Fans are left stuttering by the number of upsets that have played a significant role in shaping the 2024 NCAA Basketball regular season. By definition, an upset is said to have occurred when the winner of the game is seeded five or more places lower than the team facing the defeat. These unexpected victories have added drama and excitement to the season.

Some of the memorable upset moments include No. 16 Fairleigh stunning No. 1 Purdue made history as it was only the second time ever when a 16-seed defeated a one-seed. Similarly, No. 9 Florida State dominated with their remarkable free throws, beating No. 3 Kansas State with a 79-76 victory. Now that the teams have already stepped into March Madness, let’s take a look at the possible upsets that can change the course of the tournament.

Samford Bulldogs over Kansas Jayhawks

No. 4 seed Kansas has delivered a commendable performance in the regular season with 21 wins and 7 losses, securing 3rd place in the Big 12 Conference. Meanwhile, No. 13 seed Samford Bulldogs have had an impressive display of skills with 29 wins and 5 losses, securing 1st position with a conference record of 15-3. In general, strategic moves and key factors can play a crucial role in some teams to outshine the top seeds. Kansas leading scorer Kevin McCullar Jr. has averaged 18.3 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting with a field goal percentage of 45.4% in the regular season. However, his absence is going to affect the Jayhawks if they don’t adapt to the alternative and improvise.

Meanwhile, Hunter Dickinson has averaged 18 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, while shooting with a field goal percentage of 55%. Notably, Dickinson had suffered a dislocated shoulder around two weeks ago, in the regular-season finale against Houston. Fortunately, he didn’t require surgery while he took the time to recover from the Big-12 conference title tournament week. Following to that, he feels good and is ready to lock horns with the Bulldogs in the Round of 64.

The Bulldogs will be focussing on having a firm defense against the Jayhawks, pressuring all the ball handlers on Kansas’ roster. Also, they will try to force turnovers by disrupting passing lanes. Hence, Kansas’ survival may come down to the wire with easy shots and grabbing every scoring opportunity. Maintaining consistent momentum is another key factor in breaking the opponent team, which is why the Bulldogs will try to push the pace and prevent the Jayhawks from getting easy putbacks.

Read More: Kevin McCullar Jr Calls a Tragic End of His College Basketball Career Just Before March Madness

Moreover, forwards Joshua Hughes and Zach Loveday can be the forces to reckon with in shooting beyond the arc because of their accuracy in hooping shots, averaging 100% and 63.6% in the regular season respectively. However, Parker Braun gives tough competition to Loveday with his shooting percentage of 65.2%. With that being said, the NCAA Tournament is about to become interesting with possible upset on the way. Moving forward, let’s take a look at other possible turns that have the potential to redefine the tournament.

Potential upsets along the way

Besides Kansas, a few other teams are there which could face an upset as things move forward into March Madness. Having an eventful regular season, No. 5 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs achieved a 25-7 record. Although, they faced defeat against Saint Mary’s in the West Coast Conference title, however, they had an impressive finish with a conference record of 14-2 and also secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Some of their key victories in the regular season were against UCLA, Syracuse, Kentucky, and USC.

However, No. 12 seed McNeese might put Gonzaga’s run for the title into jeopardy with its potential to take over the Bulldogs. The Cowboys have had an impressive season themselves with an outstanding 30-3 record. Moreover, they secured a top spot in the Southland Conference with a record of 17-1. One of their winning games was against Michigan and Texas A&M-Commerce.

Moving on to No. 7 seed Washington State Cougars performed with a commendable record of 24-9 and secured 2nd position in the Pac-12 conference. Similar to Gonzaga, they notched victories against formidable teams of UCLA, Syracuse, USC, and Kentucky. However, their upcoming matchup with Drake could be something to reckon with beforehand, as they will be battling with No. 10 seed Drake Bulldogs.

Having a regular season record of 28-6, the Drake Bulldogs earned 2nd place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a conference record of 16-4. It will not be the first time they will be looking horns with the Cougars, making them a bit stronger in understanding their opponents’ strategies. Some of their notable wins in the season have been against Oakland, Texas Southern, and Missouri State. Notably, if Drake wins then it will be an upset, however, Drake is already a fan favorite.

Next up is No. 9 seed Michigan State Spartans who have been seeded closely to their upcoming opponents in No. 8 seed Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Spartans with their intriguing conference record of 10-9, secured 6th position in the Big Ten play, with an overall record of 18-12. They bounced back in their recent encounter with Northwestern with a concluding score of 53-49 on a senior night.

On the other hand, the Mississippi Bulldogs secured 1st position in the SEC with an overall record of 21-13. In the regular season, the Bulldogs gave a taste of defeat to the teams including Ole Miss, Arkansas, Vanderbilt. They also defeated Tennessee and LSU in the SEC title tournament.

As a result, the upsets will add another zing to the already bubbling March Madness, given the rising nature of the underdog teams, taking over the top competitors.