With the NCAA National Basketball Tournament here, otherwise known as March Madness, it is time to figure out what matchups to watch and what team will ultimately break your bracket in the quest to a perfect bracket. So here are my top schools and matchups to watch out for.

1. Don’t be surprised to see Creighton get upset in the first round by the University of California Santa Barbara. UCSB is peaking at the right time and has some history in their favor. Only 64.3% of five seeds win the 5 vs 12 game. Creighton is also in a bit of shock after being upset in the Big East Championship game by a Georgetown team that had no business winning the conference championship. With off field issues also being found in Creighton, do not be surprised if this team comes out flat and digs themselves into a deep hole and is not able to find their way out late. UCSB is one of the best teams in the nation statistically at closing out games.

2. Michigan could be one of the first No. 1 seeds to fall out of the tournament. Losing star players in the Big Ten tournament could send this team into shock very quickly. Personally, I don’t think that Michigan will make it past the Sweet Sixteen. A very talented bracket could make it almost impossible for Michigan to get into the final four. Michigan has proven they could do it in the past. 

3. Oklahoma State is a sleeper team. This team could be a final four team for sure! A very streaky team who is hot right now. They may be coming off a tough loss to Texas in the Big 12 Championship, but this team has shown they can compete with the top dogs. Even a little under seeded at the four seed, they beat teams like West Virginia consistently, and West Virginia got a three seed. Expect freshman Cade Cunningham to lead this team to a big run. 

4. Alabama is a powerhouse in sports, there is no other way to put it. After the football team won the National Championship this year the basketball team put on a show. The two seeded Crimson Tide could be a fan favorite of many people. Look to see them make a deep run and maybe find themselves cutting the nets down at the end of the season, proving that Alabama is a premiere school for sports. 

5. Everyone loves to cheer for the local guy. There is no better local guy to cheer for than Ohio University’s own Ben Vander Plas. Vander Plas was part of Ripon state’s run in basketball in 2016. He led the Tigers in style to the state tournament and now he’s leading the Bobcats to the big dance. Averaging 12.8 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game and 3.8 assists per game, it’s hard to not want to cheer for him. Even if he is from a rival school…

Those are my top points of advice for you come this March Madness. Remember, not everyone gets a perfect bracket, but if you do it does not matter because no one will believe you anyway!