What started as 68 teams making an appearance in “The Big Dance” has been whittled down to just eight remaining teams. Four of those teams will face off Saturday, with a trip to the Final Four in San Antonio on the line. Let’s take a look at these March Madness Elite Eight picks for Sunday, March 30th.
No Cinderella stories this season, as (3) Texas Tech, who plays Saturday, is the lowest seed still remaining. Sunday will tip off with the (1) Houston Cougars taking on the (2) Tennessee Volunteers. This one is set for 2:20 p.m. ET and will air on CBS. It’ll be followed by the (1) Auburn Tigers squaring off with the (2) Michigan State Spartans at 5:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
These teams all played their Sweet 16 matchups on Friday. Michigan State held on against Ole Miss to capture a 73-70 victory. Tennessee took care of fellow SEC opponent Kentucky 78-65. Auburn handled Michigan by a score of 78-65. It was a close one for the Cougars as Houston snuck away with a victory over Purdue 62-60.
March Madness Elite Eight Picks: Sunday, March 30th
Houston vs. (2) Tennessee 2:20 p.m.
Tennessee is looking for their first ever Final Four appearance, they made it this far last year but couldn’t get over the hump. Houston is no stranger to this position. They are back in the Elite Eight for the third time in the last five years. Both of these teams thrive off their defensive production, which is why the total sits at just 123.5. Houston ranks first in the country in points allowed (58), and Tennessee isn’t far behind with an eighth-place ranking, allowing just four more (62) points per game.
The Volunteers haven’t been underdogs very many times this season. Only three times have they been underdogs of 3.5 or more; they are 2-1 in those three games. Houston doesn’t take many threes, but they shoot at a high percentage when they do. Tennessee, however is the third best team in the nation in defending threes. On top of that, Houston is shooting just 48.5% from two-point range.
Houston is coming off a game that took all their effort and energy. In a quick turnaround, it’s always scary to play a team that just gave its full effort. Tennessee just breezed by Kentucky without hardly breaking a sweat. That’ll give the Volunteers another advantage. While it’s been a pretty chalky tournament thus far, I think Tennessee is a live dog here. Even if Houston wins the game, it’s likely to be a close one.
Pick: Tennessee +3.5 -110
Auburn vs. (2) Michigan State 5:05 p.m.
Auburn is the number one overall seed in the tournament after a stellar season in the loaded SEC conference It was well deserved. There was a lot of doubt around this team after struggling down the road in the regular season. They’ve put together an impressive run so far, through each tourney game, including beating Michigan Friday night. It wasn’t as easy as the final score made it seem, though. It took a 20-2 run by the Tigers after being down by nine.
Tom Izzo has said he’s had more talented teams, but this team just has that special March feel about it. They keep fighting, they keep moving on. Auburn is just 2-5 ATS in their last seven games, Michigan State is 10-2 over their last 12. This is another one where maybe the favorite pulls off the win, but we’re to the point in this tournament where it’s the best of the best. I think Sunday is the day of the dogs. Give me Sparty to keep it close and maybe keep my 22/1 championship future alive!
Pick: Michigan State +5.5 (-110)
