No. 2 seed UCLA will begin its quest for another NCAA Tournament title when it faces No. 15 seed UNC Asheville in the opening-round on Thursday in the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket. UCLA won 12 straight games prior to its loss to Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament title game, but the Bruins will still be a popular pick to advance deep in the 2023 March Madness bracket. They are led by veterans Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell, who both have experience playing in the latter stages of the Big Dance. UNC Asheville won the Big South Tournament behind Tennessee transfer Drew Pember, who was named the Big South Player of the Year after averaging 21.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
Pember only has one teammate scoring in double-figures, though, so will his team have enough firepower to test UCLA during the March Madness 2023 schedule? UCLA is an 18-point favorite in the latest 2023 NCAA Tournament odds at Caesars Sportsbook. Before filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket 2023, be sure to see the 2023 March Madness 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 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 most intriguing 2023 March Madness picks the model is projecting: No. 1 Purdue advances to the Final Four despite nearly falling in the Big Ten Tournament final. They held on to win the Big Ten Tournament title against a scrappy Penn State team in the final game before the bracket was revealed on Sunday, as Zach Edey had another monster performance with 30 points and 13 rebounds. The 7-foot-4 junior center is the favorite to win the Wooden Award, averaging 22.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game.
The model also says No. 5 Duke survives the dangerous matchup against No. 12 Oral Roberts, but then falls in the second round despite being one of the top 2023 March Madness sleeper picks. The Blue Devils are one of the hottest teams in the country heading into the NCAA Tournament 2023, extending their winning streak to nine games with a win over Virginia in the ACC Tournament title game.
However, they rank just inside the top 300 in KenPom’s experience ratings, which could prove costly in the Big Dance. They are likely going to face No. 4 seed Tennessee in the second round, and the Vols have been one of the top defensive teams in college basketball throughout the season. 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.
So what’s the optimal NCAA Tournament 2023 bracket? And which NCAA Tournament Cinderella teams will shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which double-digit seeds you can back with confidence, all from the model that’s called 18 upsets by double-digit seeds and beaten over 92% of CBS Sports brackets two of the last four tournaments.
