March Madness 2016: First Four Day 1 Schedule, Bracket Predictions, Odds, Tips

You won't have to wait long to see some exciting action in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, as this year's March Madness will feature drama right off the bat.

While most fans will wait until Thursday's round of 64 to start watching, the tourney actually begins Tuesday with some intriguing battles in the First Four. Considering at least one of these teams has advanced to the round of 32 in each season—not to mention a few Sweet 16 appearances and a Final Four berth—you don't want to miss the action.

Here is a breakdown of what you need to know as well as some predictions for the first two games of the 2016 NCAA tournament in Dayton, Ohio.

No. 16 Florida Gulf Coast vs. No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

When: Tuesday, March 15

Time: 6:40 p.m. ET

TV: TruTV

Spread: Florida Gulf Coast (-6)

The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles orchestrated one of the most surprising runs in NCAA tournament history in 2013, getting to the Sweet 16 as a No. 15 seed. Dunk City was all the rage, with a high-flying attack that created one highlight-reel play after another.

After head coach Andy Enfield left for USC, however, the program was rebuilt on its defense.

New head coach Joe Dooley recently explained his philosophy, per Dana Caldwell of the Naples Daily News:

"

We tell our guys we want one or less shots every possession. … When you look at field-goal percentage defense, we've been around 40 percent all three years. 

We talk about all the time, 'If they can't score, they can't beat you.' So there's nights when you're not playing well offensively, you give yourself a chance. That's something we pride ourselves on.

"

Defense will be important against Fairleigh Dickinson, which has four players who are averaging at least 11 points per game. The Knights can spread opponents out and hit shots from deep, allowing them to stay competitive against almost anyone. If Darian Anderson gets hot, this team can be scary.

However, Fairleigh Dickinson is also a young team consisting of mostly freshmen and sophomores. This has led to plenty of mistakes throughout the year, especially on the defensive end, where the team is allowing 78.3 points per game. Only once in its last 14 games has the squad held an opponent to fewer than 70 points.

Marc-Eddy Norelia should be able to pound the ball inside and get baskets at will against a struggling defense, giving Florida Gulf Coast a chance to advance.

Prediction: Florida Gulf Coast wins, 82-67.

No. 11 Vanderbilt vs. No. 11 Wichita State

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

When: Tuesday, March 15

Time: 9:10 p.m. ET

TV: TruTV

Spread: Wichita State (-3)

It's understandable to want to overlook a bunch of bubble teams competing after disappointing years, but Vanderbilt and Wichita State have as much talent as anyone in the history of the First Four.

ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello described the matchup:

Vanderbilt has had an up-and-down year, but the Commodores are dangerous when at their best. According to DraftExpress, both point guard Wade Baldwin IV and center Damian Jones could land in the first round of the upcoming NBA draft, creating a deadly inside-out combo at this level. 

This skill has led to wins over Kentucky and Texas A&M, among other teams.

Unfortunately, Wichita State has a knack for throwing opponents off their game with the No. 1 defense in college basketball, according to KenPom.com. Even without a lot of size, the Shockers are usually in good position and allow few open shots.

You can also be certain that Wichita State won't be afraid of the situation. Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker have already put together incredible resumes in their careers, including two Sweet 16 appearances, a Final Four run and an undefeated regular season. Now they have a chance to close out their senior years with another great run.

The confidence and skill set in the backcourt should be enough to give the Shockers the advantage in Dayton and allow them to become one of the most dangerous sleepers in the round of 64.

Prediction: Wichita State wins, 61-56.

Betting information courtesy of Odds Shark.

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