NCAA Basketball: “Best Bets” for Sweet 16 matchups in 2022 NCAA Tournament
By Greg Waddell
Duke +1 vs. Texas Tech
Duke comes into this game as the underdog, which surprises me. Michigan State had the Blue Devils on the ropes, but Duke’s stars made big plays in big moments to steal the game (and the cover) back in the Round of 32.
Despite all of Duke’s ups and downs this season, we can’t forget how talented this unit is, or how they have fared in big games (2-0 against top 10 KenPom teams, with wins over Kentucky and Gonzaga).
Texas Tech deserves to be taken seriously here, what Mark Adams has done this year is nothing short of incredible. But the Red Raiders will need more than culture to get a win here, and I just don’t trust the shot creators on Texas Tech to be able to match Duke’s professional scorers in crunch time.
Houston +2 vs. Arizona
Arizona survived in the final second against TCU, but Kerr Kriisa’s health looms large. The Wildcats’ point guard shot just 1-10 from the field and did not attempt a single shot inside the arc in his return. Houston is no slouch, Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars are the #2 team on KenPom (one spot higher than Arizona).
Sampson made life miserable for Kofi Cockburn and the Illini offense, and the Cougars attacked the offensive boards relentlessly – which will be a massive advantage against Arizona. Zona ranks just 193rd in the country in preventing offensive rebounds and Houston is third in generating second chance opportunities. That matchup, and Kriisa’s health, give me confidence in the Cougars to pull the “upset”.