COLUMBUS
No. 7 Cincinnati (28-6) vs. No. 10 Iowa (22-11)
Time, TV: 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Why Cincinnati will win: Justin Jenifer probably won’t be perfect, as he was in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament, when he scored 17 points on 6-for-6 shooting. But the senior guard is terrific from long range — he led the AAC in 3-point shooting percentage — and he rarely makes mistakes when he has the ball.
Why Iowa will win: Jordan Bohannon, one of four Hawkeyes averaging double figures, is clutch. His 81 points in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime rank among the nation’s best, and he shoots 53.3 percent from the floor and 47.6 from 3-point range down the stretch.
No. 2 Tennessee (29-5) vs. No. 15 Colgate (24-10) Time, TV: 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS
Why Tennessee will win: Pent-up rage. Tennessee has been superb, and its win over Kentucky in the SEC semifinals was one of the best, or certainly one of the most exciting, games of the season. That the Volunteers got walloped by Auburn the next day was hardly a surprise, but Tennessee has title aspirations and no doubt will come out looking to show those are still legit.
Why Colgate will win: Let’s be honest: Unless the Rick Barnes Curse kicks in early, Tennessee isn’t losing this game. The Vols’ only losses this season have been to ranked — or in the case of that first loss to Auburn, soon-to-be-ranked — teams.
No. 8 Utah State (28-6) vs. No. 9 Washington (26-8) Time, TV: 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT
Why Utah State will win: Good luck stopping Sam Merrill. He is averaging 21.2 points per game and is the only player in the country shooting at least 46 percent from the floor and 37 percent from 3-point range. Oh, he’s the last player you want to foul down the stretch, too: 32-for-32 from the line in the last minute of the game.
Why Washington will win: Matisse Thybulle’s thievery. He leads the nation in steals per game (3.44) and total steals (117), which is a Pac-12 season record.
No. 1 North Carolina (27-6) vs. No. 16 Iona (17-15)
Time, TV: 9:20 p.m. ET, CBS
Why North Carolina will win: Coby White makes a case for the best freshman not named Zion Williamson. He’s the starting point guard for the team that led the ACC in scoring and assists; his 18.9 points per game is the best for a UNC freshman since Tyler Hansbrough. Also, Roy Williams doesn’t lose in the first round. Ever.
Why Iona will win: Resilience. Iona lost nine of its first 11 games and was 7-15 after a loss to Quinnipiac. Yet the Gaels won their last 10 to take the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament title.