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The second round of the 2021 NCAA tournament is about to begin, and a few Cinderella teams are hoping to continue their early magic on Sunday. Most notably, No.15 seed Oral Roberts faces No.7 seed Florida and No.13 seed North Texas against Villanova.
The Eagles and Mean Green face opponents who have recently appeared vulnerable, so it’s not entirely out of the question that another upheaval – or two – may be in order. Also, don’t forget the state of Oregon. No.12 seed Beavers turned the momentum of his run through the Pac-12 tournament into a first-round victory and is back in battle against the No.4 seed Oklahoma State.
VCU is sent home and history has been made in the first round. The latest episode of Eye on College Basketball covers it all. Listen now and subscribe.
Sunday’s eight-game slate begins with a pair of No.1 seeds looking to make it to the Sweet 16. The Illinois No.1 takes on intra-state foe No.8 Loyola Chicago, and the No. 1 Baylor fights with No. 9 Wisconsin. An Illini win would put them in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005, while a win for the Bears would mark their first third round appearance since 2017.
By the end of the night, eight teams will be on their way to Sweet 16. Our team of experts have analyzed the matches and made direct and ATS picks for each of them below. Odds via William Hill Sportsbook
Who will win and cover each game, and which teams should be on alert? Visit SportsLine now to see which team to support in each game, all from the $ 2,600 up to $ 100 players model.
(8) Loyola Chicago vs. (1) Illinois
Time: 12:10 p.m. ET | Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
TV: CBS | Direct: March Madness Live
It feels like the nostalgia for the Loyola Chicago 2018 squad is having an impact on this points gap (-7 for the Illini via William Hill SportsBook), as Illinois is quite capable of recording a large number here. Other than Friday’s victory over a shorthanded Georgia Tech team, the Ramblers’ only other game against a power conference opponent this season was a 14-point loss to a Wisconsin team. If the Badgers can beat Loyola Chicago in double digits, Illinois can do it easily. Prediction: Illinois 80, Loyola Chicago 62 – David Cobb
(9) Wisconsin vs. (1) Baylor
Time: 2:40 p.m. ET | Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse
TV: CBS | Direct: March Madness Live
Baylor is yet to regain the mid-season form that made him a Tier 1 contender with Gonzaga, but he quickly worked on No.16 seed Hartford and still has the 3-point offense most vicious and relentless in college basketball. Against a Badgers defense that is sensitive to teams that can shoot well from distance, I’ll put the points with the Bears. Prediction: Baylor 74, Wisconsin 64 – Kyle Boone
(11) Syracuse vs. (3) West Virginia
Time: 5:15 p.m. ET | Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
TV: CBS | Direct: March Madness Live
Syracuse and its zonal defense smothered San Diego State in the first round, but Bob Huggins and West Virginia – armed with one of the most powerful offenses since his time with the Mountaineers – have the wherewithal to make the decision and As soon as D. Guard plays Deuce McBride, Sean McNeil and Taz Sherman give me confidence to pick WVU, but I’m taking the points with Cuse after playing arguably his most complete game against SDSU on Friday.. Prediction: West Virginia 69, Syracuse 67 – Boone
(6) Texas Tech vs. (3) Arkansas
Time: 6:10 p.m. ET | Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse
TV: TNT | Direct: March Madness Live
Texas Tech is the program with a more entrenched defensive identity due to its 2019 national title run. But Arkansas is actually a little better this season in terms of defensive efficiency, according to KenPom, and that should help the Razorbacks. to get a slight edge in what is essentially a choice game. Prediction: Arkansas 69, Texas Tech 66 – Cobb
(10) Rutgers vs. (2) Houston
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET | Location: Lucas Oil Stadium
TV: TBS | Direct: March Madness Live
Houston is nailed at both ends of the floor, while Rutgers’ offense can’t quite keep up with his top-level defense. While the Scarlet Knights knocked out a Clemson side that at one point in the season had the nation’s No.1 defense, they scored just 60 points in a rock fight. If that’s the style of this game – and both teams play very slowly, so it’s likely – then the advantage goes to the Cougars in the near future. Prediction: Houston 70, Rutgers 65 – Boone
(15) Oral Roberts vs. (7) Florida
Time: 7:45 p.m. ET | Location: Indiana Farmers Coliseum
TV: truTV | Direct: March Madness Live
Did you see what Oral Roberts did in the state of Ohio? The Eagles weren’t intimidated by the Buckeyes, so they sure won’t curl up against Florida. The Gators have been inconsistent all season, and their defense will be tested against Max Abmas and Kevin Obanor. Look for Oral Roberts to rack up a bunch of points again and continue his Cinderella run. Prediction: Oral Roberts 79, Florida 76 – Cobb
(13) North Texas vs. (5) Villanova
Time: 8:45 p.m. ET | Location: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
TV: TNT | Direct: March Madness Live
Villanova perhaps deserves more credit for the way he handled Winthrop on Friday without Collin Gillespie, but there are still questions about how the Wildcats will fare against a team that can match their athleticism. North Texas is a tougher game in that regard, and with the Mean Green on a tear right now, expect Villanova to struggle to shut this one down. Prediction: North Texas 66, Villanova 62 – Cobb
(12) State of Oregon vs. (4) State of Oklahoma
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET | Location: Hinkle Fieldhouse
TV: TBS | Direct: March Madness Live
Of course, the heat of Oregon State, with a Pac-12 tournament title under its belt and an impressive victory over a fifth-seeded Tennessee team in the first round. But Oklahoma State is the most complete team. And with Avery Anderson and Cade Cunningham, I’m not in a position to bet against the Cowboys at the moment. Good luck if you do. Prediction: State of Oklahoma 74, State of Oregon 65 – Boone
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