NCAA Tournament 2023: Top 10 most likely 2nd round upsets to happen

2. 5 Miami FL over 4 Indiana

Drake was a trendy upset pick against the Hurricanes because of the question marks to center Norchad Omier and the hot-shooting season the Bulldogs had in the MVC. Unfortunately for them, a late 16-1 run sent Miami into the second round, getting a full game (12 points, 14 rebounds) out of Omier and limiting that Drake offense in the final minutes. They’re the lower seed against Indiana, but the Hurricanes are in a position to continue this run.

Miami shot just 17 of 56 from the field (30.4%) and still found a way to beat Drake with their defense. Nijel Pack had 21 points on a night when Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller both struggled mightily on offense. Against the Hoosiers, Miami would need better play from their backcourt as a whole, but could certainly outplay Indiana’s backcourt and pull off the upset. Stopping Trayce Jackson-Davis would be the biggest question mark, though Omier showed against Drake that he’s ready for the Tournament and facing a significant challenge.

This is a close call and it could frankly go either way. 63 points are not enough to defeat this Hoosiers squad, but it’s hard to expect another flat performance from Miami’s offense. If they can contain Jackson-Davis’s role in this offense, then Miami definitely has a chance with those talented pieces in the backcourt. Don’t expect more defensive fireworks from a Hurricanes team that has struggled on that side of the court; this could turn into a first to 80 or 90 type of performance.