The first night of the Sweet 16 was wild. Both Arizona and UNC lost, meaning I went 2-4 on my picks. I also hope you guys did not tail my picks on twitter, because it was a rough night there too. Tonight we turn a new chapter. The Midwest Region tips off in Detroit tonight. There are plenty of storylines, so let's get into the games.
From: Purdue Sports
1. Purdue vs 5. Gonzaga
Purdue and Gonzaga are two of the most heavily criticized programs in the country. Purdue has not been to a Final Four since 1980. Under Mark Few, Gonzaga has made the title game twice and lost both. Neither team can seem to get over that hump. This year, it seems like there's a good chance one of these teams gets to Phoenix.
After a humiliating loss to FDU last year, Purdue has been on a revenge tour. They were the class of the Big Ten. The Boilermakers ran through their out of conference schedule, with wins over Marquette, Tennessee, Alabama, Arizona, and Gonzaga themselves. Braden Smith is playing at an elite level, and Zach Edey has been Zach Edey. The true X-factor for Purdue has been Lance Jones. Jones brings a level of calmness to the roster that has not been there in years. Every time they need a big shot, the veteran guard delivers.
Gonzaga was cast off very quickly. They dropped out of the AP Poll for the first time in 143 weeks, a stretch that goes back to 2016. Since January 11th, the Zags went 15-2, including a beat down of Kansas to get to the second weekend. Mark Few has his team playing their best basketball all year. Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman are one of the most fun backcourts in the country. Finally, Graham Ike is playing like Graham Ike. The Wyoming transfer has been a godsend for Gonzaga down low. The Bulldogs also extended their streak of 9-straight Sweet 16 appearances, a ridiculous feat.
When these two juggernauts faced off in Maui, Gonzaga gave Purdue some problems. They limited the three ball extremely well, and found ways to pull Zach Edey away from the basket. It was a massive first ten minutes of the second half which helped Purdue secure a victory. The blueprint to beating Purdue is veteran guards who have been in March before. Gonzaga has that. They also can give Purdue fits when they run in transition. If the Gonzaga offense shows up like they did against Kansas, they can pull off the upset. Unfortunately, I think this is where the road ends, as Purdue is just too balanced. I like Purdue in a close one.
Purdue 71, Gonzaga 68
2. Tennessee vs 3. Creighton
Stylistically, this is another fascinating matchup. Outside of Dalton Knecht, Tennessee struggles to knock down shots. Creighton likes to run in transition, setting up threes for their guards. These two teams have also struggled to get over the hump. Rick Barnes has made one Final Four in his career, and has only gotten past the Sweet 16 three times. Greg McDermott's squad is always picked to go far, and was a controversial no call away from getting to the Final Four last year.
This is not your prototypical Tennessee team. That is because of one man, Dalton Knecht. Knecht has been one of the most exciting players in the sports. However, he has been struggling as of late. He had a good game against St. Peter's, but that was a 16 seed. When he played Texas, his shot was off in a big way. Knecht shot 1 for 8 from deep, but still finished with 18 points. The Volunteers are always going to guard, but Dalton Knecht needs a big game if they want to beat Creighton.
After losing Arthur Kaluma and Ryan Nembhard, a lot of questions were asked about Creighton. They didn't have a true point guard, and Kaluma was a high level wing. The Jays brought in Utah State transfer Steven Ashworth, who has been incredible for them. Trey Alexander is always going to get his. Ryan Kalkbrenner won Big East DPOY again. The true breakout from this team has been Baylor Scheierman. Scheierman has been otherworldly for Creighton, nearly averaging a double-double as a guard. When he's going, its near impossible to stop Creighton's offense.
Like I said earlier, this game boils down to Dalton Knecht. Knecht needs an efficient game offensively for the Vols to pull this one out. If he struggles again, Tennessee just doesn't have enough offense to keep up with Creighton. A Knecht stinker combined with Creighton's ability to defend without fouling is bad news for Tennessee. Luckily for UT, I don't see Knecht struggling. This game turns into Knecht vs Creighton, with Tennessee barely getting enough stops to pull out a hard fought win.
Tennessee 73, Creighton 70
We are in store for another night of good Sweet 16 games. Sit back, and enjoy a great game between Purdue and Gonzaga. Then get ready for the Dalton Knecht show. It should be a fun night in Detroit.
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