NCAA Tourney Opening Round Games I Am Looking Forward to

Friday

8 Oklahoma State vs. 9 Tennessee (Dayton 12:25)

Another 8 vs. 9 battle, and this could be a high-scoring game. Both of these two teams like to run. Tennessee has been very inconsistent, but they have the talent to give teams trouble.

Quick tangent here...the sound at wherever I watch the games in Vegas needs to be on the Dayton Regional where Bill Raftery is doing color commentary. Raftery is the Babe Ruth of sports announcing: He defines the position.

Whether he’s telling you what defense a team is starting in (MAN TO MAN) or telling you how clutch a player is for making a huge play (ONIONS) or announcing a game as a Pitt player breaks the backboard (“Send it in Jerome!”), Raftery brings this flair to the job that is fun, but not over the top. Raftery understands the game but does not annoy you with his own personal agendas.

Bill Simmons can have Gus Johnson...I’ll take Bill Raftery every time.

3 Kansas vs. 14 North Dakota State (Minneapolis 12:30)

Two of the last three years Kansas has been eliminated in round one (by Bucknell and Bradley). North Dakota State is a great story, making the NCAA tournament in their first year of Division I college basketball. They redshirted this year’s senior class a few years back so they would be available for their first year in Division I. Ben Woodside is scoring over 22 per game and has gone for 60 this year.

I do not think North Dakota State will do it, but I am very intrigued by this game (particularly since Kansas has lost to Texas Tech and Baylor in the last two weeks).

6 Marquette vs. 11 Utah State (Boise 12:30)

People think Marquette is done without Dominic James. I know they have lost five of six, but those games were to one seeds and three seeds (yeah, every loss), and three were ridiculously close. I think they are getting their act together. I am anxious to see them come to play against Utah State (and in the next round I think their guards are too good to be bothered by the Missouri press).

I also do not know what it is about the Boise location, but it always seems to produce the best NCAA tournament early round games. I swear one of these years I am going to make a trip to Boise for the opening rounds.

6 Arizona State vs. 11 Temple (Miami 2:45 pm)

Another 6/11 game of intrigue. James Harden vs. Dionte Christmas will be a really good matchup.

6 West Virginia vs. 11 Dayton (Minneapolis 3 pm)

West Virginia has really been valued this year by guys like Ken Pomeroy who calculate offensive and defensive efficiency. They are one of six teams in the country to be in the top 20 nationally in offensive and defensive efficiency (every champion since 2005 has had that trait).

Bob Huggins is 13-3 in his career in first round games and has not lost an opening round game as anything higher than an eight seed. I think WVU makes a statement here, and I look for them to make a run.

5 Utah vs. 12 Arizona (Miami 7:10 pm)

I think a five seed was very generous for Utah (I had them as a seven). Many people do not think Arizona earned their way in, but they have some big time quality victories. With Arizona it always depends on which team shows up. I think they have a great set to pull the “upset.”

7 Boston College vs. 10 USC (Minneapolis 7:20 pm)

Boston College is another team with some great wins and bad losses. The USC Trojans have been facing elimination since Pac-10 tournament play began. I like their chances to continue their run of success.

4 Xavier vs. 13 Portland State (Boise 7:25 pm)

Reading up on Portland State, they are a much more dangerous team for Xavier than I originally thought. I think they are going to really pressure Xavier’s point guards, which tends to result in turnovers for X. The key for Portland State will be hitting threes. Xavier has lost five of their last 10 and at times to teams not as good as Portland State. This could be another game where the magic of Boise shines through.

4 Wake Forest vs. 13 Cleveland State (Miami 9:40 pm)

I thought Wake Forest earned a three seed, but the committee thought differently. A three seed would have produced a much more favorable matchup. Cleveland State is very good, having already beaten Syracuse and played WVU pretty tough this season. If Wake Forest shows up and plays their best, they will win, but they have struggled against lesser teams from time to time this year.

8 Ohio State vs. 9 Siena (Dayton 9:40 pm)

Can Siena overcome the home court advantage that Ohio State will have? Siena is a very good basketball team that as a 13 seed last year was able to advance to the second round. This year they get a better matchup, but in a tougher venue. Ohio State seems to be playing their best basketball. I expect them to move on, but Siena should give them a fight.

5 Florida State vs. 12 Wisconsin (Boise 9:55 pm)

I think Florida State was very under-seeded. They are a really good team. The more I have looked at Wisconsin’s résumé, the less impressed I have been. Bo Ryan’s teams are always dangerous, but I think the Seminoles take care of business.

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