NCAA Basketball: Mock 2020 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen predictions
1) Gonzaga Bulldogs vs 4) Oregon Ducks
Danny Priest
This should be an awesome, entertaining game between two heavyweight teams led by exceptional coaches. The storyline I would be most intrigued with is watching one of the best players in the nation in Payton Pritchard get his opportunity to knock off one of the teams favored to win the entire tournament. What this game will come down to is whether or not Oregon can get enough stops against the Zags to keep themselves afloat.
The Zags are the top-scoring team in the nation, while Oregon does not boast even a top 100 defense. The Ducks will also need to battle on the glass to try and contain Filip Petrusev and Killian Tillie in the Gonzaga frontcourt. Oregon is undersized, but they can shoot the ball and they have a true star in Pritchard. I think they can keep this one close and give the Zags a scare, but in the end, Gonzaga has too much size and explosiveness to lose this one.
Gonzaga 82, Oregon 78
Jason Kinander
In a matchup of two of the top teams on the West Coast, a pair of mismatches will take the center stage. Payton Pritchard against the Gonzaga guards, and Filip Petrusev against the Oregon big men. Expect this game to be a high-scoring affair, with lots of lead changes, big runs, and momentum swings. Pritchard’s play will dictate the pace of the game, but ultimately, it will be the performances of Petrusev and Gonzaga center Killian Tillie that will determine the outcome. Oregon will be a trendy pick, but the Zags are too good and too experienced to slip up here.
Gonzaga 78, Oregon 71
Dave Mullen
Gonzaga took the first matchup in November by one point in overtime. Oregon has the deeper bench with nine players seeing regular action while Gonzaga’s rotation is generally seven players deep. The Oregon Ducks get revenge on their early-season overtime loss by running Gonzaga out of the gym. Oregon will need to use its deep bench to keep ancillary players fresh while Peyton Pritchard and Chris Duarte handle the lions share of the load for Oregon.
Pritchard has filled up the stat sheet all year and he doesn’t show away from big games. Pritchard will bring his 20.5 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game and 5.5 assists per game to the matchup against Gonzaga. Eventually, a number one seed has to go down and this year, its Gonzaga’s turn.