Thursday's first round games weren't bad at all, it was just that almost everyone seemed mediocre.  No one had an impressive perfomance, with the possible exception of Oklahoma.  The top seeds looked like they only had just enough to pull out a W today, and they better come on the court with a better attitude Saturday, or they won't be playing next weekend.

The two upsets came from the SEC.  The first was Milwaukee upsetting Alabama, as I mentioned earlier, and LSU fell to UAB, who made it to the Sweet Sixteen last year and barely made it to the Dance this year.  I think the UAB win shut up the naysayers who claimed they didn't deserve to be there ahead of Buffalo or Notre Dame.

So what does this leave for the SEC?  Well Kentucky seemed to only do just enough to beat Eastern Kentucky today.  Many thought LSU would go far; in fact I saw LSU in the Elite Eight in a number of brackets (I dunno why.)  On deck tomorrow is Mississippi State - a team I didn't think should have got in - and Florida.  Is it possible that Kentucky will be the only one left?

Tomorrow will have the ACC spotlighted, as UNC plays underdog Oakland (Some have said Oakland with give the Heels trouble.  A 13-18 team?  I'll be damned.).  Carolina better win by at least 20 or I'll be pissed.  Duke faces Delaware State, from the MEAC.  Expect Reddick and Melchionni to rain threes all game.  NC State faces Charlotte in what I feel will be the first ACC loss of the tournament.  Charlotte's a gritty team, and C-USA showed everyone what they were made of with UAB and Cincinnati's wins Thursday.  Georgia Tech will have a tough time at George Washington, and we could see an upset there as well.

So here are my picks for Friday (upsets are highlighted in yellow):


Syracuse:

- #1. North Carolina over #16. Oakland

- #2. Connecticut over #15. Central Florida

- #3. Kansas over #14. Bucknell

- #4. Florida over #13. Ohio (not sure about this one, folks)

- #5. Villanova over #12. New Mexico

- #6. Wisconsin over #11. Northern Iowa

- #10. Charlotte over #7. NC State

- #9. Iowa State over #8. Minnesota


Chicago:

- #2. Oklahoma State over #15. Southeastern Louisiana

- #10. St. Mary's over #7. Southern Illinois


Austin:

- #1. Duke over #16. Delaware State

- #4. Syracuse over #13. Vermont

- #12. Old Dominion over #5. Michigan State

- #8. Stanford over #9. Mississippi State


Albuquerque:

- #4. Louisville over #13. Louisiana-Lafayette

- #5. Georgia Tech over #13. George Washington