It's Tourney Time (First Round Predictions)

With the new NCAA men's basketball tournament format, round 1 is being played tonight and tomorrow night (Tuesday and Wednesday). The selection committee made some horrendous choices this year which is odd seeing as the expansion of teams was supposed to make it easier. Oh well. The NCAA, one of the only places where you can make money off of athletes and punish them for getting paid. On to the predictions.

Tuesday

16 UNC - Asheville v. 16 Arkansas - Little Rock (6:30 pm) -- I'm not going to act like I've seen these teams play. Neither team has an impressive win on their schedule but UNC-Asheville has losses to tougher opponents than UALR.

16 UNC - Asheville

12 Clemson v. 12 UAB (9:00 pm) -- UAB is one of the teams that I feel should have been left out. Nothing very impressive about their schedule. Losses to Southern Miss, Tulsa, Arizona State, and East Carolina combined with one win over a tourney team (VCU, who was a questionable selection to some) and two losses to Memphis (who wouldn't have made the tourney without winning the conference tourney) don't bode well for this team. Compare that to Clemson. Their losses to non-tourney teams came within the ACC and/or on the road (@South Carolina by 4, @Maryland by 2, @Virginia by 2, @NC State by 8). While the road losses and lack of marquee wins hurt Clemson's chances to advance past the first weekend, they shouldn't have a problem with UAB. I think Colorado or Alabama could beat either of these teams however.

12 Clemson

Wednesday

16 Texas - San Antonio v. 16 Alabama St. (6:30 pm) -- Again, never seen either of these teams this year. The only reason I know Alabama St is from NCAA College Hoops 2k8 (which I still play to this day) where I played against them as my Alcorn State start up team. Anyway... Alabama St. played tougher teams this year than Texas-San Antonio, so I give them the nod. Toss up really.

Alabama St.

11 VCU v. 11 USC (9:00 pm) -- VCU has only a few good wins this year (UCLA (neutral court), @Old Dominion, vs. George Mason) mixed with only a couple bad losses (@Georgia State, @Northeastern). However that pales in comparison with USC's complete inconsistencies all year. USC has some big wins (vs. Texas, @Tennessee, vs. UCLA, vs. Arizona, @Washington) and some head scratching losses (vs. Bradley, @TCU, Oregon twice, @Oregon State). I would love to give USC the benefit of the doubt and assume they will put their talent together at the right time, but I have a feeling VCU is looking to prove some people wrong.

VCU

Tomorrow night (Wednesday) -- Predictions for Thursday's games (Round 2)