NCAA Tournament 2023: Top 10 most likely 1st round upsets to happen
By Joey Loose
10. 13 Kent State over 4 Indiana
After their victory over regular season champion Toledo in the MAC Tournament title game, Kent State is back in the dance as a trendy upset pick from the 13-seed. It’s not a surprise that the Golden Flashes are in this position based on the season they had, which we’ll explain shortly. They also have a very talented point guard in Sincere Carry, a two-time First All-MAC and All-Defense player who has led the team in scoring the last two seasons.
The Golden Flashes dropped some tough road games in conference play, but it’s what they did in nonconference play that raised eyebrows. While there are no overwhelming victories on that schedule, the greatest perhaps being road wins at Cleveland State and Northern Kentucky, the Golden Flashes went to Gonzaga, Houston, and Charleston and lost close battles against three top-level teams, limiting Houston to just 49 points and nearly surviving against the Bulldogs despite a poor shooting night.
Kent State has shown that they can beat top-level opposition, and it’s not just Carry who Indiana has to worry about. Fellow seniors Malique Jacobs and Miryne Thomas are both good for double-digit points per game, with Thomas more than capable from outside the arc. This matchup would certainly be higher on this list based on Kent State’s prowess, but we’re not sure how this team will handle Trayce Jackson-Davis with the way he’s been playing in recent weeks. Another note: Kent State coach Rob Senderoff faces off against the Hoosiers, where he spent two seasons on staff before taking over the Golden Flashes.