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2015 NCAA Tournament: 10 Top-Ranked Teams Likely to Get Bounced Early

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NCAA Tournament: 10 Top-Ranked Teams Likely to Get Bounced Early

North Carolina Basketball
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

All of these teams are currently ranked in the top 25, so they very well could do some damage in the 2015 NCAA tournament. However, not all of them can make the Final Four, and we highly doubt all of them will go on a run. Regardless, don't be surprised when these 10 top-ranked teams get bounced early in the upcoming dance.

10. Northern Iowa Panthers

Northern Iowa Panthers
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

10. Northern Iowa Panthers

Northern Iowa Panthers
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

If you are all about those tournament tested teams (teams that actually have challenging schedules), then you probably aren't for the Panthers. They have only played one ranked opponent on the year (at the time). They have a great record (25-2), but let's see how they do once they play the best teams in the country in the tournament.

9. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State Cowboys
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

9. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State Cowboys
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Here's the deal: Oklahoma State has nine losses -- it is definitely beatable. Plus, it needs Le'Bryan Nash and Phil Forte III to come up big every night.

8. Maryland Terrapins

Maryland Terrapins
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

8. Maryland Terrapins

Maryland Terrapins
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Who knows, Maryland could be the most underrated team in the country. Going in the opposite direction, the Terrapins have not made a deep run in quite some time. Sure, history doesn't always repeat itself, but there has to be some sort of reason why a team with only five losses is not ranked higher. For what it's worth, four of those losses have come on the road.

7. Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas Razorbacks
Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

7. Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas Razorbacks
Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Yet another team with a solid record (21-5) that isn't getting much national recognition this season. That is probably because Arkansas has not beaten a single ranked opponent (at the time) this year. But hey, maybe the underrated SEC and Razorbacks will prove many people wrong in the dance?

6. SMU Mustangs

SMU Mustangs
Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

6. SMU Mustangs

SMU Mustangs
Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

SMU's best win on the season is more than likely against Tulsa. Tulsa could still win the AAC, but it's not like the Mustangs are beating ranked opponents left and right. That is far from the case -- they haven't beaten a single ranked opponent. We may sound like a broken record with that, and the tournament doesn't care about records or who a team beat during the regular season, but these things are important, people.

5. VCU Rams

VCU Rams
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

5. VCU Rams

VCU Rams
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

As usual, VCU entered the season with a good amount of hype. Unfortunately, Briante Weber went down with an injury, which was a very costly loss. However, Shaka Smart has coached other teams on more improbable runs before.

4. Arizona Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

4. Arizona Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

This one is going to get some heat. After all, Arizona is a top 10 team. However, this team has lost to lesser opponents on the season (you know, like Arizona State, Oregon State and UNLV). Call it a hunch, if you will. Now, watch the Wildcats win a title this year.

3. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma Sooners
Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

3. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma Sooners
Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma is a great team. However, it is a great team that has lost eight games already. Not to mention, if Buddy Hield has a bad game, things could be over for the Sooners right off the bat.

2. North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina Tar Heels
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

2. North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina Tar Heels
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Okay, so North Carolina just almost beat Duke on the road. However, (a) it didn't, and (b) it, like Oklahoma, already has eight losses. The Tar Heels are filled with talent, but they aren't quite back to being a top team in college basketball just yet.

1. Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas Jayhawks
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

1. Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas Jayhawks
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

We promise we aren't just throwing powerhouses out there just to make everyone mad (or happy, depending on who you are talking to). The upsets are going to happen this year -- they always do. This Kansas squad, although it seems like a long time ago, has lost two games by 20+ points this year. One of those games was to -- dare we say -- Temple by 25 points.

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