East Region First Round bracket predictions
1 Purdue vs. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson
Once again, we don’t have much to say here. Zach Edey and the Boilermakers appeared to recapture their mojo in the Big Ten Tournament and a Fairleigh Dickinson team who got into the Field of 68 on a technicality isn’t going to inspire much fear in Matt Painter’s team.
Pick: Purdue advances
8 Memphis vs. 9 Florida Atlantic
Memphis may have gotten a favor to win the AAC over a short-handed Houston team but Penny Hardaway’s group looks extremely hungry. The lack of size and the lack of experience against high-level competition is glaring with Florida Atlantic who hasn’t played a Top 25 team all year. The Owls had a magical season, but the Tigers are hitting their stride behind Kendric Davis and could start a run with a win here.
Pick: Memphis advances
5 Duke vs. 12 Oral Roberts
Duke won the ACC Tournament and appears to be hitting its stride with Jeremy Roach back. However, this is a Blue Devils team that has experienced a number of letdowns throughout the year, especially when shots from deep aren’t falling. Max Abmas now leads a scintillating Oral Roberts team into this matchup where you know he and Connor Vanover can find points. But the latter at 7-foot-5 could be an x-factor to neutralize Duke’s interior and rebounding present. I think Abmas has one last run in his college career and it starts with an upset in this game.
Pick: Oral Roberts advances
4 Tennessee vs. 13 Louisiana
It’s hard not to be worried about Tennessee after the Vols lost Zakai Ziegler for the year with a knee injury. He was the heart of their stout defensive presence and was a spark plug offensively as well. I don’t see it being too much of an issue against a Louisiana team that has struggled mightily against the little high-end competition it faced, but it’s something to watch for the Vols, without question.
Pick: Tennessee advances
6 Kentucky vs. 11 Providence
Even after falling to Vandy in the SEC Tournament, the conversations about whether Kentucky would be part of March Madness are a distant memory now. Providence has an efficient offense but the Wildcats have shown the ability behind Cason Wallace to clamp down defensively. If Kentucky can use the inside-out game with Oscar Tshiebwe, they should be able to pull this game out without sweating too much.
Pick: Kentucky advances
3 Kansas State vs. 14 Montana State
There is a world where Kansas State is ripe to be upset early in March Madness — I just don’t see it against Montana State. Outside of RaeQuan Battle, the Bobcats aren’t a good offensive team overall and I don’t see them being able to take enough advantage of the Wildcats’ turnover issues. Throw in the lack of answers against Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell and K-State should survive this round.
Pick: Kansas State advances
7 Michigan State vs. 10 USC
Even with Tom Izzo in March, I’m skeptical of Sparty as a whole this season. With that said, this matchup against USC plays right into Michigan State’s hands. The Spartans can fill it up from deep but the Trojans aren’t an elite perimeter defense — they thrive in not allowing buckets inside the arc. That should leave MSU plenty of looks they’re hoping for and, ultimately, push them through to the Second Round.
Pick: Michigan State advances
2 Marquette vs. 15 Vermont
Vermont would be a prime candidate to pull an upset against several high seeds in the NCAA Tournament, but Marquette isn’t one of them. The Golden Eagles are susceptible against strong frontcourts and size, which isn’t the strength of the Catamounts, a team that thrives from shooting the ball from deep and not turning it over. Marquette should be able to keep Vermont on its heels and control this game from start to finish.
Pick: Marquette advances
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