NCAA Brackets 2018: Updated Schedule and Predictions for Friday's Round 1 Games
Friday's set of 16 games at the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament has a lot to live up to.
After a Thursday packed with drama and a few upsets, expect more as 16 teams progress beyond the weekend.
Despite all the chaos Thursday, only three underdogs advanced to the round of 32. Friday has the potential to see more double-digit seeds come out on top, as there are a few favorable matchups for mid-major powers.
Xavier, Virginia and North Carolina play their first games Friday, and they will be looking to create momentum for the second round more than stave off the challenges of unlikely winners in the form of No. 15 or No. 16 seeds.
Friday's Schedule and Predictions
All times ET. Bold indicates predicted winners.
No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Providence (12:15 p.m., CBS)
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 CSU Fullerton (12:40 p.m., truTV)
No. 4 Wichita State vs. No. 13 Marshall (1:30 p.m., TNT)
No. 2 Cincinnati vs. No. 15 Georgia State (2 p.m., TBS)
No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 15 Lipscomb (2:45 p.m., CBS)
No. 7 Arkansas vs. No. 10 Butler (3:10 p.m., truTV)
No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 12 Murray State (4 p.m., TNT)
No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 10 Texas (4:30 p.m., TBS)
No. 8 Creighton vs. No. 9 Kansas State (6:50 p.m., TNT)
No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 Bucknell (7:10 p.m., CBS)
No. 1 Xavier vs. No. 16 Texas Southern (7:20 p.m., TBS)
No. 4 Auburn vs. No. 13 Charleston (7:27 p.m., truTV)
No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 16 UMBC (9:20 p.m., TNT)
No. 6 TCU vs. No. 11 Syracuse (9:40 p.m., CBS)
No. 8 Missouri vs. No. 9 Florida State (9:50 p.m., TBS)
No. 5 Clemson vs. No. 12 New Mexico State (9:55 p.m., truTV)
Big East Goes Undefeated
The Big East sits in one of the most advantageous positions entering Friday, as it already has a pair of teams in the round of 32.
Friday should increase the spoils for a conference rich with basketball tradition, as No. 1 Xavier, No. 8 Creighton, No. 10 Providence and No. 10 Butler will all win.
Much like No. 1 Villanova on Thursday, Xavier has the easiest path to the second round because of its seeding, but the Musketeers must be wary of an early hot start from No. 16 Texas Southern, which won its First Four game in dominant fashion.
Creighton is involved in an intriguing battle with No. 9 Kansas State in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the right to play No. 1 Virginia on the line.
While the Bluejays lost four of their last six games in Big East play, they still carry a ton of motivation into Friday's game behind Marcus Foster, who is a Kansas State transfer.
Foster recently laid out everything that is motivating him in the NCAA tournament, per Jon Nyatawa of the Omaha World-Herald:
Providence and Butler might not have star players involved in revenge games, but they do have individuals capable of knocking off their respective SEC opponents.
The Friars are led by Rodney Bullock, Alpha Diallo and Kyron Cartwright, all of whom stepped up in the run to the Big East tournament final.
With all sorts of confidence behind them, the Friars should be able to deal with No. 7 Texas A&M, which ended its disappointing conference season with four defeats in seven games.
Butler has the potential to provide the most fireworks of any Big East team, as Kelan Martin and Kamar Baldwin will knock down plenty of big shots against No. 7 Arkansas.
Martin scored in double digits in his past 13 games, while Baldwin reeled off 44 points in two games at the Big East tournament, including a 32-point showing against Seton Hall.
If everything goes to plan for the Big East, it could leave the first round with six wins and good odds of having multiple teams in the Sweet 16.
At Least 4 Double-Digit Seeds Come Out Victorious
Friday's 16-game slate could be a minefield for favored programs.
Providence, Butler and Texas are dangerous No. 10 seeds, but the fun comes when you look at the potential upsets by mid-major programs.
No. 13 Marshall could thrive in the afternoon set of games against No. 4 Wichita State with its high-tempo offense and impressive three-point shooting.
Georgia State, a No. 15 seed, may enter the Big Dance as one of the ultimate underdogs, but the Panthers won a game as a No. 14 seed three years ago.
No. 12 Murray State gives No. 5 West Virginia an intriguing matchup, as the Racers flew under the radar in the Ohio Valley Conference.
You also never know which Mountaineers team is going to take the court. Either their press could work to perfection and they will win by 20 points or Bob Huggins' squad will struggle to create turnovers and fall victim to transition play.
The night session features three potential upsets, with No. 11 Syracuse, No. 12 New Mexico State and No. 13 Charleston taking the court.
New Mexico State and Charleston appear to have more of an advantage than most potential Cinderella teams since their opponents are playing nowhere close to home in San Diego, making for more of a neutral environment.
Suggesting Syracuse will win another game in the NCAA tournament will draw groans from across the country, but it proved it is capable of running the table as a double-digit seed in the past, as it reached the Final Four as a No. 10 seed in 2016.
The only high seeds that appear to be guaranteed to be safe from losing are No. 1 seeds Xavier and Virginia, while No. 2s North Carolina, Purdue and Cincinnati should be in good shape.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
