Who wins on Saturday to qualify for the Sweet 16?  Let’s take a look at how some of these matchups came to be, which may provide you with some potential ammo for your personal pointspread battles.

1. LSU vs. North Carolina:  LSU’s 75-71 win over Butler was fueled by superior athleticism.  The Tigers frontcourt scored 56 of their 75 points while the backcourt held the Bulldogs to 8-23 from behind the arc.  Obviously that athletic advantage doesn’t apply against UNC.  While Ty Lawson is a “gametime decision” according to Roy Williams, North Carolina media outlets suggest he’ll be playing, as does the double-digit pointspread.

2. Duke vs. Texas:  Duke allowed Binghamton to shoot 53%, but won 86-62 by dominating the free throw stripe (21-1) and rebounding (35-18).   That sort of inside edge is unlikely to be in effect against a Texas team that outrebounded Minnesota 40-29.

3. Texas A&M vs. Connecticut: The Aggies were a remarkable 24-35 on their 2-point field goal attempts as they dominated BYU 79-66.  The Aggies hit 10 straight shots in getting out to a 26-8 lead and they never looked back.  That level of 2-point proficiency won’t be possible against the Thabeet-lead UConn interior D.  The Huskies cakewalked over an outclassed group of Chattanooga Moccasins.

4. Oklahoma vs. Michigan: The Sooners faced no resistance against Morgan State, with Blake Griffin shooting 10-11 from the field and getting body slammed along the way. Michigan benefitted from horrid Clemson shooting.  Effective Wolverines D contributed to the Tigers 21-65 failure from the field, while 3-point marksman Oglesby went 1-8 before an ejection for throwing an elbow.  Clemson’s comeback fell 3-points short.  OU figures to control the glass, as Clemson outrebounded Michigan 40-28.  As always, the Wolverines will be dependent on their 3-point shooting.

5. Purdue vs. Washington.  Purdue jetted out to a 18-8 lead over Northern Iowa but Boilermakers 3-15 3-point shooting didn’t permit them to extend the lead.  Now Boilermakers go from taking on one of the most deliberate teams in the field to one of the most uptempo squads in Washington.  Huskies benefitted by drawing a Mississippi State club that won their 4th game in 4 days on Sunday and then had to travel cross country for the early Thursday tipoff. Line move from pick to Washington -1.5 likely influenced by bettors knowing that the Rose Garden in Portland is a site that favors the Huskies.

All the best to you in your battle against the Vegas and online sportsbooks this weekend.