BT Powerhouse - All PostsA Big Ten Basketball Blog. Your top source for all things Big Ten basketball related.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48027/btpower-fave.png2024-03-28T08:30:00-05:00http://www.btpowerhouse.com/rss/current/2024-03-28T08:30:00-05:002024-03-28T08:30:00-05:00March Madness Sweet Sixteen Preview: Illinois vs. Iowa State
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<img alt="Duquesne v Illinois" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_kwCQfVmM2klYzxGkzYfJkkafhQ=/0x0:4793x3195/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73238576/2108185117.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Illini take on the Cyclones in a clash of styles.</p> <p id="daUHjj">No. 1 offense.</p>
<p id="x1WOQK">No. 1 defense.</p>
<p id="PODKfd">We could be in for an interesting one in the Sweet Sixteen when Illinois takes on Iowa State in the late window. It’s a complete clash of styles as the offensive juggernaut Illini meet the defense-oriented cyclones.</p>
<p id="i017dU">It’s the first trip to the second weekend for Brad Underwood and the Illini’s first in over a decade. T.J. Otzelberger is making his second trip to the tournament’s second weekend after leading the Cyclones there in 2022.</p>
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<h2 id="oYt3zF"><strong>When is the game and how can I watch?</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li id="ybtrDM">
<strong>Game time/date: </strong>Thursday, March 18, at 10:09 p.m.</li>
<li id="1iwNn6">
<strong>TV Channel: </strong>TBS/TruTV</li>
<li id="6sHDcz">
<strong>Location: </strong>TD Garden. Boston, Massachusetts.</li>
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<strong>KenPom Spread: </strong>Cyclones by 1</li>
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<p id="0nvO8x">Illinois jumped to the No. 1 offense in KenPom’s efficiency metrics after steamrolling Morehead State and Duquesne in the first two rounds of tournament play.</p>
<p id="tbj9rp">Brad Underwood<a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5364471%2F2024%2F03%2F24%2Fillinois-ncaa-tournament-brad-underwood-duquesne%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.btpowerhouse.com%2F2024%2F3%2F28%2F24114026%2Fmarch-madness-sweet-sixteen-preview-illinois-vs-iowa-state" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"> made some tweaks to his offense</a> mid-season on advice from new friend Jay Wright that really got things going in Champaign. He’s employing the same guard post-up style that frustrated him last year against Penn State and Jalen Pickett.</p>
<p id="XyyVC1">For the Illini, that guy is Marcus Domask. It’s not dissimilar from some of the things Wright used to run at Villanova en route to two national championships. There’s less ball movement than there used to be under Underwood, but the efficiency is through the roof regardless.</p>
<p id="3IqagN">When firing on all cylinders, the Illini can’t be stopped. It’s the 92nd most efficient defense that’ll ultimately have to show up.</p>
<p id="OOUHV8">As for Iowa State? The Cyclones are the nation’s most efficient defensive team, forcing turnovers and ill-advised attempts from long range. It’s gonna be a tough nut to crack up in Boston.</p>
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https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/28/24114026/march-madness-sweet-sixteen-preview-illinois-vs-iowa-stateL.C.Norton2024-03-27T06:48:57-05:002024-03-27T06:48:57-05:00Michigan Hires Dusty May
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<figcaption>Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>The Wolverines have their man. </p> <p id="uzAm8Y">The <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/teams/michigan-wolverines">Michigan Wolverines</a> made major news over the weekend as the program made its move and hired its replacement for the recently departed Juwan Howard. The program opted to hire Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May to replace Howard. This will be May’s first opportunity as a head coach on the high-major level.</p>
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<p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/syxJFYGrod">pic.twitter.com/syxJFYGrod</a></p>— Dusty May (@CoachDustyMay) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachDustyMay/status/1771952096713031836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2024</a>
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<p id="RHTkAm">May arrives after a rough few years for Michigan basketball. While things started well under Howard’s leadership, the program regressed in each of the last three seasons, culminating in two years without an NCAA Tournament appearance and a horrid 8-24 record last season. Fans watched one of the more successful programs of the 2010s fade from the top 10 into irrelevance and a rough 128th rating on KenPom this year.</p>
<p id="Qvkf65">Resurrecting the program from those depths won’t be easy, but May arrives in Ann Arbor with an encouraging resume. He spent six years at Florida Atlantic, where he took the Owls from the bottom of college basketball to a Final Four appearance in 2023 and an NCAA Tournament trip this March. He posted a 126-69 (.646) overall record and 61-38 (.616) mark in conference play. He also had prior stints as an assistant coach at programs including Florida, Louisiana Tech, and UAB. May also served as a student manager for Bob Knight at Indiana. He graduated from Indiana in 2000.</p>
<p id="STOI74">May also has another potential advantage for his tenure with the Wolverines thanks to the transfer portal. Expect May to not only look for key pieces to add to Michigan’s roster elsewhere, but also from his Florida Atlantic roster. He has multiple starters that could transfer and play immediately in Ann Arbor. If so, that could dramatically reduce the time needed to get things back to relevancy for the Wolverines.</p>
<p id="bfHCt0">There’s little doubt Michigan fans are excited for this pickup. May was arguably the best available coaching candidate this cycle and there are plenty of reasons to think he finds success with the Wolverines. </p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/27/24113359/michigan-wolverines-basketball-hires-dusty-may-stats-resume-john-beilein-warde-manuelThomas Beindit2024-03-27T06:32:29-05:002024-03-27T06:32:29-05:00Tuesday NIT Recap: OSU Falls To Georgia
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<img alt="Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UVnJ-YgXFjyoIxlQxUODPn-DHh0=/0x0:4500x3000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73235780/usa_today_22875095.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>Recap all the Big Ten action from Tuesday.</p> <p id="Z2VwVH">The 2024 National Invitational Tournament (“<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nit-tournament">NIT</a>”) continued on Tuesday. <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> hosted Georgia for a shot to go to the NIT Final Four.</p>
<p id="FnWheR">Let’s take a look at what happened.</p>
<h1 id="Kk9uJE"><strong>Game of the Night:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="GcnYk7"><strong>-No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs 79, No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes 77</strong></h3>
<p id="pk2Iti">The Buckeyes entered this one as solid favorites, but the team could never really find its rhythm defensively. Noah Thomasson went off for 21 points for Georgia and two other Bulldogs scored double-digits as well. Ohio State got 22 points from Jamison Battle, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Georgia’s efficiency, as the Bulldogs grabbed a 79-77 win. Interestingly, Russel Tchewa was out with sickness, yet Georgia still got the job done.</p>
<p id="S44ymG">The loss means Ohio State will wrap up its season at 22-14 overall. It was a bizarre campaign that really hasn’t been duplicated by any other Big Ten team in recent years. The Buckeyes entered the season with middling expectations and actually matched those projections, but did it in an unusual manner. Ohio State started the year at 12-2 overall, only to fall on its face, lose 10 of its next 13 games, and fire head coach Chris Holtmann midseason. The promotion of assistant Jake Diebler then reignited the team, leading the Buckeyes to great a regular season finish and a trip to the NIT quarterfinals.</p>
<p id="8IoKvk">Ohio State’s focus will now turn to the offseason and Diebler’s efforts to get the Buckeyes back to national relevance next season. The program has now missed two straight NCAA Tournament and hasn’t made it past the first weekend since 2013, a rough historical run in Columbus. </p>
<p id="21fa72">The good news for Diebler and fans is that Ohio State projects to return most of its roster from this season. The team had a few senior contributors, but Roddy Gayle and Bruce Thornton could both return in the backcourt. Ohio State also welcomed a talented group of freshmen last season that should improve substantially by next fall. If the Buckeyes can add a few pieces in the transfer portal, it shouldn’t be hard to put together a quality lineup. </p>
<p id="F6C1Bl">Perhaps the biggest questions will focus on what Diebler does in the frontcourt. Battle will be gone and Felix Okpara has been underwhelming to date. Will Diebler go out and add a quality big man for the Buckeyes? It’s arguably the biggest issue during Holtmann’s tenure and prevented Ohio State from staying at the top of the Big Ten. It will be interesting to watch over the coming months.</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/27/24113352/tuesday-2024-national-invitational-tournament-recap-nit-ohio-state-score-stats-falls-to-georgiaThomas Beindit2024-03-26T08:49:13-05:002024-03-26T08:49:13-05:00Tuesday NIT Quarterfinal Preview: Georgia at Ohio State
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<img alt="Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PSe68Y3k08n-A4DYX07kdNeMw9o=/0x0:4500x3000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73233587/usa_today_22814175.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>Preview all of Tuesday’s Big Ten action.</p> <p id="Pu68pD">The 2024 National Invitational Tournament (“<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nit-tournament">NIT</a>”) will continued on Tuesday and will feature the sole remaining Big Ten team in the field. <a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> will play host to Georgia with a shot of advancing to the semi-finals with a win.</p>
<p id="Lk5M4e">Let’s take a look at the schedule.</p>
<h1 id="YKJBds"><strong>Game of the Day:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="l73TUY"><strong>-No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs at No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes</strong></h3>
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<li id="jQUh5P">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 7:00 PM ET (ESPN/ESPN+)</li>
<li id="NPqnx1">
<strong>KenPom Spread:</strong> Ohio State by 7</li>
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<p id="Xbc9AO">It’s been a bizarre year for the Buckeyes. The team entered the season with underwhelming expectations, but outperformed them massively in the first two months of the season. Unfortunately, Ohio State couldn’t keep that momentum going into conference play, as the team collapsed in January and eventually fired head coach Chris Holtmann. The program replaced Holtmann with Jake Diebler and has caught fire. While it wasn’t enough to make the NCAA Tournament, Ohio State enters Tuesday having won 9 of the team’s last 12 games.</p>
<p id="4WZFaD">Ohio State will now put that on the line against Georgia at home in the quarterfinals of this year’s NIT. The Bulldogs enter the game at 19-16 overall and share a relatively similar profile to the Buckeyes. Georgia had a great start to the season, reaching 12-3 at one point, before losing nearly every game between January 27th and Selection Sunday. However, the fast start was enough to get the Bulldogs to the NIT, where they knocked off Xavier and <a href="https://www.bloggersodear.com">Wake Forest</a> to get to Tuesday’s matchup.</p>
<p id="gZ47Kf">Georgia is a relatively balanced team. Noah Thomasson leads the team in usage in the backcourt, but the team has four players above 21 percent of shots taken while on the floor. Justin Hill also contributes significantly. Jabri Abdur-Rahim remains out with injury, which has allowed players like freshmen Blue Cain and Dylan James to contribute more.</p>
<p id="uw4qzV">The key player to watch, however, is Russel Tchewa down low. He’s an absolute beast on the boards and incredibly efficient down low. If Ohio State is going to beat Georgia, it’s going to need a strategy to slow down Tchewa. He’s not an elite scorer, but he’s fantastic on the boards and so efficient that his contributions add up significantly over a game. It’s a big opportunity for Felix Okpara and Zed Key. </p>
<p id="zOjvAd">In many ways, this should be a clash of styles. Ohio State relies primarily on its offense to get the job done, while Georgia gets by with defense and minimal turnovers. If Okpara and Key prevent Tchewa from cleaning up the glass, this is Ohio State’s game to lose. However, it will be easier said than done. </p>
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<strong>Pick:</strong> Ohio State</li></ul>
<h3 id="l1jEvc">***</h3>
<p id="SfW3qc"><em>Picks Record This Season: 75-29</em></p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/26/24112354/2024-nit-quarterfinal-preview-georgia-at-ohio-state-game-time-tv-channel-kenpom-spread-stats-picksThomas Beindit2024-03-25T06:17:07-05:002024-03-25T06:17:07-05:00Sunday NCAA Tournament Recap: Purdue Makes Sweet 16
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<img alt="Syndication: Journal-Courier" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/18zAjSBnODRrFUpB2CbogdIBbWU=/0x0:3795x2530/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73230794/usa_today_22856087.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>Recap all the Big Ten action from Sunday.</p> <p id="Z2VwVH">The 2024 NCAA Tournament continued on Sunday and two Big Ten teams were fortunate enough to be involved in the Round of 32. The league ended up getting mixed results.</p>
<p id="FnWheR">Let’s take a look at what happened.</p>
<h1 id="Kk9uJE"><strong>Game of the Night:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="GcnYk7"><strong>-No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers 106, No. 8 Utah State 67</strong></h3>
<p id="c39voL">Few (if any) teams have been more roundly criticized than Purdue over the last few years for the program’s missteps in March. Despite incredible success in the regular season, postseason losses to Fairleigh Dickinson, Saint Peter’s, and North Texas in consecutive years will leave a mark. It’s a weight fans and the team have carried into this season.</p>
<p id="QeBAE9">Fortunately for Boilermaker fans, Purdue overcame those concerns on Sunday, absolutely blasting a pretty solid Utah State squad in the Round of 32. After the 10-minute mark, the game was never really competitive again. Zach Edey finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds and Purdue eventually earned a 106-67 win that was as lopsided as it looked. It was easily one of the more dominant performances of the Tournament to date.</p>
<p id="jFQ1zi">Purdue improved to 31-4 overall and earned a trip to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years and the fifth since 2017. And while Boilermaker fans are hoping for significantly more than a Sweet 16 this season, Sunday’s win ensures this season will be viewed (at least) decently as fans look back. A Sweet 16 is a serious accomplishment.</p>
<p id="9ZAZWB">The Boilers will now get a few days off before facing off against Gonzaga in Detroit on Friday. In an interesting twist, this will actually be the second time Purdue has faced off against the Bulldogs this season. The two teams met in Hawaii in November, with Purdue scoring a 10-point win. A win there and Purdue would be looking at either Tennessee or Creighton. Notably, Purdue <em>also </em>bet the Vols in Hawaii earlier this season. Those wins have to be making Boilermaker fans feel good about the team’s chances this week.</p>
<h1 id="aL6j90"><strong>The Rest:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="yMPyoU"><strong>-No. 1 Connecticut Huskies 75, No. 9 Northwestern Wildcats 58</strong></h3>
<p id="RKN6Hv">While Wildcat fans had high hopes heading into this week, everyone knew it would be an uphill battle with the team’s draw. Northwestern opened up against a really talented Florida Atlantic squad in the First Round with a likely matchup against top seeded <a href="https://www.theuconnblog.com">UConn</a> after that. Seeding isn’t everything, but it was going to be a major challenge to make the Sweet 16.</p>
<p id="MJi0z7">Unfortunately, while Northwestern was able to slip past Florida Atlantic in overtime on Friday, it wasn’t able to do the same against a loaded UConn squad. The Huskies were simply a machine and cruised to a double-digit win over Northwestern. The game was basically over at halftime, as UConn held the Wildcats to just 0.89 points per possession. Boo Buie was held to just nine points and a 63 offensive rating in the loss.</p>
<p id="wjMsIK">The loss means Northwestern will wrap up its season at 22-12 overall. It was a wildly successful year for the program, as the Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament (and the Round of 32) for just the third time in program history. Northwestern also posted 22 wins for the second straight year, which is a notable feat. It was another great year for Chris Collins and should really start to cement his legacy in Evanston.</p>
<p id="WWULh4">It’s relatively unclear how Northwestern’s offseason could unfold. The roster has a lot of underclassmen, but its best players were all on the older side. The overhaul of the backcourt will be significant and it’s unclear who Collins will get there. Expect some transfer portal activity.</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/25/24111247/sunday-2024-ncaa-tournament-recap-purdue-sweet-16-utah-state-bracket-march-madness-northwesternThomas Beindit2024-03-24T06:28:58-05:002024-03-24T06:28:58-05:00Saturday NCAA Tournament Recap: Illinois Makes Sweet 16
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round-Duquesne Dukes vs Illinois Fighting Illini" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/isanylwLuGp4qLTRcEam4Mnl2Vo=/0x0:5317x3545/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73229147/usa_today_22851771.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Recap all the Big Ten action from Saturday.</p> <p id="Z2VwVH">The 2024 NCAA Tournament continued on Saturday and two Big Ten teams were fortunate enough to be involved in the Round of 32. The league ended up getting mixed results.</p>
<p id="FnWheR">Let’s take a look at what happened.</p>
<h1 id="Kk9uJE"><strong>Game of the Night:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="GcnYk7"><strong>-No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini 89, No. 11 Duquesne Dukes 63</strong></h3>
<p id="c39voL">By now, everyone knows about Illinois’ legendary performance in 2005. The program had one of the more impressive runs in Big Ten history, finishing at 37-2 overall and just narrowly falling short in the national title game. It was an incredible time to be an Illinois fan.</p>
<p id="ULfCD5">Unfortunately, things haven’t been great since then. The program drifted into irrelevance in the final years of Bruce Weber’s tenure and watched John Groce fail to deliver on expectations after that. And though Brad Underwood arrived and got Illinois back on track, he’s struggled to get the job done in March.</p>
<p id="5tdIRP">That all changed on Saturday. Illinois not only came out of the gates swinging, but absolutely embarrassed a clearly overmatched Duke squad. Illinois led by double-digits early and the game was over at half. Terrence Shannon led the way with another 30-point performance. Marcus Domask also had 11 points and seven assists. </p>
<p id="RghNoa">Illinois improved to 28-8 overall with the win and head coach Brad Underwood had some fun in the locker room:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Special wins call for special celebrations! STILL DANCING!!!! <a href="https://t.co/GCQE6YyMMQ">pic.twitter.com/GCQE6YyMMQ</a></p>— Brad Underwood (@CoachUnderwood) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachUnderwood/status/1771754024896704564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2024</a>
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<p id="cKsUId">It was a well deserved celebration as Illinois earned its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2005 and only its third since 2002. Focus will now turn to <a href="https://www.widerightnattylite.com">Iowa State</a>, who will be the team’s opponent next week. KenPom has Illinois as mild underdogs, but it’s hard to feel down about Illinois’ chances given how the team has been playing.</p>
<h1 id="aL6j90"><strong>The Rest:</strong></h1>
<h3 id="yMPyoU"><strong>-No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels 85, No. 9 Michigan State Spartans 69</strong></h3>
<p id="RKN6Hv">The Spartans entered this one as underdogs, but were hoping to surprise against what appeared to be a (relatively) vulnerable North Carolina squad. It would take a seismic effort from <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a>’s backcourt, but a win looked possible. </p>
<p id="eSVaLA">Early on, Michigan State lived up to those hopes. The Spartans unquestionably dominated the opening 10 minutes and were up 12 with just 8:43 left in the 1st Half. Tyson Walker looked good and Jaden Akins was contributing as well. If the team could simply keep that up until half, it would have a great shot of escaping with a win.</p>
<p id="xtjn4K">Unfortunately, the wheels fell off after that, as North Carolina led a massive run to take the lead at halftime. The Tar Heels never looked back after that, thanks in large part to 18 points and seven rebounds from Armando Bacot. RJ Davis also had 20 points. North Carolina eventually secured an 85-69 win.</p>
<p id="nSAABl">Michigan State fell to 20-15 overall with the loss, as the Spartans wrapped up their season. All told, it was a pretty disappointing campaign for Michigan State. The team entered the fall ranked among the top five and seemed poised to challenge Purdue in the Big Ten and for a top spot in the NCAA Tournament. However, the team just never found its consistency, thanks in large part to an underwhelming frontcourt. </p>
<p id="iElFev">We’ll have to wait and see how the roster shakes out before making any statements about next season, but there will be a lot of pressure on Tom Izzo and his staff to use the transfer portal to address the team’s roster needs. It’s been an area Izzo has expressed reluctance to use, though it’s important to note the program’s best players over the last few years have all come via the portal. Expect more from the portal this summer.</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/24/24110340/saturday-2024-ncaa-tournament-recap-illinois-bracket-sweet-16-duquesne-michigan-state-march-madnessThomas Beindit2024-03-23T22:00:00-05:002024-03-23T22:00:00-05:00Sunday 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview: Purdue Set To Face Utah State
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<img alt="Syndication: The Indianapolis Star" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IrkVqsKgLr8XOwzuZhI0frjHQfo=/0x265:4269x3111/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73228914/usa_today_22840643.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Alex Martin/Journal And Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p id="CfdX0q">The NCAA Tournament continues today with one more round of games to set the field for the Sweet 16 next week. The Big Ten has two teams still alive today, with Purdue facing Utah State and Northwestern set to take on <a href="https://www.theuconnblog.com">UConn</a>. Let’s take a look at the upcoming action.</p>
<h4 id="sj44lQ">#8 Utah State Aggies vs #1 Purdue Boilermakers</h4>
<ul>
<li id="bJvPnL">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 2:40 PM ET CBS</li>
<li id="nLv2lB">
<strong>Line:</strong> Purdue -11.5</li>
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<p id="Fawnj7">In the opening round Purdue got off to a slightly slow start before rolling in the second half on their way to a 28 point win. The year after Virginia lost to a 16 seed they also had a poor first half in the opening round the following season before moving on to win the national title that April. Purdue will look to continue following that formula. </p>
<p id="ZvlGHi">Utah State has some size with Isaac Johnson, who measures in at seven feet. He only averaged 15.1 minutes per game but is coming off of back to back games where he’s played at least 28 minutes. He’ll need to stay out of foul trouble if he wants to stay on the court, something that could prove problematic today. Utah State has a bit of size but if they get into foul trouble early it could be a long day. Zach Edey is coming off of a 30 point and 21 rebound performance and will likely continue to eat. </p>
<p id="ZAXA5f">Utah State isn’t a particularly great three point shooting team at 33.1%, but they’ve found success inside. That strategy will likely need to be tweaked against a Purdue team that is anchored in the paint by Edey. If the Aggies can’t find their shot from range it might be a difficult task to expect them to land the upset.</p>
<p id="b107ui">The big elephant in the room for Purdue is if they can clean up other areas of their game that occasionally flare up. Purdue shot 13 off 22 from the free throw line, with a rough first half start that included missing the front end on all three one-and-ones. A 9 point lead at the break could have easily been closer to 15 if the Boilermakers could have converted at the line. </p>
<p id="qvazJT">Purdue was alright from three, shooting 37.5% on 24 attempts. They were a bit sloppy at times but only ended the game with 10 turnovers. As long as the backcourt doesn’t fall off the deep end the Boilermakers will be well positioned for a win here. There’s been some inconsistency from Lance Jones and Fletcher Loyer this season, but with lower usage rates in the opening round both guards hit some big shots down the stretch. </p>
<p id="gQ8aXN">If Purdue plays to their averages that should be enough to move on. Edey continues to draw foul after foul so as long as the backcourt looks steady Purdue has enough talent to take care of business. </p>
<p id="Fg2UP7"><strong>Pick:</strong> Purdue</p>
<h4 id="LOWPAO">#9 <a href="https://www.insidenu.com">Northwestern Wildcats</a> vs #1 UConn Huskies</h4>
<ul>
<li id="pI3smW">
<strong>Time/TV:</strong> 7:45 PM ET truTV</li>
<li id="uxym4N">
<strong>Line: </strong>UConn -14.5</li>
</ul>
<p id="JdMYWv">In the opening round Northwestern survived in overtime against Florida Atlantic thanks to some late game heroics by guard Ryan Langborg, who led the team in scoring with 27 points. Chris Collins and company will need Langborg to continue to play at a high level against their toughest test yet. </p>
<p id="WcBYtZ">To say the Wildcats are thin would be an understatement, with the team more or less only playing two backups in the first round. Blake Preston and Blake Smith combined for 28 minutes and added a whopping 3 points. With a thin frontcourt that will put a lot of pressure on Langborg, Boo Buie and Brooks Barnhizer to effectively do all of the heavy lifting. The Wildcats will be at a decisive disadvantage in the frontcourt against Alex Karaban and Donovan Clingan, putting basically all the pressure on their backcourt if they want to land a massive upset.</p>
<p id="zCVwMs">That should prove problematic as the Huskies have the top ranked KenPom offensive efficiency rating and have an equally talented backcourt, led by Tristen Newton (15.1 PPG) and Cam Spencer (14.5 PPG). UConn also has a top 15 defense.</p>
<p id="gDiaLx">If the Wildcats want to move on they’re going to need a lights out shooting performance from their trio of starting guards. Even then it might not be enough against one of the most balanced teams in the country.</p>
<p id="O6T9hE"><strong>Pick:</strong> UConn</p>
https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/23/24110135/sunday-2024-ncaa-tournament-preview-purdue-utah-state-tv-time-odds-picks-northwestern-uconnBryan Steedman2024-03-23T09:56:21-05:002024-03-23T09:56:21-05:00Saturday 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview: Michigan State vs North Carolina
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<img alt="Michigan State v Mississippi State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/n877XBl-e4HgSTZI0DwzG-hQnG0=/0x0:5819x3879/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73228014/2102385744.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Spartans take on the Tar Heels and the Illini take on the Dukes.</p> <p id="agFfKU">Four of the six Big Ten teams to receive bids remain in the NCAA Tournament.</p>
<p id="znHlcW">Wisconsin fell to James Madison and Nebraska saw a dream season come to a close in the first round. Two of those who advanced, Michigan State and Illinois, are back in action today.</p>
<p id="W3Ztjn">Let’s talk hoop.</p>
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<h2 id="F41AiU"><strong>(9) Michigan State Spartans vs. (1) North Carolina Tar Heels</strong></h2>
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<li id="wMfhzu">
<strong>Time/TV: </strong>5:30 p.m. on CBS</li>
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<strong>KenPom spread: </strong>Tar Heels by 3</li>
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<strong>Winner to face: </strong>Grand Canyon/Alabama</li>
</ul>
<p id="Nm1LPB">I don’t thin enough has been made of North Carolina this year. </p>
<p id="i9iTSB">The Tar Heels went to the title game in 2022, missed the tournament entirely as preseason No. 1 and are not only back in March Madness this year, but as a 1-seed. That’s a big bounceback regardless of the program, credit to Hubert Davis.</p>
<p id="qHq8SF">There’s no other way of putting it than saying these Heels are just... better. They jumped up in KenPom and made the right moves this offseason. The defense is a tad better than the offense, but the latter is still considerable.</p>
<p id="IgY1Hk">But Davis will have his hands full with Tom Izzo.</p>
<p id="iREKue">Michigan State isn’t what many thought it could be this year, but once Izzo gets a team to the dance something special usually seems to happen. A convincing win over Mississippi State in the first round should give them some much needed confidence.</p>
<p id="84TTOH">UNC is going to need to figure out how to slow down Tyson Walker. When he goes on a tear this time of year he’s almost impossible to stop.</p>
<p id="Oi6k48">As for the Spartans, they’ll have their hands full with the likes of RJ Davis and Armando Bacot. I’d give the frontcourt advantage to the Heels, and there’s not a lot of guards you’d rather have than Davis.</p>
<ul><li id="6gh480">
<strong>Pick: </strong>UNC</li></ul>
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<h2 id="AhHuzj"><strong>(3) Illinois Fighting Illini vs. (11) Duquesne Dukes</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li id="wioZIS">
<strong>Time/TV: </strong>8:40 p.m. on TNT</li>
<li id="uz73dV">
<strong>KenPom spread: </strong>Illini by 10</li>
<li id="4KevxT">
<strong>Winner to face: </strong>Washington State/Iowa State</li>
</ul>
<p id="Ydpo7Z">I think Illinois has a chance to go really far this year.</p>
<p id="6r06Oc">They have a favorable bracket and the next round won’t be easy if they advance, but I like their chances today. It’s the second most efficient offense in the country going up against the 29th most efficient defense.</p>
<p id="NKEqvJ">The Illini let up their fair share of points on the other end, but offense has been hard to come by at times for Duquesne. Not to mention that six-game winning streak the Illini are riding into tournament play.</p>
<p id="VnySZx">The Dukes dispatched BYU in the first round after a bit of an entertaining game, but just narrowly got here after a run in the A-10 tournament.</p>
<ul><li id="El2v9p">
<strong>Pick: </strong>Illinois</li></ul>
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https://www.btpowerhouse.com/2024/3/23/24109597/saturday-2024-ncaa-tournament-preview-michigan-state-vs-north-carolinaL.C.Norton