NCAA Bracket 2018: Smart Predictions for Round 2's Most Intriguing Matchups

The minefield has been set for the 68 teams selected to the 2018 version of March Madness.

And once the eight squads are sliced in half at the First Four on Tuesday and Wednesday from Dayton, Ohio, the Big Dance can really get rolling.

All four regions are jam-packed with intrigue, from a potential round-of-32 battle between Kentucky and Arizona down South to a possible Kansas-Duke tussle in the Elite Eight to escape the Midwest.

But every step of this process should be savored, and the round of 64 won't disappoint—particularly with all eyes glued to the following three tilts.

View Bleacher Report's Printable Bracket here

(7) Rhode Island vs. (10) Oklahoma (Midwest Region)

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The round of 64's tipoff contest (12:15 p.m. ET on Thursday) has instant-classic potential.

The 10th-seeded Oklahoma Sooners have been discussed ad nauseam, both for the stellar play of freshman phenom Trae Young and their inexplicable tumble from 14-2 to 18-13. But even if Young slowed down over the course of the season, he's still the country's leader in points (27.4) and assists (8.8). Similarly, as cold as Oklahoma is now, this team toppled Kansas, Texas Tech and Wichita State along the way.

The Rhode Island Rams are cut from a like cloth. They went nearly two months without a loss, totaling 16 consecutive victories from Dec. 16 to Feb. 13. Then they split their last eight contests, dropping the Atlantic 10 title game to 12th-seeded Davidson.

Oklahoma (47th) is actually higher ranked on KenPom.com than Rhode Island (49th), but that just shows how close their respective bodies of work are to one another.

This matchup looks as unpredictable as they come, and it should ensure the Big Dance gets started on the right foot. Even if it fails to do that, it will be worth a watch to see how Young fares in his first (and maybe only) tournament test.

Prediction: Oklahoma 75, Rhode Island 72

(7) Nevada vs. (10) Texas (South Region)

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

The Nevada Wolf Pack might be the best team no one is talking about. Thanks to the nation's 10th-best offense, coach Eric Musselman's group steamrolled to a 27-7 record.

Texas Longhorns' freshman center Mohamed Bamba isn't flying under-the-radar by any stretch, but he also might not be talked about enough. Armed with both an unfair 7'9" wingspan and a developing perimeter game on the offensive end, the 19-year-old lottery-pick-to-be tallied 12.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.7 blocks on a nightly basis.

Believe it or not, those numbers could have been better if not for a sprained toe that slowed him down the stretch. But after playing just 14 minutes over Texas' final four outings, he feels the rest has brought him back to normal.

"I think I'm at 100 percent," Bamba said, per Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman. "I just can't wait to get out there and play."

The Wolf Pack will be ready to challenge one of the country's elite defenders. They have four players averaging at least 13 points per game, led by juniors Caleb Martin (19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds) and Jordan Caroline (17.9 points, 8.8 rebounds).

In other words, plan your Friday around this 4:30 p.m. ET showdown.

Prediction: Nevada 71, Texas 66

(8) Missouri vs. (9) Florida State (West Region)

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The round of 64's penultimate bout (Friday at 9:50 p.m. ET) will offer a way to keep fans entertained off the court.

It's a new game called Spot the NBA Scout, sort of a Where's Waldo? spinoff only if there were dozens of Waldos in each picture. Scouts will be crammed shoulder-to-shoulder inside Nashville's Bridgestone Arena to catch a glimpse of the Missouri Tigers' Michael Porter Jr.—perhaps the most mysterious player in the field.

The 6'10" freshman entered as highly touted as any of his classmates, but his campaign was effectively erased by back surgery. He played just two minutes in Missouri's opener and 23 in its lone SEC tournament tilt—that's the extent of his run so far.

But his skill level is special enough that if he can somehow get his legs under him, he could transform the Tigers into a team no one wants to face, as Brian Mull detailed for ESPN Insider:

"Michael Porter Jr. is a dynamic scorer. His return and impact is one of the top storylines of the tournament. The 6-foot-10 forward was No. 2 in the 2017 ESPN 100. He's a threat beyond the arc, in the midrange and around the basket. He's a certain lottery pick in the 2018 NBA draft."

Missouri might need a ton from Porter, since second-leading scorer Jordan Barnett won't be available due to a one-game suspension for an arrest over the weekend, per Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Florida State Seminoles skidded to the finish line with a 4-6 mark over their final 10 games. Their defense is exploitable (76th), but their offense and depth allowed to them score wins over Florida, North Carolina, Clemson and Miami along the way.

This should be a tight game, but the real intrigue lies with Porter and how he'll handle the bright lights and lengthy layoff.

Prediction: Missouri 69, Florida State 63

Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of KenPom.com and ESPN.com.