The 2019 NCAA men’s basketball tournament gets underway tomorrow as the 64-teams compete for a chance to play in the Final Four which will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I, like many others, are contemplating different situations in my bracket before the 10:15 AM MDT deadline tomorrow. Though there is a 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 chance of getting a perfect bracket, it’s still necessary to make wise and smart decisions regarding your bracket. So, without further ado, let’s get to my five bold predictions for this year’s March Madness.

Baylor beats Syracuse

To begin, nine seed Baylor will best eight seed Syracuse Thursday night. Baylor will be underlooked in this game. Syracuse has been an inconsistent team this year. They lose to Georgia Tech at home then beat Duke on the road the next game. Statistically, Syracuse ranks 335th in defensive rebounding and 244th in 3-point shooting. On the other hand, Baylor ranks second in offensive rebounding and consistently plays a 1-1-3 zone, which takes away the paint and dares opponents to hoist up threes. Rebounding and effective perimeter offense will inevitably guide Baylor to a victory over the Orange.

The biggest upset in the first-round will be…

Yale over LSU. Yale is a dangerous team. They knocked off Baylor three years ago as a 12 seed and come into this year’s tournament as a 13 seed. Yale can score. They put up 97 points in the Ivy League championship game against Harvard and have scored north of 80 points in 13 of their 29 games. They shoot well and against an LSU team that saw an early exit in the SEC conference tournament and struggles from the free throw line and perimeter defense, star this game as yet another Yale Bulldog upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Belmont gets to the Sweet 16

I am so glad the committee gave Belmont a chance to play in the big dance. Even though they got outrebounded by Temple last night, they shot 53% from the field and got a convincing win in the First Four, beating Temple by 11. Belmont is fun to watch. They pass well, shoot well, and play with intensity and show tremendous team chemistry. Since Maryland doesn’t score much and they rely heavily on the interior (mainly with Bruno Fernando), I see Belmont scoring enough from the perimeter to beat an unpredictable Maryland team.

Belmont would then face Yale in the Round of 32. Belmont is a smarter and more talented team than Yale. Belmont punches their ticket to Washington D.C.

Duke will not make the Final Four

Duke is good. Don’t get me wrong. They’re really good. However, their unpredictability surrounding threes and free throws will hurt them in the big dance. Duke will play in the Elite Eight against second seed Michigan State, and the Spartans shoot 38.3% from three and 75.0% from the charity stripe, both first in the Big Ten. Duke, on the other hand, shoots 30.2% from three and 69.0% from the free throw line. Sorry Duke fans, but your two top 3 NBA first-round picks in Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett will not be enough to get past the Spartans.

North Carolina will cut down the nets in Minneapolis

Roy Williams has a talented team in the Tar Heels, led by incredible seniors Cameron Johnson and Luke Maye. Ever since their blowout loss in Ann Arbor to Michigan, North Carolina has an impressive resume, with wins over Gonzaga, Virginia Tech, Duke (twice), and Florida State. They can score from pretty much anywhere, as is evident through their ACC leading 86.1 PPG and overall play from Coby White, Cameron Johnson, and Luke Maye. They move the ball well, are effective on the glass (rank number one in the ACC in rebounds with 46.8 RPG), and nail free throws. North Carolina is a great team, and I believe that the Tar Heels, led by Roy Williams and a great group of seniors, have the best chance to win the 2019 NCAA tournament.