NCAA Tournament 2017: Guaranteed Upset Picks for Your Printable Bracket

A funny thing happens if you go to the NCAA tournament games in person. Sometimes, the matchups being shown on television get more attention than the ones being played in the arena.

I've been to the NCAA tournament twice: once in Buffalo and Syracuse in 2010 and another time in Buffalo in 2014. If there is an upset happening or a team is making a big comeback, fans stay glued to the television to see the games play out (provided the action on the court isn't exciting).

That speaks to fans' penchant for drama, specifically the upsets that happen every year in March Madness.

Here's a look at three upset picks for your bracket (grab a printable version here) if you're still looking for some advice.  

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SMU over Baylor in the Round of 32

The Mustangs are getting a lot of love in Las Vegas. Currently, they are tied with Virginia for having the third-best odds, per OddsShark, to win the East Regional, even though they are a No. 6 seed.

SMU rolled this season, finishing 30-4 and winning the American Athletic Conference title. The Mustangs have a small rotation of six men led by junior forward Semi Ojeleye, a transfer from Duke, who averages 18.9 points and 6.4 boards per game.

The Mustangs are a versatile crew. Five players average 9.9 points or more per game. Five players average four or boards per game. And everyone pitches in with assists, as six players average between 1.6 and 4.5 dimes per game.

That's going to be a problem for Baylor if both teams reach the round of 32. The Bears made a great run to the NCAA tournament after not even receiving a vote in the Associated Press preseason poll, but they haven't been playing well down the stretch, losing six of 11 games, including a Big 12 tournament quarterfinal loss to Kansas State.

SMU is hot at the right time and poses serious matchup problems for teams. Pick the Mustangs to advance to the Sweet 16, and consider taking them to the Elite Eight if you're feeling lucky.

Pick: SMU

Kansas State over Cincinnati

This is simply a case where riding the hot hand seems to make sense. The Wildcats won four of their last five games (their lone loss being a 51-50 defeat to West Virginia in which they were up by 12 in the second half). Furthermore, they shot 66 percent from the field in their First Four win against Wake Forest.

Every year, it seems like a First Four participant uses the momentum from its win and has success in the tournament (see VCU in 2011 as being the most prominent example).

Kansas State is the pick to be that team this year, but in fairness, Cincinnati is going to give the Wildcats a tough challenge. The Bearcats are fifth in scoring defense in the NCAA, allowing just 60.8 points per game. Kenpom.com also ranks Cincinnati ninth in adjusted defensive efficiency.

Therefore, this is a case where I trust my gut over what I see on paper. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it blows up in your face. We'll see how it works out.

Pick: Kansas State

Rhode Island over Creighton

If you watched the Atlantic 10 tournament final on Sunday, a 70-63 Rhode Island win over VCU, you would have noticed the Rams celebrating after the game like they had just won the NCAA tournament, not the A-10 title. That's not to say the Rams were too boastful or showed VCU up after the game, but it is to say that URI clearly played with a level of emotion and intensity that was turned all the way up on Sunday.

Like Kansas State, sometimes, you just get a certain feel about teams, and URI is one of those teams this year. The Rams could beat Creighton, which is 7-8 in its last 15 games, but it could also win a second-round matchup against No. 3 seed Oregon, who just lost sophomore forward Chris Boucher for the season with a torn ACL.

Rhode Island has won its last eight games and 12 of its last 14. URI has a team of destiny air about it. Don't be surprised to see the Rams make a run deeper than the first weekend. The guess here is that they beat Creighton and give Oregon all it can handle before losing a close game, but keep an eye on this team and the intensity with which it plays.

Pick: URI