Here’s a preview of Friday’s NCAA Tournament games
(1) Virginia (28-7) vs. (4) Iowa State (23-11)
WHEN, WHERE: 4:10 p.m., Chicago
LINE, TOTAL: Virginia -5½, 141½
PLAYER TO WATCH: Georges Niang. The younger generation might not fully appreciate Niang, who’s not a YouTube highlight waiting to happen. The 6-foot-8-inch senior forward has got an old-school game. He’s a smart player who knows how to score in a variety of ways with an array of jump shots. The Cyclones need him to produce big numbers. In a first-round victory over Iona, he scored 28 points. In a second-round victory over Arkansas-Little Rock, he scored 28 points. In the two games, he shot 22 of 41 from the field, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range, and 7 of 7 on free throws. Niang is consistent, which is why he has 2,198 career points.
STORYLINE: Second-seeded Michigan State was the popular pick to win the Midwest Region, but the Spartans are long gone, so their fans are not filling the United Center in Chicago. The road to the Final Four is paved for Virginia coach Tony Bennett. The Cavaliers allow 59.5 points per game to rank No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense. The offensive-minded Cyclones average 82.1 points. Virginia’s defense probably will dictate the pace. Both teams are led by seniors, which is rare these days. Just as Iowa State follows Niang, Virginia relies on Malcolm Brogdon, an elite scoring guard in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
PICK: Virginia 74, Iowa State 67
(6) Notre Dame (23-11) vs. (7) Wisconsin (22-12)
WHEN, WHERE: 4:25 p.m., Philadelphia
LINE, TOTAL: Notre Dame -1, 131½
PLAYER TO WATCH: Ethan Happ. Early in the season when it seemed the Badgers had little chance of reaching the NCAA Tournament, junior forward Nigel Hayes was struggling. Hayes’ play improved when Happ, a 6-9 freshman, emerged as another go-to player on the front line. Because of his Average Joe appearance, Happ probably would not be the No. 1 pick at a rec center pickup game, but his looks are deceiving. He will develop into one of the Big Ten’s top players, similar to Frank Kaminsky. Hayes is the team’s top scorer at 15.9 points per game, but Happ (12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds) will be equally as important against the Irish.
STORYLINE: Both teams are lucky to be here. Notre Dame spoiled Stephen F. Austin’s tournament run when Rex Pflueger scored with 1.5 seconds left in a 76-75 victory. The Irish will look to feed 6-10 senior Zach Auguste (14.3 points, 10.9 rebounds) in the paint, where the Badgers are vulnerable. Wisconsin stunned second-seeded Xavier on Bronson Koenig’s 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Badgers went 11-1 during the middle stretch of conference play to essentially earn Greg Gard the full-time coaching job. After former coach Bo Ryan’s surprise retirement in December, Wisconsin was written off. If Gard can lead this team back to the Final Four, it’s a great story.
PICK: Wisconsin 69, Notre Dame 66
(10) Syracuse (21-13) vs. (11) Gonzaga (28-7)
WHEN, WHERE: 6:40 p.m., Chicago
LINE, TOTAL: Gonzaga -4, 135
PLAYER TO WATCH: Kyle Wiltjer. It’s obvious Wiltjer is the key to this game for both teams. Syracuse’s zone perplexes opponents, and the Zags are seeing a quality zone defense for the first time this season. Wiltjer, a 6-10 senior, is averaging 20.4 points and shooting 43 percent from 3-point range. His height and quick release make him difficult to defend, but expect the Orange to double-team him on several touches. Gonzaga’s guard play has improved, and 6-11 forward Domantas Sabonis is another scoring option in the high-post and low-post areas. But if Wiltjer is not shooting well from the perimeter, the Zags will be in trouble.
STORYLINE: Most bracket forecasters put Syracuse, which had lost five of six games going into Selection Sunday, on the outside of the 68-team field. Of course, coach Jim Boeheim squeaked in, and the Orange are always a tough matchup because of how they defend. Syracuse blew out Dayton 70-51 and Middle Tennessee State 75-50. Gonzaga has made 18 straight NCAA appearances, but coach Mark Few still is searching for a Final Four. The Zags probably needed to win the West Coast Conference tournament in Las Vegas to get in the field. What followed — lopsided victories over Seton Hall and Utah — did a lot to impress the betting public and oddsmakers.
PICK: Gonzaga 70, Syracuse 68
(1) North Carolina (30-6) vs. (5) Indiana (27-7)
WHEN, WHERE: 6:55 p.m., Philadelphia
LINE, TOTAL: North Carolina -5½, 159
PLAYER TO WATCH: Yogi Ferrell. The Hoosiers cannot win or even stick with the Tar Heels without their senior point guard leading the way. He was arguably the second-best player in the Big Ten this season behind Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine. Ferrell scored 18 points in a second-round upset of Kentucky, after he recorded 20 points and 10 assists in a 99-74 rout of Chattanooga. He’s deft at distributing the ball to Indiana’s other perimeter shooters, making the 3-point shot the team’s deadly weapon. Always a talented offensive player, Ferrell is defending at a high level now, too, and he must outplay North Carolina star guard Marcus Paige.
STORYLINE: All signs point to a horse race. The Hoosiers score 82.5 points per game to rank 10th in the nation, and the Tar Heels average 82.4 points. Senior forward Brice Johnson was the top player in the ACC this season, and his low-post battle with Indiana’s Thomas Bryant is one North Carolina should win. Roy Williams was under pressure after losing to Duke on Feb. 17, but the Tar Heels are 9-1 since. Hoosiers coach Tom Crean, under intense pressure after losing to UNLV in November, got off the hot seat and earned a lot of respect by winning the conference regular-season title by two games. But Crean’s team might be outmanned in this matchup.
PICK: North Carolina 85, Indiana 77
