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Message: [QUOTE="Hey Adrien!, post: 3892187, member: 5787"] [SIZE=4][B]8:30: ACC Championship - #4 Georgia Tech vs #2 Florida State - ESPN: [/B] I tend to care less about the P5 conference tournaments compared to the mid-majors, but both of these teams have a lot to gain in this game. Florida State is on a bit of a mini-snide, 2-2 in their last four with losses against UNC and Notre Dame so an ACC team can do wonders to their mojo. On the flip side, Georgia Tech is HOT, winners of 7 straight and this is Pastner’s best offensive squad ever at Georgia Tech (29th in KenPom O after four straight years of 170+) thanks to three 15+ point scorers including senior big Moses Wright (17.5p, 8r, 2.3a, 1.5s, 1.6b, 41.4 3p%), junior wing Michael Devoe (14.9p, 4.4r, 3.3a, 39.9 3p%) and senior point Jose Alvarado (15.4p, 4.2a, 40.4 3p%, 2.9s). Alvarado missed some time Thursday with a knee injury, so is he fully healthy entering Madness? [B]9 PM: Conference USA - W3 North Texas vs E1 Western Kentucky - CBSSN:[/B] With five teams in the top-100 KenPom, the C-USA is arguably the most competitive it has been in its current formation. Western Kentucky is led by junior big Charles Bassey (17.7p, 11.7r, 3.2b) but their top-seven is one of the best amongst mid-majors. Senior guard Taveion Hollingsworth is a high-flying bucket getter and Carson Williams is one of my favorite players around, a 6’5 240 forward with a YMCA game. North Texas rosters four 10+ ppg players, but are more known for their strong D, both in making it hard to take good shots but also generating steals. Senior guard Javion Hamlet is their heart and soul (14.7p, 4.5a). A game worth watching, for sure. [B]9:30 Southland - #1 Nicholls vs #2 Abilene Christian - ESPN2: [/B] While Nicholls is the #1 seed, Abilene Christian is the team that can steal a game in March Madness. Ranked the 45th best defense in the nation, ACU is #1 in causing turnovers with a whopping 26.9% rate. On the other hand, Nicholls is more balanced and a team built on transfers (three starters are transfers) and five players average double-digits. [B]10 PM: WAC - #1 Grand Canyon vs #3 New Mexico State - ESPNU: [/B] Great matchup between the two “blue bloods” of the WAC. Bryce Drew has been a “thunderous” hire for GCU and he’s brought back the tough defensive mindset that GCU used to be known for thanks to the 6th best defensive fg%. The Antelopes bring P5 size led by senior bigs Alessandro Lever and Wichita State transfer Asbjorn Midtgaard. Combined, they average 27.7p and15.5r with Midtgaard bringing power to the blocks while Lever stretches the D (41.9 3p%). After finishing the 19-20 season with an eighteen game winning streak, the Aggies started the 20-21 without a home and the toll it took was evident after losing their first four D1 games of the season. They’ve finished the season winning five straight. For as long as Jans has been at the helm, the Aggies have been an elite rebounding team and they continue the case this season (15th in O rebounding rate and 82nd in D rebounding rate). Should be an excellent game. [B]10:30 PM: Pac-12 - #5 Oregon State vs #3 Colorado [/B]- [B]ESPN:[/B] Colorado is one of my elite eight dark horses: they’re old, slow and have a great bucket getter with McKinley Wright IV (15.4p, 5.6a). Tulsa grad transfer Jeriah Horne has been one of the best transfers in the nation, averaging 11.6p, 5.9r, 44 3p%. After a putrid start to the season, Oregon State is heating up, winning five of their last six thanks to their senior point leader Ethan Thompson (15.6p, 3.9a). Would be fun to see the Beavers steal a bid. [B]11:30 PM: Big West -#1 UC Santa Barbara vs #2 UC Irvine - ESPN2: [/B] Great matchup between the cream of the Big West. Both squads are top-100 KenPom teams with UC Irvine known for their aggressive defense (31 KenPom) led by its elite interior defense (5th overall). Their upperclassman bigs combo of stretch forward Collin Welp (14.8p, 7.8r, 36.5 3p%) and traditional big Brad Greene (9.6p, 7.6r, 2.0b) bring P5 size. UC Santa Barbara is another team with good size between junior big Amadou Sow (13.7p, 7.5r) and Oregon transfer Miles Norris (9.2p, 38 3p%). The star of their squad is former Oregon State guard JaQuori McLaughlin (15.9p, 5.3a, 1.6s, 39.1 3p%). Should be an excellent game and the winner will be a tough opponent as a potential 12-14 seed. Alright guys, it’s been a lot of fun doing these Saturday previews. It’ll be a mountain to try one for next Saturday but it's my spring break so I'll try to give it a go. Thanks again for reading![/SIZE] [/QUOTE]

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