The second round of the 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is here, and four double-digit seeds are in action Saturday.
Which team will get to the Sweet 16? No. 11 Duquesne will take on No. 3 Illinois, and No. 11 Oregon will look to knock off No. 3 Creighton.
The ultimate Cinderella matchup features No. 13 Oakland against No. 11 NC State. No. 13 Oakland hit 15 of 31 from 3-point range in the 80-76 victory against Kentucky. NC State is a rebooted Cinderella story from the 1983 version complete with a new cast of characters. The Wolfpack beat Texas Tech 80-67 in the first round. Jack Gohlke or D.J. Burns? Choose your March cult hero.
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Saturday also features a pair of blue-blood matchups between No. 1 North Carolina and No. 9 Michigan State and No. 4 Kansas and No. 5 Gonzaga. There is also No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Texas.
It's a loaded schedule with eight games. Will the chalk dominate? We finished 23-9 S/U and 17-15 ATS in the first round. Odds according to BetMGM.com:
Sporting News picked every second-round game Here are our picks for Day 3:
March Madness picks, predictions for Round 2
- No. 2 Arizona (-9.5) vs. Dayton (West)
Dayton is trying to get back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2014. Forward DaRon Holmes had 18 points and nine rebounds in the 63-60 first-round victory against Nevada. Arizona had all five starters hit double-figures in a 85-65 victory against Long Beach State. Oumar Ballo – a 7-foot center – is the counter to Holmes. Transfers Caleb Love and Keshad Johnson have been difference-makers for the Wildcats – and that experience shows here. The Flyers are 4-1 ATS as an underdog of 10 points or less. Can they slow this game down?
Pick: Arizona 80, Dayton 74
- No.4 Kansas vs. No. 5 Gonzaga (-3.5) (Midwest)
The Jayhawks and Bulldogs both beat trendy upset picks in the first round, though Kansas nearly let Samford back in. There is no question this might be the highest scoring game of the day. The Jayhawks still have scoring options without Kevin McCullar Jr., but do they have enough depth for a fast-break game with Gonzaga – which hit 10 of 21 from 3-point range in the first round? The Jayhawks are 1-5 S/U and 2-4 ATS as an underdog this season. That is holding us back from picking an upset here.
Pick: Gonzaga 81, Kansas 77
EXPERT PICKS: DeCourcy (UConn) | Bender (UConn) | Iyer (UConn) | Yanchulis (South Carolina women)
- No. 1 North Carolina (-3.5) vs. No. 9 Michigan State (West)
The Spartans pulled their customary first-round victory under Tom Izzo, but they have a rough history against the Tar Heels. Izzo is 3-9 against North Carolina, and that includes a 0-4 record in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans have lost those games by an average of 13 points per game. The teams have near-mirror adjusted offensive efficiency ratings. Michigan State (93.0) and North Carolina (93.4) could not be any closer in that regard. The Spartans have lost five of their last seven games – and they have to shoot around 45% to win this one. North Carolina doesn't have to be that good to win here with its scoring options. Izzo in March is always tough to bet against, but the Spartans are 3-9 S/U when they give up 70 points or more.
Pick: North Carolina 80, Michigan State 74
MORE: Jaden Akins may be key to a Spartans March run
- No. 2 Iowa State (-6.5) vs. No. 7 Washington State (East)
Iowa State is playing as well as anybody in the country right now. The Cyclones are a nice combination of complementary basketball. Iowa State has shot 46.1% from 3-point range in its last three games while holding opponents to 56 points per game. Washington State will need another huge game from Isaac Jones, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds in the come-back victory against Drake. We picked against the Cougars in the last round, and they are 6-3 S/U as an underdog this season. We're playing through that trend.
Pick: Iowa State 73, Washington State 65
- No. 11 NC State (-6.5) vs. No. 13 Oakland (South)
The Wolfpack are 0-5 ATS when favored between 5-10 points, but they are 4-1 S/U in those games. NC State shoots 34.7% from 3-point range and limits opponents to 34.3% in return. The Golden Grizzlies are going to shoot 30-plus shots from 3-point range in this game and live with the results. They are 3-2 S/U in those games this season. This will be a fun game, even if it's ugly at times for both teams. This amazing NC State story continues into the South Region semifinals.
Pick: NC State 75, Oakland 71
MORE: Get to know NC State's D.J. Burns | Oakland's Jack Gohlke
- No. 2 Tennessee (-6.5) vs. No. 7 Texas (Midwest)
The “Rick Barnes Game” is here. Barnes spent 17 years at Texas from 1998-2015, and now he's trying to get the Volunteers back to the Sweet 16. How does Texas fare against Dalton Knecht – an elite scorer who had 23 points in the first round? The Longhorns are going to have to make this one ugly – the Vols are 2-5 S/U when they are limited to 70 points or less. Look for Tennessee to push the tempo early to avoid that trend. Texas guard Max Abmas – who is just 5 of 20 from 3-point range in his last three games – is the X-factor. Can he heat up in time for Texas to pull an upset? These teams have split eight previous meetings.
Pick: Tennessee 78, Texas 68
REGION-BY-REGION GUIDES: South | Midwest | West | East
- No. 3 Illinois (-9.5) vs. No. 11 Duquesne
How long will the magic last for Duquesne and outgoing coach Keith Dambrot? The Dukes have limited opposing teams to a 40% shooting percentage through a nine-game winning streak. The Illini, however, are hitting 47.7% of their shots through a five-game win streak. If Duquesne cannot bridge that gap, then they will be playing at arm's length the entire game. Illinois forward Marcus Domask had a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the 85-69 victory against Duquesne in the first round. That – on top of Terrence Shannon's scoring – will be too much for the Dukes to overcome.
Pick: Illinois 77, Duquesne 65
DECOURCY: Keith Dambrot extends his career at least one more game
- No. 3 Creighton (-5.5) vs. No. 11 Oregon
The Bluejays pulled away in the second half against Akron in the first round, and all five starters scored 10 points or more. Creighton feeds off the scoring tandem of Baylor Scheierman and Ryan Kalkbrenner. They combined for 38 points and 18 rebounds in the first round. Oregon guard Jermaine Couisnard scored 40 points and hit 5 of 9 from 3-point range against South Carolina. The Ducks are no stranger to a surprise tournament run under Dana Altman. Creighton will win inside enough, however, to withstand this Ducks' team. The Ducks are hot, but the Bluejays are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games, and if it becomes a 3-point shooting contest, that favors Creighton.
Pick: Creighton 80, Oregon 76
