theScore's comprehensive guide to picking your bracket
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With March Madness about to get underway, theScore is your source for everything you need to satiate your bracket appetite.
It doesn't seem like that long ago that Kris Jenkins hit the tournament-winning buzzer-beating 3-pointer for Villanova to give the Wildcats a thrilling victory in the national championship over North Carolina last April. However, a new tournament provides plenty of opportunity for thrills, chills, and excitement, with everyone in the nation trying to knock 'Nova from its pedestal.
Here's what you need to know to be prepared for the start of March Madness:
Bracket Tips
One of the best part of March Madness is filling out your bracket and competing with family, friends, co-workers, and strangers to earn bragging rights (and maybe something extra) with your college knowledge. While getting a perfect bracket is a near statistical impossibility, we're here to provide tips to get you as close to perfect as possible:
Bracket tips: Don't go crazy with your title game pick
Defense wins championships, but offense makes upsets
Don't get attached to 1st-round upsets in your bracket
Why picking UCLA to reach the Final Four is a must
3 teams you need to have in your Sweet 16
Do's and Don'ts for picking the perfect NCAA tournament bracket
Think twice before penciling in Arizona throughout your bracket
Picking a 12-seed upset could be key for your bracket
Coaches matter when making your bracket picks
5 bracket-busting teams to be weary of
Oregon could throw a wrench into your bracket after Boucher's injury
5 under-the-radar players who will be X-factors in tournament
Tournament Preview
From the Cinderellas to the favorites and everything in between, theScore has you covered for all you need to know heading into the tournament:
Ball Bets Day 1: Notre Dame set to roll over Princeton
Why everyone should root for Michigan
3 players who will determine their team's tournament fate
5 bold predictions for the NCAA tournament
Meet SMU, the hottest team in the country
3 teams that could wear Cinderella's slipper in the NCAA tournament
Who could be this year's Michigan State?
5 biggest questions entering the tournament
6 favorites to win the championship
Which long-suffering NCAA fan base has the best shot at celebrating in 2017?
Looking for a team? Join the Northwestern bandwagon
5 tournament matchups every college basketball fan should hope for
Which teams could get the Big Ten more recognition in the Big Dance?
Pitinos become 1st father-son coaching duo in tourney history
Mid-major Snapshots
The average fan doesn't need to be introduced to the likes of Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Kansas, the annual powers in the world of college basketball. But every year when the tournament rolls around there are plenty of smaller schools a casual fan may not be familiar with. These mid-major snapshots should help provide an idea of what brought these programs to the Big Dance:
(Photos Courtesy: Action Images)