Let’s take a quick run through every first-round match up to highlight the top question in each game.
1.
(5) West Virginia 84 (12) Clemson 76
How will the Mountaineers handle Clemson’s pressure defense, which forces turnovers on 23.2 percent of defensive possessions?
ANSWER: After an ugly start, West Virginia recovered to beat Clemson 84-76 in the first game of the day. The Mountaineers succeeded in limiting turnovers to about 16 percent of their possessions, better than their season average 19.0 percent and even more impressive against the Tigers.
2.
(8) Butler 60 (9) Old Dominion 58
Can last year’s national runner-up get past Old Dominion and its stingy zone?
ANSWER: Yes, thanks to Matt Howard’s buzzer-beating tap back off a wild driving layup by Shawn Vanzant. The most impressive part of the Bulldogs’ 60-58 win was Butler’s +1 rebounding advantage against a team that ranked first in offensive rebounding percentage and No. 16 in defensive rebounding percentage.
3.
(13) Morehead State 62 (4) Louisville 61
Can the Cardinals’ Terrence Jennings keep Morehead State’s Kenneth Faried, the top rebounder in the nation, off the glass for Louisville, which isn’t a particularly great rebounding team?
ANSWER: No. Faried dominated with 17 rebounds, including six at the offensive end, which helped the Eagles out-rebound the Cardinals 36-27 and set up Demonte Harper’s clutch game-winning three-pointer with four seconds remaining.
4.
(7) Temple 66 (10) Penn State 64
In a game of two slow-paced offenses, will either team crack 50 points, and will anyone watch it?
ANSWER: Yes, and absolutely yes. Both teams cracked the 50-point plateau midway through the second half en route to finishing with 46.2 percent shooting for Temple and 48.1 percent for Penn State. Talor Battle drained a 25-footer to tie the game with 14 seconds left, and then Juan Fernandez leaned around a defender to hit the game-winning jumper with 0.4 seconds to go.
5.
(4) Kentucky 59 (13) Princeton 57
Will John Calipari’s Wildcats beat a veteran-laden Ivy League squad for the second consecutive tournament after taking out Cornell last season?
ANSWER: Barely. Kentucky freshman phenom Brandon Knight shows the poise of a veteran by taking his man off a switch at the top of the key to drive for the winning layup with two seconds to go. Knight had missed all seven of his previous shots, scoring his only points right before the buzzer.
6.
(1) Pittsburgh 74 (16) UNC-Asheville 51
Can UNC-Asheville, a poor rebounding team, do anything to keep Pittsburgh from dominating the boards, even though the Panthers grab 42.7 percent of their misses on offense?
ANSWER: No, the Bulldogs couldn’t. In a 23-point loss in which UNC-Asheville stayed close until the final 12 minutes, Pittsburgh bullied the Bulldogs on the glass, rebounding 55.9 percent of the team’s missed shots and finishing with a 44-24 edge in rebounds.
7.
(12) Richmond 69 (5) Vanderbilt 66
In a game featuring two teams heavily dependent on the long ball, which team will be hotter from three-point range?
ANSWER: Richmond. The Spiders defended the long-range shot well and hit 12 three-pointers on offense, which fueled the team’s 69-66 upset of Vanderbilt. For the season, nearly 40 percent of the Commodores’ shots and about 30 percent of their points came from long range. But against Richmond, only 27.7 percent of Vanderbilt’s shots came from behind the arc, and three-pointers accounted for only 27.3 percent of the team’s points.
8.
(2) San Diego State 68 (15) Northern Colorado 50
Can the Bears, the No. 6 free throw shooting team in the country, get to the line 24 times against San Diego State, which is among the top 25 teams in the country at avoiding fouls?
ANSWER: Not even close. Northern Colorado got to the line only eight times in the 68-50 loss to San Diego State, and the Bears made only four of those attempts. The team shot poorly from everywhere, dooming its upset bid.
9.
(2) Florida 79 (15) UC-Santa Barbara 51
Playing in Tampa in front a heavily partisan Gator crowd, how will UC-Santa Barbara, not an excellent offensive team, respond if Florida jumps out to a quick double-digit lead?
ANSWER: Not well, despite lack of huge Gator cheering section. Florida sprinted out to an early lead, extended it to 24 by halftime and coasted to a 28-point victory. However, although the Gators are only two hours from home, there wasn’t a particularly vocal crowd in the stands. Maybe they’re waiting for Saturday vs. Michigan State or UCLA?
10.
(3) BYU 74 (14) Wofford 66
Will Wofford, which has five seniors and three juniors who played in the tournament last season, be able to take advantage of BYU’s lack of interior muscle without Brandon Davies?
ANSWER: Yes, but it didn’t make a big enough difference. Wofford forward Noah Dahlman put up 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting and got to the line 15 times. But Jimmer Fredette had 32 points and eight assists for the Cougars, who pulled away from the Terriers down the stretch for a 74-66 win.
11.
(3) Connecticut 81 (14) Bucknell 52
Will the Huskies’ five games in five days run to the Big East championship negatively affect Connecticut against a Bucknell squad that plays solid defense, particularly by holding opponents to a poor shooting percentage?
ANSWER: Um, no. Connecticut put up a great 1.25 points per possession in an 81-52 beatdown of Bucknell. The Huskies shot 48.5 percent from the field against that Bucknell defense, too. It’s on to the next for the Huskies.
12.
(4) Wisconsin 72 (13) Belmont 58
Can the Bruins’ excellent long-range shooting get Belmont past Wisconsin, which almost never commits turnovers and can go toe to toe with the best sharpshooters in the country?
ANSWER: No upset for the Bruins. Belmont made six three-pointers, which wasn’t enough compared to Wisconsin’s 12 deep-range shots. Although the Badgers were uncharacteristically sloppy and committed 12 turnovers — 21 percent of their possessions ended in a turnover — the Bruins just couldn’t take advantage on offense.
13.
(7) UCLA 78 (10) Michigan State 76
Will coach Tom Izzo get the Spartans rolling in March as he has done with several other teams, including last year’s Final Four squad?
ANSWER: Almost, but not quite. The Spartans fell behind by 20 points to UCLA with an awful first half. And then Izzo’s team started a furious rally that pulled Michigan State within one point of tying the game. But the Spartans couldn’t get over the hump, and the Bruins held on for a 78-76 win.
14.
(11) Gonzaga 86 (6) St. John’s 71
How will St. John’s respond to the loss of D.J. Kennedy to an ACL injury against a Gonzaga team that nearly matches the Red Storm’s offensive and defensive efficiency stats?
ANSWER: Emotionally, well; on the court, not well. St. John’s fans had T-shirts that said “Do it for D.J.” Unfortunately, that energy didn’t translate to the game, as Gonzaga had its way with the Red Storm’s defense en route to an 86-71 win.
15.
(6) Cincinnati 78 (11) Missouri 63
Do the Tigers have enough toughness to compete with Cincinnati’s big men in the post, especially for rebounds and loose balls?
ANSWER: No. The Bearcats only won the rebounding battle 33-28, but they controlled the tempo for much of the game and came up with most of the 50/50 loose balls. Occasional lapses in concentration allowed Missouri to rally a couple of times, but Cincinnati dropped the hammer by punishing Missouri in the post with Yancy Gates and the rest of the Bearcats’ big men.
16.
(5) Kansas State 73 (12) Utah State 68
Will Jacob Pullen spark a late-season surge for the Wildcats, starting against a Utah State team that actually has better offensive and defensive efficiency stats than Kansas State does?
ANSWER: So far, so good. Despite battling a bout of food poisoning, Pullen led the Wildcats with 22 points and five assists to stave off Utah State 73-68. The Wildcats were sloppy at times, but they got Utah State’s big men in foul trouble and prevented the Aggies from ever getting into an offensive rhythm.
17.
(4) Texas 85 (13) Oakland 81
Will Texas’ defense continue to play like the top unit in the country, and will it need to cover up a slumping offense?
ANSWER: Texas didn’t have a great defensive performance, but the Longhorns’ offense came alive against the Golden Grizzlies’ suspect defense. The Longhorns shot nearly 47 percent from the field, led by J’Covan Brown, who finished with 12 points, including 12-of-12 from the free throw line.
18.
(8) Michigan 75 (9) Tennessee 45
How will the rumors of coach Bruce Pearl’s job uncertainty affect the team’s play on the court?
ANSWER: In what will likely be Pearl’s last game as the Volunteers’ head coach, Michigan utterly embarrassed Tennessee in a 30-point rout. The Vols basically quit at halftime, scoring only 16 points in the second half and finishing with more turnovers (18) than made shots (15).
19.
(2) Notre Dame 69 (15) Akron 56
Can Akron slow down the Fighting Irish’s offensive juggernaut, fueled by Ben Hansbrough?
ANSWER: All things considered, Akron did a good job against Notre Dame’s offense. The Fighting Irish shot only 44.7 percent from the field, and Hansbrough finished with a team-high 15 points. However, the Zips couldn’t get anything going on offense, as Quincy Diggs was the only Akron player in double figures with 11 points.
20.
(8) George Mason 61 (9) Villanova 57
Can Villanova overcome a 5-10 final 15 games that featured a stagnant offense against a George Mason team that might be better than the 2006 Final Four version?
ANSWER: Painfully no. Despite leading by 10 points in the second half, Villanova choked as George Mason stormed back. Luke Hancock hit a clutch three-pointer in the final minute to give the Colonials a two-point lead, and George Mason shut down Villanova’s final two attempts to tie the game.
21.
(5) Arizona 77 (12) Memphis 75
What will Memphis do to slow down Arizona’s Derrick Williams, who can dominate a game from long range or close to the basket?
ANSWER: Not much. Nearly the entire Memphis team got in foul trouble trying to slow down Williams and the Wildcats, and he still put up 22 points to lead Arizona. In addition, Williams delivered the play of the game by swatting Memphis’ potentially game-tying jumper in the closing seconds.
22.
(1) Duke 87 (16) Hampton 45
Will Kyrie Irving play for Duke after coach Mike Krzyzewski indicated this week that Irving is practicing and could be available as early as this weekend?
ANSWER: Welcome back, Irving. The freshman phenom came off the bench and ended up leading the Blue Devils in points with 14 on 4-of-8 shooting. That’s promising for the Blue Devils moving forward throughout the tournament.
23.
(10) Florida State 57 (7) Texas A&M 50
Will Chris Singleton play for the Seminoles, and will he be near 100 percent, which would give one of the best defense’s in the country some additional oomph?
ANSWER: Yes, though not much and not nearly at 100 percent. But it didn’t matter much as the Seminoles smothered Texas A&M in a 57-50 victory. Singleton finished with five points, one steal and one block in limited minutes, but his teammates held the Aggies to 31.4 percent shooting.
24.
(1) Ohio State 75 (16) Texas-San Antonio 46
Can Texas-San Antonio stay within 30 points of the favorite to win the national championship?
ANSWER: Yes, but a 29-point loss isn’t much better. And that’s especially because the Roadrunners tried to bleed the clock for much of the game. The Buckeyes were just too good on offense and pulled away late in the first half, then cruised through the second half.
25.
(1) Kansas 72 (16) Boston University 53
Will the Terriers’ slow-paced game make Kansas uncomfortable for longer than a few minutes?
ANSWER: Somewhat amazingly, yes. The Terriers put up a valiant fight against Kansas, trailing by only four points at halftime. But in the second half, Kansas’ shooters caught fire, and the Jayhawks pulled away as the team shot nearly 51 percent from the field for the game.
26.
(2) North Carolina 102 (15) Long Island 87
One of the fastest-paced teams in the country, can Long Island beat the Tar Heels at their own game by lighting up the scoreboard against a North Carolina team that is susceptible to offensive slumps?
ANSWER: Not a chance. Both teams sprinted up and down the court for about 92 possessions apiece, a record for two Division I opponents this season, tweeted Ken Pomeroy. But in the end, North Carolina’s size dominated the overmatched Blackbirds, who gave up 60 combined points to Tyler Zeller and John Henson.
27.
(3) Purdue 65 (14) Saint Peter’s 43
How will the suspension of Kelsey Barlow affect Purdue’s defensive prowess, and does Saint Peter’s have enough firepower to exploit his absence?
ANSWER: No impact at all. The Boilermakers held Saint Peter’s to 29.8 percent shooting from the field and 0.66 points per possession. Only one Peacock, John Belin, reached double figures in scoring, and he barely got there with 12 points.
28.
(11) Marquette 66 (6) Xavier 55
In one of the most evenly paired match ups of the first round, which team will gain the upper hand and will it be able to hold on late?
ANSWER: Marquette grabbed the lead early and had a response for every Xavier run. The Golden Eagles shot 54.5 percent from the field and hit clutch shot after clutch shot to stymie the Musketeers’ second-half attempts to trim Marquette’s lead to two possessions. Darius Johnson-Odom was a frequent tormentor of Xavier, finishing with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
29.
(9) Illinois 73 (8) UNLV 62
Can Demetri McCamey salvage a disappointing season for the Illini by helping Illinois avoid turnovers against UNLV, which is among the Division I leaders at forcing mistake?
ANSWER: An emphatic yes. McCamey had 17 points and seven assists to pace Illinois’ offense, which shot nearly 60 percent from the field. The Illini led by about 20 points for much of the game before pulling off the gas pedal late in the game.
30.
(7) Washington 68 (10) Georgia 65
Will Georgia keep things competitive against a Huskies squad that has the firepower to blow the Bulldogs out of the gym?
ANSWER: Oh yes. Georgia was in the game until the final seconds when the Bulldogs’ desperation heave to tie the game clanked off the backboard. The Bulldogs slowed down the Huskies’ fast-paced offense, holding Washington to 43.3 percent shooting. Georgia’s turnovers doomed the Dawgs’ upset bid, as 14 turnovers allowed Isaiah Thomas to rack up the points in transition.
31.
(11) VCU 74 (6) Georgetown 56
How will the Hoyas play with Chris Wright back in the lineup after a dismal offensive finish while Wright recuperated from a broken wrist?
ANSWER: Very poorly. VCU slapped around the Hoyas in Wright’s return to the lineup. Wright struggled all night, finishing with six points on 3-of-13 shooting. He had no assists and two turnovers. VCU’s pressure defense controlled the tempo, and the Rams’ shooters drained 12 three-pointers.
32.
(3) Syracuse 77 (14) Indiana State 60
How will the Sycamores attack Syracuse’s zone when they aren’t a particularly impressive three-point shooting team and don’t attack the glass hard for offensive rebounds?
ANSWER: The Sycamores hung in there for a while with a little long-range shooting and several second chances. But they didn’t get enough of either to seriously challenge Syracuse for the massive upset, and the Orange pulled away late in the second half.
