NCAA Tournament 2013: Breaking Down Best Matchups on Friday's Schedule

Thursday’s slate of tournament games has already provided us with a lot of great action, but don’t be content with one day of basketball. Friday promises just as much madness.

Several marquee matchups, upset specials and sleeper squads pepper Friday’s schedule. Given the excitement the tournament has already yielded, there’s no reason to miss any of those contests.

We’ll break down two intriguing Friday matchups that no college basketball fan should miss. These games feature some dynamic offense, stingy defense and a couple players that could make a big splash in the Big Dance.

All stats and rankings acquired from ESPN.com and TeamRankings.com.

(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) Ole Miss: 12:40 p.m. ET on TruTV

The 12-5 matchup in the West region pits the SEC tournament champion against the Big Ten tournament runner-up in what will be one of the most exciting pairings of Friday’s action.

The Wisconsin Badgers endured a brutal schedule in the Big Ten this season, falling victim to some of the nation’s top teams in February and March. The Badgers did manage to knock off Michigan (twice), Ohio State, Minnesota and Indiana down the stretch, though, and they’re playing terrific basketball at the right time of the season.

The Ole Miss Rebels haven’t been a strong defensive team this year, but they feature the No. 7 scoring offense in the country (78.2 PPG), led by 20-point scorer Marshall Henderson. The junior guard is an exceptional shooter who creates a lot of scoring opportunities for everyone on the floor.

Ole Miss’ strength is its offensive prowess, but it faces a Wisconsin team that has played lockdown man-to-man defense this season. The Badgers are holding opponents to just 55.9 points per game—good for ninth in the nation.

The Badgers don’t get big scoring from any one player, but they feature a roster full of consistency at the offensive end. As good as the Rebels are at putting points on the board, Wisconsin needs junior guard Ben Brust, senior forward Ryan Evans and senior big man Jared Berggren to step up if it hopes to escape Ole Miss’ upset bid.

Wisconsin isn’t a flashy team, but its consistency and stout defense have prevailed throughout the season. Expect a close finish in this one with the Badgers pulling away in the final minutes.

Prediction: Wisconsin 66, Ole Miss 62

(7) Creighton vs. (10) Cincinnati: 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS

In another strong matchup that features an offensive powerhouse and a stout defensive squad, the No. 7 Creighton Bluejays will face the Cincinnati Bearcats in a must-watch matchup Friday afternoon.

Creighton ranks No. 18 in the nation in points per game (75.4), led by two-time Wooden Award finalist Doug McDermott. The junior forward is one of the best offensive players in the country, averaging 23.1 points per contest. He also averages 7.5 rebounds per game, and he’ll be the key to Creighton skating past Cincinnati in this contest.

The Bearcats aren’t an impressive squad at the offensive end, but junior guard Sean Kilpatrick and senior guard Cashmere Wright will earn their share of points against a marginal Creighton defense. The Bluejays have allowed 63.1 points per game this season, but they’ll have a hard time shutting down Cincinnati’s strong guard combo.

For the Bearcats to upend Creighton on Friday, they will have to keep McDermott under wraps. The Bluejays don’t have another double-digit scorer on their roster, and Cincinnati’s No. 20 defense has a chance to keep this game close until the final buzzer.

Regardless of the outcome, this game should be a fun one to watch.

Prediction: Creighton 74, Cincinnati 70

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