Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo shouts to players from the sidelines at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. The Michigan Spartans beat the Kentucky Wildcats to double overtime defeated 86-77 in .
Greetings from the Pacific Northwest, where the world of basketball will converge over the next few days for the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland.
Over the next few days, I’ll be on site to cover the Iowa State men’s and women’s runs at the tournament. I’m thinking about what I see between the two brackets.
Here are my picks for the weekend:
Men’s
No. 1 North Carolina vs. Portland (Thursday, 12pm)
Thank you pilots for coming out.
Picks: North Carolina 80, Portland 65
Iowa State vs. Villanova (Thursday, 2:30 PM)
I love this Iowa State game right now. Villanova could very well be a Final Four contender once injured guard Justin Moore returns, but there’s no clear timetable for when that will be. Five-star freshman guard Cam Whitmore is also out.
Villanova play at the slowest pace in the nation, so Iowa State will need to find ways to pick up speed and generate turnovers. I think it will.
Picks: Iowa State 65, Villanova 60
No. 20 UConn vs. Oregon (Thursday, 7pm)
Oregon has been unimpressive to start the season with double-digit losses to UC-Irvine and Houston already on the ledger. The best team UConn has played for is Buffalo where he is ranked 199th in KenPom. I’m not sure you really know how good either of these teams are. I lean towards the ones that didn’t get hit by the Big West teams.
Picks: UConn 75, Oregon 68
No. 18 Alabama vs. No. 12 Michigan (Thursday, 9:30 p.m.)
I really like this Michigan team. Sprinkled a small stake on the Spartans and won this tournament at odds of +450 before leaving Iowa. If you don’t know the name Mady Sissoko yet, you will. The Spartan big man is already on par with Gonzaga’s Drew Timm and Kentucky’s Oscar Ziebwe. He’s an elite athlete with a big motor and could be one of the Big Ten breakout stars.
Nate Oates has another great team, but Michigan State is already a battle-tested group, two weeks into the season. His last three games for Sparta have been against Gonzaga, Kentucky and Villanova. They’ve basically already played the equivalent of this event in the last two weeks. I’m very involved with Tom Izzo’s team here.
Picks: Michigan 76, Alabama 72
Semifinal 1: Iowa vs. North Carolina (Friday, 2:30 p.m.)
This week we look at just how fast Iowa State is. If he makes it through one of the best programs in the country, the reward is his No. 1 team in college basketball. The Tar Heels didn’t look all that impressive to start the season, but they still have work piled up for Caleb Rab, Armando his Baco, and most of the other returning national runners-up teams.
This is a game between two of the most experienced teams in college basketball. Iowa State University ranks him ninth in KenPom’s Division I experience rankings. North Carolina ranks him 14th.
difference? North Carolina remains 12th in minutes played last season. Iowa ranks 196th.
Pick: North Carolina 77, Iowa 70
Semifinal 2: UConn vs. Michigan State (Friday, 8:30 PM)
We mentioned Sissoko before, but Michigan State has experience along the border, as do seniors Tyson Walker, Joey Hauser, Malik Hall, and junior AJ Hoggard. I can confidently say that this team was underrated this year.
Picks: Michigan State University 79, UConn 72
Finals: North Carolina vs. Michigan State (Sunday, 9pm)
I’m pretty sure Michigan State will win the tournament, but I think North Carolina State is a favorite for a reason. The Tar Heels haven’t hit the ball very well so far this season, which could be a wild card for the whole weekend.
Picks: Michigan 75, North Carolina 70
Third Place Match: Iowa State vs. UConn (Sunday, 2:30 PM)
UConn has a tendency to turn the ball over, which is never a good trait against TJ Otzelberger’s team. Here he would like to place the Cyclones. A third-place finish in the event would be an unquestionable success for the team.
Women’s
North Carolina v Oregon (Thursday, 4 p.m.)
Tar Heels are a top 10 team, but the Ducks are a top 15 team and I think there will be a sizeable Pro Ducks crowd.
Picks: Oregon 70, North Carolina 65
Iowa v Michigan (Thursday, 6:30 p.m.)
Bill Fennelly’s program has won its last two games against Michigan State, but I don’t think it comes close to winning the 2009 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments.
Picks: Iowa 80, Michigan 67
Finals: Iowa State vs. Oregon (Sunday, 6:30 PM)
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Picks: Iowa 82, Oregon 75
