Who's Your Favorite? NCAA Basketball Standings

by Rebecca Wilcox

Picking a favorite for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is a big dangerous. Sometimes the teams the experts think will make the Final Four end up bowing out early to a team nobody really knows. This happens every year and we're always graced by at least a few upsets. Many believe this year will provide the stage for another Cinderella story and potentially even a sixteen seed upsetting a one seed.

With that said, there are still a few teams many consider favorites for the Final Four. Below you will find three top teams poised to make a run at the championship and two underdogs with the capability of knocking off a top team and making a run of their own. Whether you are picking a school bracket or entering a fun March Madness Contest full of giveaways its always fun to analyze the favorites and underdogs.

Top Three Teams for March Madness

1. Indiana

Ranked at the top of the standings for most of the year, many consider the Hoosiers to be the overall favorite. They've won 6 games over ranked teams this year, including twice over Michigan State. As long as they don't get complacent and continue to play team basketball, it won't be a surprise to see Indiana go from a top seed to the Final Four.

2. Duke

With plenty of experience on their side, at least with their coach, Duke is once again found at the top of the rankings. They always play tough in NCAA Tournament, but their resume isn't as impressive as Indiana's. They've won three games against ranked opponents, but they lost to both NC State and Miami in January. Regardless of those two losses, this team is capable of making a deep run in the tournament.

3. Gonzaga

It's still amazing that just a few years ago Gonzaga was considered a Cinderella story. They are certainly the real deal this year with a top five ranking and an undefeated conference record. They've only played three ranked opponents and lost two of those games, however. Most likely, Gonzaga will snag one of the top seeds and they could be a team to look for in the Final Four.

Potential Cinderella Stories

1. Akron

Many believe Akron has the best chance of any of the small schools to go deep in the tournament. They are projected as a twelve seed in the tournament and rattled off 19 straight wins during the regular season. If Akron gets out of the first round, look for this team to gain confidence and make a deep run into the Sweet 16 or further.

2. Bucknell

This is an interesting team with a projected twelfth seed in the tournament. The player that makes Bucknell so interesting is Mike Muscala. He's big enough to even the playing field with any larger schools bringing in a size advantage. If the best of the Bison shows up in the tournament, they could easily make it deep into the Elite Eight or Final Four.

Make sure to do a little research and get to know some of the smaller schools, along with the favorites before you fill out your bracket. This will help you to at least make educated guesses instead of just choosing teams you've heard of.