In an already crazy tournament, how much madness is left in March?
Soon, we will be down to the Elite Eight of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
The remaining four members of that select group will be determined Friday night in play at the East and Midwest regionals.
Will the shoe fit for any of the three remaining double-digit seed Cinderellas?
FrontPageBets editors present their picks as we inch closer to the Final Four in New Orleans.
Follow our predictions here and gain knowledge about NCAA Tournament teams from our partners in the Lee Enterprises sports network.
No. 15 Saint Peter’s vs. No. 3 Purdue
Tipoff: 7:09 p.m.
TV: CBS
Region: East (Philadelphia)
Spread: Purdue -12.5 (-110); St. Peter’s +12.5 (-110)
Money Line: Purdue -1000; St. Peters +650
Over/Under: 135.5 (-110)
Road to the Sweet 16: Saint Peter’s (21-11) is the third 15 seed to advance to a regional semifinal. Its miraculous run to make it this far was built on an unexpected waltz through the MAAC tournament before slaying behemoth Kentucky, then punching out mid-major mainstay Murray State. Coach Shaheen Holloway’s squad has won with classic New Jersey toughness and defense. The Peacocks held the Racers to 34.6% shooting in their last outing. Senior forward KC Ndefo does the brunt of the damage on the offensive end. His 17 points and 10 rebounds help put the stake in Murray State. Purdue (29-7), which spent time ranked No. 1 in the nation before suffering some stumbles, will present some serious matchup problems. The Boilermakers beat the Ivy out of Yale, then handled Texas. Sophomore center Zach Edey (7-foot-4, 300 pounds) is a load. He had a double-double (11 points, 10 boards) against the Longhorns. Sophomore guard Jaden Ivey is the leading scorer. He had 18 points, shot 57.1% from the field and crushed Texas with a dagger from deep. Saint Peter’s is 23-9 against the spread. Purdue is 15-20-1.
The pick: Purdue, 80-67
-- Gerry Ahern
No. 4 Providence vs. No. 1 Kansas
Tipoff: 7:15 p.m.
TV: TBS
Region: Midwest (Chicago)
Spread: Kansas -7.5 (-110); Providence +7.5 (-110)
Money line: Kansas -320; Providence +250
Over/Under: 141.5 (-110)
Road to the Sweet 16: For the first time since 2018, Kansas (30-6) is back in the Sweet 16. The Jayhawks are led by player of the year finalist Ochai Agbaji, who is averaging 19.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while also shooting 40% from 3-point range. Agbaji has helped lead Kansas on a seven-game winning streak, including beating No. 16 Texas Southern, 83-56, in the first round and No. 9 Creighton, 79-72, in the second. Three other Jayhawks are averaging double figures for an offense that has averaged nearly 79 points over its last 10 games. Providence (27-5) is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1997. Led by center Nate Watson's 13.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, the Friars won their first two games of the NCAA Tournament by a combined 37 points, including a 79-51 second-round win over No. 12 Richmond. UCLA has covered five out of their last six games against the spread. Providence is 8-1 ATS as an underdog this season.
The pick: Kansas, 76-68
-- Mike Szvetitz
No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 4 UCLA
Tipoff: 9:39 p.m.
TV: CBS
Region: East (Philadelphia)
Spread: UCLA -2.5 (-110); UNC +2.5 (-110)
Money Line: UCLA -135; UNC +115
Over/Under: 141.5 (-110)
Road to the Sweet 16: Two college basketball blue bloods face off in what promises to be a fun one to watch. UCLA (28-7) is making its 36th appearance in the Sweet 16, while North Carolina (26-9) is making its 35th appearance. The Bruins are led by guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., who has averaged a team-best 16.3 points per game over a 12-game stretch that has seen UCLA win 10, including scoring 15 points or more in eight consecutive games. Jaquez's status for Friday night's game is up in the air as the junior twisted his ankle in the second half against Saint Mary's in the second round and didn't return. He's listed as day to day. If Jaquez can't go, the Bruins will have to adjust, which could open the door for UNC to bust through. UCLA beat No. 13 Akron, 57-53, and No. 5 Saint Mary's, 72-56, to advance to the Sweet 16. North Carolina is on a hot streak, winning 11 out of its last 14 games, including knocking off No. 1 Baylor in the second round, 93-86, in OT. Sure, the Tar Heels blew a 25-point lead to the Bears, but they turned it around in overtime. Led by big man Armando Bacot, who is averaging 16.4 points and shooting at a 58.8% clip, UNC's win as an 8-seed over a No. 1 is the third time the Tar Heels have accomplished that feat in NCAA Tournament history. According to Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist David Teel, the Tar Heels are like "kids in a candy store." UCLA is 17-12-1 against the spread as the favorite this season, but UNC is 6-1 vs. UCLA all-time. The Tar Heels are 4-5 ATS as an underdog this year, but 2-0 (Duke and Baylor) in the last two games where they fall in that category.
The pick: North Carolina, 79-77
-- Mike Szvetitz
No. 11 Iowa State vs. No. 10 Miami
Tipoff: 9:59 p.m.
TV: TBS
Region: Midwest (Chicago)
Spread: Miami -2.5 (-110); Iowa State +2.5 (-110)
Money Line: Miami -145; Iowa State +125
Over/Under:Â 133.5 (-110)
Road to the Sweet 16: Iowa State (22-12), which won two games a year ago, is the biggest surprise in this round, save Saint Peter’s. The Cyclones handled a discombobulated LSU squad without fired coach Will Wade in their opener, then stunned Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Defense is a great equalizer in the tournament and ISU limited the Badgers to 29.8% shooting and held Big Ten player of the year Johnny Davis in check. Senior transfer guard Gabe Kalscheur was the star against Wisconsin with 22 points. Senior guard Izaiah Brockington is the leading scorer, netting 17.1 points per game. The Quad-City Times recounts the Cyclones' run. Miami (25-10) was among the last at-large invitees to the dance but impressively dismissed USC, then trounced second-seeded Auburn 79-61 to sweeten the pot. Coach Jim Larranaga’s Hurricanes are a veteran squad. Senior guard Kameron McGusty had 20 points in the win over Auburn. Senior guard Charlie Moore had 15 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. What Miami lacks in size it makes up for in savvy. Iowa State is 19-15 against the spread. Miami is 20-15.
The pick: Miami, 73-60
-- Gerry Ahern
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Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 22-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His "View From The Lazy Boy" column won multiple state and national awards.
Gerry Ahern is senior content editor for FrontPageBets. A 35-year veteran sports editor and digital media executive, he has led coverage of the biggest events in sports, from Super Bowls, to Final Fours, to Olympics, to the Masters.
