DES MOINES
No. 7 Louisville (20-13) vs. No. 10 Minnesota (21-13)
East Region
Time, TV: 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Why Louisville will win: The Cardinals team that showed up against Duke for 32 minutes shows up for closer to 40. If Louisville can have the discipline to play inside-out against a potentially banged-up Golden Gophers interior and not fall in love with the 3-pointer, it has the superior talent.
Why Minnesota will win: The Cardinals team that showed up against Duke for the final eight minutes shows up for a longer stretch. Richard Pitino’s bunch will be especially hamstrung inside if Matz Stockman (concussion) can’t play.
No. 2 Michigan State (28-6) vs. No. 15 Bradley (20-14)
East Region
Time, TV: approx. 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS
Why Michigan State will win: The Spartans need only an average day on offense. If they keep with their scoring pace (78.8 per game) against a Bradley side that began 0-5 in Missouri Valley play, a Braves team that hasn’t topped 70 since Feb. 9 can’t keep up.
Why Bradley will win: Slower pace aside (the Braves are 301st in the country in adjusted tempo), there’s a blitz of mojo among a group that won nine of 11 games to take its first conference tournament title since 1988.
No. 7 Nevada (29-4) vs. No. 10 Florida (19-15)
West Region
Time, TV: 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT
Why Nevada will win: The Wolf Pack lost seeding ground by tumbling in the Mountain West tournament semifinals. They were without Jordan Caroline (17.3 points, 9.6 rebounds) because of an Achilles injury. He is back.
Why Florida will win: The Gators score about 36 percent of their points on 3-pointers, far above the NCAA average of 32. If those drop, a battletested SEC squad could throw its weight around against a Nevada team that played only one top-60 opponent in the Ken Pomeroy rankings.
No. 2 Michigan (28-6) vs. No. 15 Montana (26-8)
West Region
Time, TV: approx. 9:20 p.m. ET, TNT
Why Michigan will win: The reigning national runner-up already knows it needs to take Montana seriously after last season’s marginal first-round scare against the Grizzlies.
Why Montana will win: The rematch factor can help the underdog, especially when the Big Sky champions know the recipe of keeping things close for 25 minutes. Canning an abnormal amount of 3-pointers can even the most disciplined defense punchdrunk, and Montana is 30th nationally from long range at 38 percent.