(7) Florida vs (11) Virginia Tech – 12:15 PM ET
No. 7 Florida (15-6) is making their fourth consecutive appearance and their 21st appearance all-time. Florida earned an at-large bid after losing in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament to Tennessee. The Gators are led in scoring by Tre Mann, averaging 15.0 ppg. He is tied for the team-lead in rebounds at 5.7 per contest and is shooting 83.8% from the line.
Colin Castleton is shooting 59.4% from the field and is averaging 12.7 points per game. Florida is averaging 74.6 ppg, 97th in the country, while allowing 69.8 points per contest. They are shooting 47.0% from the field, 47th in the country, and 35.5% from three-point range, 90th overall.
Stay in the moment. #MarchMadness #GoGators pic.twitter.com/3YdM1V8RAI
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) March 19, 2021
No. 10 Virginia Tech (15-6) is playing in the tournament for the fourth consecutive time and the 12th time overall. They are 8-11 in the tournament all-time. Virginia Tech lost to North Carolina in the ACC quarterfinals, earning an at-large bid to the tournament.
The Hokies is averaging 72.1 ppg, while allowing 64.8 points per game. They are shooting 45.1% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range. Virginia Tech is led by Keve Aluma at 15.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. He is shooting 50.0% from the field. Tyrece Radford is averaging 11.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest.
These teams have not faced each other in over 30 years.
March Madness Pick – Florida (-108)
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(3) Arkansas vs (14) Colgate – 12:45 PM ET
No. 3 Arkansas (22-6) finished second in the regular season in the SEC and lost in the semifinals to LSU in the SEC tournament. The Razorbacks are averaging 83.3 ppg, seventh in the country, and they are 16th in rebounds per game at 36.8. Arkansas is shooting 45.6% from the field, 89th overall, and 74.5% from the free-throw line, 58th in the nation.
Moses Moody leads the team in scoring at 17.5 ppg and he is second on the team in rebounding at 5.7 per contest. Moody is shooting 44.1% from the field and 82.8% from the free-throw line. Justin Smith is the leading rebounder at 6.8 per contest and is averaging 12.5 points per game. He is shooting 53.0% from the field.
No. 14 Colgate (14-1) won the Patriot League tournament. They are an outstanding shooting team, averaging 85.7 points per game, second in the nation only to No. 1 Gonzaga. They are 10th in rebounds per game at 37.3 and are allowing 67.8 points per contest. The Raiders are shooting 49.8% from the field, 11th overall, and 38.4% from three-point range, 17th in the nation.
They have been outstanding from the line as well, connecting on 75.2% of their free-throw attempts, 45th overall. Jordan Burns is the team leader in scoring at 17.1 ppg. Three other players are averaging in double digits for this team, including Dr. Richardson, averaging 11.0 points per game. He is second in rebounding at 5.8 per contest.
March Madness Pick – Arkansas (-420)
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(6) Texas Tech vs (11) Utah State – 1:45 PM ET
No. 6 Texas Tech (17-10) lost to Texas in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament. The Red Raiders are averaging 73.3 ppg while allowing 63.3 points per game, 35th in the nation. The Raiders are shooting 44.5% from the field and 34.6% from deep. Turnovers have been an issue for this team, ranked 30th in the nation a 10.9 per game.
The Red Raiders are led in scoring by Mac McClung at 16.1 ppg. Three other Texas Tech players are averaging in double digits, including Kevin McCullar at 10.1 points per contest. He is second on the team in rebounding at 6.2 per game.
Texas Tech is IN! 🕺
Welcome to Indy, @TexasTechMBB! #SelectionSunday pic.twitter.com/M1hAmIhcNb
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 14, 2021
No. 11 Utah State (20-8) lost to Mountain West Conference tournament winner San Diego State, earning an at-large bid. The Aggies are averaging 74.4 points per game while allowing 62.9 points per contest, 32nd in the nation. They have been outstanding on the glass, averaging 37.8 rebounds per game, seventh overall, including 11.5 offensive boards per game, 14th in the nation.
Utah State is shooting 45.2% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range. Neemias Queta is averaging 14.7 ppg, shooting an impressive 56.4% from the field. He is also averaging 9.9 rebounds per game to lead the Aggies. Justin Bean has also been outstanding on the glass, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game and 11.3 points per contest.
Texas Tech earned a victory over Utah State in the only recent contest between these teams, back in November 2016 when the Red Raiders defeated the Aggies, 75-51.
March Madness Pick – Utah State (+168)
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(2) Ohio State vs (15) Oral Roberts – 3:00 PM ET
No. 2 Ohio State (21-9) enters the tournament as the Big Ten tournament champions. Ohio State is averaging 76.9 ppg, 56th in the country, while allowing 69.9 points per game. They are a solid shooting team at 46.0% from the field, 73rd overall, and are shooting 36.1% from three-point range, 70th in the country. The Buckeyes have even been outstanding from the line, connecting on 77.0% of their free throws, 26th overall.
E.J. Liddell is having an outstanding season, averaging 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, leading the Buckeyes in both categories. He is shooting 49.8% from the field. Duane Washington has been great as well, averaging 15.3 points per game and he is an 89.3% free-throw shooter.
No. 15 Oral Roberts (16-10) earned an automatic bid by defeating North Dakota State in the Summit Conference tournament. They are 13th in the nation in scoring at 82.0 ppg, but have struggled to stop opponents, allowing 75.9 points per game, 44th from the bottom in college basketball. The Golden Eagles are shooting 45.1% from the field and they are a team that likes to rain it from behind the arc, eighth in the nation in three-point percentage at 39.2%.
They have been great from the foul line as well, connecting on 81.3% of their free throws. Max Abmas has been outstanding, averaging 24.8 ppg. He is shooting 48.9% from the field, 46.1% from three-point range, and 89.9% from the foul line. As impressive as Abmas has been, Kevin Obanor may be even more so, averaging 18.6 points and 10.0 rebounds. Obanor is shooting 50% from the field, 46.1% from three-point range, and 88.3% from the free-throw line.
March Madness Pick – Ohio State (-2000)
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(1) Baylor vs (16) Hartford – 3:30 PM ET
No. 1 Baylor (22-2) enters as an at-large bid after losing in the Big 12 semifinals to Oklahoma State. The Bears are an outstanding shooting team, averaging 85.3 ppg, third in the nation while allowing 65.6 points per contest, 65th overall. They are shooting 49.7% from the field, 13th overall and are the top three-point shooting team in the nation at 42.9%.
Baylor is averaging 11.2 offensive rebounds per game, 21st overall. The Bears are led in scoring by Jared Butler at 17.1 ppg. He is shooting 49.3% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range. MaCio Teague is second on the team in scoring at 15.7 points per game.
𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚.#SicEm 🐻 | #TimeIsNow 🏀 pic.twitter.com/D4TOBrXz16
— Baylor Basketball (@BaylorMBB) March 14, 2021
No. 16 Hartford (15-8) enters as an automatic bid after winning the American East conference tournament. This is their first NCAA tournament appearance, which is an exciting opportunity for the Hawks. Hartford is not a very good shooting team, averaging 64.2 ppg, 27th from the bottom. They are shooting 42.3% from the field and 31.8% from three-point range.
The Hawks have been outstanding defensively, however, allowing 63.3 points per game, 36th in the nation. Hartford is led by Austin Williams averaging 12.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Moses Flowers is second in scoring at 11.6 points per game and is averaging 5.7 boards per game.
Baylor has defeated Hartford and the only two times these teams have played each other. The most recent contest was back in November 2009, when the Bears were victorious, 71-69.
March Madness Pick – Baylor (-4000)
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(8) North Carolina vs (9) Wisconsin – 7:10 PM ET
No. 8 North Carolina (18-10) lost in the semifinals of the ACC tournament to Florida State, earning an at-large bid to the tournament. The Tar Heels are averaging 74.8 ppg, 89th in the country, while allowing 69.7 points per game. They are shooting 44.2% from the field and 30.9% from three-point range. This is not a very good free-throw shooting team either, connecting on 67.1% of their attempts.
However, North Carolina is an outstanding rebounding team, fourth overall in total rebounds at 39.7 per game and first in offensive rebounds per game at 13.4. North Carolina is led in scoring by Armando Bacot averaging 11.7 ppg. He is the leading rebounder at 7.6 per contest. Garrison Brooks is second in scoring (10.6) and third in rebounding (6.9).
No. 9 Wisconsin (17-12) lost four of their last five games, including falling to Iowa in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. They enter as an at-large bid. The Badgers are averaging 70.0 ppg, while allowing 64.0 points per contest, 45th overall. They are shooting 42.1% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range.
Wisconsin has been outstanding at the line, connecting on 76.0% of their free-throw attempts. They are averaging 30.9 rebounds per game. The leading scorer for Wisconsin is D’Mitrik Trice at 13.7 ppg. Micah Potter is second in scoring at 12.9 points per game and is the team’s leading rebounder at 5.9 per contest.
North Carolina has 12 of the last three meetings between these teams, including a 71-56 victory back in November 2016.
March Madness Pick – Wisconsin (+100)
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(4) Purdue vs (13) North Texas – 7:25 PM ET
No. 4 Purdue (18-9) has won 11 of their last 15 games. They lost to Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament, snapping a five-game winning streak. Purdue is averaging 70.9 ppg while allowing 65.5 ppg, 63rd in the nation. They are shooting 45.2% from the field and 33.5% from three-point range.
The Boilermakers have been an outstanding rebounding team, averaging 34.7 rebounds per contest, 73rd in the country. That includes 9.5 offensive rebounds per game, 89th overall. Purdue is led in scoring by Trevion Williams at 15.2 ppg. He is also the team’s leading rebounder at 8.8 per contest. Williams is shooting 52.8% from the field, but only 51.0% from the line.
The only school to host and play in the Big Dance 😏
Purdue was built for #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/Qr6UZRmi4m
— Purdue Athletics (@PurdueSports) March 18, 2021
No. 13 North Texas (17-9) defeated Western Kentucky in the Conference USA tournament to earn an automatic bid. Their 13th ranking in the tournament is the highest in school history. The Mean Green are averaging 71.1 ppg, while allowing 62.6 points per game, 29th best in the country.
North Texas is shooting 48.4% from the field, 25th in the nation and 37.2% from three-point range, 44th overall. The Mean Green are led in scoring by Javion Hamlet at 14.3 ppg. James Reese is second in scoring at 11.2 points per game. Zachary Simmons is the leading rebounder at 6.2 per contest and is fourth in scoring at 10.3 points per game.
March Madness Pick – Purdue (-330)
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(5) Villanova vs (12) Winthrop – 9:57 PM ET
No. 5 Villanova (16-6) lost to Georgetown in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament. They will be without co-Big East Player of the Year Collin Gillespie, who was lost for the season with a torn MCL. The Wildcats are averaging 75.8 ppg, 69th overall, while allowing 66.9 points per game, 92nd in the nation. They are shooting 45.1% from the field but have been outstanding from behind the arc at 35.5%, 89th overall.
They are a solid free-throw shooting team as well at 77.3%, 24th overall. Villanova is led in scoring by Jeremiah Robinson-Earl at 15.2 ppg and he is the leading rebounder at 8.4 rpg. Robinson-Earl is shooting 48.3% from the field. Jermaine Samuels is averaging 11.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He is shooting 47.9% from the field and 80.0% from the free-throw line.
No. 12 Winthrop (23-1) has won 7 games in a row, and enters as the Big South Conference tournament champions. The Eagles are averaging 79.2 ppg, 35th in the nation, while allowing 66.3 points per game. They have been a solid rebounding team, 11th in the country at 37.3 boards per contest. That includes 20th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game at 11.2 per contest.
They are shooting 45.6% from the field, 88th overall. Winthrop is led in scoring by Chandler Vaudrin at 12.3 ppg. He is also the team’s leading rebounder (6.8) and leads in assists (6.7). Adonis Arms is the only other player averaging in double digits at 10.7 points per contest. He is second on the team in rebounding at 5.0 per game.
March Madness Pick – Villanova (-270)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of Bet365.
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