March Madness 2022: 8 Most Underrated Teams in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA March Madness 2022: 8 Most Underrated Teams
In college basketball, the average fan knows about Duke and Gonzaga. But what about the teams that don't get all that media coverage, who are in lower-tier conferences. They deserve some love too! Below are some underrated teams in the NCAA Tournament who could pull off massive runs in the NCAA Tournament this season while busting some brackets.
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8 Most Underrated Teams
1. Houston (5 Seed)
The Houston Cougars lost two of their best players in the early portion of the season and didn't miss a beat. Houston won the AAC and has an elite offense and defense that just continues to produce every single night. The Cougars made a run last year and will more than likely make a run at the NCAA Tournament again as a five seed.
2. UCLA (4 Seed)
At this point, you know how great UCLA is because you watched them last year. It's too bad Arizona is more elite than UCLA is this year. If Arizona didn't exist, UCLA would be Pac-12 champs and would get more recognition. But UCLA has been extremely efficient on the offensive and defensive end. The Bruins limit turnovers on the offensive end and limit good shots on the defensive end. That's going to help them win some games.
3. St. Mary's (5 Seed)
St. Mary's can really dominate defensively. This year, the Gaels have held opponents to just 21.9% offensive rebounds and also hold teams to 47% from inside the arc. Teams are struggling to get to the line against the Gaels while St. Mary's shoots 35.1% from three and 52.5% from inside the arc on the offensive end. The offense might not be good enough to win a championship but it's good enough to win some games in the tournament.
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4. Murray State (7 Seed)
Murray State won 30 games and is a seven seed in the NCAA Tournament. I understand the level of competition isn't great but overall Murray State dominates the Ohio Valley Conference and deserves better. One of the two losses Murray State took was against Auburn. This is a balanced group with so much to give on both sides of the ball.
5. Loyola Chicago (10 Seed)
We know what Loyola Chicago is capable of. Every year, it's the same story. But ultimately, Loyola Chicago dominates in March. The group won three straight in the Missouri Valley Conference against some really good teams like Northern Iowa and Drake. The defense has been very elite and the offense is good enough despite only earning 25.1% offensive rebounds. Watch out for the Ramblers!
6. San Diego State (8 Seed)
The San Diego State Aztecs are one of the best defenses in the nation. The offense isn't going to wow you but the defense will always keep San Diego State in games. Opponents are shooting just 30.4% from three and 43.1% from inside the arc against the Aztecs this season. On the offensive end, the Aztecs also shoot 35.8% from deep. If San Diego State gets hot from deep and continues to defend how they've defended all year, this team could go places.
7. Indiana (12 Seed)
The Indiana Hoosiers have been inconsistent but no team wants to play Indiana right now. Indiana lost to Iowa in the semifinals but defeated Michigan and Illinois before getting to play Iowa in the semis. Indiana was a couple of bounces away from winning that game too. The Hoosiers can compete with anyone in the nation and as a 12-seed I'd be scared to face them if I'm any seed above that.
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8. UConn (5 Seed)
The UConn Huskies have won seven of their last nine games and are trending in the right direction. UConn basketball is back and so will the fans in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies are balanced and have a really good offense while holding teams to 42.8% on the defensive end. The Huskies have a lineup that can really beat anyone. It's a well-rounded group and a team that has beaten Villanova and Auburn already this year.
Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.