Two mid-major darlings face off in the Third Round game 2011 NCAA Tournament Bracket with the highest combined seeds: No. 12 Richmond vs. No. 13 Morehead State. Could this be the best Saturday game on the updated 2011 NCAA Tournament schedule? We’ll find out on Saturday when it tips at 5:15 p.m. Eastern in Denver.
NCAA Bracket 2011: No. 12 Richmond Vs. No. 13 Morehead State
Richmond got to this point with a 69-66 win over Vanderbilt, but needed to win the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament to get to the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Anderson leads the Spiders, and had 25 points against Vanderbilt on 10-of-24 shooting. If Morehead State can limit his volume scoring approach, the Eagles will have a decent chance of advancing, but should he go off, Richmond may well be playing next week.
Kenneth Faried, the Division I rebounding leader, has carried Morehead State all year, and added a feather in his cap against Louisville, blocking a potential game-winning three by Mike Marra to preserve the Eagles’ upset. But Leonard didn’t play well at all on offense against the Cardinals, making just four of 17 shots, and it was the rest of the veteran Morehead State squad that picked up the slack, including Demonte Harper, who hit the go-ahead three with seconds left. If Faried can have even an average game on offense while maintaining his rebounding (17 boards against Louisville), expect Morehead to move on.
Star Watch: Faried’s last game with fewer than 10 rebounds? Feb. 5 against Tennessee Tech. And he’s had three or more offensive rebounds in all but one game this season.
Prediction: Faried goes for 25 and 15 against Richmond’s overmatched front line, and the Eagles soar on with a 68-61 win.
More Reading: Find SB Nation’s Richmond team preview and Morehead State team preview have plenty more on the Spiders and Eagles.
Need help picking your bracket? Check out SB Nation’s full 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions, picking every game of March Madness, or our region by region breakdowns for the East Region, West Region, Southeast Region, and Southwest Region.
Did your team miss the 2011 NCAA Tournament? We have you covered: check out the 2011 NIT bracket.
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