2010 NCAA Tournament: First Round Upsets

The field of 65 has been set for the 2010 NCAA Tournament and the brackets are ready to be filled out. Here are five first round upsets to help you collect more points in your NCAA tournament pool.

Temple #5 vs. Cornell #12

Just about every year we see a # 12 seed knock off a # 5 seed and we should expect the same in this 2010 NCAA tournament. This year Cornell will be the team to accomplish this feat.

This senior dominated team has experience on their side with their third consecutive trip to the tournament. The team, led by forward Ryan Wittman, may not be the flashiest, but they are solid at both ends of the court.

If they are going to pull off the upset, Cornell will need a big game from their center, Jeff Foote. He will need to establish a presence in the middle of a Temple team that plays with three guards.

Purdue #4 vs. Siena # 13

There is no doubt that the outcome of this game would be different if Purdue did not lose guard Robbie Hummel to a season ending injury. Without him Purdue is not just the same and they will be tested by an experienced team that has won in the first round the last two NCAA tournaments.

Sienna enters the 2010 NCAA tournament ready with a top notch point guard, Ronald Moore, and the MAAC player of the year in Alex Franklin. These two men will come to play. Franklin's performance at both ends of the court will go along way in helping Sienna with the upset.

Another key to their upset will be the foul line. Sienna has the habit of going to the line more than their opponents by a wide margin. This will work out in Sienna's favor in a close game.

Marquette # 6 vs. Washington # 11

The Washington Huskies enter the 2010 NCAA tournament as one of the hottest team's in the nation. They have won 12 of their last 14 games, including the Pac-10 championship.

This fast paced team features a pair of guards, Isaiah Thomas and Abdul Gaddy, who can keep this offense moving. The Huskies' offense will be relying upon their leading scorer, Quincy Pondexter, who averaged 19.8 points per game.

The Huskies will look for a big game from Pondexter to use his height advantage over a Marquette that does not have anyone taller than 6'6". If Marquette can not find a way to neutralize him, they will be on their way out during the first round.

OklahomaState # 7 vs. Georgia Tech # 10

The big question mark surrounding Georgia Tech during the season was could they remain consistent in the backcourt. They need to make sure to limit their turnovers against a porous Oklahoma State defense.

The Yellow Jackets' strength through out the entire season has been their talented front court that is led by two of the best in the game. Forwards Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal are an explosive duo that leads the team in scoring and rebounds.

If the game is on the line, keep an eye out for the Yeloo9w Jackets clutch performer. Bench player Zachery Peacock has already won four games in the closing minutes this year.

Gonzaga # 8 vs. FloridaState # 9

In order to pull off the upset over Gonzaga, Florida State will need to rely upon their size and defensive intensity. This will be important against a young Gonzaga team that is lacking depth.

Guard Michael Snaer has recently moved into the starting position and has become the scoring threat the Seminoles needed desperately. If he can find success from the perimeter, the Seminoles will find an easy path to the second round.

While he may not be a major scoring threat, center Solomon Alabi makes his shots when needed and comes up with the timely blocks. His presence against their seven-footer, Robert Sacre, will help the Seminoles advance to the next round.

Resources

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball