NCAA Basketball Scores 2012: Michigan State and Teams on Upset Alert in Sweet 16

The Sweet 16 is full of possible upsets that could excite basketball fans and ruin brackets everywhere if they happen.

Through three rounds of this year's NCAA Tournament, we have seen many lower-seeded teams knock of superior opponents, and because of this, we have seen how much parity there is in college basketball right now.

Let's look at three teams on upset alert in the Sweet 16.

Marquette

The Golden Eagles will play an experienced and talented Florida Gators team on Thursday, and must not take their opponent for granted.

Many of the Gators' best players, such as forward Patric Young, were on the squad last year that made it to the Elite Eight.

Florida has several quality three-point shooters, and if they get hot from the outside, then Marquette could be in serious trouble.

The Gators are well coached and are fundamentally strong, so don't be surprised if they upset the Golden Eagles in the Sweet 16.

Michigan State

The top-seeded Spartans are a deep and talented team that can excel in any style of play, but Big East tournament champion Louisville will be a challenging opponent for them on Thursday.

Michigan State was only able to defeat No. 9 seed Saint Louis, 65-61, in the third round, and had some trouble against the strong defense of the Billikens.

The Cardinals are a strong rebounding team and are well coached by Rick Pitino, who has national championship-winning experience. He will be able to make effective halftime adjustments to help his team win the second half.

The Spartans must make sure they bring their "A" game against the Cardinals in the Sweet 16.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes will have their hands full with a confident Cincinnati team that believes it can defeat anyone it plays.

The Bearcats are able to execute well late in games and don't get fazed by late-game pressure. After two close wins against Texas and Florida State in its first two games, Cincinnati knows what it's like to play in close tournament games.

Ohio State hasn't gone through that yet with its two wins over Loyola and Gonzaga, so it will be interesting to see how the Buckeyes handle the pressure when the game is to be won in the final minutes of regulation.

If the Buckeyes don't shoot well from the outside, they will struggle against the Bearcats.

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