Day 1 of the Elite 8 is down, but lucky for us there is still one more to go. I think today's games will both be exciting. There are great storylines attached to both of them. Check out today's Elite 8 game schedule and how to watch all the action. I threw in my predictions again.
Today's Schedule of Play & Channel Info (all times are CST):
1:20pm: Louisville vs. Michigan State State on CBS
4:05pm: Duke vs. Gonzaga on CBS
Other ways to watch*:
You can watch the games on your mobile device
Windows Store
You can also live stream HERE.
*Mobile and Streaming options require you to sign in with your television provider login.
My predictions for today's games:
Louisville vs. Michigan State: A dream coaching matchup with a place in the Final Four on the line. It doesn't get much better than that. I have no idea what to make of this game from a prediction standpoint. Plenty of reasons to pick either side but I will choose Louisville. I am basing my pick off of their body of work throughout the season. They have lost only once all season to a team that didn't end up in the tournament (Syracuse). While statistically they don't blow you away, they are a much better defensive team that Michigan State. Their turnover margin is better than Michigan State. The Spartans do rebound better and if they can force the Cardinals into bad shots they can win. I say Louisville by 6, but I am not completely sold on my pick.
Duke vs. Gonzaga: Or should I say David vs. Goliath. The kings of college basketball for over 2 decades take on everyone's favorite underdog. This is yet another great matchup in a bevy of great Elite 8 matchups. Statistically they are on equal footing almost across the board. I would tend to favor Duke statistically because their schedule has been much tougher. Gonzaga built up good stats playing weaker teams. I think the difference in this game will be whether the Blue Devils can lock down on defense. Gonzaga is the best shooting team in the nation at 52.2%. The question becomes if Duke can make it ugly, can Gonzaga rely on their defense to win them the game? I don't think they can. I say Duke by 8 in a really tight game.
