Nothing tracks your NCAA tournament bracket faster than having one of your last four teams that beat out in the first round.
Every year, there are some fantastic upsets in the first round that rock the nation. Some ash pots Seeded Low provide a certain national power luggage compartment.
If you don’t believe me, ask Purdue.
BoilerMakers reached the national title game last season, but the previous three tournaments were nightmares.
It was the no-way-tat-can-happen loss to No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson 2023, the terrible setback against No. 15 Saint Peter’s 2022 and the terrible defeat against No. 13 North Texas 2021. If you go back to 2016, you will find a brutal double.
Guess what-no 13 Seed High Point plays its first NCAA tournament game on Thursday. And it drew no. 4 Purdue.
Here are four first rounds of Madness movements to consider:
No. 12 UC San Diego against No. 5 Michigan
Tritons (30-4) has won 15 straight matches and made the NCAA tournament in its first season of eligibility. UC San Diego won in Utah State, a hard place for visitors, so it can certainly get Wolverines to sweat on a neutral floor.
UC San Diego is known as one of the best academic universities in the West, and it looks like it is transferred to the basketball team. Tritons are bound for the national leadership in the smallest turnover per match (8.7) and they are ranked sixth in points defense (61.6). Third leading goal scores Hayden Gray (11.2) is a finalist for this year’s Naismith Defensive Player.
Now Michigan (25-9) has the edge of athletism, is used to playing on a national stage and regularly meets tough teams in the big. But Wolverines is one of the worst teams in the country to protect the ball and commit 14.1 sales per match.
It’s your 12-for-5 upset right there.
No. 12 Colorado State vs. No. 5 Memphis
14 Mar 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Memphis Tigers Guard Tyrese Hunter (11) reacts to Wichita State Shockers during the second half at Dickies Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Pictures Rams (25-9) stormed into the route with 10 straight wins and entered the tournament by beating Boise State in the Mountain West Tournament title. Six of these seven wins have been with two -digit numbers.
Colorado State also has a major player wearing the squad in Nique Clifford (19.0 ppg, 9.7 returns), whose warehouse has increased with NBA talent evaluators.
Memphis (29-5) also has a sensational player in PJ Haggerty (21.8), who can really fill in the bow. The tigers met a tough non -conference schedule and have finished strongly with eight straight wins. But Memphis was one and done last year by losing to Florida Atlantic, and we can see another stumble happening against Rams.
No. 13 High Point vs. No. 4 Purdue
March 4, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) responds to making one of his career high seven 3 points against Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Immagn images It is difficult to understand BoilerMakers (22-11) who go down on day one again. But the latest story says you have to be aware that it can happen. This year’s Big Ten Player Braden Smith (16.1 PPG, 8.7 assists) is likely to work hard to make sure another quick departure will not happen.
High Point (29-5) has won 14 games in a row and has not lost two months. This means that the players have the right confidence in killing all teams that are likely to take light caliber opponents easily.
If the Panthers keep it close, the mental game kicks in for Purdue and the audience starts rabic cheering for High Point. Oh yes, we’ve seen this movie before.
No. 13 Yale against No. 4 Texas A & M
March 8, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Zhuric Phelps (1) dribbles against LSU Tigers guard Jordan Sears (1) during the first half at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Iimagn Pictures Hello, didn’t send a No. 13 Yale a fourth-seeded Southeastern Conference Team home in the first round last season? Sure it did. It was Bruce Pearl and Auburn was played out and prepared by an Ivy League team.
John Poulakidas became a household name by beating 6 of 9 from 3-point interval and getting 28 points. Guess what – he’s back and ready to add his 239 career. In addition, Yale (22-7) is always well coached by James Jones.
Aggies coach Buzz Williams will surely continue the overload to avoid becoming an upset victim. But when your team enters the NCAA tournament with five losses in seven matches, there is a very real chance that your stay will be short.
And that’s exactly what will happen to Texas A&M (22-10).
