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New York Times
21-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How to watch UConn vs. Oklahoma: Odds, storylines for men's NCAA Tournament matchup
Can the defending champion UConn Huskies do it again? The odds are against them, as they currently sit way down on the title board at +2500 to win it all. This matchup will be fun to watch as it features three electric players in Jeremiah Fears, Solo Ball and Liam McNeeley. And, of course, the ever-temperamental Huskies coach Dan Hurley. Fears, a projected lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, can take over any game when he steps on the court. Can he lead the Sooners to an upset? We've got a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the matchup, plus odds and viewing info. Our game previews are a collaborative effort between The Athletic staff, The Field of 68 and Brad Evans' The Gaming Juice. Dive into March Madness with The Athletic Projecting the bracket | Best picks to win the title Strengths: When UConn's offense is humming, few teams are more dangerous. Sophomore Solo Ball has made the leap as one of college basketball's most dangerous shooters, while Liam McNeeley has shown the ability to completely dominate a game. The Huskies are top-five nationally in assist rate, and before McNeeley and veteran point guard Hassan Diarra went down with injuries, they were KenPom's best offensive unit this side of Auburn. And with Alex Karaban's midseason slump a thing of the past, they're one of the most difficult teams in the tournament to defend. They are one of the few squads in the field with the ability to beat anyone on a night when they get hot. Advertisement Weaknesses: As good as UConn is offensively, that's how bad it can be defensively. There are two real issues on that end of the floor. For starters, the Huskies cannot stop fouling. They rank in the bottom 10th percentile in defensive fouls per possession — opponents live at the free-throw line — which is a problem exacerbated by the fact that their best offensive weapons struggle to prevent dribble penetration. The odd part is that they are arguably the best rim-protecting team in the country, but too often the combination of over-helping on an opponent's paint touch and weakside defenders getting lost leads to open shooters. The simplest way to explain it: A team full of players who rate somewhere between average and poor defensively probably isn't going to be great defensively, regardless of the scheme. Outlook: UConn has to be great offensively if it is going to have a chance to get to the second weekend, and the Huskies finally look like themselves on that end of the floor after a rough start to the new year. They ranked closer to top 50 than top five in offensive efficiency in 2025, according to BartTorvik, and a big reason was just a simple lack of toughness. They run as intricate of an offense as anyone in college basketball, but teams that can get physical with them defensively, blow up their timing, and force them to run offense from 'behind the line of scrimmage,' so to speak. And if they are not firing on all cylinders offensively, they are an average team. UConn is good enough to win a game it is supposed to win, but I do not expect the Huskies to be able to upset one of the top seeds in the tournament. The dream of a three-peat won't last past the first weekend. —Rob Dauster Strengths: Jeremiah Fears is one of college basketball's most electric players as a freshman and is a projected NBA lottery pick. When the 6-foot-4 guard is on, Oklahoma is tough to beat. The Sooners are 8-2 when Fears scores 20 or more points with wins against Arizona, Michigan, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Missouri and Georgia. He's a major reason why the Sooners are top-25 in offensive efficiency. Senior forward Jalon Moore, the team's second-leading scorer (16.0 points per game) behind Fears (17.0), gives OU a great one-two scoring combo that can fill it up with any duo in the country. Advertisement Weaknesses: The Sooners are undersized, and it shows in the rebounding numbers. They rank in the 280s in rebounding margin and grab only 26.9 percent of their misses, the second-lowest mark in the SEC. Factor that in with a bit of a turnover bug, and this team does not have much margin for error. Oklahoma ranks lower than 150 in turnover percentage offense and doesn't force opponents to cough up the ball much. Fears is the heart and soul of this squad, but riding a freshman in the NCAA Tournament can be challenging, especially when he's averaging 3.5 turnovers per game. Outlook: Having potentially the best player on the court at any given moment from the guard spot could give OU some juice. But with the way the Sooners have struggled to piece together wins in the SEC, they could be an early flameout. Well, unless Fears goes nuclear. —Sam Lance (Photo of Liam McNeeley: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
New York Times
21-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How to watch Marquette vs. New Mexico: Odds, storylines for men's NCAA Tournament matchup
Coach Shaka Smart has built Marquette into a consistent NCAA Tournament team. The Golden Eagles have made the tournament in each of Smart's three seasons. Second-team All-American guard Kam Jones is the player to watch for Marquette. Meanwhile, the Mountain West regular season champions are propelled by their leading scorer, Donovon Dent. Jones and Dent are electric, so look for both players to put on a show. Advertisement New Mexico fell in the tournament's first round last year, but Marquette comes into this game not playing their best basketball. Can the Lobos pull the upset? We've got a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the matchup, plus odds and viewing info. Our game previews are a collaborative effort between The Athletic staff, The Field of 68 and Brad Evans' The Gaming Juice. Dive into March Madness with The Athletic Projecting the bracket | Best picks to win the title Strengths: No team in college basketball maximizes possessions like Marquette. The Golden Eagles are top 15 in the country in offensive turnover rate and defensive turnover rate. The only other team that can make that claim since 2017 is last year's Houston squad, which was on track to make the Final Four before Jamal Shead's injury. The catalyst for Marquette is its defensive ball pressure. Stevie Mitchell is an elite on-ball defender, and so is Chase Ross. Shaka Smart isn't exactly reigniting the 'Havoc' defensive system from his VCU days, but he is not afraid to lean into the pressure his guards can provide on opposing backcourts. Weaknesses: The Golden Eagles struggle with rim protection. Ben Gold has not taken the leap many expected, and the young bigs are … well, they're young. One of the downsides of a defense that gambles for turnovers is the lane is left open — opponents shoot 52 percent on 2-pointers. The other notable issue for the Golden Eagles is they don't shoot 3-pointers as well as it's needed. Marquette has hovered right around 32 percent from beyond the arc all season. The offense is predicated on creating space for Kam Jones to operate, and if shooters aren't making shots, the space isn't there. Outlook: Jones was the best player in college basketball in November. He was playing like a First-Team All-American through January, but he has come back to earth a bit in conference play. Part of that is due to league foes knowing the scouting report on him better than anyone, but that would matter less if the senior guard's supporting cast was playing at a higher level. Jones is capable of putting this team on his back and carrying them to the second weekend, if not deeper. But for that to happen, David Joplin and Chase Ross must play well. If they don't, Marquette is a team that could get picked off in the first round. —Rob Dauster Strengths: Younger Pitino has followed in his legendary father's footsteps, instituting sound defensive principles that have guided his team to the Dance. The Mountain West regular season champions create chaos. They're top five in adjusted tempo nationally, and their frenetic pace and relentless on-ball pressure twist teams into a pretzel. Pre-tourney, they forced a turnover on 20.4 percent of opponent possessions. Strong around the rim — grabbing rebounds, scoring and altering shots — New Mexico packs the paint with considerable zeal. With an intimidating frontline of Nelly Junior Joseph, Mustapha Amzil and Filip Borovicanin, the Lobos won't be pushed around inside. Advertisement Weaknesses: Offensively, the Albuquerque reps didn't play at peak elevation in the regular season. In the 30 days leading up to the postseason, they ranked outside the top 140 in adjusted offensive efficiency, netting a mediocre 1.095 points per possession. Though the Lobos stroke it fairly well from outside, only 25.8 percent of their points came via the 3-pointer. They also converted under 70 percent on free throws. Lacking a deep bench, it'll be important to stay out of foul trouble. Despite its lopsided overall record, New Mexico has visible flaws. Outlook: Channeling the free spirit of Bill Walton (RIP!), New Mexico, at times, flows beautifully like the mighty waters of the Rio Grande. Their frontcourt can bang with anyone, and when the triples fall from Dent, Tru Washington and CJ Noland, they are a very tough customer — don't forget they defeated UCLA and VCU in non-conference play. Draw is everything, but the under-the-radar Lobos have the potential to lash out. —Brad Evans (Photo of Kam Jones: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
New York Times
21-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How to watch Kentucky vs. Troy: Odds, storylines for men's NCAA Tournament matchup
Kentucky hasn't made the Sweet 16 since 2019, a streak that led to John Calipari's exit from Lexington. Will Mark Pope be able to lead Kentucky to a deep tournament run in his first season in charge? It starts with a first-round meeting against Troy. We've got a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the matchup, plus odds and viewing info. Our game previews are a collaborative effort between The Athletic staff, The Field of 68 and Brad Evans' The Gaming Juice. Own your bracket pool with The Athletic Projecting the bracket | Best picks to win the title | Best bracket names Strengths: Kentucky is easily one of the most high-octane and versatile offensive teams in college basketball. It starts, believe it or not, with five-man Amari Williams, whose ability to be a facilitator and distributor from the top of the key allows Mark Pope's zoom actions and backdoors to work so well. The Wildcats have shooters all over the floor, and while there isn't one player on their roster that can be considered in the mix for All-American status, so many different weapons — Koby Brea's shooting, Andrew Carr's matchup problems or Otega Oweh's ability to get to the rim — can win them a game. Oddly enough, what was a weakness may have actually turned into a strength. Since being ranked 112th in defensive efficiency by KenPom after a Feb. 4 loss to Ole Miss, UK has turned things around. While it will never be confused with Tennessee on that end of the floor, it doesn't need to be. It only needs to be good enough. In the last month of the regular season, Kentucky ranked 16th in defensive efficiency. That's good enough. Advertisement Weaknesses: Health. Plain and simple. Kerr Kriisa (foot) and Jaxson Robinson (wrist) are done for the season. Lamont Butler is playing through a shoulder injury that is not going to fully heal before the end of the season. It's not about getting to 100 percent with Butler; it's about getting to a point where he can play through the pain without having to miss more time. The three players are Kentucky's top two point guards and emergency point guard. In their absence, Amari Williams played the point. Kentucky does not have a ceiling in that situation. Outlook: Given their newfound defensive mettle, the Wildcats have real potential to make a March run because they made these gains without Butler, one of the nation's best on-ball defenders. The injuries also forced Travis Perry and Trent Noah to play more minutes, and it's safe to say the two freshmen can be used as effective bench weapons. The risk is that one hit could jar Butler's shoulder and turn him back into a spectator, but it's a risk worth taking. When Kentucky is right, it is as dangerous as any offense in the country. —Rob Dauster Take Achilles' advice, 'He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.' Equipped with the necessary bravery, the Trojans are a viable Cinderella candidate. Over their final dozen games, Troy ranked a laudable No. 83 in overall efficiency according to BartTorvik. Deep, cohesive and menacing on the offensive glass where it generates a second chance on 38.6 percent of its possessions, Troy punishes teams weak in the post. Additionally, it's rather unyielding defensively. In games played since Feb. 1, it slotted No. 6 nationally in 2-point percentage defense, giving up a mere 43.6 percent. Though 3-heavy, Cross' club only converted 29.9 percent from the arc. However, if Tayton Conerway, Myles Rigsby and Thomas Dowd catch fire along the perimeter, they'll likely don a glass slipper. —Brad Evans This matchup can also be streamed on the NCAA March Madness Live app and Paramount+. Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Amari Williams: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
New York Times
21-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How to watch Memphis vs. Colorado State: Odds, storylines for men's NCAA Tournament matchup
Memphis racked up 29 wins and the AAC tournament title to earn a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Colorado State also made a run through the Mountain West tournament to book its place in the Big Dance. Colorado State is actually favored despite being a No. 12 seed. We've got a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the matchup, plus odds and viewing info. Our game previews are a collaborative effort between The Athletic staff, The Field of 68 and Brad Evans' The Gaming Juice. Dive into March Madness with The Athletic Projecting the bracket | Best picks to win the title Strengths: You may be surprised to hear this, but Memphis has one of the best backcourts in all of college basketball. It starts with PJ Haggerty, a big-time scorer who is one of the top guards in the country at getting to the foul line. He gives the Tigers their high floor, while Tyrese Hunter and Colby Rogers give them their ceiling. Both Hunter and Rogers are capable of going for 25 points, and the trio is why Memphis is one of the nation's most dangerous 3-point shooting teams at nearly 39 percent accuracy. There is a reason to be worried here. Hunter injured his foot in the semifinals of the AAC tournament and did not play in the final. His status for the tournament is in jeopardy. The flip side is the space that gets created in the paint by the threat beyond the arc has allowed Dain Dainja to develop into one of the better frontcourt weapons. A refrigerator with ballerina feet, Dainja has a soft touch around the basket, and his post moves have created an entirely different way for the Tigers to win games. Advertisement Weaknesses: One of the trends in college basketball is for teams to focus on dominating in three key areas: shooting the 3, forcing turnovers and winning the rebounding battle. In short, the theory is that doing so maximizes the number of offensive possessions available and the expected points per shot on those possessions. Memphis is an elite 3-point shooting team, but it ranks outside the top 275 in turnover rate and the defensive rebounding percentage. If the Tigers run into a team that can pressure and get to the offensive glass, they will be in trouble. Outlook: The NCAA Tournament is based on matchups, draws and, frankly, a little bit of luck. If you are a No. 3 seed in a region where the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds get upset in the first weekend, you're lucky. If you end up in a region with a bunch of teams you match up well against, you have a better chance of making a deep run than someone who doesn't. Memphis is a team that, on paper, looks to be matchup-dependent. Texas A&M, St. John's, Houston and teams of that ilk can give the Tigers some problems. At the same time, they have three players on the perimeter who are capable of winning a game all on their own. Wins over Missouri, UConn, Michigan State, Clemson and Ole Miss weren't flukes. A Final Four is a big ask, but Memphis certainly can make some noise and get to a second weekend. —Rob Dauster Strengths: On offense, the Rams lower their heads, charge hard and send opponents flying. Hotter than a sunbaked blacktop in mid-July, they finished the last month of the regular season No. 7 nationally in effective field goal percentage offense, shooting 53.1 percent on 2-pointers and an absolutely bananas 43.0 percent on 3s. Clifford is the straw who stirs the drink. Blessed with an all-around scoring skill set, he racked 25-point performances regularly. Colorado State is a strong pick-and-pop squad with Jalen Lake, Kyan Evans and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson routinely inflicting damage, and it has a tremendous rebounder in Rashaan Mbemba. He and Clifford are major reasons why CSU ranks top-20 in defensive rebounding percentage over the entire season. Advertisement Weaknesses: Defense isn't one of State's signature characteristics. In its last 10 regular-season games, it checked in at a terribly bland No. 181 in effective field goal percentage defense. Most alarmingly, it ranked outside the top 220 in 3-point percentage D, surrendering close to 36 percent. Also, the Rams are often too sloppy. Over their final 10 games before the postseason, they coughed up the rock on nearly 18 percent of their possessions. Playing composed must live at the top of their priority checklist. Outlook: For teams firmly sitting on the bubble, Colorado State's automatic berth triggered tears. An 11th-hour entrant, the Rams shouldn't be taken lightly. Clifford is a pro — a top NBA prospect who is projected to be drafted in the first round. His shot creation, versatility and finishing talents are unquestionably spectacular. Overall, with a penchant for 3-point bombardments and glass waxings, CSU could be a Sweet 16 sleeper. Party on, Fort Collins. —Brad Evans Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo credit: David Becker / Getty Images)
New York Times
21-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How to watch Duke vs. Mount St. Mary's: Odds, storylines for men's NCAA Tournament matchup
Cooper Flagg's ankle has been the talk of the town, and in Duke's matchup against Mount St. Mary's, we will see how he looks post-injury. Duke has a chance to win the tournament, and Mount St. Mary's inevitably does not. But, the Mountaineers were 23-12 during the season, racking up the most wins since joining NCAA Division I in 1988-89. In their 83-72 win over American, they became the third MAAC team with three players (Dola Adebayo, Jedy Cordilia, Dallas Hobbs) scoring over 17 points in an NCAA tournament game. Advertisement We've got a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the matchup, plus odds and viewing info. Our game previews are a collaborative effort between The Athletic staff, The Field of 68 and Brad Evans' The Gaming Juice. Own your bracket pool with The Athletic Projecting the bracket | Best picks to win the title | Best bracket names Strengths: As counterintuitive as it may be for a team excelling as one of the most efficient offenses in years, Duke's strength is on the defensive side of the ball. The smallest player in its starting lineup is 6-foot-6 Tyrese Proctor. The smallest player in its rotation is 6-foot-5 Caleb Foster. The Blue Devils have one of the best rim protectors in 7-foot-2 center Khaman Maluach, and when Maliq Brown is healthy and playing the five, no team in the country is better at switching. They are second nationally in average length of possession defensively because you cannot run offense against them, and the reason why opponents struggle is all-world freshman Cooper Flagg. Flagg is a defensive weapon who's tough and physical and can guard up or down, and he takes pride in doing work on that end of the floor. His best attribute is his ability to be a great team player who will do all the little things needed to win. When ACC play began, he became an elite offensive weapon, shooting over 40 percent on 3-pointers and taking over games as a scorer and a distributor. Weaknesses: For all of those glowing words about Flagg, he injured his ankle in the ACC tournament. Duke won it without him, but Flagg's status has become one of the biggest storylines of the NCAA Tournament. With or without Flagg, the concern with any squad built around elite freshmen is that it is too young. Only two freshmen-dominant teams have won the national championship: 2012 Kentucky and 2015 Duke. Inexperience is a valid concern with these Blue Devils based on how their season has gone. Their two non-conference losses were due to a lack of execution down the stretch with Flagg's late turnover against Kentucky and a string of poor possessions late against Kansas. As good as Duke is, it will have to win games deep in the NCAA Tournament in crunch time. Can the Blue Devils do it? Advertisement Outlook: It's national title or bust for Duke. It almost always is with that program, but when you've been ranked as a top-two team on KenPom all season with the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, winning a championship is the expectation. Duke has one of the country's premier defenses, with the likely National Player of the Year leading the way, and its role players fully embrace the job they are being asked to do. Auburn is the favorite to win the title. Duke is not that far behind. —Rob Dauster Outlook: The Mountaineers were something of a surprising winner of the MAAC automatic bid, picking off an Iona team that beat regular season champion Quinnipiac in the semifinals. After struggling early on this season, The Mount got hot at the right time, winning 11 of the last 14 games after sitting at just 4-5 in the league in late January. The Mountaineers win with their defense. They don't force a ton of turnovers, but they limit dribble penetration and force opponents into taking tough jumpers. That works well against teams with a similar size. That doesn't work quite as well when a mid-major is going up against a high-major. If the Mountaineers are going to pull off an upset, it will come down to the play of Dallas Hobbs at the point. They rank 359th out of 364 teams in turnover rate. That will not work in March. —Rob Dauster This matchup can also be streamed on the NCAA March Madness Live app and Paramount+. Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Cooper Flagg: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
