NCAA Tournament 2015: Odds and Picks for Top Cinderella Teams for the Bracket
The NCAA tournament bracket has been announced, but as we have seen in the past, the seeds don't necessarily mean everything.
While Kentucky comes into the tournament as the overwhelming favorite, there are still plenty of squads capable of pulling off a surprise win or two. These Cinderella stories are what make the tournament so exciting to watch.
It might be a risky bet to pick them to win the national championship, but here are some sleepers that might help you in your bracket pools.
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Eastern Washington
The Eastern Washington bandwagon has persisted throughout the season, so if you're jumping on now, you better hurry before it gets too crowded.
Not only did the Eagles win at Indiana this season, but they have the No. 3 scoring offense in the nation at 80.8 points per game. This is thanks to the nation's leading scorer, Tyler Harvey, who averages 22.9 points per game.
Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated not only thinks Eastern Washington will beat the overseeded Georgetown, but also that the other game in the pod will feature an upset:
With the way this team can score, it wouldn't be surprising to see the squad knock out the Hoyas, as well as either Utah or Stephen F. Austin.
BYU
Just like Eastern Washington, BYU is simply a fun team to watch. The nation's second-highest scoring offense features two elite players that can put up big numbers against anyone. Tyler Haws can score on anyone, while Kyle Collinsworth is a triple-double machine.
If the Cougars can get past Ole Miss in the play-in game, they have a good opportunity to keep it going against Xavier. Dan Wolken of USA Today doesn't give the Musketeers too much respect:
BYU comes into the tournament with eight wins in its past nine games. The only loss came against Gonzaga in the finals of the West Coast Conference tournament, although the squad also defeated the Bulldogs on the road to end the regular season. This proves the Cougars have what it takes to beat an elite team.
Things might be tougher against Baylor in the round of 32, but don't count out a run to the Sweet 16 for this talented group.
Dayton
Although the selection committee didn't give Dayton a lot of respect in the brackets by putting it in the play-in game, the matchup against Boise State will take place at home. Head coach Archie Miller certainly appreciates the opportunity, as per David Jablonski of the Dayton Daily News:
The Flyers should be able to use the home-court advantage to get into the field, where they can then keep the momentum going with winnable matchups against Providence and eventually Oklahoma.
Dayton seriously lacks size with no rotational players taller than 6'6", but Miller has done a great job of utilizing his team's quickness to excel on the defensive end. Additionally, much of the team has returned from last year's surprise run to the Elite Eight, so there will be plenty of confidence heading into the tournament.
Jordan Sibert and Dyshawn Pierre will provide a veteran presence, while sophomore Kendall Pollard continues to impress. If this team plays to its ability, it can make another deep run in the tournament.
| Kentucky | 1/1 |
| Duke | 13/2 |
| Wisconsin | 13/2 |
| Villanova | 8/1 |
| Arizona | 12/1 |
| Virginia | 17/1 |
| Gonzaga | 22/1 |
| North Carolina | 25/1 |
| Iowa State | 35/1 |
| Baylor | 40/1 |
| Kansas | 40/1 |
| Notre Dame | 50/1 |
| Utah | 55/1 |
| Maryland | 60/1 |
| Michigan State | 60/1 |
| Oklahoma | 60/1 |
| SMU | 60/1 |
| Louisville | 80/1 |
| Wichita State | 80/1 |
| Northern Iowa | 90/1 |
| West Virginia | 90/1 |
| Butler | 100/1 |
| Ohio State | 100/1 |
| Texas | 100/1 |
| Field (Any Other Team) | 100/1 |
| Georgetown | 175/1 |
| LSU | 175/1 |
| Xavier | 175/1 |
| Arkansas | 200/1 |
| VCU | 200/1 |
| Indiana | 250/1 |
| Iowa | 250/1 |
| NC State | 250/1 |
| Ole Miss | 250/1 |
| Providence | 250/1 |
| St Johns | 250/1 |
| Cincinnati | 300/1 |
| Georgia | 300/1 |
| Oklahoma State | 300/1 |
| Oregon | 300/1 |
| San Diego State | 300/1 |
| UCLA | 300/1 |
| BYU | 500/1 |
| Boise State | 500/1 |
| Davidson | 500/1 |
| Dayton | 500/1 |
| Purdue | 500/1 |
| Stephen F Austin | 500/1 |
| Eastern Washington | 1000/1 |
| Valparaiso | 1000/1 |
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