Free March Madness Picks: Round 1

The Big Dance has arrived and the Faceoff Sports Network has you covered with Free March Madness Picks for Round 1. 

Round 1 Bracket Analysis

West

Gonzaga-Georgia St – This is by no means an easy 1-16 matchup, but the Zags should handle Georgia St (with ease), who got a really bad draw in terms of their seeding. Look for the Zags to flex their interior might with Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren.

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Outcome: Gonzaga

Boise St.-Memphis – Which Memphis team will come to play? The Tigers are one of the most talented enigmas in the field, and Jalen Duren’s emergence down the stretch has really proven to be a key to their success. The Mountain West champs will not go down without a fight. Look for Abu Kigab and Emmanuel Akot to have big games. However, DeAndre Williams can match their size and scoring prowess. Look for Tyler Harris’ game management to be critical for the Tigers. I expect Memphis’ defense to give them the edge in a close one.

Outcome: Memphis

Connecticut-New Mexico St. – UConn is a very experienced club that is battle-tested. RJ Cole is a handful for the NM St., and Adama Sanogo is a difficult matchup inside. New Mexico St. counters with good size and length on the interior, but UConn is more physical. Andre Jackson will be the X factor on the defensive end.

Outcome: UConn

Arkansas-Vermont – While Eric Musselman is one of the best coaches in terms of preparing his club for the NCAA tournament, Vermont is playing some of its best basketball. They are tough, physical and can score both inside and out. While Arkansas clearly has the athleticism and speed advantage, the Catamounts play under control and should give them a game. The Ryan Davis-Ben Shungu tandem is going to be difficult to contain. I think this is the year they will have enough to win one.

Outcome: Vermont

Alabama-Notre Dame – Notre Dame’s ability to go to a five-out offense is intriguing, but Alabama’s bigs are athletic enough to guard on the perimeter. Bama plays with a better pace and is the more talented team. The play-in game has proven to be advantageous for teams in the next round. If Alabama comes out cold, Notre Dame could exploit this matchup with solid three-point shooting. In the end, though, Quinerly and company play with too much pace for the Fighting Irish.

Outcome: Alabama

Texas Tech-Montana St. – Tech is one of the strongest defensive teams in the country. Look for Bryson Williams to establish himself early and often, and for Kevin McCullar to lock in on the defensive end. Look for Xavier Bishop or Tyler Patterson to catch fire for Montana St. before they inevitably fall to one of the best defensive teams in the country.

Outcome: Texas Tech

Michigan St.-Davidson – Davidson is one of the most efficient offensive squads in college basketball and Coach McKillop deserves all the accolades he receives. As great as Foster Loyer has been for Davidson, Tom Izzo coached him just a year ago and will likely have insight into how to counter the Wildcats defensively. The Spartans are playing their best basketball at this time and their gritty defense should give them an edge.

Outcome: Michigan State

Duke-CS Fullerton – EJ Anosike and Damari Milstead have the firepower to at least challenge Duke for a time. But, Mark Williams will simply be too much inside and Duke has the length to clamp down on perimeter shooters. This is a bad matchup for any 15 seed.

Outcome: Duke

East

Baylor-Norfolk St. – Baylor has not been playing its best basketball. They still have too much size and outside shooting to lose to Norfolk State in the first round. It will be interesting to see how much of a fight Joe Bryant and Jalen Hawkins put up for the Spartans.

Outcome: Baylor

North Carolina-Marquette – Can UNC shut down Justin Lewis? Or will they allow him to go for 30 pts and still win? If UNC pushes the pace and looks to outmuscle the Golden Eagles inside, Armando Bacot and co. should emerge victoriously. Will UNC’s guards come to play though? I believe this will be a close one, but Marquette has been trending in the wrong direction lately and UNC has more talent (with the exception of Lewis).

Outcome: North Carolina

St. Mary’s-Indiana – Trayce Jackson Davis is one of the most physically imposing players in this tournament and he is not looking to improve his draft stock by shooting jumpers. TJD is dominating inside with his physical play and Matthias Tass is a bit overmatched inside.

With that said, this is a dangerous St. Mary’s team that beat Gonzaga and plays a fundamentally sound brand of basketball. Can Xavier Johnson lockdown Kuhse and defend along the perimeter? Wyoming received way too many open looks against the Hoosiers defense in the First Four. However, Indiana has momentum heading into this one and the athletes/shooting to challenge the Gaels.

Outcome: Indiana

UCLA-Akron – It is that time of year again. Can Johnny Juzang bring his usual march magic? This UCLA team is a little banged up, but they still have enough firepower to get back to the Final Four, or at least the Elite 8 (as I have it in my bracket). Akron is a strong midmajor in one of the more underrated conferences in college basketball (the MAC). Xavier Castaneda should have a big game for the Zips, but UCLA simply has too many weapons.

Outcome: UCLA

Texas-Virginia Tech – Virginia Tech is playing some of its best basketball, with a recent ACC tournament championship. Keve Aluma and Hunter Cattoor are a dynamic combination on offense. Justyn Mutts is extremely versatile.

The Hokies have been defending at a high level – something they will need to do against a Chris Beard-led squad. Timmy Allen’s midrange game is extremely deadly and Andrew Jones does a great job getting to the basket. However, the Mutts-Aluma combo should be able to play enough back-line defense to stymie the Texas attack. Expect an upset win here.

Outcome: Virginia Tech

Purdue-Yale – Azar Swain is a really good basketball player. However, Purdue simply has too much size and athleticism to be denied here. I would not expect a good game. Having watched several of the teams in the Ivy League throughout the year, this conference’s champ was way over-seeded.

Outcome: Purdue

Murray St.-San Francisco – Murray St’s Tevin Brown is the Racers’ lethal three-point weapon. 6’10 big KJ Williams is dynamic and effective on the defensive end. The Dons counter with the outstanding backcourt duo of Jamaree Bouyea and Khalil Shabazz. Murray St must play under control and prevent Bouyea from creating turnovers. This game is basically even on talent, but the Racers’ aggressive defense should give them a bit of an edge.

Outcome: Murray State

Kentucky-St. Peter’s – KC Ndefo is a solid rim protector and the threat of Doug Edert’s shot keeps defenses honest. But, Kentucky has simply way too much firepower at every position. Oscar Tshiebwe is on an unprecedented rebounding tear and Tyty Washington is one of the best freshmen in the country.

Outcome: Kentucky

South

Arizona-Wright St. – 6’6 Tanner Holden is an intriguing wing and Grant Basile is a dynamic big with excellent passing ability. Arizona simply brings too much size and athleticism with Mathurin and Koloko. With the way Wright St. moves the ball, they might be able to give the Wildcats more of a game than they bargained for.

Outcome: Arizona

Seton Hall-TCU – While the lack of a true point guard for Seton Hall will hurt against the dynamic Mike Miles, Seton Hall has an extremely experienced team. Myles Cale has been playing well as of late and Jared Rhoden is a two-way player with something to prove. Can Seton Hall exploit matchups inside and dominate the glass? I think this game is a toss-up given how well TCU has played lately, but Seton Hall’s seniors have had a lot of time to prepare for this game.

Outcome: Seton Hall

Houston-UAB – Jordan Walker is one of the most underrated lead guards in America and Quan Jackson is extremely physical. If UAB is able to match Houston’s physicality or even come close, they should be able to escape in what would be a battle. The outcome will depend on their ability to rebound against the Cougars, which is a tall task for any team. However, can Houston make enough shots down the stretch with the loss of Marcus Sasser? I am not convinced. An underrated factor will be Trey Jemison’s ability to defend Fabian White on the perimeter.

Outcome: UAB

Illinois-Chattanooga – Can Chattanooga matchup with Kofi Cockburn? Or can their guard play neutralize him and force him to guard on the perimeter? Malachi Smith is a dynamic player, but the Mocs do not have enough firepower to upset Illinois if Trent Frazier or Alfonzo Plummer are hitting shots.

Outcome: Illinois

Colorado St.-Michigan – Colorado St. is one of the scrappiest teams in the field. David Roddy will stretch the Michigan defense and open up the lane. No one for Colorado St. will be able to guard Hunter Dickinson, but the Rams have enough depth to outscore Michigan by pushing the tempo. This is a bad matchup for Colorado St. from a personnel standpoint, but they still should emerge from this game. Michigan point guard DeVante Jones is out with a concussion he sustained in practice.

Outcome: Colorado St.

More Free March Madness Picks

Tennessee-Longwood – Justin Hill, Isaiah Wilkins, and DeShaun Wade are a solid guard trio, but Tennessee has one of the best emerging NBA prospects in lead guard Kennedy Chandler. Santi Vescovi has had a banner year and should be too much for the Lancers. Tennessee boasts superior size with John Fulkerson, Uros Plavsic, Olivier Nkamhoua, and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, which should prove to be too much.

Outcome: Tennessee

Ohio St.-Loyola Chicago – The Ramblers upset top-ranked Illinois just one year ago. Can they complete a Big Ten sweep here? Ohio St. has lost four of their last five, with the final being a three-point loss to Penn State. This is predominantly due to injuries.

Given Zed Key’s bad ankle and Kyle Young’s concussion issues, Ohio State will certainly not be at full strength. Uruguay should provide enough rim protection inside, and the Williamson/Norris backcourt should once again prove to be dangerous from three. EJ Liddell is a matchup nightmare, but Loyola Chicago’s stout defense should limit Buckeye’s perimeter shooting.

Outcome: Loyola Chicago

Villanova-Delaware – In this revenge game for Dylan Painter, Villanova should have the edge. They are simply the more experienced squad coming off of a Big East Tournament victory. This Blue Hens team is led by Jameer Nelson Jr. Anyone with such a name should strike fear into the hearts of Villanova fans old enough to remember his dad’s dominant run with St. Joe’s. Tread cautiously.

Outcome: Villanova

Midwest

Kansas-Texas Southern – At 6’9, John Walker III flashed his perimeter repertoire in the play in game. However intriguing his performance was, Kansas is going to beat TSU by a wide margin due to Texas Southern’s penchant for careless turnovers. Ochai Agbaji should have a big game.

Outcome: Kansas

San Diego St.-Creighton – San Diego St. is a disciplined defensive-minded club with the athleticism to give Creighton fits on the perimeter. Nathan Mensah’s interior defense will be pivotal against Ryan Kalkbrenner, who has been dominant in recent weeks. Can Matt Bradley and co. hit enough shots?

I believe that Creighton is coming together at the right time and is probably playing the best basketball of any 8-9 seed at the moment. Ryan Hawkins has experience winning with Northwest Missouri St. and I have no doubt that he will make winning plays down the stretch. This game should be close, but I will give Creighton the edge in a low-scoring affair.

Outcome: Creighton

Iowa-Richmond – While many are overlooking the Spiders, Jacob Gilyard had an outstanding A10 tournament and his team should give Iowa a game. With that said, Keegan Murray is simply a matchup nightmare and the Hawkeyes have the defensive tenacity to slow down Richmond’s attack. Look for Iowa to win in a closer game than most are expecting.

Outcome: Iowa

Providence-South Dakota St. – This was the most difficult call of the entire bracket in my opinion – the ultimate contrast in styles. SD St. looks to push and shoots just under 45% from three as a team. Providence, on the other hand, is tenacious on defense and should be able to contest the Jackrabbits from beyond the arc. SD St. does not have a foil for Nate Watson, who should dominate inside.

When SD St. counters and doubles him down low, will AJ Reeves and company be able to knock down open threes? The combination of defensive pace and Providence’s willingness to push the tempo could tire out a run-and-gun Jackrabbits squad. If Providence allows Baylor Scheierman to get into a rhythm, they are in for a long night. SD St. has struggled against size and tempo previously, so Providence should have the ever-so-slight edge.

Outcome: Providence

LSU-Iowa St. – LSU fired Coach Will Wade prior to this game, which could be a blessing or a curse. Either the team is fired up about the loss of their coach, or they will come out completely lost and disjointed. Iowa State’s defense is tenacious and Izaiah Brockington is extremely aggressive attacking the basket. This game should be tightly contested.

Outcome: Iowa State

Wisconsin-Colgate – The Badgers should not take this Colgate team lightly. However, Johnny Davis and a tournament-ready Brad Davison should prove too much for the Patriot’s top team. Keep an eye on both Nelly Cummings and Jack Ferguson for the Raiders. Tyler Wahl should have his way with Jeff Woodward inside, due to his superior mobility.

Outcome: Wisconsin

USC-Miami (Fl.) – USC is the bigger team and Isaiah Mobley’s defense is a game-changer at the college level. Charlie Moore, Kameron McGusty, and Isaiah Wong are dynamic guards for the Hurricanes, but USC simply has superior length and size. Boogie Ellis will need to come to play.

Outcome: USC

Auburn-Jacksonville St. – Auburn is probably the most talented team in the field, with the best 2022 NBA draft prospect in Jabari Smith. The 6’10 wing can get his shot in a number of ways and is remarkably efficient from beyond the arc. Big-man Walker Kessler is extremely difficult to contain inside. Guard Darian Adams and co. will have their hands full, though I expect the game to be closer than most are expecting.

Outcome: Auburn

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