NCAA Bracket 2019: Updated Schedule and Bold Predictions for the Round of 32

The NCAA tournament field has been cut in half from 64 teams to 32 over the past two days, and for many college basketball fans, that means their bracket has been busted.

But for some, a bracket pool victory is still in sight as March Madness enters the second round beginning with eight games on Saturday. Eight more matchups will take place on Sunday before a three-day break prior to the Sweet 16 round.

The first round featured some exciting matchups, and there are sure to be plenty more the rest of the tournament.

Bracket

Second Round Schedule (All Times ET)

Saturday

No. 6 Maryland vs. No. 3 LSU, 12:10 p.m., CBS

No. 7 Wofford vs. No. 2 Kentucky, 2:40 p.m., CBS

No. 10 Florida vs. No. 2 Michigan, 5:15 p.m., CBS

No. 12 Murray State vs. No. 4 Florida State, 6:10 p.m., TNT

No. 9 Baylor vs. No. 1 Gonzaga, 7:10 p.m., TBS

No. 10 Minnesota vs. No. 2 Michigan State, 7:45 p.m., CBS

No. 6 Villanova vs. No. 3 Purdue, 8:40 p.m., TNT

No. 5 Auburn vs. No. 4 Kansas, 9:40 p.m., TBS

Sunday

No. 10 Iowa vs. No. 2 Tennessee, 12:10 p.m., CBS

No. 9 Washington vs. No. 1 North Carolina, 2:40 p.m., CBS

No. 9 UCF vs. No. 1 Duke, 5:15 p.m., CBS

No. 6 Buffalo vs. No. 3 Texas Tech, 6:10 p.m., TNT

No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 4 Virginia Tech, 7:10 p.m., TBS

No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Virginia, 7:45 p.m., truTV

No. 11 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Houston, 8:40 p.m., TNT

No. 13 UC Irvine vs. No. 12 Oregon, 9:40 p.m., TBS

3 Bold Predictions

5 Big Ten Teams Make Sweet 16

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

This wouldn't be a record, as the ACC sent six teams to the Sweet 16 in 2016. But this would certainly be an impressive feat for the Big Ten, especially considering four of the seven teams from the conference that are in the second round are the higher seed in its matchup.

However, five of the Big Ten teams will play well enough to get this done.

The conference is guaranteed to have one team in the Sweet 16, as No. 2 seed Michigan State and No. 10 seed Minnesota play each other on Saturday, a matchup that the Spartans should likely win.

No. 2 seed Michigan will beat No. 10 seed Florida, while No. 6 seed Maryland (vs. No. 3 seed LSU), No. 10 seed Iowa (vs. No. 2 seed Tennessee) and No. 11 seed Ohio State (vs. No. 3 seed Houston) will be the Big Ten teams to pull off upsets and advance.

"We've been saying all year long that it's the most competitive league in the country, top to bottom," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said, according to ESPN.com. "And you sort of expect Big Ten coaches to make those kinds of statements, but the reality is we actually believe it. And so I think it's proving it."

No. 12 seed Murray State Becomes Cinderella Team

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

Murray State isn't a typical mid-major team in March Madness. That's because the Racers have dynamic guard Ja Morant, who will likely be a top-five pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

Not only that, but Murray State has won 12 straight games, which included upsetting Belmont in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship game and No. 5 seed Marquette in the opening round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday.

The Racers have momentum, a star player and a winnable matchup against No. 4 seed Florida State in the second round. After that, Murray State would likely play No. 1 seed Gonzaga in its toughest game of the tournament to that point.

However, the Racers beating Florida State and Gonzaga would solidify them as this year's Cinderella team.

"This time of year, you're not going to play any bad teams," Murray State coach Matt McMahon said, according to The Paducah Sun, "so we'll have to play very, very well to have an opportunity to win."

Tennessee is First No. 2 Seed to Lose

The second round is much tougher for Nos. 1 and 2 seeds than the first round. Instead of playing Nos. 15 and 16 seeds from low mid-major conferences, the opponents for the top seeds in the second round are more well-known.

While most of the top seeds will win this weekend and advance to the Sweet 16, that won't be the case for No. 2 seed Tennessee. After the Vols beat No. 15 seed Colgate 77-70 on Friday, they play No. 10 seed Iowa on Sunday.

Tennessee's first-round matchup was closer than most expected. And although Iowa lost six of its last eight games prior to the NCAA tournament, the Hawkeyes notched a first-round win over No. 7 seed Cincinnati.

The Hawkeyes had some bright spots during the regular season, such as wins over fellow NCAA tournament teams Michigan and Oregon. A win over Tennessee would be another one.