Given its rich history, the ACC had a down season entering the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket. Powerhouse programs like North Carolina, Louisville and Syracuse all missed out on the 2023 March Madness bracket. While the ACC did land five teams in the NCAA Tournament 2023, it is the only major conference to not secure a top-2 seed in the March Madness 2023 bracket. No. 4 Virginia is the conference’s top team, while Duke and Miami (FL) are both 5-seeds.
NCAA bracket predictions: College basketball model gives surprising March Madness 2023 tournament picks
The Blue Devils boast three of the top four freshmen from the Class of 2022 rankings. They could be the ACC’s best chance at sending a team to the Final Four in Houston, but how much will Mike Krzyzewski’s absence affect Duke as you fill out your March Madness bracket 2023? Before making any 2023 March Madness bracket predictions, be sure to check out the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulated the entire 2023 NCAA Tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks, beating over 92% of all CBS Sports brackets two of the last four tournaments. The model also nailed three teams in the West and South Region Sweet 16 last year, including No. 5 seed Houston.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 18 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds. It also nailed some massive upsets two years ago, including predicting the championship game between Gonzaga and Baylor and hitting Houston’s Midwest Region win even though the Cougars weren’t the No. 1 seed.
There’s simply no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2023 March Madness picks. Now, with the 2023 NCAA bracket revealed, the model is simulating the matchups and its results are in. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
Three 2023 March Madness bracket games to watch
One of the best matchups in the first round of the NCAA Tournament bracket is No. 8 Maryland vs. No. 9 West Virginia in the South Region. Maryland’s Jahmir Young had nine games with 20-plus points during the regular season, so he gives the Terrapins an experienced leader. They also finished just outside the top 30 in offensive and defensive efficiency, creating a balanced attack that is difficult for unfamiliar opponents to deal with. West Virginia is an offensive-minded team that loves to crash the glass and get to the charity stripe. The Mountaineers are led by one of the top coaches in the country, Bob Huggins, making them a challenging opponent at this time of the year.
Another matchup in the South worth keeping an eye on is No. 5 San Diego State vs. No. 12 Charleston. Both squads epitomize the word team, as Charleston trots out five players averaging in double-figures, while the Aztecs counter with a nine-man rotation comprised solely of upperclassmen. This game could come down to who gets the edge from beyond the arc, as they both have distinct strengths. Charleston’s 10.1 3-pointers per game rank 10th in the country, while San Diego holds opponents to 29.3% on three-pointers, ranking ninth nationally.
No. 4 Virginia vs. No. 13 Furman is another critical matchup in the South. Advancing in the March Madness bracket 2023 often comes down to essentials like protecting the ball, and no team commits fewer turnovers per game than Virginia. It can’t afford to give extra possessions to a Furman squad that ranks eighth nationally with 82.1 points per game. While both teams enter the NCAA Tournament 2023 with seven losses, UVA had a more difficult schedule with eight games versus tournament teams compared to just two for Furman. You can see the model’s 2023 NCAA bracket picks here.
How to make 2023 NCAA bracket predictions
Who wins every tournament-defining matchup? And which teams will make surprising runs through the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it’s calling this year before locking in any 2023 NCAA bracket picks.
