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| The Road to Houston and the Final Four starts this afternoon! |
Here is a breakdown of all the first round NCAA Tournament games -
East Region
· 1-Ohio State vs. 16-Texas San Antonio/Alabama State
· Cleveland, Ohio
· March 18th – 4:40PM – TNT
o This one is pretty easy and doesn’t require much to break down. Ohio State has beat teams of this caliber by point margins in the twenties and thirties. Don’t expect anything very special coming out of this game on Friday.
o Prediction: Ohio State – Don’t get cute here people.
· 8-George Mason vs. Villanova
· Cleveland, Ohio
· March 18th – 2:10PM – TNT
o Over the last few months of the season, both teams had very polar opposite finishes. George Mason won 14 of their last 15 games, while Villanova lost 10 of their last 15 games. At one point in the season Villanova was a top-10 that seemed to be destined for a long NCAA Tournament run. That bad fortune was capped off with a stunning first round loss to South Florida in the Big East Tournament. Villanova is dangerous if they find themselves before the end of Friday afternoon. Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes and Maalik Wayns are a three-headed force when Villanova is on, and they are vital in the Wildcat’s success. The key though will be whether or not Villanova can be physical in the paint. George Mason, with players like Cam Long and Andre Cornelius, can matchup with Villanova in terms of guard play. However, the Patriots don’t have the same big men they did when they made the Final Four back in 2006. If Mouphtau Yarou and Anthony Pena can get going, then Villanova should have an advantage on George Mason. Unfortunately for them, they’ve fallen backwards into the NCAA Tournament, while George Mason has rolled in.
o Prediction: George Mason – Unless Villanova magically comes alive, this pick seems obvious.
· 5-West Virginia vs. 12-Clemson
· Tampa Bay, Florida
· March 17th – 12:15PM – CBS
o Clemson knocked off Alabama-Birmingham on Tuesday night in the “First Four” and moved on to face West Virginia early Thursday. One day off should be enough, but Clemson will have a quick turnaround as they play the first game of the next round. West Virginia meanwhile had an early exit in the Big East Tournament despite another successful season. Both teams won’t (usually) blow anyone out of the gym and play a fairly excellent defense. West Virginia was one of the best 3-point defenses in the country, so Clemson may have issues if they fall behind early. Neither team is big, but West Virginia’s big men are more versatile and could cause matchup issues for Clemson. It is a pretty solid matchup in terms of similar traits.
o Prediction: West Virginia – Similar style and numbers, but the Mountaineers have done it successfully against far better teams
· 4-Kentucky vs. 13-Princeton
· Tampa Bay, Florida
· March 17th – 2:45PM – CBS
o This year’s Ivy League Champion Princeton is not anything like the juggernaut that Cornell was last year. While Princeton may be competitive in this one with their newer version of the “Princeton offense,” but it may not last long. The Tigers do shoot the ball well, but their offensive pace will be pushed by a much more athletic Kentucky squad. The Wildcats are a much better shooting team this year as well. This just spells disaster for Princeton; because once they fall behind they won’t be able to catch up.
o Prediction: Kentucky – Princeton may people to keep things close early, but Kentucky is too much for the Tigers over the course of an entire game
· 6-Xavier vs. 11-Marquette
· Cleveland, Ohio
· March 18th – 7:27PM – truTV
o Marquette has the firepower on offense to compete with any team in the country. They score a lot of points, they do it effectively and they distribute the ball to a plethora of scorers. That being said, it only takes one poor stretch for Marquette to fall back in a game. If the Golden Eagles have to rely on defense, they will be in serious trouble. Tu Holloway is one of the best scorers in the country, but Xavier as a team doesn’t posses a mind-blowingly deep offense. This is good for Marquette who shouldn’t have to worry about getting beat by the 3-point shot. Marquette’s leading scorer Jimmy Butler against Tu Holloway will be a fun matchup to watch, but it won’t be the most important. Xavier’s big men Jamal McLean and Kenny Frease are much more effective than Marquette’s big men. If the Musketeers can lock down defensively and win the battle in the paint, they could create a solid amount of separation.
o Prediction: Xavier – Even if Marquette shoots well, I have to give the upper hand to Frease and McLean in terms of battle down low. If Marquette can somehow win that battle, then it may be a different story.
· 3-Syracuse vs. 14-Indiana State
· Cleveland, Ohio
· March 17th – 9:57PM – truTV
o This one is very short and very sweet. Indiana State just doesn’t have the size to matchup with Syracuse. If the Orange become impatient and take bad looks, they may allow Indiana State to stick around. With that said, this game has mismatch written all over it.
o Prediction: Syracuse – This game shouldn’t even be close at all.
· 7-Washington vs. 10-Georgia
· Charlotte, North Carolina
· March 18th – 9:45PM – CBS
o It doesn’t seem like Georgia is being given much of a chance in this game right now. The Bulldogs don’t shoot the 3-point shot very well, and were a bubble team solely on the fact that they couldn’t close any games out. If the Bulldogs closed out more games, they’d be close to 30 wins and probably have a single digit seed. Washington meanwhile is a fast paced team that can rain from 3-point range like no other team. The Huskies score loads of points in their up-tempo offense, and that is the key to their game. One issue for Washington, despite having relatively good size, is the fact that they tend to get pushed a round a bit by more physical teams. More physical teams like Michigan State, Texas A&M and USC were able to rough up Washington in victories. Physical is the name of Georgia’s game, and with NBA talent Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie, the Bulldogs will need to bully Washington and halt their offense if they want to win. Dustin Ware and Gerald Robinson have the talent to matchup with Washington’s guards, but Georgia’s big men should be able to push around the Huskies. The question is will Georgia’s defense, or Washington’s offense break first?
o Prediction: Georgia – The Bulldogs defeated multiple talented SEC teams with up-tempo paces like Kentucky, and blew two leads to another in Florida. If the Bulldogs can realize that they have an incredibly opportunity, man up and play physical – then there is no reason why they can’t upset Washington.
· 2-North Carolina vs. 15-Long Island
· Charlotte, North Carolina
· March 18th – 7:15PM – CBS
o All right, let’s be serious here – North Carolina is the better team. The Tar Heels are young and are starting to play much better throughout the second half of the season. That being said, early seasons win against Kentucky (at home) and a win over Duke (at home) are really only the two victories that seem impressive for North Carolina. Otherwise, most of the better wins on the season for the Heels came against mediocre teams out of conference or in a weak ACC. North Carolina is not very deep, but they are big and do command a presence in the paint. Long Island on the other hand has a similar style of basketball, and might be getting shoved aside too easily. On offense the Blackbirds should match up very well with North Carolina, as they are also one of the highest scoring offenses in the country, and posses one of the best rebounding teams in the country. The Blackbirds will need to take care of the ball in their high pace up-tempo offense if they want to stay in the game. At 6 foot 7, Julian Boyd isn’t the biggest player on the floor, but he sure seems like it. He is an animal in the paint, very athletic and should matchup well with talent wise with Tyler Zeller and John Henson. If Long Island can slow down Kendall Marshall, much like Duke did to the freshman, this game could be very interesting. The defense will be key, because for how good the Blackbirds are offensively, they are that shaky defensively.
o Prediction: North Carolina – If the Heels are able to force Long Island to turn the ball over, then the Blackbirds will look like a 15 seed. However, if Long Island can effectively execute their offense against North Carolina – we might have a big time Cinderella on our hands. Next year though should be that year for Long Island.
Southwest Region
· 1-Kansas vs. 16-Boston University
· Tulsa, Oklahoma
· March 18th – 6:50PM – TBS
o The Morris brothers will feast on the Boston University big men who are much less effective than them, and shorter
o Prediction: Kansas – No Bucknell, Bradley or Northern Iowa here.
· 8-Nevada Las Vegas vs. 9-Illinois
· Tulsa, Oklahoma
· March 18th – 9:20PM – TBS
o These two teams are oddly very similar, heck even UNLV’s head coach Lon Kruger used to coach at Illinois. The biggest difference however is the way the two teams went about their seasons. The Illini were nothing short of mediocre in the second half of their season, while UNLV had a pretty consistent and successful season. Both teams rely on defense to win them ball games, so this game could get pretty ugly. UNLV struggles when they shoot the ball well, which is a pretty common and tough problem to over come at times. Lack of a dominant second option could do in Illinois though. When star guard Demetri McCamey has an off night, the entire teams goes with him. Illinois will have an advantage with their post play as UNLV has no one who can really match up well with Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale.
o Prediction: Nevada-Las Vegas – This game is really a toss up. UNLV has kept similar teams like Wisconsin and Virginia Tech in check, so I’ll give them the slight advantage.
· 5-Vanderbilt vs. 12-Richmond
· Denver, Colorado
· March 17th – 4:10PM – TBS
o This is the classic matchup of “which will break first” over in the thin air of Denver. Richmond loves to shoot the 3-point shot, and Kevin Anderson and Justin Harper do just that very well. The two might be the best one-two punch in the country. Last year the team was a little shaky in their loss to Saint Mary’s in the first round, but this year they are battle tested and much more experienced. Whether or not they win will depend on if Vanderbilt is able to defend the perimeter. The Commodores have done an outstanding job at locking down 3-point shooters all season in the SEC. Vanderbilt can tend to have a lazy effort on both offense and defense at times, and that could spell blowout if Richmond gets hot. If Vanderbilt can lock down on Harper, Anderson and Darien Brothers then that might not be the case.
o Prediction: Richmond – Hard to argue in favor of one team heavier than the other, but Richmond is coming into the NCAA Tournament hot and shooting well.
· 4-Louisville vs. 13-Morehead State
· Denver, Colorado
· March 17th – 1:40PM – TBS
o Kenneth Faried of Morehead State is the best rebounder in the country, an explosive force in the paint and a future lottery pick in the NBA Draft. Two years ago Morehead State pushed Louisville as a 16-seed, so there is a chance that happens again. Morehead State will have an advantage with their big men and on the glass, but that might not be the guess in terms of guard play. Louisville’s Peyton Siva, Preston Knowles, Kyle Kuric and Mike Marra are four guards that will shoot the 3-point shot consistently and effectively, and give Morehead State fits. Demonte Harper for Morehead State is a stud and will have to take advantage and exploit Louisville’s biggest weakness: turnovers. Kenny Faried will keep Morehead State in the game, but it will be the guard play that makes a huge difference in this one.
o Prediction: Louisville – If Morehead State can force turnovers and matchup with Louisville’s guards then they can win.
· 6-Georgetown vs. 11-Virginia Commonwealth
· Chicago, Illinois
· March 18th – 9:50PM – TNT
o The matchup is yet to be determined, but it might not be a fair one if Chris Wright is back and ready to go for the Hoyas. Whether he is 100% or not remains to be seen, but the word is that John Thompson III is ready let Chris Wright start balling for Georgetown once again. The Hoyas were 0-4 without Chris Wright in the final stretch of the season and desperately need him back. With Wright, Georgetown was dominating the Big East, and at one point winning 9 of 10 in late January and early February. With Chris Wright on the floor, the entire offense for Georgetown becomes much more dynamic. Back door cuts begin to work in Thompson III’s Princeton offense, and his ability to distribute and score makes Georgetown a force. The Hoyas were shocked by 14-seed Ohio last year in the NCAA Tournament; with Chris Wright playing they may be a better team than the one that flopped in 2010.
o Prediction: Georgetown – Regardless of the opponent, Chris Wright will make Georgetown play more like a 2-seed or 3-seed.
· 3-Purdue vs. 14-Saint Peter’s
· Chicago, Illinois
· March 18th – 7:20PM – TNT
o Yikes. This one could get very ugly. Purdue will be without Kelly Barlow for the NCAA Tournament after a suspension, but that won’t affect this game. E’Twaun Moore and company will feast off Saint Peter’s, a team that has major issues with turnovers. Fairfield would have been a dangerous MAAC team for the NCAA Tournament. Saint Peter’s? Well, not so much.
o Prediction: Purdue – This would be shocking otherwise.
· 7-Texas A&M vs. 10-Florida State
· Chicago, Illinois
· March 18th – 4:10PM – TBS
o Will Chris Singleton play, or won’t he play? This is the question that can really tip the game in one direction or another. If Singleton does play, then Florida State might have no real issues with Texas A&M. The Aggies are not a very athletic team, and they will not blow you away on offense. David Loubeau and Khris Middleton will be the keys to success for the Aggies. They must work it inside to both and hope for a consistent outing. The problem? Florida State has one of the most confusing and successful defenses in the country. The athletics and fast paced man-to-man defense that Florida State runs may cause chaos and turnovers for Texas A&M. Disaster on the offensive side of the ball could get worse if Chris Singleton plays and gives Florida State even a little production on the offensive side of the ball. Execution and pace will be key for Texas A&M avoiding what appears to be an obvious upset by Florida State.
o Prediction: Florida State – Don’t think Texas A&M has the athletes to breakdown the Florida State defense
· 2-Notre Dame vs. 15-Akron
· Chicago, Illinois
· March 18th – 1:40PM – TBS
o This is another one of those games that are filled in before you even start filling out your bracket. Akron is a team that isn’t built to face teams with size, or teams that they must come from behind against. Notre Dame does live and die by the 3-point shot, but even if they die by the 3-point shot they should still have enough to push around Akron. Notre Dame starts four players over 6 foot 8, and Akron is a bad rebounding team. You do that math.
o Prediction: Notre Dame – Not much to say here.
Southeast Region
· 1-Pittsburgh vs. 16-North Carolina-Asheville
· Washington D.C.
· March 17th – 3:10PM – truTV
o UNC-Asheville needed a last second 3-point shot in regulation to send the game to overtime in their play-in-game. If they would have beat Arkansas-Little Rock by a ton of points maybe…no, never mind that wouldn’t have done anything. Pittsburgh should be able to roll in this one.
o Prediction: Pittsburgh – Keep it moving…
· 8-Butler vs. 9-Old Dominion
· Washington D.C.
· March 17th – 12:40PM – truTV
o This game is going to be an all out basketball brawl on Thursday. Both teams can run, but expect them to battle out in the half-court. With all the praise for the game being made, Butler needs to be careful to not get blown out. Matt Howard must remain in the game and avoid getting into foul trouble against an Old Dominion team that crashes the boards better than almost anyone in the country. The Monarchs create second chance opportunities so much that you sometimes believe they aren’t even trying to make the first shot. Kent Bazemore and Frank Hassell will be vital in harassing Butler on the defensive end and turning possessions into points. The key for Butler will be the 3-point shot and trying to cause some separation between them and Old Dominion. The Bulldogs have a multitude of 3-point scorers and will need to knock them down against a stingy Old Dominion defense if they want to win. The Monarchs are not a team built to come back from large leads due to the fact they are not a strong perimeter team.
o Prediction: Butler – The Monarchs have one of the best defenses in the country, Butler will keep it close and is on a roll – in the end I will go with the Tournament tested Bulldogs.
· 5-Kansas State vs. 12-Utah State
· Tucson, Arizona
· March 17th – 9:57PM – truTV
o It is puzzling how a 30-3 squad that is ranked in the Top 25 can be a 12-seed in the NCAA Tournament. That is exactly what happened to Utah State this season. The Aggies continue to roll into the NCAA Tournament with a lot of hype surrounding their chances at pulling off a first round upset. This year Stew Morrill’s club got a pretty poor seed, but their maturity (really, these guys are like 25 years old) will be able to overcome getting a partial snub from the Selection Committee. Utah State is loaded with talent, especially Tai Wesley who is averaging just less than 15 points per game. The entire offense for Utah State will be key however against the rough in your face defense of Kansas State. Last year Utah State fell to Texas A&M when the Aggies were able to bully and disrupt their offense. Kansas State may be able to do the same and have a big advantage in this matchup. One the other side however, Kansas State is not nearly as deep in terms of scoring and relies heavily on Jacob Pullen. Even if Utah State struggles on offense, they might make up for it with their own rough in your face defense. If they can lock down on Jacob Pullen and force him to have an off night, which is easier said than done, then Utah State might just be able to win on defense alone.
o Prediction: Utah State – You got to think Utah State will break through eventually and win a game. I see it happening this year with their world-class defense.
· 4-Wisconsin vs. 13-Belmont
· Tucson, Arizona
· March 17th – 7:27PM – truTV
o I have been on the Belmont bandwagon since early in the season – so this is a rather “delicious” matchup for me to see. Belmont is an unreal scoring threat and is second in the country in 3-point shots with over 320 made on the season. Even with dagger 3-point shots raining down, Belmont always finds ways to work the ball into the paint and their big men Scott Saunders and Mick Hedgepeth. The 3-point shot will be key against a Wisconsin team that is at the bottom of the list in 3-point shot percentage. With that said, Saunders and Hedgepeth will need to match up well with Jon Leur and Keaton Nankivil and try and disrupt the Wisconsin offense. The Badgers hold onto the ball, so don’t expect Belmont to push the pace to forcing their usually large number of turnovers. But if Belmont can cause problem for the Wisconsin big men, then Jordan Taylor may have trouble running the slow and boring Bo Ryan offense. Last year Wisconsin almost lost to a much worse Wofford team, and then got blown out by a 3-point happy Cornell squad. Wisconsin might be feeling a bit uneasy, as most of the advantages seem to be pointing towards Belmont.
o Prediction: Belmont – This pick is easy for me. Wisconsin has the tools to slow down any team, including Belmont, but I just don’t see it happening. Belmont outscores teams by nearly 20 points per game and just has all the looks of a typical Cinderella.
· 6-St. John’s vs. 11-Gonzaga
· Denver, Colorado
· March 17th – 9:45PM – CBS
o Yes, Gonzaga is on a roll right now headed into the NCAA Tournament – but whom have they beaten where anyone should be convinced this is an easy upset pick? Their top opponent and NCAA Tournament snub, Saint Mary’s, just lost to Kent State in the NIT. All I am saying is don’t fall too much in love with Gonzaga. St. John’s will be without D.J. Kennedy after he tore his ACL in the Big East Tournament, so surely that will hurt the Johnnies. They are however lead by a handful of seniors, and Dwight Hardy – the key for St. John’s. If Dwight Hardy scores and has an outstanding game, then I expect St. John’s to win. They don’t shoot the 3-point shot very well, but Gonzaga also doesn’t defend it well. If the Johnnies can knock down a few 3-point shots, then they can be dangerous – just as Villanova, Duke and Connecticut. Gonzaga is loaded with talent in the likes of Stephen Gray, Elias Harris and Robert Sacre who all have been hot as of late. If Gonzaga can break the press of St. John’s and figure out the zone then they should be able to pull of this upset.
o Prediction: St. John’s – I just don’t see it happening – it also seems like picking St. John’s is the upset with how many people are on Gonzaga’s bandwagon. With Steve Lavin and the ride the Johnnies had, I just can’t see Dwight Hardy letting it end in the first round.
· 3-Brigham Young vs. 14-Wofford
· Chicago, Illinois
· March 17th – 7:15PM – CBS
o Look, not having Brandon Davies will hurt the Cougars and for sure put a dent in their chances at making a real run at the Final Four. But how can you go against a team loaded with talent around a star player in Jimmer Fredette. I know Noah Dahlman is outstanding and that Wofford almost knocked off Wisconsin last year, but this Brigham Young team is a much harder team to deal with. Noah Hartsock and Jackson Emory will add a nice second and third option if Wofford can find a way to stop Jimmer, and that right there will be enough for the Terriers.
o Prediction: Brigham Young – Close early? Maybe, but Jimmer all the way.
· 7-UCLA vs. 10-Michigan State
· Tampa Bay, Florida
· March 17th – 9:20PM – TBS
o This is an interesting game in the fact that it pits two teams against each other that have had very up and down seasons. Both teams are very inconsistent but Michigan State has the trump card: experience. The Spartans are coming off two consecutive Final Fours and have players who know how to win in the NCAA Tournament. The big difference between the two teams is that Michigan State is a much better team when they’re playing good then UCLA is when they’re playing good. Ben Howland’s squad is much better than last year and distributes the ball well throughout the team. Malcolm Lee, Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt will need a strong and consistent performance in Tampa Bay. A good team effort will be needed to knock off a Spartans team that can play like a Final Four squad one night, and then an NIT team the next night.
o Prediction: Michigan State – Experience wins out over the younger UCLA Bruins.
· 2-Florida vs. 15-California at Santa Barbara
· Tampa Bay, Florida
· March 17th – 6:50PM – TBS
o Florida’s guard play will be way too much to handle for the Gauchos in the matchup. It also won’t help that UC-Santa Barbara has to play Florida in their home state. Orlando Johnson should be effective for the Gauchos and show off his future NBA talent to the world. That being said, they just don’t quite have the firepower to keep up with Florida.
o Prediction: Florida – Don’t expect California-Santa Barbara to keep up with the Gators.
West Region
· 1-Duke vs. 16-Hampton
· Charlotte, North Carolina
· March 18th – 3:10PM – truTV
o Duke will win this game. Hampton once shocked Iowa State as a 15-seed, but this situation doesn’t compare at all. Like that analysis?
o Prediction: Duke– See above.
· 8-Michigan vs. 9-Tennessee
· Charlotte, North Carolina
· March 18th – 12:40PM – truTV
o Youth against experience. Michigan is one of the youngest and most dangerous teams in all of the country. Size wise both teams are very similar, but the Volunteers play an up-tempo offense and look for transition points and points in the paint. Michigan meanwhile lives and dies by the 3-point shot and has shot the ball relatively well in the second half of the season. It is rather simple in this one, if Tennessee defends well then they will win. At times this year, Tennessee has been trashed by teams that can rain from 3-point range, so Michigan might be able to handle them.
o Prediction: Michigan – The Wolverines are not an 8-seed, but they posses the right tools to knock off a more experience Tennessee squad.
· 5-Arizona vs. 12-Memphis
· Tulsa, Oklahoma
· March 18th – 2:45PM – truTV
o Arizona possesses one of the best players in the NCAA Tournament this year in Derrick Williams. While Williams does not need to carry the Wildcats, he will need to establish a physical presence against Memphis. The Tigers are bad when they need to shoot 3-point shots, but Arizona’s man-to-man won’t demand them to do so. The problem is Memphis can be a bit lazy on defense and doesn’t quite pack the punch they once did. As long as Arizona makes their shots, this game will look more like s 1-seed playing a 16-seed.
o Prediction: Arizona – They might not be the best team in the NCAA Tournament, but they are much better than Memphis.
· 4-Texas vs. 13-Oakland
· Tulsa, Oklahoma
· March 17th – 12:15PM – truTV
o The biggest key to this game will be Texas and their ability to defend an explosive Oakland offense. The Longhorns looked like the team to beat for a while, but then their defense imploded down the stretch and they los their killer instinct. Mark my words – if Texas plays poor defense against Oakland then they will lose this game. This game will be close if Oakland has trouble defending the multiple 3-point shooters that Texas has. The Grizzlies have had trouble doing that at times this year, and that could be their undoing. Back to the original point – Texas’ defense – if they can stop Oakland’s transition offense then they should be fine. Win or lose, America will learn about Oakland’s star players Reggie Hamilton and future NBA talent Keith Benson.
o Prediction: Texas – This is the toughest first round game for me to pick. Both teams are outstanding, but I just think Rick Barnes and Texas will play good enough to win a squeaker.
· 6-Cincinnati vs. 11-Missouri
· Washington D.C.
· March 17th – 9:50PM – TNT
o If Yancy Gates shows up with a good attitude and plays well for Cincinnati, they might be able to dominate the Tigers. Cincinnati has one of the better defenses in the country, which could mean bad things for Missouri. The Tigers aren’t quite the same team they were in past when they were able to turn multiple defensive possessions into offense each game. Cincinnati is an defensive juggernaut, but their offense is not a strength for them. This game might become an ugly defensive battle. Once again though the key for the game will Yancy Gates for Cincinnati. When Yancy Gates shows up with a solid attitude, the entire team shows up with a solid attitude. He could potentially be a difference maker.
o Prediction: Cincinnati – When you put defense up against defense, you should pick the better defense – that is what Cincinnati is.
· 3-Connecticut vs. 14-Bucknell
· Washington D.C.
· March 17th – 7:20PM – TNT
o Bucknell will not stop Kemba Walker. End of story.
o Prediction: Connecticut – Yeah…
· 7-Temple vs. 10-Penn State
· Tucson, Arizona
· March 17th – 2:10PM – TNT
o Penn State made their first NCAA Tournament since 2001, and don’t expect them to just roll over for Temple. Unfortunately, they might not have much control over that. Penn State’s biggest strength is when they face a team who shoots well, just like when Wisconsin scored 33 points against the Nittany Lions. Temple, luckily for Penn State, is not an outstanding shooting team. So it seems as though the advantage would go to Penn State. Temple on the other hand for sure has the trump card of experience. This is now their fourth NCAA Tournament in a row and they have yet to win a game. This game will be a defensive battle and will come down to one team playing more physical than the other.
o Prediction: Temple – Tough game to predict, but you just got to think Temple is going to finally come through.
· 2-San Diego State vs. 15-Northern Colorado
· Tucson, Arizona
· March 17th – 4:40PM – TNT
o This game shouldn’t be that close unless Devon Beitzel goes off on one of his Jimmer-esque performances. San Diego State however is far too physical for the Bears to handle.
o Prediction: San Diego State – San Diego State is the most underappreciated teams in the country.
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