NCAA Bracket Predictions 2013: Best Possible Upsets to Pick in Round of 64

With the 2013 NCAA tournament about to get underway, there is barely any time for you to make last-minute adjustments to your bracket. However, if you haven’t submitted your selections to the office pool quite yet, give it one more glance and consider adding a few more upsets.

Every year, it seems at least a handful of underdogs pull out a huge victory against favored opponents. It should be no different during this Big Dance.

Let’s take a look at three possible scenarios in which a lower seed will notch a “W” and move on to the next round of March Madness.

 

No. 12 Ole Miss vs. No. 5 Wisconsin

The Rebels are rolling right now, winning an improbable SEC tourney title as the No. 3 seed. However, the selection committee wasn’t impressed and assigned this group the No. 12 seed in this event.

Marshall Henderson—Ole Miss’ superstar guard—couldn’t care less about this snub and seems more than ready to shoot his team past the Badgers in their second-round matchup.

According to the Associated Press (via NY Daily News), the junior sniper is out to impress the world and perhaps find himself on the NBA draft radar: “I know personally for me the last couple of years I’ve seen Seth Curry and Jimmer Fredette. They got their money, that’s what I’m trying to do.”

A 20.1 PPG scorer who takes 10.8 three-point attempts per contest, we’re not surprised that he has his sights set on bigger things. However, Henderson must first find a way to evade a tough Wisconsin defense and get his shot off on Friday afternoon.

We’re starting to believe in his confidence and think that the Rebels will find a way to pull off a classic No. 12 vs. No. 5 upset.

 

No. 11 Bucknell vs. No. 6 Butler

All signs point to Butler being the most over-seeded team in this event, opening the door for the Bucknell Bison to win their first NCAA tournament game since 2006.

The Bulldogs' most notable victories came towards the beginning of the 2012-13 campaign, when they knocked off Indiana and Gonzaga. However, they have truly struggled as of late and were having a tough time overcoming even the weakest of opponents.

While Butler wasn’t losing those contests, they weren’t putting forth the effort required to beat a team as great as Bucknell is in a win-or-go-home showdown.

Considering the Bison employ a legit seven-footer who may play in the NBA—Mike Muscala, a double-double machine—and a host of solid guards that can shoot the three, there’s no reason to doubt their ability to pull off an upset.

Bucknell has the personnel, the will, the talent and the opponent to win as a No. 11 seed against the No. 6 in the second round.

 

No. 11 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 6 Memphis

After playing in the First Four, the Saint Mary’s Gaels are going to carry some momentum into this round of 64 battle with the Memphis Tigers.

While Memphis hasn’t had a chance to see the court for any meaningful action since winning the Conference USA title in double-overtime against Southern Miss on March 16, the Gaels stayed loose with a win over the feisty Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders on Tuesday evening.

St. Mary’s senior point guard Matthew Dellavedova is a legit star with plenty of NCAA tournament experience. He’s looking to end his incredible career with another deep run and seems to have the tools to do it.

Outside of his three-point range and elite playmaking ability, the Gaels have a nice mix of perimeter threats and interior presences.

Memphis may be a feisty opponent that won a respectable conference, but St. Mary’s is getting the edge for having momentum and a well-rounded roster.

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