Now that all the snow is melting away, the most magical season is upon us, March Madness. After football season is over, the next major postseason is the NCAA basketball tournament. This season of college basketball has been a whirlwind, with teams that looked geared to win a national championship sliding down the rankings and teams that were overlooked in the preseason contending against top teams and becoming favorites to win the national championship. This article will showcase the teams that should be contenders for a late-March run and teams that could upset early favorites.

Using the AP poll and Joe Lunardi’s Men’s Bracketology, the overall seeds and placements on the bracket have been predicted, and these will be used to predict how the top teams will do in March.

The Contenders

These teams are geared to win the national championship. They are battle-tested, having beaten tough teams, and are packed with star talent that can carry their teams into April. Look for Michigan, Duke, Arizona, and UConn to be in the hunt for the trophy.

These teams all have 2-3 losses and have played against the top competitors, fighting to win most of the games they play. Michigan, Duke, and Arizona have all been ranked #1 during conference play, showing that they are not frauds and will be ready to make a deep run. These teams are also coached by the top strategists in the country, including Dusty May, Dan Hurley, and Jon Scheyer, who all have Final Four experience, which shows that they can and will most likely make it there.

Solid Run

These are the teams that are good but not considered great. They can easily beat inferior teams, but do not have the power to beat the best teams. While it’s not impossible for any of these teams to win a national championship, they have been a step behind the best teams for the majority of the season. These teams include Florida, St. John’s, Houston, and Purdue.

Florida and St John’s started this season slowly as they were scheduled to play against top-tier teams and fell short multiple times. Yet, in the following weeks, especially in conference play, these teams are hitting their strides with large winning streaks, beating the top teams in their conferences to become heads of their conferences. However, neither team has had to play multiple top opponents and play in weak conferences, which is to their disadvantage when they have to play great teams late in the tournament. These teams are the best chance for a top-dog to lose, but without a lot of practice against those teams, it will be very difficult.

Houston and Purdue also have a similar resume. These teams are very talented and are well coached, which allows them to win most of the games they play. These teams have been ranked highly all throught out he season; however, they have fallen short again and again against the top teams. With a few outliers, these teams fall apart against the best, which will most likely happen again in March. Which means that they will most likely beat the teams that are seeded lower than them, but are unlikely to beat those seeded higher.

Hot-and-Cold

These teams are the bracketbusters, and you will want to watch out for them when creating your bracket. They have the potential to beat the best teams, but also have the chance to be embarrassed in the first round. Use caution if you predict them to go far, but don’t be surprised if they make a deep run.

Teams like Wisconsin, Alabama, BYU, Kansas, and Iowa State are what make March Madness fun and exciting. They have beaten the top competition and have wins that make them seem unbeatable, but then the very next game, they will compete as if they have never played basketball before. These teams have the potential to make an unforgettable but also give a mid-major a chance to move on in the tournament. Tune in to the games that these teams are included in, and you will not be disappointed.

Stay Away

These are the teams ranked in the top-25 whose records look appealing, but they are not primed to make a deep run. With a lack of real competition, these teams will not be ready to face the best teams and may win one game before losing.

Miami (OH) and Saint Louis both have high win totals and have been surviving against the teams in their conferences, allowing them to sneak into the top-25. Yet, they have not been able to go any higher than 18th, which says a lot. They both produce results similar to those of teams that are simply not good. When matched up against a powerhouse or even a mediocre Power 4 opponent, the result will not be good for these teams. While the regular season is fun for these teams, the precedent shows that March will not be favorable towards them.

Potential Upsets

These teams are similar to the hot and cold teams; however, they will be the lower-ranked seeds. All of these teams have beaten good teams and know how to play basketball, yet they have also lost to some of the worst competition. These teams will break the chalk bracket but will most likely not make a deep run.

Unlike the teams in the stay away and hot-and cold categories, these are the teams that have nothing left to lose. Liberty, TCU, and SMU have shown that they can beat the premier opponents, and while they have lost to some of the worst teams in college basketball, they are willing and able to bust a few brackets. If they catch a team having a not-so-great game, these are the teams that will be able to take them down.

This will be a March to remember, and while every team that will make the tournament is not included in this article, these are the teams to look out for. Make sure to fill out a bracket in whichever way you prefer, whether it’s choosing the higher seed or which mascot would win in a fight, and enjoy the best postseason tournament in all of sports.