Favorites ruled the day as tourney opens lacking upsets

If you tuned into day one of the NCAA tournament expecting upsets, then you are likely heading to bed sorely disappointed, as the chalk ruled the day on the schedule.

Only two favorites lost outright in the 16 games of action, and both underdogs that won, Northwestern (+2) and Xavier (+1.5), weren't far from being a pick'em line.

Bucknell and Florida Gulf Coast both entered action as 14-seeds that were double-digit underdogs to West Virginia and Florida State, respectively, but put a scare into the favored teams late into the action. The Mountaineers and Seminoles would both end up winning by six-point margins.

Almost anytime a 5-seed faces a 12-seed, the lower number is favored, but No. 12 Middle Tennessee actually entered play against No. 5 Minnesota as a 1.5-point favorite and easily covered with a nine-point win.

No. 5 Notre Dame blew an 11-point second-half lead against No. 12 Princeton before holding on for a two-point victory on a missed buzzer-beater by the Tigers. While the Fighting Irish got the win, they couldn't cover the 6.5-point spread.

This year's opening schedule certainly didn't have the upsets of last year's first day, where four double-digit seeds won outright over a much-lower opponent. Two 11-seeds knocked off six-seeds and two 12-seeds knocked off two five-seeds.

Those disappointed shouldn't fret however, as the tournament is named March Madness for a reason.

Sometimes it just takes a little longer to develop.