2022 March Madness: Ranking the 5 Likely Upsets in the Round of 64
2022 March Madness: Ranking the 5 Likely Upsets in the Round of 64
In the Round of 64, everyone loves a good upset. This is what we live for and why we call the NCAA Tournament, March Madness. Expect the unexpected. There are two days of the Round of 64 with games on Thursday and Friday. It's our job to pinpoint the five more likely upsets during this round. Which teams have the best chance at moving on into the Round of 32 as an underdog? Find out below.
Get the best sportsbook promos available in your state by clicking here
Ranking the Five Likely Upsets
1. South Dakota State (+2) vs. Providence
Despite being a 13-seed, South Dakota State is just a two-point underdog against 4-seeded Providence Friars. The Jackrabbits haven't lost a game since December 15 and went 18-0 in conference play along with the highest effective field goal percentage on the offensive end. If the Jackrabbits continue to hit shots and Providence's luck runs out, South Dakota State will upset Providence as a 13-seed. The oddsmakers are already on top of that one.
Click here for complete March Madness betting odds
2. Vermont (+5) vs. Arkansas
The Vermont Catamounts are in the tournament once every other year. The Catamounts are talked about as an upset every year as well but are usually dealt a tough team every year where they make it. Arkansas is no different but Vermont has such an efficient offense that the Catamounts can absolutely dominate Arkansas in this one and shock the world. Vermont won't earn a whole lot of offensive rebounds but shots will fall against Arkansas with Vermont shooting a 57.3% effective field goal percentage. Plus, Vermont is dominant on the defensive end when it comes to rebounding, allowing just 18.7% of offensive rebounds, which is first in the nation.
3. Indiana (+3) vs St. Mary's
The Indiana Hoosiers have caught fire at the best time. It's March and we're finally talking about the Hoosiers again. Indiana wasn't at its best offensively against Wyoming in the Play-In game but did enough defensively to move on into this game against St. Mary's. The Hoosiers have all the momentum and should end up playing a tight, defensive battle against St. Mary's. In that instance, it should be a close game throughout, and therefore, grabbing Indiana as the underdog makes the most sense.
4. Loyola Chicago (+1) vs. Ohio State
A +1 underdog isn't exactly a massive upset but it's still an upset from a sportsbook standpoint. We're looking for the most likely upsets, so giving you guys Jacksonville State to upset Auburn would just be silly. The Loyola Chicago Ramblers have much more momentum going their way than Ohio State does right now and Loyola is also shooting an effective field goal percentage of 56.3%. The Buckeyes just haven't played solid defense this season. While the Ohio State offense can keep up, the defense won't be able to. I like Loyola Chicago to get more stops.
5. Davidson (+1) vs. Michigan State
The Davidson Wildcats lost a heartbreaker to a Richmond team full of Super Seniors in the A-10 Championship game. Despite not winning the A-10, Davidson still made the NCAA Tournament. That right there shows you just how good Davidson was this year. Meanwhile, Michigan State has had its moment, losing multiple games this season by 20 or more points, on the road. The Spartans have been elite at times but just can't be trusted, even in March, with Tom Izzo as the coach.
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.