Printable NCAA Bracket 2012: Make Final Predictions for March Madness

It's that time of year again, when everyone from the biggest college basketball diehards to those who normally couldn't care less fill out their brackets in an effort to gain bragging rights over their friends and perhaps put some extra cash in their pockets.

Literally anything can happen in the NCAA Tournament, and last season was a perfect example as mid-major teams like Butler, VCU and Richmond all made deep runs. While that may seem like a rare occurrence, it's always good to have knowledge about unheralded teams.

Here are a few useful pieces of advice that you can use while filling out your brackets, as well as Bleacher Report's free downloadable bracket for your personal use.

Florida State Will Make a Deep Run

They may not receive the notoriety of North Carolina or Duke, but the Florida State Seminoles were the ones to win the ACC tournament this season, and they should ride that wave of momentum to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles shockingly beat the Tar Heels and Blue Devils twice apiece this season, including victories over them in succession over a 24-hour stretch. That should prove that they can play with any team in the country.

The Seminoles have an endless wave of quality big men and are the fourth-tallest team in the nation, so it won't be easy for the opposition to operate in the paint. They also have a great array of guards, including the explosive Michael Snaer. As long as things break their way, the Seminoles have real Final Four potential.

Duke Will Bow Out Early

As much as the ACC tournament showed us that the Seminoles are for real, it also revealed that the Duke Blue Devils have plenty of issues that could be their downfall in March. Duke has been a volatile team in the big dance over the past several years, as it either seems to go the distance—like it did two years ago—or bow out in the early rounds, like it did against VCU a few years back.

The Blue Devils may have better guard play than any team in the nation thanks to Austin Rivers and Seth Curry, but that isn't always enough. The elite teams tend to have top-level big men, and Duke simply doesn't. The Plumlee brothers are decent and bring a lot of energy to the table, but they can be pushed around by the best post players in the nation. This Duke team isn't complete enough to go the distance, but it's a given that plenty of people will pick them to win it all.

Wichita State Will Be This Year's Mid-Major to Watch

Last year more than any other year in recent memory, mid-majors reigned supreme as two made the Final Four and one made it to the National Championship Game. While there are no guarantees that something similar will happen this season, the team with the most potential to do it are the Wichita State Shockers. The Shockers played well all year in the tough Missouri Valley Conference and are among the most efficient teams in the nation.

Not only are they in the top 15 in field goal percentage, but the Shockers also play fantastic team defense. They have a stud center in Garrett Stutz and one of the best under-the-radar guards in the country in Joe Ragland. Mid-major teams often aren't overly deep since most of their quality players are in the starting lineup, but Wichita State has a deep and talented rotation that rivals those of most power-conference teams. If you're going to roll the dice, do it with the Shockers.