Everything You Need to Know About March Madness Day 1

Do you have your two TVs set up and enough snacks to last the day? Christmas in March is here. The NCAA Tournament begins on Thursday, and we've got everything you need to know below.

If you haven't finished your bracket yet, check out the upset picks. (And do not @ me, Big Blue Nation.) Three of the four Naismith Award finalists are in action as well as Oklahoma star Trae Young.

So check out this primer and then come up with your best excuse to tell your boss you cannot make it to work.

Most Likely Upsets

No. 11 Loyola-Chicago vs. No. 6 Miami

The Ramblers already knocked off another team from Florida this year, winning at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville back in early December.

Loyola-Chicago is like the mid-major version of Virginia—a defensive-minded team that slows the pace and makes you play in the half court. Miami was 1-3 in games that featured 62 possessions or fewer, including a 59-50 loss at home to Virginia. The Ramblers are led by former Iowa State guard Clayton Custer, the Missouri Valley Player of the Year.

No. 12 Davidson vs. No. 5 Kentucky

Steph Curry isn't walking through that door, but Kellan Grady is. Grady, a 6'5" freshman guard, is the next potential pro that coach Bob McKillop has lured to the small private liberal arts school in North Carolina.

Grady (18.0 ppg) and senior forward Peyton Aldridge (21.5 ppg) lead one of the best offensive teams in the country. McKillop is considered one of the best offensive tacticians in the game, and he spreads the floor with five shooters in his starting lineup.

Kentucky has played much better late in the season, but this is one of John Calipari's worst offensive teams. And while opponents do not shoot well from three-point range (29.9 percent), the Cats do allow a lot of attempts from deep (42.2 percent of opponents' field-goal attempts). That's a dangerous formula against any McKillop team.

Biggest Stars in Action

Trae Young, Oklahoma: The freshman point guard, who has drawn comparisons to Curry, is bound to bomb away from the logos. He's the nation's leading scorer (27.4 ppg) and assist man (8.8 apg).

Jalen Brunson, Villanova: Brunson is not as flashy as Young, but he's an efficient scorer who is the favorite to win National Player of the Year. His dad, Rick Brunson, was a journeyman in the NBA.

Marvin Bagley, Duke: The future lottery pick is as bouncy as they come. He plays above the rim and is a double-double machine, averaging 21.1 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.

Devonte Graham, Kansas: The Big 12 Player of the Year is so valuable that KU coach Bill Self barely ever takes him off the floor. In 18 conference games, Graham sat for just 16 minutes.

Game Most Likely to Produce a Buzzer-Beater

No. 9 North Carolina State vs. No. 8 Seton Hall: Two of Seton Hall's last four games have gone to overtime, and two of its last four have been decided by one point. KenPom.com is also predicting a close game, picking the Pirates to win 81-80.

1 Player You Should Be Rooting For: Mike Daum, South Dakota State

The three-point bombing big man is one of the best scorers in the country, averaging 23.8 points per game. He knocks down a ton of threes (91 so far for the season). And he's like the crafty old guy at the Y once he gets inside the line, with a bunch of fakes and pivots that will make those young bucks' heads spin. The Jackrabbits advancing would be a beautiful thing—just so we could see more Dauminator.

Prop Bet of the Day

The number of times it's mentioned in the Ohio State and Michigan games that it's been a long time since these teams have played.

The Big Ten made the funky decision to move its conference tourney up a week so it could be in New York City. That's likely something that will be discussed a lot.

Day 1's Games

Oklahoma vs. Rhode Island, 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS

Wright State vs. Tennessee, 12:40 p.m. ET on truTV

UNC Greensboro vs. Gonzaga, 1:30 p.m. ET on TNT

Penn vs. Kansas, 2:00 p.m. ET on TBS

Iona vs. Duke, 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS

Loyola-Chicago vs. Miami, 3:10 p.m. ET on truTV

South Dakota State vs. Ohio State, 4:00 p.m. ET on TNT

NC State vs. Seton Hall, 4:30 p.m. ET on TBS

Radford vs. Villanova, 6:45 p.m. ET on TNT

Davidson vs. Kentucky, 7:10 p.m. ET on CBS

San Diego State vs. Houston, 7:20 p.m. ET on TBS

Stephen F. Austin vs. Texas Tech, 7:27 p.m. ET on truTV

Alabama vs. Virginia Tech, 9:20 p.m. ET on TNT

Buffalo vs. Arizona, 9:40 p.m. ET on CBS

Montana vs. Michigan, 9:50 p.m. ET on TBS

St. Bonaventure vs. Florida, 9:55 p.m. ET on truTV

C.J. Moore covers college basketball at the national level for Bleacher Report. You can find him on Twitter, @CJMooreHoops.