Hopefully we’ll see more of that as the tournament progresses, because having a good big man in the middle will be essential against bigger teams like Gonzaga.
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We want upsets to fuel the first weekend and heavyweights to carry us home.
It was better than you hoped.
Senior center Daniel Ochefu, who collected 21 rebounds in the two wins in Brooklyn after being limited to 47 minutes by a balky right ankle at the BIG EAST Tournament, says the mantra for the Wildcats does not change no matter the scope of the proceedings. But the actual matchup is fantastic, too.
Meanwhile Indiana comes to Philadelphia riding the confidence found in January and February. The Terrapins are 10 of 41 from 3-point range in the NCAA Tournament, but they’re making 67.3 percent of their shots from inside the arc.
Reason to Buy: Oregon has the defensive versatility to match up with just about any team in the country and is as well-equipped to face Duke freshman Brandon Ingram as anyone.
Iowa State ranks third among all Division I teams in field-goal percentage (50.3 percent) and Virginia ranks seventh (49.1 percent), but both teams have taken it to another level in the NCAA Tournament. Kansas, along with North Carolina, Virginia and OR, all made it to the sweet 16. The victor of that game will play the victor of Maryland and Kansas, the top overall seed and a popular choice to win the tournament.
Iowa’s only blowout loss came in its final game, an 87-68 loss to Villanova in the round of 32. Instead, it’s the headliner on Thursday at the KFC Yum! Could we see six teams from the ACC in the Elite Eight?
His wife has the same reaction whenever he gets one.
After an exciting weekend of action, the NCAA Tournament shifts to the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight Rounds this weekend.
The Hurricanes look a lot like Villanova.
The computers love these teams, and rightfully so. Thompson deserves credit for helping her team get there after a tense stretch that featured a big hand from hobbled teammate Makayla Epps. Maryland may have the most talented starting five, while Villanova may be the most balanced. Villanova outscored Iowa in the paint (36-26), on the break (18-0) and in points off turnovers (14-8).
Its just heartbreaking, Xavier coach Chris Mack said, after Wisconsins buzzer-beating 3-pointer led to a 66-63 win over his team Sunday night.
Angel Rodriguez, Miami. Need someone to will a team to victory, fewer are better than the Canes’ no-shot-is-a-bad-shot point guard. He is a monster, and the leader of a backcourt that could score its way to a national title. Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M Buddy Hield has been a man possessed, but he’s not the only one producing for Oklahoma.
Vegas line: Oklahoma by 2.5 points. When multiplied times six, the total worth of a game played in this year’s tournament will be at least $1.59 million…. the ACC has 13 units from 13 games played and is guaranteed another six units from Sweet 16 games. The Hoosiers are playing with a grit typical of many darkhorse teams, and North Carolina has at times been complacent and lackadaisical this season. But the Blue Devils, and the TV ratings, survived.
Kansas is the most consistent.
Villanova’s lead grew to 34 points before the Hawkeyes established an offensive rhythm and cut the deficit to 19 at the buzzer, but the outcome was never in doubt and Villanova could finally put to rest its past tournament shortcomings and celebrate, which it did. As per usual, it was the stifling defense and frenetic pace of the Orange that helped them pull away from a pesky Albany team.
Trevor Cooney also got into the act, draining 4-7 3-pointers and showing that when he’s hot, he can make this into a completely different team. Notre Dame’s ability to get out that one, and then steal its game against Stephen F. Austin, it’s just remarkable. The point guard duel between Bronson Koenig of the Badgers and the Demetrius Jackson of the Fighting Irish should be one of the best individual matchups of the tournament. It is the 11th time in the last 12 years the ‘Cats have been invited to the Big Dance.
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These two programs were league rivals from 1992-2004 when the Hurricanes were part of the BIG EAST Conference before moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference. 3 and 4 teams in the Associated Press preseason poll.
