NCAA Bracket 2012: Last-Second Tips for Predicting March Madness

So the round of 64 of the 2012 NCAA tournament is about to tip off, and you still haven't filled out your bracket completely. Maybe you're nervous and indecisive, unsure of your picks. Maybe you're totally comfortable with your bracket, but wouldn't mind doing one last check.

Or maybe you've just woken up from a week-long slumber and have yet to even see the March Madness field.

Whatever the case may be, we've got you covered with some 11th-hour suggestions for filling out your bracket, with some help from the inquisitive folks over at Business Degree.

Offense Wins Championships

Believe it or not, defense ain't all it's cracked up to be in the Big Dance. Only once since the institution of the three-point line in 1986 has a college basketball champion been crowned without scoring at least 77 points per game.

That leaves only 14 teams—North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, Duke, Indiana, BYU, Wichita State, Creighton, LIU-Brooklyn, Belmont, UNC-Asheville, South Dakota State, New Mexico State and Davidson—within range of cutting down the nets in New Orleans.

And, since no team seeded lower than eighth has ever reached the tourney final, you can pretty much count out the last six teams in the list above.

No No. 1-And-Done

A No. 1 seed has never fallen to a No. 16 seed in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Never, ever, ever.

It'll happen at some point, with Fab Melo-less Syracuse looking like the most vulnerable top team this time around.

But, if you're a bettin' man, you might as well slot all the No. 1s into the round of 32.

1 + 1 + 1 + 1?

Don't get too excited about your No. 1 seeds, though. Only once have all four of the top teams advanced to the Final Four—in 2008, when Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina and UCLA all made it to the Alamodome.

As such, expect at least one team from among the quartet of Kentucky, UNC, Michigan State and Syracuse to fall short of expectations. The Orange look like the most vulnerable to go without Fab Melo, though the Spartans and the Tar Heels both figure to be challenged in the Elite Eight by Big 12 powers (Missouri and Kansas, respectively).

That being said, 33 percent of the time, the Final Four features two No. 1 seeds, so choose wisely.

More Fun With Seeding

No. 9 seeds hold a slight edge in winning percentage of No. 8 seeds in the round of 64. That puts Alabama, Southern Mississippi, Saint Louis and defending champion Connecticut in prime position to advance past Creighton, Kansas State, Memphis and Iowa State, respectively.

Don't just blindly move all the nines into the next round, though. UConn, with its tremendous talent and experience, is the best bet to move on, while Creighton and Kansas State look like good buys to "surprise" as No. 8 seeds.

Elsewhere, you can count on at least one No. 12 seed springing an upset on a No. 5 seed this week. VCU looks liable to keep that tradition going, just one year removed from a miraculous run to the Final Four, by beating Wichita State.

Long Beach State has the guard play to upend New Mexico. Temple hasn't played well of late, but should benefit from playing either Cal or South Florida from the "First Four."

And in the East Region, Vanderbilt has all the ingredients to make a push for the Final Four, though the Commodores have been quick to exit the tourney in each of their last three appearances, twice as a No. 4 seed and once as a No. 5 seed.

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