Two powerful front courts square off against each other.
The collision course between No. 1 Wisconsin and No. 2 Arizona seemed was set when they were both sorted into the West region. Now they're (finally) preparing to face each other once again in the Elite Eight.
Wisconsin may have the nation's best front court this side of Kentucky. Frank Kaminsky is the Big Ten Player of the Year winner and the Badgers' leading scorer, but Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes are both more than capable scorers who can help take pressure off Kaminsky in certain situations.
In fact, that exact scenario happened Thursday, when No. 4 UNC bothered Kaminsky early and limited him to 11 shots for the game (although he still finished with 19 points). Dekker scored a career-high 23 on 10-of-15 shooting, while Hayes pitched in a 12-point, six-rebound performance.
Wisconsin's strength is its starting five. The three forwards and guard Josh Gasser all played 32 minutes or more in a tight eight-man rotation. Barring foul problems, the Badgers' starters are more than able to go the distance.
Arizona advanced past No. 6 Xavier in a 68-60 win that was close until the final minute. The Wildcats have athletes up and down their roster, starting with leading scorer Stanley Johnson. After a strong season and fantastic 22-point outing in the tournament's first game, Johnson has struggled a bit, scoring four points against No. 10 Ohio State and 12 against UNC.
But even when he's not scoring, Johnson is a fantastic defender, and Arizona's size should bother Wisconsin. The Wildcats will also start Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and 7'0 center Kaleb Tarczewski. Both have size, and Hollis-Jefferson, in particular, is a lock-down wing defender who Arizona can put on almost anyone.
If Arizona can properly execute a double team against Kaminsky and make him uncomfortable, then the game will likely come down to whether Dekker and Hayes can again come up big for the Badgers. For the Wildcats, that may be a bet worth taking.
Here's how to watch:
Time: 6:09 p.m. ET on TBS
Place: Los Angeles, Calif.
Online: March Madness On Demand
Odds: Arizona -1.5
Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/1bEpCMX
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