COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT : TODAY’S GAMES : New Mexico State, Cincinnati Offer Match of Similar Styles

The second-round matchup between Cincinnati and New Mexico State today in the East Regional at Syracuse, N.Y., might be the first R-rated game of the NCAA tournament.

Two teams with similar aggressive styles and loaded with confident junior college transfers meet at the Carrier Dome.

“This is going to be an event,” New Mexico State guard Marc Thompson said. “There ought to be a lot of board-crashing. Their guards are quick and they have an All-American in Nick Van Exel and we have one in Sam Crawford. We’re expecting a lot of defensive intensity, a lot of trash-talking, a lot of in-your-face basketball.”

Second-seeded Cincinnati (25-4) is known for a trapping defense that propelled the Bearcats to the Final Four last season.

Seventh-seeded New Mexico State (26-7) is a strong rebounding team whose most effective play can be a dunk off a missed shot.

“This is going to be a great game,” New Mexico State forward Cliff Reed said. “Two teams who play hard and crash the boards.”

The first game of the second-round doubleheader will have Massachusetts (24-6) against Virginia (20-9).

In the Southeast Regional at Nashville, Tenn., top-seeded Kentucky (27-3) will play Utah (24-6) and Iowa (23-8) will meet Wake Forest (20-8).

In the Midwest Regional at Indianapolis, top-seeded Indiana (29-3) takes on Xavier (24-5) and Louisville (21-8) meets Oklahoma State (20-8).

In the West Regional at Tucson, George Washington (20-8) plays Southern (21-9) and UCLA (22-10) takes on Michigan (27-4).