Reigning national champion Villanova will be in action along with Michigan, the runner-up from a year ago, while Belmont and Murray State open the NCAA Tournament as trendy upset picks.
Theres Kansas and Michigan State to provide some blue-blood flavor, and Murray States Ja Morant and Marquette counterpart Markus Howard some star power. Theres the big-name coaches such as Syracuses Jim Boeheim and the under-appreciated in Woffords Mike Young.
What more could you want on the first real day of the dance?
Other than Zion Williamson, of course. Duke doesnt get started until Friday.
But there is still plenty of intrigue as the first round gets going Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa, with a matchup in the East Region between seventh-seeded Louisville and No. 10 seed Minnesota the school coached by Richard Pitino , the son of disgraced Cardinals coach Rick Pitino.