First Round Results
#13 Indiana def. #12 Nebraska, 72-69
Yours truly was dismayed for most of this game because I picked Indiana, but Nebraska was ahead for 38:41 of the game. When Indiana began chipping away at the lead, hope grew that my prediction would come true, but time was running out. But when sophomore Lenee Beaumont hit the three to get the lead, I dared to dream. When the seas parted for senior Shay Ciezki’s layup (22 points and seven assists in the game), it was over.
#10 Illinois def. #15 Wisconsin, 82-70
Wisconsin’s losing streak was extended to 10 games with a loss to Illinois, who got balanced scoring with four players in double figures. Illinois beat up Wisconsin inside with 46 of their 82 points in the paint.
#11 Oregon def. #14 Purdue, 82-64
Never a close game, Purdue missed all 10 of their shots during a seven-minute stretch in the second quarter and they disappeared from Oregon’s rearview mirror by halftime.
Second Round Prognostications
#9 USC vs. #8 Washington (12:00 p.m. Eastern on BTN)
I flipped a coin and am going with Washington. Befitting a game between #8 and #9 seeds, there isn’t much to separate these two teams. Their series record is 39-38, with USC ahead because of their last meeting on 12/7, a USC win 59-50. It was a low scoring slugfest where both teams shot miserably, USC 38.3% and Washington 26.9%. An X-Factor is Washington’s junior Sayvia Sellers, a unanimous member of the All-Big Ten First Team. On Sunday’s one-point win over Oregon, she had 29 pts. and five assists.
#5 Ohio State vs. #13 Indiana (25 min. after USC v Washington on BTN)
Ohio St. for the win against a heroic Indiana. Ohio St. shot a blistering 56.3% from 3 pts. against Michigan St. Sunday (49.2% overall), trouncing them 87-68. The score was similar when Ohio St. and Indiana last played 1/22, with Ohio St. winning 81-67. Indiana shot well, with 56.4% FG (64.7% 3 pt.). But Ohio St. played great defense, turning Indiana over 36 times and getting 34 points off the turnovers. They also limited them to only 39 shots.
#7 Michigan State vs. #10 Illinois (6:30 p.m. Eastern on BTN)
I’m predicting an upset win by Illinois. And no, there are actually good reasons why Michigan St. will take the loss other than this site being “GBMWolverine.” OK, I have only one good reason. Illinois’s one-two punch of freshman Destiny Jackson and sophomore Berry Wallace had 21 and 22 points and were particularly efficient in doing so, Jackson going 5-8 from the floor and 11-13 from the line, while Wallace was 8-17 and 5-5. The two will replicate last night’s performance.
#6 Maryland vs. #11 Oregon (25 min. after Michigan St. v Illinois game on BTN)
Maryland to win this one. They won six of their last seven season wins, bouncing back from a four-loss mid-season stumble. Interestingly, their final loss of the aforementioned stumble was to Oregon, 68-61 at home. Junior Oluchi Okananwa, who was named First Team All-Big Ten, leads the way for Maryland in scoring. She is also an excellent defender, being named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team. She should be able to contain Oregon’s sophomore Katie Fiso, who had 20 pts last night. Her team Ehis Etute had 16 too, but she’ll face tough defender Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu.