The real test of a team which had to play in the First Four isn't so much the first game of the main portion of the NCAA Tournament. It's that second game which often trips teams up. The Wichita State Shockers are playing their third game in five nights, and they're stuck with the early game on Saturday after playing the latest game on Thursday. The Miami Hurricanes will have a huge advantage from a rest standpoint in this one.
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HOW THE WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS CAN COVER THE SPREAD
It wasn't a huge shock to see the Shockers getting into the Round of 32, but we certainly don't think anyone predicted such a romp of Arizona. Wichita State's defense was swarming right from the get go, and the Wildcats flat out weren't ready for it. The Shockers had nine steals and forced 19 turnovers, and they held a team averaging over 81 points per game down to just 55, and a good half dozen of those points were only tacked on due to excess fouling down the stretch.
Yes, it was your typical Wichita State win in the tourney, and that's exactly how this game is going to have to be as well for it to have a shot at advancing. The Shockers are going to get outplayed in the paint for sure, especially against an athletic Miami squad, but they have to make guys like Tonye Jekiri pay for holding onto the ball for too long before making a decision to go up with it or kick it out.
It would sure help to do better than 3-of-20 from beyond the arc as was the case against Arizona, though as Fred VanVleet and company already proved, that isn't a prerequisite.
HOW THE MIAMI HURRICANES CAN COVER THE SPREAD
The Canes never really totally got rid of Buffalo in the 3/14 game in this region, but once they took the lead late in the first half, they never really looked back.
Guard play ultimately wins titles, and if the Hurricanes get the same type of play out of Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez they got on Thursday, they can book their tickets for Louisville next week. Those two combined for 44 points on 11-of-26 shooting, and they were always aggressive to the hoop against a Buffalo team which was undersized just like this Wichita State side is.
Throw in a strong outside presence from Davon Reed to stretch out the floor and a good rebounding game by Kamari Murphy and Jekiri, and the makings will be there for "The U" to cover this game.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
It wouldn't be a big stunner if Wichita State won this game, but these Hurricanes are trendy picks to go to the Final Four for a reason. These guards are experienced, and they know what it's like to have all the pressure in the world on their shoulders. They've carried that load all season long for the Canes, and they're doing here early in the NCAA Tournament as well.
For as experienced and as good as VanVleet and Ron Baker are, the Shockers just aren't as talented as Miami. They got away with it against Arizona thanks in large part to the Wildcats just not showing up. The Hurricanes won't have the same "deer in headlights" look when trying to break the Wichita State pressure. Throw in the fatigue factor, and we've got the makings of a game in which Miami will pull away in the dying minutes.
Miami 69, Wichita State 62
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