#it's Zag's highest stat

[rowyndodendron]

guys I've cracked the code:

Zagreus: high wisdom, low intelligence

Melinoë: high intelligence, low wisdom

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[whittlebaggett8]

Suketu Mehta’s Manifesto: This Land is Our Land

Suketu Mehta traveled the same route five periods. As a little one, he settled with his family members, initially from Gujarat in India, in the United States. As an grownup, he returned to India, wherever he lived in Mumbai (Bombay) for two and a half several years and wrote a e-book about the metropolis. Titled Utmost Town: Bombay Lost and Found and revealed in 2004, it was a hugely acclaimed work that I just can’t suggest plenty of. Mehta later on returned to the United States, only to retrace his footsteps several years afterwards – but this time in his reminisces and thoughts – in a new guide, exactly where he returns to the reminiscences of his loved ones voyage, to the story of how they, like so quite a few some others, moved to The usa, the promised land of generations of migrants.

The next section of the title of Mehta’s new operate says it all — This Land is Our Land: An Immigrant’s Manifesto. It is a effective protection of people’s correct to migrate, a song of praise for multiculturalism, and a potent critique of Washington’s procedures toward immigrants and refugees less than President Donald Trump.

The creator took pains to journey and obtain various tales of migration – he took these pains fairly literally, as a significant portion of the book is a cataloging of sorrows that people today shared with him. Concentrating generally on the United States as a desired destination nation, he supplies stats and scenarios to show the place and how migration policies are failing. Mehta wrestles with the exorbitant fears of the “Other,” with the fantasy that the influx of migrants will sweep the state away.

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He also reminds us of the url – historical and ethical – between migration and colonialism. Mehta’s grandfather was at the time requested by a British person what he was he executing in the United Kingdom, to which the Indian man replied: “We are the lenders. You took all our wealth [in the colonial period]… Now we have arrive to acquire.” This is also Mehta’s standpoint. Not only does he believe that the West has a ethical obligation to acknowledge people from countries it experienced when ruled or affected, but he thinks this duty comes also from the West’s (mainly the United States’) present navy engagements in nations around the world like Iraq. “Before you question other people today to respect the borders of the West, check with oneself if the West has at any time revered anyone else’s border,” he remarks. And then there are the realistic arguments: Designed countries will need migrants for demographic and economic good reasons.

Mehta understands all the things about currently being on the borders of a tradition, not here and not there, but with all the bane and boons of getting equipped to vacation concerning the two zones. He experienced racism in the United States and at the very same time has felt the gains of possessing an American passport when travelling somewhere else. His initially guide, Highest Metropolis, was a vision of India’s primary metropolis by anyone who had lived there as a kid but used most of his daily life in the United States. And but, the e-book is so thorough and inquisitive in the way it tells the stories of Mumbai that, I dare say, it could have just as effectively been written by anyone who lived there his complete daily life. Mehta never forgot his roots — he did not fail to remember the language, and was capable to recognize the cultural complexities and make the most of the neighborhood networks that gave him a leg up at the commencing of his work on the metropolis. In This Land is Our Land, the writer stresses how his family and neighborhood stored its traditions vivid despite dwelling in The us (his older son, for instance, although raised largely in the United States, was only taught by his parents to discuss Gujarati until finally college age). And but, he concludes in his new guide: “I would [always] return to The us with relief, due to the fact here I could be American. I couldn’t be English in England […] even when I went to India, I was not wholly ‘Indian.’ I was an ‘NRI,’ a ‘non-Resident Indian.’”

Although Mehta’s account is sweeping, it is possibly way too sweeping. It zig-zags through themes and jumps from hope to distress in a rather chaotic way. Paradoxically, even though I identified the bits on how Mehta’s household settled in the United States attention-grabbing, the component on South Asia – the author’s birthplace – was least compelling to me. That area is an account that rushes the reader by way of Indian heritage and packs its numerous threads in a single ball, although some of them appear to have minor linkage with the main subject matter of the reserve.

A lot more importantly, This Land is Our Land is a little bit idealistic in its message, opposite to the brutally down-to-earth Greatest City. Mehta points out that even the doubling or tripling of the United States’ inhabitants would not make the nation unlivable, in contrast to the demographic congestion of some other international locations. Maybe so, but regardless of anybody’s opinion on this, can we picture any authorities in Washington making it possible for this? “I am not calling for open up borders,” the writer declares, “I am contacting for open up hearts.” A noble idea, but sadly it could only be partially translated into great polices.

“America has been good to my family members. And we have been great to America. In my extended family members, we are engineers, writers, doctors, businessmen, prosecutors, infrantymen, teachers,” Mehta points out. It is a strong point and it largely displays the general condition of Indians settled in the United States. A stereotypical Indian experienced in the United States at present is a medical doctor or an IT professional as of 2011, the annual ordinary cash flow of an Indian spouse and children primarily based in that country was two times that of a white American spouse and children.

But not just about every other group has observed this kind of incredible achievement and the settlement has not been so smooth in each circumstance. For all its strengths, This Land is Our Land focuses predominantly on strengthening the key argument somewhat than telling stories. The narrative is like a flame of the lamp that throws light on quite a few areas, but also makes shadows lengthier and is not able to protect everything similarly.

To be sure, I am not saying that Suketu Mehta has appeared only from the viewpoint of his group and that this has clouded his eyesight. As with Highest City, his homework is painstaking. Among the other folks, he talked to persons on the two sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, to lousy Africans hoping to get from Morocco to Spain, and to quite a few some others. The author’s sources, both of those in people today and references to composed is effective, are considerable.

But it requires to be pointed out that the United States has for a lengthy time been a land of opportunity that selectively chooses whom it give that option to (even if not generally that precisely and in some cases even randomly). The United States has been, as Mehta himself factors out, selecting out the cream of the crop of other societies, draining the brains of other countries to its own reward. Nations like India spend in their possess education and learning and guidance their have businesses, only to see their very best graduates and industry experts in fields like IT shift out to the United States. Though this has nothing to do with morality – and in this article Mehta and I would agree – the issues is that no matter whether we like it or not, this cherry-picking mindset is arguably one particular of the motives the United States is now so solid and so attractive to its individual citizens.

To set it brutally: The United States is not a refugee camp, but a multinational enterprise that decides whom to seek the services of. It is the two ethical and idealistic to consider that the point out could behave usually. Its federal government could absolutely behave much better, to a certain diploma, for case in point by reforming some of its unfair migration guidelines, and right here This Land is Our Land tends to make a potent issue that desires to be read.

Suketu Mehta’s new e-book operates on two amounts: On a personalized 1, as an account of an Indian who had settled in the United States with his family members, and on a basic one particular, as an immigrant’s – and not only an immigrant’s – manifesto. Inspite of my reservations about some of its methods, the guide is important on both of those amounts, and is created from a viewpoint we really should take into consideration in today’s globe.

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[jodyedgarus]

Captain Obvious Is Probably Winning Your Bracket Pool

gfoster (Geoff Foster, sports editor): We have 52 games in the books of the men’s NCAA Tournament. And there has been one prevailing theme: chalk. There has been a staggeringly small amount of bracket busting. Other than Oregon (a No. 12 seed but a Power Five conference winner), the highest seed remaining is Auburn at No. 5! In the round of 32, the favorite won 100 percent of the games! If you picked all favorites in your bracket (like my mom probably did), you’d be 87.5 percent right. I could go on and on. So, do you think this is just an aberration, or is there something behind the dearth of Cinderellas?

jplanos (Josh Planos, contributor): FiveThirtyEight’s model was pretty chalky when the draw was announced. It certainly could be a matter of more appropriate seeding or merely an opportunity for the committee to pat itself on the back before next year goes haywire.

jakelourim (Jake Lourim, contributor): I was surprised like everyone else by that trend. Even given the slim chances to reach the Sweet 16 given to those double-digit seeds, we would expect at least one Cinderella to make it, right?

sara.ziegler (Sara Ziegler, assistant sports editor): It does seem like the committee did a pretty good job of seeding this year, as our colleague Neil Paine wrote.

The seeds followed what the stats would have recommended — and the top teams do seem to be better than in years past.

gfoster: So there hasn’t been a shocking upset, with all due respect to Mississippi State, but some teams have had an easier time with their first two opponents than others. Which team has impressed you the most in the early going?

jplanos: I think Gonzaga has looked pretty tough with two double-digit victories. The 38-point opening-round victory over Fairleigh Dickinson was the most lopsided tournament game in two years.

Baylor and Fairleigh Dickinson aren’t strong defensive teams, to be sure, but the Zags have decimated both. In each win, Gonzaga posted at least 19 assists, was at least plus-10 on the glass and shot 35 percent or better from three and 53 percent or better from the field. According to Ken Pomeroy, two of the team’s three best performances this season in offensive rebounding percentage have come in the tournament.

Brandon Clarke somehow got glossed over for every major award and has gone berserk. Against Baylor, he joined Shaquille O’Neal as the only players in NCAA Tournament history to put up 36 points and five blocked shots in a single game.

sara.ziegler: Kentucky had a tricky draw against a very talented Wofford team, but they looked pretty good. Michigan has looked good, too. And Purdue has been under the radar — my radar, at least — but the Boilermakers have posted two convincing wins.

It’s funny — even though the bracket has been so chalky, several of the top seeds have looked suspect at times.

jakelourim: I think from a performance standpoint, I’d have to say Texas Tech. I thought Buffalo played great on Friday and would give the Red Raiders some trouble on Sunday, but Chris Beard’s team hammered Buffalo and got back to No. 1 in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. That clash with Michigan on Thursday is going to be a slugfest.

gfoster: I’ve also been impressed by the Texas Tech defense. Northern Kentucky’s Drew McDonald was the conference player of the year, and he was completely erased from the game in the first round, scoring only 5 points. Likewise, the Red Raiders more or less shut down Buffalo’s best player in CJ Massinburg, who couldn’t get much going. It will be interesting to see how they do against Michigan, which isn’t dependent on a top-heavy scoring guard like those two are.

jakelourim: It might just be my impression, but I think after UMBC knocked off Virginia last March and Virginia remained such a prominent storyline all season, both the No. 1 and No. 16 seeds were on guard Friday — the 1s to avoid being embarrassed, the 16s because maybe UMBC brought new hope. Duke, North Carolina and Virginia together were -2.3 in scoring margin in their first halves. Then they all recovered and won by double digits.

jplanos: Pretty typical for teams of all strengths to start opening-round games tight, too.

gfoster: OK, so which high seed has looked the most vulnerable? It’s hard to knock a team for winning two games, but let’s do it anyway.

sara.ziegler: I still think Virginia could find itself in trouble because of its slow play. The Cavs looked much better against Oklahoma on Sunday, but still.

jakelourim: I’d be worried about Tennessee. That was a near-disaster Sunday against Iowa, giving up a 25-point lead to go to overtime before pulling it out. That’s not a great Iowa team, either, and Tennessee’s next opponent (Purdue) won’t be as forgiving.

sara.ziegler: Jake, I think Tennessee should be worried, too. Though how much of that game was the Volunteers getting up so much, then taking their foot off the gas?

jplanos: And what was up with Admiral Schofield requesting not to play in OT?

jakelourim: Very weird, Josh, regarding Schofield. All around, it was a very weird way to end a game in which the Vols led by 21 at halftime. I do think a lot of that was just diminished intensity in the second half, but even that was a concern. Purdue, by contrast, was up by 19 at halftime and then built that lead to as many as 35 before winning by 26.

gfoster: I also agree that Tennessee’s days are numbered. The Vols’ offense is supposed to be the third-most efficient in the country, but that isn’t what we’ve seen so far. Colgate’s defense is objectively bad, one of the worst in the tournament. Only scoring 77 points there is kinda a letdown, even though it’s a respectable number.

And Iowa’s defense is far from stellar, too.

jplanos: I never thought UCF could compete with Duke — and the Knights came about as close to an upset victory as possible. Granted, it was in Orlando. But Duke’s inability to adjust at halftime seemed problematic. Plus, it wasn’t like the Blue Devils had an off shooting night. Going 10-for-25 from 3-point range is a really good performance for Duke, and it resulted in a 1-point win.

sara.ziegler: Agree. And it wasn’t just Tacko Fall who was a problem for Duke!

(Though his absence at the end of the game certainly helped the Blue Devils.)

jplanos: No doubt, Sara. I have a hard time believing Duke snags that last-second rebound for the put-back bucket with him in the game. To say nothing of the multiple fouls on that play.

sara.ziegler: ^^^ THIS

jakelourim: Absolutely, Tacko fouling out was a game-changer. Even if the rebound does still bounce to Duke, he probably blocks any put-back attempt if he’s there. It’s crazy to me that UCF was up by 3 with what ended up being one possession left and lost in regulation. That’s almost impossible!

sara.ziegler: Look at the crazy swings in our live probabilities at the end of Duke-UCF:

jplanos: Most games are filled with tens of what-ifs, but it almost makes it worse for UCF that Aubrey Dawkins, who played a masterful game, missed the alley-oop late that probably would’ve put it away (and then the tip in the waning seconds).

UCF's blown lob followed by a Duke 3 was the swing pic.twitter.com/ou8agdH4ZT

— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) March 24, 2019

sara.ziegler: That sequence was a 5-point swing in Duke’s favor.

gfoster: All this said about Duke, I haven’t been that impressed by Virginia Tech. Both of the Hokies’ wins were ugly affairs against lesser teams. The Saint Louis game was an absolutely brutal free-throw contest. So I don’t think Duke is going anywhere just yet. Do you disagree? If not, what other high seed could be on upset watch?

jakelourim: I definitely thought entering the tournament that Virginia Tech had a great (and underrated) chance to upset Duke in the Sweet 16. The Hokies beat Duke in Blacksburg last month, and while Zion didn’t play in that game, neither did Virginia Tech star Justin Robinson. But now, after watching the first weekend, I do doubt Virginia Tech’s chances against Duke. It just doesn’t seem like Robinson has eased back into the lineup as seamlessly as Tech had hoped.

gfoster: He seems like he’s playing hurt, to be honest.

jplanos: I agree with you, Geoff. I’m not high on the Hokies. I mostly expect chalk to play out in the Sweet 16.

jakelourim: The flip side of the first weekend lacking upsets is that it set up some awesome matchups for the Sweet 16, including four No. 2-vs.-3 seed matchups (three of them between top-12 teams in KenPom).

sara.ziegler: The West region could be fun — Florida State has a real shot against Gonzaga, and I like Texas Tech over Michigan.

jplanos: I think the best thing that could happen for Texas Tech is for Jordan Poole to drill two threes to open the game. For my money, there isn’t a more inconsistent Overconfident Guy left in the field.

gfoster: I think Oregon has a legitimate shot against Virginia. The Ducks are by far the lowest KenPom team, and it’s not close. But that doesn’t speak directly to how well they are playing right now. Point guard Payton Pritchard is a man on fire.

sara.ziegler: I refuse to believe in Oregon.

jplanos: I refuse to believe in the Pac-12.

sara.ziegler: YESSSSS

And for good reason.

gfoster: Both that game and the Michigan game will be complete rock fights: 60 to 65 points will be enough to win either.

jakelourim: While this belief burned me in the bracket’s first weekend, I just think the Pac-12 has nothing to show for itself this weekend. How did Oregon lose so many games out of that league? The Ducks also skated by against a lesser second-round opponent — seemed like the mighty Anteaters used up all their juice in upsetting K-State on Friday.

sara.ziegler: The Ducks have the 74th adjusted offense in the country, according to KenPom. That’s not how you beat Virginia.

gfoster: Gardner-Webb was beating Virginia for a half. I just feel like the Cavs tighten up when they are playing from behind. Oregon is the opposite — they have been playing with nothing to lose for weeks.

sara.ziegler: I agree, Geoff — I just don’t think Oregon is good enough offensively to get a lead.

jakelourim: I really like Virginia’s path because the Hoos play a No. 12 seed first and are 26-0 against teams outside the KenPom top 15 this season. An underrated part about that region: Virginia will play in Louisville’s home arena, which is as familiar to the Cavs as you could hope to be at this stage in the tournament. The Hoos have played and won in that building in each of the past four seasons, including an inconceivable comeback last season from down 5 with less than 7 seconds left.

gfoster: So Josh, you wrote about Murray State. Jake, you wrote about Wofford. It’s really sad that the mid-majors are all but gone (depending on how you define Gonzaga and Houston). Which one were you most disappointed to see exit the tournament?

jplanos: Wofford, but only because Murray State would’ve gotten waxed by Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 had the Racers advanced. With Wofford’s perimeter shooting, they might have had a puncher’s chance against Houston. Loved the offensive flow of their game(s).

jakelourim: I’d say Wofford, too, because of how the Terriers lost to Kentucky on Saturday. Watching the tiny SoCon upstart hang with Kentucky, only to watch Fletcher Magee clank shot after shot off the rim, was painful. You have to feel for Magee, who is now the most prolific 3-point shooter in NCAA history but just went cold at the worst time.

gfoster: That was awful.

jplanos: I know the myth of the hot hand will be argued for eternity, but at what point do you tell a guy to stop shooting? Especially when the guy’s offensive output seems to almost exclusively consist of inefficient jump-turn-and-figure-it-out jumpers.

gfoster: The truth is, he had to keep shooting. He’s a huge cog in their scheme, and they don’t have enough talent to just let the other four to six guys pick up the slack. People were comparing him to Steph Curry at Davidson! So I, like everyone else, was shocked that NONE of those dropped, even the crazy off-balanced shot attempts.

sara.ziegler: Live by the three, etc.

But Magee did set the 3-point record again Seton Hall, which was cool to see.

gfoster: I actually think Belmont could have made some noise if the Bruins could have gotten past Maryland. (They lost at the wire.) They are an electric, up-tempo team, and I think they would have beaten LSU and then been a fun test for Sparty.

And they would have extended the First Four streak!

sara.ziegler: Would have loved to see more from the Bruins.

jakelourim: I agree, Geoff. I think Belmont could have made some noise. LSU was not the dominant, unflinching No. 3 seed that Houston, Texas Tech and Purdue proved to be, so Belmont could have hit enough threes to make it a game at the end. And then once that happens …

jplanos: That was a tough matchup for Belmont. Maryland coughs it up constantly, but Belmont doesn’t force turnovers. When you’re already operating at a talent deficit, and you can’t even depend on additional chances, it’s almost impossible to overcome unless you shoot the lights out.

That game was Maryland’s season-best performance in terms of turnover percentage, according to KenPom.

jakelourim: That’s why I think this chalk-heavy first weekend was a one-year deal — just a collection of momentum swings that went toward the favorites. If that backdoor pass from Belmont goes through, Aubrey Dawkins’ tip rims in and Magee makes even, what, two of 12 3-pointers, this is a totally different tournament.

gfoster: So, which conference has impressed the most? I know who it is not: The Big East. Pretty sad effort from the conference that has won two of three titles (granted, that’s just Villanova, so a generous way to praise the conference).

jplanos: Agreed, Geoff. When your second best team gets dusted by nearly 20 by a team from the Ohio Valley Conference … yikes.

sara.ziegler: The Big 12 has been pretty pathetic. Texas Tech has the whole conference on its shoulders now.

jplanos: The SEC has been the most impressive. But how about the Big Ten getting three teams into the Sweet 16? Maryland and Iowa were about as close as you can get to advancing, too.

gfoster: Is there any team that has completely defied what you thought of them entering the tournament?

jplanos: Purdue. Mark me down as having never believed in the Boilermakers all season. All too often it seems to be Carsen Edwards or bust, with the latter winning out.

Purdue lost two of its last three games entering the tournament, including an opening-round loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten tournament. But after two double-digit victories, including an 87-61 thrashing of defending champion Villanova, well, I’m still not ready to believe in their chances moving forward. But I am ready to eat crow.

I wasn’t all that surprised that the Wildcats were eliminated before the Sweet 16, but I am surprised that the Boilermakers reduced them to rubble and are still standing.

gfoster: Mid-majors or non-mid-majors, which team has let you down the most?

I know Sara’s.

sara.ziegler: LOL

*cough, Cyclones, cough*

jplanos: In my opinion, the biggest disappointment is Nevada, by a considerable margin.

Most of this roster reached the Sweet 16 a year ago, and the Wolfpack ostensibly were primed for another deep run in the tournament. Instead, Nevada failed to win its conference tournament and then got bounced in the opening-round of the NCAA Tournament by a fairly average Florida team. They allowed the Gators to dictate the pace and played at the slowest tempo of any game this season, according to KenPom. Not only that, they posted the second lowest effective field goal percentage of any game this season and the highest turnover rate of any game this season.

I even talked myself into Jordan Caroline smashing a fire extinguisher as a galvanizing moment for the team! Turned out it was just a representation of their frustrating season.

jakelourim: Even given everything that happened this season, can I still say Kansas? I know, I know — the Jayhawks played the season under the cloud of player eligibility issues, lost Udoka Azubuike early, ended The Streak and generally looked very un-Kansas-like. But this was still supposed to be a really talented team. Watching them not just lose but get run off the court by a football school in the second round was very odd to me.

sara.ziegler: I think that loss is what they deserve for being placed in the Kansas City regional.

jplanos: LOL

sara.ziegler: STOP GIVING KANSAS SUCH A GOOD REGION

jakelourim: And also, Cincinnati was sent to Columbus and collapsed against Iowa in the first round. That’s like when you draw a bad foul call and go to the line and miss the free throws.

gfoster: Mine is Buffalo. I had the Bulls in the Sweet 16 in all the brackets I filled out. And felt vindicated when they absolutely steam rolled their former coach Bobby Hurley. But Texas Tech absolutely closed down shop from the tip-off on. They didn’t even make a run.

jakelourim: Nevada is another good (bad?) one, Josh. I would have been very worried for Michigan if Nevada were on the other side in the second round. That’s no seventh-seeded roster. But Eric Musselman’s team never put it together like it did in last year’s tournament.

gfoster: That’s another thing about this tournament: There really hasn’t been much drama, Duke and LSU aside. Of the 16 winners in the round of 32, only three didn’t cover the spread: Tennessee, Duke and Gonzaga (and they won by 12 points).

sara.ziegler: My disappointment is actually that Oregon made it this far. I hate it when major-conference schools that played like crap for most of the season make it to the Sweet 16. Seems unjust.

gfoster: Would you like them better if they had Bol Bol?

(Yes, the answer to that is yes.)

sara.ziegler: Yes, of course. They’d also be way better.

jplanos: I think if Auburn had dropped that opening-round game, we’d be talking about this tournament wayyyyyyyyy differently. That would’ve given us two all-timers in the opening weekend.

sara.ziegler: Oh, yeah — I forgot how close that game was!

jakelourim: New Mexico State could have gone on and handled Kansas, too, no?

jplanos: Yeah, my analysis is that Kansas is bad.

sara.ziegler: ENDORSE, Josh.

gfoster: Before we get to our updated Final Four picks, let’s talk about the women’s tourney, which has been objectively better from an entertainment standpoint. What is your biggest takeaway so far?

sara.ziegler: There were three overtime games in the first round alone!

jplanos: I’m glad offense is winning out on the women’s side, as seven of the top 10 teams this season in points per possession remain in the hunt, according to Synergy Sports. I for one am pleased that we get more opportunities for Sabrina Ionescu to do crazy things on the court, like intentionally missing shots for triple-doubles

jakelourim: Absolutely, the women’s tournament has been more entertaining, I think.

gfoster: According to our model, this is still a two-team tournament. Baylor and Notre Dame combine for a 60 percent chance of winning (32 percent and 28 percent, respectively). Although Louisville and UConn appear to be mutually hurting each other’s chances by just being in the same region.

sara.ziegler: Though most of the top women’s teams have all advanced, we’ve seen closer games than we have in the past.

No. 2 Iowa had all it could handle from Mercer. And No. 10 Buffalo acquitted itself nicely against UConn.

jakelourim: Yes, Buffalo played well, and didn’t even have to kidnap any players!

sara.ziegler: OMG, Jake. That’s amazing.

jakelourim: Mercer took Iowa to the wire in an effort to produce what I believe would have been the first 15-2 upset in the history of the tournament.

sara.ziegler: That game was great. I loved the chart for No. 7 Missouri against No. 10 Drake, too:

Look at that excitement index!

jakelourim: That is a crazy game.

gfoster: All right, let’s quickly update our men’s Final Four picks. This is not like a bracket pool — you can easily change from what you picked previously. No one will judge you. (Someone may judge you — it’s the internet.)

Let’s go lightning round through the regions, starting with the East.

I had Michigan State, I’m staying with Michigan State.

jakelourim: Had Duke, staying with Duke. MSU doesn’t have the dudes to take them down.

sara.ziegler: Yeah, I’m sticking with Duke. There’s just so much talent there.

jplanos: I had all No. 1 seeds because I’m not fun at parties. So I’m sticking with Duke.

sara.ziegler: Hahahaha

gfoster: OK, West. I had Gonzaga in my bracket, I said Michigan on our podcast. I’m going with…..

Michigan.

sara.ziegler: Texas Tech. BIG 12 REPRESENT

jakelourim: Had Michigan, staying with Michigan. Happy to die on this hill.

jplanos: Allow me to re-plug Hot Takedown and say that I’m finally ready to go with my heart. The Wolverines have been tenacious throughout the tournament, as best showcased by a Michigan tuba player running down the Gators mascot.

Michigan tuba girl FTW: pic.twitter.com/ZOPFtsCsNY

— Jim Weber (@JimMWeber) March 24, 2019

gfoster: Only because I think they are showing again that they are the best-coached team in the country. They don’t do any of the things that cost teams games: turn it over, foul trouble, bad shots, etc.

jakelourim: Yes, I think they have the best coach in that region. That’ll be enough.

gfoster: OK, in the South. I had UVA. I might have said Nova on Hot Takedown, but that was clearly me being an idiot.

sara.ziegler: I believe that went something like, “Jay Wright is amazing, he will obviously win.”

jplanos: You did indeed say that, Geoff. I will withhold my opinion on that pick.

gfoster: That was a product of me not liking ANY team in the region. And I still don’t!!!!!!

sara.ziegler: Wait … that was the region I didn’t like, Geoff.

You didn’t like the Midwest.

gfoster: I like that more, now. I have an answer there.

sara.ziegler: LOL

I still don’t like anyone in the South. I have Tennessee … which I don’t feel great about.

jplanos: I’m still going with UVA. Whoever reaches the 20-point mark first is deemed the winner.

jakelourim: Had Virginia, staying with Virginia. Still think Tony Bennett’s team is the most consistent in the country — NCAA Tournament demons notwithstanding.

gfoster: OK, let’s do the Midwest.

jplanos: Tar Heels. Never a doubt.

sara.ziegler: Remember when they were trailing to Iona at halftime of that game? That was fun.

jplanos: I said never a doubt, Sara!

sara.ziegler: LOL

I still like Kentucky.

jakelourim: I’ve got Ol’ Roy and UNC.

sara.ziegler: You guys are BORING.

jakelourim: This tournament started it!

gfoster: Only because I need to pick something that can be mocked later, I’m taking Auburn. Bruce Pearl’s team is here to provide the madness of 2019. The Tiger offense is so impressive. I love these teams (like some Beilein teams) where every guy on the court can knock down the three.

jakelourim:

jplanos: HAHA, Geoff. Come on now.

sara.ziegler: What a pick.

gfoster: You think there will be no surprises at all? We’ll see.

*checks bracket pool standings, sees self in 90th*

Check out our latest March Madness predictions.

from News About Sports https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/captain-obvious-is-probably-winning-your-bracket-pool/

[buddyrabrahams]

10 college basketball games to watch in December

November college basketball is a wild ride. Half the games are big time match-ups fabricated by sponsored tournaments and the other half feature certain blowouts. One thing both genres share in common is lack of national interest. Tournaments held during Thanksgiving week draw out the die-hards but lack attendance or TV viewing from even casual basketball fans.

Flipping the calendar from November to December makes things start to feel real in college hoops. Some conferences tip off league play, while some blue-blood programs schedule enticing match-ups in on-campus gyms. Gone are the sleepy vacation resort crowds, and in their place are the pep bands and student sections that make this sport great.

Over the 31 days of December, there is plenty to attract your attention, highlighted by this slate of games featuring top teams throughout the nation.

Purdue at Michigan, Dec. 1

Last year, the Big Ten moved a few conference games for each team to the early part of January to compensate for the league playing its conference tournament abnormally early. Most power conferences end their tournament in the 48 hours prior to Selection Sunday. Because the Big Ten wanted access to Madison Square Garden, which is already booked in mid-March by the Big East Tournament, the Big Ten moved things up a week.

This year, the Big Ten Tournament is back where it belongs in Chicago, but the early December conference games remain on the schedule. Big Ten brass looks to the semester break and a newly expanded 20-game conference slate as the reasons.

Whatever the case, it will always feel strange to have important conference games just days following Thanksgiving. That’s where we find ourselves this very Saturday, with two of the league’s top teams squaring off already.

Though it feels like Conference Player of the Year won’t be awarded for millennia, Carsen Edwards can cement himself as the frontrunner for the honor. Getting off to a hot scoring start, especially with a win in Ann Arbor, would put the spotlight on Edwards for the rest of the Big Ten season.

Iowa at Michigan State, Dec. 3

Just two days later, two more of the Big Ten’s best will go toe-to-toe. This is not a match-up that necessarily flashed off the calendar preseason. Michigan State looked to be the class of the conference and while Iowa seemed poised for a strong year, they have impressed more than expected. The Hawkeyes are undefeated, with wins over Oregon, UConn, and Pitt. Iowa can already start to prove itself as a team capable of a tournament run with a win in East Lansing.

In the other locker room, things have not gone fully according to plan. Sparty has already lost twice, to Kansas and Louisville, as they adjust to life without Miles Bridges on campus. Michigan State has the talent to be in the conversation at the top of the bracket, but needs to start banking high quality wins to stay in that conversation. This would be the perfect game to do so.

Iowa State at Iowa, Dec. 6

Just three days after that crucial conference match-up, Iowa turns around and hosts one of the most underrated rivalries in college basketball. The Cyclones and Hawkeyes play in two of the sport’s most iconic venues and have tussled once per year since 1970. Since the teams started playing yearly, Iowa leads the series by a narrow margin of 25 wins to 23.

This year’s match-up will be greatly affected by the availability of a host of Iowa State contributors. So far this season, four Cyclones have yet to suit up. Lindell Wigginton and Solomon Young have been injured, while Cameron Lard and Zoran Talley were suspended by the program for the team’s first seven games. Combined, those four players started 97 times last season. Coach Steve Prohm is hopefully that his team will continue to build as it comes back together healthy.

So far, even with a chunk of the team unavailable, Iowa State has looked excellent, winning twice at the Maui Invitational. Freshman Talen Horton-Tucker looks like a future star and Virginia transfer Marial Shayock has always been able to score.

Nevada vs. Arizona State (in Los Angeles), Dec. 7

If you’ve only been following college basketball from the surface so far this season, you’ll want to check out Nevada as soon as possible. The Wolf Pack isn’t just good for a mid-major; Eric Musselman has built one of the best teams in college basketball. After reaching the Sweet Sixteen last March with a team already almost exclusively assembled via transfers to Reno, Musselman added three more quality transfer players and a talented freshman in big man Jordan Brown.

The Wolf Pack will make an interesting challenge for Arizona State freshman guard Luguentz Dort. The Canadian phenom has been spectacular this season, yet has not faced Top 25 competition yet. Nevada has tons of options when defending Dort, making this a very intriguing match-up when the Sun Devils have the ball.

Gonzaga vs. Tennessee (in Phoenix), Dec. 9

The Zags look like the headliner in this match-up, thanks to their fantastic win over a dominant Duke team in Maui. I wouldn’t, however, overlook Tennessee when considering possible Final Four teams. Perhaps because the Vols lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, many seem to have forgotten just how good Tennessee was last season. A team that won 26 games last season returns the 11th-highest percentage of its minutes played last season. Grant Williams won SEC Player of the Year last season and has been treated like a relative afterthought this year.

The Vols showcased what they are capable of already by taking Kansas to overtime earlier this month. Williams fouled out just before the extra period and the Jayhawks prevailed, though Tennessee was impressive. The game felt as much like a tournament match-up as any other game so far this season, except for Gonzaga’s win over Duke. This game should have plenty of juice behind it and be a nice test for both teams.

Villanova at Kansas, Dec. 15

Although Villanova has bounced back to a certain degree, there may be no worse fate for a team in need of turning things around than a trip to Phog Allen Fieldhouse. In 15 years at Kansas, Bill Self has more Big XII Conference titles (14) than losses in his home gym (11). It’s just so rare for any team to sneak into Lawrence and leave with a win, especially for this Villanova team, which is clearly both less talented and less polished than any Jay Wright has had in half a decade.

The Wildcats have taken the 9th most three-point attempts this season, but have shot just 32.9 percent as a team. No Villanova team has shot under 33 percent since 2012. That number could recover with a hot shooting night, but that percentage is a symptom of a deeper problem. Villanova isn’t making shots because none of the Wildcats excel at creating shots, for themselves or for others.

Against a rangy Kansas defense, that could be a serious problem. Kansas fans will be salivating at the chance to avenge NCAA Tournament losses to the Wildcats in 2016 and 2018.

Gonzaga at North Carolina, Dec. 15

Because Gonzaga has reached a point in its program history where it can seek a number one seed every March, but still plays in the West Coast Conference, we as the viewing public are treated to a few extra gems involving the Zags every December. While most high-profile teams will play one or two big games, often because they are sanctioned to do so in a tournament or challenge-type event, the Zags find themselves scheduling tough games, often away from the comforts of home.

This game features one key question for the Tar Heels: who on the Carolina roster can cover a player like Rui Hachimura? We’ll see who Roy Williams tries on a player of Hachimura’s size and athleticism during this game, taking notes for later down the road. Coach K will have an eager eye on UNC’s defense against a player as springy and agile as Hachimura, knowing he and freshman Zion Williamson have at least two future dates with North Carolina.

Duke vs. Texas Tech (at Madison Square Garden), Dec. 20

You didn’t think we could make it through this entire list without a Duke game, did you? Of course not! The Blue Devils have been the hottest ticket in college basketball all season. Every win has been exhilarating and full of dunks and highlights. Duke’s only loss was arguably the best played game of the young season. So of course we have to recommend checking out the Blue Devils in their home-away-from-home at the “Mecca of Basketball” in New York City.

They’ll face a Texas Tech team that should provide ample challenge. Sophomore Jarrett Culver has increased his scoring, rebound, and assist numbers this year, now posting 18.8 points per game with 50 percent shooting from long range. He is a rising name among NBA scouts and should make for an intriguing defensive assignment for the Duke guards as they also try to impress decision makers at the next level.

Kansas at Arizona State, Dec. 22

While Kansas gets Villanova in the comfy confines of Phog Allen Fieldhouse, the Jayhawks will travel to Tempe to face off with Luguentz Dort and the Sun Devils. Remember that stat above about how few home losses Bill Self has at Kansas? One came last year at the hands of Bobby Hurley’s Arizona State program. The Jayhawks started that game on a 15-2 to run before losing in convincing fashion.

The second half of the home-and-home series gives Kansas a chance for revenge. Lagerald Vick should draw the assignment of guarding Dort, though based on match-ups, this should be a game dictated by the Kansas bigs. Dedric Lawson is poised to comfortably record a double-double in this one.

North Carolina vs. Kentucky (in Chicago), Dec. 22

Give Roy Williams and his staff some credit this year. The Heels will play five KenPom Top 50 teams before Christmas and also started their season with true road games at Wofford and Elon. Duke, by the way, won’t play a true road game until Jan. 8, while the Tar Heels will have played five away games by that date.

This game, like so many early season Kentucky tilts, will be a good measuring stick to determine which freshmen are prepared for conference play. That goes for both teams here, as UNC is also giving high volume minutes to two freshman. Point guard Coby White looked pedestrian at Michigan this week. An up-and-down race with Big Blue is the kind of game where his attacking style could thrive.

Shane McNichol covers college basketball and the NBA for Larry Brown Sports. He also blogs about basketball at Palestra Back and has contributed to Rush The Court, ESPN.com, and USA Today Sports Weekly. Follow him on Twitter @OnTheShaneTrain.

from Larry Brown Sports https://ift.tt/2PaAfKZ

[zeroviraluniverse-blog]

2018 NCAA Tournament Everything you need to know about first-round games

Visit Now - http://zeroviral.com/2018-ncaa-tournament-everything-you-need-to-know-about-first-round-games/

2018 NCAA Tournament Everything you need to know about first-round games

The Big Dance has finally arrived, and we’re here to provide a preview of Thursday’s 16 games. Below are the players and numbers to know, as well as the upset possibilities:

All times ET

No. 10 Oklahoma vs. No. 7 Rhode Island (12:15 p.m., CBS, Midwest Region)

Player to watch: Trae Young went from being the darling of college basketball in January to one of its most criticized players, and Oklahoma tumbled down the stretch before still sneaking into the tournament. Oklahoma’s woes had more to do with its supporting cast than with Young, the nation’s leader in scoring (27.4) and assists (8.8).

Trae Young This Season

Nov.-Jan. Feb.-March PPG 30.3 21.2 APG 9.5 7.2 FG pct 45.2 34.8 3-pt FG pct 40.9 25.3 Team W-L 16-5 2-8

Still, Young didn’t play as well late in the season. If he gets hot again, the Sooners could be a dangerous double-digit seed. If he doesn’t, they could be the first team out of the tournament.

Key stat: The Sooners are 15-0 when they score at least 85 points. They are 3-13 when they don’t.

Upset factor: Depends. Just two months ago, the Sooners were fighting for a No. 1 seed. Then they morphed into a moribund bunch that wilted to a 10-seed. If the tournament can give Oklahoma a little of its mojo back, the Sooners will be dangerous. If they’re the same team they’ve been since the start of February, Rhode Island will coast.

No. 14 Wright State vs. No. 3 Tennessee (12:40 p.m., TruTV, South Region)

Player to watch: All-name-team nominee Admiral Schofield has elevated his game in recent weeks. Over his past six games, Schofield is averaging 20.5 points per game to go with seven rebounds, and he shot 40 percent from 3 in that stretch. Schofield’s emergence has given Tennessee a perimeter complement to forward Grant Williams, the team’s leading scorer.

Create up to 25 brackets and compete against ESPN talent, pro athletes and celebrities for all the bracket glory! Play now

Key stat: Tennessee is a load on the defensive end. The Volunteers ranked fourth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and give up just 66.1 points per game, the fewest of any team in the SEC.

Upset factor: Wright State, wrong opponent. The Vols are on a roll, having won six of their past seven while holding opponents to fewer than 70 points in all six wins. Wright State ranked all the way down at seventh in the Horizon League in scoring.

No. 13 UNC Greensboro vs. No. 4 Gonzaga (1:30 p.m., TNT, West Region)

Player to watch: Big man Johnathan Williams leads a balanced Gonzaga attack. Williams is averaging 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. Although he isn’t a volume shooter, Williams has reached double-figure scoring in 12 straight games.

Key stat: Gonzaga’s average margin of victory is 17.4 points. That’s the second-highest of any tournament team, trailing only Cincinnati (17.8).

Johnathan Williams leads Gonzaga in scoring and rebounds. Jake Roth/USA TODAY Sports

Upset factor: Faint. Gonzaga, last year’s national runner-up, has college basketball’s longest active win streak, with 14 consecutive victories. The Zags are attempting to become the fourth team since 1985 to win the national title the year following a defeat in the championship game. Gonzaga has the pieces to make another run to the Final Four.

No. 16 Pennsylvania vs. No. 1 Kansas (2 p.m., TBS, Midwest Region)

Looking for a few spots to take some chances on that bracket? Well, don’t advance any of the nine ACC teams to the Final Four or any of the SEC teams to the second weekend. Bank on the 11-seeds. Oh, and get ready for one last show from Trae Young.

It’s easy to just pick a Final Four and a champion. But how do you get there? That’s where the Bilastrator comes in. He is here to take you step by step, line by line all the way to the title. When you win your pool, you can thank him.

Lipscomb, a welcome newbie. This is what the NCAA tournament is all about. There are Lumberjacks and Red Raiders battling. There’ll be upsets and buzzer-beaters. Here’s the best of the sports world’s best weekends.

2 Related

Player to watch: If the Jayhawks are going to make a run to the Final Four, they’re going to need 7-footer Udoka Azubuike on the floor. Azubuike, who is shooting 77.4 percent from the field this season — on pace to be the second-highest in Division I history — suffered a ligament injury in his left knee last week, and that kept him out of the Big 12 tournament.

Kansas coach Bill Self indicated that Azubuike could see the floor against Penn in an “emergency-type situation.” Emergency or not, if he’s able to play, even sparingly, that would be a great sign for Azubuike and the Jayhawks moving forward.

Key stat: Big 12 Player of the Year Devonte’ Graham is averaging 37.6 minutes per game. That is more than any other Kansas player in the Big 12 era. Expect Graham, who has played 16 full games this year, to see every minute, barring foul trouble, for as long as Kansas is in the tournament.

Upset factor: Maybe not completely unthinkable. Kansas enters as just a 14.5-point favorite against Penn. That’s the second-shortest betting line ever in a 1-vs.-16 matchup. The Ivy League champs are not the normal 16-seed patsy.

No. 15 Iona vs. No. 2 Duke (2:45 p.m., CBS, Midwest Region)

Player to watch: Marvin Bagley III is averaging 21.1 points per game, which would break Jabari Parker’s freshman scoring record at Duke.

Key stat: Duke averages 40.1 paint points per game. That is the most among major-conference teams. The last time Duke led major-conference teams in scoring in the paint, it won the national title (2014-15).

Upset factor: Nonexistent. Iona is making a school-record third straight NCAA tournament appearance. On the other hand, the Gaels have lost 11 straight tournament games. Duke will run that streak to a dozen.

No. 11 Loyola vs. No. 6 Miami (3:10 p.m., TruTV, South Region)

Player to watch: Lonnie Walker IV has been Miami’s go-to guy since Bruce Brown Jr. had surgery on his left foot on Feb. 1. Walker leads Miami with 11.5 points per game, though that’s the lowest scoring average among tournament teams’ leading scorers.

Key stat: The Ramblers are tenacious defensively, allowing only 62.2 points per game, which ranks fifth in the country. Loyola-Chicago also ranks 11th in defensive efficiency.

Upset factor: Substantial. BPI gives Loyola-Chicago a 43 percent chance of knocking off the Hurricanes. That’s the highest rate for any team seeded at least five spots lower than its opponent. One more victory would give the Ramblers 29 victories, which would tie a school record.

No. 12 South Dakota State vs. No. 5 Ohio State (4 p.m., TNT, West Region)

Player to watch: Ohio State’s Keita Bates-Diop won’t be the only big-time player in this game. Mike Daum is a load, capable of propelling a Cinderella-like run. Daum is scoring almost 24 points per game, which ranks sixth nationally. He also has 21 double-doubles, tied for fourth.

South Dakota State’s Mike Daum averages 23.8 points per game, second among NCAA tournament players. Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Key stat: South Dakota State enters the tournament on an 11-game win streak, the third-longest active streak in college basketball. To keep the streak going, though, the Jackrabbits will have to secure their first tournament win ever. South Dakota State is 0-4 all time in the tournament.

Upset factor: BPI gives the Jackrabbits a 20 percent chance of pulling off the upset. And the last time Ohio State was a 5-seed? The Buckeyes lost to Utah State in 2001.

No. 9 NC State vs. No. 8 Seton Hall (4:30 p.m., TBS, Midwest Region)

Player to watch: How Allerik Freeman goes, so usually goes NC State. The Wolfpack are 13-4 when their leading scorer puts up at least 15 points. They are 8-7 when he does not.

Key stat: Led by Angel Delgado, Seton Hall is one of the tournament’s top teams on the glass. The Pirates lead the Big East in offensive rebounding rate (34 percent) and second-chance points per game (12.7).

NC State allows 37.5 points in the paint per game, most among major-conference teams.

Upset factor: Hard to tell. The Pirates have the advantage in the paint, and the Wolfpack have the advantage on the perimeter. Seton Hall is a slight favorite, but this is basically a toss-up game.

No. 16 Radford vs. No. 1 Villanova (6:50 p.m., TNT, East Region)

Player to watch: Jalen Brunson might be the go-to guy, but Mikal Bridges is Villanova’s two-way glue guy. Bridges is a menace on the defensive end who is shooting 43 percent from 3. The quintessential 3-and-D prospect, Bridges figures to have NBA teams salivating for his services.

Key stat: Should Villanova reach the Final Four, the Wildcats will break the Division I record for wins in a four-year span. Villanova has 130 wins the past four seasons. Duke owns the current record, with 133 wins in the 1998-2001 seasons.

Upset factor: No chance. At least the Highlanders picked up a tournament victory earlier this week in the play-in game.

No. 12 Davidson vs. No. 5 Kentucky (7:10 p.m., CBS, South Region)

Player to watch: Senior forward Peyton Aldridge headlines a hot-shooting Davidson squad that scores 42 percent of its points from the 3-point line, highest of any tourney team.

Aldridge is an all-around force, averaging 21.5 points per game, 7.8 rebounds and a 3-point shooting rate of 39 percent. Even though he’ll be playing Kentucky, Aldridge will be the most polished offensive player on the floor.

John Calipari and Kentucky face one of the tournament’s hottest teams in Davidson. Mark Zerof/USA TODAY Sports

Key stat: A No. 5 seed is Kentucky’s second-lowest under John Calipari. But when the Wildcats were a No. 8 seed in 2014 — their lowest under Calipari — they advanced to the national title game.

Upset factor: Significant. BPI gives Davidson the best chance of any double-digit seed to reach the Sweet 16. BPI also gives Davidson a 42 percent chance to advance past Kentucky.

With a young team, Calipari’s Wildcats could be one-and-done in a different kind of way.

No. 11 San Diego State vs. No. 6 Houston (7:20 p.m., TBS, West Region)

Player to watch: Three-year standout Rob Gray finally gets his shot in the tournament, as Houston is in the dance for the first time in eight years. Gray, who will turn 24 next month, is averaging a career-high 4.5 assists per game to go with 18.5 points a game.

Key stat: Houston rebounds way above what its collective size suggests it should. According to KenPom.com, Houston was the 323rd-tallest team in Division I. Yet the Cougars rank ninth nationally in rebounding rate.

Upset factor: Sturdy. BPI gives San Diego State a 26 percent chance to advance. Vegas favors the Cougars by only four.

No. 14 Stephen F. Austin vs. No. 3 Texas Tech (7:27 p.m., TruTV, East Region)

Player to watch: Keenan Evans suffered a foot injury on Feb. 17 that knocked Texas Tech off track. Evans, however, was able to play 35 and 33 minutes in Tech’s two Big 12 tournament games, a sign that he has put that ailment behind him. When healthy, Evans can take over a game by finishing at the rim and getting to the line.

Keenan Evans: Past six games

First 3 Last 3 Texas Tech W-L 0-3 2-1 PPG 4.0 20.3 FG pct 15.8 51.4

Key stat: After Virginia, Texas Tech might have the best defense of any team in the tournament. The Red Raiders rank third in the nation in defensive efficiency and give up just 23.8 points per game in the paint. Among major-conference teams, only Virginia surrendered fewer.

Upset factor: Doubtful. Texas Tech hasn’t won an NCAA tournament game since 2005. But this is, by far, the best team the Red Raiders have featured since at least then.

No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Virginia Tech (9:20 p.m., TNT, East Region)

Player to watch: Collin Sexton stole the show in the SEC tournament, pouring in 27, 31 and 21 points over three games, including the game-winning floater against Texas A&M, which catapulted the Crimson Tide off the bubble. Sexton’s best attribute is his relentlessness.

Collin Sexton catapulted Alabama into the field with a strong display in the SEC tournament. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

Key stat: Sexton will force the issue, and that could play into Virginia Tech’s hands. The Hokies led the ACC with 20.2 transition points per game.

Upset factor: Call this one a coin flip. Virginia Tech is the higher seed and a slight favorite. But Alabama has the difference-maker in Sexton. If the Hokies contain him, they’ll move on. If not, they’ll be going home.

No. 13 Buffalo vs. No. 4 Arizona (9:40 p.m., CBS, South Region)

Player to watch: Deandre Ayton has been ridiculous this season, leading the Pac-12 with 11.5 rebounds per game while averaging 20.3 points. He scored 32 in each of his past two games, wins over UCLA and USC, in which he added 14 and 18 rebounds. He just might be the best player in the tournament.

Key stat: Since Feb. 1, Buffalo is 10-2 and averaging 88.3 points per game. That’s the highest scoring average by any tournament team over that span. The Bulls shot almost 51 percent from the field in that stretch, also the highest of any tournament team.

Upset factor: Slim. The Bulls can score. But they have no answer for Ayton. That said, it’s possible that nobody does. And that’s a big reason Arizona could give the Pac-12 its first national title since 1997, when the Wildcats won it all.

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No. 14 Montana vs. No. 3 Michigan (9:50 p.m., TBS, West Region)

Player to watch: Michigan’s Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman knocks down shots and values the basketball. He’s shooting 40 percent from 3-point range, and he leads the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.04. That’s the best ratio of any Big Ten player in the past 20 seasons.

Key stat: The Wolverines don’t give up offensive rebounds, and they don’t turn opponents loose on the break. Michigan is allowing just 8.1 second-chance points per game and only 9.5 points off turnovers, not only both fewest in the Big Ten but also third-fewest among major-conference teams.

Upset factor: Dubious. Big Sky teams have lost 12 straight NCAA tournament games since the Grizzlies knocked off Nevada in 2006.

No. 11 St. Bonaventure vs. No. 6 Florida (9:57 p.m., TruTV, East Region)

Player to watch: Chris Chiozza is one of the top floor generals in this tournament. He has assisted on 37 percent of Florida’s baskets, the highest rate of any SEC player. Chiozza is averaging 6.1 assists per game. Over the past 20 years, only Nick Calathes has averaged more at Florida.

Key stat: The Bonnies come into the tournament red-hot from deep. During a 13-game win streak that was snapped in the Atlantic 10 title game, St. Bonaventure shot 43 percent from 3-point range as a team. In the play-in victory over UCLA on Tuesday, though, the Bonnies made just 4-of-19 from beyond the arc.

Upset factor: Decent. If the Bonnies catch fire from 3 and protect the basketball, they could be a tricky out for the Gators.

[junker-town]

Kennedy Meeks gives UNC something South Carolina didn't have against Gonzaga

The hero of North Carolina’s semifinal win will be vital against Gonzaga.

Kennedy Meeks had the best game of his college career on Saturday. The North Carolina Tar Heels senior center totaled 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting. He had 14 rebounds, eight of them on offense. His on-court plus-minus was plus-8, the best for either player on either of the two teams on the court in Glendale, Ariz.

He is usually good, but this game was abnormally great for Meeks. His career highs entering the night were 25 points and 17 boards. Forgive me for this highly unscientific way of measuring production, but Meeks’ highest total of points and rebounds in a single game entering the night had been 36. Against power conference teams, it was 31, against Duke in this year’s ACC tournament. His new career high: 39.

These are just counting stats, but you get the idea. Meeks was dominant. He was also highly efficient, so there’s not much doubt this was the best game of his life. It happened to come in a national semifinal against Oregon at the Final Four. His Tar Heels won by a 77-76 score and will play Gonzaga for every marble on Saturday. The last play of the game was a Meeks offensive rebound before the buzzer to seal it.

The numbers do a good enough job telling the story of Meeks’ night. When he shot, the ball went through the hoop. When his teammates shot and missed, Meeks was crashing the glass with abandon. UNC scored 19 second-chance points, and Meeks was the principle reason. Thanks to Meeks’ steady diet of plexiglass, UNC’s offensive rebounding rate for the season is the best in the land, at more than 42 percent.

That’s Meeks’ greatest asset as a player, in general. When he’s been on the court this season and a UNC player has missed a shot, Meeks has won the rebound 16 percent of the time. He’s now scooped up 148 offensive boards this season. It’s outrageous. He was eighth in the country in O-boards per game entering Saturday, but all but one player above him is from a non-major league that’s decidedly not the ACC. On balance, you can call Meeks the best or second-best offensive rebounder in the country. His only real peer is Wake Forest’s John Collins, who’s not in the Final Four.

If North Carolina beats Gonzaga on Monday, Meeks grabbing a bunch of offensive rebounds will have a lot to do with it. But he brings other things that you need to beat the Zags — things South Carolina didn’t have when it lost to them on Saturday.

Meeks is a center’s center. That’ll be helpful against Gonzaga.

We’ve established that he’s an O-boards monster. But Meeks is unsurprisingly also a great defensive rebounder, with a top-50 individual rate nationally. He comes up with 25 percent of the shots other teams miss. He’s a good post defender, even though a lot of that can’t show up on the stat sheet. He’s a decent shot-blocker. His individual defensive rating this year is by far the best of his career, at about 93 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor. That’s the best on UNC by a country mile.

South Carolina doesn’t have bigs like Meeks, or like front-court partners Isaiah Hicks or Justin Jackson (when he’s playing power forward). The Gamecocks’ bigs did a commendable job on Saturday, at least insofar as Gonzaga’s pair of 7-foot centers, Przemek Karnowski and Zach Collins, only had five offensive boards combined.

South Carolina’s defense is outstanding, but it’s more geared toward stopping teams with great guards. The Gamecocks shut down the three-point line for most of the season. Guard Sindarius Thornwell is an elite perimeter defender. But they don’t have any rim protectors in Meeks’ stratosphere. Collins and Karnowski scored 27 points on a combined 12-of-22 shooting and had 18 rebounds in total, most of them Collins’.

Gonzaga’s offense has great balance. The Bulldogs can score from wherever, more or less. But getting an edge against Karnowski and Collins is critical. There isn’t more than a handful of players in the country you’d rather trot out against either of them than Meeks. He’s probably a better matchup against the bigger, less nimble Karnowski, but he’ll be the key in any success UNC has containing either of those two giants.

[junker-town]

16 numbers to make a Final Four case for every team in the Sweet 16

Everybody’s got a shot. These numbers offer a snapshot of why.

Every team left in the NCAA tournament has a legitimate shot to make the Final Four.

People say that at this time every year, and it’s always technically true. Once you’re in the Sweet 16, you are by definition only two wins from the Final Four, and everyone’s already won two tournament games. But this year, that adage is really, honestly true. It won’t take a big surprise for any of the remaining teams to get to Glendale.

The worst team left in the tournament, according to Ken Pomeroy’s ratings index, is Xavier. Pomeroy’s computer model ranks the Musketeers as the No. 30 team in college basketball. They’re an 11th seed in the West region, but they’re clearly better than the No. 6 Maryland team they beat in the first round, and they destroyed No. 3 Florida State after that. And Pomeroy’s system might still be right that they’re the worst team left.

Here’s a number to illustrate the case for everyone in the Sweet 16:

0.64

Points per possession allowed by Florida against Virginia in the round of 32, adding up to 39 points in total. It was Florida’s best defensive effort of the season, and it came against a team whose glacially paced offense mimics that of Wisconsin, the Gators’ next opponent. The Gators’ elite defense is a huge edge.

13

Wins in a row for John Calipari’s Kentucky. The Wildcats lost by 22 at Florida on Feb. 4, and they’ve mostly been a buzzsaw since then. Their current run includes a revenge win over the Gators and a triumph in a great game against Wichita State last weekend. They’re playing their best ball at the right time.

15.1

The percentage of Butler possessions that end with the Bulldogs turning the ball over, which is 10th-lowest in Division I and third (by a hair) in the Sweet 16. The Bulldogs’ fundamentally sound offense got them to two national title games under Brad Stevens. If they get back under Chris Holtmann, it’ll be a key factor again.

16

Career tournament games for Wisconsin’s senior class that includes guard Bronson Koenig and forward Nigel Hayes. The Badgers weren’t great for much of the year, but they’ve made deep tournament runs twice in the last three seasons. That experience will serve them well.

17

The percentage of opposing field goal attempts that get blocked by Oregon defenders, the highest rate in the country. The Ducks will have to go through some elite offenses to reach the Final Four, starting with Michigan’s. Being able to turn away a whole bunch of shots should prove helpful.

20

Points per game on the tournament’s opening weekend for Kansas freshman Josh Jackson, along with two total turnovers. If the Jayhawks have a second elite scorer to pair with Frank Mason, they’re as good as anybody.

27.7

The percentage of possessions against West Virginia’s defense that end in a turnover, best in the country. The Mountaineers’ vicious press defense is a nightmare, and it could be enough to turn any game on its head.

29

Points for Xavier guard Trevon Bluiett in a second-round desecration of Florida State, on a total of 14 shots from the field. Bluiett has that look right now, and he’s carrying Xavier through this tournament. If elite guard play is a key to tournament success, the Musketeers have as good a guy as anyone.

40

The offensive rebound percentage for Baylor, meaning the Bears rebound four of every 10 field goals they miss. There’s one team in the field better at this than Baylor. More on the one team that’s better in a moment, but there’s good news for Baylor: it can’t possibly face that team until Glendale.

41.6

The effective field goal percentage for opponents this year against Gonzaga’s defense, the lowest mark in the country. (The stat eFG% is like regular field goal percentage, only it counts three-pointers as 50 percent more valuable than twos.) But any shooting or scoring stat will tell the same story: that the Zags are brutal to score on.

42.2

North Carolina’s offensive rebounding rate, the best in the land. Offensive boards were the biggest reason the Tar Heels advanced past Arkansas on an abysmal shooting night.

65.2

The percentage of Purdue baskets that include an assist, the highest mark remaining in the tournament and No. 3 in the country. Sharing is caring, and Purdue’s offense works because the Boilers’ passing creates good shots. If they fall behind, they won’t start chucking up low-percentage looks. They’ll just make better ones.

78.8

The average height in inches of the Arizona Wildcats. That translates to about 6’7 and makes the Wildcats the tallest team left in the field, according to Ken Pomeroy. All of the Cats’ rotation players except guard Kadeem Allen are at least 6’5, and even Allen’s a solid 6’3. Especially on the wings, Arizona’s size is a matchup problem for a lot of teams. A wrinkle, though: the next-biggest team is Sweet 16 opponent Xavier.

123

Michigan’s opponent-adjusted offensive rating per 100 possessions, the No. 2 mark in the sport. The Wolverines score more efficiently than all but one team.

124.2

The same stat for UCLA. The Bruins have the best offense in the field, and it’s not just dynamic freshman Lonzo Ball. Everyone on the court can score.

181

Total points scored by South Carolina in tournament-opening wins against Marquette and Duke. The Gamecocks’ defense has been quietly elite all season, and they’ve started the tournament with two of their seven most efficient offensive games. The question’s never been about whether Frank Martin’s team could defend. If it turns out the Cocks can score? They could be trouble.