NCAA Tournament 2013 Predictions: Teams on Round of 64 Upset Alert

With the field set and the NCAA Tournament all but underway, March Madness has officially begun.

Brackets are being filled out, Cinderella team's are preparing for magical runs and powers are hoping to impose their will.

The question is: Which favored teams could be out as early as the round of 64?

Every year, it seems as if we see an underdog rise in the second round of play. Whether it's the perennial No. 5-vs.-No. 12 upset or a stunning loss by a higher seed, we've come to expect the unexpected.

So who might go down in the round of 64? More teams than you may think.

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No. 4 Michigan Wolverines, South Region

Opponent: South Dakota State Jackrabbits, No. 13

Date: March 21

Location: Auburn Hills, Michigan

The Michigan Wolverines should make the Sweet Sixteen with what is essentially two home games in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

With that being said, the Wolverines have a very difficult second-round matchup: Nate Wolters and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

Wolters is a legitimate star. He's currently averaging 22.7 points, 5.8 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals on a slash line of .493/.390/.810.

When it comes to the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Wolters is the type of player who could will his team to victory.

With that being said, Wolters is not alone. The Jackrabbits have four players with at least 48 three-point field goals made.

As for how efficiently they're converting, Jordan Dykstra is shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc, and Chad White has 75 three-point field goals made on 43.4-percent shooting.

South Dakota State are a poor defensive unit, but their sharpshooting can take down any team.

No. 5 Oklahoma State, Midwest Region

Opponent: Oregon Ducks, No. 12

Date: March 21

Location: San Jose, California

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are a dangerous team. Led by freshman phenom Marcus Smart, the Cowboys could be a sleeper team to make a run to the Final Four.

In that same breath, they could be out in the round of 64, as they face the Pac-12 champion Oregon Ducks.

Oregon owns victories over tournament teams UNLV, Arizona, UCLA and Colorado. They're led by six players who average at least 8.5 points per game.

Led by forward Carlos Emory, the Ducks could pull off this upset.

For those who believe that history repeats itself, this is a No. 5-vs.-No. 12 seed game. As we all know, at least one No. 5 seed is on upset alert every season.

Oklahoma State could be that team in 2013.

No. 5 UNLV Rebels, East Region

Opponent: California Golden Bears, No. 12

Date: March 21

Location: San Jose, California

The UNLV Rebels may be the higher seed, but they're the underdog entering this game. That isn't because of ability or team makeup, but instead a product of location.

California will be playing in their home state. The Golden Bears will have a virtual home game, which could lead to an early exit for UNLV.

A major reason why is California's backcourt. Point guard Justin Cobbs is currently averaging 15.5 points and 4.8 assists per game. Allen Crabbe is putting up 18.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Paired with a quality interior, Cal has the personnel to pull off the upset.

With that being said, the Rebels should be able to secure this win. Anthony Bennett is a bona fide star, while Mike Moser is overdue for his 2013 breakout performance.

Assuming Katin Reinhardt remembers how to shoot, UNLV should win their virtual road game.

No. 5 VCU Rams, South Region

Opponent: Akron, No. 12

Date: March 21

Location: Auburn Hills, Michigan

The VCU Rams are a popular favorite to make a deep NCAA Tournament run. They play marvelous full-court defense, are as well-coached as any team and have a history of tournament success.

With that being said, the Rams will be on upset alert when they play No. 12 seed Akron.

The Zips enter the NCAA Tournament at 26-6. They're an elite scoring defense that thrives on preventing opponents from breaking out in transition.

A major reason for their success is 7'0" center Zeke Marshall.

With that being said, VCU will hold a significant advantage over Akron. Their full-court defense smothers opponents, which could be an issue for Akron, considering point guard Alex Abreu is out for the season due to suspension.

VCU should hold on to win—just don't call it a lock.

No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers, West Region

Opponent: Ole Miss, No. 12

Date: March 22

Location: Kansas City, Missouri

The Wisconsin Badgers have made a serious statement in recent days by defeating both Michigan and Indiana. Even though they lost in the Big Ten Championship game, the Badgers are a team worth watching when it comes to a deep Tournament run.

That is, if they can survive the SEC Champions.

The Ole Miss Rebels took down Florida to win the SEC Tournament crown. The way they did it was by placing the ball in the hands of one of the most dynamic playmakers in the nation—polarizing scoring guard Marshall Henderson.

Henderson is your quintessential big-game star performer. Whether he's lighting it up from beyond the arc or penetrating and banking it off the glass, Henderson does it all.

He'll let you know about it, too.

Wisconsin is likely to be viewed as the favorites, but they're not going to get out of this one easily. Not if Murphy Holloway continues to show up.

A tough opening-round game for the Badgers.

No. 6 Arizona Wildcats, West Region

Opponent: Belmont Bruins, No. 11

Date: March 21

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

The Arizona Wildcats are one of the most talented teams in the NCAA. They're 25-7 overall and have created a quality balance between the perimeter and interior.

With that being said, they're about to have their hands full with the Belmont Bruins.

Belmont is a phenomenal three-point shooting team that spaces the floor with an abundance of snipers. That includes Ian Clark, Trevor Noack, J.J. Mann, Reece Chamberlain and Craig Bradshaw.

The most notable name is Clark.

Clark, a senior guard, is averaging 18.1 points per game. He's posted that number on a slash line of .541/.463/.840.

That includes a stellar performance against VCU in which he dropped 24 points on 10-of-10 shooting.

Belmont has the quality to pull off an upset. They also possess the star to lead them on a solid run.

No. 6 Butler Bulldogs, East Region

Opponent: Bucknell Bison, No. 11

Date: March 21

Location: Lexington, Kentucky

The Butler Bulldogs are one of the most successful mid-major teams in the history of the NCAA Tournament. This year, they have the talent to continue that success.

The first step is making it past a very tough Bucknell Bison squad.

Led by center Mike Muscala, the Bison are one of the nation's most intriguing teams. A major reason why is Muscala's ability to anchor an elite defensive unit.

Bucknell ranks 14th in scoring defense and seventh in opponent field-goal percentage. They're also fifth in turnovers forced, eighth in steals and 10th in blocks.

As for their offense, Muscala is averaging 19.0 points and 11.2 rebounds.

Butler will have a tough time escaping this one.

No. 6 UCLA Bruins, South Region

Opponent: Minnesota Golden Gophers, March 22

Date: March 22

Location: Austin, Texas

The UCLA Bruins are 25-9 and one of the most talented teams in the nation. Led by players such as star scorer Shabazz Muhammad, do-it-all forward Kyle Anderson and assist machine Larry Drew, the Bruins could make noise.

With that being said, UCLA has lost second-leading scorer Jordan Adams for the remainder of the season.

Without Adams, the Bruins are vulnerable at shooting guard. That doesn't bode well for UCLA against Minnesota guards Andre and Austin Hollins.

The Bruins will feel Adams' absence, mostly due to the fact that Adams was one of the team's top defenders.

Even if he were healthy, however, the Bruins would be on upset alert. Minnesota owns victories over Indiana, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Memphis and Illinois.

Trevor Mbakwe could lead the Golden Gophers to the W—can Muhammad have his coming-out party and counter?

No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, West Region

Opponent: Iowa State, No. 10

Date: March 22

Location: Dayton, Ohio

Don't sleep on Iowa State. The Cyclones' up-tempo offense will try and run Notre Dame out of the gym. ISU has the eighth-most efficient offense in America, according to kenpom.com. The Cyclones have six players who score 9.3 points or more--in particular, Tyrus McGee shoots a scintillating 45.7 percent from three-point range.

Notre Dame will try and slow down the six-headed monster, but it may not have the speed to run up and down the court with ISU for 40 minutes.