March Madness 2012: High Seeds Who Will Stumble in Big Dance

The NCAA Tournament is an amazing time for dozens of schools that will revel in some amazing victories. Except for Duke and other top-seeded teams that will fail in the madness of March. 

The brackets are up, and the majority of the field is set. Save the play-in teams, we have our matchups set and can manage who is moving forward and who will be left to lick their wounds in the summer. 

It's best to think of the brackets as the perfect storm, equal parts underrated programs and over-hyped messes. 

In this case, we'll concentrate on the high seeds that are meandering to their doom. Many of their supporters will be weeping into brackets that are destroyed from overzealous fanaticism. 

Here are the favorites to target as eventual losers. 

1. Duke

The Duke Blue Devils have nothing to be ashamed about. They are still one of the most storied programs in college basketball. 

Such a team is bound to have a down year, if that is what you call a 27-6 record and a No. 2 seed in the South Region. 

The Blue Devils have been far too inconsistent to believe that they will do anything but let us all down. They are soft on defense and susceptible to breaches down low. 

Their perimeter offense is streaky at best. This team is going down, and it will happen far sooner than we are used to. 

2. Wisconsin

The Badgers enjoy a No. 4 seed in the East, but they may be looking at an early exit against a tough Montana team. 

If that doesn't get them, a surging Vanderbilt team surely will. The Badgers have a tough defense, but the issues come with their streaky offense that can go for long stretches with zero returns. 

That is precisely the kind of team that gets ousted far before they should. I like the Badgers for what they bring in tenacity, but their offensive woes will have them packing for home before the Sweet 16. 

3. Missouri

Missouri has a No. 2 seed in the tough West Region. I love Missouri's offense, which is one of the best in the nation. Their mark of 80.3 points per game is good enough for sixth in the nation. 

The fear comes from them having to travel the toughest of roads. They should get a Florida team that is better than their No. 7 seed would let on. 

The Gators are near mirror images of the Tigers, playing an up-tempo game led by some terrific guards. More than that, Florida will be playing with an enormous chip on their shoulders that will make an already unrelenting offense that much more fierce. 

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