As the first weekend of March Madness ends, we have our final eight games of the second round, with these teams looking to punch their ticket into the Sweet 16. The big dance has had its ups and downs, and I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs in my picks, but for Sunday, it’s time to go 8 for 8.
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 8 UConn: Fun fact, these are the two most recent programs to win back-to-back national championships. I really like Dan Hurley as a coach, but for UConn to beat this good of a team—and Florida is phenomenal—they are going to need to limit their fouls, and freshman standout Liam McNeeley needs to perform. He shot 2-13 against Oklahoma, and UConn can’t have that again. With that being said, I think Florida will win this game because of their physicality, and I don’t think UConn will be able to keep up.
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 Baylor: For this matchup, I expect Baylor to throw everything they have at Duke the way a 12 or 13 seed would play a 4 or 5 seed. They are going to need to disrupt such a high-powered team. Duke’s ability to run teams off the floor offensively and shut teams down defensively is unbelievable, and with their best player Cooper Flagg looking like he didn’t miss a single step after getting hurt, there is no way I can pick against the Blue Devils. Duke wins.
No. 3 Kentucky vs. No. 6 Illinois: This game will be an absolute shootout. Both of these teams’ offenses are so explosive and so quick. When I say this game might end up being dang near 200+ points combined, I mean it. This really comes down to which offense I think will perform better. And not to bash on both defenses, but it’s going to be a “whoever scores last, wins” game. That being said, Kentucky has six players averaging double digits, which is scary to see. Give me Kentucky.
No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 7 Saint Mary’s: This game will be an absolute show to watch. Saint Mary’s is the slowest team left in the tournament, and Alabama is the fastest. Alabama is the highest scoring team while Saint Mary’s allows the fourth-least points. Alabama’s defense is suspect so it worries me, and I think Saint Mary’s could find ways around it and expose them. But my thing is, Saint Mary’s struggled for a while against Vanderbilt, who isn’t nearly as good or fast. Give me the high-powered Crimson Tide.
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 12 Colorado State: Colorado State proved why they were the favorite against Memphis, and Maryland was able to handle Grand Canyon pretty easily. Kyan Evans was great against Memphis for the Rams and despite only 7 bench points, the team prevailed. Against a team like Maryland who can and will play their starters a while and a dangerous one, nicknamed the “Crab Five.” Because of how much both teams rely heavily on starters, I’ll take the team with the better lineup. Maryland moves on.
No. 3 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Ole Miss: Ole Miss had themselves a fantastic game, other than the late attempt at a comeback from North Carolina. Iowa State didn’t face an opponent even near the level of UNC, but they handled their business. For this game, Ole Miss needs to shoot better from three in the second half. They didn’t make their first three of the final 20 minutes until 52 seconds left in the game, when Sean Pedulla made a clutch shot to seal the deal. I think Pedulla has another great game. Give me the Rebels to upset.
No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 10 New Mexico: Donovan Dent delivered. He played nearly the entire game and had 21 points and 6 assists, but he also was a detriment by turning the ball over eight times. Regardless, the Lobos rallied for a great win. Michigan State was on upset alert for a while, as Bryant stayed with them for a long time. The Spartans did what they do best, which is have their depth and bench contributions win them games. I think this will continue; give me the Spartans.
No. 4 Arizona vs. No. 5 Oregon: A clash between two former PAC-12 schools in their first year with their new conferences. Both teams cruised to victories against Akron and Liberty, and now both face tough opponents. Both teams outshot their opponents and shot over 45% from three. This game is going to be who can shoot from three more, and I see Arizona being able to create space around the arc to tear apart Oregon. I will give the nod to the Wildcats to get the final spot in the Sweet 16.
Bryce Norwood can be reached at arg-sports@uidaho.edu.