March Madness 2012 Predictions: Best Upset Picks for Every Region

Parity has been paramount in college basketball all season, a trend that's sure to yield a bundle of upsets in the 2012 NCAA tournament.

Not that unpredictability is anything new for the Big Dance. They don't call it March Madness for nothin', folks.

For those of you hoping to predict the mayhem before it goes down (and fill out your brackets accordingly), here's a look at the best bets for upsets in the round of 64 this year.

East

No. 10 West Virginia over No. 7 Gonzaga

There's a lot to like about Mark Few's Zags this year, particularly their ability to score.

Trouble is, West Virginia has a solid squad of its own, built around the talented trio of Kevin Jones, Darryl Bryant and Deniz Kilicli. What's more, the Mountaineers will have a clear home-court advantage, with this game tipping off in Pittsburgh.

Midwest

No. 11 North Carolina State over No. 6 San Diego State

The Midwest Region is rife with upset potential, including Belmont over Georgetown and (dare I say it?) Detroit over Kansas, though none is quite the "lock" that NC State over San Diego State would appear to be. The Wolfpack have been playing rather well of late, winning three games in the ACC tournament before nearly upending top-seeded North Carolina in the semifinal.

Not that the Aztecs, runners-up in the Mountain West Conference tourney, are exactly slouches themselves. Rather, it'll be difficult for Steve Fisher's squad to slow down C.J. Leslie and the quartet of double-digit scorers around him when these two teams take the floor against each other in Columbus on Friday.

South

No. 9 Connecticut over No. 8 Iowa State

OK, so maybe picking a ninth seed to beat an eighth seed in the Big Dance isn't exactly a shocker, especially when said ninth seed is the defending national champion.

That being said, if you're looking a lock, then the Huskies are the way to go. They struggled through the Big East campaign amidst the absence of Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun, but still possess a collection of talent and tourney experience that few can match.

Particularly Iowa State squad that hasn't participated in March Madness since 2005. 

West

No. 12 Long Beach State over No. 5 New Mexico

If you're a low-seeded team and you have a singular scoring threat like Casper Ware on hand, then you're most definitely a threat to make a run in the Big Dance.

Since Casper Ware just so happens to play for "The Beach," then the 49ers are, indeed, a threat to go a ways in March.

New Mexico has a strong squad, to be sure, but the Lobos will be hard-pressed to slow down Ware and Larry Anderson on the outside and a surprisingly strong presence like T.J. Robinson in the paint.  

For your printable NCAA Bracket, click here

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