NCAA Tournament 2014: Latest Predictions and Odds for Bracket Busters
The 2014 NCAA men’s college basketball tournament is full of talented programs, but there are certain teams—dubbed bracket busters—looking to make a deep run despite their being criminally under-seeded.
With talented programs such as Saint Joseph’s and Harvard struggling to find the respect each deserves, the madness that comes with the second round of the tournament will lead to major upset victories.
Here is all the bracket information and links college basketball fans need and the latest odds for the entire March Madness season.
All Your Bracket Essentials
| 1 | Florida | 5-1 |
| 1 | Arizona | 8-1 |
| 1 | Wichita St. | 15-1 |
| 1 | Virginia | 18-1 |
| 2 | Villanova | 35-1 |
| 2 | Michigan | 30-1 |
| 2 | Kansas | 10-1 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 20-1 |
| 3 | Duke | 18-1 |
| 3 | Syracuse | 18-1 |
| 3 | Creighton | 35-1 |
| 3 | Iowa St. | 40-1 |
| 4 | Louisville | 8-1 |
| 4 | Michigan St. | 11-2 |
| 4 | UCLA | 45-1 |
| 4 | San Diego St. | 65-1 |
| 5 | Cincinnati | 90-1 |
| 5 | Saint Louis | 125-1 |
| 5 | VCU | 90-1 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 75-1 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 50-1 |
| 6 | Ohio St. | 65-1 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 125-1 |
| 6 | Baylor | 75-1 |
| 7 | Texas | 125-1 |
| 7 | UConn | 80-1 |
| 7 | Oregon | 100-1 |
| 7 | New Mexico | 115-1 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 50-1 |
| 8 | Gonzaga | 125-1 |
| 8 | Memphis | 125-1 |
| 8 | Colorado | 500-1 |
| 9 | Kansas St. | 300-1 |
| 9 | George Washington | 500-1 |
| 9 | Oklahoma St. | 60-1 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh | 95-1 |
| 10 | Stanford | 225-1 |
| 10 | Saint Joseph’s | 350-1 |
| 10 | BYU | 500-1 |
| 10 | Arizona St. | 500-1 |
| 11 | Dayton | 500-1 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 450-1 |
| 11 | Providence | 225-1 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 115-1 |
| 11 | Iowa | 125-1 |
| 12 | Xavier | 500-1 |
| 12 | North Carolina St. | 900-1 |
| 12 | North Dakota St. | 1000-1 |
| 12 | Harvard | 1000-1 |
| 12 | Stephen F. Austin | N/A |
| 13 | Manhattan | N/A |
| 13 | Tulsa | N/A |
| 13 | New Mexico St. | N/A |
| 13 | Delaware | N/A |
| 14 | Western Mich. | N/A |
| 14 | Mercer | N/A |
| 14 | La.-Lafayette | N/A |
| 14 | N.C. Central | N/A |
| 15 | Eastern Ky. | N/A |
| 15 | Milwaukee | N/A |
| 15 | Wofford | N/A |
| 15 | American | N/A |
| 16 | Coastal Carolina | N/A |
| 16 | Weber St. | N/A |
| 16 | Mt. St. Mary’s | N/A |
| 16 | Albany | N/A |
| 16 | Texas Southern | N/A |
| 16 | Cal Poly | N/A |
| N/A | Field (Any Other Team) | 100-1 |
Saint Joseph’s Hawks (24-9, 11-5 A-10)
Odds (via Vegas Insider): 350-1
As the first champions of the new Atlantic 10 Conference, the No. 10-seeded Saint Joseph’s Hawks have swung momentum in their direction heading into the NCAA tournament and will square off against No. 7-seeded Connecticut.
Saint Joseph’s is led by the senior tandem of guard Langston Galloway (leads the team with 17.5 points per game) and forward Ronald Roberts Jr. (14.4 PPG), but it is the willingness to play as one cohesive unit with consistency that makes the program so dangerous.
The team is already hard at work, as Colleen Wolfe of Fox Philadelphia reported on Twitter:
With a field-goal percentage of .468, the accurate shooters for the Hawks ranked 53rd in the nation and will look to attack a UConn team that is susceptible to offensive units that can hit shots consistently from multiple positions.
If St. Joe’s can find its stride and get out to an early lead against the Huskies, the defensive pressure from the veteran team will force Connecticut to make mistakes and give away a victory.
Ride with Saint Joseph’s to advance.
Predicted Second-Round Result: St. Joe’s defeats UConn, 74-73
Harvard Crimson (26-4, 13-1 Ivy)
Odds (via Vegas Insider): 1000-1
The Harvard Crimson enter the 2014 tourney as a No. 12 seed this season. The battles between No. 5 and No. 12 seeds have always been a breeding ground for upsets, and the Cincinnati Bearcats have been put on upset alert.
Harvard won 12 of its final 13 games and managed to finish first in the Ivy League standings on the smart, fundamental basketball game plan the program utilizes. While the Crimson don’t have size or speed, they are willing to move the ball and take the best shot possible.
Ivy League executive director Robin Harris is just as excited for this matchup as the fans:
Cincinnati lost in the conference tournament to Connecticut and has struggled to find any consistency. With a program that ranks outside the top 100 in points per game, assists per game and field-goal percentage, the Bearcats will struggle against Harvard.
If the Crimson can continue to play efficient basketball regardless of what Cincinnati throws their way, Harvard should be able to pull out a big victory and carry that momentum into the third round.
Predicted Second-Round Result: Harvard defeats Cincinnati, 75-72
*Stats via ESPN.com.
