Author: Scott Gleeson / Source: USA TODAY
SportsPulse: Saturday was all chalk for the most part with Ja Morant and Murray State bowing out of the tournament. Trysta Krick recaps the action and looks ahead to Sunday’s slate. USA TODAY
Saturday’s second round games delivered some memorable moments, but was low in the bracket busting department.
Sunday figures to be different, with five double-digit seeded teams in action, including Cinderellas Liberty and UC Irvine as they look to extend their March magic. That, and some guy by the name of Zion Williamson is lacing it up Sunday, too.Here’s a look at the game slate reorganized for your viewing pleasure, ranked based on watchability.
1. No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 UCF (5:15 p.m. ET, CBS): Two otherworldly humans will be on the court at the same time in Duke’s Zion Williamson (6-7, 285 pounds) and UCF’s Tacko Fall (7-6, 310 pounds). The Blue Devils get equal doses of production (51 combined points vs. North Dakota State) and energy (highlight-reel, momentum-shifting dunks) from Williamson and R.J. Barrett, so containing Duke’s player of the year candidates will be a top priority for UCF. Coach Johnny Dawkins, a Mike Krzyzewski disciple, will look to keep this Duke team out of the paint and make them shoot from outside. That’s easier said than done, but at least he has a 7-footer to protect the rim. Or at least try to.
NOT UP IN HERE: UCF’s 7-6 center says he ‘won’t allow’ Zion to dunk on him
2. No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 6 Buffalo (6:10 p.m., TNT): Both teams hammered their first-round opponents. Now they square off with each looking like a team that is very capable of making a Final Four run. Buffalo has been overlooked all season while rolling through the MAC, and Texas Tech’s Big 12 regular-season title was a product of Jarrett Culver’s breakout year. The All-American guard had 29 points in the Red Raiders’ win over Northern Kentucky and will need another big night to advance past this gritty mid-major.
3. No. 4 Virginia Tech vs. No. 12 Liberty (7:10 p.m., TBS): The Hokies weren’t challenged by first-round opponent Saint Louis, and now they get another mid-major in the second round. But the Flames are riding high coming off a program-defining victory over a much taller and more athletic Mississippi State team. Liberty’s two first-round heroes — Caleb Homesley (30 points) and Lovell Cabbil Jr. (dagger…
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