If history is any indication, being a top four seed can be both a blessing and a distinct curse. While a number one seed has yet to lose in the first round, only once since 1989 have all four number one seeds made it to the Final Four (in 2008). Number two seeds have gone just 28-14 in the second round over the past 11 years, while number three seeds were 27-14, and number four seeds actually have maintained a losing record during the same stretch, at 16-17.
Here are some key recipes on how to beat the top seeds of this NCAA Tournament.
2012 NCAA Tournament: Game-Planning How To Beat Top Seeded Teams
Syracuse Orange(01 of10)
The Orange use superior length and quickness to play a 2-3 matchup zone. The system is sound but has been vulnerable in years past to point-forwards who can get into the center of the zone and pass or shoot, as Gordon Hayward of Butler did during the 2010 tournament. Even with his clutch shooting, senior point guard Scoop Jardine is prone to ill-timed turnovers, and without the vastly improved center Fab Melo (ineligible) at the bottom of the zone, the Orange become very susceptible to opponents who crash the offensive glass or drive aggressively to the hoop. (credit:Kevin Rivoli, AP)
Duke Blue Devils(02 of10)
The Blue Devils rely heavily on the three-pointer, with their 20 attempts per game the most in the ACC. As evidenced in the North Carolina upset, the long ball can be a lethal weapon, but an over-reliance in a one-game scenario is dangerous should they stop falling. This year's club is also atypically poor on the defensive end, where it has allowed an "un-Coach K-like" 46.5 percent shooting over its past three loses. Much of that can be attributed to issues with defending the transition attack, where Duke allows 57 percent shooting (per Synergy Sports Technology). (credit:Streeter Lecka, Getty Images)
North Carolina Tar Heels(03 of10)
Despite being one of the nation's most talented teams, UNC has struggled all season to put teams away late, as evidenced by its late collapse against Duke when the Heels were outscored 13-2 in the final 2:38 of regulation (per ESPN Stats & Info). As talented offensively as UNC is with Harrison Barnes and Kendall Marshall at the helm, the recent loss of senior Dexter Strickland to knee surgery is a brutal blow. In a lackluster unit, Strickland was the most reliable perimeter defender, often trusted to guard the opposition's best scorer. If UNC gets bogged down in a half-court game against an efficient offense, they are vulnerable. (credit:Gerry Broome, AP)
Missouri Tigers(04 of10)
Led by talented guards Flip Pressey and Marcus Denmon, the Tigers want to get out and run on offense while pressuring high up the floor on defense. It's a frenetic attack. While Mizzou puts up 80 points a game, this team remains extremely vulnerable against a bigger, equally physical club with guards capable of handling the full court pressure. In back-to-back February losses to Kansas State and Kansas, the Tigers forced an average of just 10 turnovers per game, failing to produce consistent defensive stops in the half-court once the press was beaten. (credit:Zach Long, The Avalanche-Journal / AP)
Kansas Jayhawks(05 of10)
After losing to Davidson on December 19, the Jayhawks have rattled off wins in 20 of their last 22 games. Point guard Tyshawn Taylor has taken a more aggressive role in the offense, alongside All-American forward Thomas Robinson. Yet, similar to Syracuse's Scoop Jardine, Taylor is prone to turnovers (3.5 per game). Both have shaky decision-making skills, yet are asked to handle the ball for long stretches. Nevertheless, Kansas' biggest problem is the lack of a third scorer. Seven-footer Jeff Withey had assumed the role for a while but goes through long droughts without scoring and JUCO transfer Elijah Johnson has been a colossal disappointment. (credit:Jamie Squire, Getty Images)
Michigan State Spartans(06 of10)
The Spartans play a different style than most of the other top teams in the country, as they aren't especially explosive on offense and prefer to grind out games (second in nation in rebounding) with defense and quality half-court offense. The lack of a true point guard is the crucial problem for this offense coming into the tournament. Sophomore Keith Appling has been a solid scorer with nearly 11 points per game, but shoots just 43 percent from the floor and averages just four assists. Plus, the loss of freshman Branden Dawson -- Sparty's best athlete -- to a season-ending ACL tear eliminates a high-level defender and the team's second-best rebounder. (credit:Leon Halip, Getty Images)
Ohio State Buckeyes(07 of10)
The combination of premier big man and elite wing scorer is always a plus in March and, with Jared Sullinger and William Buford, Ohio State features one of the best duos around. And, despite a fairly slow, deliberate offense, the Buckeyes still average 75 points per game. Defensively, however, the roster lacks a true shutdown defender, aside from point guard Aaron Craft, who typically matches up with his counterpart to disrupt offensive flow. Wings Deshaun Thomas and Lenzelle Smith Jr. have not shown consistent defensive effort, and Sullinger doesn't block shots (under 1 per game). Bottom line: If you make the Bucks defend for an entire shot clock (as Michigan State did in the Big Ten title game), you can beat them. (credit:Terry Gilliam, AP)
Kentucky Wildcats(08 of10)
With the youngest roster in college basketball, the Wildcats are not unlike previous John Calipari-coached teams, in that they've shown weakness in tight games down the stretch. The recent loss to Vanderbilt in the SEC title is a prime example: Kentucky failed to execute in the half-court and took an absurd 28 three-pointers, many of which were completely out of the offense. At its best, this team remains a suffocating, super-aggressive defensive foe 40 minutes and thrives in transition, with Anthony Davis running the floor and Doron Lamb spotting up. On the year, it allowed a putrid 39.4 percent shooting. While freshman point guard Marquis Teague has made great strides in running the offense, he lost control against Vandy and for much of that tournament. If anything is going to plague the Cats and prevent them from cutting down the nets, it will be sheer inexperience, especially from the lead guard. (credit:AP)
Marquette Golden Eagles(09 of10)
One of the year's bigger surprises, the Golden Eagles feature a deadly duo in All-Big East senior Darius Johnson-Odom (18 points per game, 40 percent threes) and stretch four-man Jae Crowder, who was conference Player of the Year. At 25-7, Buzz Williams' club executes well with and without the ball and, with Junior Cadougan running the offense, has a highly intelligent point guard who makes everyone better (5.5 assists). Where Marquette is most exposed is in the paint, because they don't run bigger than 6-foot-8; they rank 113th in the nation in total rebounding. Against a formidably sized opponent that limits second-chance opportunities and pounds the interior (as Cincinnati and Notre Dame did in recent wins), the Eagles become susceptible. (credit:David Smith, AP)
Baylor Bears(10 of10)
North Carolina and Kentucky excluded, there might not be a more talented roster around than Baylor's, which features an excellent front-court in Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and Quincy Miller, along with a point guard in Pierre Jackson who can really penetrate and score in the lane. Jackson can be careless though; Baylor turns the ball over on 21 percent of possessions (ranking 215th in the NCAA, per ESPN Stats & Info). Baylor's biggest problem however is defensively, where an ineffective 2-3 zone and lackluster rebounding effort resulted in back-to-back defeats to Kansas and Missouri just last month. The worst case scenario for Baylor in the tournament is facing a roster full of upperclassmen that forces them to guard for 25 seconds or more, and forces Jones and Miller to float on the perimeter for 40 minutes. Per ESPN, the Bears allow opponents to grab offensive rebounds on 32.8 percent of misses (205th). (credit:Michael Thomas, AP)
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