QUESTIONS TO CLEAR UP
Congrats on surviving three whole days with no NCAA tournament games. It was rough for me, too. A look at each of Thursday and Friday’s Sweet 16 matchups:
NO. 3 OREGON VS. NO. 7 MICHIGAN
The facts: 6: 09 p. m. Thursday, Ch. 2.
One question: Does it even matter which team the Wolverines are playing at this point? It almost doesn’t, in the sense that they clearly are playing well enough to beat anybody in the field. Over the last month and a half, they’re 12- 2 — with the only defeats coming in overtime at Minnesota and on a Hail Mary buzzer- beater at Northwestern. This, right now, might well be the Big Ten’s best team. Michigan is a slight favorite over the higherseeded, perimeter- oriented Ducks, who can’t match the length they’ll see in Moe Wagner and D. J. Wilson.
He said it: “I feel like it’s contagious. When one of us gets it going, we’re all, ‘ Get it, dog!’ We’re out there having fun.” — Michigan’s Zak Irvin Pick: Michigan.
NO. 1 KANSAS VS. NO. 4 PURDUE
The facts: 8: 39 p. m. Thursday, Ch. 2.
One question: Can either team slow down the other? This is a truly fascinating clash of seeming mismatches. The Boilermakers will have a huge size advantage up front with Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas, especially when coach Matt Painter plays them together. Yet the Jayhawks have the three best perimeter players — Frank Mason III, Josh Jackson and Devonte Graham — in this game and are the quicker team by a wide margin. KU center Landen Lucas had better watch his fouls. He said it: “We’re happy to be here in front of our fans. It’s definitely an advantage that we’re happy about.” — Lucas Pick: Kansas.
NO. 1 GONZAGA VS. NO. 4 WEST VIRGINIA
The facts: 6: 39 p. m. Thursday, TBS.
One question: Are the Mountaineers as good as they looked against Notre Dame? Goodness gracious — if they are, they’ll win the whole shebang. The Irish caught 40 minutes of do- nowrong hell from Bob Huggins’ team. The Zags, on the other hand, played one great half and one terrible half in their second- round victory over Northwestern. WVU can’t match the size of 7- footers Przemek Karnowski and Zach Collins, but its own frontcourt guys are tough and skilled. The Zags will have to execute against the fullcourt press.
He said it: “We want to go in there and prove people wrong. We have a lot of doubters. We keep that in mind.” — West Virginia’s Jevon Carter Pick: Gonzaga.
NO. 2 ARIZONA VS. NO. 11 XAVIER
The facts: 9: 09 p. m. Thursday, TBS.
One question: Is this Sean Miller’s breakthough year? If it is, then his loaded team should have little trouble navigating its way past an 11 seed. The second week of the tournament, though, has been unkind to a guy who’s considered one of the college game’s best coaches without a Final Four notch on his belt. The Wildcats have been to four Sweet 16s and three Elite Eights under Miller, who previously had a stellar run as coach at — yep — Xavier. He said it: “My players don’t care about Sean, just as Sean’s players don’t care about me.” — Xavier coach Chris Mack Pick: Arizona.
NO. 1 NORTH CAROLINA VS. NO. 4 BUTLER
The facts: 6: 09 p. m. Friday, Ch. 2.
One question: Can the Tar Heels’ best player, Justin Jackson, take over this game if needed? UNC won’t win without some heroics from Jackson, because Butler — despite not having a single player who’d start for UNC — is dangerous as all get- out. Jackson’s length and shot- creating ability is too much for any one Bulldogs defender to deal with, but his performance since late February has been just a tick or two off.
He said it: “Isn’t life great when you win?” — North Carolina coach Roy Williams
Pick: North Carolina.
NO. 2 KENTUCKY VS. NO. 3 UCLA
The facts: 8: 39 p. m. Friday, Ch. 2.
One question: Whose freshmen are better? It’s still so hard to tell. All of them — UCLA’s Lonzo Ball and T. J. Leaf, and Kentucky’s Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox and Bam Adebayo — were outstanding when the team’s met in December, a 97- 92 instant- classic victory for the Bruins. It would be beyond impressive for any team to beat John Calipari and his crew twice in the same season.
He said it: “I feel blessed to have a chance to be head coach at UCLA and, in particular, of this group of young men. … It’s phenomenal. I’m going to enjoy this ride as long as we possibly can.” — UCLA’s Steve Alford, who’s rumored to have been offered the job at alma mater Indiana
Pick: Kentucky.
NO. 3 BAYLOR VS. NO. 7 SOUTH CAROLINA
The facts: 6: 29 p. m. Friday, TBS.
One question: South who? Indeed, South Carolina is riding high after its first two NCAA tournament victories since — believe it or not — 1973. Fans who didn’t watch the Gamecocks’ upset of Duke still might not know much at all about this team. Lots going on here: a very good coach in Frank Martin, an experienced roster and a legit star in Sindarius Thornwell — easily one of the toughest guards in the country. Gamecocks fans will rock the house at Madison Square Garden.
He said it: “We’re in it. Why not win it? Why not us? We feel like we can compete with anybody in the country.” — Thornwell
Pick: South Carolina.
NO. 4 FLORIDA VS. NO. 8 WISCONSIN
The facts: 8: 59 p. m. Friday, TBS.
One question: Who’s the real underdog? According to oddsmakers, it’s the Badgers. But all Wisconsin has done in recent years, it seems, is take down one higher- seeded team after another. Nigel Hayes, Bronson Koenig, Zak Showalter, Vitto Brown — that’s four senior starters, for those of you scoring at home. And the Badgers’ best player this season has been a sophomore, Ethan Happ.
He said it: “You have all types of your ranking systems, statistics, analytics … [ but] the thing is with all those algorithms, they can’t calculate heart, will to win, toughness, desire; they can’t put that into a formula to come out with a percentage chance to win.” — Hayes
Pick: Wisconsin.