March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews

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The Midwest region is prime for some great games and potential upsets. There are 8 games from this region that will be played on Friday, March 19th. The winner of these games will advance to the round of 32 or the Midwest quarterfinals. Whichever way you want to look at it, there are a few teams in here that can be a potential Cinderella story or have the top seed win the tournament straight up, we’ll just have to wait and see! Get ready for March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews!

March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews #1 ILLINOIS VS #16 DREXEL

Illinois (23-6; 16-4 BIG 10) goes up against Drexel (12-7; 4-5 Colonial) on Friday, March 19th at 1:15 pm on TBS

The Fighting Illini are currently on a 7-game win streak, which includes a BIG 10 championship win. They have been at the top of the BIG 10 all season and hold wins over some of the best programs in the country, including #2 Michigan, #7 Ohio State, and #9 Iowa. Many experts believe Illinois has one of the best chances out of any team to win it all.

Illinois has arguably the best duo in the country leading their team. Junior guard Ayo Dosunmu, who is a potential lottery pick in next years’ draft, posts a whopping, 20.7 PPG, 6.3 REB/G, and 5.3 AST. His partner in crime is 7’0 285lb UNIT of a man, Kofi Cockburn (it’s pronounced co-burn lol). Kofi puts up 17.5 PPG and grabs around 10 REB/G. These two NBA draft prospects are some of the best players in the country, and the reason Illinois is in their current position.

Drexel is on a nice little run coming into the tournament, winning 4 straight. Drexel hasn’t really seen any tough competition this season, but nonetheless, they are still Colonial Conference Champions.

Drexel’s #1 guy Camren Wynter. The junior guard puts up impressive numbers for his team, adding an average of 16.8 PPG and 5.3 AST to the box score. Wynter is backed up by 6’8 forward, James Butler, who scores 13 PPG and pulls down 9 REB/G. This duo is actually solid, but not on the level of the formidable Illini.

Illinois is home to a top 15 offense in the nation, which isn’t very surprising. Dosunmu and Cockburn make up for 38 of their impressive 81.4 PPG. The Illini are monsters on paper too, ranking top 20 in rebounds, assists, and FG%, making around 50% of their shot attempts.

Drexel may not have the best record but statistically play pretty sound basketball. They only allow 66.8 PPG and convert on 47.7% of their field goals. Although they don’t have very high offensive numbers, they don’t waste their shots and they are very efficient.

To put it short and sweet, this won’t be much of a game. Illinois has been dominant all season against top competition, there is very little chance they slip up in the round of 64, but hey, anything’s possible.

Betting Odds:

Illinois -22.5

Drexel +22.5

O/U 143.5

Betting Trends:

Illinois (18-10-1 ATS)

*ILL is 6-1 ATS is 6-1 in the last 7 games overall

*ILL is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 games following a straight up win

*ILL Over is 5-1 in last 6 games as a favorite

Drexel (12-5-2 ATS)

*DREX is 7-1 ATS in last 8 Friday games

*DREX is 4-0-1 in last 5 neutral site games

*DREX Over is 5-1 in last 6 games overall

March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews #8 LOYOLA CHICAGO VS #9 GEORGIA TECH

Loyola Chicago (24-4; 16-2 MVC) goes up against Georgia Tech (17-8; 11-6 ACC) on Friday, March 19th at 4:00 on TBS

The Ramblers have won 6 straight coming into the NCAA tournament, winning an MVC title along the way. Loyola has dominated the MVC all season long, grabbing 2 wins against 25-4 Drake. The Ramblers are known best from their 2018 Cinderella run to the Final Four, and honestly, don’t be surprised if they do it again.

Loyola’s go-to guy is their big man, 6’9 Cameron Krutwig. He leads the team in points and rebounds, averaging 15 PPG and 6.7 REB/G. Although he is the only player on his team to average more than 10 points per game, he gets great contributions from his trio of shooters, who all shoot better than 35% from 3. Their best shooter, Keith Clemons, happens to be one of the best shooters in the country, hitting 3s at an unreal 47%.

Georgia Tech enters this matchup on an absurd run, winning their last 8 and upsetting the #1 and #2 seed on their way to an ACC Championship. Those wins are a huge morale boost and it’s good to have momentum on their side. Unfortunately, they will be without their best player, Moses Wright, who averages 17.5 PPG and 8 REB/G. This is a huge loss as he leps GT in many different ways.

Aside from Wright, GT still has a solid duo of scorers, Michael Devoe, and Jose Alvarado, who put up 15 PPG a piece. Both of them shoot very well beyond the arc, around 40%. These two will have to step up in the absence of Wright as 17 points will be up in the air for someone to cover.

Loyola Chicago has the #1 ranked defense in the NATION. They have been clamping up teams all season only letting up an absurd 55.5 PPG. That number is extremely low, and it just goes to show how good their defense really is. Although they are middle in the pack in terms of points per game, they score very efficiently, converting on 50% of their FG attempts. I believe their key to victory is to just believe in their defense because that is something they are damn good at.

Georgia Tech has a solid offense, scoring 75.5 PPG, but that number won’t be as accurate without Moses Wright. Even though they are missing some big production, GT has players that have the ability to share the ball, as they rank top 25 in assists. This will make it a little easier for other players to step up. GT has their work cut out for them, but they are a very good team even without their best player.

Betting Odds:

Loyola Chicago -5.5 (ML -240)

Georgia Tech +5.5 (ML +200)

O/U 124.5

Betting Trends:

Loyola Chicago (16-9-1 ATS)

*L-IL is 7-1-1 ATS in the last 9 games vs a team with a winning record

*L-IL is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 games vs a team with a record above .600

*L-IL Over is 6-1 in the last 7 neutral site games as a favorite

Georgia Tech (15-10 ATS)

*GT is 8-1 ATS in the last 9 games overall

*GT is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS win

*GT Over is 4-0 in the last 4 Friday games

March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews #5 TENNESSEE VS # 12 OREGON STATE

Tennessee (18-8; 10-7 SEC) takes on Oregon State (17-12; 10-10 PAC-12) on Friday, March 19th at 4:30pm on TNT

The Volunteers come off a loss to SEC Champions, Alabama, where they played hard till the end in the 5-point loss. Tennessee has stood its ground in the tough SEC, finishing 4th and grabbing wins over Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Florida.

The Vols use all their players almost equally when it comes to offense, having 8 of their players score 8 PPG or more. Their leading scorer is impressive freshman guard, Jaden Springer, who puts up 12.5 PPG. Springer is also knockdown from 3, shooting an outstanding 45%

Oregon State went on an unbelievable run, winning 6 out of their last 7. It’s not their amount of wins, but the quality. The Beavers won the PAC-12 Championship as a 5th seed, taking out the 1,3, and 4 seeds in the process. Oregon State has momentum on their side entering the tournament.

The Beavers look to their duo of guards to heavily contribute on offense. Ethan Thompson is their leading scorer at 15 PPG. Their #2 option Jarod Lucas averages 13 PPG, but it is his shooting that sets him apart, as he shoots 40% from 3pt land.

Tennessee is known for its stingy defense, only allowing 63.2 PPG and ranking in the top 25 defenses in the nation. They are also among the best blocking teams in the nation, averaging 5 per game and ranking in the top 15. It’s safe to say that the Vols don’t play around when it comes to defense, and that is what they will look to impose on the Beavers to assure their path to victory.

Oregon State isn’t particularly great at anything statistically, however, they do rank in the top 50 for least turnovers per game. Breaking through that defense will be a challenge in itself, but it helps to make every possession count, which can be assisted by their ability to hold on to the rock.

Betting Odds:

Tennesee -8.5 (-450 ML)

Oregon State +8.5 (+350 ML)

O/U 131

Betting Trends:

Tennesee (13-12-1 ATS)

*TENN is 3-0-1 ATS in the last 4 games following a straight-up loss

*TENN is 0-4 ATS in the last 4 NCAA Tourney games as a favorite

*TENN Over is 9-0 in the last 9 neutral sites as a favorite

Oregon State (18-9-1 ATS)

*ORST is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 games overall

*ORST over is 6-0 in the last 6 games overall

*ORST Over is 6-0 in the last 6 games as an underdog

March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews #4 OKLAHOMA STATE VS #13 LIBERTY

Oklahoma State (20-8; 11-7 BIG 12) takes on the Liberty Flames (23-5; 11-2 ASC) on Friday, March 19th at 6:25 pm on TBS

OKST comes into this contest off a barn burner against #9 Texas in the BIG 12 finals. The Cowboys fell short 5 points but put on a show to remember. Oklahoma State finished 5th in the best conference in the country, getting key wins over conference rivals Baylor, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Texas. These are amongst the best teams in the country, and OKST knows how to take them all down.

You can’t mention the Cowboys without mentioning their star player, Cade Cunningham. The 6’7 freshman point guard can do everything, and he does it well. He is expected to be the #1 overall pick in next year’s NBA draft, and his 20 PPG, 6 REB/G, and 3.6 AST all while shooting 41% from 3 has something to do with it. He has put his team on his back all year.

Liberty comes into this game without losing in the last 11 games. The Flames are (no pun intended) on fire right now, their last win being an Atlantic Sun title. Liberty has actually defeated some formidable opponents, taking down Miss. State and South Carolina. Liberty knows how to play out of conference opponents and can make it interesting for Oklahoma State

The Flames leave a chunk of their scoring duties to their little guy, 5’9 guard Darius McGhee. Don’t overlook his size because this kid can drop buckets on anyone, averaging 15.6 PPG and still grabs 4.4 REB/G. McGhee is a deadeye from deep too, as he converts on 41.3% of his attempts beyond the arc.

Oklahoma State is in the top 50 offenses in the league, thanks to Cade Cunningham. They score a very solid 77 PPG. The offense is clearly their main focus, because they have one of the worst defenses in the country, allowing 73 PPG. They may have a bad defense, but their big men still go to work, grabbing a 40th ranked, 42 REB/G. They should look to get Cade going early and make sure to break down the defense.

Liberty is quite the opposite, as they have a top 3 defense in their arsenal, allowing a measly 59.6 PPG. As their defense is tough, don’t overlook their offense because they can still score the ball well, dropping 75 PPG. The Flames should look to restrict Cade from doing what he does as much as possible, because the Cowboys aren’t great when he doesn’t do good, so they have to flex that defense if they want to win this game.

Betting Odds:

Oklahoma State -7.5 (-360 ML)

Liberty +7.5 (+285 ML)

O/U 139.5

Betting Trends:

Oklahoma State (17-10-1 ATS)

*OKST is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 90 points

*OKST is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up loss

*OKST Over is 8-1 in last 9 games overall

Liberty (16-8 ATS)

*LIB is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 games as an underdog

*LIB is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 NCAA Tourney games

*LIB is 3-0-1 in the last 4 games overall

March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews #2 HOUSTON VS #15 CLEVELAND STATE

Houston (24-3; 14-3 American) take on Cleveland State (19-7; 16-4 Horizon) on Friday, March 19th at 7:15 pm on truTV

The Houston Cougars have won 7 games in a row, which includes their American Athletic Conference Championship blowout win over Cincinnati. Houston has dominated The American all year, losing only 3 games in the conference. They are no stranger to out-of-conference play either. The Cougars took down Texas Tech and South Carolina at the beginning of the season. Experts believe that Houston is a dark horse in this tournament and has a good chance of making a deep run

Houston relies on the American Athletic Conference co-player of the year, Quentin Grimes, for offensive production. Grimes averages 18 PPG and 6 REB/G, also shooting 41% from downtown. Grimes is the real deal and is a very big reason why Houston is as good as they are.

Cleveland State enters the round of 64 as Horizon League champions, along with a 4-game win streak. Aside from the championship, Cleveland State is has been the best team in their conference, as they finished with the best record. They have little out-of-conference experience, but they kept up with Ohio State, only losing by 6.

The Vikings’ go-to guy is 6’5 senior guard, Torrey Patton. He’s their leading scorer at 15 PPG, but something that may come as a surprise, he’s also their rebounding leader with 8 per game at only 6’5! Patton provides some good scoring numbers and is an unexceptionally great rebounder, helping out his fellow big men clean the glass.

One thing Houston has done as well as you possibly can this season is limit their opponents’ points. The Cougars have the SECOND best defense in the country, only allowing an incredible 58 PPG. This is very impressive as the American Athletic Conference is actually pretty good, so they were shutting down legit teams all season. Houston also still has a top 50 offense as well, so they really get it done on both ends of the floor, and that is exactly what I expect them to do against a #15 seed.

Not to be a downer, but Cleveland state, statistically, doesn’t have much going for them. They don’t rank top 100 in any category, and that is very concerning for a team that’s going up against a top offense and one of the two best defenses in the nation. To keep it short and sweet, there is very little chance that Cleveland State wins this game, BUT that doesn’t mean they can’t cover!

Betting Odds:

Houston -20 (-4000 ML)

Cleveland State +20 (+1400 ML)

O/U 134.5

Betting Trends:

Houston (18-8 ATS)

*HOU is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 neutral site games as a favorite

*HOU is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games

*HOU Over is 5-1 in the last 6 games following a win of 20 or more

Cleveland State (17-8-1 ATS)

*CLEVST is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 neutral site games

*CLEVST is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as an underdog

*CLEVST Over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 games following a straight up win

March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews #6 SAN DIEGO STATE VS #11 SYRACUSE

San Diego State (23-4; 14-3 Mountain West) match up against the Syracuse Orange (16-9; 9-7 ACC) on Friday, March 19th at 9:40 pm on CBS

SDSU is on an absurd run coming into this contest. The Aztecs have won their last 14 games, along with a Mountain West championship. San Diego State has been destroying the Mountain West all season, finishing 1st in the conference. They don’t many out-of-conference games, but of the few, they defeated Arizona State, and UCLA, who were both ranked at the time.

SDSU is led by the senior duo, Matt Mitchell and Jordan Schakel. Mitchell scores 15.4 PPG, and 14 PPG for Schakel. They are both very good scorers, but if one thing stands out, it’s the fact that Schakel is a top 20 3pt shooter in the nation, hitting a wild 46.7% of his 3pt attempts. This duo is very dangerous and they could be the reason for a deep run in the tournament.

Syracuse is coming off a tough 3-point loss to #1 seeded Virginia in the ACC tournament. That win could have given them a better seed in the tournament, or maybe even winning the ACC tournament overall. Although they are ranked a mediocre 8th in the ACC, Syracuse still has quality conference wins over North Carolina, Clemson, and Virginia Tech.

The Orange have a solid trio of scorers that give Syracuse a bulk of their production. At the top of the list is the son of the coach, Buddy Boeheim. The junior averages 17 PPG, shooting 37.3% from 3. Alan Griffin and Quincy Guerrier are the other two scorers, who each put up a smooth 14 PPG.

San Diego State is yet another team in this region that has lockdown defense, as they have the 8th best in the country, only letting up 60.6 PPG. The Aztecs keep their hands active all game, grabbing a 25th best, 8.3 STL/G. Staying true to their defensive schemes should be SDSU’s main priority, as Mitchell and Schakel should be able to produce well on offense.

Syracuse actually looks impressive on paper, ranking top 70 in points per game, averaging 76 PPG. You can thank the trio for those numbers. Although they don’t have a very good defense, the Orange rank top 15 in both steals and blocks, so they are still sneaky with their defense. This is going to be a straight-up offense vs defense display, so Boeheim and company need to get good looks to try and break down that SDSU defense.

Betting Odds:

San Diego State -3 (-155 ML)

Syracuse +3 (+135 ML)

O/U 139

Betting Trends:

San Diego State (14-12 ATS)

*SDSU is 1-4 in last 5 neutral site games as a favorite

*SDSU is 1-4 in the last 5 games overall

*SDSU Under is 14-3 in last 17 neutral site games

Syracuse (12-13 ATS)

*SYR is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 overall

*SYR is 4-0 ATS in last 4 Friday games

*SYR Over is 10-1 in last 11 neutral site games

March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews #7 CLEMSON VS #10 RUTGERS

Clemson (16-7; 10-6 ACC) will take on the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers (15-11; 10-10 BIG 10) on Friday, March 19th at 9:20 pm on TBS

Clemson has had an up and down season up till this point, but they’ve found some success as of late. They have won 6 of their last 8 games coming into this matchup. Clemson has some solid out-of-conference wins this season, taking down Purdue and Alabama, as well as some in-conference wins over North Carolina and Louisville.

The Tigers look to their experienced senior forward, Aamir Simms, to produce for their offense. Simms is their do it all guy, averaging 13.3 PPG, 6.3 REB/G, and 2.7 AST, for Clemson. Simms is a sniper, shooting 40% from downtown. Luckily for the Tigers, he’s not the only shooter. There are 5 other players on his team that shoot above 35% from 3, the highest being Hunter Tyson who sprays it at a 42% clip from deep.

Rutgers had the definition of a rocky season. They started the season, 7-0, where they took out powerhouse Illinois and were ranked as high as #10 in the country. The Scarlet Knights are one of those teams whose record could be way better than it is, if not for losing multiple big games by mere possessions. They lost to Iowa by 2, Wisconsin by 6, and Michigan by 7. Rutgers could have had a high seed in the NCAA Tournament if they were on the other side of those games.

Rutgers is lead by an upperclassmen trio of guards, that are the heart and soul of this team. Ron Harper Jr. (Yes the son of NBA Legend Ron Harper) averages 15.5 PPG and 6 REB/G. Harper was playing at the player of the year level in that early-season run. Jacob Young is a senior who is the energy guy. He is a great on-ball defender, always staying in his defender’s face. Young also produces on offense, averaging 14.4 PPG. The last member of the trio is a man that is known for having cold blood, Geo Baker. His 10 PPG aren’t eye-popping, but he is one of those guys that make big shots when they count and can go get a bucket when you need it the most.

Clemson focuses on their defensive prowess to win games, as they are top 15th in the country for least opponent points per game at 62 PPG. The problem with this is that they may focus a little too much of their energy on defense, ranking 311th in scoring, at a measly 65.3 PPG. The Tigers are going to have to switch a little focus to offense in this tournament if they expect to make a run, as a lot of these teams are just too good offensively.

The Scarlet Knights don’t have great statistical numbers either, a big woe being that they shoot an almost D1 worst, 63.2% from FT. They are middle of the pack when it comes to offense and defense, scoring 70 PPG and allowing 68.2. Rutgers has a tough match-up ahead, facing the iron wall defense of Clemson. Rutgers has to move the ball around well and get easy shots, as they will be hard to come by with the Tigers’ smothering defense. If they go with pounding the ball as their gameplan, they absolutely have to step up and shoot better from the line than they have been all season.

Betting Odds:

Clemson +2 (+110 ML)

Rutgers -2 (-133 ML)

O/U 125.5

Betting Trends:

Clemson (11-11-1 ATS)

*CLEM is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 neutral site games

*CLEM is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog

*CLEM Under is 4-1 in the last 5 games following an ATS loss

Rutgers (13-12-1)

*RUT is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss

*RUT is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 neutral site games

*RUT is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss of 20 or more

Thank you for reading my article, March Madness: Round of 64 – Midwest Region Game Previews! The Midwest is one of the most interesting regions, and personally my favorite (A little biased since Rutgers is my alma mater). My personal favorite match-ups I suggest watching are Rutgers vs Clemson, and Loyola Chicago vs Georgia Tech. I actually believe any of those teams could make a sweet 16 appearance, although it won’t be easy, these teams are geared up for the challenge.

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

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