NCAA Tournament: Duke, Michigan State headline East Region primer

East Pod D – Des Moines, IA

(7) Louisville vs. (10) Minnesota

Both of these teams have been very inconsistent throughout this season and it is therefore extremely difficult to determine who will be able to walk away victorious. There is, though, one really fun matchup of stars in this battle between Jordan Nwora (Louisville) and Jordan Murphy (Minnesota). These two are both among the best in the country and should have some great battles throughout the game. Louisville is the vastly better team according to predictive metrics but I want to lean in favor of Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are a better rebounding team, in my opinion, and those extra possessions could be the difference. Prediction: Minnesota

(2) Michigan State vs. (15) Bradley

Michigan State has dealt with significant injuries so far this season and they are still one of the top national championship contenders. If that does not speak volumes of their depth, I don’t know what does. Tom Izzo is simply one of the best coaches in the business and he has the luxury of starting arguably the best point guard in the land. Cassius Winston is an absolute stud and he should be able to carry the weight in this battle even if the rest of the roster struggles. That shouldn’t be a problem, though, as Sparty should be able to roll over Bradley. Prediction: Michigan State.

That concludes this breakdown of the East Region. Do you agree with these picks or do you have someone else taking the region? I hope that you enjoyed and that March Madness is enjoyable for you. It should be a fun journey!