The first Saturday in March brings a double dip of post-season action and critical games of the regular season as we approach a long-awaited National Selection Sunday on March 14. Leading bubble teams like UCLA, Wichita State and Xavier will be looking to finish touches when their NCAA Tournament is resumed before the start of the conference tournaments.
Low-end bubble teams like Utah State, Seton Hall and Ole Miss, however, absolutely cannot afford to lose in their regular season finals as they cling to the general bid entering the postseason. In between, there are teams like Duke and North Carolina. Speaking of these two, the game between them will carry even more weight than normal, as the two navigate the unknown territory of life in the bubble.
At the end of the night, the first offer of the NCAA Tournament will be officially guaranteed when the Ohio Valley crowns the champion. With the post-season implications abounding, our team has put together a menu of the best games with our choices attached to help you scratch the itch of the game. Those choices are below.
When: 12h | Where: Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut
TV: CBS | Live broadcast: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (free)
OTT: CBS Sports app (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast)
UConn kept top scorer Jamorko Pickett from Georgetown with just 10 points from 3 out of 12 shots in the first game, which was his lowest score since January 2. Wait for the 1.80 meter striker to have a better display this time, but the Huskies are still the best team. Prediction: UConn 74, Georgetown 70 – Cobb
When: 14h | Where: Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia
TV: CBS | Live broadcast: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (free)
OTT: CBS Sports app (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast)
The advantage of the local court means less than normal this season in the midst of the pandemic, but it still means a lot to Georgia. Bulldogs are between 5 and 4 in the SEC’s home games, including wins over LSU, Missouri and Kentucky. Expect them to play Alabama much closer than in a roadside defeat last month. Prediction: Alabama 83, Georgia 76 – Cobb
USC at UCLA
When: 16h | Where: Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California
TV: CBS | Live broadcast: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (free)
OTT: CBS Sports app (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast)
UCLA made only 3 of 19 shots in the 3-point range in the first encounter, which is not characteristic of a team that ranks first in Pac-12 as a percentage of 3-point shots during league games. With the Bruins playing at home and desperately needing a boost, expect a totally different result this time around. Prediction: UCLA 76, USC 70 – Cobb
When: 16h | Where: Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try it for free)
Ohio State will be playing with a sense of despair after losing three consecutive matches, and the Buckeyes proved in a road victory over Illinois on January 16 that top scorer EJ Liddell is a very difficult match for Illinois. Prediction: Ohio State 90, Illinois 86. – Cobb
Duke in North Carolina
When: 18h | Where: Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TV: ESPN | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try it for free)
Between the bigs Armando Bacot, Garrison Brooks and Day’Ron Sharpe, UNC already had a lot to do in the countryside. With Kessler now in the mix as well, the Tar Heels are absolutely gigantic. Weight on the front line is not a strong point for Duke, and Carolina’s physicality should help him achieve a big victory. Prediction: North Carolina 80, Duke 75 – Cobb
So, who wins all the college basketball games today? And which underdogs cause impressive surprises? Visit SportsLine now to get choices for each game, all from the unbiased model that simulates each game 10,000 times, and find out.