NCAA Bracket 2012: Round of 64 Predictions for No. 1 Seeds

It's never a good idea to take anything for granted when it comes to the NCAA Tournament, but assuming that the four No. 1 seeds will all make deep runs through the tourney is as safe as it gets.

It's a tricky assumption to make with this year's tournament, as Kentucky, Michigan State, Syracuse and North Carolina all proved that they can be beaten. To give you an idea, of the four, only Michigan State won its conference tournament. 

Despite this, we can at least assume that each of the four will be able to make it past the Round of 64, where the competition will be at its thinnest.

For kicks, here are some predictions for how each of the four No. 1 seeds will fare in the Round of 64.

No. 1 Kentucky vs. Mississippi Valley State or Western Kentucky

I'm picking Mississippi Valley State to upset Western Kentucky in their play-in game, but neither of them are going to stand a chance against Kentucky.

Nobody should want to play the Wildcats right now. They got challenged in the SEC tournament, and they ultimately got beat by Vanderbilt. They know there's a target hanging over their heads now, and they're heading into the tournament with a chip on their shoulder.

Kentucky is only going to lose if it finds itself in a game where Anthony Davis is neutralized and the team is simply unable to account for his struggles. This will be a legit threat as Kentucky advances further and further into the tournament, but not against the Delta Devils or the Hilltoppers.

Between the two of them, Mississippi Valley State would stand a better chance of beating Kentucky, as its three-point shooting would allow it to avoid Davis in the paint. But even then, the Wildcats would roll.

Prediction: Kentucky beats Mississippi Valley State by 22.

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 16 LIU Brooklyn

The Spartans are a team that does just about everything well. They shoot well, they pass well, they rebound well and they play defense well.

The Blackbirds are an above-average offensive team, but they're simply going to be overmatched against Michigan State's defense. Leading scorer Julian Boyd will be easily neutralized, and that will put the Blackbirds at a disadvantage offensively.

The biggest problem LIU Brooklyn is going to run into involves its defense, or lack thereof. The Blackbirds are not a good defensive team, and that will spell disaster against a Michigan State team that can score inside and outside.

This one should be a romp.

Prediction: Michigan State by 18.

No. 1 Syracuse vs. No. 16 UNC-Asheville

Credit where credit is due, the Bulldogs are a pretty good offensive team. They have five guys who can score, and they really like to force their opponents into putting them at the line. Only two teams in the country averaged more trips to the free-throw line than UNC-Asheville.

However, the Orange will be able to force UNC-Asheville into playing their game. Syracuse's zone defense will put the clamps on the Bulldogs' offense, and it will force them into making more mistakes than they usually make.

UNC-Asheville stands a chance at upsetting Syracuse if it overcomes Syracuse's defense, but that's just not going to happen. Syracuse has better athletes, and it's going to be able to dominate UNC-Asheville on the boards.

Despite this, I don't think Syracuse is going to run away with this game. That's just not the Orange's style.

Prediction: Syracuse by eight.

No. 1 North Carolina vs. Vermont or Lamar

Pat Knight's Cardinals are playing too well to lose to Vermont in the opening round of the tournament. Lamar will score an easy victory over Vermont to score a matchup against North Carolina.

Not that this is a good thing, of course. The Tar Heels are a very talented, very dangerous team.

Against Lamar, North Carolina would have no trouble whatsoever forcing the Cardinals into conducting the bulk of their offensive business from behind the three-point line. That's not an area where Lamar excels.

Vermont would stand a slightly better chance in beating North Carolina in a game like that, but not by much. The Catamounts would be hopeless against the Tar Heels too.

Regardless who they're playing, the Tar Heels are only going to lose if a team neutralizes their outstanding frontcourt or if a team catches fire from beyond the arc. Neither Lamar or Vermont is capable of doing either.

Prediction: North Carolina beats Lamar by 26.

For your printable NCAA bracket, click here.