NCAA Tournament Bracket 2015: Predictions, Odds, Printable Bracket and More
Unlike the start to NFL free agency and other marquee early 2015 events, the world of social media was unable to ruin this year's edition of Selection Sunday.
There, Kentucky assumed the throne on its charge to an undefeated run, Duke stole a No. 1 seed, programs such as Indiana and UCLA sneaked into the proceedings, and others such as Colorado State took their ball and went home after a dramatic pop of the bubble.
In the aftermath, there are 68 teams ready to get to work in the globe's best tournament. There are major potential matchups to watch, odds fresh out of Las Vegas to analyze and predictions to nail down, so let's get to work.
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Key Tournament Information
Dates: March 17–April 6
Channels: CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV
Live Stream: March Madness Live
All Your Bracket Essentials
NCAA Tournament Odds
| Kentucky | 1-1 |
| Wisconsin | 6-1 |
| Duke | 10-1 |
| Arizona | 12-1 |
| Virginia | 12-1 |
| Villanova | 18-1 |
| Gonzaga | 22-1 |
| Kansas | 30-1 |
| Utah | 33-1 |
| Notre Dame | 33-1 |
| North Carolina | 40-1 |
| Iowa State | 50-1 |
| Ohio State | 50-1 |
| Baylor | 55-1 |
| Louisville | 65-1 |
| Wichita State | 65-1 |
| Michigan State | 70-1 |
| Oklahoma | 75-1 |
| Maryland | 80-1 |
| LSU | 85-1 |
| SMU | 85-1 |
| Arkansas | 90-1 |
| Northern Iowa | 90-1 |
| Ole Miss | 90-1 |
| West Virginia | 90-1 |
| Butler | 100-1 |
| Texas | 125-1 |
| Field (Any Other Team) | 125-1 |
| Georgetown | 150-1 |
| Dayton | 175-1 |
| Iowa | 175-1 |
| Purdue | 175-1 |
| Xavier | 175-1 |
| BYU | 200-1 |
| Cincinnati | 200-1 |
| Georgia | 200-1 |
| NC State | 200-1 |
| Oregon | 200-1 |
| San Diego State | 200-1 |
| VCU | 200-1 |
Note: Odds courtesy of Vegas Insider.
Predictions
Notre Dame Goes Streaking...into Kentucky
Mike Brey's team has been unstoppable as of late.
As if a 6-3 mark against the RPI Top 25 were not enough, per ESPN's RPI profile, the Fighting Irish took down Louisville, 71-59. A few games later, they beat No. 2 Duke, 74-64. After, they overcame No. 19 North Carolina, 90-82, to win the ACC tournament.
The last was most impressive, as the Fighting Irish once again shot out of their minds—54.2 percent from the field, 50 percent from deep.
"There's been a special vibe about this group since we came to town Monday night," Brey said, per The Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "I felt great about tonight. I felt good about last night. And for us to do it, through Duke and Carolina, on Tobacco Road, it's just amazing."
The result is a No. 3 seed in the Midwest bracket and a bit of a tough journey to the Final Four.
Things start with Northeastern but then pick up in a hurry. One of Texas or Butler is a brutal encounter in the second round, although with the way senior Jerian Grant (16.8 points per game) and his team continue to play, maybe not so much anymore.
Things get tricky with a potential duel against Kansas, a No. 2 seed, but the Jayhawks are losers in two of their last four and appear vulnerable.
What sticks out about Notre Dame's current form and path is a potential showdown with the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats, as USA Today's Nicole Auerbach points out:
Notre Dame is red-hot but not Kentucky-hot. It figures to be an offensive battle for the ages if both make it to that point, but it's not a shootout the Fighting Irish will be able to will their way through like the ACC tournament.
Prediction: Notre Dame exits against Kentucky.
The 12-Over-5 Rule Reigns Supreme
This rule just won't die—not this year.
Whatever it is about the Big Dance, something inspires No. 12s to play out-of-this-world basketball and take down No. 5s. Or maybe aliens steal talents from the higher seeds Space Jam style, and it's one big cosmic joke spanning the stars. Who knows?
Regardless, three of the four No. 12s have emerged victorious and reached the third round in each of the past two years.
There's an appeal to Buffalo over West Virginia and Wyoming over Northern Iowa, but the other two almost look like sure things.
Arkansas, the No. 5 in this scenario, is a breakneck-speed sort of team that loves to run the court. Leading the nation's 13th-ranked scoring offense is Bobby Portis, who leads the team in points (17.7) and rebounds (8.8). The problem is No. 12 Wofford, a team that loves to control the lengthy shot clock.
ESPN's Jeff Borzello puts it best:
Wofford ranks 48th in RPI and touts wins over fellow high-rankers such as NC State and Iona because of its ability to control the pace of the game after jumping out to a lead. It's an easy trap a team such as Arkansas may fall into right after tipoff.
The other is Stephen F. Austin over Utah. The Lumberjacks are winners of nine straight and rank ninth in points scored per game (79.5), first in assists (17.8) and fifth in field-goal percentage (.491).
Auerbach provides more crucial details:
Experience matters, and so does an ability to blow away the opposition once familiar with the stage.
Brad Underwood's team hits on all the requirements.
Prediction: Wofford and Stephen F. Austin pull off the 12-over-5 upsets.
Albany, Cinderella
Look out for the Albany Great Danes.
Sam Rowley (14.0 points, 7.7 rebounds per game) and Peter Hooley (13.7 points) lead the way for an explosive team out of the American East conference hot on a six-game tear.
The Great Danes are no fluke, either, clutching a 3-4 mark against the RPI Top 150 with a narrow 64-60 loss to Providence (23rd in RPI) on the resume.
Albany is already starting to make the rounds as an upset special, as captured by Art Stapleton of The Record:
Considering Oklahoma is a loser in two of its last four, he may be on to something.
The fact of the matter is that Albany can small-ball the heck out of bigger programs so long as it shoots a strong percentage, something perhaps not very difficult considering the Great Danes shoot 44 percent from the floor.
After Oklahoma is perhaps a date with Providence before what figures to be an eventual encounter with Virginia. That figures to be a loss, but in a brutal bracket this year for the smaller teams, it'll be quite the memorable run.
Prediction: Albany goes on a run that ends at the hands of Virginia.
Stats and info are courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.
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