Creighton is the 11th-ranked team overall on KenPom, and it could be a tall task for Akron, but they have an experienced team capable of being competitive with anyone.
The Cornhuskers are the only Power 6 team who has never won an NCAA tournament game, having failed on all seven previous attempts. But this might be the Huskers’ best shot to end the streak.
Both teams thought they were safely in the field going into Selection Sunday. It turned out that neither team was anywhere near as safe as it thought. And that sets up a First Four matchup that’s intriguing if you like defense and nightmarish if you’re John Fredericks.
The first 7-10 matchup is between the Dayton Flyers and the Nevada Wolfpack. The Flyers must travel to Salt Lake City, which is right in Nevada’s backyard. They are in the West Region, which could benefit the Wolfpack.
The Jayhawks get the Cinderella darling of many March brackets in Samford. The Bulldogs have done a lot of winning under coach Bucky McMillan, going 29-5 while playing one of the fastest-paced styles in the nation.
As with most Big Sky teams, Montana State’s still a strong 3-point shooting team. And that might make all the difference, as Grambling’s perimeter defense isn’t strong enough to deny a team that can shoot.
These teams are in Dayton for a reason. Neither one actually beat a team ranked in the top 150. These are not good teams, which means this game could be close.
Both teams thought they were safely in the field going into Selection Sunday. It turned out that neither team was anywhere near as safe as it thought. And that sets up a First Four matchup that’s intriguing if you like defense and nightmarish if you’re John Fredericks.
Welcome to my Quick Picks column, where I hand out winners, winners, and more winners every day. I fire off picks on everything from college hoops to the NHL.