March Madness 2010 Bracket: Five Teams to Avoid in Your NCAA Bracket

The field is set, the brackets are in, and printers all over the country are working overtime.

Before you start thinking about which teams to pick, you need to think about the other side of the coin: which teams not to pick.

Knowing which teams to avoid in your NCAA Tournament bracket is just as important as knowing which teams to ride to the Final Four.

Take a look at my five teams to avoid in your NCAA Tournament pool.

Purdue

Why they could make an early exit:

Purdue is simply not the same team without Robbie Hummel. The Boilermakers are 27-5 overall including 14-4 in the Big Ten, but are just 3-2 since Hummel went down.

While losing to a hot Minnesota team on Saturday is understandable, it's the fashion in which they lost that is concerning.

They were blitzed by the Golden Gophers, and ended up scoring just 42 points in a 27-point shellacking.

Purdue looked like a potential Final Four team just a few weeks ago, but now falls into the category of potential upset special victim.

Sizing up their opponents:

The Boilermakers draw a strong and tournament-tested No. 13 seed in Siena in the first round. Not only is this a game that Purdue could lose, it's possible that Siena will be considered the favorite.

If the Boilermakers do get by Siena, a tough matchup against a very strong No. 5 seed in Texas A&M awaits.

Prediction:
The Siena Saints are about as good of a No. 13 seed as you'll ever see, and they will knock off the Boilermakers in the first round.

Vanderbilt

Why they could make an early exit:

The Commodores are 24-8 overall and 12-4 in the SEC, but have lost two of their last three games. The Commodores bowed out of the SEC tournament with a 62-52 loss to Mississippi State.

Mississippi State is a quality team, but the Commodores looked listless against the Bulldogs, something they will need to shake to avoid an early-round upset in the Big Dance.

A.J. Ogilvy and Jermaine Beal are the Commodores' leaders, but neither seems like the type of player who could lead their team deep into the tournament.

Sizing up their opponents:

Vandy draws the Ohio Valley Conference champion Murray State Racers in the first round.

The Racers, 30-4, have had a great season, and are one of the most balanced teams in the nation, with five players averaging between 10.6 and 10.3 points per game.

If the Commodores get past Murray State, the winner of a great Butler-UTEP match-up lingers.

Prediction:
Vanderbilt will get by Murray State in a good first round game, but will bow out to the Butler Bulldogs in the second round.

New Mexico

Why they could make an early exit:

The Lobos saw their No. 8 national ranking come crashing down with a loss to San Diego State in the Mountain West Conference tournament.

The Lobos have put together an impressive 29-4 record, including 14-2 in the MWC, but they lack a high-quality signature win.

Yes, they've beaten Texas A&M and BYU twice, and you can't blame them for not having had a shot at a higher ranked team, but they really haven't done enough to justify their No. 3 seed in the tournament.

A matchup against a lower-ranked major conference team could spell trouble.

Sizing up their opponents:

The Lobos get Big Sky champion Montana in the first round, but it's a second-round matchup with Marquette that is a cause of concern for New Mexico.

Remember how I said a lower-ranked major conference team could spell trouble? Well, Marquette definitely fits that bill.

Prediction:
The Lobos will have no trouble disposing of Montana in the first round, but they won't make a trip to the Sweet 16. Their season comes to an end at the hands of Marquette in the second round.

Villanova

Why they could make an early exit:

At first glance, it looks like the Wildcats have had a successful season. They finished a brutal Big East schedule with a record of 13-5 and are 24-7 overall.

However, upon closer review, you'll see that this is a team in flux. They have lost five of their last seven games, including a first-round Big East tournament loss to Marquette.

They were once discussed as a potential No. 1 seed, but settled for a No. 2 seed. Despite the leadership and experience of Scottie Reynolds, the Wildcats could be bounced from the dance early.

Sizing up their opponents:

The Wildcats take on NEC champion Robert Morris in the first round, then the winner of an interesting first-round clash between Richmond and St. Mary's.

If they win their second-round game, a potential Sweet 16 matchup with Baylor is a possibility.

Prediction:
Robert Morris won't put up much of a fight in the first round, and I think they squeeze by St. Mary's to reach the Sweet 16.

However, Baylor will be too much for the Wildcats to handle, and Scottie Reynolds's career will come to a disappointing end.

Kansas State

Why they could make an early exit:

Kansas State finished the regular season 26-7 with an 11-5 record in the Big 12.

However, they have lost three of their last five, and as evidenced by their three losses to Kansas this season, have not stepped up when it matters most.

Most concerning might be their recent loss to Iowa State, a team that finished just 4-12 in the Big 12.

The Wildcats have had an excellent season, but Dennis Clemente, Jacob Pullen and company are a strong candidate to see their season end in disappointing fashion.

Sizing up their opponents:

Kansas State sees Sun Belt champion North Texas in the first round. Their second-round match-up will be against the winner of an intriguing contest between BYU and Florida.

If they survive that one, they likely see Pittsburgh or Xavier in the Sweet 16.

Prediction:
The Wildcats get past North Texas, but stumble against an underrated BYU team in the second round.

If they do get past the Cougars, Pitt sends them home in the Sweet 16.