NCAA TOURNAMENT MIDWEST REGION
NO. 1 HOUSTON vs. NO. 16 SIU-EDWARDSVILLE (HOU -28.5, 126.5)
SIU-EDWARDSVILLE OVER 47.5
There is absolutely no question that Houston pounds SIU-Edwardsville into oblivion in this first-round game. This is the best defense in the country playing against a team that finished in second place in the Ohio Valley Conference. SIU-Edwardsville upset OVC regular season champion SE Missouri State in the conference championship game to get this date with Houston.
The question for me is whether or not the Cougars, the ones from SIU-E, can get to 50 points. It will be tough, but I think they can. SIU-E scored 50 or more points in every game they played this season. That includes a pair of losses to Indiana and Illinois. Now, the Cougars did not play anyone the caliber of Houston or a defense like Houston's, but I think they can steal a few points later in the second half after Houston has ripped SIU-E a new ass.
NCAA TOURNAMENT SOUTH REGION
UC-SAN DIEGO vs. MICHIGAN (MICH -2.5, 142.5)
MICHIGAN -2.5
UC-San Diego is one of the better teams in the country that flew under the radar all season long. They won 30 games. Their offense averages over 80 points per game and their defense is ranked 8th in the nation in scoring defense. The Tritons allow just 62 points per game.
The problem for UCSD is that they really haven't played any power conference teams all season long. They definitely have not played anyone the caliber of Michigan, the Big Ten Conference tournament champion.
The Tritons will not have an answer for the twin towers of Michigan - Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin. Both stand 7-feet while UCSD's tallest rotation player is 6-8. While this is one of those trendy No. 5-No. 12 games that people like to pick as an upset, I don't see it happening tonight.
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