7 Struggling Teams to Know Entering the NCAA Tournament

Utah Utes

Utah hasn't exactly been "reeling" per se, but the Utes have alternated wins and losses in their final eight games of the season. Yes, one of those losses came against Arizona, who ranks second in nERD (19.95), but two of them came against Oregon, who ranks 49th in nERD (9.08), and one came against Washington, who ranks 107th (3.81).

The Utes, who rank eighth themselves in nERD (16.77), have an elite offense and defense, ranking inside the 96th percentile in each, but the up-and-down results are worth mentioning before hitching your bracket's hopes to Delon Wright and Utah. Conversely, they're the eighth-best team in the country according to our math, which suggests they're an enticing option as just a 5 seed.

It's probably not smart to cross off the underrated Utes in the first round despite the dreaded 12-5 matchup, but things have been shaky in Utah lately. They meet Stephen F. Austin, whose nERD of 9.03 ranks 49th in the country.