NCAA Bracket 2017: Updated Schedule and Predictions After Thursday's 1st Round

Top-seeded Gonzaga took care of business in its 66-46 victory over South Dakota State, but the game was not an easy one for the Zags despite the final score.

The 16th-seeded Jackrabbits trailed by just four points at halftime, and they lived up to their nickname. They were the quicker team throughout the first half as they won nearly every race to loose balls before Gonzaga shook itself out of the doldrums and picked up its level of play.

South Dakota State had won nine of its last 11 games coming into the game in Salt Lake City Thursday afternoon, and the Jackrabbits had no intention of allowing the Zags to run away from them.

Jordan Mathews led the way for Gonzaga with 16 points, and head coach Mark Few did not like the pressure of keeping No. 1 seeds undefeated against No. 16 seeds. In the history of the tournament with the current seeding format, no 16th seed has ever beaten a No. 1 seed.

"That 1-16 game, someone else can have that from here on out," Few said after the game (h/t Associated Press and ESPN). "I've served my time in it. I'll go ahead and land somewhere else."

Matchup	Time (ET)	Location	Pointspread	Prediction
Michigan (7) vs. Oklahoma State (10)	12:15 p.m.	Indianapolis	Michigan -2.5	Michigan
Baylor (3) vs. New Mexico State (14)	12:40 p.m.	Tulsa, Oklahoma	Baylor -12.5	Baylor
Arkansas (8) vs. Seton Hall (9)	1:30 p.m.	Greenville, South Carolina	Arkansas -1	Seton Hall
Oregon (3) vs. Iona (14)	2 p.m.	Sacramento	Oregon -14.5	Iona*
Louisville (2) vs. Jacksonville State (15)	2:45 p.m.	Indianapolis	Louisville -19.5	Louisivlle
SMU (6) vs. USC (11)	3:10 p.m.	Tulsa, Oklahoma	SMU -6.5	USC
North Carolina (1) vs. Texas Southern (16)	4 p.m.	Greenville, South Carolina	UNC -26.5	Texas Southern*
Creighton (6) vs. Rhode Island (11)	4:30 p.m.	Sacramento	Even	Creighton
Kansas (1) vs. UC-Davis (16)	6:50 p.m.	Tulsa	Kansas -23.5	UC-Davis*
Dayton (7) vs. Wichita State (10)	7:10 p.m.	Indianapolis	Wichita State -6.5	Dayton
Duke (2) vs. Troy (15)	7:20 p.m	Greenville, South Carolina	Duke -20	Duke
Cincinnati (6) vs. Kansas State (11)	7:27 p.m.	Sacramento	Cincinnati -3.5	Cincinnati
Miami (8) vs. Michigan State (9)	9:20 p.m.	Tulsa	Miami -2	Michigan State
Kentucky (2) vs. Northern Kentucky (15)	9:40 p.m.	Indianapolis	Kentucky -20	Northern Kentucky*
South Carolina (7) vs. Marquette (10)	9:50 p.m.	Greenville, South Carolina	South Carolina -1.5	Marquette
UCLA (3) vs. Kent State (14)	9:57 p.m.	Sacramento	UCLA -18.5	UCLA
*- Cover point spread but lose game.

Gonzaga may not have played its best game, but the Zags survived and advanced. They will face eighth-seeded Northwestern Saturday.

The Wildcats survived a major comeback by Vanderbilt and came away with a 68-66 victory over the Commodores.

Northwestern looked sharp through the early part of the second half in its first NCAA tournament game and built a 15-point lead. However, the Commodores rallied and led by one in the final 18 seconds when Riley LaChance produced a layup. However, as Bryant McIntosh dribbled the ball upcourt, he was inexplicably fouled by Matthew Fisher-Davis. 

That allowed McIntosh to go to the free-throw line, and the guard hit both of those shots to give the Wildcats a one-point lead. 

Vanderbilt was unable to recover after McIntosh hit the game-winning free throws.

Fisher-Davis admitted that he thought his team was down by a point when he committed the foul.

"I actually thought we were down one," Fisher-Davis explained after the loss (h/t Associated Press and ESPN). "Coach...pointed at him, but he was just telling me that was my matchup. I took it as [I should] foul. It was just a dumb-ass foul."

McIntosh led the Wildcats with 25 points, while teammates Dererk Pardon and Scottie Lindsey scored 14 points each.

Fisher-Davis had 22 points off the bench to lead Vanderbilt, but that was cold comfort after committing the foul that allowed the Wildcats to score the winning points.

Friday's action will see 16 more games, and those will include No. 1 seeds North Carolina and Kansas seeing their first action in the tournament.

The Tar Heels will take on 16th-seeded Texas Southern in Greenville, South Carolina, while the Jayhawks will take on UC Davis in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

North Carolina and Kansas will try to raise the all-time record of No. 1 seeds to 132-0 when facing No. 16 seeds.

Friday's predictions

Michigan takes on Oklahoma State in Indianapolis in the first game of the day.

The Wolverines are fresh off their inspiring victory in the Big Ten tournament, and while many teams try to take on the "team of destiny" persona, Michigan can make an excellent case.

As the team flew to Washington D.C. for the conference tournament, their plane had a scary mishap. While nobody was injured, the incident could have been a disaster. If the team was shaken, it never showed on the court.

Look for Michigan to continue to play solid basketball. The Wolverines are led by Derrick Walton Jr., who is averaging a team-high 15.2 points per game and Zak Irvin, who is contributing 12.8 points per night.

Sophomore guard Jawun Evans is the go-to guy for the Cowboys, as he is averaging 19.0 points per game. Jeffrey Carroll is averaging 17.4 points per night and is shooting 53.2 percent from the floor.

Look for Michigan to take charge in the second half. OddsShark has installed the Wolverines as a 2.5-point favorite, and should be able to cover the spread.

Sam Riche/Associated Press

Seton Hall and Arkansas should be involved in one of the night's tightest games.

The eighth-seeded Razorbacks are one-point favorites over the Pirates, and Seton Hall will play a hard-nosed and physical style to try to advance in the tournament.

Seton Hall comes into the tournament playing its best basketball of the year. The Pirates won six games in a row before losing to top-seeded Villanova in the Big East conference tournament by two points. 

The Pirates are led by Khadeen Carrington and Desi Rodriguez. Carrington is averaging 16.9 points per games, while Rodriguez is in the same neighborhood with 15.9 points per night.

The Razorbacks have four players who average in double figures, including Dusty Hannahs at 14.6 points per game and Daryl Macon at 13.4 points per night.

This game should be a back-and-forth battle, but look for the Pirates to outlast the Hogs and come away with the victory.

The last game on Friday's schedule is the matchup between third-seeded UCLA and 14th-seeded Kent State.

This is a game that is worth staying up late for because the talented Bruins are capable of winning this tournament.

Head coach Steve Alford has hit the jackpot this season, as he has the highest-scoring team in the nation at 90.4 points per game.

The spectacular Lonzo Ball, T.J. Leaf and Bryce Alford are capable of lighting up the best teams in the nation. Kent State does not fit that category, and the Golden Flashes will be overmatched when the two teams meet in Sacramento.

Despite the 18.5-point spread, this should be a UCLA runaway and an easy cover.