Since there are no more overlapping games, we will do a deeper dive into each of the day's games. Both should be exciting, competitive games, and are the best match-ups we could have hoped for when the brackets came out two weeks ago.
First Game: Wisconsin vs Arizona
Yes - last year these two faced off in the elite eight, and Wisconsin was victorious in an epic OT game. In the game Kaminsky went off for 28 of Wisconsin's 64 points. In that game Dekker only made 2 FG and was a relative non-factor. I expect the game this year to be a bit different. First off, both these teams have improved since last year. The roster turnover is minimal, everyone has improved, and both teams seem to be clicking on all cylinders.
Why Wisconsin Can Win: I do not expect Big Frank to be the hero tonight. Anyone that watched the UNC game on Thursday was wowwed by Decker's consistent dominance and explosiveness. Yes, a lot of this has to do with people not watching Wisconsin all year, but I have - and I was still surprised at how well he played. If Wisconsin is able to pull out a victory tonight it will be on Dekker's back, and ability to get to the rack against a stingy Arizona defense.
Why Arizona Can Win: For Arizona its all about the the defense. Can Tarczewski find a way to slow down Kaminsky on the inside. Can Sean Miller shape a defense that limits Frank from the outside. Who will be responsible for dealing with the problem Dekker's height poses? This Arizona team is a team that seems to "know how to win" though. They've rattled off 14 wins in a row, including wins at Utah, a dismantling of Oregon, two wins over UCLA, and 3 tourney wins. Scoring has been an issue in past years but this is a team that has topped 80 in 16 games this year.
The Pick: Miller finds a way to slow down Dekker and Kaminsky just enough, McConnell hits some big shots down the stretch and Arizona sneaks it out 70-61.
Second Game: Kentucky vs Notre Dame
Once again the analysts are trying to paint a picture where Kentucky is in trouble. The outside shooting of Notre Dame, the stellar guard play of Grant and Jackson, etc. Yes - I think Notre Dame has a chance to pull off the miracle, but lets not get ahead of ourselves. Mike Brey is still the coach of Notre Dame and he is the "Anti-Izzo", while Coach Cal has proven himself time and time again.
Why Kentucky Will Win: Simply put - they are the best. They played a max effort game from the gun against WVU and it showed. They dominated from start to finish, getting all the looks they wanted, while allowing WVU nothing. Contrary to popular opinion outside shooting is not a magical solution against Kentucky. Kentucky's extreme length can keep the opponent from getting clean shots off. On the flip side - while Auguste and Colson have played well I'm not convinced they can defend Towns, Cauley-Stein, and Johnson without getting in foul trouble.
Why Notre Dame could Stay Competitive: Simply put: Jerian Grant + shooters. The recipe is simple for Notre Dame. Defensively, pack it in, hope Kentucky gets tight, starts missing shots, and the big boys stay out of foul trouble. On offense, let one of the best guards in the nation go to work. Grant has been criminally underrated all season, and he's finally starting to get his due. Yes - Grant can score, but more importantly he knows how to set others up. He can get an open 3 for Connaughton or Vasturia at any time, and Notre Dame's back cuts have been extraordinary all season long.
The Pick: I'm not convinced Notre Dame will be able to get the back cuts they got in the last two games, and I'm not convinced Auguste and Colson will stay out of foul trouble. Look for them to give Kentucky a run but ultimately come out on the short end of the stick. Big Blue 75-62.
No comments:
Post a Comment