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NCAA Tournament Cheering Guide: Day 1

Around here, we don't particularly care about the "First Four", so the Tournament starts on Thursday. The Hoos, however, don't play until Friday. Thursday's slate includes 2 games in the Hoos' East Region. Let's take a quick look at Hoo we should be rooting for.

By Paul Guttman
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Tony Bennett is cheering for teams to upset #1 seed Villanova.
Tony Bennett is cheering for teams to upset #1 seed Villanova.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Hoos do not play until Friday, but there are 16 games on Thursday, including 2 in the East Region (the Hoos region). Since the other regions don't really affect the Hoos for a while, we're focusing just on the East Region. With only 2 games, this is a short cheering guide.

East Region

Game 1: #1 Villanova vs #16 Lafayette
Hoo Should We Root For: Lafayette
Why: Obviously, this is highly unlikely, but someday a 16 seed is going to a win a game, and why not this year. If it happens, the Hoos would benefit from a weakened region.

Game 2: #8 NC State vs #9 LSU
Hoo Should We Root For: NC State
Why: These two teams are unlikely to reach a point in which they would face the Hoos. That said, an ACC win makes the Hoos regular season title look better. Also, NC State is an inconsistent team that can look great at times. They've beaten Duke, UNC and Louisville this year, so they can absolutely knock off the Wildcats (of Villanova). Also, the Hoos have beaten NC State twice this year, including once in Raleigh without Justin Anderson. So, if by some chance the Pack make it to the Elite Eight, the Hoos would be happy to see a familiar face (or faces).

That's day 1. Pretty simple. Check back tomorrow for our day 2 cheering guide, which will include a whopping 6 games.

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