NCAA Tournament 2018 bracket picks: Computer model all-in on Michigan, Oklahoma, Michigan State

Our advanced computer model simulated the 2018 NCAA Tournament 10,000 times; here's who it loves

By CBS Sports Staff

Mar 12, 2018 at 10:21 am ET • 1 min read

Want to know which teams will make a deep run in this year's NCAA Tournament? The team at SportsLine has your back. Over the past two NCAA Tournaments, SportsLine's advanced computer model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has nailed a staggering 12 of 15 upsets and 9 of 12 double-digit-seed upsets in the first round. And the model was nearly flawless in the opening round last year, going 27-5 in its straight-up selections.

That wasn't a fluke, either. Their model completely crushed college basketball last season, producing a 755-636-20 record on its A-rated picks and returning a massive profit of $6,529 for any $100 player who followed them. So yeah, it's probably worth your time to take a look before you fill out your bracket.

Now, the model takes aim at the 2018 NCAA Tournament and has revealed three teams you need to target:

Michigan State: The Spartans are projected to reach the Final Four in SportsLine's optimal bracket. They're SportsLine's third-best team in neutral-site power ranking overall, better than Kansas and Duke in the Midwest Regional, and they have the second-best overall chance of making the Final Four of any team at 29.9 percent. Pick this No. 3 seed to win the Midwest and you'll have a huge edge in your pools.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma has had an up-and-down season, but it's in the Big Dance. Freshman phenom Trae Young is averaging 27.4 points and 8.8 assists. He's capable of carrying an entire team on his back, and SportsLine has the Sooners pulling a first-round upset of No. 7 seed Rhode Island in the first round, propelling them into a second-round tilt with Duke.

Michigan: The Wolverines are projected to reach the Final Four in SportsLine's optimal bracket as a No. 3 seed. Michigan is fresh off its second consecutive Big Ten Tournament title and enters March Madness 2018 on a nine-game winning streak. And Michigan's defense has smothered opponents this season, allowing just 63.5 points per game.

So who else makes a deep run in the NCAA Tournament? Visit SportsLine now to see which other No. 3 seed reaches the Final Four, and see who wins every single game, all from the model that nailed 9 of the 12 double-digit upsets the past two years.