Predicting Saturday’s NCAA Tournament games, including Kansas and Missouri
The men’s NCAA Tournament first round continues on Saturday with games involving the First Four winners and some teams that are dealing with COVID-19 issues.
Texas Southern, Drake, Norfolk State and UCLA enter their games with a 1-0 tournament record. Here’s a stat: At least one First Four winner has advanced to the Sweet 16 in eight of the last nine years.
Two teams that didn’t finish their conference tournaments last week — Kansas and Virginia — open play on Saturday.
The third-seeded Jayhawks, who open against Eastern Washington, will be without two players, including Jalen Wilson, but are expected to get back center David McCormack after he missed the Big 12 Tournament.
Virginia was the last team to arrive in Indianapolis, remaining in Charlottesville because of a positive COVID-19 test during the ACC Tournament. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers, the last team to cut down the nets after winning the 2019 NCAA championship, meet Ohio.
Oklahoma starting guard De’Vion Harmon also is out for the game against Missouri after testing positive this week.
Here is Saturday’s lineup of games with TV information, betting lines and predictions.
No. 5 Colorado vs. No. 12 Georgetown
Tip/TV: 11:15 a.m., CBS
Line: Colorado by 6
Prediction: Georgetown 66-64
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 13 UNC Greensboro
Tip/TV: 11:45 a.m., truTV
Line: Florida State by 10 1/2
Prediction: 78-69
No. 3 Kansas vs. No. 14 Eastern Washington
Tip/TV: 12:15 p.m., TBS
Line: Kansas by 10 1/2
Prediction: Kansas 79-64
No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 St. Bonaventure
Tip/TV: 12:45 p.m., TNT
Line: LSU by 1 1/2
Prediction: LSU 79-71
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Texas Southern
Tip/TV: 2 p.m., CBS
Line: Michigan by 26
Prediction: Michigan 72-55
No. 5 Creighton vs. No. 12 UC Santa Barbara
Tip/TV: 2:30 pm., truTV
Line: Creighton by 7
Prediction: Creighton 80-75
No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Iona
Tip/TV: 3 p.m., TBS
Line: Alabama by 17
Prediction: Alabama, 80-70
No. 6 Southern California vs. No. 11 Drake
Tip/TV: 3:30 p.m., TNT
Line: Southern California by 6 1/2
Prediction: Southern California 61-58
No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 15 Grand Canyon
Tip/TV: 5:25 pm., TBS
Line: Iowa by 14 1/2
Prediction: Iowa 84-72
No. 7 Connecticut vs. No. 10 Maryland
Tip/TV: 6:10 p.m., CBS
Line: Connecticut by 3
Prediction: Maryland 65-63
No. 4 Virginia vs. No. 13 Ohio
Tip/TV: 6:15 p.m., truTV
Line: Virginia by 7
Prediction: Ohio 64-63
No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Missouri
Tip/TV: 6:25 p.m., TNT
Line: Oklahoma by 1
Prediction: Missouri 72-70
No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 16 Norfolk State
Tip/TV: 8:20 p.m., TBS
Line: Gonzaga by 34
Prediction: Gonzaga 90-64
No. 6 Brigham Young vs. No. 11 UCLA
Tip/TV: 8:40 p.m., CBS
Line: Brigham Young by 4
Prediction: UCLA 77-75
No. 3 Texas vs. No. 14 Abilene Christian
Tip/TV: 8:50 p.m., truTV
Line: Texas by 9
Prediction: Texas 74-70
No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 10 VCU
Tip/TV: 8:57 p.m., TNT
Line: Oregon by 5 1/2
Prediction: Oregon 70-62