With the Selection Show completed and brackets being filled, lets dissect who will shock the world this year and who will disappoint many. I will break down who are the two best underdogs and who are the two most overrated teams this year.
The Underdogs
The first team who I would look out for this year is Grand Canyon University. Over the conference championship and the rest of the season, this group of kids showed another level of dominance over their peers. Winning the conference championship by 15 and facing Saint Mary's, this game is up for grabs. Although Saint Mary's is a very strong team, they have a tendency to burn out and underperform in March, explaining why this game is not a clear victory for Saint Mary's.
The second team I would be aware of is definitely McNeese in their upcoming matchup against Gonzaga. When it comes to the season, they are beat in a ton of stat categories and Gonzaga's experience is undoubtably ahead of theirs, yet McNeese isn't inherently out from this game. Coached by controversial yet talented Will Wade, who was fired from LSU for major recruiting violations, McNeese is a great team from beyond the arc, and Gonzaga is going to have something coming for them.
The Disappointments
The first team which will let most down this March is the Duke Blue Devils. Now, I understand that they are one of the greatest blue-bloods to ever do it and they have a ton of talent in Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski, they do not have an easy matchup. The American East Vermont Catamounts are a strong defensive team. Seeing how Duke lost to NC State, the chance we see an upset in this matchup is extremely possible, and if they do get through Vermont, the matchup with Wisconsin or James Madison is a difficult one.
The second team which will hurt many brackets is the Purdue Boilermakers. When I say this, I am not saying they lose first round. However, seen last year, this team is not what they are made out to be. Zach Edey, although tall, isn't very skilled in the post and this team is not great from beyond the arc. If they get through the first round, which they most likely will, then we will see a team such as McNeese run them out of the gym.
Tyler Rath, Senior Writer
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