NCAA Tournament 2012: 5 Teams That'll Shock the World in Opening Round

It's that time of year again when we all decide to watch college basketball.

However, most of us haven't watched all season and end up making bonehead picks in our brackets for upsets. 

This is why I'm here to clear things up a bit. Before you pick No. 15 Detroit over No. 2 Kansas, let me remind that although it seems enticing to do a major upset like that, more likely than not, it's not going to happen.

Instead, go with conservative upsets that will still be shocking. These next five teams are destined to pull off major wins in the first round, and it'll be wise to include them in your bracket.

West Virginia

No. 10 West Virginia lucked out.

They essentially get a de facto home game. The same way Sarah Palin could see Russia from her backyard, the players on West Virginia could see the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh from its.

Meanwhile, Gonzaga has to travel all the way from the West Coast. 

Travel matters in college sports. Players are younger, and they could get intimidated by hostile crowds. The wear and tear from traveling could be detrimental for a team's chances of winning.

West Virginia is also a Big East team and have faced the nation's top competition all year long, so facing Gonzaga isn't going to be a new test. 

New Mexico State

No. 13 New Mexico State defeating No. 4 Indiana will be the biggest shocker of the tournament, and it can easily happen.

First of all, Indiana lost one of their best players in Maurice Creek to injury, so that's not going to help its cause.

Secondly, New Mexico State doesn't have to travel to far to Portland for the game. The Hoosiers, on the other hand, have to fly in from the West Coast, and as we mentioned in the previous slide, travel matters in college sports. 

It's also fair to say that the Aggies are used to the travel. They've played games in Hawaii, Idaho and Northern California this season. On the other hand, Indiana plays against nearby teams in the geographically-clustered Big Ten.

Alabama

No. 9 Alabama defeating No. 8 Creighton won't be the most memorable upset ever. However, each year, a couple of No. 9's are able to come away with a victory.

The 8 vs. 9 battle is generally a 50-50 tossup. 

Creighton didn't even win the Missouri Valley Conference in the regular season, and it never played against a Top 25 team. 

Alabama, on the other hand, went 0-4 against Top 25 teams, but it kept it close against No. 2 Kentucky on the road in a six-point loss. Another one of Alabama's Top 25 losses came on the road against No. 20 Mississippi State, and that was a four-point loss. 

The Crimson Tide have also played against tougher competition all-around. They play in the SEC, which is sending twice as many teams than the MVC is. 

Finally, Alabama has already defeated an MVC team in Wichita State, who is ranked No. 5 in this year's tournament. 

Connecticut

The defending champion Connecticut Huskies are ranked No. 9 this year, so once again, an upset won't be too surprising. However, it's hard to bet against UConn. 

First of all, throw its 8-10 conference record aside. It's in the Big East. It plays the toughest competition year in and year out. It also lost Kemba Walker to the NBA and were still playing No. 2 Syracuse close twice. It lost to Syracuse twice, but by a combined total of five points.

Connecticut plays against No. 8 Iowa State of the Big 12. Iowa State had a lackluster performance in the Big 12 tournament, bowing out in the first round to Texas. 

Also, travel doesn't seem to affect the Huskies. Last season, they flew all the way to Anaheim and defeated San Diego State in what was a de facto home game for the Aztecs. In the first round this year, they only have to go to Louisville, which is half the distance they traveled last season.

The Huskies have the mojo and the experience to make something happen here against the Cyclones. 

VCU

Why not?

It went all the way to the Final Four last season. 

You're telling me it can't win one game in the first round?

It's hard to replicate last season's heroics, but VCU gets sort of a break as it takes on Wichita State of the Missouri Valley Conference. It beat tougher teams last season. 

Keep an eye out for VCU if it wins. We already predicted New Mexico State to win its first-round matchup, so if both teams win, VCU and NMSU will be playing in a No. 12 vs No. 13 matchup. This means VCU has a pretty good shot of going to the Sweet 16 again. 

With a head coach of Shaka Smart's caliber, a hot streak after defeating Drexel in the Colonial Athletic tournament and the swagger from last season's run, don't be surprised if VCU shocks the Shockers. 

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