Trey Burke vs. Nate Wolters Will Be Round of 64 Matchup to Watch in NCAA Tourney

The No. 4 seed Michigan Wolverines and No. 13 seed South Dakota State Jackrabbits are set to meet in the Round of 64 to open the 2013 NCAA tournament.

It’s an exciting showdown between two programs that are more evenly matched than the seeding would suggest, especially at the point guard position. In fact, whoever wins the battle between Michigan’s Trey Burke and South Dakota State’s Nate Wolters should give their team a huge leg up in advancing to the Round of 32.

Both players have been a major catalyst for the success of their respective schools during the 2012-13 season.

Burke is a legitimate national player of the year candidate and helped spark the Wolverines to a 26-7 record. The sophomore phenom averaged a ridiculous 19.2 points, 6.7 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists during the season—impressive enough to earn Big Ten POY honors.

He’s considered an NBA lottery prospect by many scouts, despite his relatively small 6’0”, 190-pound frame and limited postseason success during his two years in Ann Arbor.

Tasked with guarding Burke at The Palace of Auburn Hills this Thursday at 7:15 p.m. ET will be Wolters, a vastly underrated player that many college basketball fans may not have even heard of.

The senior PG is one of the most prolific scorers in Division-I basketball and averaged a stout 22.7 points, 5.8 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals while leading the Jackrabbits to a Summit League championship.

At 6’4”, 190 pounds, Wolters has the length to shut down Burke, but his quickness is suspect.

Considering the South Dakota standout will be expected to expend an enormous amount of energy on the offensive end—the second leading scorer on the Jackrabbits averages just 12.5 points—it’s going to be tough for the star to generate buckets while also trying to limit one of the most dynamic opponents he's ever faced.

However, Wolters is a special player that dropped 53 points in a game this past season and could surprise Michigan with another offensive explosion in the opening game of the NCAA tourney.

If Burke can't limit his matchup or neutralize his scoring output with his own point bonanza, the Wolverines may be in some trouble and could be on upset watch.

Make sure you tune in to this contest and prepare to see two of the best point guards in the country going at one another for 40 (and possibly more) minutes.

Be sure to download a printable NCAA bracket and check out Bleacher Report's live bracket.

Make your picks for the 2013 NCAA Tournament here with the Bracket Challenge Game.