March Madness has begun as Mount Saint Mary's and Kansas State won First Four games on Tuesday. The men's Division I NCAA tournament will continue Wednesday with two more First Four matchups before 32 first-round games are played over the course of two days on Thursday and Friday.Below you'll find a quick primer to get you ready for Thursday. You can also download a printable bracket here via NCAA.com.NCAA Tournament BracketUltimate March Madness BracketNotre Dame vs. PrincetonIvy League teams have won in the first round four of the last seven years. Can Princeton make it five of eight' If the Tigers control the pace of the game, it's certainly possible.Virginia vs. UNC-WilmingtonDon't look for a No. 5 vs. No. 12 upset here, as the Cavaliers have the best defense in Division I, per the Ken Pomeroy ratings. UVA could sneak its way into a deep tournament run.Butler vs. WinthropThe former underdog is now the favorite as Butler is a No. 4 seed in the South Regional. The Bulldogs are not playing well heading into the NCAA tournament after losing its regular-season finale at home to Seton Hall and bowing out to Xavier in the Big East tournament quarterfinals.Gonzaga vs. South Dakota StateSouth Dakota State sophomore forward Mike Daum is the second-leading scorer in the nation at 25.3 points per game, but Gonzaga went 32-1 this season after starting the year 29-0. Daum might have to put up 50-plus to keep this game in reach. Then again, he's done that before (51 and 15 rebounds vs. Fort Wayne).West Virginia vs. BucknellThe Mountaineers, who lead Division I in steals per game and turnover margin, could make a run to the national title as a dark horse, but they will get a tough test from Bucknell in the first round.Florida vs. East Tennessee StateThe Gators benefit from some home cooking as they travel to Orlando to take on the ETSU Buccaneers. Florida used a stout defense to return to March Madness after failing to make the NCAA tournament last year.Minnesota vs. Middle Tennessee StateIf Middle Tennessee wins as a No. 12 seed over Minnesota at No. 5, it won't even be an upset, as the Blue Raiders are now a one-point favorite over the Golden Gophers, per OddsShark. That's pretty remarkable. Don't sleep on the Golden Gophers, however, as they won 24 games and finished fourth in the Big Ten.Northwestern vs. VanderbiltThe Wildcats will be making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament, which began in 1939. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the United States president back then. Northwestern gets a stiff test against Vanderbilt, which beat Florida twice down the stretch and nearly took out Kentucky in Rupp Arena.Maryland vs. XavierTerrapins guard Melo Trimble is the man to watch in this game. He's capable of putting the Terps on his back and winning games (17.0 points per game). Xavier was on a roll before losing sophomore guard Edmond Sumner to a torn ACL. Without him, they were only 6-7. With him, the Musketeers would be a top-five seed, no questions asked.Villanova vs. Mount Saint Mary'sMount Saint Mary's has a 5'5" guard named Junior Robinson who is fun to watch and has led the Mountaineers down the stretch. They'll need a Herculean effort out of him to beat defending champion Villanova, however, as the Wildcats went 31-3, won the Big East and returned seven of their top nine scorers from last year.Saint Mary's vs. VCUThe Gaels went 27-1 against teams not named Gonzaga this year and 0-3 against the Bulldogs. They might be that No. 7 seed who finds a way to upset a No. 2 every year. VCU has 10 players who average at least 10 minutes per game.Purdue vs. VermontThe Boilermakers' front line runs big at 6'8", 6'9" and 7'2". That will be a problem for a Vermont team that doesn't have a player taller than 6'8". That being said, Vermont has worked some magic as a No. 13 seed before.Florida State vs. Florida Gulf CoastKeep an eye out here for a potential upset. FGCU isn't Dunk City anymore, as it plays at a much slower tempo, but that could be beneficial against the fast-paced Seminoles if FGCU is able to play solid defense and hit its shots.Wisconsin vs. Virginia TechThe Badgers finished in second place in the Big Ten and were the runner-up in the conference tournament, and somehow that was only good enough for a No. 8 seed. Both the Badgers (who would have to play defending champion Villanova in the second round) and Virginia Tech (who shouldn't be playing a No. 5- or No. 6-caliber seed in its first game) get hosed.Arizona vs. North DakotaFor all of Arizona's success this century, it hasn't been to the Final Four since 2001. The Wildcats, after a Pac-12 title and 30-win season, have to believe this is finally the year. They also have to be licking their chops at possibly playing the Final Four in their home state this year.Iowa State vs. NevadaThe Cyclones beat Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse, snapping a 54-game KU home winning streak, and they also won the Big 12 title of the backs off four senior guards. This team is firing on all cylinders leading into the NCAA tournament, but Nevada was under-seeded at No. 12, as it finished 29th in RPI. This should be a good one.
Click here to read full news..
