#7 seed Dakota Wesleyan (27-5) vs. unseeded McPherson College (20-8)
DWU should win this game. They have superior athleticism, especially on the interior, and will have the best player on the floor with Darrin Dorsey. McPherson doesn’t shoot very many three pointers, making only 120 all year, while shooting at a 31% clip. McPherson has three KCAC all conference selections, including Antowine Lamb, who will be called on to hold his own against Preston Broughton or Brady Wiebe inside. Darrin Dorsey and Mitch Bain should be able to neutralize the McPherson back-court of Marlon Dominique and Mike Reece, but if they get going then this game becomes much more interesting. These teams share two common opponents, as McPherson played Doane and Hastings early in the season, defeating Doane 90-48, and splitting with Hastings in two match-ups; winning 83-69 the first time and got ran out of the gym in their second match-up 88-44 in Hastings. Dakota Wesleyan won both of their match-ups in workmanlike fashion 77-65 over Doane and 94-83 over Hastings. Dakota Wesleyan has made the tournament and lost in the first round each of the last three seasons and lost in the first round each time. The only way DWU loses this ball game is if they let the pressure get to them, or if Wiebe and Broughton both get in early foul trouble.
Prediction: DWU 85- McPherson 70

#16 seed Grand View (25-7) vs. unseeded Sioux Falls (24-9)
This is a very interesting match-up! Both teams come in with similar records and share five common opponents, each having played Dana, Midland Lutheran, Dordt, Briar Cliff, and Bellevue. Sioux Falls went 3-4 against these teams with wins at home over Briar Cliff, Midland Lutheran, and Dordt; and losses on the road against Bellevue, Briar Cliff, Dana, and Dordt. Grand View went 5-1 against their common opponents, with wins at neutral locations over Dana, Bellevue, and Midland Lutheran; a win over Midland Lutheran at Fremont; and a home win over Briar Cliff. Their lone loss against common opponents came in Indiana where Dordt bested them 77-61. Both teams played well down the stretch with Grand View winning 6 of their last 7, and Sioux Falls had won four in a row before succumbing to Dakota Wesleyan in the conference tourney championship. Both teams shoot lots of threes and score lots of points, and both teams are undefeated at home and are .500 or below on the road. Sioux Falls will have to slow down Corey Viet, who stretches defenses with his three point shooting to the tune of 17 points per game. My gut feeling says that Sioux Falls will struggle in this one, but will pull out a late win over the Vikings.
Prediction: USF 82- Grand View 79

11th Seed Cardinal Stritch (27-5) vs. unseeded Hastings
The late season loss to Dana made for some very nervous nights with Hastings on the edge of the bubble, but the loss continues to haunt them, as being one of the last teams selected has them matched up against a very difficult opponent in 11th seeded Cardinal Stritch University. Cardinal Stritch plays a similar brand of basketball to Hastings, but has done it better throughout the season. Cardinal Stritch averages 80 points per game while holding opponents to 67, and had won 19 games in a row before falling to Judson in their conference tournament. Two of those wins were over Dakota Wesleyan and Dana, who wouldn’t you know, also played Hastings. Hastings lost in the last regular season game of the year to Dakota Wesleyan, and the split with Dana. The late season loss to Dana definitely dropped Hastings down in the pecking order, and leading to this difficult match-up. Both teams can really shoot the ball from the outside, and an off shooting night by either team could be fatal. How Jeremiah Slough and Waid Vontz match up against Brandon D’Amico and Kody Braddix from Cardinal Stritch will be crucial in this game. Hastings last two games have both gone over the century mark, which resulted in wins over Dordt and what probably should have been a win over Sioux Falls. If Hastings can turn this game into a track meet and hit their three pointers, then they have a good shot of pulling the upset in this match-up, if not, they are probably one and done.
Prediction: Cardinal Stritch 90- Hastings 85