And here we go, folks. The first edition - for real, this time - of our Squares game in our beautiful new online home. We've got a fantastic tournament lined up for you, even if our game lineup is *slightly* open to change. I'll explain: I usually work very hard to avoid games that are dependent on the play-in round. But this year, I think the very best game in the first round is entirely dependent on what happens in one of those very play-in games. That means that one of our Men's first-round games is scheduled to be Miami (OH) vs. Tennessee, but if the RedHawks lose their play-in game on Wednesday, that game will be replaced with another. Yes, I've already got an alternate game picked. No, I won't tell you what it is yet.

Ain't I a stinker?

Anyway. Please note that in this email, you can click on the bold title line for any of these game previews to be taken to the game page in the app. Once there, you can see the squares - and if the game is ongoing, you can see the scores roll in automatically every 5 minutes. It's amazingly cool. From any one of those game pages, you can click the "More Games" button in the upper left of the page and be taken to the list of games for the whole event, where you can then click into any other game you like, or you can click on "Posts" to see this or any other of our emails right there in your browser.

With that, let's take a look at the 8 games we've got on tap for this first round.

Men's Round 1 - Thursday, 12:15 Pacific / 3:15 Eastern: (5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) McNeese

Vanderbilt rolled through the SEC Tournament like a team that just figured something out, and they bring a loaded transfer-heavy roster into March with real momentum. Guard Mike James does everything for the Commodores, Tyler Nickel stretches the floor with shooting efficiency that creates room for everyone else, and freshman big Jalen Washington gives them an interior presence they haven't had in years. But McNeese isn't here to be impressed — the Cowboys went 28-5 running one of the country's most suffocating defenses, and guard Larry Johnson is the kind of player who just keeps making winning plays, including a triple-overtime winner in the Southland Tournament semis. This is a program that knocked off Clemson in last year's tournament and pushed Purdue to the second round. They know this stage.

Men's Round 1 - Thursday, 3:50 Pacific / 6:50 Eastern: (6) North Carolina vs. (11) VCU

Seth Trimble is the engine that makes UNC go — a senior guard who's been in big moments and dropped 30 against Louisville when the Tar Heels needed every bit of it — and freshman Caleb Wilson brings an interior dimension Carolina has lacked for a couple of seasons. But VCU went 27-7 as Atlantic-10 regular season and tournament champions, and they run the Havoc defense: relentless full-court pressure that turns careless ball-handlers into highlight reels for the other team. UNC has shown just enough sloppiness this year to make that a genuine concern. This one comes down to whether the Tar Heels can handle the chaos or whether VCU eats them alive with it.

Men's Round 1 - Friday, 9:40 Pacific / 12:40 Eastern: (5) Texas Tech vs. (12) Akron

Texas Tech's Christian Anderson is one of the most complete sophomore guards in the country — averaging nearly 20 points and nearly 8 assists a game, shooting over 40% from three, and setting a Red Raiders single-season assists record while doing it. But Anderson left the Big 12 tournament with a groin injury, and if he's anything less than himself, Texas Tech's offense loses its engine entirely. Akron, meanwhile, just won its third straight MAC Tournament title on a buzzer-beating three from Shammah Scott — a seasoned, experienced group of mostly seniors and fifth-year players who've been in big moments before and don't rattle easily. The Zips shoot the three at an elite rate from multiple spots, and they beat Miami (Ohio) — yes, that 31-1 Miami (Ohio) — during the regular season. Watch Anderson's first ten minutes closely. That'll tell you everything you need to know about how this one goes.

Men's Round 1 - Friday, 1:25 Pacific / 4:25 Eastern: (6) Tennessee vs. (11) Miami (Ohio)

You read the record right — Miami (Ohio) went 31-1 this season, and somehow ended up an 11-seed. The RedHawks won their First Four game to get here and they're not the least bit rattled, because close games are kind of their whole thing. Tennessee, meanwhile, is a 22-11 team that suffocates opponents on defense but goes ice cold on offense at the worst possible times — there were stretches this season where the Vols couldn't crack 60 points against decent competition. That's genuinely dangerous against a Miami (Ohio) team that doesn't need to outscore you, just needs to keep it tight and make one more play than you down the stretch. The Vols are the better team on paper, but "on paper" has a way of meaning very little when an 11-seed with 31 wins smells blood in the water.

Women's Round 1 - Friday, 11:30 Pacific / 2:30 Eastern: (6) Washington vs. (11) South Dakota State

Washington took a real step forward this season — 21-10 in the Big Ten, with All-Conference guard Sayvia Sellers doing a little of everything and freshman Brynn McGaughy earning All-Freshman Team honors to give the Huskies a backcourt that can make things uncomfortable. But South Dakota State's Brooklyn Meyer is one of the most dominant forwards in the country regardless of conference affiliation, averaging over 22 points, nearly 8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 blocks a game. The Jackrabbits have been here before — they knocked off Oklahoma State and pushed UConn in last year's tournament — and Meyer gives them a player Washington simply has no answer for. The Huskies need to slow the pace, win the turnover battle, and keep this under 65 points. Even then, it might not be enough.

Women's Round 1 - Friday, 12:30 Pacific / 3:30 Eastern: (5) Ole Miss vs. (12) Gonzaga

Ole Miss brings one of the most loaded transfer rosters in the country to this one — Cotie McMahon is a former Ohio State All-Big Ten forward who's scored in double figures every game this season and has 20-point performances to her name against elite SEC competition. Christeen Iwuala and Latasha Lattimore give the Rebels a deep, experienced frontcourt that can punish teams on the boards. But Gonzaga got here by winning the WCC Tournament on a young roster that shoots the three at an elite rate — sophomore Allie Turner led all of women's college basketball in three-pointers made last season, and freshman Lauren Whittaker is the WCC's Player and Freshman of the Year. If the Zags get hot from deep and keep it close into the fourth quarter, this crowd in Minneapolis could get very interesting.

Women's Round 1 - Saturday, 11:30 Pacific / 2:30 Eastern: (5) Kentucky vs. (12) James Madison

Kentucky's Clara Strack might be the most complete player nobody outside of Lexington is talking about — the 6-5 junior is averaging over 17 points and 10 rebounds, blocking nearly three shots a game, and the Wildcats are 24-4 when she records a double-double. She's the kind of dominant interior presence that can just erase an entire game plan. James Madison won the Sun Belt Tournament and brings a balanced, defensively disciplined squad — they held opponents to just over 61 points a game this season — and guard Peyton McDaniel is a capable scorer who doesn't rattle easily. But the Dukes went 0-3 against power conference competition this year, losing to Texas by 39 and Notre Dame by 13. If Strack has her way, this one could get ugly in a hurry. The more interesting question is whether JMU can make it physical enough to keep her off the glass.

Women's Round 1 - Saturday, 11:30 Pacific / 2:30 Eastern: (6) Alabama vs. (11) Rhode Island

Alabama's back-court duo of Jessica Timmons and Ta'Mia Scott combined for 43 points to knock off Tennessee in the SEC Tournament — these are guards who can take over a game when they're locked in, and they shoot the three at a rate that makes them genuinely dangerous on any given night. But Rhode Island is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, and they earned it by going 28-4 and winning the A-10 Tournament title — which means this is a program that's been doing something very right all season. Guard Brooklyn Gray runs the show with efficiency, and the Rams held opponents to under 54 points a game, one of the five best defensive rates in the country. The Tide have the talent edge, no question. But Alabama ended the regular season losing five of their last six, and Rhode Island's defense is the kind that punishes teams that are still searching for themselves. Don't sleep on the Rams.

And there we go: a full slate of 8 games from Thursday through Saturday, with another 8 more coming on Friday night once our Men's first round has wrapped up. It's a full week of basketball, PLUS all the Squares goodness you could ever hope for in a five-day period. So that's it, we're off and running. As a reminder, if you see anything on the app acting funny or not working, just let me know - I'll fix it as fast as I can.

Have a wonderful week of basketball, and enjoy the games, folks. I'll be back Friday night with our men's second round, and again on Saturday night with the women's side.

Best,

Chris