March Madness Day 2 Preview
11 Xavier vs 6 Illinois - Xavier comes into this game after winning a First Four matchup against Texas, where they trailed for most of the game. You cannot do that against this Illinois team; if you get behind, good luck getting back into the game against a team that can score 100 on any given night. They also lack the size and physicality that normally gives Illinois a hard time, so I expect the Illini to win this one going away late. The Illini stars, freshmen Jakucionis and Riley, will be too much for Xavier to handle. It also seemed like they won their championship when they secured their First Four matchup against Texas.
9 Baylor vs 8 Mississippi State - I think that this is the only 8/9 game where either team that wins doesn’t have a path to victory against the 1 seed in the next round. Baylor has the best player on the court, but this Mississippi State team likely wants to be here more than Baylor does, as Baylor is a program that normally plays for national championships, not in the 8/9 matchup.
15 Robert Morris vs 2 Alabama - Health is the key for this one. I would rest Grant Nelson if I were Alabama. You don't need him to win this game, but you will need him to win games coming down the line. I know that you are not supposed to look past your opponents, but that is exactly what they need to do in this situation. Or they could have him on the bench for a just-in-case scenario. I don't believe Robert Morris has a path to victory even if Alabama is hurt.
14 Lipscomb vs 3 Iowa State - Iowa State has some injuries to a few key players, Gilbert and Lipsey, who you could argue are their two most important players. I think we have an upset special in this one. No one is talking about Lipscomb, which I just don't understand, given the injuries Iowa State has. They have also played better teams than Iowa State in the non-conference, so they won’t be surprised by anything.
12 Colorado State vs 5 Memphis - This could end up being the game of the first round. These are the two most evenly matched teams in the whole first round, as you can tell by the line being 1.5 in favor of Memphis. If Hunter can go for Memphis, I would lean towards them. If not, I would lean towards the Rams, who have been playing like a top 25 team in the country since mid-February.
16 Mount St. Mary's vs 1 Duke - I wonder how healthy Cooper Flagg is, as he is “reportedly” going to try and play, similar to what I said about Alabama. You have no need to play him in this game, so why entertain it? You could sit your whole starting five and win this game by double digits.
10 Vanderbilt vs 7 Saint Mary's - I was honestly shocked when I saw Vandy on the 10 line and not on the 11 line in a First Four game, but I guess the committee saw enough from them to give them an at-large bid. Saint Mary's is a team that kind of flew under the radar most of the season after a couple of early losses. I see a lot of Drake in this matchup. They will slow the game down to limit possessions and play great defense—a good recipe for a one-and-done format.
11 North Carolina vs 6 Ole Miss - North Carolina is playing with house money, and they are facing one of the weaker 6 seeds in the whole bracket. If they are hitting open jump shots like they did against San Diego State, I don't see how they lose this game. Ole Miss is not normally a mainstay in the tournament, but they took steps this year; they made it, so they are heading in the right direction. The SEC got way too many teams in, so I expect them to regress back to the mean.
13 Grand Canyon vs 4 Maryland - The best Maryland team in 20 years got a tough draw in the first round against a team that shocked many people in the tournament last season, but that was last year, and they didn't play this Maryland team, which has a lottery pick down on the block and another near 7-footer right beside him. They are kind of like Arizona; I wouldn't be shocked if they lost in round 1 or made it to the Final Four.
16 Norfolk State vs 1 Florida - Norfolk is a fun team to watch. I kind of wish they would have been in the First Four game so we could have had a chance to see them against someone closer to their skill level. Hopefully, we get a highlight or two from Christian Ings or Kuluel Mading in this game. But Florida has way too much firepower for Norfolk to keep up.
14 Troy vs 3 Kentucky - This is a chance for Mark Pope to turn around the recent struggles in the tournament after losing to double-digit seeds multiple times over the past few years. I think they will be ready for this Troy team that finished 4th in the Sun Belt this year. Oweh will be too much for them to handle.
10 New Mexico vs 7 Marquette - If you love to watch shifty, athletic guard play, then you will want to tune into this one. Kam Jones and Donovan Dent are both must-see TV and should both play at the next level. Both can create shots out of thin air and get their teammates involved. I would look towards the over in this game.
13 Akron vs 4 Arizona - I love this spot in the bracket for Arizona, and I think they have a real shot to make a deep run, possibly to the Final Four, because they match up well with Duke. If Caleb Love is making shots and not forcing them, they are one of the hardest teams to beat in the whole country.
9 Oklahoma vs 8 UConn - Another great 8/9 matchup. Both of these teams are capable of beating the 1 seed in the next round, so both sides will come in with urgency and belief, which should make this game more interesting. The battle between two NBA players, Fears and McNeely, should be must-see TV for any hoops fan. I hope this game lives up to the billing.
15 Bryant vs 2 Michigan State - One of the real threats to win the whole tournament gets their quest started against a Bryant team that destroyed the best Maine team in history in the conference championship game. But sadly for them, that will be the highlight of their season.
