Another possible Upset Special! High Point will have most of America saying “Who?” But also: Who cares, upsets are amazing! If High Point keeps it close (which it can through its high-octane offense and personnel tailor-made to match up well with Purdue), this will be the game your group chat is texting about.

Brendan Marks: Purdue has lost six of its past nine games, with its interior defense being exposed. Over those last nine games? A horrid 196th nationally in adjusted efficiency, per Torvik; opponents are making 63.3 percent of their 2s during that stretch, which is second worst in all of DI. No, thank you! High Point is dancing for the first time in program history because of Alan Huss’ top-25 offense, which just so happens to be the ninth-best 2-point shooting team in the field. Smells like a mismatch. High Point is the easiest upset pick in the region.

Amazing back-to-back-to-back

(5) Clemson vs. (12) McNeese
3:15 p.m. ET, truTV
(6) BYU vs. (11) VCU
4:05 p.m. ET, TNT
(8) Gonzaga vs. (9) Georgia
4:35 p.m. ET, TBS

Settle in, because the late-afternoon window is the best string of games of the entire first round.

• Clemson checks in as the 12th-most likely team to win it all; its tournament could end Thursday afternoon against Will Wade’s fearless McNeese squad.

• BYU’s “size, depth and offensive execution” versus VCU’s “guard play and defensive prowess” (per our Bracket Big Board). If styles make fights, this is a phenomenal fight.

• Ranked No. 9 in the country by the essential KenPom, Gonzaga nonetheless got stuck with an No. 8 seed; Georgia is under pressure, as the first SEC team to play/justify the league’s record-smashing 14 NCAA spots.

Worth staying up late

(5) Michigan vs. (12) UC San Diego
10 p.m. ET, TBS

Part of the fun of these first few days of the tournament is sitting glued to the TV after midnight, catching an upset by a team few know over a school everyone knows, then enjoying the bleary-eyed feeling when the morning alarm goes off, knowing you caught a classic.

Meanwhile: Every “12-5” game is self-recommending for its potential to be an upset (or “upset,” because at this point, a No. 12 seed beating a No. 5 seed is considered normal). UC San Diego has every characteristic of the classic 12-seed (this feature on the team is your must-read); Michigan is coming off a Big Ten Tournament championship run.

Moore: Michigan-UC San Diego might be one of the most interesting matchups of the Round of 64. Michigan’s dread all season has been turnovers, and the Tritons rank second in Division I in defensive turnover rate. The only issue for UC San Diego is its small frontcourt. Michigan is huge up front with 7-footers Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin.

FRIDAY

The best game

(4) Maryland vs. (13) Grand Canyon
4:35 p.m. ET, TBS