Even without John Henson, North Carolina didn't have any problems with the Catamounts of Vermont. The Tar Heels got stellar performances from James Michael McAdoo and Tyler Zeller and won 77-58.
No. 8 Creighton on the other hand, had plenty of issues to deal with in its first game against No. 9 Alabama. Doug McDermott, the third leading scorer in the country, was held scoreless for more than 14 minutes and the Bluejays had to overcome an 11-point deficit in the second half, barely squeaking by with a 58-57 victory.
The Bluejays are likely to have even more problems when they play the No. 1 seed Tar Heels on Sunday. Will Creighton's sharpshooter carry them into the Sweet 16? Or will UNC cruise in the third round?
NO. 1 NORTH CAROLINA
Pre-Tournament Record: 29-5
Conference Record: 14-2
Conference Tournament Outcome Lost To FSU In Title Game
Points Scored Per Game: 82.0
Points Allowed Per Game: 66.6
AP Ranking: 4
RPI Ranking: 4
KenPom Ranking: 6
Standout Player: Tyler Zeller
Season In Review: North Carolina was one of the most dominant teams in the county throughout the season. Outside of an early loss to UNLV and an uncharacteristic blowout loss to Florida State, the Tar Heels were ranked in the top 10 all season. They went on two nine-game winning streaks and ended up losing in the ACC Tournament championship to Florida State.
Tournament Experience: 105-40, 42 appearances, 18 Final Fours, 5 National Championships
NO. 8 CREIGHTON
Pre-Tournament Record: 28-5
Conference Record: 14-4
Conference Tournament Outcome Won Missouri Valley Conference Tournament
Points Scored Per Game: 80.0
Points Allowed Per Game: 69.6
AP Ranking: 19
RPI Ranking: 25
KenPom Ranking: 34
Standout Player: Doug McDermott
Season In Review: Besides a three-game losing streak in February, Creighton has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the season. The Bluejays don't have any wins over ranked opponents, but they did beat three Big Ten teams (Iowa, Nebraska and Northwestern). They have won seven in a row going into the NCAA Tournament, including the conference championship.
Tournament Experience: 9-17, 16 appearances