NCAA Bracket 2022: Updated Schedule and Predictions After Wednesday First Four

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish face one of the toughest assignments any First Four winner has had in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

Notre Dame will have a quick turnaround from its double-overtime win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to a late-afternoon game with the Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday. 

Mike Brey's team has to travel from Dayton, Ohio, to San Diego overnight and then prepare for the sixth-seeded Crimson Tide. 

Alabama appears to have an ideal draw to take down the 11th-seeded Irish, but the Crimson Tide have not been too trustworthy this season, and they face one clear disadvantage against the ACC squad that could make the game close. 

The Wright State Raiders were likely already on their plane to San Diego by the time Notre Dame completed its First Four win. They defeated the Bryant Bulldogs on Wednesday to earn the tough challenge of facing the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats on short rest. 

Wright State might hang with the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament champion for a half, but the Wildcats' high-powered offense should finish off the contest fairly easily.

        

NCAA Tournament Bracket

    

Predictions

No. 11 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Alabama (-4.5) 

Alabama has the clear edge over Notre Dame when it comes to fitness. 

The Crimson Tide waited in San Diego while the Irish went through their double-overtime battle with Rutgers in Dayton.

Alabama should try to get off to a fast start to test how much Notre Dame has left in its legs. 

While that sounds easy, it needs to be hammered home for an inconsistent Alabama team. The Crimson Tide has lost four of their last six games, but they have wins over the Arkansas Razorbacks, Baylor Bears and Tennessee Volunteers on the season. 

The good version of Nate Oats' team can beat Notre Dame by double digits. Alabama plays at the 12th-fastest tempo in the nation and has the eighth-best two-point offense, per KenPom.

Alabama can outrun Notre Dame and tire the legs of the ACC squad, but it needs to prevent one thing from happening. 

The Fighting Irish scored over 50 points in the paint against Rutgers, and Alabama does not have a dominant frontcourt player. 

Notre Dame could use the combination of Nate Laszewski and Paul Atkinson to attack down low, or it may call on Prentiss Hubb and Blake Wesley to charge toward the rim more. 

As long as Alabama limits Notre Dame's paint production, it should tire out the ACC squad with its tempo and pull away with a first-round victory.

       

No. 16 Wright State vs. No. 1 Arizona (Over 156.5) 

Wright State proved in its First Four win over Bryant that it has no problem getting up and down the court. 

The Raiders produced 93 points on Wednesday night, and they need a similar output to match one of the highest-scoring teams in the country.

Arizona plays at the eighth-fastest adjusted tempo, per KenPom. It has the fifth-ranked two-point offense and sits at No. 10 in effective field-goal percentage. 

The Wildcats eclipsed the 80-point mark in each of their three Pac-12 tournament victories in Las Vegas last weekend. Tommy Lloyd's squad scored under 80 points in a victory once in its last 12 wins, so if Arizona beats Wright State as expected, it should come close to the 90-point mark. 

Arizona's defense has not been spectacular when it comes to point concessions lately. It allowed five of its last nine opponents to score over 75 points. 

That is a positive sign for Wright State's offense as it tries to remain somewhat close with the Wildcats. 

Wright State may have a better shot at Arizona in the first half as its adrenaline from Wednesday's win carries over into Friday night. 

The Horizon League champion may run into some fatigue in the second half, which could allow for Arizona to run up the score in the final 20 minutes and help the over hit.

         

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

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