March Madness Bracket 2015: Predictions for Toughest 2nd-Round Games

The NCAA tournament selection committee revealed the competitors in this year's Big Dance, and some bracket surprises have led to a few interesting second-round showdowns.

Due to some unexpected results during conference tournaments, some teams fell down the pecking order, earning lower seeds than originally anticipated. Others put together brilliant runs, which improved their respective March Madness positions. This phenomenon may lead to early blemishes on your NCAA tournament bracket.

In an effort to keep your bracket clean heading into the round of 32, let's take a look at a few of the most difficult second-round games and predict their ultimate outcomes.

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NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Predictions

No. 7 VCU vs. No. 10 Ohio State

Following consecutive late-season losses to Richmond, Dayton and Davidson, VCU's tournament hopes weren't looking good; however, the Rams breezed through the Atlantic 10 tournament, defeating those same three teams en route to the conference title.

VCU does feature a smallish starting lineup, but guard Treveon Graham leads a nice group of sharpshooters who can really light up the scoreboard when they get hot. That was the case in the final, as Graham led the way with 20 points and three other starters finished in the double digits.

Although, if we're talking about sharpshooters here, Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell must be brought into the conversation. Even when the Buckeyes have struggled, Russell continued to put the team on his back. Despite losing to Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament, Russell still managed to bucket seven of 16 attempts for 19 points, adding six rebounds and three assists.

When the rest of Ohio State's starters catch fire, and the team can get Sam Thompson going on the inside, they are extremely difficult to keep pace with. Both Ohio State's and VCU's defenses have been inconsistent this season, but the Buckeyes have been the team to step up against tougher competition. They'll get the nod here.

Prediction: Ohio State

No. 7 Iowa vs. No. 10 Davidson

Following a terrible showing against Penn State in the Big Ten tournament, it may be easy to write off the Hawkeyes in the Big Dance. Not so fast.

Sure, Iowa struggled down the final stretch of the regular season, but this is still the same team that managed to pull of huge wins against North Carolina, Ohio State (twice) and Maryland. Forwards Aaron White and Jarrod Uthoff have been the team's catalysts on both ends of the court, dominating inside and displaying the necessary range to hit from downtown.

That could be an issue for Davidson in the round of 64, as the Wildcats feature a smaller starting lineup, utilizing four guards and a forward. This team is comprised of several very capable shooters who can light up the scoreboard in an instant, but if it has difficulty penetrating the interior, it may fall behind early due to the necessity to air it out from behind the arc.

While this contest could wind up being a matter of which teams' shooters get hot, Iowa gets the overall advantage. The Hawkeyes will be entering the tournament with a big chip on their shoulders following the loss to Penn State. Expect to see some physical play from an Iowa team that won't allow Davidson to match its intensity.

Prediction: Iowa

No. 8 Cincinnati vs. No. 9 Purdue

This could wind up being one of the more intriguing second-round contests. Cincinnati isn't much of a shooting team; however, it boasts one of the nation's best defenses. On the flip side, Purdue isn't a team that really excels on either end of the court, but it is a very balanced and well-rounded squad.

The Bearcats had a relatively easy regular-season schedule but did notch good wins against San Diego State, NC State and SMU (twice). Much of the reason for the team's success stems from 6'10" forward Octavius Ellis and a big starting lineup that isn't afraid to get physical down low.

Ellis has been extremely consistent this season, averaging 10.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Cincinnati doesn't have any great facilitators, but when the team is able to feed Ellis on the inside, it has been successful. Purdue has a similar strategy with 7'0" center A.J. Hammons.

The big man has been a force this season, averaging 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. The difference here is Purdue's willingness to move the ball around on the offensive end of the court, ranking 37th in the nation in assists. If that trend continues in the NCAA tournament, expect Purdue's frontcourt to find more success en route to a victory in the round of 64.

Prediction: Purdue