2013 Sweet 16 Picks and Predictions: Top National Title Sleepers in the Sweet 16

2013 Sweet 16 Picks and Predictions: Top National Title Sleepers in the Sweet 16: After the first weekend of the 2013 NCAA Tournament, there is a good chance that some bettors have already lost their picks to win the national title, especially there dark horse picks. The good news is that the break in the action allows for bettors to regroup and take a chance on a new set of sleeper picks. Granted, the odds aren’t going to be as favorable because the field has been thinned, but there are still a few teams outside of the favorites that have a chance to make a run. With that in mind, here is a closer look at a few teams that are getting longer odds to win the national title that could be worth taking a chance on.

Michigan State Spartans (15/1): In the loaded Midwest Region, the Spartans have the third-longest odds of the four remaining teams. However, they have a coach in Tom Izzo that has reached at least the Elite Eight in seven of his 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, and they also have a distinct style that allows them to control the pace of games against almost any opponent. Michigan State has a pair of big bodies inside in Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix that allows this year’s team to truly pound away at teams from the post on the offensive end. Meanwhile, Keith Appling gives the Spartans an experienced player at the point guard spot. Defense and rebounding are always a given with Izzo’s team, and while the Spartans could use a little more perimeter firepower, they are a battle-tested bunch that isn’t going to be outclassed by anyone they face.

Syracuse Orange (22/1): Although they have looked downright ugly at times on the offensive end, the Orange still have a 2-3 zone that confuses opponents and plenty of individual talent. Keep in mind that Brandon Triche, C.J. Fair and Michael Carter-Williams have all gotten to the foul line at least 140 times, and James Southerland has knocked in 79 3-pointers at a 40.5 percent rate. Not to mention the fact that Syracuse’s zone tends to be more effective against out-of-conference opponents, and to that point, the Orange went 12-1 against non-Big East teams during the regular season. There are a few Big East teams floating around, including a possible meeting with the Marquette in the Elite Eight if both teams get that far, but the Orange lost to the Golden Eagles on the road by just three during the season. Yes, Syracuse is one offensive implosion away from getting bounced, but if Carter-Williams and company can string together four more good games, the Orange could ride their defense to a national title.

Marquette Golden Eagles (40/1): The Golden Eagles have won their two games by a combined three points, and luck has definitely been in their corner. It could easily be argued that Marquette’s luck is bound to run out, but then again, Buzz Williams’ bunch has been involved in close games all year. Granted, they have been on the winning and losing end of tight games, but six of their eight loses have been by eight points or less. This is a team that has overachieved all season, sharing a conference title it was supposed to have no shot at, and never thinks it is out of a game. The survivor’s mentality is a nice one to have during March Madness, and it is even nicer to have a player like Vander Blue who is on fire at the perfect time. Blue hit the game-winner against Davidson with less than two seconds remaining and followed it up with 29 points in a win over Butler. The Golden Eagles will resume action against a Miami team missing that is missing its starting center, and with their ability to keep every game close, they always have a puncher’s chance.

Wichita State Shockers (40/1): They are definitely the longest of the long shots on this list, and the ninth-seeded Shockers would become the lowest seed to win a national title if they do indeed make the historic run. If you look at the stat sheet, it’s not hard to see why Wichita State earned an at-large bid out of the Missouri Valley Conference and have already knocked off two higher seeds. After all, the Shockers rank in the top 30 in the country in rebounding, allow less than 61 points per game, and have eight players that have hit double-digit 3-pointers. Not to mention the fact that Wichita State has a pretty favorable draw with 13th-seeded La Salle up first in the Sweet 16. There really isn’t a more dangerous combination than a team that plays defense, hits 3-pointers and has nothing to lose, and if the Shockers are hitting their shots, they can keep dancing a long time.

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