NCAA Basketball: Reflecting on the upsets from 2022 NCAA Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 19: KC Ndefo #11 of the St. Peter's Peacocks celebrates with teammates after defeating the Murray State Racers 70-60 in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 19, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

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NCAA Tournament Iowa State Cyclones Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /

Iowa State and Miami

Iowa State over Wisconsin

With less than 34 percent of their scoring returning, it was a surprise to see Wisconsin Basketball get a share of the Big Ten Regular Season Championship and enter the NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region. If a poll was taken in October, very few would be surprised by the fact that Wisconsin would be eliminated in the second round. On March 20, 2022, it was a surprise, however, when the Iowa State Cyclones defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 54-49.

The statistical category that sticks out the most is one that was so obvious in hindsight. In the loss, the Badgers committed 17 turnovers, after a season of averaging fewer than nine per game. Fans and followers of the Cyclones all but expected this, as opponents of the Cyclones averaged over 16 turnovers per game.

While the Cyclones only managed to convert those turnovers into 11 points, the empty offensive possessions were enough to limit the Badgers to its lowest point total of the season, yet only the fifth-best performance on the defensive end of the floor for the Cyclones.

Miami over Auburn

How were the masses supposed to know that Miami Basketball would outscore Auburn Basketball 17-2 in points of turnovers, subsequently outscoring them 30-1 in fastbreak points in a 79-61 victory. When it comes to creating turnovers, the Hurricanes took matters into their own hands all season and it was obvious they would do it again.

Not only did the Hurricanes’ opponents commit almost 14 turnovers per game, but the Hurricanes also averaged the sixteenth most steals in the nation, led by Charlie Moore‘s two per game. Ten of Auburn’s thirteen turnovers were steals. When one takes into consideration the amount of steals the Hurricanes tally up per game and the fact that there are just 46 teams who have the ball stolen from the more than Auburn, it is not surprising that the Miami Hurricanes outscored the Auburn Tigers by 15 points off turnovers in a 16-point victory.

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