NIT Tournament 2013: Predictions for Top 2nd-Round Matchups

The elimination of Kentucky in the opening round by Robert Morris took away some of the NIT's star power. It also means one of the most talented teams is out of the tournament, leaving the door wide open for any of the remaining 16 teams.

There are several intriguing matchups on tap for the second round, which gets underway on Tuesday. Although the NIT doesn't get nearly as much coverage as the NCAA tournament, it's still part of March Madness for a reason. The games should live up to that moniker.

Let's analyze three of the most tightly contested games on tap for Round 2 and make predictions for each. To check out a complete list of results and the upcoming schedule, visit the NCAA's official site.

Stanford vs. Alabama

Stanford almost let a late lead slip away against Stephen F. Austin in the opener, but the defense stepped up to save the day. The Cardinal will need a much stronger offensive effort against the Crimson Tide, who play at a slow pace and excel on the defensive end.

The one area where Stanford should be able to control the game is in the paint. The duo of Dwight Powell and Josh Huestis, who average a combined 26 points and 15 rebounds, should be able to establish themselves down low against a lackluster Crimson Tide front line.

Alabama will attempt to counter with a group of talented shooters, led by Trevor Releford. The team has three different players who average more than a three per game. If they get hot from beyond the arc, it will be lights out for Stanford.

The Cardinal should be able to slow them down enough to squeak out a win, though.

Prediction: Stanford, 72-68

Denver vs. Maryland

Denver used a strong second-half surge to knock off a talented Ohio squad in the opening round. The Pioneers didn't get a lot of attention during the regular season, but they are one of the hottest teams in college basketball, winning 18 of their last 20 games.

They face a Maryland team that struggled to find any semblance of consistency throughout the season. The Terrapins do have a lot more experience against top-tier teams, though, and that tends to come in handy in high-pressure games like this.

Both teams prefer to play at a slow pace, so there will be no shortage of half-court possessions. The game will simply be decided by which side is better able to execute those sets. Given the confidence Denver has played with lately, it gets a slight edge.

Prediction: Denver, 66-64

St. John's vs. Virginia

These two teams are very similar. Both utilize a defense-first approach and have two reliable scorers who create a lot of inside-out movement. They each come from a power conference, as well, meaning they are used to tough competition.

The Red Storm rely on star freshman Jakarr Sampson and sophomore Phil Greene IV to carry the offense. Greene deserves a lot of credit for taking on a much bigger role after the suspension of D'Angelo Harrison and handling it in stride.

While that's a good tandem, Virginia's is even better. Joe Harris and Akil Mitchell combine to average 30 points per game, which is nearly half of the team's total, and they should be able to push the top-seeded Cavaliers into the next round.

Prediction: Virginia 64-59

For a full printable NCAA Tournament bracket, click here. Also, follow Bleacher Report's live bracket. You can follow all the exciting NCAA Tournament action with March Madness Live.