It’s that time of year again - time to accept that your daily productivity is about to come to a screeching halt as you begin to dedicate all brain power to creating and perfecting the ultimate NCAA bracket.
Some bracket-creating systems involve advanced equations combining math, logic, theories and trends, while others include something more along the lines of luck, risk and those gut feelings you just can’t ignore. But in case you haven’t perfected your trusty system quite yet- we have put together 5 helpful hints for you as you brush up on your NCAA basketball knowledge.
1. Decide the National Champion before the first round
When filling out your bracket and you reach the Final Four, you might have a hard time picking the team to win it all. When you first start you will probably have a couple of favorites, but usually one team sticks out above the rest. Go with your gut and ride out your favorite team to the title or you might regret picking someone else…and no one likes regret.
2. Beginners luck
Don’t forget to ask someone who doesn’t know that much about basketball. Ask Grandma which team’s uniform she likes best… she might not know anything about the teams that are playing, but she may be able to pick out some upsets that you would never have seen coming!
3. Upset alert!
In the past 27 years there have only been three times that a 12 seed didn’t make it out of the first round. The 5 vs. 12 seed matchups are good ones to look at if you’re looking for a first round upset.
4. Focus on teams that won their conference regular season title or tournament
Only 4 times in the past 14 years has a team won the national championship without winning their own conference.
5. Don’t be afraid to get a rid of a 1 seed early
This season there have been 6 different teams ranked #1 in the country at various points in the year. The top two lines of the bracket have been a revolving door of teams, showing just how deep this tournament field is. If you think an 8 or 9 seed can knock off a 1, then go for it because this just might be the year it happens!
Good luck, and let us know how you do!