ESPN NCAA Bracket 2012: Upsets to Watch for in Round of 32

If we know anything about the NCAA tournament, it's that upsets tend to come in bunches.

In the Round of 32, there are several intriguing matchups that should have the favorites worried and paranoid (it's only the natural feeling in March Madness).

Here's a look at three potential upsets in the upcoming Round of 32.

East Region: Kansas State vs Syracuse

If we learned anything from Syracuse's opening matchup against No. 16 seed UNC-Asheville, it was that the loss of Fab Melo has clearly affected this team.

The Orange were able to pull away with the victory thanks to great bench play, but losing their defensive protector in the 2-3 zone has made them vulnerable defensively. They also outrebounded the Bulldogs by just two boards, despite the Bulldogs not starting a player over 6'5" in the game.

Kansas State doesn't have a dominant rebounder, but the Wildcats do have more size than UNC-Asheville, led by bench spark Jordan Henriquez. The Wildcats also play a tough, physical defense and may not even need to score a lot of points to upset Syracuse.

East Region: Vanderbilt vs Wisconsin

I will say this: I was more in love with Vanderbilt before the Round of 64 than after. Vanderbilt didn't play particularly well against an overmatched Harvard team.

But I will also say that I have faith in this team. The Commodores have a lot of shooters who can make you pay, shooting 37 percent from downtown headed into the tournament. They also defend the three-point game well.

There's also the fact that Vanderbilt defeated No. 1 Kentucky in the SEC Tournament championship game before entering the tournament.

Wisconsin's defense will be a challenge, though.

West Region: New Mexico vs Louisville

New Mexico is no joke and was one of my sleepers headed into the tournament.

The Lobos are battle-tested after going on a late run in the Mountain West Conference. They can score, rebound and fight hard defensively, aided by their depth, which always keeps them fresh.

They withstood a tough team in Long Beach State in the Round of 64, and I wouldn't be surprised if they advanced to the Sweet 16. Louisville is going to be a tough out, though. The Cardinals looked good against Cinderella hopeful Davidson.

Here's a link to ESPN's 2012 NCAA Tournament Bracket.

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