Look out; Pitt could break your bracket (NCAA Basketball)

The NCAA Tournament is still three days off, but the upsets have already begun. Just ask Arizona State. Like the annual BCS arguments, someone always has a problem with who gets in and who stays home.

It just has to be dealt with, and that’s the end of it. Upsets in any form are what make the tournament so awesome. You can count on them like death and taxes, and this year’s heartbreaks won’t be any different.

Here’s a piece of tournament trivia for you: Did you know that, in the history of the tournament, the Final Four teams have never all been No. 1 seeds? It’s never happened. This year it might, but then again . . .

For the first time in a long time, it’s not a stretch to see all of this year’s top-seeded teams, UNC, UCLA, Memphis and KU, as the last four standing. Plenty of people are picking it, and there’s nothing wrong with it.

So the bigger question this year is, where’s Cinderella?

Keep an eye on the South Region. If I had to pick, I’d call the Southern Region the toughest one in the tournament and it’s all because of two teams—Pittsburgh and Kentucky. Those two are more than capable of surprising a lot of people.

Do I think Kentucky is good enough to go deep? No, I’m not that crazy, but I do think they can beat Marquette in a nail biter. You have to admire what Kentucky has gone through this year, and the only reason why the Wildcats are in the dance is because they found a way to really turn it on late in the season.

That’s why it’s a little sad that Kentucky will probably go one and done if they upset Marquette (odds are they’ll play Stanford in the second round), but even still, you can’t say the Wildcats didn’t have a good year.

Pittsburgh is another story. If Pitt upsets anyone it’s going to happen in the Sweet Sixteen, and (are you sitting down?) it might be against Memphis. I know. It’s a shocker, but that’s what the tournament is all about.

Pittsburgh is a tough team. The Panthers won the Big East Tournament, and they consecutively beat Louisville, Marquette and Georgetown to do it. That’s a big deal by any standard and it should be enough make people wear out their erasers when they’re filling in brackets.

For ESPN analyst Bob Knight, the Panthers’ biggest attribute is mental toughness—something Knight can easily recognize. Knight has even picked Pittsburgh to win it all. I’m not willing to go that far, but I’m willing to bet a lot of people are going to be surprised when the see the lineup on April 5.

None of them more surprised than John Calipari.

–Joey Alfino, RED Editorial Staff.