4 Can’t-Miss Games On Friday In March Madness

The fun of March Madness is underway. Thursday provided a classic 12-over-5 upset as Richmond took out Iowa. What will we see on Friday which could provide a stirring, compelling moment in March? Let’s give you four games which have the best chance of delivering the goods

Loyola-Chicago vs. Ohio State

The Ramblers of Loyola made the Final Four in 2018, four years ago, and made the Sweet 16 last year. They are a No. 10 seed but have a tournament reputation. Ohio State, on the other hand, lost last year as a No. 2 seed. The Buckeyes come into this tournament having not played very good basketball. They lost to Penn State in the early rounds of the Big Ten Tournament. Loyola has the momentum, but it’s still hard for a mid-major to beat a power conference school, because the power conference school has the bigger and more muscular bodies such as Ohio State big man E.J. Liddell. It’s a compelling confrontation in which Ohio State’s defense needs to react well to Loyola’s structured halfcourt offense. 

Miami Hurricanes vs. USC Trojans

The game between Miami and USC is a contrast in styles. Miami loves to run its offense through its guards, such as veteran upperclassman Charlie Moore, who has previously played for California and Kansas and is now finishing his career in Miami. USC loves to get big man Isaiah Mobley involved in the offense. Miami would like to run the ball up the court, while USC walks the ball up the floor. Miami wants a high-scoring game and USC wants a low-scoring game. This is all about which team is able to dictate its style of play. If both teams have equal amounts of success in establishing their kind of game, this should go down to the wire. Miami does not rebound very well, and USC doesn’t shoot 3-pointers well. The team which can play above its averages or above its expectations will probably come out on top.

TCU Horned Frogs vs. Seton Hall Pirates

The 8-9 game in the South Region has a team in TCU which hasn’t won an NCAA Tournament game in 35 years. Seton Hall has made a number of NCAA Tournaments in recent years but has struggled to get out of the first weekend and on to the Sweet 16. Seton Hall made the national championship game in 1989 and had an elite program in the early 1990s. The Pirates are trying to get to that standard. TCU is trying to build so that it can pursue such a standard several years from now.

Davidson Wildcats vs. Michigan State Spartans

Two great coaches go at it in this game. Bob McKillop of Davidson and Tom Izzo of Michigan State are Hall of Fame-level coaches. Their teams, when at their best, run great offensive sets and display the precision basketball purists love to see on the court. Davidson won the Atlantic 10 regular season championship. Michigan State had a strong Big Ten Tournament and played some of its best games of the year. This should be a dandy.