Tip sheet: Don’t get cute, a No. 16 never wins

Five tips when picking a bracket for the NCAA Tournament:

The biggest upset has never happened. A No. 16 has never defeated a No. 1 seed, as much as everyone roots for it. That streak sits at 124 wins, going back to 1985.

But No. 2 hasn’t been so lucky. Oh, it’s still a long shot, but the second seeds aren’t perfect. Seven No. 2s have lost their opener in the last 30 years, including three in the last four tournaments (Duke to Lehigh, and Missouri to Norfolk in 2012; and Georgetown to Florida Gulf Coast in 2013).

That’s a school? There are always schools that get in that you’re probably not familiar with — like Austin Peay or Wofford or Rider or Lamar. A simple rule: If you haven’t heard of them, it’s probably best to avoid them.

Forget about five, but stick with

six. We’ve pointed out the curse of the fifth seed elsewhere (a 36 per cent success rate). But the sixth seed has been surprisingly reliable, winning 65 per cent of the time against the No. 11 seed. Fans seem to have caught on. The NCAA’s website points out that participants in its bracket pick the No. 6 game right 66 per cent of the time.

When in doubt, turn to the animal

kingdom. The top 25 is filled with critters, including the (Kansas) Jayhawks, the (Oregon) Ducks, the (Louisville) Cardinals and the (Iowa) Hawkeyes. There are the Maryland Terrapins, which are cute little turtles. Choose by cuteness or sleekness, or with strategic fierceness. There are also three teams in the top 25 named Wildcats (Kentucky, Villanova and Arizona), which if nothing else gives you numbers. Chris O’Leary