March Madness 1st Round: Most Intriguing Games (Thursday)
Photo: Steve Griffin/Deseret News
Welcome to the most exciting two days in sports: The first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament which takes place on Thursday and Friday every year. I’m going to be highlighting the most intriguing matchups all weekend (1st and 2nd rounds), so I’ll start with the games I’m most excited to see tomorrow, Thursday March 21. I will not make any predictions, however, since I’m involved in a Tournament Bracket Challenge and don’t want to give away my picks before the tournament begins. After it begins, I’ll be glad to share my thoughts.
#14 Yale vs. #3 LSU
East Region
12:40 p.m.
TruTV
The second game of the day, and the tournament, is expected to be a really good one. A lot of people are taking the upset in this one, largely in part to LSU’s coach Will Wade being suspended. Even though players insist it’s not a distraction, you would think it has to be. LSU is far more talented, but Yale is a very capable team, coming off an Ivy League Championship. They also have the Ivy League player of the year in guard Miye Oni. Both teams score 81 points per game and give up 73 points per game. It’s a very interesting matchup of two teams with different styles.
Photo: www.si.com
#12 Murray State vs. #5 Marquette
West Region
4:30 p.m.
TBS
I think this is the most intriguing game of the day, primarily because it involves two electrifying players. Marquette guard Markus Howard will square off against Murray State guard Ja Morant in what figures to be a super-exciting clash. Howard led the Big East in scoring this season at 25 points per game and Morant is expected to be a top-3 draft pick in the upcoming NBA draft. He is averaging 24.6 points per game while dishing out 10 assists per game. This game should be a fast-paced affair and like the previously mentioned game, is a popular upset pick for people.
#10 Florida vs. #7 Nevada
West Region
6:50 p.m.
TNT
This game will be interesting because we all want to find out what kind of team Nevada is. We know that they posted a 29-4 record, but haven’t proved they can beat big time teams. Their biggest win on the year is one against Utah State, and that isn’t a slight to Utah State, but they aren’t on the same level as good teams from power five conferences. What kind of record would Nevada have if they played in the SEC all year? I’m willing to bet they wouldn’t finish as good as Florida, who finished 8th in the conference. Nevada does feature a very experienced squad full of 5th year seniors, so that should play a big part in this game and potential tournament run.
Photo: villanova.com
#11 Saint Mary’s vs. #6 Villanova
South Region
7:20 p.m.
TBS
A lot of people seem to be going with the 11-6 upset in this one, which would already knock out the defending champions. Saint Mary’s is coming off their impressive 60-47 win over Gonzaga (who snagged a #1 seed) to capture the WCC tournament championship. It will be interesting to see if the Gaels can ride that momentum to a win here, and even further through the tournament. Both teams will look to shoot well from three-point range, so there’s a good chance the winner will be the team that can find more success behind the arc. And lastly, how will Villanova seniors Phil Booth and Eric Paschall affect the game? Will their successful tournament experience prevent the Saint Mary’s upset that many people are predicting?
#9 Baylor vs. #8 Syracuse
West Region
9:57 p.m.
TruTV
I found this game very difficult to pick because both teams are backsliding into the tournament. Neither one deserves to be picked to win a game, but someone has to win, which makes this an interesting game for a different reason. Baylor has lost four games in a row and Syracuse has lost 5 of their last 7. It’s safe to say confidence isn’t at an all-time high for either team. Baylor has struggled since losing Tristan Clark in January, who averaged 14.6 points per game and Syracuse hasn’t been the same since the unfortunate and tragic Jim Boeheim traffic incident. It’s always interesting to see how teams respond to the Orange’s zone defense though, especially when it’s the first time playing against it in the season. #8 and #9 seeds generally are very good matchups and this one should be as well.
Garett