FACTS & STATS: Site: American Airlines Arena (19,600) -- Miami, Florida. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: CSU 3-1, Arizona 42-26. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: Two of the lowest seeds left in the NCAA Tournament go toe-to-toe today, as the 13th-seeded Cleveland State Vikings tangle with the 12th-seeded Arizona Wildcats in second-round action at American Airlines Arena. The winner of this Midwest Region bout will move on to face either Louisville or Siena in the Sweet 16 next week.

The Vikings won the Horizon League Tournament to earn an automatic bid to the Big Dance for the first time in 23 years. Despite the long drought, CSU looked right at home on Friday, pulling off the biggest upset of the tourney with a convincing 84-69 triumph of fourth-seeded Wake Forest. It was quite a performance from the Vikings, who actually advanced to the Sweet 16 as a 14th seed in their only other appearance in this event in 1986.

As for the Wildcats, they were one of the last teams selected to the Field of 65, but they showed they belonged by handling fifth-seeded Utah, 84-71, on Friday. This is Arizona's 25th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, the longest streak in the nation, but the first time they have moved on to the second round since 2006. The Wildcats, carrying their lowest seed ever in this event, are 12-3 all-time in second-round games of the NCAA Tournament.

Today's bout represents the first-ever meeting between Arizona and CSU on the hardwood.

The Vikings jumped out to an 18-6 lead and never looked back en route to a solid 84-69 victory over Wake Forest on Friday. CSU forced 18 turnovers and committed just six itself and the team also scored 25 points off those forced miscues. Norris Cole led the charge with 22 points and four assists, while J'Nathan Bullock posted 21 points and six rebounds. Cedric Jackson put forth an all-around effort, finishing with 19 points, eight assists and seven boards. On the season, Bullock tops the squad in scoring at 15.4 ppg and he is also bringing in a team-high 7.0 rpg. Cole chips in with 13.2 ppg, and the versatile Jackson adds 10.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg and a team-high 5.5 apg to the lineup. Jackson is also one of the elite defenders still left in this event and that is no more evident than in his incredible 107 steals on the season.

The Wildcats dropped in 54.5 percent of their shots from the floor and 20- of-28 at the foul line, as they raced past Utah on Friday. Nic Wise was sensational in the win, pouring in 29 points on 10-of-19 field goals. Chase Budinger tallied 20 points and eight rebounds, while Jordan Hill registered a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Hill averages a double-double on the season with 18.5 ppg and 11.1 ppg to lead the team in both departments and he also has 57 blocks to his name. Budinger is the team's most well-rounded player, as he turns in 18.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 3.5 apg. Wise fills out a talented trio with 15.5 ppg and he hands off a team-high 4.8 apg.

This is a rare 12 versus 13-seed matchup in the tourney and it should be a good one. Arizona has a little more firepower than CSU and that should help it nip a Vikings club that will surely hang around behind their stout defense.

Predicted Outcome

Arizona 67, Cleveland State 63