March Madness 2012 Bracket: Bold Predictions for an Upset-Filled Sweet 16

March is about to get a little more mad with what is going to be a wild Sweet 16. This tournament has already seen its share of upsets, and it is just getting started. 

There are some great matchups in the Sweet 16. There are going to be some great games, and there are a few teams that are seeded lower than the team they are playing, but are better teams right now. 

Here are three of those games. 

No. 4 Wisconsin over No. 1 Syracuse

Syracuse is really going to be hurt by the lack of Fab Melo in this game. Wisconsin knows how to slow down a game. This puts extra emphasis on each possession, and that means getting good looks and playing great defense is vitally important. 

Syracuse is not the same defense without Melo. His absence will make it easier for point guard Jordan Taylor to get to the rim and finish. That penetration will also suck in Syracuse defenders and open things up for the likes of forwards like Ryan Evans. 

And Syracuse is not going to be able to makeup for this defensive deficiency with their offense. Wisconsin allowed fewer points per game than any team in college basketball this season. They are not going to let Syracuse get any easy points in this game. 

Score: Wisconsin 59, Syracuse 54

No. 7 Florida over No. 3 Marquette

The Gators are playing as good as any team in the tournament. They are destroying their competition. They beat Virginia and Norfolk State by a combined score of 155-95. 

And the reality is that the games weren't even as close as the already lopsided score suggests. 

Marquette will certainly provide a stiffer test for Florida, but it is one they will still overcome. Marquette's Jae Crowder will not be enough to lead his team to victory in this game. 

Florida's Kenny Boynton and Brad Beal are going to be able to break down Marquette's defense. The Golden Eagles don't have the backcourt defense to slow these guys down and they are going to be able to dictate the flow of this game.

Score: Florida 74, Marquette 65

No. 11 NC State over No. 2 Kansas

The tournament has their Cinderella. It is No. 11 NC State. This team is on fire and that blaze is going to consume the Jayhawks. 

The Wolfpack are clearly playing their best basketball of the season. They won four of their last five games heading into this tournament and their lone loss was a two-point defeat to North Carolina. 

They easily dispatched San Diego State in their tourney opener and won a thriller against Georgetown. They are now ready to take down Kansas. 

The Wolfpack have the the frontcourt to slow down the Jayhawks leading scorer Thomas Robinson. This will be the center of their defense and it will throw Kansas from their game. NC State will also use an advantage on the boards to extend possessions, and that will be too much for Kansas to overcome. 

Score: NC State 67, Kansas 62