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NCAA Bracket 2011 Has Put Richmond In A Position To Play Cinderella, But Will the Spiders Beat Vanderbilt?

Every year, there's a team that captures America's attention by coming out of nowhere to make a dream run in the NCAA Tournament.

If you're looking for that team this year, look no further than the Richmond Spiders.

The Spiders came roaring through the Atlantic-10 Tournament, winning the entire thing and now the program is up against Vanderbilt, a team that limped to the finish line and earned a five-seed in the big dance.

Yes, that is the classic five vs. 12 upset special that everyone loves to pick at least once in their bracket, so if you're still trying to decide, let your money ride on the Spiders and hope that Richmond can keep the ball rolling from its great performance in the conference tournament.

I like Vanderbilt, I just had the way the Commodores are playing right now and with how red-hot the Spiders are, it's hard to pick against them on a neutral floor. With the way Richmond is playing right now, it could be our Cinderella this year, but the sobering reality is that while this team may pull one upset, it's not going to get by Louisville or Kansas in this region.

It will be a nice story if it happens, but I wouldn't count on it. Pencil Richmond in for the first-round upset and nothing more, because the rest of the region is simply too deep and too tough for the Spiders to make a serious run into the heart of the tournament.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Has Jimmer Fredette and BYU as a Three-Seed, But Will the Cougars Get Tripped Up Early in the Big Dance?

There has been a lot of hype around Jimmer Fredette and the BYU Cougars this year, and all eyes will be on this team as it tries to make a deep run in the tournament without Brandon Davies, who was kicked off of the team for violating the school's honor code.

The Cougars haven't looked like the same team since then and I see this team taking an early exit from the tournament. I see BYU heading home after a second round loss to St. John's, a team that has proven it can beat some of the top teams in the nation over the past month-or-so.

Quite frankly, Jimmer Fredette cannot carry this team deep into the tournament, he just can't. On top of that, I'm not a fan of the Cougars' resume either. Sure, there's a lot of wins, but outside of wins over Arizona, UNLV and San Diego State, who did this team really beat. On top of that, the losses to New Mexico and San Diego State were horrendously bad.

This has all the making of a team that's ripe for an upset and it's a shame, because this looked like a group that could do serious damage in the tournament before Davies was kicked off of the team. That's just the way things go sometimes.

If I'm filling out my bracket today, I'm not looking to put much stock in the Cougars. You'll just end up disappointed.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Features Michigan State, but Can the Spartans Pull The Upset and Go on Another Dream Run?

Tom Izzo knows what it takes to succeed in the NCAA Tournament.

How many times have we seen Izzo lead the Michigan State Spartans on a deep run into the big dance and surprise everyone? It's happened time and time again so at this point, we shouldn't be shocked if it happens.

Michigan State struggled mightily this season, limping to a 10-seed in the NCAA Tournament and a matchup against UCLA in the first round. Despite a loss to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament, I think the Spartans are going to pull an upset in the first round.

As bad as Michigan State's loss to Penn State was, at least the Nittany Lions also beat Wisconsin before that matchup. Furthermore, the Bruins lost to Oregon in the Pac-10 Tournament, a team that is playing in the lowly CBI. That's right, UCLA lost to a team that's not even in the NIT.

Izzo always finds a way to get the best out of his players in the tournament and this year will be no exception. He and the Spartans will upset the Bruins in the first round and then I wouldn't be shocked if Michigan State went on to beat Florida, a team that is beatable and looks weak for a two-seed.

The talent is there, and Izzo can get this team to play its best basketball of the season and I think we're on the verge of another great Michigan State run in the NCAA Tournament. Buckle up, it's going to be a wild ride.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Is Being Broken Down By Millions, But Is Kansas State A Team to Bet On?

When you look at the bracket, the door looks open for the Kansas State Wildcats.

It was a disappointing showing in the Big-12 Tournament for Kansas State, who lost to Colorado in the first round, but when you look back at how the Wildcats finished the season, you can see why I see plenty of opportunity for this team in the NCAA Tournament.

Kansas State beat Kansas, Missouri and Texas all in the span of two weeks at the tail end of the season as the Wildcats won their final six games of the regular season before the set back against Colorado. It earned Kansas State a five-seed, which is always a seed people like to pick as an upset. If you're looking for an upset, Vanderbilt at the same seed is a much more viable option than the Wildcats at this juncture of the season.

I see Kansas State advancing past the first two rounds of the tournament and then stunning No. 1 Pittsburgh in the Sweet 16. I've made it no secret that I don't believe in this Pittsburgh team  because of its history of choking in the tournament over the years. Until Pittsburgh proves to me that I should rest my hopes on their shoulders, I won't do it.

The Wildcats have beaten some of the top teams down the stretch and that is something that you love to see from a team heading into the tournament. While there's reason for concern after the loss to Colorado, I have faith that Kansas State will bounce back and surprise some people in the big dance.

I'd rather rely on the Wildcats than rely on Pittsburgh, that's for sure.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Is All About Finding The Weak Link To Help Win Your Pool, But Is That Team Pittsburgh?

I have zero faith in the Pittsburgh Panthers.

You may be asking why I'm already writing off Pittsburgh before the tournament even starts and I'll explain it to you. It's because every year, without fail, the Panthers will let you down and ruin your entire bracket before the first weekend is even over.

Don't believe me? Well, since 2006, the Panthers have been no lower than a five-seed, and despite that, they only made the Sweet 16 twice, in 2007 and 2009, with the latter being the year Jamie Dixon helped lead Pittsburgh to a one-seed. In fact, this is a program that has reached the Elite Eight once since 1974.

The stats don't lie, this is a program that will break your heart and leave your bracket for dead if you let it. If you had to bank on one of the top seeds going out, you have to bank on the Panthers. It happens every year, without fail, and if you fall victim to believing in this team, I, nor anyone else, will feel sorry for your and your shattered dreams and lost money, because you deserved it, for believing in a team that never lives up to its promise.

I may be wrong, but history doesn't lie, and it's telling me that this team has an excellent chance of exiting the tournament a lot earlier than people think it will. Get ahead of the curve and get the Panthers out of your bracket at a reasonable time. Say, a matchup against Kansas State in the Sweet 16.

If you do, you'll be a much happier man for it, trust me.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Pits Two Pennsylvania Teams Against Each Other in the First Round, But Can Penn State Upset the Owls?

Talor Battle has waited a long, long time for this moment.

The star of the Penn State basketball program, Battle has put up impressive numbers for mediocre teams for years, only seeing moderate success, an NIT championship a couple of years ago, but other than that, the Nittany Lions were nothing more than an afterthought in the Big Ten and in college basketball at large.

However, Battle has helped lead Penn State on a magical run to the NCAA tournament and a 10-seed and a matchup against Temple in the first round. While this may be the same team that lost to Maine earlier in the season, I wouldn't sleep on the Nittany Lions. If Battle gets hot, there is no telling what he can do to the Owls from behind the arc.

Temple is going to have to smother Battle and make the rest of the team beat them and that simply won't happen. It's been a fun ride for Penn State and the campus hasn't cared this much about basketball in a long, long time, but all good things have to end sometimes, and for Battle, that means Penn State's season and his career as a Nittany Lion.

He is the greatest player to ever put on a Penn State uniform, but sadly, he won't get to experience a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. While he may not be sticking around for long, make sure you watch him play, the man can simply shoot the ball and he's going to find a way to fill it up one way or another against Temple.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Is Looked At Differently With Kyrie Irving's Return, But Does This Make Duke A Lock For the Final Four?

Some people get all the breaks.

Just ask the Duke Blue Devils, who might as well have a police escort to the Final Four and then valet service when the team arrives.

Let's be honest, Duke's region is weak. In fact, weak might be an understatement when you look at it. There are no real threats between the Blue Devils and the Elite Eight and in that round, I'm not confident in any team beating Duke in that matchup.

Throw in the fact that Kyrie Irving looks like he's going to make it back on the floor for Coach K and company and you've got a recipe for another deep run in the NCAA Tournament for the defending national champions. I'm sorry, but I'm not a believer in San Diego State, who hasn't beaten anyone of real consequence outside of BYU, who has had issues heading into the big dance.

Duke's region is by far the weakest in the entire field and it's set up for the Blue Devils to make the biggest rounds of the tournament, which is exactly what the committee wants. It's no secret that the Blue Devils are TV ratings gold, so why not give the defending champs an easy road and hope for the best?

It's not right, but it's the way it is, so if you're still looking to set a Final Four, put Duke in that slot right now, because it's obvious the Blue Devils are going to be dancing for a long, long time.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Is Being Broken Down Across the Country, But Is North Carolina Overrated Coming into the Tournament?

Over the past month-or-so, North Carolina has become everyone's team to watch in the NCAA Tournament.

The Tar Heels have come out of nowhere this year, winning the regular season ACC championship and making it all the way to the finals of the conference tournament where Roy Williams and company were thrashed by Duke.

While you can see why everyone is putting a ton of stock in North Carolina, I'm not buying the hype around this team. Yes, Harrison Barnes is playing his best basketball of the season and it's changed the way this team has performed.

However, two losses at the hands of Duke, especially the massive beating this past week, are enough to have me worried about the Tar Heels' chances against a top team in the big dance. For instance, a team like Syracuse, who has come out of the toughest conference in the country to be a three-seed in the same region as the Tar Heels, is a squad that can certainly knock North Carolina out of the tournament.

Furthermore, I'd worry about a team like Washington, who has a scrappy guard in Isaiah Thomas and is red-hot coming into the big dance. The Huskies have the tools to beat a team like the Tar Heels and if you're putting all of your eggs in the North Carolina basket, I'd be very worries bout that team in a second-round matchup.

While North Carolina has had an amazing and improbably finish to its season, I'm not looking to rely on the Tar Heels to carry my bracket. Advance them in the tournament, but do so with extreme caution.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Will Be A Subject of Debate, but Was Kentucky Put In A Position For Success?

This isn't last year's Kentucky team.

Eric Bledsoe, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall aren't walking through that door, but it doesn't mean that this group of Wildcats doesn't have that special ingredient to get over the top and make a deep run into the NCAA Tournament.

Kentucky is riding a six-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament, including two wins over Florida and another over Vanderbilt. The Wildcats are streaking and it was a little shocking to see a team that is playing as well as this one is right now slotted as the four-seed in the East region.

While that may be a bit of a slap in the face of Kentucky and its fans, the Wildcats are still in a position to make things happen in the big dance. John Calipari has this team playing it's best basketball coming into the tournament and we've seen that Ohio State is beatable this season. If you're a team that's streaking, you have a big advantage once you start your run towards the national championship.

This is a confident, talented team that has the potential to shock the Buckeyes and move to the Elite Eight and beyond. If you're looking for a team that's under the radar to pick in your bracket, I would take a very strong look at the Wildcats.

One of the best strategies is to look at the teams that are on fire heading into the tournament, and few are hotter right now than Kentucky. Winning the conference tournament and beating some of the top teams in the country is something that will send the Wildcats on a dream ride.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.

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NCAA Bracket 2011 Has George Mason As An Eight-Seed, But Will We See Another Magical Tournament Run?

No one will ever forget George Mason's run to the Final Four in 2006.

The Patriots came out of nowhere, stunning one team after another, beating basketball powers like Michigan State, North Carolina and Connecticut all the way to the biggest stage in college basketball before losing to Kansas in a close game.

This year, George Mason is back, but not as a 12-seed, but as an eight-seed and is matched up with Villanova in the first-round. The Patriots couldn't ask for a better matchup out of this seeding. Villanova is limping in to the NCAA tournament, having lost its last five games, including a terrible loss to South Florida in the Big East Tournament.

George Mason will win this game and advance to the second round, where it has a matchup with Ohio State standing between the Patriots and the Sweet 16. The Buckeyes are the best team in college basketball and have arguably the Player of the Year in Jared Sullinger. Ohio State is just too experienced and too talented for a team like George Mason.

While it has been a great year for the Patriots, who have accomplished a lot this season, the ride has to end some time, and that time will be early on in the tournament. No one would be stunned if the Patriots pulled a massive upset, but it's just not going to happen this year for the upstart program who shocked the world all those years ago.

For more on March Madness, be sure to check out Bleacher Report's hub for all things related to the NCAA Tournament.

Also, if you're looking for a bracket to fill out to keep handy for this weekend, be sure to download Bleacher Report's printable tournament bracket.