John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats might be a little bit underrated for a no.4 seed. Then again, the red-hot UConn has something to say about being too much overlooked by the committee. On Saturday, Kentucky and UConn will surely not be thinking about their current seeding, as they have their hands full against the no.5 seed Indiana Hoosiers and the no.1 ranked overall Kansas Jayhawks.
Event Details:
Tournament: NCAA March Madness/ Men's Basketball National Tournament
Start Time and TV Schedule: Kentucky vs. Indiana 5:16 on CBS / UConn vs. Kansas 7:45 p.m on CBS.
Live Streaming: MarchMadness Live Stream
Kentucky Wildcats vs. Indiana Hoosiers - Game Center
Good old rivalry in the second round of men's basketball tournament featuring Kentucky and Indiana. The Wildcats are a four-point favorite over the Hoosiers because of their young, dynamic core led by projected lottery pick Jamal Murray (20.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this season).
On the other hand, no one is counting out the Hoosiers, who captured the Big Ten regular-season championship this year. Yogi Ferrell, who is averaging a team high 17.0 points, will once again try to carry his team against a very explosive Kentucky team.
Prediction: It's going to be a neck-and-neck battle. Murray is expected to carry the scoring load as usual, but he won't be alone as Kentucky has all the arsenals to beat any foe. For the Hoosiers, keeping the game ugly and rough will be the key to victory. Ferrell is a gritty veteran and he knows that's the only way to against a talented but inexperienced squad. It's an upset my friends, Indiana winning by single digit, 79-73.
Kansas Jayhawks vs. UConn Huskies - Game Center
There's a reason why the Jayhawks are ranked the no.1 team in the nation heading to this year's NCAA tournament. On Thursday, the Jayhawks showed the reason behind it by demolishing a really solid Austin Peay team 105-79.
Meanwhile, the Huskies are the Huskies, thriving at the biggest stage of them all. Despite a subpar regular-season, Kevin Ollie's guys are peaking just in time following yet another impressive tourney run that bagged them the championship. The red-hot Connecticut carried their momentum all the way to the first round, defeating the no.8 seed Colorado. On Saturday, Huskies will be tested against a Jayhawks team that has developed a knack in blowing away its opponents in the second half.
Prediction: UConn is facing a tall order here. If beating a team that only dropped four games the entire regular-season is impossible, then we have to call mr. impossible himself - Kevin Ollie. Two years ago, Ollie powered UConn to an improbable run that saw them hoisting the National Title at the expense of an overpowered Kentucky squad. This won't be any different. Let the Madness continue, UConn stunning Jayhawks, 85-78.