Sweet 16 Preview-Friday version. 

(KenPom: ORTG: Adjusted Offensive Rating; DRTG: Adjusted Defensive Rating; ADJT: Adjusted Tempo; SOS: Strength of Schedule; NCSOS: Non-conference strength of schedule; TeamRankings.com=Effective Field Goal%). Odds: from DraftKings. Seeds are in parentheses.

Friday

East Region, Washington D.C, 7:10pmET

1)Duke: 34-2, 19-16 ATS, 17-1 ACC, KenPom: 2, ORTG: 7th, DRTG: 1st: ADJT: 281, SOS NET: 22nd; NCSOS: 18th; Team Effective Field Goal%: 56.6% (16^th). Opponent Effective Field Goal%: 45.9% (10^th); Total Rebounding %: 57.9% (4^th). NCAA Tournament Odds: +425

VS.

(5) St. John’s 30-6, 20-15 ATS, 18-2 BEast; KenPom: 14 ; ORTG: 44; DRTG: 9; ADJT: 68; SOS NET: 45; NCSOS Rating:44; Team Effective Field Goal%: 51.1%(189^th); Opponent Effective Field Goal%: 47.2% (23rd); Total Rebounding %: 52.7% (33^rd). NCAA Tournament Odds: +3000

Analysis: The Johnnies had the tougher road as the 5^th seed, destroying Northern Iowa by 26 and then edging Kansas on Sunday by two on a last-second layup from Dylan Darling. Duke’s toughest game came on Thursday when they had to come back from double digits to beat No. 16 Siena 71-65. They dominated TCU 81-58 thanks to 19 points and 11 rebounds from Cam Boozer. Center Patrick Ngongba II returned from missing the Siena game due to injury and played just 13 minutes due to foul trouble. This is a matchup of the nation’s top power forwards. Boozer is a double-double machine, but has some defensive issues that can be assisted by Ngongba II. Zuby Ejiofor is a beast down low and is also a defensive specialist. Duke is still expected to miss guard Caleb Foster (foot) for this game. Were the Johnnies underseeded at five due to the lackluster Big East?

Midwest, 10:10pmET, Chicago

(2) Iowa State 29-7, 23-13 ATS, 12-6 B12; KenPom: 6; ORTG: 16th; DRTG: 5th; ADJT: 205th; SOS NET: 33rd ; NCSOS Rating: 279th; Team Effective Field Goal%: 56.6% (15^th); Opponent Effective Field Goal%: 49.4% (82^nd),  Total Rebounding %: 53.7% (25^th). NCAA Tournament Odds: +1500

VS.

(6) Tennessee 24-11, 15-19 ATS, 11-7 SEC;  KenPom: 14 ; ORTG: 31; DRTG: 13; ADJT: 306; SOS NET: 9; NCSOS Rating: 10; Team Effective Field Goal%: 51.8% (159th),  Opponent Effective Field Goal%: 47.5% (34^th); Total Rebounding %: 58.9% (2^nd); NCAA Tournament Odds: +5500

Analysis: Iowa State has been one of the best teams in the nation all season, but they lost star forward Joshua Jefferson in their easy opening win over Tennessee State (108-74). The biggest question whether an extra four days of rest will be enough to heal his ankle by Friday. They didn’t need him in their win over Kentucky as they won by nine and Nate Heise (4.4ppg) stepped up with 12 points and three assists. Guard Tamin Lipsey (26pts, 10apg, 5stls) was fantastic against a pretty good Kentucky team that was just harassed by a great defense that forced 19 turnovers. The Vols had an easy time with a good Miami-Ohio team (78-56) and then edged No. 3 Virginia 79-72 on Sunday. Guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the way with 21 points and six assists. Tennessee will have its work cut out for them if Jefferson plays because he leads in points and rebounds and is second in assists. The Vols have some talented players, including long freshman wing Nate Ament, but they’ll need to defend and outrebound the Cyclones to advance.

Midwest Region, 7:35pmET, Alabama vs. Michigan

(4) Alabama 25-9, 16-18 ATS, 13-5 SEC; KenPom: 12; ORTG: 3; DRTG: 60; ADJT: 4; SOS NET: 2; NCSOS Rating: 9; Team Effective Field Goal%: 55.5% (30th); Opponent Effective Field Goal%: 48.9% (65^th); Total Rebound %: 50.8% (136). NCAA Tournament Odds: +13000

VS.

1)Michigan: 33-3, 16-20 ATS, 19-1 B10, KenPom: 1, ORTG: 6^th; DRTG: 2nd; ADJT: 22, SOS NET: 4; NCSOS: 12; Team Effective Field Goal%: 58.7% (7^th); Opponent Effective Field Goal%: 45.2% (3rd); Total Rebound % 56.4% (8^th).  NCAA Tournament Odds: +340

Analysis:  Alabama has been one of the most impressive teams thus far, crushing Hofstra by 20 in their opener and dominating No. 5 Texas Tech 90-65 on Sunday. Their depth is outstanding because they lost second-leading scorer Aiden Holloway to a felony drug charge. Guard LaBaron Philon (21.7ppg, 4.7apg. 40.2% 3pt) had 29 against Hofstra and then was held to nine points against Texas Tech, but also had 12 assists. They’ll need to push the tempo against a huge Michigan team that dominated Howard by 21 and Saint Louis by 23 in the round of 32. The Wolverines have a 7-foot-3 center in Aday Mara, who averages 11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. Their best payer is All-American Yaxel Lendeborg, who can beat you from the perimeter, in the paint and disrupt teams defensively. The Tide need to not only keep up with Michigan on the boards, but their defense (120^th in FG%) has to step up.

East, Washington D.C., 9:45pmET

(3) Michigan State 27-7, 19-15 ATS, 15-5 B10; KenPom: 9; ORTG: 22; DRTG: 13; ADJT: 243; SOS NET: 20; NCSOS Rating: 93; Team Effective Field Goal%: 54.61 (66^tu), Opponent Effective Field Goal%: 48.7% (53^rd); Total Rebound %: 58.4% (3^rd). NCAA Tournament Odds: +3000

VS.

2) Connecticut (UConn) 31-5, 14-22 ATS, 17-3 BEast; KenPom: 1-; ORTG: 30; DRTG: 11; ADJT: 322; SOS NET: 36; NCSOS Rating: 32; Team Effective Field Goal%: 55.3% (35^th);  Opponent Effective Field Goal%: 45.8% (8^th), Total Rebound %: 54.7% (17^th). NCAA Tournament Odds: +2500

Analysis: Both teams are considered threats, but not favorites, when it comes to winning the title. UConn is always a threat with Danny Hurley as a coach. They were not impressive in wins over No. 15 Furman by 11 and had a late run against UCLA, to crush them 73-57. Forward Alex Karaban went nuts with a career-high 27 points, but the key was freshman Braylon Mullins, who averages 12 points per game, but had scored in single digits in four of his last eight games. Michigan State is led by 71-year-old Tom Izzo, who hasn’t lost his touch with strong rebounding teams and solid defensive squads. They had no problem with North Dakota State in the opening round by 25 and held on to beat Louisville 77-69 in the next round. Sparty has size usual, but to get to the Final Four, they have strong play from PG Jeremy Fears Jr, who leads the nation in assists with 9.4 per game. The difference here could be three-point shooting, as both teams are solid, but not great. Both are also very good on the boards. 

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