by Michelle Richardson

Albany-Mt.St.Mary’s: Mt.St.Mary’s (16-16) had a good run last year and had a good run for it this year and finished the regular season Albany (18-14), St.Mary’s has a better home record of (10-3) and Albany has a home record of (9-3). Albany has a road record of (7-11) and St.Mary’s record on the road (6-13). Both teams are currently on win streaks.

Albany has a three game win streak and St.Mary’s has a four game win streak, if your not familiar Albany plays in the American East Conference and St.Mary’s plays in the Great North East Conference better known as the Moutaineers. These teams are going to be playing in Dayton Ohio to open up the NCAA Tournaments.

So their definitely in the LeBron James neck of the woods, these two teams are going to be a good match up and they have some standouts on both teams you have guard Peter Hooley for Albany he’s the leading scorer with 15.7, Michael Rowley is the Great Danes leading rebounder with 6.7 per game and has 2.8 assists per game. St.Mary’s has Julian Norfleet with 17.6 points per game, Gregory Graves with 5.3 rebounds and Norfleet with 5.5 assists.

NC State (23-9)-Xavier(21-12): The Minute Men against the Wolf Pack who would have thought that NC State would be in the play-in game. Personally this is going to be interesting. NC State has a home record, the Heels are not that great on the road and their on a losing streak right now.

The Musketeers of Xavier University 21-12 out of the Big East out of the American Conference. The Musketeers are averaging 72 points a game. Their averaging 67.9 for their opponents. Xavier’s home record is 15-2 so they played really well and they have a bad road record at 4-6.

It doesn’t mean their not going to get it done, I can’t tell you who I give more of an edge to in this contest because both teams have played the big boys before. It’s not like people are going to be bowing to Xavier but keep in mind the ACC is a very strong basketball conference.

New Mexico(27-6)-Stanford(21-12):The Los Lobos have averaged 23 points a game, the success of the Lobos really goes to the coaching. Everybody thought when former Lobos head coach Steve Alford left to go to UCLA that the Lobos would fall apart.

The Lobos are really letting people know that “were here and were here to win” the Lobos beat San Diego State to win the Mountain West Conference. San Diego is ranked number 13. The Lobos can only be their own worst enemy if they lose to Stanford on Tuesday night at Scottstrade Arena in St.Louis.

The Lobos handled San Diego St they won that game 64-58 to be the Mountain West champions. Stanford is a very good school but please understand the Lobos are a better team not because I’m a Lobos alumn, but mostly because the Lobos are mostly going to give them a challenge. Stanford lost to UCLA 89-59 and they lost big to a Steve Alford coached team.

So how do you think that the Cardinal will do again a formerly Steve Alford coached team? This game is scheduled for Friday night.

Michelle Richardson is covering the NCAA for March Madness