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(1) Kentucky vs. (8) Iowa State: South Region

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The first full day of action in the NCAA tournament didn't produce the number of surprises that many fans both expected and wanted, with just two lower-seeded teams advancing to Saturday's action. While one should come as no surprise to the country the other finds itself carrying the banner for an entire conference...in its first season in the league. Here are the key happenings by location, highlighted by wins for Colorado (Albuquerque) and VCU (Portland).

With CHN's Greg Mengelt handling previews and predictions for every game the daily preview will look a little different for the NCAA tournament, with the focus being the game of the day in each region. Below are the games on Thursday's slate that you should make time for, and with four networks (CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV) showing every game in its entirety, there's no excuse (besides a lack of TVs or laptops) for you to not have a multiple TV/computer setup in your home. Enjoy the games. 

(8) Iowa St vs. (9) Connecticut: South Region

Records

Recently CHN writer Jon Teitel was able to spend some time talking with Iowa State point forward Royce White, one of the best players in America. The Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, White runs the point for the Cyclones despite bing 6'9", 270 pounds. Iowa State takes on Connecticut in the 8/9 matchup in the South Region. 

Jon Teitel: You transferred from Minnesota to Iowa State. Why did you decide to transfer, and how close did you come to going to Kentucky (ISU's possible opponent in the round of 32)?

While getting an 8 or 9 seed as compared to a 10 or 11 seems like an accomplishment, its actually a kiss of death. #1 seeds are usually head and shoulders above the rest of the field, and 8-9 winners get stuck playing them in the 2nd round.

Big 12 - Quarterfinals
#4 Baylor vs. #5 Kansas State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
#1 Kansas vs. #9 Texas A&M, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
#2 Missouri vs. #7 Oklahoma State, 7:00 p.m. (Big 12 Network)
#3 Iowa State vs. #6 Texas, 9:30 p.m. (Big 12 Network)

AP Top 25 Commentary: Gonzaga and Iowa State entered the field this week, with a bevy of teams hot on their trail. For Iowa St, getting into the Top 25 is a substantial accomplishment considering their recent history, and it helps their peaking at the right time. With this new ranking and solid Big 12 record, Iowa St could potentially play their way into a 5 or 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.