Don't get attached to 1st-round upsets in your bracket

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One of the best parts of the NCAA tournament is watching an exciting upset. What's even better? Picking said upset in your bracket.

While we know there will inevitably be an upset or two in the early rounds, the tricky part is choosing the right one, and if you do, what to do with that team after they pull off the shocker.

It's easy to fall in love with a team you believe will pull off an early upset, and imagine them making a Cinderella run to the Final Four. The fact is, though, those feel good stories are few and far between. Since George Mason made its incredible run as an 11-seed in 2006, it took until 2011 for a team lower than a No. 5 seed to reach the Final Four. In addition, only VCU has made the Final Four as an 11-seed since 2006.

Last year's tournament is an excellent illustration of why you should be cautious with early round upsets going far. Middle Tennessee became the story of the tournament after they stunned No. 2 Michigan State in the opening round with a nine-point win. However, it lost the next game by a whopping 25 points to Syracuse.

The Blue Raiders are back in the tourney this year as a 12-seed to face No. 5 Minnesota in the first round. A 12 beating a 5 is always a good bet and the Gophers seem to have been given a very generous seeding in this case, making them ripe for an upset. Even if Middle Tennessee does advance, though, the odds will be against them to go much further.

Awaiting in the next round is likely a very good Butler team and if they somehow get through that, North Carolina is probably next on deck. Whether or not you believe momentum exists in sports is one thing, but there's no debate about how much good fortune it would take for a team like Middle Tennessee to make it through that gauntlet and reach the Elite Eight.

Upset stories are very entertaining, but they are usually short and sweet.