March Madness 2012 Bracket: Bold Predictions for Chaotic Round of 64

The NCAA tournament's round of 64 is going to be full of surprises. That is not a bold prediction because there is nothing bold about something that always happens. 

In the one-and-done setting of this tournament, there are always some shocking results, and the action-packed two days of the round of 64 is full of them. 

Will Cherry Will Shoot Montana Past Wisconsin 

This junior Montana guard is not a three-point marksman. He is decent from distance and hit 37.3 percent of threes on the season, but it is his mid-range game that will be a bigger focal point here. 

Both Wisconsin and Montana have deliberate offenses. They like to use the clock and work for good shots. This leads to low-scoring games and puts a premium on hitting shots. 

No one is going to be better at that in this game than Cherry. 

Montana enters this tournament having won 14 straight, and Cherry has been at the center of that streak, averaging 17.8 points per game in that stretch. 

He will be able to break down Wisconsin's tough defense with his solid shooting. This will lead to points for him and open up things for his teammates. 

Prediction: Montana wins 56-51; Cherry drops in 21 points

Jorge Gutierrez Will Lead Cal over Temple

The Cal Bears lost three of their last four games to miss out on the Pas-12 regular-season championship and then were bounced in the Pac-12 tournament. 

At the heart of these struggles was Pac-12 Player of the Year, Jorge Gutierrez. In the three losses he scored a total of 18 points on 7-of-25 shooting. 

Somehow, Cal still managed to squeak into the Big Dance, albeit as a participant in the play-in game. 

However, that will turn out to be a blessing. Cal will be able to adjust to the spotlight of the tournament against South Florida. 

This will give Gutierrez a chance to get rolling again and be in a position to take over against Temple in the round of 64. And that is where Gutierrez will show the nation why he was the Pac-12 Player of the Year. 

He is going to take over that game not only with his scoring, but with his leadership, and even more importantly, his defense. 

The majority of Temple's offense comes from their guards, and Gutierrez is going to force those guys into the kind of abysmal performances that marred the end of his season. 

Prediction: Cal wins 66-60; Gutierrez will go for 18 points and three steals

Lehigh's C.J. McCollum Will Go for 30

No. 15 Lehigh is not going to upset No. 2 Duke, but this game will be closer than most anticipate, and that will be due to Lehigh's junior guard C.J. McCollum.

McCollum is an excellent scorer, averaging 21.9 points per game this season. He shot 45.5 percent from the field and 35.6 from three. He also finished the season strong by scoring 27 and 29 points in his last two games.

While McCollum isn't used to playing teams of Duke's caliber, Duke is not elite because of their defense. In fact, they rank 211th in points allowed per game.

McCollum did have one game against a top team this year, and he went for 19 against Michigan State. The Spartans are a vastly superior defensive team to Duke. They allowed the 13th fewest points per game this season.

McCollum is going to go off in this one and delight fans. 

Prediction: Duke wins 91-83; McCollum drops 30 points