USA TODAY breaks down the four Sweet 16 games being played Thursday.
By Gene J. Puskar, AP
Ohio State's Aaron Craft averages 8.8 points and 4.7 assists per game. The Buckeyes play Cincinnati in the Sweet 16.
No. 1 Syracuse (33-2) vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (26-9)
Tip-off: 7:15 p.m. ET, CBS.
Coaches: Jim Boeheim (Syracuse); Bo Ryan (Wisconsin).
Overview: This matchup figures to highlight a contrast in styles between the Badgers' deliberate pace, which puts a premium on ball security and Syracuse's desire to get in the open floor and get easy transition baskets. The Badgers lead Divison I in scoring defense (52.9 points a game) and are fifth in 3-point percentage defense, holding opponents to 28.8% accuracy. Syracuse has been outrebounded by 1.5 a game for the season, but often makes up for it by averaging 9.4 steals. The Badgers, however, have turned the ball over 8.9 times a game.
Difference-makers: Syracuse — F Kris Joseph (13.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, finalist for Wooden Award); G Scoop Jardine (8.6 ppg, 4.9 apg, Cousy point guard award finalist); G Dion Waiters (12.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg,Big East sixth man of the year). Wisconsin — G Jordan Taylor (14.7 ppg, 4.0 apg, all-Big Ten selection); F Ryan Evans (11.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, fifth-leading rebounder in Big Ten); F-C Jared Berggren (10.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 60 blocks this season, third-most in UW history).
Stattitude: Jim Boeheim has made the Elite Eight four times in 28 previous tournament appearances.
No. 2 Ohio State (29-7) vs. No. 6 Cincinnati (26-10)
Tip-off: approx. 9:35, CBS.
Coaches: Thad Matta (Ohio State); Mick Cronin (Cincinnati)
Overview: Despite their geographic proximity, the schools have met only nine times with the Buckeyes winning five. Can Cincinnati, with its four-guard lineup, match up with the bigger Buckeyes, and will UC have the edge in quickness? OSU's Jared Sullinger got in early foul trouble in the third-round game against Gonzaga but came through with six big points in the closing minutes. Cincinnati is giving up 61.2 points a game on the season. The Bucks surrender 59.2 a game.
Difference-makers: Ohio State — F Jared Sullinger (17.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, two-time All-American): F Deshaun Thomas (15.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, had 49 points and 19 rebounds in first two tournament games); G Aaron Craft (8.8 ppg, 4.7 apg, 2.4 spg, Big Ten defensive player of the year). Cincinnati — F Yancy Gates (12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, one of six players in school history with at least 1,400 career points and 900 career rebounds); G Sean Kilpatrick (14.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, second-team all-Big East); G Dion Dixon (13.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 136 career games played, most in school history)
Stattitude: Cincinnati enters the game leading the nation in victories this season against ranked teams with eight, including six since Feb. 11.
No. 1 Michigan State (29-7) vs. No. 4 Louisville (28-9)
Tip-off: 7:47 p.m. ET, TBS.
Coaches: Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Rick Pitino (Louisville).
Overview: Two of the great coaches in college basketball match wits. Izzo would seem to have more talent than Pitino, however. Louisville's run-and-gun style would seem to be a good fit for Michigan State, which also loves to run and is a superior rebounding team. Do-everything forward Draymond Green is winding up one of the best careers in Michigan State's illustrious basketball history.
Difference-makers: Michigan State — Draymond Green (16.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg, first-team All-American); G Keith Appling (11.5 ppg, coming off 19-point game); G Brandon Wood (8.6 ppg, 21 points in Big Ten tourney final). Louisville — G Kyle Kuric (13.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, all-Big East tournament); G Russ Smith (11.4 ppg, unpredictable scorer who has six and 17 in two tourney games); C Gorgui Dieng (9.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, leads Big East at 3.1 blocks a game).
Stattitude: Draymond Green is the first player in NCAA tournament history to record two triple-doubles since assists were officially counted starting in 1984.
No. 3 Marquette (27-7) vs. No. 7 Florida (25-10)
Tip-off: approx. 10:07, TBS.
Coaches: Buzz Williams (Marquette), Billy Donovan (Florida).
Overview: High-scoring teams face off. Marquette leads the Big East in scoring and F Jae Crowder and G Darius Johnson-Odom were both first-team all-Big East and the top scoring duo in the league. Florida, largely because of a trio of explosive guards, is second in the SEC in scoring. The Gators live by the three-pointer. They've hit 10 or more threes in 22 games this season, the most such games in a season in Donovan's 16 years at the helm.
Difference-makers: Marquette — F Jae Crowder (17.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg) is Big East Player of the Year; G Darius Johnson-Odom (18.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg) had four three-pointers in four games; G Todd Mayo (7.8 ppg) has scored 18 in two tourney games. Florida — G Kenny Boynton (16.1 ppg, 2.5 apg, was first-team all-SEC); G Bradley Beal (14.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, leads all SEC guards in rebounding); G Erving Walker (12.1 ppg, 4.6 apg, SEC leader with 2.3 assists-to-turnover ratio).
Stattitude: Florida is the first team in NCAA history to score 70-plus points and allow 50 or fewer in its first two tourney games.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
0 意見:
Post a Comment