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2017 NCAA Tournament: Minnesota vs. Middle Tennessee State preview, prediction, TV schedule

By Taylor Sturm

Mar 11, 2017; Birmingham, AL, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders bench reacts during the Conference USA Tournament game against Marshall Thundering Herd at Legacy Arena. Blue Raiders defeated the Herd 82-73. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Birmingham, AL, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders bench reacts during the Conference USA Tournament game against Marshall Thundering Herd at Legacy Arena. Blue Raiders defeated the Herd 82-73. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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The No. 5 seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers will hope to hold off an under-seeded No. 12 Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in their first game of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

TV schedule: Thursday, March 16, 4:00 p.m. ET, TNT

Whether they showed it or not on Selection Sunday, the Minnesota Golden Gophers were not happy to see their name next to the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in the 2017 NCAA Tournament bracket.

Their reward for earning a No. 5 seed, Minnesota will face one of the top mid-majors in the country – a team ranked in the top 25 of the coaches’ poll.

We can get stuck on whether or not the Selection Committee was right (they were not) or whether or not it is fair to the Golden Gophers (it is not), but this is going to be an intense game that can go either way.

MTSU have destroyed several teams from Power 5 conferences this season and then dominated in both conference regular season play and their conference tournament. The Blue Raiders are three seeds behind a team they beat by 23 in the Vanderbilt Commodores and are even favored over the Golden Gophers by Vegas oddsmakers.

While MTSU is a trendy pick, it should be noted that Minnesota is no over-seeded joke as many are making them out to be. Only two of the Golden Gophers’ losses came to teams that did not make the Big Dance, both in Big Ten play. Their only loss in non-conference play came to the Florida State Seminoles, who are a three-seed. This is an Elite Eight capable team, which is why it’s a shame that these two face off in the first round.

Next: 5 teams most likely to pull off an upset

However, I’m fully on the MTSU bandwagon. Last season, the Blue Raiders punished a Big Ten team in the first round, and they will do so once again. MTSU is the real deal, and they are more than capable of making it to at least the Sweet 16.

Prediction: MTSU 66, Minnesota 60

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