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Kentucky survived a tough test from Wofford to advance to the Sweet 16.Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press
Round 2 is halfway over, and eight more spots are up for grabs in the Sweet 16.
Saturday saw plenty of chalk with No. 5 Auburn scoring the only seed-based upset over No. 4 Kansas.
Sunday is sure to send a surprise team through to the next round, though, as No. 13 UC Irvine takes on No. 12 Oregon. On the other end of the seeding spectrum, No. 1 Duke and No. 1 UNC are both in action.
Read on to find picks for every remaining matchup from Bleacher Report’s experts: David Gardner, David Kenyon, Kerry Miller and Elliott Pohnl. If you missed any of Saturday’s action, we have recaps of every game as well.
Be sure to bookmark this page and refresh often, as recaps will replace predictions as soon as games end.
Predictions written by David Kenyon.
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Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Matchup: No. 10 Iowa vs. No. 2 Tennessee (South Region)
Details: Sunday at 12:10 p.m. ET (CBS) in Columbus, Ohio
Iowa Wins If…
The three-point brigade is out in full force. Tennessee has an undeniable knack for scoring in the paint, and that’s a problem for Iowa’s horrendous two-point defense; it ranks 316th nationally. But the Hawkeyes have four players who attempt three-plus triples per night, and each boasts a conversion clip of 38-plus percent.
Iowa cannot afford to get worked on the glass either. While Tyler Cook is the leading rebounder, the Hawkeyes must get a complete team effort to hold off the Vols.
Tennessee Wins If…
It’s not a complete disaster on the perimeter. During the first-round win, the Vols surrendered a 15-of-29 three-point mark to Colgate. Fortunately for Tennessee, it managed to bury nine threes―its fourth-highest total of the season―to atone for that.
The Vols must be careful to avoid foul trouble too. Iowa owns the second-highest free-throw/field-goal rate in the country.
Most Important Players Are…
Cook for Iowa and Admiral Schofield for Tennessee. As mentioned earlier, Cook is Iowa’s top rebounder. He also averages a team-high 14.9 points to go along with 2.4 assists per game. Schofield isn’t the star, but his 19 points buoyed the Vols in Round 1. And against a perimeter-led Iowa squad, Schofield’s superb defense can eliminate one option.
Predictions
David Gardner: Tennessee
David Kenyon: Tennessee
Kerry Miller: Tennessee
Elliott Pohnl: Tennessee
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Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Matchup: No. 9 Washington vs. No. 1 North Carolina (Midwest Region)
Details: Sunday at 2:40 p.m. ET (CBS) in Columbus, Ohio
Washington Wins If…
It slows down the pace by hitting shots and forcing turnovers. While that combination is basic, it allowed 16th-seeded Iona to take a surprise halftime lead on North Carolina. With a tempo ranked 257th nationally, per KenPom, the Huskies could frustrate UNC.
But most importantly, that needs to happen for 40 minutes.
North Carolina Wins If…
Zone defense doesn’t cause unnecessary issues. Washington head coach Mike Hopkins spent more than two decades as a Syracuse assistant for Jim Boeheim. The Tar Heels should know what they’re about to encounter in the second round.
As long as UNC can push the tempo with some regularity, UW’s uninspiring offense probably can’t keep up on the scoreboard.
Most Important Players Are…
Matisse Thybulle for Washington and Cameron Johnson for North Carolina. Thybulle racked up eight combined steals and blocks in the first-round triumph over the Utah State Aggies, and that ability to end possessions will be critical for UW to slow down the pace. Johnson is an elite spot-up shooter, which is especially valuable against a zone.
Predictions
David Gardner: UNC
David Kenyon: UNC
Kerry Miller: UNC
Elliott Pohnl: UNC
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Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Matchup: No. 9 UCF vs. No. 1 Duke (East Region)
Details: Sunday at 5:15 p.m. ET (CBS) in Columbia, South Carolina
UCF Wins If…
The Knights force the No. 1 seed to win from the outside. Duke owns the nation’s fifth-highest two-point percentage but is the 14th-worst three-point shooting squad. UCF center Tacko Fall, who is 7’6″, had better put his stature to good use.
Fortunately for UCF, he racked up 13 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks Friday. Fall will be coming off his best game of the year.
Duke Wins If…
Zion Williamson and Co. force UCF to defend in transition. Despite a tempo that ranks 309th, per KenPom, the Knights are still 279th in opponent initial field-goal attempts on the break, according to Hoop-Math.com. If Duke has space to run, look out below.
After all, few teams can handle the Blue Devils’ athleticism. And by that, yes, we mostly mean Williamson.
Most Important Players Are…
Fall for UCF and RJ Barrett for Duke. We highlighted Fall’s impact above; UCF also needs a quality showing from Michigan transfer Aubrey Dawkins, the team’s best three-point shooter. Zion basically has a 25-point floor at this point. The Blue Devils are tough to beat if Barrett complements the superstar freshman with 25 of his own.
Predictions
David Gardner: Duke
David Kenyon: Duke
Kerry Miller: Duke
Elliott Pohnl: Duke
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Harry How/Getty Images
Matchup: No. 6 Buffalo vs. No. 3 Texas Tech (West Region)
Details: Sunday at 6:10 p.m. ET (TNT) in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Buffalo Wins If…
The team manages to increase the tempo steadily throughout the game. The Bulls are plenty effective in half-court sets but most productive in transition. The problem is they run at the 10th-fastest pace in the country, per KenPom, while Texas Tech is 222nd.
Buffalo is not particularly efficient from three-point range (33.6 percent, 223rd nationally) but ordinarily shoots a bunch of them. If the Bulls have an above-average day from distance, they’ll put immense pressure on the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech Wins If…
It wins in transition. While the Bulls can survive if their opponent slows down their scoring attack, Texas Tech usually isn’t much of a threat going quickly the other way. During the first-round win over the Northern Kentucky Norse, the Red Raiders forced 17 turnovers and earned a few easy buckets to seal a comfortable result.
Most Important Players Are…
Nick Perkins for Buffalo and Jarrett Culver for Texas Tech. Buffalo will lean on its backcourt but needs Perkins to provide a secondary option down low when ball movement is lacking. Culver dominated Friday’s clash with 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and is a surging NBA prospect.
Predictions
David Gardner: Texas Tech
David Kenyon: Buffalo
Kerry Miller: Buffalo
Elliott Pohnl: Texas Tech
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Ben Margot/Associated Press
Matchup: No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 4 Virginia Tech (East Region)
Details: Sunday at 7:10 p.m. ET (TBS) in San Jose, California
Liberty Wins If…
The offense is able to repeat its sensational long-range showing from the opening round. Liberty shot 12-of-25 from beyond the arc, highlighted by five triples from Caleb Homesley. The junior scored a career-high 30 points in the upset of Mississippi State.
Giveaways could extinguish the Flames’ chances of winning too. Virginia Tech ranks 31st in opponent turnover rate and forced 12 in the first half alone of its victory over 13th-seeded Saint Louis.
Virginia Tech Wins If…
Liberty isn’t a factor on the offensive glass. The Flames are just 256th in the category anyway, so it might not seem particularly significant. But since Virginia Tech forces the second-highest rate of three-point attempts, loose balls should be a regular sight.
Combine that with VT’s normal output from the perimeter, and the ACC school could earn a comfortable win.
Most Important Players Are…
Homesley for Liberty and Nickeil Alexander-Walker for Virginia Tech. Scottie James is Liberty’s marquee player but operates in the post; the Flames must have a terrific day on the outside. Alexander-Walker leads the Hokies in total points, assists and steals while shooting better than 38 percent from long range.
Predictions
David Gardner: Virginia Tech
David Kenyon: Virginia Tech
Kerry Miller: Liberty
Elliott Pohnl: Virginia Tech
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Sean Rayford/Associated Press
Matchup: No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Virginia (South Region)
Details: Saturday at 7:45 p.m. ET (truTV) in Columbia, South Carolina
Oklahoma Wins If…
The Sooners have an atypical night and control the rebounding battle. After clipping Ole Miss in the first round, they’ve notched a rebound rate of at least 50 percent in 16 of 33 games. Oklahoma is 14-2 in those outings but 6-11 otherwise.
Long-range efficiency is also a critical part of upsetting Virginia. Since the Sooners are just 196th nationally in that department, they’ll need to break that trend.
Virginia Wins If…
A slow start doesn’t plague the team…again. The Gardner-Webb Bulldogs jumped out to a 12-point lead on the ACC regular-season champions, who ultimately took control of the game after the nerve-wracking first half.
On paper, Virginia is the heavy favorite practically across the board. As long as the Wahoos aren’t committing senseless turnovers, ice-cold from three or inept on the glass, they’ll be OK. But we know better than to overlook outliers with UVA, right?
Most Important Players Are…
Brady Manek for Oklahoma and Kyle Guy for Virginia. Christian James is the leader of the Sooners offense, but OU needs a complementary scorer against the tremendous Cavaliers defense. Guy trudged to a 2-of-8 mark with eight points against Gardner-Webb yet has explosive scoring potential when he’s a factor on the perimeter.
Predictions
David Gardner: Oklahoma
David Kenyon: Virginia
Kerry Miller: Virginia
Elliott Pohnl: Virginia
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Jeff Roberson/Associated Press
Matchup: No. 11 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Houston (Midwest Region)
Details: Sunday at 8:40 p.m. ET (TNT) in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Ohio State Wins If…
The rebounding battle clearly favors the Buckeyes. Not only have Houston’s three losses included a total rebound rate below 52 percent, but Ohio State is also 5-12 when failing to reach the mark.
Houston is particularly active gathering its own missed shots, ranking 22nd in offensive rebound rate. Yes, the Buckeyes need to hit some threes, but limiting Houston to one opportunity on offense will be vital to their pursuit of an upset.
Houston Wins If…
It’s as productive as usual on the glass while winning the perimeter. The Cougars are only 103rd in three-point percentage, but that’s still 87 spots higher than Ohio State. Defensively, Houston’s 27.6 clip allowed is nothing short of stellar (and second nationally).
Foul trouble is a concern for Houston, especially since the Buckeyes shoot a decent percentage at the line. But if the Cougars aren’t providing free trips to the stripe, they should be in good shape.
Most Important Players Are…
Kaleb Wesson for Ohio State and Corey Davis Jr. for Houston. Wesson amassed 21 points in the first-round win, and the Buckeyes improved to 14-2 when he scores 15-plus. Davis buried seven threes, finishing with 26 points and six assists in a rout of the Georgia State Panthers.
Predictions
David Gardner: Houston
David Kenyon: Houston
Kerry Miller: Houston
Elliott Pohnl: Houston
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Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images
Matchup: No. 13 UC Irvine vs. No. 12 Oregon (South Region)
Details: Sunday at 9:40 p.m. ET (TBS) in San Jose, California
UC Irvine Wins If…
Max Hazzard puts the Anteaters on his back. In December, he racked up 10 three-pointers in a win over Denver. Repeating that performance is improbable, of course. But UC Irvine is thin on long-range weapons, and Oregon has the 11th-best perimeter defense in the nation. Hazzard must be effective.
The Ducks are vulnerable when they’re outmatched on the boards too. Nine of their 12 losses happened when they failed to grab at least 50 percent of all available rebounds.
Oregon Wins If…
It manages to score inside consistently. UC Irvine is the country’s leader in two-point defense, and Oregon’s 34.3 percent mark from beyond the arc is just 188th. The Ducks have a few respectable shooters but are prone to massive swings in efficiency.
Since both programs have slow tempos, Oregon can earn a major advantage by winning the turnover battle. The Ducks rank 52nd in opponent turnover rate, while UC Irvine is 288th.
Most Important Players Are…
Hazzard for UC Irvine and Louis King for Oregon. While we already highlighted Hazzard’s upside as a shooter, King is the biggest reason for the Ducks’ late-season turnaround. The freshman leads Oregon’s healthy players with 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Predictions
David Gardner: UC Irvine
David Kenyon: Oregon
Kerry Miller: Oregon
Elliott Pohnl: Oregon
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Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
After an LSU-dominated first half, with a win probability that eventually ballooned to 96.4 percent, Maryland roared back to take its first lead of the afternoon with just five minutes remaining in the game. The Terrapins impressively adjusted to the Tigers offense, but with a bucket by Tremont Waters with 1.6 seconds remaining on the clock and Maryland out of timeouts, LSU escaped becoming the highest seed yet in 2019 to exit the tournament.
The Tigers now head to Washington, D.C., where they will face off against either No. 2 Michigan State or No. 10 Minnesota.
Top Performers
Skylar Mays led all scorers with 16, while Jalen Smith led the Terps with 15.
Bruno Fernando had an impressive 15 rebounds for Maryland. Kavell Bigby-Williams led the Tigers with eight.
X-Factor
Maryland completely revamped its defensive strategy at halftime to great effect, but LSU was able to weather the storm late, even after the Terps took the lead. A frantic pace over the last five minutes resulted in a back-and-forth scoreboard, and when the dust settled, it was LSU storming the court and heading to the Sweet 16.
Next Round
LSU will face the winner of Michigan State and Minnesota in Washington, D.C.
In-game win probabilities via ESPN.com.
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John Raoux/Associated Press
Immediately after No. 3 LSU escaped an upset bid from No. 6 Maryland, the second-seeded Kentucky Wildcats took the floor against arguably one of the top non-Power Five teams in the tournament: No. 7 Wofford.
Unlike the first game, the higher seed didn’t jump out to a massive lead. In fact, Wofford build a nice cushion over the blue-blooded Wildcats. But since we are talking about Kentucky, the margin didn’t balloon.
The Wildcats battled back to take a two-point lead at the half and spent the first part of the second half battling with the Terriers. After a 13-2 run midway through the second frame, the Wildcats looked to take control, leading 45-37, with 12 minutes remaining.
Wofford cut the Kentucky lead to two with 39 seconds remaining, but a foul on Keve Aluma with 17.8 seconds to go gave UK a four-point lead after Reid Travis hit both free throws.
Top Performers
Wofford’s Nathan Hoover led all scorers with 19, while Travis led Kentucky with 14. Travis also led the Wildcats with 11 rebounds.
X-Factor
Even though the first half and much of the second half were tight, a long scoring run for the Wildcats midway through the second half provided separation. While Wofford did its best to battle back into the game, Kentucky’s lead was simply too much.
Fletcher Magee, the all-time leading NCAA three-point scorer, went 0-of-12 from behind the arc.
Next Round
Kentucky will face the winner of Sunday’s Ohio State-Houston matchup.
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Jamie Squire/Getty Images
No. 2 Michigan is heading to the Sweet 16 after a strong second half propelled the Wolverines to a 64-49 win over No. 10 Florida.
The Wolverines led by just four at halftime, but their 11-0 run to start the second half kept the Gators at arm’s length the rest of the way.
Top Performers
Jordan Poole paced Michigan with 19 points on 5-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three. Jon Teske added eight points and 10 rebounds.
Jalen Hudson led Florida with 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting.
X-Factor
Poole was the only starter for Michigan in double figures. However, Isaiah Livers came off the bench to score 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting to go along with three rebounds and a steal.
Next Round
Michigan will face the winner of No. 3 Texas Tech-No. 6 Buffalo in the Sweet 16 next weekend.
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Florida State put an end to the Ja Morant Show en route to the Sweet 16.Jessica Hill/Associated Press
The Ja Morant spectacle was fun while it lasted.
No. 4 Florida State made clean work of No. 12 Murray State on Saturday, winning 90-62 and ousting the Racers from the tournament in dominating fashion.
The Seminoles shot 50.7 percent from the field while holding Murray State to 32.8 percent.
Top Performers
Even though Mfiondu Kabengele came off the bench, he led Florida State in scoring with 22 points on a wildly efficient 10-of-12 shooting. He also had seven rebounds, three blocks and a steal to his credit. Terance Mann led the FSU starters with 18 points.
Even in defeat, Morant still put on a show, posting 28 points on 8-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-6 from three, with five rebounds and four assists.
X-Factor
Florida State proved it had the depth to withstand Morant and Co. Murray State’s bench combined for just six points, and nobody outside of Morant scored more than 12 points for the Racers.
Next Round
Florida State will face the winner of No. 1 Gonzaga-No. 9 Baylor in next weekend’s Sweet 16.
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Patrick Smith/Getty Images
While the No. 9 Baylor Bears chipped away in the second half, No. 1 Gonzaga’s 16-point lead going into the locker room proved too big to overcome as the Bulldogs walked away with a ticket to the Sweet 16 in an 83-71 win.
Top Performers
Brandon Clarke was the showstopper of the evening. The forward put up 36 points on 15-of-18 shooting—the efficiency!—to go along with eight rebounds, five blocks, three assists and two steals. He led Gonzaga in four of the five major categories, while Josh Perkins added 11 points and six assists.
Mark Vital had 17 points and eight rebounds for Baylor. Makai Mason also had 17 points to go along with five assists.
X-Factor
Gonzaga’s perimeter defense stymied any comeback efforts by Baylor. The Bears shot a porous 4-of-21 from behind the arc.
Next Round
Gonzaga is slated to face No. 4 Florida State in the Sweet 16.
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Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press
No. 2 Michigan State joined instate Big Ten rival Michigan in the Sweet 16 by upending No. 10 Minnesota 70-50 on Saturday.
The Spartans dominated the first half, taking a 33-19 lead into the break that they maintained over the final 20 minutes to keep the Golden Gophers at arm’s length.
Michigan State’s defense held all but one Minnesota player under double-digit points, with two starters scoring zero. Meanwhile, every starter for the Spartans scored nine or more.
Top Performers
Xavier Tillman was a steady hand offensively for the Spartans, scoring a team-high 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting with six rebounds despite collecting four fouls on the night.
Amir Coffey flooded the stat sheet for Minnesota, scoring over half his team’s points with 27 on 8-of-24 shooting while hitting 10 of 11 free throws.
X-Factor
Minnesota couldn’t hit water from a boat on its three-point attempts, going 2-of-22 from behind the arc. Michigan State, however, was a much more palatable 6-of-15 from three.
Next Round
Michigan State will face No. 3 LSU in the Sweet 16 next weekend.
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Purdue routed reigning national champion Villanova in the second round.Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
There will be a new national champion in 2019.
No. 3 Purdue completely dismantled the reigning net cutters on Saturday, dethroning No. 6 Villanova 87-61 in a dominant effort from start to finish.
There’s also potentially a new face as the most prolific player in the NCAA tournament with Ja Morant and Murray State eliminated earlier in the day.
Top Performers
Carsen Edwards put on perhaps the best display of anybody not named Morant in the tournament so far on Saturday, scoring 42 points on 12-of-21 shooting while also hitting 9-of-16 three-pointers and 9-of-9 free throws.
Edwards added six rebounds and an assist to his day’s tally.
Eric Paschall led the Wildcats with 10 points while also pulling down three rebounds and dishing out two assists.
X-Factor
While Edwards will draw the headlines with his 42-point outing, Matt Haarms anchored the paint with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Next Round
In the Sweet 16, Purdue will face the winner of Sunday’s matchup between No. 2 Tennessee and No. 10 Iowa.
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Jeff Swinger/Associated Press
Another 2018 Final Four participant was eliminated on Saturday after the No. 5 Auburn Tigers handed the No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks an 89-75 defeat in the second round.
Auburn tested the Jayhawks’ limited depth, with Kansas scrounging just nine points off its depleted bench.
Top Performers
Bryce Brown shot 9-of-13 from the field en route to leading the Tigers in scoring with 25 points. Jared Harper added 18 points and a team-high six assists.
Dedric Lawson put up his second double-double of the tournament in as many games for the Jayhawks, scoring 25 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.
X-Factor
Auburn was efficient from behind the arc despite putting up a high volume of three-pointers. The Tigers connected on 13 of 30 triples to quell any hopes of a Kansas comeback.
Next Round
Auburn advances to the Sweet 16 in Kansas City, Missouri, where it’ll face the winner of No. 1 North Carolina-No. 9 Washington.
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