Men's NCAA Tournament West Region Round 3 Breakdowns
#7 Florida vs. #15 Norfolk State
In what was one of the biggest shockers on Friday evening, the Norfolk State Spartans took out a high-flying Missouri team with Final Four aspirations. The school of 7,000 students ripped down 12 more rebounds than their Big 12 champion counterparts. Toward the end of the game, they hit the offensive glass that made it difficult for Missouri to eke out a victory. Florida meanwhile, played like Virginia was their scout team. They shot 52% from the field and beat the Cavaliers 71-45. Bench contributor Casey Prather went 5-6 with 14 points.
Once again, Norfolk State is going to be the underdog against the Gators. Florida mirrors Missouri in a lot of ways. They are a quick team that can shoot from anywhere. The Gators just happen to take way more three-pointers than anybody else. It seems unlikely that they’ll duplicate their poor long-range performance from Friday when they play the Spartans. They hit four out of 23 three’s for the game against the Cavaliers. They were shooting such a high percentage from the field, the long ball was not a factor. Norfolk State will have to be able to battle inside. Forward Kyle O’Quinn was the best player on the floor against Missouri (26 points, 14 rebounds). He’s going to be a key for Florida defensively. They will have to keep him off rhythm to prevent him from taking over. Can Norfolk State do the unthinkable two games in a row?
#6 Murray State vs. #3 Marquette
This might be the most intriguing game of the third round in the West. Murray State struggled initially with Colorado State on Thursday before pulling away in the second half. They looked like the dominant team they have been all season long. Leading scorer Isaiah Canaan had 15 points to lead the Racers. Murray State forced 21 turnovers against the Rams while only giving up seven. Considering Murray State didn’t shoot very well, the turnovers were the difference in the game. The Racers went 5-17 beyond the arc and only averaged 39.2% from the field. Their stout defense fueled their win. They held Colorado State to 33% shooting.
They will be going up against a Marquette team that dominated a BYU squad that had already played a game in this tournament. Big East Player of the Year Jae Crowder went off, scoring 25 points and gobbling up 16 rebounds. The Golden Eagles spread the ball around against the Cougars. Four players were in double digits on Thursday night. Strong performances were turned in by bench players Davante Gardner and Todd Mayo. As a team, they shot 45% from the field. Marquette is obviously a deep team that wore down the tired Cougars. They looked good. Murray State must shoot better in the third round if they intend to beat Marquette. Anything less than 40% will most likely mean too few points. Marquette is a better team than Colorado State. The Murray State defense will have to be even stronger than it was Thursday to pull off a win.
#5 New Mexico vs. #4 Louisville
A lot of people thought Davidson was a sexy pick for an upset against Louisville on Thursday. The game was close, but the Cardinals came out on top. It was an even game statistically, but the difference was Peyton Siva. He led the way for the Cardinals with 17 points and six important assists. His leadership is going to be vital for Louisville going forward. The Cardinals also took 13 more foul shots (and made 10 more) than Davidson did. That separation was crucial by the end of the game. In a seven-point margin, those free points are the difference between a victory and a loss.
New Mexico had a tough out against Long Beach State (yet another popular upset pick). It was a dogfight all game. They were only up four at the half, and had to fend off the 49ers at the end of the game. The two best players for the Lobos delivered. Drew Gordon had a double-double and Kendall Williams shot 44% from the field. The Lobos shot 50% for the game. They also found themselves at the free-throw line more than their opponent. They had an 18-8 advantage in points from the line.
It seems it would be disappointing if this upcoming game didn’t come down to foul shooting. Both teams like to drive the ball and draw contact. They understand the value of the free points at the stripe. Every indication says that these are evenly matched teams. Louisville will need a little more scoring outside of Siva and Kyle Kuric. The Lobos will need to avoid turnovers. They had 14 in the second round. But New Mexico is pretty deep. They will be able to give Louisville all they can handle. Siva might be the X factor. He’s the engine that makes the Cardinals go. They will live and die by his performances.
#1 Michigan State versus #9 Saint Louis
Memphis was believed to be a bit too fast and athletic for the St. Louis Billikins. But Memphis hit a cold spell late in the second half and missed 11 straight three pointers. St. Louis was solid from the foul line and kept Memphis at bay late in the game. The poise and composure of St. Louis is reflected from their legendary coach, Rick Majerus. This is the third school he has taken to the NCAA tournament. Guard Kwamain Mitchell couldn’t miss. He had 22 points, and he hit big shots when Memphis was trying to overtake the lead. They will face a Michigan State team that couldn’t put LIU Brooklyn away as quickly as a #1 seed would like. Majerus’ team will have to be strong on the glass and lockdown Draymond Green. His leadership and court vision are second to none. Michigan State is a good rebounding team. St. Louis grabbed 31 on Friday night. They will have to at least duplicate that in order to suppress Michigan State’s opportunities to score. St. Louis is well-coached, but Michigan State answers with Tom Izzo. This will be a supreme coaching chess match.
See All Men's NCAA Tournament 3rd Round Breakdowns
