We realized in 2021 that bizarre events can occur in Las Vegas during the Pac-12 men’s conference basketball championship, as fifth-seeded Oregon State Beavers, who were predicted to finish last in the preseason, shocked the field to get an automatic invitation to the tournament. They then went on to eventually make it all the way to the Elite Eight, and a new standard was set for a tournament often considered an afterthought in the world of college hoops.
Although it’s unlikely that this year will see that kind of pandemonium, it just might. When the bracket was released on Sunday, UCLA and Arizona earned the top seeds, but there are a few other teams in this tournament desperate for enough wins to make the Big Dance.
Let’s take a closer look at a few teams I think will find success in Sin City starting tonight.