2017 Free March Madness Picks & Predictions: Top National Title Sleeper Bets

2017 Free March Madness Predictions – Top National Title Sleeper Bets: Everyone is looking for the upset special during March Madness, the Cinderella story, the David who slays Goliath. If the NCAA Tournament has taught us anything over the years, it is that upsets are going to happen. However, history also says that the clock usually strikes midnight for these Cinderella teams before they can celebrate a national title. When it comes to winning it all, major conference teams seeded fourth or better have won just about every NCAA Tournament, and you can count the exceptions on one hand. In other words, you need to adjust your expectations when picking a sleeper team to win it all versus picking a sleeper to pull off one or two upsets. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top teams to target if you want to bet on a longshot national champ.

2017 Free March Madness Picks & Predictions: Top National Title Sleeper Bets

West Virginia (+2500): I have my concerns with West Virginia. The Mountaineers rely on their press to create chaos and easy scoring opportunities, but for whatever reason the press wasn’t as effective down the stretch. On the flip side, West Virginia can be nearly impossible to beat when the press is working, and there big wins this year include taking down Virginia on the road and dismantling Kansas and Baylor. The NCAA Tournament offers West Virginia a break from the familiarity of conference play, and the Mountaineers’ potential opponents in the West Region aren’t going to have experience dealing with their pressure. When Bob Huggins’ group can catch teams by surprise with the press, they have shown that they can beat any team in the country, and you need a team with that type of potential when trying to tab a sleeper candidate to win it all.

Michigan Wolverines (+2500): I normally like to stick to teams seeded fourth or better when eyeing potential national title sleepers, but I’ll make an exception for the Wolverines. Michigan caught fire to win the Big Ten tournament title, and the Wolverines appear to have found a confidence that had been lacking all year. They have a do-it-all point guard to lead the way in Derrick Walton Jr., and Walton is playing his best basketball at the right time. Mortiz Wagner is also hitting his stride, and he provides a solid presence inside. Teams evolve throughout the year, and the Michigan team from a month ago is not the same team heading to the Big Dance. Kemba Walker took Connecticut on a surprise title run, and Walton could do the same for the Wolverines.

Florida State Seminoles (+3300): The Seminoles were a bit of a surprise this year, finishing tied for second in the loaded ACC during the regular season. Granted, they finished 4-4 down the stretch, but there aren’t many teams going into the NCAA Tournament that can boast wins over Minnesota, Florida, Louisville, Duke and Virginia. Florida State has been able to force opponents into mistakes on defense, and the Seminoles rank in the top 20 in points per game. They also have two NBA prospects. Guard Dwayne Bacon is a versatile, go-to scorer who can hit big shots in big spots. Meanwhile, big man Jonathan Isaac is being heralded as a top-five pick in the NBA Draft because if his combination of size, athleticism and skill. Florida State can score, has star power and has proven itself against top competition. I think the Seminoles are worth a flier at their current odds.

Iowa State Cyclones (+4000): Another team that rolls in the NCAA Tournament with plenty of momentum is Iowa State. The Cyclones captured the Big 12 tournament crown for the third time in four years, and the conference tournament title was a reminder of how much potential this group has. Iowa State has an explosive offense that is led by floor general Monte Morris, and the Cyclones have perimeter firepower to spare. Yes, the defensive intensity can come and go, but when Morris and company are knocking down shots, the Cyclones are a handful. With the pressure set to go through the roof, an experienced point guard like Morris is going to pay dividends. If the Cyclones are shooting it well, a shocking title run isn’t out of the question.

You can get expert 2017 March Madness picks and 2017 March Madness predictions this month from NSAwins.com’s top handicappers plus a pre-filled downloadable and printable 2017 March Madness Bracket to help you win your office pool!