March Madness - Opening Friday Preview

Greetings all... back again with a full breakdown before Friday's action...

• 12:15 pm CBS - #6 Cincy (-2) vs. #11 Texas - Texas has better players than Cincinnati. Texas is coached by Rick Barnes. I like Cincy.
• 12:40 pm TruTV - #6 San Diego State (+2.5) vs. #11 NC State - Yes, NC State is favored by 2.5 points against a #6 seed. I like the Aztecs. NC State is being overvalued based on their ACC tourney run.
  
• 1:40 pm TBS - #8 Creighton (+1.5) vs. #9 Alabama - Two teams I wish weren't playing each other. I absolutely love Creighton and Doug McDermott.
  
• 2:10 pm TNT - #7 Florida (-3.5) vs. #10 Virginia - Florida is a trendy Final four sleeper, and I don't see it. Yes, they have talent, but they never beat anyone. Oh, and I'm in love with Mike Scott and Virginia. Give me the wahoos.
• 2:45 pm CBS - #3 Florida State (-6.5) vs. #14 St. Bonaventure - The Bonnies can play, but Florida State's defense should swallow them up a bit. That said, with the way FSU struggles to score at times, the Bonnies should be in this until the end.
  
• 3:10 pm TruTV - #3 Georgetown (-3.5) vs. #14 Belmont - Ever seen a 14 seed as a sub-4 point underdog? John Thompson III is one of my least favorite coaches, and this is a bad matchup for them because Belmont can speed them up. Best candidate on the board for a "major" upset.
• 4:10 pm TBS - #1 North Carolina (-16.5) vs. #16 Vermont - You know the deal with 1-seed vs. 16-seed. John Henson is questionable for UNC though, and that hurts them.
  
• 4:40 pm TNT - #2 Missouri (-21) vs. #15 Norfolk State - There's a reason Missou is a 21-point favorite.
• 6:50 pm TBS - #8 Memphis (-3.5) vs. #9 Saint Louis - Another game featuring two teams I really like. Memphis doesn't have the "guy" that they normally have, but tons of talent, and St. Louis is an underrated Mid-Major.
• 7:15 pm CBS - #2 Duke (-12.5) vs. #15 Lehigh - This isn't a game Duke loses.
  
• 7:20 pm TNT - #4 Michigan (-6) vs. #13 Ohio - Make no mistake, Michigan can lose this game. With the style they play (re: 3-pointers), they're an upset candidate and Ohio is decent. That said, too much Trey Burke.
• 7:27 pm TruTV - #7 St. Mary's (-1.5) vs. #10 Purdue - The Gaels have tons of experience and great guards. Purdue has Robbie Hummel. I'm torn.
  
• 9:20 pm TBS - #1 Michigan State (-20) vs. #16 LIU-Brooklyn - Tom Izzo, everybody.
• 9:45 pm CBS - #7 Notre Dame (-2.5) vs. #10 Xavier - I don't like either one of these teams.
• 9:50 pm TNT - #5 Temple (-2) vs. #12 South Florida - I openly picked Cal in the play-in game, so you can berate me for my feel on this one. I think Temple is over-seeded as a #5 and I had Cal beating them, but they are probably better than South Florida.
  
• 9:57 pm TruTV - #2 Kansas (-14) vs. #15 Detroit - Detroit is the best #15 seed I can ever remember, but Kansas is still decisively better.

Enjoy!