College Basketball/Sports
NCAA Tournament Upset Analysis: Is Purdue at Risk of an Early Exit?
Explores the likelihood of upsets in the upcoming college basketball tournament, focusing on historical trends and matchups.
1 min read
In the past seven years, lower seeds have often upset higher seeds in the NCAA Tournament, with No. 4 seeds facing significant risks from No. 13 seeds. Historically, 33 instances of No. 13 seeds besting No. 4 seeds mark this trend since 1985.
Recent Trends
Recent tournaments have seen a surge in upsets, with two notable instances in 2021 when both North Texas and Ohio toppled their higher seeded opponents.
In 2023, Furman upset Virginia, while Yale sent Auburn packing last year.
Top Potential Upsets This Year
- Akron over Arizona: The fast-paced gameplay aligns well for Akron, which has solid guards to match Arizona’s pace.
- Yale over Texas A&M: Yale’s expertise in tournament play keeps them competitive against a defensively strong opponent.
- High Point over Purdue: Purdue’s defensive weaknesses could be exploited by High Point, who boasts a potent offense.
- Grand Canyon over Maryland: A match-up that plays more to Maryland’s strengths but still leaves room for a potential Grand Canyon upset.
Are these trends about to repeat? We’ll see as March Madness unfolds!
