Friday’s games
Kentucky (-3.5) vs Santa Clara (@ St Louis)
Kentucky (24-8)
Kentucky is 4-6 in its last ten games.
Wildcats were 10-8 (T7th) in SEC (#1 league).
Kentucky is 9-4 in non-conference games.
Last four years, underdogs are 9-7 ATS in #7-11 seed games
Kentucky is 8-12 vs teams ranked in top 50.
Wildcats have #59 eFG% defense in country.
KenPom rating: 28
Tempo: 184
Experience: 168
Continuity: 129
Kentucky was in Sweet 16 LY; they’re in NCAA’s for fifth year in row, going 2-2 in first round games.
Santa Clara (26-8)
Broncos haven’t played in 10 days.
Santa Clara was 15-3 (3rd) in WCC (#8 league).
Broncos are 8-4 in Division I non-conference games.
Santa Clara has #54 eFG% in country (56.5% inside arc (#39))
Broncos are 5-7 vs teams in the top 100
Coach Sendek recruited Kentucky coach Pope when Pope played
KenPom rating: 34
Tempo: 82
Experience: 302
Continuity: 131
Santa Clara is in the NCAA’s for first time in 30 years.
Texas Tech (-7.5) vs Akron (@ Tampa)
Texas Tech (22-10)
Tech’s best player Toppin is out for the year.
Red Raiders lost last three games, scoring 64.7 ppg.
Tech was 12-6 (T3rd) in Big XII (#3 league).
Red Raiders are shooting 39.3% on arc (#4)
Tech gets 43% of its points on 3’s (#3)
Tech is 15-2 vs teams ranked outside top 50
KenPom rating: 20
Tempo: 245
Experience: 47
Continuity: 157
Tech was in Elite 8 last year; they’re in NCAA’s for 7th time in eight years.
Akron (29-5)
Akron won 10 in a row, 19 of last 20 games.
Zips were 17-1 (2nd) in MAC (#17 league).
Akron is 7-3 in Division I non-conference games.
Zips have #8 eFG% in the country (38.5% on arc, #14)
Akron is 0-3 vs teams in the top 100, losing by 18-3-3 points.
Since 2013, MEAC teams are 3-11 in NCAA’s, 3-1 in play-in games.
KenPom rating: 126
Tempo: 352
Experience: 324
Continuity: 123
Akron is in NCAAs for 4th time in five years, losing last three first round games, by 4-17-28 points.
Arizona (-30.5) vs LIU (@ San Diego)
Arizona (32-2)
Wildcats won their last nine games (5-3 ATS last 8 games).
Arizona was 16-2 in Big XII (#3 league) winning by two games.
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Last five years, #1-seeds are 11-9 ATS in first round.
Arizona is 13-0 in non-conference games.
Wildcats are 8-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100 (all wins by 19+).
Arizona has #3 eFG% defense in country.
KenPom rating: 2
Tempo: 55
Experience: 142
Continuity: 94
Under coach Lloyd, Arizona is 1-3 ATS in first round games.
LIU (24-10)
Sharks won 17 of their last 20 games.
LIU won NEC (#31 league) by three games.
LIU is 6-7 in non-conference games.
Sharks are 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 22-40-15 points.
LIU is #288 team on defensive boards.
NEC teams are 2-7 ATS in last nine first round games.
KenPom rating: 216
Tempo: 152
Experience: 258
Continuity: 29
LIU is in NCAAs for first time since a play-in game in 2018.
Virginia (-18.5) vs Wright State (@ Philadelphia)
Virginia (29-5)
Cavaliers won 13 of their last 15 games.
Virginia went 15-3 (2nd) in ACC (#4 league).
Virginia is 11-1 in non-conference games.
Cavaliers have #5 eFG% defense in the country.
Virginia is 10-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100.
Last six years, #3-seeds are 16-8 ATS in the first round.
KenPom rating: 13
Tempo: 270
Experience: 56
Continuity: 343
Virginia is in NCAA’s for 4th time in six years, since winning title in 2019.
Wright State (23-11)
Raiders are 18-4 in last 22 games, after a 5-7 start.
Wright State (#19 league) by two games.
Raiders have #59 eFG% in the country.
Wright State is 3-6 in Division I non-conference games.
Raiders are 0-3 vs teams in the top 100, losing 10-25-7 points.
Last four years, Horizon teams are 4-0 ATS in first round games.
KenPom rating: 140
Tempo: 192
Experience: 239
Continuity: 118
Wright State is in the NCAA’s for first time since 2022.
Iowa State (-24.5) vs Tennessee State (@ St Louis)
Iowa State (27-7)
Cyclones are 6-5 in their last 11 games, after a 21-2 start.
Iowa State was 12-6 (T3rd) in Big XII (#3 league).
Cyclones are 13-0 in non-conference games.
Cyclones force turnovers 22.4% of time (#4)
Iowa State has #19 eFG% (38.7% on arc, #12)
Last three years, #2-seeds are 8-4 ATS in first round.
KenPom rating: 6
Tempo: 226
Experience: 11
Continuity: 20
Under Otzelberger, Iowa State is 3-1 ATS in first round games.
Tennessee State (23-9)
Tigers won six in row, nine of their last ten games.
Tennessee State was 15-5 (T1st) in OVC (#26 league).
Tigers are #24 in country at forcing turnovers.
Tennessee State is 3-4 in Division I non-conference games.
Tigers are 0-2 vs teams in the top 100, losing by 8-29 points.
Last five years, OVC teams are 1-4 ATS in first round games.
KenPom rating: 186
Tempo: 36
Experience: 119
Continuity: 63
Tennessee State is in the NCAA’s for first time since 1994.
Alabama (-11.5) vs Hofstra (@ Tampa)
Alabama (24-8)
Alabama’s #2 scorer is off team (legal/off-court issues)
Alabama was 13-5 (T2nd) in SEC (#1 league)
Crimson Tide won nine of their last 11 games.
53.7% of Alabama’s shots are 3’s (#1 in country)
Player who got tossed off team was shooting 43.8% on arc.
Crimson Tide is 12-1 vs teams ranked outside top 50.
KenPom rating: 18
Tempo: 4
Experience: 54
Continuity: 125
Alabama is in NCAA’s for sixth year in a row; they made it to the Sweet 16 or better the last three years.
Hofstra (24-10)
Hofstra won seven in row, 11 of last 12 games.
Hofstra was 12-6 (3rd) in CAA (#16 league).
Hofstra has #9 eFG% defense in country.
Hofstra is 7-4 in Division I non-conference games.
Hofstra is 2-1 vs teams in the top 100, beating two ACC teams
Last six years, CAA teams are 0-6 ATS in NCAA games.
KenPom rating: 87
Tempo: 317
Experience: 155
Continuity: 71
Hofstra is in the NCAA’s for first time since 2001.
Utah State (-1.5) vs Villanova (@ San Diego)
Utah State (28-6)
Aggies won 13 of their last 16 games.
Utah State won Mountain West (#6 league) by a game.
Utah State is 9-1 in Division I non-conference games.
Utah State is #16 team in country at forcing turnovers.
Utah State is 15-4 vs teams ranked in top 100.
Aggies are shooting 59.3% inside arc (#11)
KenPom rating: 29
Tempo: 159
Experience: 19
Continuity: 59
Utah State is in NCAA’s for fifth time in six years (1-3 SU in first round)
Villanova (24-8)
Villanova split their last six games, after a 21-5 start.
Wildcats were 15-5 (3rd) in Big East (#5 league).
Bison is #8 in country at forcing turnovers.
Villanova is 9-2 in non-conference games.
Villanova is 1-6 vs teams ranked in the top 50
Wildcats are #246 team on defensive boards.
KenPom rating: 33
Tempo: 295
Experience: 78
Continuity: 259
Villanova is in the NCAA’s for first time in four years.
Coach Willard was in Sweet 16 last year, with Maryland.
Tennessee (-10.5) vs Miami OH (@ Philadelphia)
Tennessee (22-11)
Tennessee lost four of their last six games.
Vols were 11-7 (T4th) in SEC (#1 league).
Tennessee is 10-3 in non-conference games.
Vols have #35 eFG% defense in country.
Tennessee is 12-2 vs teams ranked outside top 50.
Tennessee is #1 team in country on offensive boards.
KenPom rating: 16
Tempo: 307
Experience: 136
Continuity: 224
Tennessee made Elite 8 last two years, Sweet 16 the year before that.
Miami OH (32-1)
Miami beat an ACC team in play-in game Wednesday, proving they belong.
Redhawks shot 16-41 on the arc vs SMU, scored 1.34 ppp.
Miami was 18-0 and won MAC (#17 league)
Miami is 14-0 in non-conference games (non-conf schedule #361).
Miami is 11-1 vs teams in top 200, 2-0 vs top 100 teams (Akron/SMU)
RedHawks are playing at #57 pace.
KenPom rating: 89
Tempo: 57
Experience: 62
Continuity: 7
Miami is in NCAA’s for first time since 2007.
Iowa (-2.5) vs Clemson (@ Tampa)
Iowa (21-12)
Iowa lost seven of its last 10 games.
Hawkeyes were 10-10 in Big 18 (#2 league).
Iowa is #13 team in country at forcing turnovers.
Hawkeyes have #16 eFG% in the country.
Iowa is 11-10 vs teams ranked in top 100.
Iowa is 10-1 in non-conference games (non-conf schedule #336)
KenPom rating: 185
Tempo: 242
Experience: 247
Continuity: 156
Iowa is in NCAA’s for first time in three years.
Coach McCallum’s Drake team upset Missouri in NCAA last year.
Clemson (24-10)
Clemson is 4-6 in their last ten games.
Tigers were 12-6 (T4th) in ACC (#4 league).
Clemson is #15 team in country on defensive boards.
Clemson is 9-3 in non-conference games.
Tigers are 6-6 vs teams in the top 50
Clemson’s opponents have 6th-longest possessions in country.
KenPom rating: 36
Tempo: 333
Experience: 28
Continuity: 280
Clemson is in NCAAs for third year in row; they were in Elite 8 in 2024.
St John’s (-9.5) vs Northern Iowa (@ San Diego)
St John’s (28-6)
St John’s won six in a row, 19 of last 20 games.
Red Storm won Big East (#5 league) by a game.
St John’s is 7-4 in non-conference games,
St John’s has #28 eFG% defense in the country.
St John’s is 23-1 vs teams ranked outside top 50.
St John’s is #27 team on offensive boards.
KenPom rating: 17
Tempo: 68
Experience: 34
Continuity: 175
St John’s won an NCAA game LY for first time since 2000.
Pitino is 2-2 in his last four first round games.
Northern Iowa (23-12)
Panthers haven’t played in 12 days.
Northern Iowa was 11-9 (T6th) in MVC (#9 league).
Northern Iowa has #24 eFG% defense in country.
Panthers are 7-2 in Division I non-conference games.
Northern Iowa is 1-7 vs teams in the top 100
Last six years, underdogs are 14-10 ATS in #5-12 first round games.
KenPom rating: 72
Tempo: 363
Experience: 64
Continuity: 3
Northern Iowa is in NCAA’s for first time in ten years.