NCAA Tournament Round Of 32: 5 Teams On Upset Watch

By Jerry Landry

NCAA Tournament Round Of 32: 5 Teams On Upset Watch

Georgia State NCAA Tournament Upset Baylor
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

32 games flew past us in the Round of 64, we saw every fifth seed advance, while two 14th-seeded teams conquered. The first two days were wild, but the upsets are certainly not over. Here are five teams I’m preemptively placing on upset watch until further notice, and until midnight finally strikes on Cinderella.

5. Duke Blue Devils

Mike Krzyzewski Coach K Duke Blue Devils NCAA Tournament
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

5. Duke Blue Devils

Mike Krzyzewski Coach K Duke Blue Devils NCAA Tournament
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Unless Duke wins the championship, and then turns around in 2016 and does it again, the Blue Devils will always be on upset watch. Through Mike Krzyzewski building one of the three best programs in the country, he’s coincidentally expanded the breadth of Duke’s bullseye — a target every team loves aiming for when playing the Blue Devils in March.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mike Brey NCAA Tournament
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Mike Brey NCAA Tournament
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Sorry ACC, but your two big dogs are on shaky ground. Both Notre Dame and Duke have what it takes to dance into April, but both have historically been bounced early. If Notre Dame doesn’t loosen up for the “Battle of Indiana” with the Butler Bulldogs, then it’s upset city in Steeltown.

3. Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas Jayhawks NCAA Tournament Upset Watch
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

3. Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas Jayhawks NCAA Tournament Upset Watch
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Few outside of Lawrence believed Kansas deserved a No. 2 seed, and now the Jayhawks have to play a team repeatedly snubbed off the schedule — the Wichita State Shockers. This long-awaited matchup is as intriguing to casual fans as it is terrifying to fans of the Jayhawks.

2. Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia Cavaliers mens basketball NCAA Tournament upset watch
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

2. Virginia Cavaliers

Virginia Cavaliers mens basketball NCAA Tournament upset watch
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

It’s March again and just about every college hoops pundit has Sparty fever. The Hoos need to be on upset alert as the Michigan State Spartans look to double-down on a 2014 rematch.

1. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Gonzaga Bulldogs NCAA Tournament Upset Watch
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

1. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Gonzaga Bulldogs NCAA Tournament Upset Watch
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Did the Iowa Hawkeyes just beat the Davidson Wildcats by 31 points? Uh-oh. You've always wanted to play with the big boys, Gonzaga, and it looks like you'll get your chance in the first weekend. If the ‘Zags can cool off Iowa, one of two low-seeded Cinderellas (UAB Blazers, UCLA Bruins) await the Bulldogs next Friday.

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