NCAA Tournament 2013 Predictions: Favorites That Won't Cover

The 2012-13 college basketball season has been filled with upsets, and many expect the NCAA tournament to continue the trend.

On the whole, I'm not convinced we'll see complete madness on Thursday and/or Friday, but when looking at the odds, three underdogs jump out at me as attractive plays.

I'm not necessarily taking all of these dogs to win outright, but it is a safe bet that the favorites in these games won't cover.

Odds per OddsShark.com.

No. 13 South Dakota St. Jackrabbits vs. No. 4 Michigan Wolverines

The Wolverines are favored by 11 points, which is certainly not forecasting a blowout, but I see the game being even closer.

The Jackrabbits guard Nate Wolters will present the Wolverines a very difficult assignment. He is averaging 22.6 points per game, and his matchup with Trey Burke will be fun to watch.

This isn't a one-man team, though. South Dakota State has three other players that average double figures. 

The biggest reason they will give Michigan trouble is their play on the defensive end. The Jackrabbits only surrender 65.6 points per game, and they rebound the ball well.

This is a quality team, and the Wolverines were only 4-6 against the Top 25 this season. If you think Jackrabbits aren't on that level, then you're in for a surprise.

I'm still picking the Wolverines to win, but they won't win by 11 points.

No. 8 Colorado St. Rams vs. No. 9 Missouri Tigers

This is obviously expected to be a close game, and the Rams are three-point favorites. But the Tigers will win this one outright.

Both of these teams are among the best rebounding teams in the nation, but the Tigers have tons of tournament experience.

Along with UConn transfer Alex Oriakhi, the Tigers have holdovers from the team that was upset by No. 15 seed Norfolk State in the 2012 tournament.

An important statistic is the team's record against Top 25 teams, which I also referenced in the Jackrabbits-Wolverines matchup. It shows how each team has performed against other good teams.

The Rams were 0-2 and the Tigers were 4-1 in these contests. Frank Haith's squad will gain some redemption for their early exit last year with a win over the Rams.

No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers

If you're looking for the seemingly annual upset in the No. 5 and No. 12 matchup, this is a good bet. The Badgers are six-point favorites, but I like Ole Miss here.

The Rebels are playing exceptionally well of late. They streaked to the SEC conference title, and they're doing it with defense. None of the Rebels' last four opponents have shot over 42 percent from the field.

Of course, the Badgers defense is perhaps the best in the nation, but can they contain the inside-outside duo of Marshall Henderson and Murphy Holloway?

Henderson is one of the nation's best long-range gunners. He's made 131 three-pointers this season, and he's averaging 20.1 points per game.

Holloway is putting up a near double-double with 14.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

Both teams have proved they can get stops, but when it comes to individual performers with the ability to make plays in a close game, the Rebels have the edge.

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