NCAA Basketball Tournament 2010 Predictions for All 32 First-Round Games

The Brackets for the NCAA Tournament have finally been announced and the thrill is only just getting started.

Get ready for a Tournament full of upsets, buzzer-beaters, and games that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

To get you prepared for College Basketball's most exciting time of the year, Bleacher Report provides the most in-depth coverage anywhere on the web. There are many dedicated writers on our team and each of them deserve credit for all the incredible work.

With that note, here's a look at all 32 First Round games, including analysis and prediction.

It's going to be a memorable month, this should get you started on your way.

Midwest Bracket: (1) Kansas vs. (16) Lehigh

Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
9:30 pm ET, 03/18/10

Kansas (32-2) was awarded the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big 12 Conference Tournament.

The Jayhawks are the most complete team in the nation and are the hands-down favorite to win the national championship. They have the talent, they have the coaching, and they have the experience.

The first team in their way is the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (22-10). No 16 seed has ever defeated a 1 seed, and that isn't going to change.

Lehigh showed some spunk winning the Patriot League Title, but against a Kansas squad lead by Sherron Collins, Xavier Henry, Marcus Morris, and Cole Aldrich, they'll find an early exit from the Tournament.

Prediction: 85-65 Kansas

Midwest Bracket: (8) UNLV vs. (9) Northern Iowa

Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
7:10 pm ET, 03/18/10

In what should be one of the more exciting games in round one, UNI (28-4) will face off with UNLV (25-8) for the opportunity to almost certainly play Kansas in round two.

On paper, Northern Iowa is a stronger team, led by Jordan Eglseder and Adam Koch they are one of the top defensive teams in the nation.

They have yet to face a top 25 team this season though, and have played only two contests against Tournament-bound teams. They lack experience.

UNLV is averaging over 73 ppg and are 5-5 vs. Tournament teams. They were on a six-game winning streak until losing to San Diego State 55-45 in the Mountain West Title Game.

They've played the tougher schedule, but UNI's defense will prove the difference against a turnover-prone UNLV team. UNI has been bounced in the first round in their last four visits to the Tournament.

That trend ends this year.

Prediction: 60-53 Northern Iowa

Midwest Bracket: (5) Michigan State vs. (12) New Mexico State

Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA
7:20 pm ET, 03/19/10

Michigan State (24-8) secured the fifth seed in the Midwest Bracket to extend their Tournament appearance streak to 13.

They return with a lot of firepower from last year's team that made it all the way to the final four. Led by junior Kalin Lucas and average over 72 ppg.

Although they are coming off an upset overtime loss to Minnesota, this team is talented and deep, and will be ready to play in round one.

New Mexico State is a strong offensive team and like to shoot a lot of three-pointers, but the talent on the roster just doesn't add up. They don't have as much length as their opponent and will lose this one on the boards.

MSU averages 39 rebounds a contest and will overpower a NMSU team that relies too heavily on junior guard Jahmar Young. It will be a closer contest than most people will expect, but there will be no upset here.

The Spartans are more talented and have more depth. They take care of business in round one.

Prediction: 72-60 Michigan State

Midwest Bracket: (4) Maryland vs. (13) Houston

Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA
9:40 pm ET, 03/19/10

The Maryland Terrapins (28-3) are heavily favored against the Houston Cougars (19-15) who made a surprising and unexpected run to win the Conference USA Tournament.

Houston had to get through Memphis and No. 1 seed UTEP to pull off the upset championship and there's no reason greater than senior guard Aubrey Coleman.

Coleman is a one-man wrecking ball, averaging over 25 ppg as one the nation's top scorers. He is capable of carrying the Cougars even further than anyone expected, and his run of success won't end against the Terps.

Maryland looked bad in a 69-64 upset loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament, and they'll look to rebound after the disappointing outing. But they won't be able to get back on track in time.

Terps guard Greivis Vasquez is one of best players in the country and he leads a talented Maryland team, but he struggled in the loss against Georgia Tech and unfortunately they draw a hot, overachieving team.

Coleman and Houston will continue their impressive run. They'll stay hot and pull of the major upset.

Prediction: 78-73 Houston

Midwest Bracket: (6) Tennessee vs. (11) San Diego State

Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI
9:45 pm ET, 03/18/10

Tennessee (25-8) expected to be seeded higher than sixth, but that's what they drew and now they need to prove they're better than the selection committee gave them credit.

They'll face the very tough and athletic San Diego State Aztecs (25-8) that are better than their seeding suggest. The Aztecs are very good defensively and will play full-court press and man-to-man defense all day long.

With Chase Tapley, Billy White, Kawhi Leonard, and Malcolm Thomas leading the way, SDSU is a grind-it-out tough nosed team that won't give in easily.

Tennessee on most nights is the better team, but they're coming off a bad loss to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament. SDSU matches up well, though, and they'll rely on a very talented starting five.

The Volunteers will be looking to rebound in round one, but Senior forward Wayne Chism and sophomore guard Scotty Hopson won't be able to lead their team as far as expected.

In a very close contest, San Diego State will pull off the upset.

Prediction: 68-64 San Diego State

Midwest Bracket: (3) Georgetown vs. (14) Ohio

Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI
7:25 pm ET, 03/18/10

The Georgetown Hoyas (23-10) will take on the Ohio Bobcats (21-14) in round one in what should result in a relatively easy victory for the Hoyas.

Although they suffered a devastating 60-58 loss to West Virgina in the Big East Championship, Georgetown will come out ready to play. They have plenty of talent and experience, and Bobcats will pay the price for the Hoyas' Big East upset.

Austin Freeman, Greg Monroe, Chris Wright, and Jason Clark lead a very good all-around team that should advance at least to the round of 16.

Ohio is no pushover and are led by junior guard Armon Bassett, but they've played a much easier schedule this year and won't be able to keep up with the depth Georgetown brings to the table.

Ohio is a decent team; Georgetown is an excellent team.

Projection: 79-63 Georgetown

Midwest Bracket: (7) Oklahoma State vs. (10) Georgia Tech

Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
7:15 pm ET, 03/19/10

The Oklahoma State (22-10) vs. Georgia Tech (22-12) contest should be one of the better round one games.

The two teams should provide an interesting matchup. Georgia Tech has the advantage inside with superior frontcourt play, but OKSU has the edge on the outside with one of the better backcourts in the nation.

The Yellow Jackets played great in the ACC Tournament, losing to Duke in the finals in a game that was marred by turnovers. Before then, they were shooting lights out, but it remains to be seen if that tempo can be maintained.

For the Cowboys, junior guard James Anderson is one of the best scorers in the country and can go on impressive runs any given night.

Georgia Tech doesn't excel in perimeter defense; that and turnovers are the teams two biggest weaknesses. It will cost them in round one.

Anderson will have an impressive showing leading the Cowboys to victory.

Midwest Bracket: (2) Ohio State vs. (15) UC Santa Barbara

Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
9:35 pm ET, 03/19/10

Ohio State's Evan Turner was Sporting News' Player of the Year, and he will look to lead the Buckeyes (27-7) deep into the Tournament.

They are a very deep and talented team, and their first round contest against UC Santa Barbara (20-9) shouldn't be a difficult contest.

The Buckeyes won't fall asleep against an opponent their heavily favored against, but they will have an eye on Georgetown, which should be one of the better matchups of the Tournament.

Turner and William Buford head up a Buckeyes squad that just may be playing all the way to the Final Four.

UC Santa Barbra has some talented players like sophomores Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally, but there isn't enough on the roster to take down the big dog.

Prediction: 82-62 Ohio State

West Bracket: (1) Syracuse vs. (16) Vermont

HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
9:30 pm ET, 03/19/10

Syracuse was been stumbling as of late, with an upset 91-84 loss to Georgetown in the Big East Tournament highlighting their recent struggles.

The Orangeman were the top ranked team in the country for most of the season, but lost that honor to Kansas after a loss to Louisville in their final regular season game.

They are still one of the most talented teams in College Basketball and are one of the favorites to make it to the Final Four. Wes Johnson, Andy Rautins, and Kris Joseph led a team that has averaged 81.5 ppg this season.

Syracuse will be a formidable foe throughout the tournament. Vermont (25-9) has played a good year, but they haven't faced nearly the same level of opponents.

The top seed in the West will make quick work of their round one contest.

Prediction: 89-70

West Bracket: (8) Gonzaga vs. (9) Florida State

HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
7:10 pm ET, 03/19/10

Gonzaga (26-6) should have been a higher seed, but an 81-62 blowout loss to Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference Tournament led them to a lower seeding than most had anticipated.

Loss or not, the Bulldogs are still a very competitive team, and of the smaller schools they have the one of the better chances of going deep into the Tournament.

Matt Bouldin, Elias Harris, and Steve Gray lead up one of the better offensive teams in the nation. There is a lot of talent on this team and you can be sure they will turn some heads.

FSU (22-9) is one of the top defensive teams in the nation, but they have had problems with scoring droughts and turnovers throughout the season. They'll struggle to put up points against a superior offensive squad.

Prediction: 68-58 Gonzaga

West Bracket: (5) Butler vs. (12) UTEP

HP Pavillion at San Jose, San Jose, CA
4:45 pm ET, 03/18/10

UTEP (26-6) vs. Butler (28-4) is going to be one of the best round one games in the Tournament. While Butler has the higher seed, UTEP has played the tougher schedule.

If not for an upset loss to Houston in the Conference USA Tournament, UTEP would likely be a much higher seed than the 12th they received. They are a tough team though and will look to rebound after the disappointing loss.

Butler has played somewhat of a soft schedule, and because of such have been labeled as overrated. While that may not be the case, there is almost always a 12 seed that upsets a 5 seed.

If anyone is going to pull it off, it'll be UTEP. Derrick Caracter is big, strong, and will dominate down low. Randy Culpepper is a firecracker in the backcourt.

The junior is one of the most talented guards in the nation and he has the talent to take the Miners far into the Tournament.

Prediction: 75-70 UTEP

West Bracket: (4) Vanderbilt vs (13) Murray State

HP Pavillion at San Jose, Calif.
2:30 pm ET, 03/18/10

On paper, Murray State (30-4) is one of the most impressive teams in the nation statistically. They are very good offensively and excel on the defensive end.

But their numbers are inflated by a soft schedule. The Racers have beat up on a lot of average teams, but when faced with tough, big-time opponents this season, they've shown that they can't compete with elite talent.

Vanderbilt (24-8) on the other hand, plays in a very deep SEC Conference, and although they've struggled a bit this season-losing 62-52 against Mississippi State in the Conference Tournament-they are deep and talented team.

Jermaine Beal, A.J. Ogilvy, Jeffery Taylor, and John Jenkins headline an experienced and competitive squad that will survive what should be an intense matchup in round one.

Prediction: 83-72 Vanderbilt

West Bracket: (6) Xavier vs. (11) Minnesota

Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
12:25 pm ET, 03/19/10

In what should be one of the best offensive showcases of round one, Xavier (24-8) will face off with Minnesota (21-13).

XU leads the A-10 in scoring at 80 ppg and Minnesota is second in the Big Ten at 72.9 ppg. Both teams are capable of lighting it up on any given night and that should lead to a high-scoring, entertaining matchup.

At the end of the day, XU is just a more talented team though. Sophomore guard Jordan Crawford is averaging almost 20 ppg this season. He, Jason Love, and Terrell Holloway lead a very potent offense that won't be quelled in this one.

Minnesota doesn't have the defensive consistency to matchup on that end of the court and while they'll give a good fight, it won't be enough.

Prediction: 90-78 Xavier

West Bracket: (3) Pittsburgh vs. (14) Oakland

Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
2:45 pm ET, 03/19/10

Pitt (24-8) is coming off a very disappointing loss to Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, but they still played well enough throughout the year to earn a fourth seed in in the NCAA Tournament.

They will be making their eighth straight appearance, this year facing off with Oakland (26-8), who were the Summit League Champions.

Though the teams do not have much history, Pitt senior guard Chase Adams has a personal history with his team's first-round draw. He is a transfer from Centenary and has played Oakland on eight previous occasions.

He'll look to share his experience with Ashton Gibbs and the rest of the Panthers.

Oakland is better than their seeding suggests, and while they have the size advantage, Pitt is a superior defensive team.

It will be a low-scoring, grind it out affair and when the buzzer sounds, Pitt will advance to the next round.

Prediction: 65-54 Pittsburgh

West Bracket: (7) BYU vs. (10) Florida

Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
12:20 pm ET, 03/18/10

BYU (29-5) has struggled against bigger opponents this season, but Florida (21-11) just doesn't have the personnel to dominate the glass like they have in recent years.

Though some might see BYU as the underdog as a mid-major program facing former back-to-back national champions, but they hold the advantage in almost every statistical category.

They can stretch the court with great three-point shooting and are solid when it comes to holding onto the ball. That will be the difference in this one.

Junior guard Jimmer Fredette is a scoring machine for the Cougars, and he leads a team that can score in bunches when they're hot.

BYU will look to erase their one-and-done label with the round one victory over the Gators.

Florida has some very good athletes in Kenny Boynton and Chandler Parsons, but it won't be enough in this one.

Prediction: 75-62 BYU

West Bracket: (2) Kansas State vs. (15) North Texas

Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
2:40 pm ET, 03/18/10

Kansas State (26-7) was awarded the second seed in the West Bracket; their highest seeding since 1979.

They will face off with North Texas (24-8) in round one in what should end in a victory for the Wildcats.

Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente lead a very solid all-around team that has averaged 79.6 points this year. They are very potent offensively, with Pullen and Clemente each capable of exploding on any given night.

The Wildcats hold a 5-1 record against North Texas and shouldn't have many issues putting down a spunky Mountain West opponent.

North Texas played a much easier schedule this year, and while they excelled, K State is a totally different beast than what they're used to facing. It should be a blowout for the Wildcats.

Prediction: 88-65 Kansas State

East Bracket: (1) Kentucky vs. (16) East Tennessee State

New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA
7:15 pm ET, 03/18/10

Kentucky (32-2) may not be the most experienced team in the nation, but they very well could be the most talented.

They rely a little too much on John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, and of all the top seeds, they're probably the shakiest of the bunch.

Kentucky could go as far as the Final Four, but it wouldn't be surprising to see them make an early exit. They're a young team and its hard to predict exactly how their tournament story will end.

East Tennessee State (20-14) is no pushover and they'll give them a fight, but Kentucky won't get upset this early. It may yet happen, but history will not be made in round one.

The Wildcats are just too good when they're rolling on all pistons, and coming off an exciting 75-74 win over Mississippi State to win the SEC Tournament they'll look to build off their success.

This may well be a close contest, but if Wall and Cousins are able to stay out of foul trouble, we could be looking at an impressive blowout.

Prediction: 80-58 Kentucky

East Bracket: (8) Texas vs. (9) Wake Forest

New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA
9:30 pm ET, 03/18/10

Both Wake Forest (19-10) and Texas (24-9) have struggled down the stretch and squandered what were very promising seasons. It should be one of the closer games of the Tournament's first round games.

Wake Forest holds the experience advantage while Texas is arguably the more talented squad.

In this one, experience will be the difference. The game is going to be a battle that will likely be decided on the free throw line.

The Demon Deacons have struggled with shooting droughts this season, but most of their struggles came against zone defense.

With Texas running mostly man-to-man coverage, expect Wake Forest to come out stronger offensively than expected.

Sophomore forward Al-Farouq Aminu is one of the best two-way players in the nation. He's aggressive and leads by example. In round one, he'll lead the Demons to victory in a tight contest.

Prediction: 70-68 Wake Forest

East Bracket: (5) Temple vs. (12) Cornell

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, FL
12:30 pm ET, 03/19/10

Cornell (27-4) is one of the most underrated teams in the field of 65 and although Temple (29-5) is a very good program, this will be one of the big upsets in round one.

Ryan Wittman leads a Big Red that is truly dangerous from downtown. But this won't be an easy game.

Temple has arguably the best perimeter defense in the nation and you can bet this game will be decided along the perimeter.

If Temple is able to hold Wittman and Co. at bay, they'll hang on in this one. But with the way Wittman has been playing this year, it smells like upset in Jacksonville.

Cornell can string together points like very few teams in the nation and while they struggle defensively, which is an area Temple excels, the offense will be there in round one.

Ryan Brooks, Juan Fernandez, and Lavoy Allen won't be able to stop the three-point bleeding.

Cornell will pull off the major upset.

Prediction: 77-73 Cornell

East Bracket: (4) Wisconsin vs. (13) Wofford

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, FL
2:50 pm ET, 03/19/10

Wofford (26-8) is one of the better small schools in the Tournament this year and while they'll put on a solid showing, Wisconsin (23-8) will be too much for them to pull off the upset.

Led by Trevor Hughes, Jon Leuer, Jason Bohannon, and Jordan Taylor, the Badgers are one of the best defensive teams in the nation.

They'll look to take out their anger after losing to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament. Wofford is a good team, and while they'll give the Badgers a scare they won't end their Tournament journey this early.

Wisconsin's defense will be the difference in this one.

Prediction: 68-60 Wisconsin

East Bracket: (6) Marquette vs. (11) Washington

HP Pavillion at San Jose, Calif.
7:20 pm ET, 03/18/10

Marquette (22-11) has victories over 10th-ranked Villanova, 22nd-ranked Georgetown, and 24th-ranked Xavier. They're capable of playing with the best of them.

The only major issue with the Golden Eagles is their size. They are probably one of the shortest teams in the Tournament and might struggle to control the boards against a bigger and stronger Washington team (24-9).

The Huskies are capable of pulling off the upset and led by senior forward Quincy Pondexter (one of the best big men in the nation) will put up an impressive showing.

Marquette will look to run and gun all night behind Lazar Haywood and Jimmy Butler. They average 72.9 points per game on .454 shooting. Expect numbers similar to that in a tight victory.

Prediction: 74-70 Marquette

East Bracket: (3) New Mexico vs. (14) Montana

HP Pavillion at San Jose, Calif.
9:40 pm ET, 03/18/10

New Mexico (29-4) earned the third seed in the East Bracket after an impressive season. Led by junior guard Darington Hobson and senior forward Roman Martinez, the Lobos aren't the best shooting teams, which will result in struggles later in the Tournament.

But not in round one.

Montana hasn't had to deal with the same level of competition this season and beyond senior guard Anthony Johnson struggle to find consistent scoring.

If New Mexico can hold Johnson and check and make the rest of Montana's roster decide the outcome, it'll favor the Lobos.

The game shouldn't be high scoring, but New Mexico should win convincingly. They're the type of team that has the potential to go far in the Tournament, but are inconsistent enough to make an early exit.

They hold on in this one, though.

Prediction: 68-54 New Mexico

East Bracket: (7) Clemson vs. (10) Missouri

HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
2:35 pm ET, 03/19/10

Missouri (22-10) is coming off an embarrassing loss to Nebraska in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. Clemson (21-10) will look to capitalize on their distressed opponent and avoid the minor upset.

Both teams play and up-tempo style, which should lead to an exciting contest.

While it wouldn't be surprising for either team to advance, Missouri finished the season with four straight loses. The collapse against Nebraska couldn't have been good for morale.

They'll hope to rebound, but in what should be a close contest, Clemson will prevail.

Led by senior forward Trevor Booker, Clemson is capable of doing some damage in the tournament.

They beat a very tough, defensive minded FSU team on two different occasions, and lost a close contest to Maryland and Georgia Tech. Missouri is ice-cold at the moment and they won't be able to get back on track.

Prediction: 75-60 Clemson

East Bracket: (2) West Virginia vs. (15) Morgan State

HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
12:15 pm ET, 03/19/10

Morgan State (27-9) were the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Champions and are one of the hotter teams in the nation. They've won seven straight and 19 of their last 21 contests.

But they'll face a very competitive West Virgina team in round one and their winning streak is almost assuredly coming to an end.

West Virgina is coming of a thrilling 60-58 last second tip-in victory over Georgetown to win the Big East Tournament. They're led by senior forward De'Sean Butler, who was an All Big East First team selection.

Butler is the vocal leader of the Mountaineers, and you can be certain he will have his squad ready to roll.

West Virgina is likely to go as far as the elite eight, and possibly even further. They shouldn't have an issue putting down Morgan State in round one.

Prediction: 75-50

South Bracket: (1) Duke vs. (16) TBA

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, FL
3/19/10

Duke (29-5) will face off with the winner of the opening round Winthrop Arkansas-Pine Bluff matchup that will be played on March 16.

After winning the ACC Tournament and earning the fourth and final No. 1 seed, the Blue Devils shouldn't have much trouble dispatching either team.

Duke has the talent and coaching to go deep into the Tournament. They have exceptional guard play in Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, and Nolan Smith, and will stretch the floor with three-point shooting.

They rebound well and are quick to kick out the ball to the perimeter.

Neither potential opponent is going to make history in round one. Look for Duke to advance easily to face the winner of the Cal-Louisville matchup.

South Bracket: (8) Cal vs. (9) Louisville

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, FL
9:45 pm ET, 3/19/10

Cal ( 23-10) will be making their second consecutive visit to the NCAA Tournament after finishing with the eighth-ranked strength of schedule and an RPI computer rating of No. 20.

The Golden Bears won their first regular-season conference title in 50 years, but lost to Washington 79-75 in the Pac-10 Conference Tournament Championship.

They have not advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2003, but behind the solid play of senior guards Jerome Randle and Patrick Christopher they will alter their recent trend of early exits.

Head coach Mike Montgomery is experienced and will have his team ready to play in round one.

Louisville (20-12) doesn't have the roster depth to stick with the Bears in this one, and while sophomore forward Samardo Samuels will likely have a big showing, the rest of the Cardinals won't.

Prediction: 70-62 California

South Bracket: (5) Texas A&M vs. (12) Utah State

Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA
4:45 pm ET, 03/19/10

Utah State (27-7) was considered a lock to make the Tournament until they lost 69-63 to New Mexico State on Saturday. After the loss, the team was one of the highly debated bubble teams around the country.

The Aggies still managed to secure a 12 seed and the opportunity to face off with Texas A&M (23-9) in round one.

The contest should be closer than it would appear on paper as the two Aggies face off in what should be a high-scoring affair.

Both teams are capable of shooting the lights out on any given night, but at the end of the day, the game will be decided by star power.

Texas A&M senior guard Donald Sloan is averaging 18.2 points this season and is the best player on either team.

With rosters so closely matched with similar playing styles, a big game from Sloan could be the difference in this one.

Sloan will lead his Aggies to victory in a close game.

Prediction: 78-76 Texas A&M

South Bracket: (4) Purdue vs. (13) Siena

Spokane Arena, Spokane, WA
2:30 pm ET, 03/19/10

Siena (27-6) has not received as much respect as they should have this season. They will shock the country with a major upset against Purdue (27-5).

The Boilermakers have won 11 consecutive first round Tournament contests, but they'll be at a serious disadvantage in this one.

Second-leading scorer, junior forward Robbie Hummel is out with injury and the hit was big enough to lower Purdue to a fourth seed after a very good season.

Hummel is one of the leaders of this team on and of the court, and it will be hard for Purdue to make up for the loss of production.

It may not be the most likely outcomes, but Siena is hot and they'll jump all over their short-handed opponent.

Led by senior forward Alex Frankin, Siena is capable of doing some serious damage in the Tournament and will be among the Cinderella stories this year.

They won the MAAC, are 21-2 over their last 23 games, and while they haven't faced the toughest competion, they shoot well enough to matchup with almost anyone.

Purdue is a very good, energetic defensive team, but the loss of Hummel will be felt and Siena will shoot their way to an upset victory.

Prediction: 70-67 Siena

South Bracket: (6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Old Dominion

New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA
12:25 pm ET, 03/18/10

In what should be one of the close contests in round one, Notre Dame (23-11) will face off with Old Dominion (26-8).

The Fighting Irish appeared to be a team that would be on the outside looking in on Selection Sunday,, but four straight victories to end the regular season and a decent showing in the Big East Tournament salvaged the season.

Old Dominion won the CAA regular season and tournament titles to return to the big show where they'll look to pull of the upset.

They aren't a very strong offensive team, but they are a terrific defensive squad with solid rebounding. There are few teams who control the glass better.

Old Dominion's keys to victory will be the solid play of senior forward Gerald Lee and smothering defense. That's how they win games.

Notre Dame may have won four in a row to end the regular season, but they looked shaky before then. Tory Jackson will try to get his team ready to play, but expect them to overlook their first-round opponent.

Old Dominion is better than they're given credit. They have experience and depth.

They'll pull off the upset.

Prediction: 62-60 Old Dominion

South Bracket: (3) Baylor vs. (14) Sam Houston State

New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA
2:45 pm ET, 03/18/10

Baylor (25-7) draws Sam Houston State (25-7) in round one in what could be one of the Tournament's biggest upsets.

Both teams love to run, and will look to score in blitzes in what should be a close contest.

Sam Houston State is an underrated team, but when it comes down to the wire, they don't have the same defensive consistency as the Bears.

Baylor's LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter are fast, athletic and can score in bunches. But they also excel defensively.

For Sam Houston, Gilberto Clavell and Cory Allmond led the charge, but beyond the pair, the Bearkats just don't match up if you compare the two teams' rosters.

This game will be decided by key defensive stops down the stretch. Both squads can score and neither turn the ball over much. It could come down to the last one or two possessions.

Baylor has the edge in a contest like that.

Prediction: 78-77 Baylor

South Bracket: (7) Richmond vs. (10) Saint Mary's

Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI
2:50 pm ET, 03/18/10

Richmond (26-8) runs a stifling matchup zone defense to go along with a solid offensive showcase. They draw a tough Saint Mary's team (26-5) in round one in what should be an interesting contest.

This game is really anyone's for the taking. Both teams are very talented, but struggle with inconsistencies.

The advantage seems to favor Richmond because of the travel involved for Saint Mary's. The Spiders' offense is also very difficult to match up with and has been giving opponents headaches all season long.

The game won't be an easy one though and should be a battle down to the wire.

Senior center Omar Samhan of the Gaels is one of the best big men in the nation, and he'll head up a Saint Mary's squad that should come into this one swinging.

The teams are very evenly matched, but Richmond doesn't have a defensive presence capable of containing Samhan. They've struggled with some of the better bigs this season.

Samhan will have a monster outing and be the difference in Saint Mary's upset victory.

Prediction: 82-76 Saint Mary's

South Bracket: (2) Villanova vs. (15) Robert Morris

Dunkin Donuts Center, Providence, RI
12:30 pm ET, 03/18/10

Villanova (24-7) are one of the best offensive teams in the nation at 82.5 ppg. They play a fast-paced, up-tempo style that most opponents struggle to keep up with.

They will easily dispatch Robert Morris (23-11) in round one.

Robert Morris can score decently and play equally well defensively, but they are undersized and won't match up on the glass with a far superior oppoonent.

Villanova will ride Scottie Reynolds to victory in this one. He'll penetrate the paint with ease, and when he isn't finishing himself, he'll be dishing it out to the perimeter or handing off under the basket.

Junior forward Antonio Pena is going to have a monster game picking up easy baskets on tip-ins and hand offs.

Robert Morris stands little chance in this one.

Prediction: 90-68 Villanova