NCAA Tournament First Round: Thursday’s Big Ten Preview
By Adam McGill
The NCAA Tournament has already begun and one of the 66 team’s involved will be crowned national champion by next month. Below is my first round preview of the NCAA tournament for teams in the Big Ten Conference:
East Bracket
Game: (4) Wisconsin – (13) Montana – 3/15 2:10 PM ET
Game Analysis: Wisconsin and head Coach Bo Ryan will be looking to rebound from a rough Big Ten Conference, but the coach always his kids playing their best around tournament time. The Badgers will be playing a strong Montana team that has been carried by their backcourt, with guards Will Cheery and Kareem Jamar combining for more than 30 points a game. Wisconsin tends to live and die by the 3-pointer, but the team has more than enough outside shooters that can them. Both teams are extremely small in the post, so expect them to get plenty of shots inside the paint.
Match up to Watch: G Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin vs. G Kareem Jamar, Montana – Taylor was very erratic throughout the Big Ten Tournament; as he went 3 of 12 from the field in the opener versus Indiana and then went 6 of 14 against Michigan State. However, the senior is one of the most experienced players at the position in the NCAA and will be overwhelming for Jamar. Jamar is a great jump shooter, but he is not sharp enough on defense to be able to stick with the Taylor all game.
Prediction: Wisconsin 66 – Montana 58
Game: (2) Ohio State – (15) Loyola (MD) 3/15 9:50 PM ET
Game Analysis: Every year the first round features some of the biggest upsets in the entire tournament, but this will not be one of them. The Buckeyes are livid following a disappointing loss to rival Michigan State in the Big Ten Conference Championships, so look for OSU to quickly assert their dominance over the small school out of Maryland. Loyola does have a very strong interior defense with over 35 rebounds per contest, but the competition in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is not near that of the Big Ten.
Match up to Watch: F Jared Sullinger, Ohio State vs. F Shane Walker, Loyola – Walker is the only body tall enough on Loyola’s roster to be able to guard the “Buckeye Behemoth”, but unfortunately the Englishman surrenders 54 pounds to Sullinger. Sullinger will quickly try to establish himself in the paint against the smaller Walker, so expect Ohio State to feed him the ball down low all game long.
Prediction: Ohio State 85 – Loyola 68
