2016 NCAA Tournament: 5 Reasons Why No. 13 Hawaii Could Upset No. 4 California

By Taylor Sturm

After coming into the season with high expectations, the California Golden Bears have done nothing but disappoint. Heading into the 2016 NCAA tournament as a No. 4 seed, Cal might have the most difficult game of any high seed, low seed matchup in the Big Dance. That being said, Hawaii is the real deal and could end up busting thousands of brackets in its opening game. Here are five reasons why Hawaii could upset California.

2016 NCAA Tournament: 5 Reasons Why No. 13 Hawaii Could Upset No. 4 California

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Hawaii Almost Beat Oklahoma — Okay, so “almost” wins do not count for much, but this was an 84-81 loss to a team that many have going to the Final Four.

California Does Not Show Up At Neutral Sites — The Golden Bears lost three games in non-conference play, two of which came at neutral sites. Cal has played great at home this season, but its lack of success on a neutral court does not bode well.

History Is On Hawaii’s Side — One quick look at the bracket will show that not many lower seeds look to have a major shot at an upset. With there rarely being a season in which neither a No. 5 seed is upset by a No. 12 seed nor a No. 4 seed is upset by a No. 13 seed, this is the prime matchup to be a major bracket buster.

Cuonzo Martin Is Still Cuonzo Martin — Cuonzo Martin is one of my favorite coaches in college basketball. He’s a great guy, a great recruiter and a great coach. There is just one thing that is certain about a Cuonzo Martin-coached team -- nothing is certain.

Hawaii Does Almost Everything Well — This Hawaii team might not jump out at you on paper, but Hawaii’s stats are solid, something that is key in an extended tournament run. With California being one of the more up and down teams in this tournament, Hawaii’s consistency could be its undoing.

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California Golden Bears

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