NCAA Tournament Schedule 2014: Highlighting Most Intriguing Second-Round Bouts

The NCAA tournament will kick into high gear with a full slate of competition dominating Thursday and Friday. 

As we know by now, the opening batch of action gives fans two days of non-stop basketball, which isn't ideal for people with other obligations. But hey, things are just getting started. There shouldn't be too much to miss, right?

Wrong. Sure, a few blowouts are bound to pop up throughout the 32 games, but exquisite nail-biters and buzzer-beaters will make up for the occasional laugher.

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These matchups may not include championship contenders, and the opponents are too evenly matched to consider either outcome an upset. But that's the point. If all plays out according to plan, these games should treat fans to delightful, tense and competitive basketball.

 

 

No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State

While the threat of battling to later face the No. 1 seed looms over their heads, No. 8 vs. No. 9 seeds make for entertaining television.

Gonzaga and Oklahoma State could have each found themselves through the round of 32 in better circumstances. Put the Bulldogs up against any other No. 9, and I'd like their chances. The Cowboys, however, are a tough draw. 

Oklahoma State has won five of its last eight games, and all three losses occurred in overtime against opponents holding higher March Madness seeding (No. 6 Baylor, No. 3 Iowa State and No. 2 Kansas).

A six-game losing streak ruined its chances of higher billing, but that stretch including a devastating triple-overtime loss to Iowa State and Marcus Smart's three-game suspension for pushing a fan. The sophomore has not missed a beat since returning, averaging 18.7 points, 6.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game over the past seven contests.

All this bodes well for Oklahoma State, but Gonzaga is a dangerous opponent with a major size advantage. Przemek Karnowski, a 7'1" center who averages 10.2 points on 59.0 percent shooting with 6.8 boards and 1.7 blocks, provides a matchup nightmare for a small OSU club.

Senior Sam Dower is also a menace down low, scoring 15.0 points a night for the Bulldogs. This puts 6'8" forward Kamari Murphy in a tough predicament, but he told The Oklahoman's John Helsley that the clashing styles should create problems for both sides.

“We’ve got to play our game,” Murphy said. “They’ve got to guard us, too, our quickness and speed at the bigs positions. It should be a good matchup.”

This is as good as a round of 64 matchup can get.

 

No. 7 Connecticut vs. No. 10 Saint Joseph's

This bout boasts a clearer favorite, but it also holds more importance in the later rounds.

The winner of Connecticut vs. Saint Joseph's will likely face Villanova, a vulnerable No. 2 seed who fell to Seton Hall during the Big East tournament. Each team would enter that showdown with a fighter's chance.

UConn is the favorite who could ruin some brackets. With a 95.3 defensive rating, its score-stopping ferociousness will keep its enemies close. Louisville provided its only double-digit loss of the year, and the Cardinals are considered a Final Four favorite despite their unflattering No. 4 seed.

Offensively, the two sides are not far apart. Each is led by a senior guard averaging around 17.5 points per game, only St. Joe's Langston Galloway is more efficient than UConn's Shabazz Napier due to sturdier three-point shooting.

Hot off the heals of their Atlantic 10 title victory over VCU, the Hawks are flying high into the tournament in hopes of orchestrating an upset. 

 

No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 9 George Washington

Let's go back to the No. 8 vs. No. 9 well for another interesting contest.

Without a big-name superstar heading the proceedings, Memphis vs. George Washington doesn't hold the gravitas of Gonzaga vs. Oklahoma State. The matchup, however, features a dozen players averaging more than 8.0 points per game.

By Ken Pomeroy's ratings, this tilt is as air-tight as two teams can get. Memphis entered Selection Sunday rated No. 40 overall in the guru's efficiency measures. George Washington ranks No. 41, trailing the Tigers' Pythagorean winning percentage by .0012. 

The Colonials have won five of their last seven, but Memphis has defeated Louisville twice while narrowly falling to Florida by two points. Those premier squads could be the final two standing.

Don't bet on the winner storming past Virginia during the round of 32, but enjoy what should be a close game.

 

All advanced statistics courtesy of Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.