I will be in attendance for the first round games in Saint Louis, Missouri on Friday, so I wanted to write some previews. I will be posting coverage from @SSM_CL on X/Twitter. Let’s dive in to what should be an action packed region!
#7 Kentucky vs #10 Santa Clara | 12:15 PM ET | CBS | Iowa State Pod
Kentucky: The Wildcats are a high-powered offense, averaging 80.8 PPG off of 46.4% shooting from the field. UK will need Otega Oweh to step up and score the ball, as he is their leading scorer with 18.2 PPG. They are going to need some more help from Denzel Aberdeen and Collin Chandler in order to compete with Santa Clara’s offense. The Wildcats have lost 6 out of their last 10 and need to stop this skid quick if they want to get going in the tourney.
Santa Clara: As said above, the Broncos also have an impressive offense. They average 82.9 PPG on 46.8% shooting. In order to keep this average going, they will need big games from Christian Hammond, Elijah Mahi, and Allen Graves. They are also top 20 in the country in steals, with 8.9 a game. The Broncos are 7-3 through their last ten games, and if they carry this momentum, they have a real shot at an upset.
Prediction: The Broncos come in and shock the Wildcats, winning 84-79.
#2 Iowa State vs #15 Tennessee State | 2:50 PM ET | CBS | Iowa State Pod
Iowa State: The Cyclones are the host of the first pod in St. Louis, they have a large advantage in the sense of location, as UK, Tennessee State, and Santa Clara are all relatively far away. ISU is top 15 in the nation in points allowed per game, only letting up 65.1 on average. The Cyclones also put up 81.8 PPG, giving them one of the largest point differentials in CBB. State has two stars in Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson, these two should be able to put on a show for Iowa State.
Tennessee State: The Tigers grabbed the auto-bid out of the Ohio Valley in convincing fashion, winning their two games by 13 and 26. They have won 6 in a row now and are hot heading into the tourney. We have yet another team who has some serious offense, as the Tigers average 80.5 PPG. TSU is also 7th in the country in steals per game, averaging 9.4 a game. If the Tigers can get hot on offense and force some turnovers, they have a shot.
Prediction: Iowa State rolls on 81-62
#2 Purdue vs #15 Queens | 7:35 PM ET | TruTv | Purdue Pod
Purdue: The Boilermakers are red hot coming into March, they won 4 games in 4 days to win the Big 10 Championship, beating Nebraska, UCLA, and Michigan on the way there. This ultimately bumped them up to a 2 seed. The Boilermakers also love to score, averaging 81.7 PPG. They are also ranked 10th in CBB in assists per game, with 19.9. This is largely thanks to Braden Smith, who is 2nd in the nation in assists per game, only behind MSU’s Jeremy Fears Jr. If Purdue can continue this hot streak, they are gonna be real dangerous this March.
Queens: The Royals are making their NCAA Tournament debut, after winning the ASUN in an OT thriller. We have yet ANOTHER team who can score the ball with ease, as the Royals put up 84.9 a game. They have plenty of depth, as there are 6 guys who average double figures. If the Royals can keep their scoring rate up and their distribution levels high, they could give Purdue some problems
Prediction: Purdue wins 89-77.
#7 Miami (FL) vs #10 Missouri | 10:10 PM ET | TruTv | Purdue Pod
Miami (FL): The Hurricanes also love to score the ball, averaging 81.9 points a game on 50.1% shooting, which puts them at 12th in the nation. They have 4 guys averaging double figures. Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson are Miami’s star players, and they must be on their A-Game to help the Canes make a run. Miami has proven that they can compete by beating Louisville and UNC. Watch for the Hurricanes to put on a shooting clinic in Missouri this weekend.
Missouri: The Tigers have been a very up-and-down team this year. They have some marquee wins over Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Florida. However, they have some head scratching losses to LSU, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss (Not SEC Tourney Ole Miss). They are led by Duke transfer Mark Mitchell, who leads the team in PPG (18.3), RPG (5.2), and APG (3.6). If Mitchell goes cold, they are in trouble, but if he stays hot, other teams are in trouble. Also, it’s basically a home game for Missouri, as their campus isn’t too far from downtown St. Louis.
Prediction: Mizzou pulls off the upset 73-72.
This should be a great set of games in a great atmosphere. I am super excited to be there, as March Madness in person never disappoints. Make sure you watch these games as they will be good ones!
