Bracket tips: Don't go crazy with your title game pick
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When it comes to the NCAA tournament, no one likes upsets more, hence the name March Madness.
No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee sending No. 2 seed Michigan State home in the first round of the 2016 tournament or No. 11 seeds VCU (2011) and George Mason (2006) reaching the Final Four epitomizes what the Big Dance is all about.
Bragging rights are on the line when it comes to who can predict who will upset the big dogs during the tournament.
However, when it comes to the national championship, it is best to be more conservative than continue with the upset trend.
Since 1967 when UCLA claimed its first of seven consecutive championships, only UNLV (1990) has won the NCAA tournament and not been from a Power 5 conference (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC), the Big East (former BCS conference), or had won a title when it was a member of one of the aforementioned conferences at one time (UConn 2014).
So when filling out your bracket, it's more than reasonable to have a lower seed (No. 9 or lower) reach the Final Four, but do not pick them to win it all.
In the last decade, the average seed of teams in the finals is between a No. 2 or No. 3 seed.
Villanova in 1985 as a No. 8 seed is the lowest-seeded team to ever win the tournament.
Final Four Participants since 2006
| Year | Seeds | Finals |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1-2-2-10 | No. 2 Villanova def. No. 1 North Carolina |
| 2015 | 1-1-1-7 | No. 1 Duke def. No. 1 Wisconsin |
| 2014 | 1-2-7-8 | No. 7 UConn def. No. 8 Kentucky |
| 2013 | 1-4-4-9 | No. 1 Louisville def. No.4 Michigan |
| 2012 | 1-2-2-4 | No. 1 Kentucky def. No. 2 Kansas |
| 2011 | 3-4-8-11 | No. 3 UConn def. No. 8 Butler |
| 2010 | 1-2-5-5 | No. 1 Duke def. No. 5 Butler |
| 2009 | 1-1-2-3 | No.1 North Carolina def. No. 2 Michigan State |
| 2008 | 1-1-1-1 | No.1 Kansas def. No. 1 Memphis |
| 2007 | 1-1-2-2 | No. 1 Florida def. No. 1 Ohio State |
| 2006 | 2-3-4-11 | No. 3 Florida def. No. 2 UCLA |