NCAA Tournament 2012 Schedule: Best March Madness Games to Watch for Round of 64

March Madness has finally arrived. It's time for all the talking to end and the games to begin. Few sports weekends throughout the entire year are more exciting than the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, so sit back and enjoy the ride.

Let's take a look at the top games everybody should be watching on Thursday and Friday as the action gets underway. For a complete Round of 64 television schedule, click here.

(12) VCU vs. (5) Wichita State (Thursday)

It's too bad the selection committee matched up two mid-major powerhouses like VCU and Wichita State in the opening round. Both have the talent to make a run, but instead one will be eliminated be the time the first day is over.

The Rams made a memorable run last season before Butler ended it in the semifinals. Shaka Smart is once again leading his band of underdogs into the Big Dance with hopes of making some power conference teams feel their wrath.

They'll need to bring their "A" game to knock off the Shockers, however. Last year's NIT champions will hope that experience gives them enough confidence to make a similar run in the Big Dance. If they do, it will be on the shoulders of senior center Garrett Stutz.

(9) Connecticut vs. (8) Iowa State (Thursday)

Iowa State is being overlooked by most of the public, who have already chalked UConn into a third-round matchup with Kentucky.

Not so fast. The Cyclones have a talented team of their own and will give the Huskies a run for their money.

Jeremy Lamb has taken over the lead dog role this season after Kemba Walker departed for the NBA. Connecticut will need strong performances from role players like Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi to advance. Lamb can't to do it all on his own.

The Cyclones don't have as much star power, but they have a more well-rounded team. One player to watch in particular is Chris Babb. He's knocking down two three-point shots per game. If he finds a groove, the Huskies will be making an early exit.

(16) UNC Asheville vs. (1) Syracuse (Thursday)

Not often is a game featuring a No. 16 seed considered must-see television, but this game will be an exception. Syracuse star Fab Melo was deemed ineligible, so it will be interesting to see how the team responds without one of its top defenders.

The fact UNC Asheville has the nation's fifth-ranked offense will just make things more intriguing. The Bulldogs will enter the game with nothing to lose, and they have to sense blood in the water after hearing about Melo.

If they start knocking down shots early, watch out.

For the Orange, it's all about sticking with the system even though Melo is gone. They'll miss his shot-blocking skills, but C.J. Fair is an adequate replacement. As long as Syracuse doesn't let it affect them mentally, they will advance.

Easier said than done, of course.

(14) Belmont vs. (3) Georgetown (Friday)

If there's going to be a major upset in the opening round, Belmont is the team most likely to pull it off. Georgetown has developed a reputation of underachieving in the Big Dance, which makes a team with plenty of senior leadership like the Bruins a nightmare matchup.

Belmont has five legitimate scoring options and all of them are shooting better than 45 percent from the floor. Usually teams for lower conferences are lucky to have two players with that type of ability. The Bruins aren't going to go quietly, that's for sure.

As if Georgetown needed anything else to worry about, the Hoyas went 3-5 in their final eight games against fellow tournament teams. All signs point to an extremely close game that goes down to the final seconds.

Don't be surprised if Belmont advances.

(11) Texas vs. (6) Cincinnati (Friday)

Games don't get much more evenly matched than Texas and Cincinnati. Even though the seeds would say the Bearcats should advance with relative ease, this game has the potential to be one of the most exciting March Madness has to offer.

The Longhorns spent much of the season's second half on the bubble. They likely didn't clinch a bid until defeating Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament. J'Covan Brown averages more than 20 points and is worth the price of admission all by himself.

Cincinnati has its own dynamic scorer in Sean Kilpatrick. He's a little more streaky than Brown, but can still light it up from downtown. Those two guys will probably be going shot for shot down the stretch.

Whoever has the ball last is going to send his team to the next round.

Other Games To Watch Out For

(12) Long Beach State vs. (5) New Mexico (Thursday)

(16) Western Kentucky vs. (1) Kentucky (Thursday)

(9) Saint Louis vs. (8) Memphis (Friday)

(10) Xavier vs. (7) Notre Dame (Friday)