NCAA Tournament 2015: Predictions and Updated Results for First Four

It's finally here! Ladies and gentlemen, the 2015 NCAA tournament is now underway.

OK, OK, so you might think that it doesn't really get started until Thursday afternoon, but for the eight teams participating in the First Four—don't call them "play-in" games—that couldn't be further from the truth.

As far as the four at-large teams go, Tuesday presented two with a chance to jump-start a substantial tournament run. Ole Miss took advantage of its opportunity in a terrific come-from-behind victory over BYU, winning 94-90.

Hampton also advanced, defeating Manhattan in a clash between the tourney's lowest-seeded squads.

To kick off Wednesday's action in Dayton, Robert Morris defeated North Florida in a battle of No. 16 seeds. No. 11 Dayton took down No. 11 Boise State 56-55 in the final game of the First Four.

A No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed, but that doesn't mean a No. 16 seed has never won an NCAA tournament game. And while Hampton and Robert Morris have tall task ahead of them, against Kentucky and Duke, respectively, each team has history as a giant killer. The Pirates won as a No. 15 seed in 2001. Robert Morris also has some experience in giant killing from the 2013 NIT, when it took down Kentucky. The Colonials also challenged Villanova as a No. 15 seed in 2010. 

If the action in the First Four games are any indication, we are in for a fantastic tournament. 

No. 11 Dayton 56, No. 11 Boise State 55

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After dealing with foul trouble throughout the game, Jordan Sibert made the winning shot on his home floor and handed Dayton a one-point win over Boise State.

Sibert, who sat for long stretches of the Flyers' victory, drilled a three-pointer with 37 seconds remaining, which earned Dayton's first lead in over 12 minutes. 

Boise State had a chance to win the game, but it was unable to reach the free-throw line after Derrick Marks drew contact on his last-second three-point attempt. 

The Broncos' shouts for a foul did not draw any reaction from the referees, and Dayton celebrated a win as the road team on its home floor. 

Dayton went on a 10-3 run over the final 3:56 to stay alive in the Big Dance. 

Top Performers

Marks was the star of the game for the at-large team from the Mountain West by scoring 23 points. Kendall Pollard was the top scorer for the Flyers with 17, while Scoochie Smith had 11. 

X-Factor

The crowd in Dayton played a major role in the come-from-behind victory. Despite Boise State's ability to silence the hometown fans at UD Arena for most of the game, the red-clad supporters came alive during the final minutes and willed the Flyers to a victory. 

Next Round 

Dayton will travel across the state of Ohio to Columbus, where No. 6 Providence awaits in the final scheduled game of the second round. 

--Update by Joe Tansey

No. 16 Robert Morris 81, No. 16 North Florida 77

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Robert Morris became the second team in three games to trail at halftime and move on to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Colonials were only down by six to North Florida at the half, but they were unable to take the lead for the first 12 minutes of the second period.

Lucky Jones then nailed a jumper out of the under-eight media timeout and handed the Colonials a valuable advantage on the scoreboard. The Northeast Conference tournament champion did not trail after Jones' basket.

Jones' field goal with 7:37 left in the game handed Robert Morris its first lead since the five-minute mark of the first half.

The win was the second in program history in the Big Dance for the Colonials, who also defeated Georgia Southern in 1983.

Top Performers

Osprey guard Beau Beech was the top scorer in Wednesday's first game at the UD Arena with 28 points, but he ended up on the wrong side of the final score. Rodney Pryor scored 20 points for Robert Morris, while Marcquise Reed and Elijah Minnie contributed 19 and 12 respectively for the Colonials.

X-Factor

Jones scored 21 off the pine for the victorious Colonials. The guard was 6-of-11 from the field, and he earned seven rebounds and five steals. North Florida's three bench players combined for 15 points.

Next Round

Robert Morris will enjoy this win for just a few hours before it begins to prepare for a Friday night showdown against No. 1 Duke in Charlotte.

--Update by Joe Tansey 

No. 16 Hampton 74, No. 16 Manhattan 64

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There's a reason why records are thrown out the window once the Big Dance begins. 

The Hampton Pirates pulled off the first surprise of the tournament, as they took down the Manhattan Jaspers to move to 17-17 on the season. 

The MEAC tournament champions took advantage of foul trouble to Ashton Pankey and Emmy Andujar and attacked the paint early and often in the first half. 

Quinton Chievous and Reginald Johnson led the way for Hampton, with both players scoring 15 points in the first of four first-round games at UD Arena in Dayton. 

The Jaspers were never able to find a rhythm on the offensive end of the court, as Pankey and Andujar had to scale back their aggression in the second period. 

The loss denied Manhattan (19-14) head coach Steve Masiello of a matchup against Kentucky, where he played from 1996-2000. 

Top Performers

Chievous was a dominant force on the boards, pulling down 13 rebounds to complement his 15-point performance. Johnson contributed five assists and three steals in addition to matching Chievous in the scoring column. 

X-Factors

With Pankey and Andujar mired in foul trouble for most of the game, the Jaspers received solid production from their bench. Calvin Crawford, Zane Waterman and Carlton Allen combined for 17 points and 11 rebounds. 

Next Round 

The Pirates will play in the ultimate David-versus-Goliath clash on Thursday, when they take on the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville. 

— Update by Joe Tansey

No. 11 Ole Miss 94, No. 11 BYU 90

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Three years after completing a 25-point comeback in the First Four, the BYU Cougars fell victim to a second-half surge by the Ole Miss Rebels. 

BYU ended the first half 10-of-15 from three-point range, but it went cold from the field to start the second half. 

Just as the Cougars started to miss some key shots, the Rebels began to hit all of theirs. The hot and cold performances from each side made for an entertaining final 10 minutes. 

The Rebels, who were down 17 at the half, pulled away in the final three minutes and sealed the come-from-behind win on a Jarvis Summers free throw with three seconds left. The shot from the charity stripe followed a rushed offensive possession by BYU. 

Ole Miss outscored BYU 62-41 in the final 20 minutes to advance to the second round of the Big Dance. 

Top Performers

Stefan Moody shot 10-of-18 from the field and scored 26 points for the victorious Rebels, while Cougar guard Tyler Haws led all scorers with 33. Haws was 13-of-23 from the field and 5-of-9 from beyond the arc in defeat. 

X-Factor

Chase Fischer scored 18 of his 23 points from beyond the arc for the Cougars. BYU needed Fischer's scoring prowess throughout the game due to Kyle Collinsworth's foul trouble. Ole Miss received 10 key points off the bench from LaDarius White, who also contributed four assists. 

Next Round

A quick turnaround awaits the Rebels, as they will have to face No. 6 Xavier in the second game of the afternoon session on Thursday in Jacksonville. 

--Update by Joe Tansey.