The first round is officially over, and some picks I got right, some picks I got wrong. The script must’ve changed without my knowing. I went 24–8 on predictions, which is not exactly what I want to see after the first round. All I know is that from here on out, the picks are going to be immaculate. With that, let’s dive into Saturday’s second-round games.
No. 4 Purdue vs No. 12 McNeese: McNeese really impressed me, but Clemson beat themselves in the first half by shooting 20.8% from the field. McNeese still only won by 2. Purdue will be difficult because of Trey Kaufman-Renn, who can change the game with his play inside. As much as I want an upset, I think McNeese’s run ends here. Boilermakers win.
No. 2 St. John’s vs No. 10 Arkansas: The rivalry of Pitino vs Calipari continues. While St. John’s looked rough in the first half against Omaha, they looked much better team in the second half. RJ Luis Jr. had himself a game for the Red Storm with 22 points. St. John’s shot well from three, and with Arkansas’s inconsistency on Thursday, I am going with St. John’s to win this.
No. 4 Texas A&M vs No. 5 Michigan: I really expected these two teams to be on upset alert in the first round, I got Michigan right, but they barely escaped UCSD, while A&M handled Yale. Michigan’s trend of struggling with turnovers continued, and that could be trouble. With that being said, the two major factors will be the 7-foot duo of Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin for the Wolverines. They will propel Michigan to win a dog fight.
No. 3 Texas Tech vs No. 11 Drake: Drake looked good against Missouri, and Texas Tech looked scary against UNC Wilmington. Originally, I had Texas Tech winning this game easily, but with their first-round performance, I am not sure anymore. Bennett Stirtz was fantastic for Drake, and I expect a lot of the same from him. I do expect a better performance from three from Texas Tech though, who shot 13-46 Thursday. With that, the Red Raiders should sneak by Drake to win.
No. 1 Auburn vs No. 9 Creighton: Guard Jamiya Neal was unstoppable for Creighton, posting 29 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists, and the team was red-hot from behind the arc in their win Thursday. Auburn will match up well, since they make more three pointers a game than Creighton usually allows and contest shots well, allowing opponents to shoot 40.8%. With that, I think Johni Broome and the Auburn Tigers get the win. Expect a competitive game.
No. 3 Wisconsin vs No. 6 BYU: It’s concerning that the Badgers allow about 24 attempted threes a game, and BYU thrives off the three ball. Wisconsin is luckily able to match their opponents beyond the arc, so this can go either way. My biggest factor for choosing the winner is coming down to Wisconsin’s starting lineup and their ability to draw more fouls. They get to the line more and shoot 10% better from the stripe. Give me Wisconsin in a game that will be down to the wire.
No. 1 Houston vs No. 8 Gonzaga: This game has me more torn than Michigan vs UC San Diego did. Gonzaga may be a no. 8 team, but they are much better than that. On the other hand, Houston is dominant on both sides of the ball, and their defense is unbelievable. I think despite how good Gonzaga looks, and how good that offense really is, Houston’s defense is championship caliber. Houston can also shoot 40% from three as a team. Gonzaga’s streak of nine consecutive Sweet 16 appearances will come to an end, and Houston will move on. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bulldogs pulled off an upset though.
No. 2 Tennessee vs No. 7 UCLA: UCLA was dominant against Utah State, but USU really beat themselves with a 16-60 shooting record, and going 4-31 from three. I shouldn’t discredit UCLA’s defense, though, as they allow only 65.2 points per game, leading their conference. Tennessee’s defense is still better, allowing only 63 points a game in a better conference, and they shut down teams from behind the arc, allowing opponents to only make 28.2% of their threes. Give me Tennessee to advance to the Sweet 16.
Bryce Norwood can be reached at arg-sports@uidaho.edu.