Vanderbilt was picked to finish last in the SEC in the preseason but finished tied for ninth with an 8-10 conference record. The Commodores beat Tennessee and Kentucky at home, and Texas A&M on the road.

The West Coast Conference regular season champions bring one of the nation's best defenses into Friday's first-round NCAA Tournament game.

The No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s Gaels (28-5) and the No. 10 seed Vanderbilt Commodores (20-12) will meet in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 3:15 p.m. ET. Watch the matchup

The Blue Devils have the easiest route to the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas, according to the betting market.

The NCAA Tournament always features a couple surprise teams in the Sweet 16. Here is who we like to survive the first weekend of this year's Big Dance.

We can’t tell you how to pick — that depends on how richly your pool rewards deep upsets and your risk tolerance. But if you’re interested in how our model works, check out this story. You’ll also find links to the other regions as we post them,