLemore into another poor showing. North Carolina also has more quality shooters, and the team is coming off a performance when it hit 11 of its 21 attempts from beyond the arc. Not to mention the fact that the Tarheels should be plenty motivated to give their coach Roy Williams a win over his former team. If Kansas’ offense doesn’t improve, the Tarheels could shoot their way into the Sweet 16.

No. 6 Butler over No. 3 Marquette: Looking at the East Region of the NCAA Bracket, this is one potential upset that was pretty easy to spot. It’s not because Butler has been the ultimate underdog in reaching the title game in 2010 and 2011, and it’s not because Marquette had to squeak out a miracle win against 14th-seeded Davidson thanks to an offense that is often inconsistent. Butler has a chance to beat the Golden Eagles because the Bulldogs already have. Granted, it was a 72-71 victory that came via a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the Maui Invitational, but improbable wins are what the Bulldogs, especially in March. Butler doesn’t blowout many opponents and neither does Marquette so this game is likely coming down to the wire. The Golden Eagles may have already used up their get out of jail free card against Davidson, and it is hard to bet against the Bulldogs if this game comes down to the final possession. 

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