2009 NCAA Tournament: First Round Predictions and Preview for West, Mid-West Regions

2009 NCAA Tournament Predictions. Two days until the NCAA tourney kicks off with the NIT starting tonight. We'll get to see the top seeds take on the lower ranked opponents in the tourney while some of the mid-level seeds will battle it out in the first round. Look for Southern Cal, Mississippi State, and Maryland to play much stronger than their seeding indicates in the first round of games in the West and Mid-West regions. Louisville, UConn, Memphis, and Michigan State will roll through their first round matchups setting up some more interesting second round games. Predictions are based on the performance of the team in their last 5 games and any common opponents the two teams may share. Enter your picks at the CollegeHoopsVideo.com NCAA Bracket Challenge and CBS Sports NCAA Bracket contests as well!

2009 NCAA Tournament Predictions - Mid-West and West Regions - First Round

2009 NCAA Tournament Predictions - Mid-West Region - First Round

1 - Louisville Cardinals (28-5) - Big East vs

16 - Play In Game (Alabama St vs Morehead State(17-15) - OVC)

Prediction: Louisville, 84-60.

Notes: Louisville will win by a lot. A neat matchup will be if Morehead State can pull off the play-in game win to pit the two Kentucky colleges against each other in the first round.

8 - Ohio State Buckeyes (22-10) Big Ten
9 - Siena Saints (26-7)

Prediction: Ohio State, 78-68

Notes: Ohio State just tore through the post season. Look for more of the same against Siena.

5 - Utah (24-9) Mountain West
12 - Arizona Wildcats (19-13) - PAC 10

Prediction: Utah, 70-62

Notes: Arizona keeps this one close for much of the game, but ultimately can't handle Utah.

4 - Wake Forest (24-6) - ACC
13 - Cleveland State (25-10)

Prediction: Wake Forest - 90-72

Notes: Wake makes a case for why they should have been at least a 3 seed in the NCAA tourney!

6 - West Virginia (23-11) Big East
11 - Dayton (26-7) Atlantic 1

Prediction: West Virginia - 78-70

Notes: West Virginia shows that they are much stronger than their 11 losses indicate.

3 - Kansas Jayhawks (25-7) Big Twelve
14 - North Dakota State (26-6) - Summit Champions

Prediction: Kansas - 92-70

Notes: Its close...for about a minute in North Dakota State's first appearance in the tourney ever.

7 - Boston College (22-11) ACC
10 - USC Trojans (21-12) - PAC 10

Prediction: USC - 68-64

Notes: USC has been playing strong basketball and pulls the upset over BC.

2 - Michigan State (26-6) Big Ten
15 - Robert Morris (24-10) - NEC

Prediction: Michigan State 80-74

Notes: Much closer than people are predicting, but State moves on to the second round.

2009 NCAA Tournament Bracket - West Region

1 - Connecticut Huskies (27-4) - Big East
16 - Chattanooga (18-16) - Southern

Prediction: UConn - 94-68

Notes: UConn gets up early and stays up.

8 - BYU (25-7) Mountain West
9 - Texas A+M Aggies (23-9) Big 12

Prediction: Texas A+M - 82-74

Notes: A+M shows that they are a good team.

5 - Purdue Boilermakers (25-9) - Big 10
12 - Northern Iowa (23-10) Missouri Valley

Prediction: Purdue - 82-60

Notes: Purdue keeps clicking

4 - Washington Huskies (25-8) - PAC 10

13 - Mississippi State Bulldogs (23-12) SEC
Prediction: Mississippi State 78-72

Notes: State's guards hit their 3's and State wins.

6 - Marquette (24-9) - Big East
11 - Utah State (30-4) WAC

Prediction: Marquette - 85-72

Notes: Marquette starts to shake off the rust

3 - Missouri Tigers (28-6) - Big 12

14 - Cornell (21-9) - IVY

Prediction: Missouri - 84-71

Notes: Cornell makes it less than 20 against the Missouri reserves

7 - California Bears (22-10) - PAC 10
10 - Maryland Terps (20-13) - ACC
Prediction: Maryland - 82-71

Notes: Maryland shows their conference play was no fluke and pulls the upset.

2 - Memphis Tigers (31-3) - Conference USA

15 - Cal St Northridge (17-13) Big West
Prediction: Memphis - 88-60

Notes: Memphis demonstrates why they have the best defense in the tourney!

Refs:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1568417/2009_ncaa_final_four_predictions.html?cat=14

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1567231/finding_2009_ncaa_printable_brackets.html?cat=14

http://www.collegehoopsvideo.com/2009-ncaa-bracket-challenge/

http://www.collegehoopsvideo.com/memphis-tigers-2/

http://www.cbssports.com/

http://www.collegehoopsvideo.com/michigan-state-spartans-basketball/

http://www.collegehoopsvideo.com/connecticut-huskies-basketball/