Game Predictions

College Basketball Lines & Predictions: Saturday

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:15:59 -0500

Betting odds are a great guide to college basketball entertainment. Unlike fans, who often ride the wave of media predictions, betting lines tend to be a bit more focused and can give you an objective picture of how teams matchup (though lines too can get caught up in the wave of human emotion).

I'll discuss my daily predictions after the lines.. these are posted solely for fun, as I do not bet on games myself, nor do I suggest anybody else does either (it's not easy). If you agree or disagree with my picks, have thoughts on the day's lines, or have upsets or picks to announce, post them below.

November 21st: College Basketball Lines & Predictions

12:00

Utah St.
at Northeastern

Favorite

Northeastern by 1

Over/Under

1:00

Rider
at Kentucky

Favorite

Kentucky by 17.5

Over/Under

2:00

Texas Christian
at Nebraska

Favorite

Nebraska by 6

Over/Under

2:00

Long Beach St.
at Wis.-Green Bay

Favorite

Green Bay by 5

Over/Under

2:05

North Texas
at Oklahoma St.

Favorite

Oklahoma St by 12

Over/Under

4:00

South Alabama
at Tulsa

Favorite

Tulsa by 16

Over/Under

7:00

Siena
at Temple

Favorite

Temple by 4

Over/Under

7:30

Oklahoma
at VCU

Favorite

Oklahoma by 4

Over/Under

8:30

Southern Illinois
at UNLV

Favorite

UNLV by 8.5

Over/Under

- Lines as of 11:00 am (from BETUS) - Check out all the other game odds as the day progresses, including odds from other betting sites.

- While we don't bet on game ourselves, we suggest bodog.com if you're craving some sports betting action right now..

College Basketball Lines & Predictions: Friday

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:10:50 -0500

November 20th: College Basketball Lines & Predictions

1:00

George Mason
vs Georgia Tech

Favorite

Georgia Tech by 5

Over/Under

3:00

Dayton
vs Villanova

Favorite

Villanova by 6

Over/Under

3:30

East Carolina
at Tennessee

Favorite

Tennessee by 26.5

Over/Under

5:00

Ohio St.
vs California

Favorite

Ohio St by 2.5

Over/Under

6:00

St. Joseph's
vs Boston College

Favorite

Boston College by 8

Over/Under

6:00

Boston U
vs Indiana

Favorite

Indiana by 4

Over/Under

9:00

North Carolina
vs Syracuse .

Favorite

Syracuse by 1

Over/Under

10:00

Seton Hall
at Cornell

Favorite

Cornell by 3.5

Over/Under

8:30

Kansas St.
at Mississippi

Favorite

Ole Miss by 1

Over/Under

- Lines as of 11:00 am (from BETUS) - Check out all the other game odds as the day progresses, including odds from other betting sites.

- While we don't bet on game ourselves, we suggest bodog.com if you're craving some sports betting action right now..

College Basketball Lines & Predictions: Thursday

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:36:26 -0500

I'll discuss my daily predictions after the lines.. these are posted solely for fun, as I do not bet on games myself, nor do I suggest anybody else does either (it's not easy). If you agree or disagree with my picks, have thoughts on the days lines, or have upsets or picks to announce, post them below.

November 19th: College Basketball Lines

11:30 AM

Dayton
at Georgia Tech

Favorite

Georgia Tech by 1

Over/Under

2:00

George Mason
at Villanova

Favorite

Villanova by 14.5

Over/Under

5:00

Indiana
at Mississippi

Favorite

Ole Miss by 9

Over/Under

7:00

Syracuse
at California

Favorite

California by 1

Over/Under

7:30

Long Beach St.
at Notre Dame

Favorite

Notre Dame by 15.5

Over/Under

8:00

Utah Valley
at Minnesota

Favorite

Minnesota by 24.5

Over/Under

9:00

North Carolina
at Ohio St.

Favorite

North Carolina by 2

Over/Under

10:00

Santa Clara
at San Diego St.

Favorite

San Diego State by 12.5

Over/Under

10:30

Rice
at Arizona

Favorite

Arizona by 16

Over/Under

- Lines as of 11:00 am (from BETUS) - Check all the day's live odds as the day progresses, including odds from other betting sites.

UNC vs Villanova: Preview/Prediction

Evan Dorey — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:55:36 -0400

Saturday's later Final Four game matches the champions of the South Regional, #1 North Carolina (32-4, 13-3) against the East champions, #3 Villanova (30-7, 13-5).

Season Rewind: North Carolina came in to the season as the undisputed #1 team. While the Heels dropped from that perch after a tough week in early January, they've gone 18-2 over its last 20 games. The Tar Heels have been especially strong in the tournament, winning every game they've played by double digits, including a 21-point beat-down of Gonzaga and a comfortable 12-point win over Oklahoma. Villanova seemed set for a middling finish in the Big East after starting its conference schedule with a 2-3 record, but went on a strong run that saw it finish 4th in the standings. The Wildcats lost fairly handily to Louisville in the Big East semifinals, and were in some serious trouble against American in their opening round game, but then flipped a switch, pulling away from the Eagles and cruising through games with UCLA and Duke , and edging Pitt at the buzzer.

UNC O vs Nova D: North Carolina has the country's best offense, and when combined with its fast pace of play, it's no surprise to see that it's scored more than 95 points twice in its four NCAA Tournament games. The Heels are solid long-range shooters, but get most of their chances inside the arc, especially in transition. They also do an excellent job of holding onto the ball and are strong on the offensive glass, meaning that they manage to convert most of their possessions into high-percentage chances. On the rare occasions the offense has struggled, it's had trouble making three-pointers, an area that Villanova will have to control to stay in the game. Villanova's defense has been one of the Big East's best, a solid overall unit with no single specific strength. The Wildcats tend to get opponents to take a lot of three-pointers, and do a decent job defending them. They are also strong on the glass, and defend the inside effectively, but send opponents to the line often, which may spell trouble against Hansborough and co. They've also struggled against teams that shoot a high inside percentage and get back a lot of rebounds, which is another troublesome factor in this match-up.

Villanova O vs UNC D: Villanova has a solid, balanced offense that shoots well from all areas of the floor, competes well on the boards, and really prospers at the stripe, where it makes frequent appearances and shoots 75%. Despite this general strength, the Wildcats need to control turnovers to be successful, something that they've been reasonably effective at doing over the season. They shouldn't get too much trouble from UNC in this regard, as the Heels don't force opponents to give up the ball that much. The major weakness that Villanova can take advantage of is behind the arc. UNC is only average at guarding the 3-point line, while the Wildcats boast various shooters who can easily get hot.

Villanova Lineup: Villanova features an excellent inside-outside duo in 6-8 Dante Cunningham and 6-2 Scottie Reynolds; the two lead the team in every major category. Cunningham recorded double-doubles against both Duke and UCLA, and has shot over 50% from the field in the tournament thus far. Reynolds isn't a great shooter from the field, but does very well at the line, and definitely showed his ability to come up big during clutch moments in the Pitt game. Still, there are some worries based on his play in the tournament; he's been under 30% from behind the arc and has a terrible A/TO ratio. Corey Fisher is third on the team in scoring, and rescued a 7-for-28 shooting performance from the field during the tournament with an ability to earn a lot of points at the line, where he's shot an excellent 24-of-27. He'll need to keep getting there to help Villanova win in Detroit. Senior Dwayne Anderson is another guy who hasn't shot that well from the field, but is productive at the stripe, and he chips in with one of the team's best rebounding rates. Shane Clark also scores well inside, and can threaten from outside, as he did against Pittsburgh. Corey Stokes is Villanova's best three-point shooter, the only guy on the team over 40% for the season. He tends to be a hot-and-cold scorer, and is very dangerous when hot. Reggie Redding has been quietly effective for the Wildcats. He doesn't tend to get a lot of offensive chances, but took said chances well in both the Duke and UCLA games.

UNC Lineup: While there was a lot of focus last week on Ty Lawson's injured toe, it certainly didn't seem to hamper the ACC Player of the Year in his three NCAA Tourney games, as he shot nearly 60% from the field, and had an absurd 3.3 A/TO ratio. No player in the country is as efficient as Lawson, who can score inside and outside and runs the Carolina offense like clockwork. He's the best player left in the tournament, and Carolina's title hopes will be heavily tied to his performance. Tyler Hansborough leads the Heels in scoring and rebounding, and has been solid at generating inside shots and chances from the line without turning the ball over. A relatively poor game against Oklahoma shouldn't be too much of a worry, given he has no Griffins to oppose him in this matchup. Junior Wayne Ellington is another excellent scoring option who shoots very well and doesn't make a lot of mistakes. He had a long streak of double-digit games broken against Oklahoma, but will still be dangerous. Danny Green is a good long-distance shooter who tied a career-high with 7 assists against Gonzaga, while Deon Thompson doesn't chip in with a lot of offense, but is solid when called upon. Ed Davis seems set for a big performance; he may not be as renowned as the Heels' top players, but he has rebounding and block rates that put the rest of the team's to shame. His offensive game is still a work in progress, but the advantage he can provide inside is significant.

In Sum: UNC, who rolled through the Memphis regional, is peaking at just the right moment. They're small favorites to cut down the nets Monday night. Villanova certainly has the personnel to surprise, but will have to stay strong on the defensive glass as they were in Boston, and make a good percentage of threes to keep even with the Heels offensive juggernaut. I expect a fun, fast-paced game that sees UNC make a decisive run to pull away over the last 10 minutes.

Winner: North Carolina Margin: 5-9

UCONN vs Michigan St Preview/Prediction

Evan Dorey — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:33:30 -0400

The Final Four gets started Saturday evening with the home-state favorite #5 (overall) Michigan St (30-6, 15-3) facing the champions of the West Regional, #2 Connecticut (31-4, 15-3).

Season Rewind: The Big Ten regular season champions, Michigan St had a relatively poor start to the season, taking big losses to both Maryland and UNC, and while it was clearly the conference's top team, fell by double-digits to Ohio St. in the Big Ten tourney semifinals. Once the NCAA tournament began, though, the Spartans turned it on, edging USC and Kansas to make the Elite Eight, where they shut Louisville down to progress to Detroit. Connecticut, which started the season 11-0, entered the tournament on a two game losing streak, including that epic six-overtime affair with Syracuse. The Huskies managed to right the ship by the time the NCAA tournament began, having a dominant first weekend that saw them blow-out Chattanooga and Texas A&M, and looked very good in beating Purdue and Missouri in Arizona.

Basic Matchup: This game matches up a pair of teams that are awfully similar in their basic approach to the game; both play an inside-oriented offensive style, but really earn their wins on the defensive end. Connecticut is the better offensive team, as it complements strong inside shooting and domination on the offensive glass with frequent trips to the free-throw line. The Huskies can be turnover-prone at times, but in general do a good job of turning possessions into scoring opportunities inside. Michigan St may find itself having a lot of trouble containing the Huskies' big-man attack, as the Spartans have been only mediocre at defending the interior. While they will be able to reduce UConn's advantage on the glass, thanks to some of the country's best defensive rebounding, this probably won't be enough to keep the Huskies at bay.

The Numbers: Tom Izzo's teams have a reputation for being strong on the glass, and this year's Michigan St. offense is no exception, getting back 41% of its missed shots. MUS's problem is that there are often too many misses, as the Spartans shoot under 50% inside the arc, where the majority of their shots are taken. They have good ball movement, and won't be too prone to turn the ball over against a Connecticut team that doesn't press much, but will have trouble making shots against the Huskies' stalwart interior defense. UConn holds opponents to just 40% from inside the arc, and blocks nearly 20% of opponents' attempts, but the real talent of the team is avoiding fouls; the Huskies commit fewer than any team in the country. If there is an advantage for Michigan St., it will be on the glass: Connecticut lost both of its games to the nation's best offensive rebounding team, Pitt, and were pushed by a West Virginia team that was strong on the offensive boards.

UCONN Lineup: There are few players in the country that have the impact of 7-3 junior Hasheem Thabeet, who is one of the nation's elite shot-blockers, and averages a double-double. Thabeet takes handles his limiting scoring chances well, but often finds himself playing a small role in the offense, usually to the Huskies' detriment. Senior Jeff Adrien also averages a double-double, and while he's not as strong as Thabeet inside, he's got a lot more offensive upside, as demonstrated by his 23-point showing against Texas A&M. A.J. Price is the Huskies primary guard, and the only player on the team who is a consistent danger from behind the arc. Since returning in mid-December, Stanley Robinson has gradually rounded into form, and his averages of 15 points and 7 boards so far in the tournament show just what an effective interior option he's become. Freshman Kemba Walker lit up Missouri for 23 points, and his quickness makes him a dangerous weapon. Craig Austrie has struggled with his shot, but has occasional bursts of strong offensive play, as he did against Purdue.

MSU Lineup: Kalin Lucas may have won the Big Ten's Player of the Year award, but the player who will be key to Michigan St.'s success in this game is senior center Goran Suton. Suton led the Big Ten in rebounding, and while he's not the first offensive option, he was very effective in Indianapolis, where he averaged nearly 20 points over the two games. Lucas leads the Spartans in scoring and assists, and does a pretty good job of ball control, but his shooting is somewhat suspect, barely at 40% from the field. A big question mark for Michigan St. will be the play of Raymar Morgan, who has had a difficult season, and suffered a broken nose last weekend. If Morgan can chip in with some solid shooting and a strong showing on the glass (which he doesn't done all Tournament), it will be huge boon to the Spartans hopes. Beyond these three, a fairly deep group of reasonably effective bench players get a good chunk of minutes for Michigan St., giving Tom Izzo a lot of potential options. Sophomore Durrell Summers is the team's most effective long-range shooter, and has hit seven of his last 10 three-point attempts. Freshman Delvon Roe is a good inside scorer and rebounder who has had trouble finding a consistent level and struggles at the free throw line. Travis Walton is 6-2, and is a good ball distributor who leads the team in steals, while taking almost all of his shots from inside the arc. Sophomore Chris Allen puts up a lot of shots, but is just barely average at making them.

In Sum: Michigan St. and Connecticut play pretty similar styles, but in almost every area the Huskies have the edge. While Michigan St.'s ability on the offensive glass will cause UConn trouble, I can't see the Spartans defending the inside well enough to get the victory.

Winner: Connecticut Margin: 4-8

Evan Dorey's game previews & rankings are based on Elo Ratings and efficiency ratings. Elo Ratings are fairly simple, all teams are assigned an initial number of points, which is the same for all teams, eliminating preseason bias. Then, as the season progresses, when a team wins it gains points, and when it loses it drops points. The amount of points that are gained or lost depend on the level of the opponent (beating a cupcake gets you little, beating #1 will be a big increase), the scoring margin of the game (which is capped), and the game's location. To take a look at Evan's College Basketball Elo Ratings, visit his website or blog where he discuss the rankings, along with other statistical observations about big games and interesting teams.

Poll: UCONN vs Michigan St: Who Will Win?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:34:30 -0400

Poll: UNC vs Villanova: Who Will Win?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:30:06 -0400

NCAA Tournament: Friday Night Preview/Predictions

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:48:04 -0400

So many games, so little time. CollegeHoops.net helps you out by cutting to the core of each Tournament game. Click on team names for stats, results, and more. "Matchup" links include helpful injury news, betting tips and information.

Sweet Sixteen: Friday

CBS

Arizona vs Louisville

7:07

Favored: Louisville by 9.5

Over/Under: 139

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Nic Wise has been on a tear in the tourney (25 ppg), but must limit his TO's against Louisville's pressure D.

Nutshell: The lone surprise team remaining in the tourney faces the #1 overall seed. Biggest Sweet Sixteen mismatch?

At Stake: A win here by Russ Pennell and he'd have to be taken very seriously for potential coaching jobs.

CHN Prediction: Louisville (75% certainty)

Looming next: Kansas/Michigan St

Announcers: Gus Johnson/Len Elmore

Watchability: Arizona's had an impressive run, but Louisville is a major step up from Utah & Cleveland St

Syracuse vs Oklahoma

7:27

Favored: Oklahoma by 1

Over/Under: 132.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Blake Griffin is averaging 30.5 ppg & 15 rpg in the tourney, and he still doesn't get enough pub.

Nutshell: The Big East & Big 12 have dominated the tourney so far. Only one can prevail tonight.

At Stake: Neither of these programs have made the Elite Eight since 2003 (the year Syracuse won the title).

CHN Prediction: Oklahoma (50.01% certainty)

Looming next: North Carolina

Announcers: Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg

Watchability: Anytime Blake Griffin plays, it's a big deal. The close spread and the big stage set up a top-notch game.

Kansas vs Michigan St

9:37

Favored: Michigan St by 1

Over/Under: 138.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Cole Aldrich dominated the opening rounds (18 ppg, 16.5 rpg, 6 bpg), but Goran Suton is a more even match.

Nutshell: Compared to other Sweet Sixteen teams, these 2 legendary programs get surprisingly little respect.

At Stake: A win here by Bill Self would further cement his status as this year's true Coach of the Year,

CHN Prediction: Michigan St (55%)

Looming next: Louisville

Announcers: Johnson/Elmore

Watchability: Should be one of the best possession-by-possession games of the night, featuring solid play on both ends of the floor.

Gonzaga vs North Carolina

10:07

Favored: UNC by 8.5

Over/Under: 162.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Jeremy Pargo had a weak season for the Zags, but will his clutch game-winner against WKU propel him to a big night?

Nutshell: Gonzaga struggled to put away two mid-major opponents, not a good sign for a matchup with #1 UNC.

At Stake: The ESPNACC has had a dismal postseason.. and UNC is the only squad remaining.

CHN Prediction: North Carolina (75%)

Looming next: Syracuse/Oklahoma

Announcers: Nantz/Kellogg

Watchability: Even if UNC pulls away late like usual, this game should still provide its share of late-night entertainment.

NCAA Tournament: Thursday Sweet Sixteen Preview

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:40:26 -0400

Sweet Sixteen: Thursday

CBS

Purdue vs Connecticut

7:07

Favored: UCONN by 7

Over/Under: 134.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: JaJuan Johnson has been key to Purdue's early wins (18 ppg on 60% shooting). He'll have his hands full against UCONN's front line.

Nutshell: UCONN destroyed two lesser opponents, while Purdue squeaked by in two hard-fought wins.

At Stake: The last time UCONN didn't at least make the Elite Eight for three straight seasons was all the way back in 1992. Impressive.

CHN Prediction: UCONN (75% certainty)

Looming next: Memphis/Missouri

Announcers: Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas

Watchability: Two options here. A) UCONN Wins by 15+. B) Purdue wins a defensive slugfest that bores half the viewing public.

Xavier vs Pittsburgh

7:27

Favored: Pittsburgh by 7

Over/Under: 139

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Levance Fields showed signs of life against OSU after struggling against ETSU. Xavier has no PG to counter him.

Nutshell: Xavier beat two NIT-quality teams to get here, but is finally welcomed to the Big Dance.

At Stake: For all the talk about the rise of Pitt basketball, the Panthers haven't been to the Elite Eight since 1974.

CHN Prediction: Pittsburgh (70% certainty)

Looming next: Duke/Villanova

Announcers: Verne Lundqusit/Bill Raftery

Watchability: Pitt has yet to put away either of their opponents, which could cost them against a pesky Xavier squad.

Missouri vs Memphis

9:37

Favored: Memphis by 5

Over/Under: 141.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Who is Kim English, and how has the Missouri freshman averaged 15 ppg in just 23 minutes of tourney action?

Nutshell: Memphis gives up 57 ppg. Missouri scores 81. Something's got to give.

At Stake: An Elite Eight trip would be an amazing accomplishment for a Mizzou squad that couldn't even make the NIT in Mike Anderson's first two seasons.

CHN Prediction: Memphis (51% certainty)

Looming next: UCONN

Announcers: Enberg/Bilas

Watchability: Memphis has lost to the only Top 20 RPI teams they've faced this year. Will their big winning streak prove to be a fluke?

Villanova vs Duke

10:07

Favored: Duke by 2

Over/Under: 148

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Villanova leader Scottie Reynolds has been in a major slump (7 ppg in 3 games) and needs to break out.

Nutshell: A win by Villanova here would prove definitively that the Big East is far and away the best league in 2009.

At Stake: Duke has only been to the Elite Eight once since the 2001 Championship. A loss here would just prove the doubters right.

CHN Prediction: Duke (60%)

Looming next: Pittsburgh

Announcers: Lundqusit/Raftery

Watchability: (CBS saved what should be the most entertaining game for last. )

NCAA Tournament: Saturday Preview/Predictions

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 10:29:29 -0400

Second Round: Saturday

CBS

UCLA vs Villanova

1:05

Favored: Villanova by 2

Over/Under: 144.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: UCLA frosh Jrue Holiday (13 points, 6 assists) woke up for the first time in a month against VCU. He needs to step up again.

Nutshell: Two evenly matched teams, but the home-court could decide the game for Villanova once again.

At Stake: A shot against a beatable Duke (or Texas) team in the Sweet Sixteen.

CHN Prediction: UCLA (50.0001% certainty)

Looming next: Duke/Texas

Announcers: Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas

Watchability: (UCLA games are often methodically played, but there's a good chance for a close finish)

Maryland vs Memphis

3:20

Favored: Memphis by 9

Over/Under: 131

More: Matchup

Star Watch: When Tyreke Evans (15 ppg) was sitting against Northridge, the Tigers really struggled.

Nutshell: With wins over MSU and UNC, Maryland has proven they can step up in the clutch.

At Stake: Memphis still has many BCS-loving doubters after their dud effort against Northridge.

CHN Prediction: Memphis (70% certainty)

Looming next: Missouri/Marquette

Announcers: Tim Brando/Mike Gminski

Watchability: (I was less impressed with Maryland in Round One, and mostly just horrified by how bad Cal was)

Texas A&M vs Connecticut

3:25

Favored: UCONN by 10

Over/Under: 138.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Bryan Davis (21 & 9) had his way against BYU, but UCONN's frontline is a different beast.

Nutshell: After beating BYU in Round One last year, A&M put a scare (51-49) into #1 seed UCLA. Can they scare UCONN?

At Stake: If A&M could somehow top the Huskies, they'd matchup very favorably with either Purdue or Washington next.

CHN Prediction: UCONN (80% certainty)

Looming next: Purdue/Washington

Announcers: Enberg/Bilas

Watchability: (Not buying A&M's chances here)

Purdue vs Washington

5:40

Favored: Washington by 1

Over/Under: 139.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: UW freshman Isaiah Thomas (15 ppg) must step up after shooting just 3-13 in round one.

Nutshell: The day's most even matchup pits teams who are ranked closely in the polls & the RPI.

At Stake: The Big Ten is off to a great start in this year's tourney, and win here would be big.

CHN Prediction: Washington (55%)

Looming next: UCONN

Announcers: Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner

Watchability: (Odds for a nail-biter are high, but Purdue games are often painful to watch)

Michigan vs Oklahoma

5:40

Favored: Oklahoma by 7

Over/Under: 135.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: In his last three games, OU's Blake Griffin is shooting 81% from the floor (29 of 36).

Nutshell: Michigan almost blew it against Clemson, but will need to focus for a full 40 against the Sooners.

At Stake: John Beilein teams have won at least 2 games in his last 5 postseasons (NCAA & NIT).

CHN Prediction: Oklahoma (60% certainty)

Looming next: Syracuse/Arizona St

Announcers: Brando/Gminski

Watchability: (Blake Griffin is always must-watch TV, and Michigan has proven they can beat top teams.)

Louisiana St vs North Carolina

5:45

Favored: UNC by 11

Over/Under: 158.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: Marcus Thornton hadn't hit over 50% of his shots in 40 days before going off for 30 against Butler.

Nutshell: The country's best team faces a team that shot lights out in round one, and still barely beat Butler.

At Stake: LSU pride. A Tiger loss would officially end the SEC's dismal season.

CHN Prediction: UNC (90% probability)

Looming next: Gonzaga

Announcers: Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg

Watchability: (You have to watch just to see whether and how much Ty Lawson plays..)

Western Kentucky vs Gonzaga

8:00

Favored: Gonzaga by 10.5

Over/Under: 143.5

More: Matchup

Star Watch: WKU is a team of 4 wings, and one 6-8 guy, Jeremy Evans. He'll have his hands full against Josh Heytvelt (15 ppg), who eats up teams with no bigs.

Nutshell: WKU was able to impose their tempo on Illinois for most of the game, but that tempo suits Gonzaga's style.

At Stake: A shot to play against the #1 team in the land.

CHN Prediction: Gonzaga (75% certainty)

Looming next: North Carolina

Announcers: Harlan/Bonner

Watchability: (Should be played at an enjoyable tempo)

Texas vs Duke

8:05

Favored: Duke by 7.5

Over/Under: 139

More: Matchup

Star Watch: AJ Abrams (Texas) came out of a 3-month hibernation, hitting 8 threes in Round One. He'll need a repeat performance.

Nutshell: The ACC has had a very bleak 2009 Tournament, and many feel Duke is ripe for the picking.

At Stake: Duke is becoming known for fizzling out early, while Rick Barnes and Texas have a reputation for losing big games. Something's got to give.

CHN Prediction: Duke (65% certainty)

Looming next: Villanova/UCLA

Announcers: Nantz/Kellogg

Watchability: (Must watch, especially if the game is close early)

Enjoy the games. Stop back at CollegeHoops.net tonight and tomorrow for post-game reactions!