‘Tis the season to search for Cinderella. Part of the fun – and the madness – of the NCAA Tournament is rooting for the underdog to knock off the big boys. It’s even more fun if you are able to predict in advance which underdog will be the one doing the upsetting. That’s where The Hoops Manifesto comes to the rescue – we know where to look. Just look for the teams with the number ’12’ beside them.
It’s strange but it’s true – the 12 seeds in the NCAA Tournament consistently perform better than the stats would predict. Does the selection committee do this on purpose every year or are they just that inept at seeding teams? Or is this just a strange, mystical beast that rears its head each March? Beats me. This year looks to be no different, as there are a few 12 vs 5 matchups that looks ripe for an upset or two. Today’s action starts off with #12 Clemson taking on #5 West Virginia. Clemson is ranked one spot ahead of West Virginia in Ken Pomeroy’s very indepth team rankings, plus the Tigers could be on a roll, smoking UAB in their First Round game. However, the Mountaineers come from the powerhouse Big East, and the experience they gained in conference play probably will be enough for them to prevail.
Today’s other 12 vs 5 tilt could definitely be an “upset special” – #12 Richmond vs #5 Vanderbilt. Richmond has a rich history at upsetting favoured teams in the bracket, and they could pull it off again today, as many believe they are a bad matchup for Vandy. It helps that the Spiders have a terrific one-two punch in Kevin Anderson and NBA prospect Justin Harper.
As for Friday’s action, #5 Arizona, led by future NBA star Derrick Williams, should get by #12 Memphis, which brings us the real upset special of the Second Round – #12 Utah State vs #5 Kansas State, which takes place later on tonight. How is Utah State a 12 and Kansas State a 5?! Not only are the Aggies ranked higher in Pomeroy’s rankings, there are also ahead of them in the final AP poll (and have been for weeks). To compound matters, the underachieving Wildcats’ best player, Jacob Pullen, apparently has a stomach virus. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the best place to look for the 12 versus 5 magic to occur once again. Which, now that I’ve predicted it, should ensure the Wildcats a victory!
Let the Madness begin!
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