The Beach got rolling in the Big West tournament, bringing Monson back to the NCAA tournament for just the third time since his memorable run with Gonzaga in 1999.
But the odds are much longer of Monson getting out of the first round this time around, and it’s because of a familiar face.
Welcome back to our NCAA tournament coverage here at Godzilla Wins. The No. 3 Fighting Illini will take on the No. 14 Morehead State Eagles in a first-round East Regional matchup.
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.
