Beware the Ides of March — A warning all can heed going into the NCAA tournament. March is widely considered the craziest time of the year in sports and this year will be no different.

The college basketball regular season was an upset-filled thrill ride that included a record number of upsets. According to ESPN, teams ranked in the top five were upset 37 times, with 21 of those 37 upsets coming to an unranked team.

Among those 37 upsets, seven of those teams were ranked No. 1. The No. 1 team has not lost seven times in a single season in the history of college basketball.

So what will this year’s NCAA tournament bring?

Madness.

The tournament field was filled on Sunday night, with the University of Kansas, Oregon University, Virginia University and the University of North Carolina taking home No. 1 seeds in the 2016 bracket. The Jayhawks of Kansas were named the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament.

Kansas enjoyed an incredible season, posting a 30-4 record, including a 15-3 record in the extremely strong Big 12 Conference. Kansas posted excellent wins, most notably two wins against Big 12 Conference foe Oklahoma University. In a Jan. 5, meeting between Kansas and Oklahoma, the Jayhawks were ranked No. 1 and the Sooners were ranked No. 2. The Sooners got a brilliant performance from Wooden Award candidate Buddy Hield, who scored a career-high 46 points in the 109-106 triple-overtime defeat. The Jayhawks defeated Oklahoma later in the season as well, continuing their strong season and ultimately earning them a No. 1 seed.

North Carolina is also a strong favorite in this year’s field. The last time North Carolina was picked as the preseason No. 1 they won the national championship. This occurred in 2009. The Tar Heels were led all year by Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson. Carolina fought hard this season and finished with a 28-6 record, including an ACC regular season title and an ACC Tournament championship.

Among teams not selected for one-seeds with a strong case for the coveted seeding include the University of Villanova and Michigan State University. Michigan State had the biggest case for a one-seed with an extremely strong resume and a 29-5 record. Michigan State finished the season with a 66-62 victory over Purdue University in the Big Ten Tournament championship game.

The Spartans of Michigan State are led by standout senior Denzel Valentine, who is averaging 19.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game. The Spartans also have a legendary coach in Tom Izzo, who always seems to push his team towards an NCAA Tournament appearance, followed by a solid tournament run. Last season, the Spartans fell to the eventual champion Duke Blue Devils in a Final Four matchup.

Villanova had a strong case for a one-seed until they were knocked off by Seton Hall University in the Big East Conference Tournament championship. Villanova put together a solid 29-5 record, including a 16-2 conference record. The Wildcats of Villanova have struggled in recent years to advance to the Sweet 16. The Wildcats were bounced out of last year’s tournament by North Carolina State University, 71-68.

Among the early favorites, other teams will emerge in the tournament. Of the possible upset picks, look no further than Saint Joseph’s University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Saint Joseph’s is a strong upset pick in this year’s bracket. Saint Joseph’s is currently a No. 8 seed that will face Cincinnati University in the first round. Cincinnati is a No. 9 seed in this year’s tournament. No. 8 seeds are 63-61 since 1985 over No. 9 seeds and No. 8 seeds have won 15 of the last 20 meetings since 2011.

Saint Joseph’s is a popular pick this year since a No. 1 seed has been knocked off in the round of 32 in each of the last two seasons.

One thing that is not favorable for someone betting on this year’s tournament would be to pick a No. 16 seed over a No. 1 seed. A No. 16 seed has never defeated a No. 1 seed in 124 attempts. An interesting matchup could take place between North Carolina and Florida Gulf Coast University, however. Florida Gulf Coast will take on Farleigh Dickinson University in a First Four matchup to see who will make it into the field of 64 as a No. 16 seed. Florida Gulf Coast famously reached the Sweet 16 in 2013 as a 15-seed after defeating Georgetown University in the first round. The victory over Georgetown was one of the biggest upsets in NCAA history.

Most of all, in March remember that anything can happen. The odds of predicting a perfect bracket are one in 9.2 quintillion. One of the best things when it comes to tournament brackets is to just be lucky. It is considered madness for a reason. When it comes to picks, may the brackets be ever in your favor.

Interested in the NCAA tournament? Stay tuned for more coverage of the tournament and also check out our bracket challenge!

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