It's become a habit of late. No. 12 seeds have been ousting their first-round NCAA Tourney opponents with regularity, and there's plenty of opportunity for the trend to continue.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee did it to Alabama last year. Manhattan did it to Florida in 2004. So did Pacific, against Providence. No. 12 seeds seem to have it in for No. 5 seeds. In fact, nine of the past 20 games between the two have gone to the lower seed.
Will the trend continue?
A team's rank going into the NCAA men's basketball tournament doesn't always mean much based on past history. Ranking No. 1 can be a blessing and a curse. The no. 5 seed though is always considered as a curse. Why?
The No. 5 seed is 5-25 in the third round but 4-1 in the fourth round. The No. 12 seed is a better long shot than the No. 11. Since 1985 the 12 has won 27 first-round games and is 14-12 in the second round.
The beauty of the NCAA Tournament, it has been said, is that anybody can win. But in the last 15 years, the title has been won 12 times by a team from three leagues: Atlantic Coast, Big East or Southeastern. And of the spots in the Final Four in those years, the Big Ten, ACC and SEC have accounted for 60% of them.
Gerry McNamara lit it up in the Big East tourney and he'll have to do it again if No. 5 Syracuse is to advance. Wanna bet for or against the no. 5 seed? Throw down in the Bodog Sportsbook NCAA March Madness Betting Page!
Wisconsin-Milwaukee did it to Alabama last year. Manhattan did it to Florida in 2004. So did Pacific, against Providence. No. 12 seeds seem to have it in for No. 5 seeds. In fact, nine of the past 20 games between the two have gone to the lower seed.
Will the trend continue?
A team's rank going into the NCAA men's basketball tournament doesn't always mean much based on past history. Ranking No. 1 can be a blessing and a curse. The no. 5 seed though is always considered as a curse. Why?
The No. 5 seed is 5-25 in the third round but 4-1 in the fourth round. The No. 12 seed is a better long shot than the No. 11. Since 1985 the 12 has won 27 first-round games and is 14-12 in the second round.
The beauty of the NCAA Tournament, it has been said, is that anybody can win. But in the last 15 years, the title has been won 12 times by a team from three leagues: Atlantic Coast, Big East or Southeastern. And of the spots in the Final Four in those years, the Big Ten, ACC and SEC have accounted for 60% of them.
Gerry McNamara lit it up in the Big East tourney and he'll have to do it again if No. 5 Syracuse is to advance. Wanna bet for or against the no. 5 seed? Throw down in the Bodog Sportsbook NCAA March Madness Betting Page!
