Alright, been a few days since the offensive disaster UVa suffered against Michigan State. Time to get back at it and make some Sweet 16 picks. I'll make four right now and then do the other four games later. I'll hopefully have some kind season-ending writeup for UVa soon-ish.
Today
No. 7 Wichita State (30-4) vs. No. 3 Notre Dame (31-5) in Cleveland, 7:15 p.m. CBS
Much has been made of the ACC's power in this NCAA tournament. Looked at as the second- or third-best conference all year, the ACC went 6-0 in the second round of the tournament and 5-1 in the third round. But Notre Dame is one of those teams that has skated by a little, winning both games by a combined seven points over Northeastern and then Butler. Wichita State has looked better and have been dangerously underseeded in the tournament. Last time out, the Shockers rocked in-state rival Kansas, a game they really wanted since Kansas has been avoiding them in the regular season. Last year, WSU was undefeated a No. 1 seed when it lost in the third round to Kentucky. If WSU wins tonight, it will likely get a chance at revenge against Kentucky two rounds later than that, in the Elite Eight. And Kentucky would be undefeated. Notre Dame depends a lot on offense and outside shooting and I think the Irish's run comes to an end tonight.
Wichita State 77, Notre Dame 74
No. 4 North Carolina (25-11) vs. No. 1 Wisconsin (33-3) in Los Angeles, 7:47 p.m. TBS
Wisconsin is like a better version of Virginia. UNC went 1-1 against UVa this year and tends to struggle with disciplined teams. The Tar Heels are going to have to keep up with one of the most efficient offensive teams in the nation and 7-foot big man Frank Kaminsky who can score from anywhere on the court. Defense has not been the hallmark for UNC this year and Kaminsky is a tall task, pun intended. The Tar Heels have thus far staved off a comeback by Harvard and then basically won in a shootout over Arkansas. Wisconsin cruised past Coastal Carolina, albeit not playing that well (Coastal was once again a game No. 16 seed a year after giving UVa all it wanted), and then beat Oregon. I think we are looking at a close game but Wisconsin will do too much right down the stretch.
Wisconsin 73, North Carolina 71
No. 5 West Virginia (25-9) vs. No. 1 Kentucky (36-0) in Cleveland, 9:45 p.m. CBS
All they do is win. The Wildcats were pushed against Cincinnati but still won by 13 and now their quest to become the first undefeated national champion since the 1976 Indiana team continues. Their next task is "Press Virginia." Bob Huggins has employed a frantic defense this year for the Mountaineers because at the beginning of the year he didn't think he had the horses to compete at a high level in conventional ways It has taken WVU far but Kentucky is a different animal than Buffalo or Maryland, WVU's first two opponents. I think WVU will challenge Kentucky more than Cincy, but will still fall short.
Kentucky 67, West Virginia 60
No. 6 Xavier (23-13) vs. No. 2 Arizona (33-3) in Los Angeles, 10:17 p.m. TBS
Xavier is a good, solid team but the Musketeers have had an easy run so far, beating Ole Miss, which had exhausted itself by coming back against BYU, and then Cinderella team Georgia State, which they just beat by eight. Arizona is a different story. Sure, the Wildcats played a 15 seed in the second round in Texas Southern, but they were overly impressive, and then they handled a game Ohio State team by 15. I think the Wildcats roll to the Elite Eight.
Arizona 83, Xavier 70
Today
No. 7 Wichita State (30-4) vs. No. 3 Notre Dame (31-5) in Cleveland, 7:15 p.m. CBS
Much has been made of the ACC's power in this NCAA tournament. Looked at as the second- or third-best conference all year, the ACC went 6-0 in the second round of the tournament and 5-1 in the third round. But Notre Dame is one of those teams that has skated by a little, winning both games by a combined seven points over Northeastern and then Butler. Wichita State has looked better and have been dangerously underseeded in the tournament. Last time out, the Shockers rocked in-state rival Kansas, a game they really wanted since Kansas has been avoiding them in the regular season. Last year, WSU was undefeated a No. 1 seed when it lost in the third round to Kentucky. If WSU wins tonight, it will likely get a chance at revenge against Kentucky two rounds later than that, in the Elite Eight. And Kentucky would be undefeated. Notre Dame depends a lot on offense and outside shooting and I think the Irish's run comes to an end tonight.
Wichita State 77, Notre Dame 74
No. 4 North Carolina (25-11) vs. No. 1 Wisconsin (33-3) in Los Angeles, 7:47 p.m. TBS
Wisconsin is like a better version of Virginia. UNC went 1-1 against UVa this year and tends to struggle with disciplined teams. The Tar Heels are going to have to keep up with one of the most efficient offensive teams in the nation and 7-foot big man Frank Kaminsky who can score from anywhere on the court. Defense has not been the hallmark for UNC this year and Kaminsky is a tall task, pun intended. The Tar Heels have thus far staved off a comeback by Harvard and then basically won in a shootout over Arkansas. Wisconsin cruised past Coastal Carolina, albeit not playing that well (Coastal was once again a game No. 16 seed a year after giving UVa all it wanted), and then beat Oregon. I think we are looking at a close game but Wisconsin will do too much right down the stretch.
Wisconsin 73, North Carolina 71
No. 5 West Virginia (25-9) vs. No. 1 Kentucky (36-0) in Cleveland, 9:45 p.m. CBS
All they do is win. The Wildcats were pushed against Cincinnati but still won by 13 and now their quest to become the first undefeated national champion since the 1976 Indiana team continues. Their next task is "Press Virginia." Bob Huggins has employed a frantic defense this year for the Mountaineers because at the beginning of the year he didn't think he had the horses to compete at a high level in conventional ways It has taken WVU far but Kentucky is a different animal than Buffalo or Maryland, WVU's first two opponents. I think WVU will challenge Kentucky more than Cincy, but will still fall short.
Kentucky 67, West Virginia 60
No. 6 Xavier (23-13) vs. No. 2 Arizona (33-3) in Los Angeles, 10:17 p.m. TBS
Xavier is a good, solid team but the Musketeers have had an easy run so far, beating Ole Miss, which had exhausted itself by coming back against BYU, and then Cinderella team Georgia State, which they just beat by eight. Arizona is a different story. Sure, the Wildcats played a 15 seed in the second round in Texas Southern, but they were overly impressive, and then they handled a game Ohio State team by 15. I think the Wildcats roll to the Elite Eight.
Arizona 83, Xavier 70
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