The NCAA Tournament is upon us and the best time of years has arrived for basketball fans. March Madness is about to kick into high gear starting on Thursday.
Each and every year, the major interest leading up to the tournament has to do with upset picks. There seems to be a huge upset or two in the first round every season.
With the bracket now set and the matchups known, upset picks are starting to come in.
Seth Davis has shocked the nation with one of his first round upset picks. He thinks that the Alabama Crimson Tide are going to come up short against Hofstra to open up March Madness.
Seth Davis Predicts Alabama to Be Knocked Out by Hofstra
Heading into this matchup, the Crimson Tide are favored by a long shot. Alabama has had an impressive season that landed the team a No. 4 seed. Hofstra comes in as a sleeper team and received a No. 13 seed.
Throughout the course of the regular season, the Crimson Tide put together a 23-9 record. Led by head coach Nate Oats, Alabama has been a serious player in the NCAA Tournament over the last few years.
Hofstra compiled an impressive 24-10 record this season. The Pride have been a solid team all year long, but pulling off an upset over the Crimson Tide would be a shocker.
Here is a video of Davis making his picks, while also picking Akron to make a run to the Sweet Sixteen, which is an upset pick in and of itself.
-Hofstra over Alabama
-Akron to the Sweet 16
Key Players to Know for Both Alabama & Hofstra
Ahead of the first-round showdown, there are a couple of key players for viewers to know about.
First, the Crimson Tide are led by standout guard Labaron Philon Jr. He has averaged 21.7 points per game this season to go along with 4.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. Philon has also shot 50.9 percent from the floor and 40.2 percent from three-point range.
Alabama also has Aden Holloway, another electrifying guard. This season, he has chipped in with 16.8 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 48.1 percent and 43.8 percent from distance.
On the other side of the court, Hofstra is led by guard Cruz Davis. He has averaged 20.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game and has shot 44.3 percent overall and 39.9 percent from three-point range. Preston Edmead, also a guard, has averaged 15.9 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Both teams have dynamic talent. The Crimson Tide may be favored, but Davis thinks that this is a game to watch for a potential upset.
Seth Davis Reveals Monster March Madness First Round Upset Pick