March Madness 2019: 10 teams with the toughest path to the Final Four

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 15: Head coach Steve Wojciechowski of the Marquette Golden Eagles discusses a call with a referee in the first half against the Seton Hall Pirates during the semifinal round of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 17: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers defends the shot of Samir Doughty #10 of the Auburn Tigers during the final of the SEC Basketball Championships at Bridgestone Arena on March 17, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

March Madness delivered some bad news for these 10 highly-ranked teams who have a daunting task to make it to the Final Four. Can they defy the odds?

Not all draws are created equal, and the NCAA Tournament is no exception. The selection committee does its best to set up the 68-team field as evenly as possible, but some teams draw the short end of the stick every year.

This year we have identified 10 squads that are going to have a brutal time getting through their regions and reaching Minneapolis, but let’s get it started with the Big Ten champs.

10. Michigan State

The Spartans definitely have a gripe with the Selection Committee, which left them with a no. 2 seed despite winning both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles. North Carolina, which won neither crown in the ACC, ended up on the top line instead.

To add insult to injury, the Spartans landed as the no. 2 seed in the East Region, meaning they will have to take down Zion Williamson and Duke to get to Minneapolis.

Michigan State could also run into more trouble ahead of that matchup with a tricky game against either Louisville or Minnesota in the Round of 32. If the Spartans get to the Sweet 16, a showdown with the SEC’s regular season champs, LSU, could be waiting in the wings for Michigan State.

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