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Take a deep breath everybody. You’ve made it by way of the primary two days of the boys’s NCAA match. And although there might not have been the standard variety of upsets, a couple of Cinderellas have damaged by way of and we had our justifiable share of high-level motion.
No. 12 High Point bought the motion began early by surprising No. 5 Wisconsin and the legend of Chase Johnston’s first two-point bucket of the season was born. Then No. 11 VCU stormed again from 19 factors down within the second half to upset No. 6 North Carolina.
The motion continued right into a a lot chalkier Friday, however that didn’t imply there wasn’t time for insanity to happen. Otega Oweh’s half-court heave immediately turned a March reminiscence because it pressured time beyond regulation in opposition to Santa Clara and allowed Kentucky to flee an upset bid.
Not to pat ourselves on the again, however the No. 1-ranked recreation on Sports Illustrated’s spherical of 64 checklist was VCU-UNC. Villanova vs. Utah State wasn’t far behind at No. 5. That stated, Santa Clara vs. Kentucky was No. 17 and Wisconsin vs. High Point was No. 21. You win some, you lose some!
But these matchups are previously. All we are able to do is look ahead. So how about we flip our focus to the subsequent 16 video games on faucet over the weekend? Here’s our rating of every recreation, from No. 16 to No. 1:
16. No. 1 seed Florida vs. No. 9 Iowa
Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS
Nothing we noticed from the Hawkeyes on Friday, even in opposition to a stout Clemson protection, conjures up a lot confidence that they’ll be capable to sustain with the defending champs, who obliterated Prairie View A&M with a 60-point first half. The evident challenge on this matchup is rebounding. Florida’s work on the glass has been historic all season lengthy, rating first nationally with 45.42 rebounds per recreation. Iowa, then again? Ben McCollum’s group is 354th of 361 eligible groups in rebounding (29.42 per recreation). Suffice it to say, the Hawkeyes may very well be in for a protracted evening on the boards.
15. No. 2 Houston vs. No. 10 Texas A&M
Saturday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT
An outdated Southwest Conference rivalry ought to carry loads of juice to Oklahoma City on Saturday evening, however the product on the courtroom may very well be a slog. Houston had no runner-up hangover from final 12 months’s match as freshman level guard Kingston Flemings regarded proper at house in his March Madness debut. A&M’s protection, which pressured 18 turnovers in opposition to Saint Mary’s, in all probability gained’t have the identical luck in opposition to the Cougars, who appear to have picked up proper the place they left off final March.
14. No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 9 Utah State
Sunday, ~7:50 p.m. ET, truTV
Utah State impressed in opposition to Villanova on Friday and supplied one other feather within the cap for the mid-major contingent attempting to stay up for itself on this match. Mason Falslev and MJ Collins Jr. bought to the cup usually in opposition to Villanova and the Aggies wanted simply two threes to advance. Utah State hasn’t relied on the deep ball a lot this season, however it could must as a way to maintain tempo with Arizona, which pulled no punches in opposition to Long Island. The Aggies did handle to get Kevin Willard to counsel firing his workers midgame, so maybe they will frustrate Tommy Lloyd to the identical diploma.
13. No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 7 Miami
Sunday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS
The Hurricanes struggled to interrupt away from Mark Mitchell and Missouri late on Friday evening, however finally turned an excessive amount of for the Tigers to deal with. A plus-15 benefit on the boards and balanced performances from Tre Donaldson and Malik Reneau was sufficient to get the win. Miami might want to carry that very same type of physicality to the spherical of 32 in opposition to Purdue, the place Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff await. With Braden Smith because the engine, the Boilermakers are buzzing on offense relationship to the beginning of the Big Ten match and present no indicators of slowing down after racking up 104 factors in opposition to Queens within the first spherical.
12. No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 Louisville
Saturday, ~2:45 p.m. ET, CBS
The Cardinals proved quite a lot of doubters incorrect by taking down a really strong South Florida crew within the first spherical, and doing so with out star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. The challenge is that Louisville will nonetheless be with out Brown and wanted seven threes from Isaac McKneely simply to carry off the Bulls, who scored a whopping 52 second-half factors on Thursday. It’s unlikely that Michigan State, which already appears to have a sprinkle of Tom Izzo’s March magic, will begin off as poorly as USF.
11. No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 Texas
Saturday, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV
Is it time to purchase Sean Miller’s Longhorns as an actual Cinderella? Texas turned the thirteenth First Four crew in 15 years of the Dayton play-in video games to advance to the second spherical, however there’s a path wherein this run may proceed. The Longhorns dominated the glass in opposition to BYU, plucking down 16 offensive boards. That feat will probably be troublesome to copy in opposition to Gonzaga and Graham Ike, nevertheless, because the Bulldogs are one of many higher rebounding groups within the nation.
10. No. 1 Duke at No. 9 TCU
Saturday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Duke’s opening-round recreation in opposition to Siena was thirty first of 32 video games on the checklist and ended up delivering loads of leisure because the Blue Devils bought fairly a scare. And it’s completely value watching how Jon Scheyer’s group responds. Keep a watch on Cameron Boozer particularly, who faces a troublesome submit matchup in opposition to TCU’s David Punch. The potential No. 1 decide on this summer season’s NBA draft regarded quite passive and prepared to defer for higher photographs by his teammates within the opener. That might not have been the very best method with the Blue Devils struggling to get the ball within the basket, so we may see Boozer take a extra aggressive method in recreation No. 2.
9. No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 5 Texas Tech
Sunday, ~9:45 p.m. ET, TBS
Both groups are shorthanded. Texas Tech with out the injured JT Toppin. Alabama with out Aden Holloway attributable to his arrest earlier this week. And but each groups prevailed over very gifted mid-majors within the opening spherical. This matchup is a pleasant conflict of kinds with the Red Raiders ranked 243rd in tempo and the Crimson Tide rating fourth, per T-Rank. And but each applications are within the prime six nationally in threes made per recreation—Bama as a result of it takes so many and Tech as a result of it makes so many. Whichever crew controls the tempo will seemingly come out on prime.
8. No. 3 Virginia vs. No. 6 Tennessee
Sunday, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT
Virginia gained its first NCAA match recreation since its nationwide championship in 2019—a testomony to the job that Ryan Odom has carried out in his first season. But the Hoos regarded quite unsteady and wanted Jacari White (26 factors, 6 of 8 from three) to go mainly unconscious as a way to stave off No. 14 Wright State. Tennessee, then again, utterly exerted its will in a transparent mismatch in opposition to Miami (Ohio). The Vols will face way more resistance within the paint from the Cavaliers and the supply of star ahead Nate Ament stays considerably of an unknown after he performed simply 18 minutes and didn’t rating on Friday.
7. No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 7 Kentucky
Sunday, ~2:45 p.m. ET, CBS
These two groups performed vastly completely different video games on Friday. Iowa State hung 108 factors on Tennessee State, whereas Kentucky wanted March heroics from Otega Oweh simply to power time beyond regulation in opposition to Santa Clara. Mark Pope’s program prevented catastrophe by driving the emotional excessive to victory within the additional interval, and the way the Cats come out of such a roller-coaster recreation within the opening couple of minutes will inform us so much about whether or not they’re able to pulling off the upset.
6. No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt
Saturday, ~8:45 p.m. ET, TNT
Sign us up for Pryce Sandfort vs. Tyler Tanner. The former poured in 23 factors in Nebraska’s first-round matchup in opposition to Troy, but it surely was the Huskers protection that actually stood out. That’s been the calling card for Nebraska all season lengthy and the Commodores will give that unit all it will possibly deal with. Vandy confronted a more durable take a look at within the spherical of 64 as McNeese led for practically 40% of the matchup. Then Tanner took over, ending with 26 factors, seven rebounds and 5 assists in his NCAA match debut. A number of much less turnovers for the Dores will go a great distance in opposition to the Huskers’ opportunistic protection.
5. No. 2 UConn vs. No. 7 UCLA
Sunday, ~8:45 p.m. ET, TNT
Will an officiating workers be capable to maintain up underneath the scrutiny that Dan Hurley and Mick Cronin are certain to supply in spades? Time will inform, however the on-court product on this recreation needs to be wonderful. Plus, these are two of essentially the most historic manufacturers within the sport. UConn’s offense, as Hurley predicted it could, regarded considerably freed up in its opener in opposition to No. 15 Furman—the difficulty was simply truly making the open photographs. UCLA struggled to close the door on a bodily UCF crew with out Tyler Bilodeau, however nonetheless gained with Donovan Dent having an terrible capturing evening—and will probably be hoping to get Bilodeau again by tip on Sunday evening.
4. No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 9 Saint Louis
Saturday, 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS
If you’re on the lookout for environment friendly offenses, look no additional than this matchup on Thursday evening. The Wolverines (seventh in efficient subject aim share) shot 67% from the ground within the win in opposition to Howard and it appeared like nearly each rotation participant bought in on the motion. Saint Louis (second in EFG%) related on 58% of its makes an attempt, getting up and down the ground in opposition to a fast-paced Georgia crew and spreading the wealth with 27 assists. Both of those groups are simply delights to observe—and the Billikens ought to present an actual problem to the Midwest’s No. 1.
3. No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 11 VCU
Saturday, ~7:50 p.m. ET, TNT
VCU authored the sixth-largest comeback in NCAA match historical past on Thursday, however don’t take that as an indication that this crew will probably be outmatched in opposition to Illinois. Terrence Hill Jr., who had 34 factors within the opener, could also be one of the crucial thrilling gamers to observe create off the dribble—and he’ll meet his foil in standout Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler. It was David Mirković who dominated for the Illini of their opener, posting 29 factors and 17 rebounds as his crew cruised previous an outmatched Penn. The Rams are a way more troublesome problem and will probably be trying to pull off a second upset in as many days on Saturday evening.
2. No. 4 Kansas vs. No. 5 St. John’s
Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS
If you thought Hurley vs. Cronin was good, can I curiosity you in Bill Self vs. Rick Pitino? That’s earlier than you even get to the expertise on every sideline, helmed by potential No. 1 decide Darryn Peterson. Yet as soon as once more, questionable substitution patterns and second-half utilization across the Kansas guard was on full show because the Jayhawks practically let No. 13-seed California Baptist get again into their first-round recreation. Such an method gained’t work in opposition to the Red Storm, who’ve gained 21 of their final 22 behind the regular play of Big East Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor.
1. No. 12 High Point vs. No. 4 Arkansas
Saturday, ~9:45 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV
I’m frankly unsure if the Panthers could have the juice after such a weighty recreation in opposition to Wisconsin, however after watching them function, I’m a believer. Chase Johnston can pull up from wherever on the courtroom—or apparently run out on a quick break and make a consequential layup. Rob Martin is unafraid and has the pace to get previous nearly anybody on the perimeter. And awaiting High Point on this recreation is Darius Acuff Jr., who performed effectively past his years in a balanced effort from the Razorbacks in Round 1. The potential challenge for Arkansas may very well be a scarcity of depth in opposition to a crew that performs as shortly and scores in addition to High Point. John Calipari leaned on simply six gamers within the opener and that heavy workload may take a toll in opposition to the Panthers.
More March Madness From Sports Illustrated
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This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you’ll be able to go to the hyperlink bellow:
https://www.si.com/college-basketball/ranking-all-16-mens-march-madness-second-round-games
and if you wish to take away this text from our website please contact us
