NCAA Bracket 2019: Forecasting Potentially Epic First-Round Matchups
After the NCAA men's basketball tournament bracket is released on Selection Sunday, we'll spend four days breaking down some of the most intriguing first-round games.
Between now and March 17, we'll get a better idea of which programs will match up with each other.
Although plenty can change over the next week, we're starting to figure out which seed lines certain teams will end up on and which teams they're likeliest to square off with in the first round.
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Based off the most-recent bracket predictions, we put together some potentially epic first-round matchups.
Potentially Epic 1st-Round Matchups
UCF vs. Syracuse
Have you ever wondered how Jim Boeheim's 2-3 zone would fare against a 7'6" center?
Well, if you have, a potential matchup between UCF and Syracuse will be your favorite clash of the first round.
Even if you haven't dreamed about that type of matchup, it'll be intriguing to break down in the days leading up to the NCAA tournament, as the Orange have to find a way to contain UCF center Tacko Fall with their 2-3 zone.
UCF is a No. 8 seed in most projections, while Syracuse is a No. 9 seed according to the same predictions.
The UCF-Syracuse battle could go one of two ways: the zone could frustrate the heck out of Fall and Syracuse wins, or the UCF center beats the Orange by neutralizing the defensive scheme with his size.
As we've learned too many times in the past, Syracuse can be a hard team to knock out in March because of the zone, and if UCF can't make adjustments on the fly, it'll lose in the first round.
Of course, UCF brings much more to the court than just Fall, although he'll get the bulk of the attention, as guards B.J. Taylor and Aubrey Dawkins are the team's top two scorers.
Syracuse possesses a nice combination of guards as well in Tyus Battle and Frank Howard, and it has plenty of options to defend Fall in Oshae Brissett, Paschal Chukwu and Marek Dolezaj.
The seeds for both teams could change in the next week, especially if Syracuse goes on a deep run at the ACC tournament, but if they both hang around their current projected seed lines, we'll be clamoring for this matchup in the first round.
Kansas vs. Lipscomb
Kansas might be the power-conference team most likely to be upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Jayhawks have struggled to find consistency in a year in which their 14-year Big 12 regular-season title streak came to an end.
This is far from the best group Bill Self has had at Kansas, and his program is expected to be a No. 4 or No. 5 seed, depending on which projection you look at.
Lipscomb is projected as Kansas' opponent in the latest projections from ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi, while CBSSports.com's Jerry Palm has the Bisons as a No. 12 seed.
In any other year, the Jayhawks would be the heavy favorite to dispense of the projected Atlantic Sun champion, but this hasn't been a normal season in Lawrence, Kansas.
The Jayhawks haven't won more than three games in a row during Big 12 play, while on the other hand, Lipscomb went 14-2 in conference play.
The Bisons have a three-pronged offensive attack in Garrison Matthews, Rob Marberry and Kenny Cooper that can wreak havoc on any first-round opponent.
Matthews is the most dangerous player of the three, as he's reached double digits in points in all but three games this season.
If Kansas' young backcourt is unable to limit Matthews' production, the Jayhawks could be in line for a surprise first-round exit.
Buffalo vs. Arizona State
After delivering a shocking upset against Arizona a year ago, Buffalo is expected to be favored in its first-round matchup.
The Bulls are currently projected as a No. 6 seed by Lunardi and Palm, which could lead to any number of intriguing matchups with a No. 11 seed.
One of the teams lurking around the No. 11 seed line at the moment is Arizona State, who is coached by former Buffalo head coach Bobby Hurley.
Hurley earned his shot at a power-conference job by leading the Bulls to their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2015.
Hurley led Arizona State to the Big Dance in 2018, but the Sun Devils fell to Syracuse in the First Four.
While Buffalo is looking to prove last year's upset over Arizona wasn't a fluke, the Sun Devils are trying to show improvement under Hurley and that the Pac-12, which is experiencing a down year, can produce a team capable of making noise in the NCAA tournament.
Buffalo has been one of the most consistent teams in the nation behind the trio of C.J. Massinburg, Nick Perkins and Jeremy Harris, who all average over 13 points per game.
Arizona State put together a rather unimpressive 12-6 mark in the Pac-12, but it's in the tournament conversation because of wins over Mississippi State and then-top-ranked Kansas in nonconference play.
A guard matchup pitting Massinburg and Harris against Luguentz Dort and Remy Martin would be one of the best positional battles of the first round.
If you add that to the Hurley storyline, you have a first-round matchup that will generate plenty of buzz.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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