TULSA
No. 3 Texas Tech (26-6) vs. No. 14 Northern Kentucky (26-8) West Region
Time, TV: 1:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Why Texas Tech will win: The Red Raiders are among the nation’s best defensive teams — opponents averaged 59.3 points — and their offense developed late in the regular season. Sophomore wing Jarrett Culver is a potential NBA lottery pick.
Why Northern Kentucky will win: Playing in the tournament for the second time in three seasons, a trio of scorers led by senior forward Drew McDonald fuel a potent offense (79.1 points). If the Norse heat up from 3-point range (36.6 percent), they can cause trouble.
No. 6 Buffalo (31-3) vs. No. 11 Arizona State (23-10) West Region
Time, TV: approx. 4 p.m. ET, TNT
Why Buffalo will win: Led by senior guard CJ Massinburg’s scoring punch and Mid-American defensive player of the year Dontay Caruthers, the Bulls play very fast and average almost 85 points while playing tough defense. They’ve won 12 in a row.
Why Arizona State will win: The Sun Devils outlasted St. John’s in a First Four game with defense and rebounding, which have been the most consistent traits of an enigmatic bunch. When freshman guard Lugentz Dort gets help from teammates, Arizona State has the athleticism to beat many opponents.
No. 3 Houston (31-3) vs. No. 14 Georgia State (24-9) Midwest Region
Time, TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, TBS
Why Houston will win: A year after falling in the second round, the battletested Cougars appear built for a deep run. Senior guard Corey Davis leads the way. They are also simply deep — 10 players average at least 10 minutes — and feature one of the best perimeter defenses in the tournament.
Why Georgia State will win: Junior guard D’Marcus Simonds leads the way for the Sun Belt champion, but four more players average double figures. The Panthers force turnovers and shoot the three well.
No. 6 Iowa State (23-11) vs. No. 11 Ohio State (19-14) Midwest Region
Time, TV: approx. 9:50 p.m. ET, TBS
Why Iowa State will win: Marial Shayok, a transfer from Virginia, leads a squad filled with scorers. The Cyclones, who led the Big 12 in scoring (77.7), can heat up and run away from opponents. In winning the Big 12 tournament, they played better defense than late in the regular season.
Why Ohio State will win: The Buckeyes are offensively inconsistent but play good enough defense. Iowa State’s players sometimes get frustrated when shots aren’t falling. Sophomore forward Kaleb Wesson’s bulk (6-9, 270) makes him a tough matchup for the Cyclones.