(5) Colorado vs (12) Georgetown- 12:15 PM ET
Colorado (22-8) enters as an at-large bid after losing in the Pac-12 Conference tournament finals to Oregon State, 70-68. The Buffaloes had won six straight games leading into that contest. Colorado is averaging 73.7 ppg, while allowing 63.0 points per game, 33rd in the nation.
The Buffaloes are averaging 45.7% from the field, 84th in the country, and are hitting 36.6% of their three-point attempts, 54th overall. Colorado has been an outstanding free-throw shooting team, hitting 83.4% of their attempts, first overall.
The Buffaloes are led in scoring by McKinley Wright at 15.3 ppg. Jeriah Horne is averaging 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest. He is shooting 50.0% from the field and 91.1% from the free-throw line.
Tomorrow ⏳ pic.twitter.com/saz55mfHSl
— Colorado Men’s Basketball (@CUBuffsMBB) March 20, 2021
Georgetown (13-12) enters with an automatic bid after winning the Big East tournament. Georgetown beat Creighton in the finals, 73-48. That gave the Hoyas wins in four straight games and six of their last seven. Georgetown is averaging 71.7 ppg while allowing 73.4 points per contest.
The Hoyas are shooting 42.5% from the field and 36.6% from three-point range, 55th overall. They are a solid free-throw shooting team as well, hitting on 75.5% of their attempts, 40th overall.
Georgetown has been great on the glass, averaging 36.6 rebounds per game, 20th overall. Georgetown is led in scoring by Jahvon Blair at 15.9 ppg. He is shooting 30.4% from the field and 83.6% from the foul line.
March Madness Pick – Colorado (-195)
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(4) Florida State vs (13) North Carolina-Greensboro – 12:45 PM ET
Florida State (16-6) enters as an at-large bid after losing to Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament, 80-75. Florida State lost three of their last five games. The Seminoles are averaging 79.6 ppg, 30th in the nation, while giving up 70.1 points per contest.
They are shooting 47.2% from the field, 45th in the nation, and 38.5% from three-point range, 16th best. The team has been solid from the free-throw line as well, hitting on 73.7% of their opportunities, 77th overall.
Florida State is 67th in rebounds at 34.8 per game. The Seminoles are led in scoring by M.J. Walker at 13.1 ppg. Raiquan Gray is second in scoring at 12.4 points per game and is the team’s leading rebounder at 6.9 per contest. He is hitting on 52.6% of his shots from the field.
UNC-Greensboro (21-8) enters as an automatic bid after winning the Southern Conference tournament, defeating Mercer in the finals, 69-61. The Spartans have won their last four games and are 6-1 in the last seven.
UNC-Greensboro is averaging 73.4 ppg while allowing 67.6 points per game. They are a mediocre shooting team, hitting 42.3% of their shots from the field and just 29.2% of their three-point attempts, 13th worst in the country.
The Spartans had been great on the boards, however, averaging 36.8 rebounds per game, including 11.7 offensive rebounds per contest, eighth overall.
Isaiah Miller leads the team at 18.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting 46.2% from the field but is only hitting on 64.8% of his free-throw attempts. No other player is averaging in double digits.
March Madness Pick – Florida State (-650)
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(8) LSU vs (9) St. Bonaventure – 1:45 PM ET
LSU (18-9) lost in the finals of the SEC tournament, falling to Alabama, 80-79. That snapped a four-game winning streak for the Tigers. LSU enters this contest as one of the best scoring offenses in basketball, averaging 82.7 ppg, 10th overall.
They are shooting 46.9% from the field, 50th best, and 74.6% from the free-throw line, 54th in the nation. The Tigers are averaging 35.0 rebounds per game, 61st overall. They have not been very good defensively, allowing 75.4 points per game.
LSU is led in scoring by Cameron Thomas at 23.1 ppg. He is shooting 41.6% from the field and 87.6% from the free-throw line. Trendon Watford is averaging 16.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He is shooting 46.9% from the field.
The day is almost here.
The 8-seed Tigers kick off their #MarchMadness campaign against 9-seed St. Bonaventure on Saturday, March 20 at 12:45 p.m. CT, live on TNT.
🔗 https://t.co/aCXuvVDOKi pic.twitter.com/kWyVjyj8aY
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 19, 2021
St. Bonaventure (16-4) earned an automatic bid by winning the Atlantic 10 conference title. They beat VCU in the finals, 74-65. The Bonnies are averaging 70.0 ppg while allowing 60.6 points per game, 15th overall.
They are shooting 44.7% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range, 61st in the country. St. Bonaventure has been solid on the glass, averaging 34.2 rebounds per game, 87th overall.
The Bonnies are led in scoring by Kyle Lofton at 14.8 ppg. He is also the assist leader at 5.5 per contest. Osuin Osunniyi has been outstanding on the glass, averaging 9.3 rebounds to go along with 10.0 points per game.
March Madness Pick – LSU (-124)
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(1) Michigan vs (16) Texas Southern – 3:00 PM ET
Michigan (20-4) lost in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament and enter as an at-large bid. They have lost three of their last five games entering this contest. A big turnaround after starting the season 18-1.
The Wolverines are averaging 76.6 ppg, 62nd in the nation, while allowing 65.2 points per game, also 62nd in the nation. Michigan is averaging 35.5 rebounds per game, 46th overall, including 26.4 defensive rebounds per game, 13th in the nation.
They are an outstanding shooting team, 19th in the nation in field-goal percentage (48.8%), 12th in three-point percentage (38.6%), and 30th in free-throw percentage (76.5%). The Wolverines are led in scoring by Hunter Dickinson at 14.3 points per game.
He is also the team’s leading rebounder at 7.7 per contest. Isaiah Livers is second on the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game and is averaging 6.1 rebounds per contest.
Texas Southern (17-8) enter as an automatic bid after winning the SWAC conference title. The Tigers defeated Mount St. Mary’s in the finals, 60-52. That was their 10th straight victory. The Tigers are averaging 73.9 ppg while allowing 70.2 points per contest.
They are shooting 44.5% from the field and 28.4% from three-point range, sixth worst in the country. Texas Southern has been solid on the glass, averaging 36.4 rebounds per game, 25th overall.
They are 45th in both offensive rebounds (10.4) and defensive rebounds (26.0). The Tigers are led in scoring by Michael Weathers at 16.2 ppg. Joridon Karl Nicholas is fourth in scoring at 10.3 points per game and leads the team in rebounds at 6.5 per contest.
March Madness Pick – Michigan (-5000)
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(2) Alabama vs (15) Iona – 4:00 PM ET
Alabama (24-6) enters as an automatic bid after winning the SEC tournament. They defeated LSU in the finals, 80-79. That was the sixth straight victory for the Crimson Tide and they are 9-1 in their last 10 games.
Alabama is averaging 79.6 ppg, 31st in the nation, and they are allowing 70.3 points per game. The Crimson Tide are shooting 43.1% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range, 94th overall. They have been a solid rebounding team, 31st in the nation at 36.1 boards per contest.
The Crimson Tide are led in scoring by Jaden Shackelford at 14.4 ppg. He is shooting 40.8% from the field and 75.2% from the free-throw line. Hunter Jones is fourth in scoring (10.9) and leads the team in rebounding at 6.1 per contest.
Focus. Effort. 1️⃣ more day until game day. #RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/qvC2uXvOQ1
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 20, 2021
Iona (12-5) earned an automatic bid by winning the MAAC conference title, defeating Fairfield in the finals, 60-51. That was their sixth straight victory. The Gaels are averaging 74.7 points per game, 93rd in the country, while allowing 69.7 points per game.
They are shooting 45.3% from the field and 35.9% from three-point range, 75th overall. Iona is 57th in free-throw shooting at 74.5%. The Gaels are led in scoring by Isaiah Ross at 20.5 ppg.
He can shoot from anywhere on the court, averaging 48.9% from the field, 41.8% from three-point range, and 83.9% from the free-throw line. Nelly Junior Joseph is third in scoring (12.1 ppg) and is the leading rebounder on the Gaels at 7.1 per contest.
March Madness Pick – Alabama (-2000)
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(7) Connecticut vs (10) Maryland – 7:10 PM ET
Connecticut (15-7) enters as an at-large bid after losing in the Big East tournament to Creighton, 59-56. That snapped a five-game winning streak for the Huskies. Connecticut is averaging 72.3 ppg while allowing 65.2 points per contest, 52nd best in the nation.
They are shooting 44.4% from the field, but have been a very good rebounding team, averaging 34.8 boards per contest, 68th overall. They have been great on the offensive and, averaging 11.2 offensive rebounds per game, 19th overall.
UConn is led in scoring by James Bouknight at 20.2 ppg. He is shooting 47.2% from the field. Tyrese Martin is averaging 11.0 ppg and 7.3 rebounds per contest.
Maryland (16-13) lost to Michigan in the second round of the Big Ten tournament, 79-66. They also enter as an at-large bid. The Terrapins are averaging 68.9 ppg, while allowing 64.7 points per contest, 54th overall.
Maryland is shooting 45.8% from the field, 82nd best in the country, and 35.7% from three-point range, 84th overall. The Terrapins are led in scoring by Eric Ayala at 14.5 ppg.
Aaron Wiggins is second in scoring at 14.0 points per game, and is averaging 5.8 rebounds as well. Wiggins is shooting 43.4% from the field. Donta Scott is the leading rebounder at 6.4 per contest and is shooting 50% from the field.
March Madness Pick – Connecticut (-162)
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(6) BYU vs (11) UCLA – 9:40 PM ET
BYU (20-6) enters as an at-large bid after losing to Gonzaga in the conference finals, 88-78. They had won five straight games heading into that contest and are 7-2 in their last nine. The Cougars are averaging 78.6 ppg, 38th in the country, while allowing 67.3 points per contest.
They are shooting 48.6% from the field, 22nd in the nation, and are 28th in three-point shooting at 37.9%. BYU has been great on the glass, averaging 36.8 rebounds per game, 17th best, and they are fourth best in defensive rebounds at 20.3 per game.
The Cougars are led by Alex Barcello averaging 15.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting 53.3% from the field, 48.9% from three-point range, and 84.1% from the free-throw line. Matt Haarms is averaging 11.0 points per game and is shooting 54.8% from the field.
WE GOT NEXT. pic.twitter.com/uAGAwbq1jX
— BYU Basketball (@BYUbasketball) March 20, 2021
UCLA (18-9) lost in their first matchup in the Pac-12 tournament, losing to Oregon State, 83-79. They already played in the First Four, defeating Michigan State, 86-80 in overtime. The Bruins are averaging 72.6 ppg while allowing 67.9 points per contest.
They are shooting 46.3% from the field, 67th best in the nation, and 37.3% from three-point range, 41st in the country. UCLA is led in scoring by Johnny Juzang at 14.1 ppg. He is an outstanding shooter, averaging 40.9% from the field and 93.3% from the free-throw line.
March Madness Pick – BYU (-192)
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(3) Texas vs (14) Abilene Christian – 9:50 PM ET
Texas (19-7) earned an automatic bid as the Big 12 conference tournament champions, defeating Oklahoma State in the finals, 91-86. That gave the Longhorns their fifth straight victory and they are 8-2 in their last 10 games.
Texas is averaging 74.9 points per game, 84th overall, while allowing 68.2 points per contest. The Longhorns are shooting 45.3% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range. They have been excellent on the glass, averaging 35.9 rebounds per game, 36th overall.
Texas is led in scoring by Andrew Jones at 14.9 ppg. He is shooting 41.7% from the field and 79.7% from the free-throw line. Greg Brown is averaging 10.4 points per game and 6.65 rebounds per contest, leading the Longhorns.
Abilene Christian (23-4) earned an automatic bid as the winner of the Southland conference title. They defeated Nichols State in the finals, 79-45. That was their fourth straight victory and there ninth in the last 10 games.
The Wildcats are 54th in the country at 77.0 points per game and are allowing 60.7 points per contest, 16th overall. They are shooting 45.7% from the field, 87th best in the country.
The Wildcats have been great on the offensive boards, averaging 10.2 rebounds per contest. Kolton Kohl leads the team in scoring at 12.2 ppg. He is shooting an impressive 54.7% from the field, but only 69.5% from the free-throw line.
Free-throw shooting has been a serious issue for this team, as second-leading scorer, Coryon Mason is averaging 65.2% from the free-throw line and Joe Pleasant is third in scoring, but is averaging 58.5% from the charity stripe.
March Madness Pick – Texas (-435)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of Bet365.
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