March Madness upset predictions: Top 5 potential upsets brewing in first round ft. a First Four team

Selection Sunday has come and gone, and on Tuesday, the NCAA Tournament will be underway with the First Four. It wouldn't be March Madness without upsets, so here's a list of the top five potential upsets in the Round of 64.

#1, No. 8 Missississippi St vs. No. 9 Baylor

A matchup between an eight seed and a nine seed is hardly an upset. These are the most evenly matched contests in the tournament, and the lower seed often comes out on top. Last season, the nine seeds won three of the four eight vs. nine games. This season, Baylor could be a nine seed that advances to the second round.

ESPNBET has Mississippi State as just a 1.5-point favorite in the matchup, and the Bulldogs have lost to many tournament teams this season, notably falling to No. 2 seed Alabama 111-73. State finds success shooting in the paint but struggles to limit teams from scoring from 3-point range.

Baylor also has a number of losses to tournament teams but beat No. 7 seed Kansas by nine points just last month. Leading scorer Norchad Omier has found double-double success and is aided by a strong freshman squad. Baylor struggles in transition defense but is aggressive when it comes to offensive rebounds.

The Bears have a significantly higher BPI ranking, at 19 compared to the Bulldogs' 35. Mississippi State played in a better conference this season, but if Baylor can keep control of its defense, I think they'll pull off the upset win.

#2, No. 7 Kansas vs. No. 10 Arkansas

John Calipari won't go down without a fight. In his first season coaching Arkansas, he's led the team to a 20-13 record, including 8-10 in a dominent SEC conference. The Razorbacks have struggled against tournament teams some this season but picked up several admirable wins, including against Calipari's former Kentucky squad, which has a No. 3 seed in March Madness.

Kansas has defeated two No. 1 seeds this season, picking up wins over Duke and Houston. The Jayhawks thrive inside the paint and are impressive defenders, but Arkansas also has a dominant defense and is set to see the return of star freshman Boogie Fland, who has missed the past two months with a thumb injury.

This game will be one to watch and could come down to the final seconds, but Calipari's Arkansas squad can upset Kansas.

#3, No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 UNC

Controversy over the Tar Heels even making the tournament has ensued following Selection Sunday. UNC had a questionable resume, going just 1-12 against Quad 1 opponents. The team has to beat San Diego State on Tuesday to even get to face Ole Miss. The Tar Heels can not only beat the Aztecs but can possibly give Ole Miss a run for its money.

Hubert Davis' squad went 8-2 to finish out the season, with both losses coming to No. 1 seed Duke. The Blue Blood has something to prove, and for senior star RJ Davis, the NCAA Tournament is his last chance to wear the UNC uniform.

UNC is favored by 4.5 points against San Diego State, and the Tar Heels should come hungry and with a chip on their shoulder about the controversy surrounding their inclusion in March Madness.

UNC should be able to advance to face Ole Miss. The Rebels finished eighth in a strong SEC conference but have dropped multiple games against top teams to large margins. No. 1 seed Florida defeated Ole Miss by 19 points on March 8, and other No. 1 seed Auburn dominated over the Rebels 106-76 on Feb. 26.

Ole Miss is a solid team, but the Tar Heels have more to lose. UNC will defeat San Diego State and could go on to upset Ole Miss.

#4, No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 Liberty

A No. 12 seed upsetting a No. 5 is more common than you may think. In 33 of the last 39 tournaments, the 12 seed has won at least one first-round game. Last season, two No. 12 seeds made it past the first round. No. 12 Liberty has the ability to upset No. 5 Oregon.

The Ducks rank in the top 50 both offensively and defensively, but have failed to consistently perform. From Jan. 25-Feb. 8, Oregon dropped five straight games. After that, the Ducks capped the regular season with seven straight wins. Oregon can be unreliable, which leaves the potential for an upset.

Liberty has just six losses on the season and is reliable from 3-point range, with a 40% team 3-point percentage. The Flames play slow and lead the country in effective field goal percentage. If Oregon doesn't bring its A-game, Liberty could pose a threat.

#5, No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 13 Yale

Yale is having deja vu. The Bulldogs are a No. 13 seed for a second consecutive season. Last year, they upset No. 4 seed Auburn. This season, they could be capable of pulling off the upset again.

Senior star John Poulakidas, who helped lead Yale to last year's first-round upset, is thriving for the Bulldogs this season, with 19.2 ppg. The entire team shoots well, and maybe more importantly, keeps its opponents from shooting inside the paint. Yale's defense forces opponents to shoot beyond the arc nearly 50% of the time, the highest rate in the NCAA.

Texas A&M leads the country in offensive rebounding but is the worst shooting team in the SEC. If the Bulldogs force the Aggies to shoot from beyond the arc, they could pull off this upset.