Dreaming of the Second Round: A Look at Potential NCAA Tourney Second Round Matchups

Added by Greg Rappaport on March 20, 2013.

Shaka Smart and VCU are looking at a potential second round matchup with Michigan.

One of my favorite aspects of March Madness is imagining the great second round matchups that might occur if everything works out the way I think it will (which happens 5% of the time). Throughout the season, there is a great deal of hyperbole made about conference superiority, but the tourney acts as a laboratory to see this arguments settled once and for all.

So now that the bracket has been released, let’s take a look at the three most intriguing second round matchups that might take place if these selected teams take care of business in the opening round.

South Region: No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8 UNC

This game would be a rematch of last year’s Elite 8, in which Kansas defeated UNC en route to their appearance in the final.

Both teams like to push the tempo, so this game would likely be a high scoring affair.

However, it would be hard not to give the edge to Kansas, who has the benefit of having center Jeff Withey patrolling the paint. Withey is one of the nations top shot blockers and has made major strides with his offensive skill sets this season.

Conversely, UNC lacks interior presence. After an embarrassing regular season loss to Miami, head coach Roy Williams elected to go with a much smaller lineup, shifting James Michael McAdoo to the ’5′. Instead of getting rebounds by boxing out, UNC prefers to use its guard heavy lineup to crash the boards and go over the top of opposing bigs.

I have serious reservations that this strategy can be effective against a Kansas team that plays solid team defense and has more size at just about every position on the floor than UNC.

While Kansas may have a decided edge in this one, an up-and-down game is usually won by the team that gets the hottest. If P.J. Hairston can channel any of his performance from the ACC championship (28 Points), then UNC might just be able to pull off a second round upset, and avenge last year’s Elite Eight loss in the process.

South Region: No.4 Michigan vs. No.5 VCU

First off, it’s worth noting just how remarkably similar these teams are.

I’ve heard many people talking up VCU, and with good reason. They have a terrifying defense that creates a lot of turnovers—a great recipe for postseason play. But Michigan is no stranger to defensive pressure, the teams they have faced this season in Big Ten play should be enough to have the Wolverines prepared for a team as deft on the defensive end as VCU.

Michigan also has the benefit of having Trey Burke, the Big Ten player of the year, piloting their offense. Burke is a smart ball handler with the quickness to beat any defender off the dribble.

While I do truly like watching VCU play under head coach Shaka Smart, I don’t believe they’ll be able to escape the second round, facing a Wolverine squad eager to prove themselves after an unceremonious defeat in the Big Ten tournament.

West: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Iowa State

Like many, I watched the last regular season contest between Iowa State and Kansas. It was a truly back-and-forth game that was unfortunately decided by some spotty officiating; but it was enough to convince me that the 22-11 Cyclones can hang with the best of ‘em. However, hanging with the best just isn’t the same as beating them, and Ohio State, in my opinion, is one of the most elite teams in college basketball.

They proved this by winning the Big Ten title over Wisconsin this past Sunday. In my own bracket, I have the Buckeyes advancing all the way to the Final Four, but the Cyclones have me worried that my bracket might be busted early this year.

The Cyclones are top of the line in several offensive categories: 21^st in rebounds per game, 14^th in assists and 4^th in points per game. However, Ohio State boasts one of the best defenses in college basketball, allowing only 57.9 points per contest (this figure is partially indicative of the full-shot using nature of the Big Ten).

Whoever comes out on top (and for my bracket’s sake I’m praying for OSU) it will be a great display of a high-caliber offense versus a ball-stopping defense. Big 10 vs. Big 12. It’s what March Madness is all about. Enjoy the first round people, and don’t go too crazy over your bracket being devastated by the end of Friday’s games—you’re not alone.