March Madness 2015: Bracket Predictions, Odds, Tips for 1st-Round Day 1 Schedule
March Madness 2015 is set to open Tuesday night, as Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament tips off from Dayton, Ohio, with a pair of win-or-go-home contests.
The action opens with Manhattan College taking on Hampton at 6:40 p.m. ET, with the winner taking on the top overall seed, Kentucky, on March 19. Following the battle of the No. 16 seeds, Ole Miss and BYU face off as No. 11 seeds fighting for a chance to take on Xavier on March 19.
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First Four action is far from a formality, with a handful of previous participants going on to make deep runs into the tourney. With that in mind, here's everything you'll need heading into Tuesday's Day 1 action.
All Your Bracket Essentials
| Tue, March 17 | (16) Manhattan vs. (16) Hampton | 6:40 p.m. | truTV | March Madness Live |
| Tue, March 17 | (11) BYU vs. (11) Ole Miss | 9:10 p.m. | truTV | March Madness Live |
First-Round Day 1 Schedule
| (11) BYU | 200-1 |
| (11) Ole Miss | 200-1 |
| (16) Manhattan | 1,000-1 |
| (16) Hampton | 1,000-1 |
NCAA Tournament Odds
*Spread info and tournament odds according to Odds Shark.
No. 16 Manhattan (-7.5) at No. 16 Hampton
Action tips off at 6:40 p.m. ET, with the MAAC champion Manhattan Jaspers taking on the Hampton Pirates, winners of the MEAC.
Hampton may have been the worst regular-season team among the dancers, going 12-17, but an impressive conference tournament run—without its leading scorer Dwight Meikle—has given the Virginia university a chance at winning an NCAA tournament game against a fellow No. 16 seed.
They'll have their work cut out for them against Steve Masiello's Jaspers, playing in their second consecutive NCAA tournament. As a No. 13 last season taking on No. 4 Louisville, Manhattan nearly pulled off the upset, losing by just seven to Rick Pitino's defending champions.
Manhattan favors an intense defensive game, often going with the full-court press, which could be a problem for Hampton, who ranked 330th in turnovers this season. It will be an interesting contest for sure, with Manhattan's high-speed defense and Hampton's racing offense, which ranked 20th in the NCAA in pace, according to TeamRankings.com.
Hampton coach Ed Joyner Jr. admits he's not very familiar with Manhattan, but after a thrilling run to punch their ticket, he has faith in his group. Via Dave Fairbank of the Daily Press, Joyner said:
"I don't know very much about them. I do know that they have the experience of going to the tournament last year, so that's the one thing they're going to have, different than we do. I've got a resilient bunch of guys, and I think they're up for it, so I think we're going to go out there and battle.
"
For either team, a best-case scenario features a tilt with one of the most intimidating foes in recent NCAA history in John Calipari's Wildcats. But players from the Hampton side are thrilled at the opportunity.
"I'm just excited," Hampton guard Brian Darden said, according to the Daily Press. "First of all, the fact of seeing our name pop up on that screen and that we're playing in the NCAA tournament is a tremendous thing. Really, I was just excited. It didn't really matter who we played. I'm just glad to be here."
Masiello's bunch seemed a bit surprised at their placement in the First Four, given their 19-13 regular-season record and relative success in their tournament game last season. But keeping Hampton the focus is key going into Tuesday.
“I’m a little surprised about the play-in, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Masiello said, via the New York Daily News' Justin Tasch.
Manhattan senior forward Emmy Andujar spoke more about the First Four appearance, and what potentially looms with a victory:
"Senior forward Emmy Andujar, a Bronx native, said he was “surprised” to be in the play-in game and will use the placement as motivation. Should the Jaspers advance through Tuesday’s winnable game, he’d relish an opportunity to end Kentucky’s run at perfection.
“I know a lot of teams want to get a shot at that, so I’m not gonna sit here and pout,” Andujar said. “But we’re worried about Hampton right now.”
"
Hampton comes in hot, but their fast-paced offense is a style that typically falters in the tournament—especially for lower-seeded teams—as the opponent simply has more chances to put the game away. Look for Manhattan to punch another ticket—this time to take on the top overall seeded Kentucky Wildcats.
Prediction: Manhattan 79, Hampton 66
No. 11 Ole Miss (+2) vs. No. 11 BYU
Following the bout of No. 16 seeds on Tuesday is a contest that could potentially spark a more likely Cinderella run between No. 11 seeds Mississippi and BYU.
Ole Miss had an 11-7 run through the SEC this season, finishing fifth in the conference. Their March Madness lives were in danger following a painful SEC tournament loss to South Carolina which featured a last-second shooting foul on a half-court heave, blowing the game, and almost the season, for the Rebels. Nevertheless, they've cracked the field of 68, albeit in a First Four matchup.
Recall back to Jan. 6, though, when Kentucky needed the overtime period to beat Ole Miss by just three points—its closest call of the season en route to a 34-0 finish.
Mississippi executes well on the offensive end, but their 156th-ranked defense will likely pose issues against BYU's offense that finished eighth-best in the nation in efficiency.
Led by Tyler Haws' 22 points per game and Kyle Collinsworth's six assists, BYU's 118.2 points per 100 possessions was among the NCAA's best, and second in the West Coast Conference to just Gonzaga, a No. 2 seed in the tournament.
After the bracket was released, BYU's leading scorer spoke about the team's resiliency and their roller-coaster ride this season, via KSL.com's Sean Walker:
"It’s really special. Everyone in that locker room has worked really hard to put us in this spot. There was a time during the year when times were not good. A lot of people counted us out. But everyone stuck together, and still believed in each other.
We finished on a good night. I think we played the right way, and hopefully we can continue to have that edge and win a few more games.
"
In the event that Ole Miss gets off to a hot start and holds a sizable lead early, the Rebels will need to hold their guard up more than ever. BYU holds the record for largest second-half comeback in a First Four game, beating Iona in 2012 after trailing by 15 at half. The Cougars outscored the opponents 38-17 after the break.
“I hope this one goes a little better at the start this time,” coach David Rose said Sunday, via KSL.com. “The finish was good. This is a tough turnaround. I think the experience of our staff will help this time.”
Prediction: BYU 87, Ole Miss 82
Follow me on Twitter at @JSDorn6.
Stats from Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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