North Carolina, Marquette, Tennessee – Which Top 3 Seed Side Might Have an Early Exit from March Madness?

The First Four have already been decided and now we are entering the First Round in a matter of hours. With many of the top three seeds performing today and tomorrow, not all will get to move ahead in the single knockout tournament. But which of the finest of all will be the ones that will bid adieu to their March Madness championship dreams? And which dark horse candidate will make big waves in the tournament? How many Cinderella stories will uncover before us and how many early upsets will we experience?

Let us dive deep into the true ground of battle where discovering new superior specimens is not uncommon.

Who in the South could drown in the abyss?

One of the most difficult routes to the championship game is unarguably with the Southern teams. While it showcases talents like Houston (1), Marquette (2) and Kentucky (3) as their top-tier teams, other seeds in the region are not easy targets either. Out of the three, seems like Marquette is going to have the most uphill tourney.

Not only their one of the best players Tyler Kolek injured for the last six games, seems like their opening opponent is also a tough one. While Western Kentucky stands at 15 seed, their junior guard Don McHenry is leading the troops in quite a handsome manner. Even if the Golden Eagles advance them, they will face either Colorado (10) or Florida (7.) While Colorado had to go through the First-Four round, they have three NBA players, including Chauncey Billups. Hence, they certainly know how to foster talent.

On the flip side, they may have to face the Florida Gators. Unlike their seeding in the field, they do have a balanced roster that can target the weaknesses of Marquette. The fact that they forwarded till the SEC semifinals surely says a lot about this team. Further, their star player Tyler Samuel is coming in hot for the team and may be a threat to Marquette’s safety.

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While the Golden Eagles might wave goodbye in the early rounds, they have shown a lot of potential. However, if they do cross the first weekend, they would’ve earned boasting rights. And who knows, if Lady Luck sides with them, some would even argue that Marquette may win the March Madness.

Taking a ninety-degree turn, let’s see who may go down first in the West.

Who might fall in the ditch in the West?

The West boasts many dark horses in its region with North Carolina at the top. The second and third seeds are Arizona and Baylor respectively. Out of the three, the No. 1 seed may have the toughest challenges. While they might move past Wagner like the wind, the second round may be a hustle for them. Mississippi has displayed some immaculate balling skills in the regular season. Along with their senior forward Tolu Smith, the Bulldogs are going to be a havoc for the Tar Heels. Mississippi also has some impressive athleticism on the wings which may come in handy against North Carolina.

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However, not everything looks good for Baylor either. They will have to face New Mexico in their second round. And as we all saw in the Mountain West championship, the Lobos are strong even with their tallest players absent on the hardwood. Specifically, their guards are going to be a concerning point for Baylor. New Mexico will also meet Arizona in the Crypto.com arena, LA, for their Sweet Sixteen game. This may mean that the Lobos could not only send one, but two, top-seeded teams back home.

West has some additional chances of rewriting the NCAA history with multiple Cinderella stories. However, their neighboring region Mid-West is also not a safe haven.

Picking the odd one out in the Mid-West for March Madness

Zach Edey’s Purdue Boilermakers introduces the rugged region of the Midwest. Tennessee falls on the second seed and Creighton takes the No. 3 seed in the region. Out of the three, Purdue’s end of business does not look as scary. However, looks like Tennessee will have to put in the most work to get through. While they boast the 6 ft 6 in guard Dalton Knecht on their roster, the Vols may have to lick the ick if he does not play well.

Earlier, North Carolina has given them a tough time during the regular season. While the Tar Heels are a good team, it also means that the Volunteers may need more than just their popularly called secret ingredient to move ahead in the tourney. They may have to face either Creighton (3), South Carolina (6), or the underdogs Oregon (11) if they reach the Sweet Sixteen round. If they are not able to perform nicely, they may have to say goodbye to their March Madness wishes once again.

However, this year is going to be a tough one for the teams and an intriguing one for the viewers. Upsets are a usual part of the game, especially when we are entering a single knockout tournament. While your team may win or it may drop to its knees, you can always have something to look forward to.

Which team do you believe will not go far in the March Madness?

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