NCAA Tournament: First Round East Region Predictions

Well now that Selection Sunday has come and gone the brackets have been set—and while there are some teams that I feel should've been in over others, there is nothing anybody can do now to change that.

In what looks to be the toughest region in the whole tournament who will escape from the first round to advance to the next round of the tournament?

Here are my picks to move onto the second round from the East Region...

East Region

(1) North Carolina vs. (16) Play-In Winner

UNC wins this easily, not much else needs to be said, a No. 1 team has never lost to a No. 16 and most likely never will.

(8) Indiana vs. (9) Arkansas

Indiana wins this one but in a fight, since Coach Sampson left the team the Hoosiers have gone just 3-3 including a buzzer beater loss against Minnesota. I however see them winning this one over the Razorbacks.

(5) Notre Dame vs. (12) George Mason

Notre Dame wins this game as George Mason will not be this year's Cinderella story. Harengody is too much for George Mason and Notre Dame shoots too well from the foul line and the three-point line to lose this one.

(4) Washington State vs. (13) Winthrop

Washington State wins this one in what looks like it will be a close game but I feel that Low and company from the Cougars will win this game by closing out Winthrop in the final five minutes to beat Winthrop by more then 10 points. Washington State's defense is too good to let Winthrop upset them.

(6) Oklahoma vs. (11) Saint Joseph's

Saint Joseph's wins this one in the first upset from the East Region. I believe St. Joseph's will show why they were given an at large birth and surprise Oklahoma with their speed in a close game that will come down to a last shot from Oklahoma that will not go in.

(3) Louisville vs. (14) Boise St.

Louisville wins this one as there will not be a miracle for the Broncos basketball team. Boise State can shoot the ball extremely well from the field the problem is Louisville can shoot that much better. Louisville wins but this game could be close if Louisville doesn't hit their shots or make free throws during the game. I would definitely mark this one as a possible darkhorse upset here.

(7) Butler vs. (10) South Alabama

Butler wins this one big I feel showing that they deserved higher then a No. 7 seed especially when they are the 10th ranked team in the country. I believe South Alabama is overrated and I see Butler running away with this one midway through the second half. Butler could be a team to be reckoned with.

(2) Tennessee vs. (15) American

Tennessee wins this one as Chris Lofton and the gang shoot the daylights out of American, this one stays close for the first five minutes until Tennessee pulls away and wins by more then 20 points I think. 

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