(7) Indiana -1.5 vs. (10) Gonzaga (O/U: 142)
Deja vu for these two teams, battling again in the NCAA tournament with the winner moving on to play UCLA.
Indiana had their most solid year in a long under new coach Kelvin Sampson. And Sampson has had some tournament success in the past. But they've really struggled on the road this year which makes you question their toughness for an NCAA tournament run. This is a pretty typical IU club, they can shoot the lights out from 3-point land and they have only one true inside presence, the undersized but tough-as-nails D.J. White.
Gonzaga, meanwhile, had their worst season in a long time. This team looked dead in the water about a month ago, with Josh Heytvelt suspended, their home winning streak snapped and Santa Clara pulling away in the conference standings. But the Bulldogs rallied, and came away with the WCC regular season and tournament titles. Incredibly, this team has had more success as a 9-16 seed (8-4 record with 3 Sweet 16 appearances in 4 tries) than they've had as a 1-8 seed (4-4 record with 1 Sweet 16 appearance in 4 tries). So, if the underdog shoe fits you might as well wear it, and this is the team who redefined underdog in this decade, opening the door for the Kent States and George Masons of the world.
This game will be a battle on the perimeter. With Adam Morrison playing in Charlotte and Josh Heytvelt conversing with giant pink elephants in his jail cell (speculatory), the Zags rely heavily
on their 1-2 guard combo of Jeremy Pargo and Derek Raivio. It may sound trite and over-simplified, but this game really will come down to which team's guards do a better job shooting the ball. If one team or the other goes through a cold stretch, that could spell the end.
The play to make: The public is surprisingly split about 50/50 on this game, considering that espn.com users picked Gonzaga as their only consensus upset of the 1st Round in the National Bracket. Obviously that 1.5 points doesn't leave any room for error on either side, so you need to keep it simple and pick who you think is going to win. Though it may be public perception, I think Gonzaga +1.5 is still the correct side. Also, some line movement indicates the Under is a sharp play as well, maybe a better play than siding with the Zags.
Who to take based on which mascot would win in a fight: Well, this depends on which Hoosier we're talking about. Larry Bird is a "hoosier" and he could kick a bulldog's ass. But Michael Jackson is also one and he most certainly couldn't. In fact, just for having a nickname that could potentially describe Michael Jackson, this is an choice. Edge: Gonzaga
Who Suzy from accounting is taking: Kelvin Sampson is like a big, cuddly, formal teddy bear in a suit. Edge: Indiana
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