West Region: Round of 64
1 Gonzaga vs. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson: Gonzaga
Last season saw the first upset of a No. 16 seed over a No. 1 seed in NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament history. Gonzaga is the last team I’d expect to lose in the first round, despite Fairleigh Dickinson’s tendency to light it up from 3-point land. The Bulldogs should win handily as the better all-around team.
8 Syracuse vs. 9 Baylor: Syracuse
I don’t think Baylor will produce enough offense to overcome Syracuse’s defense, which is ranked within the top-25 in the nation in adjusted defensive rating.