Robby’s 2014 Bracket Tips

March 18, 2014

Bracket Tip #1 – Don’t pick the 16-seeds!

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Excluding the play-in games, a 16-seed has never won a game in the NCAA Tournament. There have been thirteen 1-seed vs. 16-seed games decided by single digits, the two most recent occurring in 2013 when Kansas defeated Western Kentucky 64-57, and Gonzaga defeated Southern 64-58.

Bracket Tip #2 – Pick a play-in game winner to AT LEAST the round of 32! (1:28 mark of video)

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When the ‘First Four’ began playing games back in 2011, the last three NCAA Tournaments have had a play-in game winner (not counting 16-seed play in games) advance to the round of 32. VCU began in 2011, South Florida in 2012 and La Salle this past season. Two of those three teams advanced to the Sweet 16 with VCU advancing to the Final Four.

Bracket Tip #3 – Pick a 12-seed to upset a 5-seed!

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Nine of the last 10 years of the NCAA Tournament, a 12-seed has defeated a 5-seed and last year we had three of the 4 12-seeds win in the first round. The 12-seed’s winning percentage (35%) is actually a better percentage than the higher 11-seed! And how about this: six of the last 10 years, a 12-seed has advanced to the sweet 16 (but never past that point). Oregon was last year’s cinderella 12-seed, advancing to the sweet 16 before falling to Louisville.

Bracket Tip #4 – Pick a 1, 2 or 3-seed to win the National Championship! (2:28 mark of the video)

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In the last 20 years of the NCAA Tournament, a team seeded 1, 2 or 3 has won the National Championship. Arizona in 1997 was the only team below a 3-seed to win the Title, and they were a 4-seed with talented stars Jason Terry and Miles Simon. 14 of the last 20 years, a 1-seed has brought home the National Championship so don’t be scared of sticking with chalk! Fun fact: the lowest seed to win a National Championship was Villanova back in 1985 when they upset 1-seed Georgetown in the Title game.

Bracket Tip #5 – Pick a National Champion with blue in their color scheme!

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This may be unconventional, but nine of the last ten National Champions have had some shade of blue in their color scheme. Those National Champions in the last decade have been: Kansas, North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky, UConn and Florida. Louisville has been the lone school that has won a National Title in the last decade without having blue in their color scheme and that was last season.