Those that know me know I can’t stand March Madness. I think it’s the most overrated sporting event of the year. That being said, what makes the tournament so popular, especially amongst the casual sports fan is the upsets. There have several big upsets thus far through two days. It shouldn’t be a surprise however. Unlike other sports, basketball is a little different because it’s not always about talent. There are other factors that determine the outcome in a game. Here are three reasons why upsets happen in this tournament. 

1. Match-Ups: If you are a bottom seed in this tournament, you can win a round or two if you end up with the right match-up. That’s why Yale beat Baylor as a 12 seed and Middle Tennessee beat Michigan State today as a 15 seed. The right match up is the number one key if a team wants to pull off an upset in a single elimination tournament like this. 

2. Single Game Elimination: Single elimination playoff and tournament games are way better than seven game series because it’s do or die. Win or you’re out. If a lower seed can put it all together for one game, they can pull off the upset. While the talent gap between a one seed and a sixteen seed might be wide, that gap isn’t as wide when you start to match up the other seeds in this tournament. If the match up is right and the lower seeded team hits some shots early, they can pull off the upset and advance. If a lower seed plays a higher seed ten times, they might only beat them once. Well, if that one time is the only game that counts, that’s all that matters. 

3. Shots Falling: Basketball is a game of luck to a certain degree. If you are making shots early and your opponent isn’t, you can win a game regardless of the difference in talent. The lower seeds hit some big shots the last two days and that’s why they won and advanced. 

I know college hoops fan get all lathered up when a lower seed beats a high seed this time of year but the fact of the matter is, it’s not that big of a surprise. The gap between the top seeds and the lower seeds isn’t as wide as you think. Especially if the match up is right and the lower seed is shooting the basketball at a higher percentage. If those two factors are in their favor, a lower seed will win more often than you think. I’m just saying.