One round of the NCAA tournament is in the books. The 32 teams left standing are five victories away from winning a national championship. It's a journey that continues on Saturday with third-round action for the first half of that group.
Among the teams returning to the court are a pair of top seeds (Louisville and Gonzaga), several dangerous sleepers (Michigan State, Saint Louis and VCU) and some underdogs that survived the round of 64 (Harvard, Oregon and California).
Let's analyze the top games on tap for the fifth day of March Madness. The winners of these three games, and the other five that will take place on Saturday, will earn trips to the Sweet 16. To see where every team stands, check out the live bracket.
VCU used its patented high-energy defensive style and scoring depth to crush an undermanned Akron squad. The Rams are always fun to watch because they ensure the game moves at a quick pace by putting a lot of pressure on the opponent from start to finish.
Michigan will counter with star power—and plenty of it. The guard tandem of Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. is as good as it gets in the country. They receive plenty of support from the likes of Glenn Robinson III and Nik Stauskas.
The Wolverines are a young squad, with several sophomores and freshman in prominent roles. That could spell trouble if VCU is able to cause the chaos it seeks every game. This game should go right down to the wire.
Less than six percent of people in ESPN's national bracket picked Harvard to upset New Mexico, a trendy selection to make a deep tournament run. Now, the Crimson look to prove the victory wasn't a fluke against Arizona.
The Wildcats are basically the complete opposite. Nearly 26 percent of people picked them to get upset by Belmont. But the Wildcats were in control throughout thanks to four players in double figures, led by Mark Lyons with 23 points.
For Harvard to keep its miracle run going, the biggest key is hitting the glass. It's an area the Crimson really struggled with during the regular season, but they held their own against New Mexico. If they don't get overpowered by Arizona in the paint, another upset is possible.
Wichita State made a statement on Thursday. In what was billed as one of the most competitive matchups of the second round, the Shockers crushed Pittsburgh by 18. It sends them into a game against top-seeded Gonzaga with plenty of momentum.
The same can't be said for the Bulldogs. Their opener against Southern was expected––like all No. 1 vs. No. 16 games––to be a blowout. Instead, it wasn't until the dying moments of the game that they finally secured the victory.
On the flip side, Gonzaga will be looking for a strong bounce-back showing to get back in the national title conversation. It makes for a very intriguing contest.
To keep up with all the NCAA tournament action check out the live bracket or grab the updated printable bracket. Follow all the exciting NCAA Tournament games with March Madness Live.
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