The Sweet 16 is right around the corner, and that means it is time to decide which four teams will come out of each region. After defeating UConn in the second-best game of the tournament, Florida will face Maryland, which is riding high after the best game of the tournament.
Take the Gators’ bench to dominate the Terps’ bench in this one, and from there, roll to the Final Four. In the East region, Alabama’s stumble into the end of the season could cost them against one of the few teams in the country that can outscore them - BYU.
If the Cougars beat Alabama in Newark, those +900 odds could give great hedge options against Arizona or the powerhouse of Duke.
It almost feels poetic the way Florida had to beat the two-time defending champions to potentially get back on top of the college basketball landscape.
Walter Clayton Jr.’s incredible second-half performance to lead the Gators past UConn this weekend makes way for the SEC powerhouse to face Maryland and then one of Arkansas or Texas Tech en route to a Final Four appearance under Todd Golden. The Gators are playing their best basketball of the season at the right time, winning eight games in a row.
Facing opponents from various conferences during the non-conference season, I believe Florida and their offense can go head-to-head with anyone in the country. They have the easiest Final Four route on paper.
Will Tom Izzo become the first coach to lead an unranked preseason team to the Final Four as a one or two seed? If one team can do it, it’s this southpaw Michigan State team that seems to be overloaded with talented guards who shine in the 2nd half.
The Spartans’ 42-point second half against New Mexico in the Round of 32 was led by Coen Carr and Jaden Akins - two of Izzo’s “guys” who have stuck around after some tough times. The big shock? Freshman star Jase Richardson went just 1/10 from the field and made zero threes in this game.
This is incredible news for Sparty and Izzo, who just figure out ways to win without getting massive production from their best scorer. Michigan State should handle Ole Miss, and then will get a tight matchup against Auburn or Michigan. They are 2-0 against the Wolverines this season.
You do not want to face the BYU Cougars right now, especially if you have a shaky defense. You want to know who has a shaky defense? The Alabama Crimson Tide.
Alabama allowed 81 points to Robert Morris last Friday, and although their unit played better against Saint Mary’s on Sunday, BYU has many threats that can decimate this Alabama squad. Bama stumbled into the end of the season, losing three of their last five while allowing a staggering 88.6 PPG over that span.
The Cougars have plenty of shooters, including Richie Saunders, who is slowly becoming a March legend, and Egor Demin running the point, who will soon be an NBA lottery pick. I think BYU gets past Alabama and then at +900 to beat Duke or Arizona, I’d take a chance on Kevin Young’s squad to potentially shock the nation.