WNIT action notwithstanding, Monday is time to take a deep breath from tournament action and process who’s playing who (or is it whom? Or, whom’s playing whom?) Let’s look at the teams that advanced to the NCAA’s Sweet 16. And helping me today is fellow Mizzou Tiger Nate Gatter, who will provide his hot sports take on each game.
Kentucky (1) vs. West Virginia (5)
Thursday, 7:45 p.m. MT, CBS
Karl-Anthony Towns! Willie Cauley-Stein! Malcolm-Jamal Warner! Don’t believe the hype-phen! Wait, no, believe the hype-phen!
Kentucky is the best college basketball-level team since the 2002 Denver Nuggets. Also, this is a matchup of two of the worst coach haircuts in the nation. And these two squads have history: It’s a rematch of the 2010 Elite Eight, when the Mountaineers defeated Kentucky to go to the Final Four (that Kentucky team featured John Wall and Boogie Cousins). Also, guess who went to West Virginia: Don Knotts!
Nate didn’t even know who Don Knotts was, so I had him look him up, and now he knows all about Mr. Furley from “Three’s Company.” Also, apparently, Furley played some cop on some show before that.
Nate’s take: This game will hinge on the effectiveness of West Virginia’s press, and the Mountaineers’ ability — or lack thereof — to keep Kentucky off the offensive boards. Quick steals that turn into easy transition buckets are West Virginia’s best chance to hang with the ‘Cats.
Benjamin’s prediction: Kentucky 80, West Virginia 60
Notre Dame (3) vs. Wichita State (7)
Thursday, 5:15 p.m., CBS
This will be a super-fun game featuring the team that beat Duke in the ACC Tournament and the team that beat Kansas in the NCAA Tournament (shock chalk). The grit and intensity with which Wichita State plays is blissful. It’s what makes March March. How crazy is it that after going to the Final Four and then getting a No. 1 overall seed, this seventh-seeded Shockers team might be the best of all of them?
Nate’s take: Wichita State is riding high after its emotional upset of in-state rival Kansas, and Notre Dame survived a scare from Butler. The matchup to watch is at point guard, where Fred VanVleet and Demetrius Jackson square off. They make their respective teams go, and the better point guard will lead his team to victory.
Benjamin’s prediction: Wichita State 71, Notre Dame 69
North Carolina State (8) vs. Louisville (4)
Friday, 5:37 p.m., TBS
This matchup of early ’80s powers has me wanting to N.C. State is perhaps the most-impressive story of this tournament, after knocking off No. 1-seed Villanova. But Louisville, , is a tough draw, with Rick Pitino’s guys peaking at the right time, like his teams are wont to do.
Nate’s take: Terry Rozier’s performance against Northern Iowa was the realization of his potential. His 25 points, five rebounds and seven assists powered the Cards past UNI, and could easily do the same against N.C. State. The Wolfpack got lucky, catching ‘Nova on a bad night and taking advantage. Won’t happen twice.
Benjamin’s prediction: Louisville 66, N.C. State 60
Oklahoma (3) vs. Michigan State (7)
Friday, 8:07 p.m., TBS
Oklahoma, also my favorite musical, is a spunky team and, really, the class of the Big 12 conference this March, since the rest of the Big 12 is watching from home. But if it wasn’t for that wacky non-call against Wisconsin, the Spartans might have won the Big 10 Tournament — and of course Michigan State is as reliable in March as some Nuggets player
Nate’s take: Oklahoma is the higher seed, but Michigan State just might be the favorite. As we all too often forget, the calendar reads January, February, Izzo, April and so on. Travis Trice is hitting his stride and beautifully orchestrating Sparty’s offense with Branden Dawson and Denzel Valentine on the wings. The Spartans play their best basketball in March, and their best is better than Oklahoma’s.
Benjamin’s prediction: Michigan State 71, Oklahoma 62
Wisconsin (1) vs. North Carolina (4)
Thursday, 5:47 p.m., TBS
The Badgers’ Frank Kaminsky is what we all wish college players would be: a dude who just loves college, loves playing hard, loves his teammates. When Frank announced on his blog last spring that he was staying in college, he wrote: “I know the NBA has their crazy fans and all, but if you look at all of their games, there are games when teams like the Bobcats get hardly any fans, and it looks flat out boring. At the Kohl Center, we play in front of nearly 17,000 fans every single time we step onto the court.”
As such, Kaminsky stayed in school and now the Badgers’ are a 1-seed — and he’s a first-round pick.
And you what Frank and Nigel Hayes did with the stenographer during the tournament news conference, so fun.
Nate’s take: This season’s Wisconsin and North Carolina teams are exactly what we expect from both schools: The Badgers feature myriad scores and the most efficient offense in the nation, while North Carolina jumps out of the gym and terrorizes opponents on the fast break. Unfortunately for the Heels, Wisconsin averages only 7.4 turnovers per game, by far the fewest in the nation. UNC won’t find enough points in transition to hang with Wisconsin.
Benjamin’s prediction: Wisconsin 77, North Carolina 70
Xavier (6) vs. Arizona (2)
Thursday, 8:17 p.m., TBS
X gon’ give it to ya! The delicious Xavier team has put on some shows so far this March, but Arizona is a tourney staple, and I just see its size making this a snoozer. As Nate says: “They got a lot of size. They got a lot of everything.”
Nate’s take: After dispatching one of his greatest friends in coaching, Thad Matta of Ohio State, Sean Miller faces a former assistant, Chris Mack of Xavier. Similarly to Michigan State, Xavier tends to catch fire in March. However, the Musketeers have yet to face a team seeded higher than 11th (Ole Miss, Georgia State) and simply can’t match Arizona’s talent. ‘Zona joins fellow Wildcats, Kentucky, in the Elite Eight.
Benjamin’s prediction: Arizona, 80, Xavier 63
Duke (1) vs. Utah (5)
Friday, 7:45 p.m., CBS
Hate them or hate them, Duke is always talented, touch and Coach K-ish. I love the Blue Devils’ guard play and, of course, future New York Knicks center Jahlil Okafor is a beast down low. If anything, I about how Utah nabbed Austrian prospect Jakob Poeltl, who has the rare LTL in his name.
Nate’s take: Duke has been heralded by Benjamin Hochman as the only team in the tournament capable of taking down Kentucky. That might be true, but the Blue Devils have a significant task at hand in the Sweet 16. Larry Krystkowiak reminds me of Scooter from “Hoosiers” with his wild eyes and one-size-too-big shirts, but the man can coach. Add a bona fide star in Delon Wright, and the Utes could give Duke a close one.
Benjamin’s prediction: Duke 74, Utah 69
UCLA (11) vs. Gonzaga (2)
Friday, 5:15 p.m., CBS
First of all, UCLA took Temple’s spot in the tournament, not Colorado State’s, according to the chair of the selection committee. Even so, UCLA “validated” the selection, as some might say, by winning a pair of tournament games, followed by big man Tony Parker . But this Zags team is splendid. Nate will tell you more.
Nate’s take: Luck has favored Gonzaga so far, as Mark Few’s squad avoids a Sweet 16 date with Iowa State and, instead, will meet the much less fearsome UCLA. Short of a 21-year-old Steve Alford suiting up, the Bruins have little hope to match the ‘Zags’ offensive versatility and don’t have anyone to match Kevin Pangos’ ability to hit big shots in big moments.
Benjamin’s prediction: Gonzaga 70, UCLA 63
CHEW ON THIS
• Check out this neat tweet from the Broncos.
in franchise history
Pat Bowlen introduced as owner! []
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos)
• .
• This is a from Grantland at one particular NCAA Tournament game.
• I was pretty pumped when I found out this tidbit: John Buccigross and Barry Melrose will call the Frozen Four for ESPN on April 9 and 11. These dudes are funny, informative and well-dressed (well, Melrose is).
• And as we always do, let’s celebrate a celebrity birthday: !
Benjamin Hochman: bhochman@denverpost.com or
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