Riley’s Take:

Loyola-Chicago vs Nevada- This game should be one of the best of the weekend, with two teams who are coming off heart pounding wins. The Nevada Wolfpack game back from a 22-point deficit in the last 10 minutes to beat Cincinnati, while the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers hit their second game winning shot in the tournament against Tennessee. Players to watch are Loyola’s Clayton Custer, the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year, who averages 13.3 points per game and 4.2 assists, as well as being able to come up big on the defensive end. Nevada has multiple players on their team who can score, with 4 players averaging double digits. This game will come down to who can get stops, and my bet is on Loyola, 73-68.

Texas A&M vs Michigan- Texas A&M is coming off a blowout win over a tournament favorite North Carolina, while Michigan won in heart stopping fashion, thanks to Jordan Poole’s buzzer beater 3 to beat Houston. The matchup to watch in this game will be Michigan’s Moritz Wagner vs A&M’s Tyler Davis, first team all SEC center. Davis is a walking double-double, averaging 14.6 PPG and 9 rebounds, while Wagner opens 14.2 PPG and 7 rebounds. The way A&M looked against UNC, it’s hard to pick against them, but Michigan has just been too hot as of late, 66-63 Michigan.

Kansas State vs Kentucky- Let’s be honest here, both of these teams might not be in this position if it wasn’t for UMBC and Buffalo, but here they are. Kentucky is the youngest team in the country, while Kansas State starts 3 juniors, but could be without their leading scorer, junior Dean Wade. If Wade plays this could be a lot closer of a game then people expect. Wade averages 16.5 PPG and is 44% from 3-point land. Kentucky on the other hand, does not shoot it particularly well from deep, only 35% as a team. I think the athleticism on Kentucky wears down Kansas State late, 73-63 Kentucky.

Florida State vs Gonzaga- The Seminoles are coming off a huge upset by beating the No. 1 seed Xavier Sunday night, while Gonzaga kept No. 5 seed Ohio State just out of reach in the second half to secure their spot in the Sweet 16. Gonzaga is a well-balanced offense, with 5 players scoring over 9 PPG, and averaging 84 PPG as a team. Florida State also scores well, averaging 81.1 PPG which is good for 31^st in the nation. Neither team really plays that great of defense, so this game should be a shootout, and look for Phil Cofer of Florida State and Johnathan Williams for the Bulldogs to take over. 92-86, Gonzaga.

West Virginia vs Villanova- Both the Mountaineers and the Wildcats have had an easy route thus far, but that ends. Villanova is one of the most efficient teams on offense in the country, while West Virginia is one of the most efficient on defense, somethings gotta give. To most people’s surprise, West Virginia has been shooting particularly well in the tournament, shooting 50.8% in those two games, led by seniors Jevon Carter, a National player of the year candidate, and Daxter Miles Jr. which is a huge plus for them. I think the saying “Defense wins Championships” comes to fruition, and the WVU takes it, 77-75.

Clemson vs Kansas- The Tigers are coming of an absolute pounding of Auburn, while Kansas narrowly survived Seton Hall. Clemson is still without their best player, Donte Grantham, who went down with a torn ACL in January, but obviously it hasn’t affected them yet. Kansas shoots the lights out, with three guys who shoot above 40% from three land. Look for Svi Mykhailiuk and Malik Newman to light it up, and Udoka Azubuike to just be an all-around mismatch problem, as Kansas cruises to a win, 78-65.

Syracuse vs Duke- To many people’s surprise, Syracuse is still in it, after beating TCU and upsetting a popular favorite to win it all, Michigan State. Duke, on the other hand, has cruised to two wins, beating Iona and Rhode Island. Duke starts four freshman, one of them being the best player in the country, Marvin Bagley III. Syracuse will lock up on defense in their patented 2-3 zone, which will give Duke trouble all day. To break the zone, look for Duke to pound the ball inside to Bagley, which will lead to easy points under the basket and on the kick out. This game might be closer than a lot of people think, given Syracuse always plays well in March, but the Blue Devils skill and athleticism is just too much, 63-59, Duke.

Texas Tech vs Purdue- Both teams are coming off of close wins, Texas Tech beating Florida, and Purdue beating Butler. Purdue is without their starting 7’2 center Isaac Haas, so now they just start a 7’3 guy, Matt Haarms. Purdue shoots the three at 42.1% as a team, 2^nd best in the country, and can beat you inside and out. Texas Tech has quick guards, and plays tough defense, but it won’t be tough enough to stop the Boilermakers, as they win 83-76.

Kevin’s Take:

We are into the final four in each region. Upset after upset came in the first and second rounds whether it was Loyola-Chicago, Texas A&M, Florida State or Syracuse, this year produced some of the most unpredictable Cinderella stories ever.

South:

#9 Kansas State vs. #5 Kentucky

#11 Loyola-Chicago vs. #7 Nevada

The South Region: a.k.a pure madness

Kansas State runs into a powerhouse in the blue-blood Kentucky after cruising over #16 UMBC with a 50-43 victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Knox will have a tall task when they face the #1 ranked defense out of the teams in the sweet sixteen.

Loyola-Chicago looks to continue its Cinderella run into the Elite Eight but will face a very talented offensive juggernaut in the Nevada Wolf Pack. The Mountain West Champion had one of the most monster comebacks in March Madness history. The Wolf Pack came back from 22 points down in the second half against #2 Cincinnati to beat the Bearcats 75-73. Nonetheless, The Loyola-Chicago Ramblings will look to ramble past Nevada on Thursday night.

Prediction:

Kentucky over Kansas State 71-66

Loyola Chicago over Nevada 79-76

West:

#9 Florida State vs. #4 Gonzaga

#3 Michigan vs. #7 Texas A&M

The West is the (fouth) best.

Florida State is coming into the Sweet 16 hot after knocking #1 Xavier and have proved to be the hot team in this tournament. The Seminoles will have to slow down Gonzaga’s Killian Tillie. Tillie is a 6’10” sophomore who has been playing the games of his life leading up to the sweet 16. Can the Zags finally do it and lose the stigma always being a letdown in the NCAA tournament?

Michigan vs. Texas A&M. This is the one game in the Sweet Sixteen I am confident about. Just as Florida State is the hot team in the top of the West region, Michigan is the hot team in the bottom of the West. They are coming off of the most thrilling game in college basketball in years defeating Houston on a last second three-pointer.  If Michigan can keep the score low and the game always within striking distance, they has all of the components to make a run this year and  should handle Texas A&M with ease.

Prediction:

Gonzaga over Florida State 68-65

Michigan over Texas A&M 75-65

East:

#1 Villanova vs. #5 West Virginia

#3 Texas Tech vs. #2 Purdue

Welcome to the East, your chalk region.

Villanova has been the outright second best team in the country during the regular season. Throughout the regular season they have had some puzzling losses. However, unlike other #1 seeds in the tournament, they have not had their first scare or test. Enter, West Virginia. West Virginia’s havoc press defense could prove fatal to Jay Wright’s Villanova team. In the past six meetings between these two, they have split 3 wins apiece alternating wins every year: the last one to win? West Virginia.

Texas Tech has some of the most suffocating defense in all of college basketball. This does not bode well with Purdue’s recent stat of nine turnovers in its opening game vs. Cal Fullerton. In order to avoid the turnovers, the Boilermakers will have to keep the ball in guard P.J. Thompson’s hands who had no turnovers through the first and second rounds. If Texas Tech can force turnovers against Purdue, they have a chance at knocking off the #2 seed.

Prediction:

West Virginia over Villanova 74-73

Texas Tech over Purdue 68-66

Midwest:

#1 Kansas vs. #5 Clemson

#11 Syracuse vs. #2 Duke

Who’s going to beat duke?

Kansas has been through their scare game vs. Seton Hall in the round of 32. Clemson has been defying all odds and cruised to two straight victories with their smallest margin of victory being 11 against New Mexico State. Clemson’s offensive efficiency is no joke. They are fifth in the country in offensive efficiency. Can they outscore Devonte Graham and Malik Newman and complete the upset?

Jim Boeheim and Syracuse find themselves making a run in the tournament again and this time they run into Grayson Allen and the Blue Devils. This game features two of the best coaches ever in college basketball in Boeheim and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. No matter how much of a favorite Duke is, games like these always seem to go down to the wire. The main story of this game will be both teams’ zone defenses. Syracuse has been known for their smothering zone defense however Duke switched to a zone in the middle of the season this year. Consequently, we should expect a low scoring game and for this one to come down to the final two minutes.

Prediction:

Kansas over Clemson 80-70

Syracuse over Duke 64-60