Miami vs. Buffalo Picks

Miami vs. Buffalo picks for the NCAA Tournament’s South Region first-round game.

It’s tough to think of Miami as a sleeper pick in this edition of the NCAA Tournament, given that they are a 3-seed. However, the Hurricanes are flying pretty far under the radar.

Jim Larranaga’s team has the right kind of veteran leadership to make a strong run into March Madness, with Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez having seemingly been around forever. More than that, the Hurricanes have gone toe-to-toe with the likes of 1-seeds Virginia and North Carolina. They also boast victories over Butler, Utah, Syracuse and Duke. This team is athletic and can get it done.

Buffalo is an interesting team out of the MAC, having swiped the bid after a thrilling run through the conference tournament. The Bulls don’t shoot well from beyond the arc – just above 33% – so getting into a shootout with Miami could be a death knell.

As for what our Campus Insiders have with their Miami vs. Buffalo picks, here’s a look.

Pete Fiutak

Cliché time. Miami is a good enough team to fire on through to the Final Four, and flaky enough to lose in the first round. It’ll beat Buffalo but lose to Arizona in the second.

Ray Crawford

Jim Larranaga’s first order of business for tournament prep? Call the sports psychologist who spoke to his pre-tournament teams at Miami and George Mason. No really, I’m serious. Even without a pep talk, the Hurricanes top Buffalo to advance to the second round.

Shae Peppler

Here is my first big upset in this bracket. BUFFALO beats Miami in a thriller.

Ken Bikoff

The Hurricanes are a hungry bunch, and their athleticism will push them past the Bulls.

Jordan Cornette

An explosive offense and productive backcourt with four senior starters will be too much for Buffalo. Miami lives to play another round.

More NCAA Tournament: South Region Preview And Winner Pick