Men's NCAA Tournament Midwest Region 2nd Round Breakdowns
#1 North Carolina vs. #16 Lamar/Vermont
Being undersized is not a good thing when facing North Carolina. That is a huge problem for Lamar. However, Vermont does have size in the frontcourt and they might actually be able to hang around with the Tar Heels…for a little while at least. We are talking about a #1 and a #16 so the Tar Heels are going to win this game. But Vermont has plenty of relatively big bodies to rotate in and out of the game to try and handle the superb North Carolina frontcourt.
#8 Creighton vs. #9 Alabama
Offensively, Creighton is a great team that scores 80 points per game and shoots lights out from everywhere on the floor. Forward Doug McDermott averages a smooth 23.2 points per game and grabs 8.2 rebounds. McDermott can score inside and the thin Alabama frontcourt will have a lot of trouble handling McDermott’s versatility and Gregory Echenique in the paint.
#5 Temple vs. #12 California/South Florida
California has a superstar in Jorge Guierrez who makes the entire team tick. Despite some late season sliding, the Golden Bears do have some experienced leaders and some big scoring guards to compliment Gutierrez. South Florida has the depth to beat California and the Bulls could dominate Cal on the glass if the Bears run into any early foul trouble. Whoever goes on to face Temple will run into an experienced and very well tested squad. The Owls do struggle on the glass and that is where South Florida could take advantage of Temple, but they have to get by California first.
#4 Michigan vs. #13 Ohio
Michigan could have gotten a worse draw with some of the other 13 seeds out there. The Bobcats are a quality team who can play good defense, but they are a lot like Michigan. Ohio takes quite a few three-pointers and has trouble on the glass. That is what Michigan does too. The difference is Michigan has more pure talent and that should be enough for the Wolverines to advance. However, in a game of shooters, if Ohio is hot and Michigan is not, this one could get interesting.
#6 San Diego State vs. #11 North Carolina State
San Diego State rarely falters in the rebounding department, but they are a pretty small squad. Coach Steve Fisher may have to play Garrett Green and Deshawn Stephens, along with start Tim Shelton, a little more often than usual against North Carolina State. The Wolfpack have a great athlete in C.J. Leslie. He can score around the basket, block a ton of shots and hit the glass. Finding somebody who can defend him, while still keeping an eye on forward Scott Wood as he floats out to the perimeter and interior scoring threat Richard Howell will be a challenge.
#3 Georgetown vs. #14 Belmont
One has to feel bad for Belmont. The Bruins love to get up and down the floor and they can have trouble when they run into a team that can dictate tempo. Last year it was Wisconsin who the Bruins played in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. They were ready for an upset, but they could not get their dynamic offense in rhythm against the Badgers. The story could be the same this year when Belmont plays Georgetown. Belmont has a ton of quality depth and Coach Rick Byrd has a lot of scorers at his disposal, but they have to find a way to crack the Georgetown defense.
#7 Saint Mary's vs. #10 Purdue
Saint Mary’s is expecting Stephen Holt to be back for the NCAA Tournament, but he missed the end of the regular season and the WCC Tournament with a knee injury. How effective he can be right out of the gate could play a big part in this game. But even with a less than effective Holt, the Gaels have a superb inside-outside duo in Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones. Dellavedova is averaging 15.6 points and 6.4 assists and Jones adds 14.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per contest. But watch out for Purdue. The Boilermakers have gone through some changes recently, but Robbie Hummel has held this team together and is underappreciated on the national stage. He is more known for his injuries than his 16.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game this season. And he is healthy.
#2 Kansas vs. #15 Detroit
Detroit is pretty much happy just to be here. The Titans were not the favorites to come out of the Horizon league, but they do fit very well into a tournament situation. This is a team that can score quite a few points, but they do not rely on the long ball. They get to the bucket and finish and can hang around with just about anybody. It worked for them in the Horizon League tournament, but Kansas will be a little more difficult to manage than Valparaiso. The Jayhawks have the size and athleticism to stop the Titans from getting to the basket and the Titans will eventually need to open up their offense by knocking down some long balls. If they do not go in, Detroit will not be able to hang around with the Jayhawks for very long.
