March Madness: Key First Round Matchups, The East Bracket – #5 ND vs. #12 GMU; #8 Indiana vs. #9 Arkansas; #6 Oklahoma Sooners vs. #11 St. Joseph’s; #7 Butler vs. #10 South Alabama

Let’s take the key first round matchups and begin to dissect them starting with the East bracket. I’ll be writing through the evening, so check back often.

#7 Butler Bulldogs 29-3 vs. #10 South Alabama Jaguars 26-6, Friday, 2:45 p.m.

This game is a battle of wills. Butler will want to control the pace of the game, keep things slow, and limit possessions. Sout Alabama will want to force the tempo, rev things up, and get as many possessions as possible. Butler is a senior-laden team full of grown through the program talent. The Jaguars are a teams of wandering transfers with only one contributor not from another four-year college or a junior college. Because the Bulldogs are rather slow and well, un-athletic, they will have a tough time with the Bulldogs as long as south Alabama’s guards can hit their outside shots.

The Jaguars are led by Demetric Bennett an 6’4″ (20.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg) shooting guard who shoots 41% from behind the 3-point arc. South Alabama’s other two guards Domonic Tilford, and Daon Merritt combine for 24 points and almost eight assists per game. Inside, 6’6″ Brandon Davis averages 10-9 ppg and 6.3 rpg for the Jags.