What would be the Sports Betting Odds have been that on the first Saturday of the NCAA tournament the ACC would still have 4 teams remaining in the field? After being maligned much of the season, and deservedly so, the ACC is having a stellar tournament.
ACC teams are currently 6-1.
North Carolina has already booked their reservation to the Sweet 16 after knocking off defending champion Baylor.
Now three more ACC teams take their shot to join the Tar Heels on Sunday. Let’s look at each game.
Michigan State vs Duke 5:15 CBS
Michigan State and Duke are coached by two Hall of Famers in Tom Izzo and Mike Krzyzewski who seem to meet each other every other NCAA tournament. On paper, Duke is the more talented team period, but Duke was the more talented team in all 5 of their ACC losses including 3 of them at home.
Duke goes as far as their defense can take them. If they can defend, they’ll beat Michigan State by 10. The problem is Duke often won’t or can’t defend especially recently, but Michigan State doesn’t have the penetrating guards that give Duke fits.
The Blue Devils should win, but the Spartans are more than capable of sending them home. I still like Duke to go to the Sweet 16.
Texas Tech vs Notre Dame 7:10 TBS
The Big 12 was running through the NCAA Tournament until Baylor met North Carolina. Now Notre Dame gets their shot. Already they’ve knocked out physical Rutgers and inconsistent but talented Alabama. I think this is a decent matchup for the Irish because Notre Dame isn’t deep, but Texas Tech’s deliberate style won’t be able to take advantage of that.
The Irish have done a great job sharing the basketball, and that will help against a very good defensive team in Texas Tech.
I’m feeling an upset here for the Irish because they are so good in the half-court.
Auburn vs Miami 7:45 TRU TV
The SEC is having a miserable tournament with 4 of their teams seeded 2-6 losing to double-digit seeds. Miami is a double-digit seed. Miami wins right? Well, there is more to it than that obviously, but there is a blueprint for beating these talented undisciplined teams from the SEC.
Michigan has the same blueprint as every team that faces the talented undisciplined tms from the SEC.
Stick to your half-court gm, don’t get into a play-ground up and down gm that the SEC teams play with.
Easier said than done, because the SEC teams have great individual talent
— Jeff or Jeffrey Fann (@TalkinACCSports) March 19, 2022
If you try to get into a playground, up and down game with the SEC teams that are all clones of each other, they can run you out of the gym. Miami’s guards have to control this game in the half-court, stay out of foul trouble, and avoid trying to run with Auburn.
If Miami goes 1 for 14 from 3 like against USC, Auburn wins by 15. I think Miami can keep it close, but Auburn is loaded with talent. I think it will be too much for the Canes to overcome.
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