2014 NCAA Tournament East 2nd Round Game Breakdowns
#1 Virginia vs. #16 Coastal Carolina (Raleigh, North Carolina)
No 16 seed has ever beaten a one seed. That should not change here. Virginia has played against better competition and has a lot more talent. It is difficult to see a poor shooting team like Coastal Carolina having success against one of the best defensive teams in the nation. The only thing that gives the Chanticleers a chance is the fact that they hit the boards hard. Generating extra possessions on offense will be key. They just will not be able to break that Virginia defense and score enough to win.
#8 Memphis vs. #9 George Washington (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Memphis is a good basketball team that shares the ball better than just about everyone. They finished the season third in the nation in assists. They can score a bunch of points and shoot nearly 50% from the field. They should beat George Washington, but the Colonials played some stiff competition this season. They will not be easy to face. They have supreme talent in transfers Maurice Creek and Isaiah Armwood. Armwood has been dominant on the blocks for them this season. Both teams matchup well. Memphis can run a little more, and that should be the difference.
#5 Cincinnati vs. #12 Harvard (Spokane, Washington)
One can usually bank on the 5/12 matchups generating upsets each tournament. This is a game to watch specifically for that reason. Sean Kilpatrick is a great player for Mick Cronin and an elite scorer. He is ranked 15th in the nation in scoring (20.9 ppg). Justin Jackson is a tough guy down low. Harvard will still provide a tough out for the Bearcats. Harvard is a fundamentally sound basketball team with great point guard play. Siyani Chambers can control the game as well as anyone. Harvard has been in this position before and knocked off a big dog. They have a great opportunity to do it again.
#4 Michigan State vs. # 13 Delaware (Spokane, Washington)
Delaware is the longest shot of any of the lower seeds in this bracket to win a game. Michigan State is finally healthy. They proved how dominant they can be in the Big Ten title game against Michigan, a No. 2 seed. Adreian Payne is back, Keith Appling is playing better, and Gary Harris is continuing his strong play from last season. Delaware struggled to beat William & Mary in the CAA tournament. This should be a walkover for the Spartans.
#6 North Carolina vs. # 11 Providence (San Antonio, Texas)
This could end up being a great game. North Carolina ended their ACC season with two straight losses, including a first-round conference tournament exit at the hands of Pittsburgh. Providence is trending upward after their run through the Big East tournament. Providence is familiar with playing against high-level opponents. They will not be scared of the Tar Heels. This game will come down to how well Marcus Paige plays for North Carolina. The Tar Heels point guard has been excellent this season. He is a scoring point, so the offense completely revolves around him. They win if he wins his in-game matchups.
#3 Iowa State vs. #14 North Carolina Central (San Antonio, Texas)
Iowa State has had a great season. They won the Big 12 tournament after finishing a close third in the regular season. DeAndre Kane and Melvin Ejim make up one of the best inside/outside combinations in the country. The Cyclones score at a blistering rate and always find the open man. Carolina Central had a fabulous season in the MEAC. They finished first in their conference by winning 20 straight games. Despite their great season, Iowa State’s talent will win the day. The Cyclones should win this easy.
#7 Connecticut vs. #10 St. Joseph's (Buffalo, New York)
St. Joseph’s is the underdog story in the Atlantic 10. They may have missed the entire field if they had not won their conference tournament. Their performance against VCU was spectacular and they gutted out a tough win to garner a bid in the tournament. Connecticut has been good this year under Coach Kevin Ollie. Shabazz Napier is one of the best players in the American Athletic Conference and, perhaps, the country. He leads the team in scoring, assists, and rebounding. He is truly a well-rounded threat. The Huskies should be able to overpower the Hawks and star forward Halil Kanacevic.
#2 Villanova vs. #15 Milwaukee (Buffalo, New York)
Jay Wright has his Villanova squad playing great basketball again after some not-so-stellar seasons of late. They are a high scoring team with great balance. They have been a pillar of consistency all year. Outside of their miraculous loss to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament, they have outworked and outplayed their opponents all season. They have three players averaging more than 14 points per game and their ability to run and spread the wealth should be too much for Milwaukee to handle. Plus, the Wildcats will want to get rid of the bad taste in their mouth from the Big East tournament. They have rebounded well from losses this year and there is no reason to suspect that would change now.
South Region 2nd Round Game Breakdowns
West Region 2nd Round Game Breakdowns
Midwest Region 2nd Round Game Breakdowns
