Thursday Game Previews

We are just an hour and a half from the start of the first games of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. Today, we look at five games on our radar that should be on yours as well.

At day's end, the tournament field will have shrunk from 64 to 48 and sixteen dreams will have ended with others looking forward to fulfillment on Saturday. Without further ado, here are today's previews.

#5. Butler vs. #12. Old Dominion [2:40 pm] Midwest Region
- The question for me is, “Which ODU team will come out?” If it’s the team that won 12 in a row leading up to the CAA Tournament, Vasylius, Williamson, and the boys will be too much to handle for Miss November. Butler absolutely needs AJ Graves to get out of the funk he left on Wright State’s home court. The guard matchups up will be key as well as Vasylius’ ability to assert himself on the offensive end.
Deciding Factor: ODU’s ability to cause turnovers and get Dahi back on track.

#6. Duke vs. #11. VCU [7:10 pm] West Region
- Likely to get a ton of deserving national attention, VCU has a golden opportunity to try and really test this underachieve Duke squad. Yet, don’t let the Blue Devils fool you…they’re still loaded with talent. VCU will have to shoot 40% or better from the three-point line and their three bigs (Anderson, Fameni, and Roland) must stay out of serious foul trouble.
Deciding Factor: Duke’s ability, or inability, to handle the VCU press.

#8. Marquette vs. #9. Michigan State [7:20 pm] East Region
- The game to get UNC. Never underestimate Tom Izzo (23-8 record in the NCAA Tournament), despite how youthful this team is this season. Dominic James and Drew Neitzel are a pair of dynamic backcourt players who should be seen by anyone with a television set. Important to note, Michigan State is fourth in the nation in scoring defense and should be able to out rebound the Golden Eagles due in large part to this.
Deciding Factor: The sprained thumb of Marquette guard Jerel McNeal, clearly the team’s top defender, may strip Marquette of too prized of a possession against the pesky Spartans.

#8. BYU vs. #9. Xavier [9:30 pm] South Region
- I have to admit, I’ve seen these teams play a combined four times this season. In that short time, I realize that the 3-ball will be hoisted early and often. Both teams shoot above 37% as a team from behind the arc and run very fluid offenses. The teams are absolutely even when it comes down to the major categories. It will be a battle of wills between Keena Young and Stanley Burrell.
Deciding Factor: Lavender’s ability to exploit the BYU guards on both sides of the ball and bench play.

#7. Indiana vs. #10. Gonzaga [9:40 pm] West Region
- Two things jump out to me. Indiana’s abysmal road/neutral court record (5-10) and their record since the Wisconsin victory against non-bottom three teams in the Big Ten (1-5). I’m not that keen on Gonzaga either. While they’ve regrouped as a team since the suspension of Josh Heytvelt, Kuso has little chance of stopping DJ White. In the end, if Gonzaga has a lead late, the free throw shooting of Derek Raivio and leadership of Jeremy Pargo will be too much for the struggling Hoosiers.
Deciding Factor: Pargo vs. Wilmont.