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Top 10 games in the men's NCAA tournament to see in the first round

The wait is over: the brackets are outside and the big dance is officially on us because the greatest three weeks have arrived in the sports calendar.

Not every game in the men's NCAA tournament is the same, especially on the first weekend, where the action from the first four to the next Sunday evening flies quickly and angry. What games are it worth clarifying your schedule and putting a memory on your calendar? Here are 10 best matchups in the first round.

The first game of the round of 64 does not draw any strokes with a subsequent team in Louisville, which is played in the very familiar borders of the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. Not only that, but they are faced with a Creighton team that has the Big East tournament final, to the final of the Big East tournament to earn this.

Only five places separate these two teams in the Kenpom ranking, so you can see that despite the sowing difference, it is a pretty matchup. The Cougars and Rams play in the same type of pace, know how to shoot, and have two hot shot trainers in Ryan Odom and Kevin Young, with which a large part of the country will be more familiar in the coming years. Byus Egor Demin is a potential NBA lottery choice, but it will be interesting to see how he goes against the A-10 champions, which have a total of some matchup problems.

Gonzaga Bulldogs Guard Ryan Nembhard

Gonzaga Guard Ryan Nembhard leads the nation with a whopping 9.8 assists, 1.1 more than the nearest player. / Kyle Terada-Mimagn Images

See this only for the TV recordings of various bulldogs in the arena in Wichita, Kans., Like Uga herself. Both teams have achieved some impressive non-conference victories and are much better than their records that Gonzaga actually check in in a number of metrics as a top 10 team. Mark FEW's side has an almost decades of lane to make it at least the sweet 16, but you will immediately have a big challenge in your hands and try to close the future lottery selection of ASA Newell.

John Calipari against Bill Self, do we have to say more? These two sides have traveled into opposite directions during this season and have many great players who know what it takes to win in March. However, this is one of these rare meetings by two trainers of the Hall of Fame who are worth the entrance fee.

There will be a little bit Hoosiers The vibe in this, a number of players (and the head coach), who have risen from Division II level to play at Drake, get the crack with a SEC program that was really good this season under Dennis Gates. There should be no shortage of large shot that goes hand in hand with this directly in the heart of the middle west.

It wasn't long ago that the tritons in Division III were a power package, but they moved to the DI ripen and will play in their first big dance. You also have a great chance of drawing a traditional No. 5-VS.12 surprise, as you sound enormous all over the line and like to force sales.

Memphis Tiger's head coach Penny Hardaway

Memphis has its most victories (28) in seven seasons under Penny Hardaway. / Chris Jones-Mimagn pictures

Penny Hardaway has gathered one of his best teams since the takeover in Memphis, but the Tigers did not really impress in the past week because they literally survived and advanced their way to win the AAC tournament. Conversely, they will be in front of the hottest team in the clip in the Rams who recently rolled through the mountain vests and have the chops to make more than a surprise in it.

Mark Byington is no stranger to bring teams to the NCAA tournament, and seems to be the schedule in Nashville by leading Dores to a very fascinating meeting with the regular season champions of the WCC. The defense of the Gaels is first-class and one of the best units in the country, so it will need a high version on both sides if you achieve a win in a game that does not make any difference between the mid-major and the Power 2 page.

Both Shaka Smart and Richard Pitino have been names that have been connected to larger workplaces in the past few weeks, and this is proof of what they did this week at their respective programs before a meeting in Cleveland. New Mexico has a large high combination with Donovan Dent and Mustapha Amzil, but David Joplin and came Jones shouldn't have any problems with the change and at the same time cause problems at the offensive end. Both teams like to take pictures quickly, so this contains a back and forth.

The Sooners and the Huskies both expected much more from their season than what they ended in the course of the 2024–25 campaign, but the tournament offers the opportunity to write a new story. Each team has shown that it is able to make it deep in the big dance, and both the horses (Liam McNeeley, Jeremiah fears, etc.) as well as the head coach with the last four to do so. The huskies have not lost more for three years than the lightest lights, but Porter Moser & Co. will not be an easy extension in Raleigh in Raleigh.

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