March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews

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This has been the Marchiest March Madness I think I’ve ever seen. The upsets are becoming more common than not. There are 0 perfect brackets remaining, and mine is already in the dirt as well. Even though it’s been tough betting these games, they are a blast to watch! Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy my article, March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews!

March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews #2 IOWA VS #7 OREGON

Iowa (22-8; 14-4 BIG 10) takes on Oregon (20-6; 14-4 PAC 12) on Monday, March 22nd, at 12:10pm on CBS

Iowa is coming off a solid round of 64 win against Grand Canyon, where they took down GCU 86-74. It was a fun one to watch because of the battle of their big men, Luka Garza and GCU’s Asbjorn Midtgaard. Garza and company got the best of him, as Luka dropped a smooth 24 PTS and 6 REB. Iowa got some solid production from the bench as they contributed 26 PTS in the win. Keegan Murray was the man off the bench, dropping a crucial 13 PTS, 7 REB, and staying tough on the inside with 4 blocks. The Hawkeyes came away with a solid team win

Oregon is coming into this game without having competed in the last round. Their opponents, VCU, had to withdraw from the tournament because of a COVID outbreak, which is very unfortunate. Nonetheless, the Ducks advanced. Oregon has had a great run in the PAC 12 this season, as they finished 1st in the conference. The Ducks have finished the regular season on a 5 game win-streak, taking out fellow tournament competitors, Oregon St. and UCLA. Oregon has shown all season they can shine against good opponents, and that’s what they look to do against Iowa.

Iowa showed how good their offense was last game, as they scored above their average of 83.3 PPG. The Hawkeyes have the 5th best offense in the country with that number. Contributing to that number is their ability to pass the ball, as they average the MOST assists in D1, at 19 per game. Iowa needs to repeat their last performance, where they got Luka going early, and allowed him to get good looks all game. Looking to the bench to help out the starters is another good way to keep the rotation fresh and ready to go in crunch time.

Oregon is top 100 in offense and defense, ranking 91st in both categories. The Ducks score 74.4 PPG and allow 67.4 PPG. Oregon is also known for its ability to hold on to the ball and not turn it over, averaging only 11 TO per game. Since Oregon hasn’t played yet, they will be fresh and ready to go. They need to look to their best players early, Eugene Omoruyi and Chris Duarte. These two are dangerous scorers and hard to stop once they’re going. The Ducks will have to try and limit Garza’s production, so they’re going to need big man, N’Faly Dante to step up if they want to have a good chance to win.

Betting Odds:

Iowa -5 (15-14-ATS)
-225 ML

Oregon (14-12 ATS)
+185 ML

O/U 148

Betting Trends:

*IOWA is 0-3-1 ATS in the last 4 games overall
*IOWA is 0-3-2 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games
*IOWA Over is 6-0 in their last 6 NCAA Tourney games

*ORE is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 NCAA Tourney games as an underdog
*ORE is 5-0-1 in their last 6 NCAA Tourney games
*ORE Over is 6-0 in their last 6 games following a straight-up win

March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews #1 GONZAGA VS #8 OKLAHOMA

Gonzaga (27-0; 15-0 WCC) takes on Oklahoma (16-10; 9-8 BIG 12) on Monday, March 24th, at 2:40 pm on CBS

Gonzaga is coming into this contest off of an absolute demolition of Norfolk State in the round of 64. They took the W by almost 50, winning 98-55. Senior forward, Corey Kispert dropped a game-high, 23 PTS, as he shot 6-9 from 3pt. Anton Watson contributed nicely off the bench, with 17 PTS, 7 REB, and 4 AST on a perfect 7-7 FG. The Zags shot an insane 55.7% from FG, making 14 3’s. It’s safe to say they did not come to this tournament to play around, and they are serious about winning it all

Oklahoma comes into this matchup with a very solid win over a good Missouri team, taking them out 72-68. Austin Reaves did it all in that game, scoring 23 PTS with 4 REB and 6 AST. Forward Brady Manek was lights out, shooting 5-9 from 3, totaling 19 PTS in the contest. Elijah Harkless dropped a swift 16-10 double double, helping the Sooners take down Mizzou. Oklahoma shot well from downtown that game, shooting 46% as a team. The Sooners will have to repeat those numbers and maybe even more if they want to upset the best team in this tournament.

Gonzaga is home to the #1 offense in the country, scoring 92.3 PPG. They wouldn’t be so efficient without their amazing assists numbers, with a 2nd ranked, 18.6 AST/G. The Zags are also the MOST efficient shooting team in the country, converting on 55% of their FG attempts. Gonzaga is the closest thing you will get to a perfect team as they have great individual players, but most importantly, just play sound technical basketball. The Zags look to run up the score against Oklahoma, going to their 3 elite scorers to get them big scoring numbers.

Oklahoma has a potent offense as well, ranking in the top 100 with 74.7 PPG. The Sooners are elite at making every possession count, as they rank top 25 in turnovers per game at 11. They are average on defense, allowing 69 PPG. If they want to keep up with Gonzaga, that defense will need to play their hearts out, because the Zags are prime to pop off at any moment. The Sooners have to play great perimeter defense to try and limit the great shooters of Gonzaga. If they can do that and get their scorers, Manek and Reaves, hot, they have a nice chance of sending the Zags packing.

Betting Odds:

Gonzaga -14 (13-12-2 ATS)
-1400 ML

Oklahoma +14 (13-13 ATS)
+850 ML

O/U 154.5

Betting Trends:

*GONZ is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games as a favorite
*GONZ is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Monday games
*GONZ Over is 4-0 in their last 4 games following an ATS win

*OKLA is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog
*OKLA is 1-7 in their last 8 games overall
*OKLA Over is 4-1 in their last 5 neutral site games

March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews #11 UCLA VS # 14 ABILENE CHRISTIAN

UCLA (19-9; 13-6 PAC 12) matches up against Abilene Christian (24-4; 13-2 Southland) on Monday, March 22nd, at 5:15 pm on TBS

UCLA comes into this game off an upset win over BYU, 73-62. Sophomore star, Johny Juzang was sensational in this contest, dropping 27 PTS off of 10-16 FG. Juzang is their leading scorer and put his team on his back, impressive for a young guy. Guards, Jamie Jaquez Jr (13PTS 8REB) and Jules Bernard (16PTS 5REB) also contributed well to the win for the Bruins. UCLA’s ability to hold on to the ball was a big reason for their success in this matchup, as they limited themselves to only 3 turnovers all game. In a win or go home game, this is a critical area to be proficient at.

Abilene Christian is another team that is here because of an upset, via 53-52 victory over #3 Texas. ACU was not very good on offense at all this game, shooting only 30% as a team, but that clearly isn’t what won them the game. Defense is the name of the game for ACU, as they held Texas to 52 points. The most impressive stat of this game, which is absurd to me, is ACU forced 22 turnovers against Texas, where 23 PTS were scored off of those turnovers. As taking care of the ball is important, being able to put pressure on an offense and force turnovers is just as important.

UCLA is middle of the pack on both offense and defense, scoring 73.3 PPG and allowing 68.7 PPG. Their top 25 ranking in turnovers per game at 11, contributes heavily to their success, as it did in their round of 64 matchup. UCLA is up against an elite defense here and taking care of the ball will be absolutely crucial in deciding which team wins this game. The Bruins need to take care of the ball and share it well against this ACU defense. They need to get Juzang going early so he can open up the offense for the rest of his team

ACU has not only one of the best defenses in the tournament, but in the country, ranking 4th, allowing a mere 60 PPG. It has been a trend in this tournament, that no matter what conference a team plays in, the team with the great defense has come up victorious more times than not. ACU needs to keep the focus on defense again and try to keep forcing turnovers. Keeping the UCLA offense uncomfortable and shaken up will help them get more transition buckets and score off turnovers, which is how they won last game. They beat a great Texas team while only shooting 30%, that’s how dangerous this defense is. If they can repeat that and shoot better on offense, ACU has a great chance of advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.

Betting Odds:

UCLA -5 (14-14 ATS)
-200 ML

Abilene Christian (18-6 ATS)
+170 ML

O/U 133

Betting Trends:

*UCLA is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 neutral site games
*UCLA is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games vs a team with a winning record
*UCLA Under is 5-1 in their last 6 games vs teams with winning % over.600

March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews #5 CREIGHTON VS #13 OHIO

Creighton (21-8; 14-6 Big East) takes on Ohio (17-7; 9-5 MAC) on Monday, March 22nd, at 6:10 pm on TNT

Creighton comes into this game off a nail-biter against UCSB, winning it 63-62. This game was almost another upset, as UCSB had the lead late, but Creighton rallied back to take what was theirs. Marcus Zegarowski scored a game-high 17 PTS and dished out 8 AST in the win. Christian Bishop contributed heavily, as he dropped a 15 point and 11 rebound double-double. The Bluejays’ offense propelled them to this victory, as they efficiently scored 45% of their FG attempts. Overall good performance by Creighton secured them a spot in the Round of 32.

Ohio comes into this contest after an upset over #4 Virginia. This game was amazing to watch, as it was back and forth all game until Ohio went on a late run and held on to secure their victory. Forward, Ben Vander Plas, was the games’ leading scorer, putting up 17 PTS along with 5 REB and 4 AST. This was a huge game from Vander Plas that helped Ohio more than you think. The Wildcat star, Jason Preston, dropped a near triple-double, as he had 11 PTS 13 REB, and 8 AST. Ohio didn’t have a great game shooting, but the defense was there, holding Virginia to 35% FG.

Creighton has a very potent offense, scoring 76.5 PPG, ranking in the top 60. The Bluejays are very efficient in shooting, 47% FG, and holding onto the ball, turning the ball over a 29th best, 11 times per game. Creighton didn’t hit their average last time, but the offense was still flowing well, which is a good sign for them. They did a good job holding onto the ball as well, only turning it over 8 times that game. They will need to tune the offense up a little bit before they enter the game with Ohio because the Wildcats can score. They need to be able to keep up on offense, so look for them to get Zegarowski started right away.

Ohio is dangerous on offense, and that is a fact. Ohio was stumped a little by Virginia’s defense, but they still grinded out the win. The Wildcats are a top 25 offense, amassing 80 PPG. They assist on many of these points, ranking 6th in D1, at 17.7 AST/G. Ohio also needs to tweak their offense for the matchup against Creighton to get back to their scoring ways. They have 5 scorers that average over 10 PPG, and they are unstoppable when those players are nearing the averages in a game. Preston and Wilson need to step up on the offense end this time around and expect them to do just that. This Ohio offense needs to play to their potential if they want a spot in the Sweet Sixteen.

Betting Odds:

Creighton -5.5 (13-16 ATS)
-225 ML

Ohio +5.5 (15-7 ATS)
+185 ML

O/U 148.5

Betting Trends:

*CREI is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tourney games as favorites
*CREI is 2-12-2 ATS in their last 16 NCAA Tourney games
*CREI Under is 4-0 in their last 4 NCAA Tourney games as a favorite

*OHIO is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog
*OHO is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tourney games as an underdog
*OHIO is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs a team with a winning record

March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews #1 MICHIGAN VS #8 LSU

Michigan (21-4; 14-3 BIG 10) matches up against LSU (19-9; 11-6 SEC) on Monday, March 22nd, at 7:10 pm on CBS

Michigan enters this contest off a blowout win in the round of 64. Mike Smith was the Wolverines’ top scorer, dropping in 18 PTS along with 4 REB and 5 AST. Center, Hunter Dickinson, also contributed well, scoring 16 PTS himself. Guard, Franz Wagner has a near double-double, dropping 9 PTS and 9 REB. Michigan was super efficient on offense, scoring on 48% of their attempts. They assisted on 19 buckets, which is very impressive. They cooked up a great recipe for success with shooting efficiency and high assist numbers.

LSU had an impressive win last round, taking down St. Bonnies 76-61. NBA draft prospect, Cam Thomas, had a phenomenal game, as he scored 27 PTS. He had a great scoring outing, but his teammates had his back too. Trendon Watford, Aundre Hyatt, and Darius Days all had 10+ PTS and 10+ REB double-doubles. The Tigers were very active on the glass last game, grabbing 49 rebounds, 19 more than their opponent.

Michigan is as good as they are for a reason, ranking top 60 in offense and top 50 on defense, averaging 76.5 PPG and allowing 65.4 PPG. They are very efficient on offense, converting a 20th best 48.3% of FG, and a 21st best 78% of FT. The Wolverines are efficient in many categories and that is why they’re so good. They are very well-coached and play a winning brand of basketball. They have a tough matchup ahead of them, but they are battle-tested and have taken out top-talent all season long.

LSU has one of the best offenses in the country, ranking 9th and dropping 82 PPG. Cam Thomas is a huge part of that, averaging 23 PPG on one of the best ran offenses in the nation. The Tigers are also great at grabbing loose balls, averaging a top 40 42 REB/G. These two factors are what got them past St. Bonnies, and it will be the thing that can lead them past Michigan, as that would be playing into their strengths.

Betting Odds:

Michigan -5 (17-8 ATS)
-210 ML

LSU +5 (14-13-1)
+175 ML

O/U 147.5

Betting Trends:

*MICH is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 Monday games
*MICH Under is 9-2 in the last 11 games vs teams with winning % over .600
*MICH Under is 13-3 in their last 16 games following a straight up win

*LSU is 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall
*LSU is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS win
*LSU Under is 5-0 in their last 5 NCAA Tourney games as an underdog

March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews #4 FLORIDA STATE VS #5 COLORADO

Florida State (17-6; 11-4 ACC) takes on Colorado (23-8; 14-6 PAC 12) on Monday, March 22nd, at 7:45 pm on TBS

Florida State enters this contest off of a tough fought win over UNCG, 64-54. Junior forward, RaiQuan Gray had a game-high 17 PTS, also grabbing 7 REB. The Seminoles big man, Balsa Koprivica, added a solid 13 PTS and 9 REB to the box score. Efficiency was the name of the game for FSU, as they converted on 52% of their FG attempts. The most impressive part about that is they did that all without making a 3 pointer. FSU had a solid all-around game and they look to bring the momentum coming into this game.

Colorado made sure to get some respect after blowing out Georgetown 96-73. The Buffaloes came to play, especially freshman forward, Jabari Walker. He scored a game-high 24 PTS, OFF THE BENCH! Walker shot a perfect 5-5 from downtown and 9-10 overall, an elite offensive performance. McKinley Wright IV also tremendously contributed, dropping a smooth double-double with 12 PTS and 13 AST. Colorado shot an absurd 60% from the field and 64% from 3.

Florida State has a top 40 offense in the country, scoring 78 PPG. They are very efficient on offense, as they showed last game, converting 47.6% of their FGs. They have an average defense, but their length allows them to be a top 10 team in blocks, averaging 5.2 BLK/G. FSU will have to keep being efficient against a great Colorado defense. They have to get going a little bit beyond the arc to start spreading out the defense. It will be tough if they don’t convert from 3 because Colorado will be a lot stronger just defending 2s.

Colorado is an elite defensive squad, ranking in the top 30, allowing 63.6 PPG. They are the MOST efficient team from the free-throw line, shooting 82.3%. They don’t have a high-ranked offense, but they proved last game that they are capable of putting up numbers as they almost dropped 100. Colorado can win this game if they keep their offense efficiency from the last game, and try and force FSU out to the 3pt line, as they aren’t great from out there.

Betting Odds:

Florida State -1.5 (11-10-2 ATS)
-125 ML

Colorado +1.5 (18-13 ATS)
+105 ML

O/U 141

Betting Trends:

*FSU is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games overall
*FSU is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games as a favorite
*FSU is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games as a neutral site favorite

*COLO is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tourney games as an underdog
*COLO is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a 20+ point win
*COLO Under is 6-1 in their last 7 games following an ATS win

March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews #2 ALABAMA VS #10 MARYLAND

Alabama (25-6; 16-2 SEC) matches up with Maryland (17-13; 9-11 BIG 10) on Monday, March 22nd, at 8:45 pm on TNT

Alabama is coming off of a 1st round win over Iona, 68-55. SEC Player of The Year, Herb Jones, scored a game-high 20 PTS off of 8-15 shooting, also grabbing 6 REB in the process. Bama got some solid production from their 6th man, Jahvon Quinerly, as he dropped in 11 PTS off of 5-7 shooting. Bama struggled from 3, shooting 31%, and from the FT line, shooting 13-23, this game, but caught fire toward the end of the game to finish it out. The defense stepped up, forcing 15 turnovers for Alabama.

Maryland comes into this game off of an impressive victory over #7 UCONN. It was all green for the junior guard, Eric Ayala, who scored a game-high 23 PTS and knocking down 3 3s in the process. Aaron Wiggins and Donta Scott helped with solid performances. Wiggins scored 14 PTS, 4 which were 3s, and Scott dropped in 12. Maryland was very efficient on offense last game, shooting better than 50% on FG and 3pt attempts.

Alabama enters this contest with one of the best offenses in the country, ranking top 30 with 79 PPG. They are also a great rebounding team as they grab an average of 44.7 REB/G. These two factors are what they’ve been winning with all season. Getting Herb Jones started early is a great gameplan, then switching it up with the high octane Quinerly off the bench. Bama has plenty of players that can score and they will all have to pay their due diligence to get this W over Maryland.

Maryland doesn’t have a great offense, but it is because of their defense that they are in this position. They have a top 40 defense, allowing 64.6 PPG. Their defense proved to be tough, as they held Bouknight and the Huskies to only 54 points. Dealing with this Bama offense is a whole different story, but that does not mean they can’t be stopped. They have to play a similar defense that they did last game, along with getting Ayala and Wiggins involved throughout the game. The Terps are a slept-on team, don’t be surprised if they keep this a close game, or even win it.

Betting Odds:

Alabama -6 (17-13 ATS)
-250 ML

Maryland +6 (13-16 ATS)
+210

O/U 138.5

Betting Trends:

*BAMA is 0-5 in their last 5 NCAA Tourney games as a favorite
*BAMA Under is 4-0 in their last 4 following an ATS loss
*BAMA Under is 4-1 in their last 5 NCAA Tourney games

*MD is 5-1 in their last 6 games vs teams with a winning record
*MD Under is 4-0 in their last 4 NCAA Tourney games as an underdog
*MD Under is 6-1 in their last 7 games overall

March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews #3 KANSAS VS #6 USC

Kansas (21-8; 12-6 BIG 12) takes on USC (23-7; 15-5 PAC 12) on Monday, March 22nd, at 9:40 pm on CBS

Kansas comes off a close game against EWU, where they won 93-84. They had 3, 20 point scores in the game. The top scorer was David McCormack, who came off the bench with 22 PTS and 9 REB. Ochai Agbaji dropped 21 PTS and 7 REB in this game. Marcus Garrett, who isn’t known for his offense, drops in an efficient 20 PTS, shooting 8-12 from the field. The Jayhawks were pretty efficient, shooting 48% in total and 40% from 3. They did a great job of taking care of the ball, only turning it over 5 times. Kansas proved to be a top team in this tournament last game, but they have a tough USC team in their way.

USC had a convincing win over Drake on Saturday, winning it 72-56. NBA lottery pick, Evan Mobley, ended with a double-double, scoring a team-high 17 PTS and grabbing 11 REB. Mobley also recoded 3 BLK. His brother, Isaiah had a great game himself, dropping 15 PTS and 5 REB on 6-7 shooting from the field. The Trojans were very efficient in this outing, converting on exactly half of their FG attempts. This was largely due to their high assist numbers, 20, that allowed them to get some good looks.

Kansas has a good defense, allowing 66.4 PPG. Marcus Garrett is their lockdown defender who helps contribute to this number. They only score 74 PPG but blew past that total when they dropped 93 on EWU. Kansas will have to be more defensively sound in this game, as they likely won’t repeat that offensive performance. Letting up 83 is a little too much and can be troublesome if it happens to them again. Sticking to their roots, strapping down on defense, will be a good path to victory for the Jayhawks. If they start letting up easy buckets, it could get ugly.

USC also has a top-tier defense, allowing only 64.8 PPG. They did a good job of displaying that against Drake, holding them to only 56 points. The Trojans are the 5th best blocking team in the nation, which is largely due to 7’0 Evan Mobley patrolling the paint. The Mobley brothers should look to have big games again, as they’re going to need to play above and beyond to take down this Jayhawks team with their tough defense.

Betting Odds:

Kansas +1 (14-13-1 ATS)
-110 ML

USC -1 (17-13 ATS)
-110 ML

O/U 134.5

Betting Trends:

*KU is 0-4 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games as an underdog
*KU Over is 4-0 in their last 4 NCAA Tourney games as an underdog
*KU Over is 6-0 in their last 6 neutral site games as an underdog

*USC is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight-up win
*USC is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 NCAA Tourney games
*USC Over is 6-1 in their last 7 games following a straight-up win

That concludes my article, March Madness: Round of 32 – Monday Game Previews! Thank you for reading and I hope you found it useful! The round of 32 already has some world-class talent in it. These are some great matchups between some teams that have a legit chance at taking it all. I personally love USC vs Kansas, as we get to see a top prospect go up against a great defense.

Follow me on Twitter @marcomorales_1 to stay up to date with my hot takes!

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