March 18, 2015
Mel Evans/AP
Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell will be pressured by VCU's "havoc" defense.
If you’re an NBA snob that doesn’t quite understand the popularity of college basketball, the NCAA Tournament obviously isn’t for you. You probably won’t enjoy the overall product, believing the teams to be overcoached and players not talented enough to warrant your eyeballs. If that is indeed the case, I understand where you’re coming from, even if I don’t necessarily agree anymore. I’ve certainly fallen smack dab into that category at different points of my life.
Even though it might not come naturally, if you’re an NBA snob that doubles as a Sixers diehard, you owe it to yourself to watch the tourney.
Think of high-level college basketball as AA baseball, and Jahlil Okafor, Karl-Anthony Towns, and D’Angelo Russell as Aaron Nola, J.P. Crawford, and Maikel Franco. Actually, scratch that. Think of those players as Kris Bryant, Byron Buxton, and Carlos Correa, the type players in minor league baseball that the Keith Law’s of the world salivate over. When June rolls around, the Sixers will have the opportunity to land one of those guys. Here are most of the games you might want to pay attention to when flipping channels on Thursday and Friday:
Virginia Commonwealth vs. Ohio State (Thursday at 4:40 on TNT): This matchup makes for a great stylistic clash. Think of Shaka Smart as the Jim Johnson of college hoops, a coach that is well known for continually bring defensive pressure on every play. His team is going to press, press, press like crazy and try to speed D'Angelo Russell up. The Rams’ “havoc” defense is always a tough day at the office for opponents’ lead ball-handlers, but like all-out blitzing defenses, there are easy baskets to be had if the offense executes. How does Russell handle the pressure?
Butler vs. Texas (Thursday at 2:45 on CBS): Butler is the sixth seed because they’re well coached, and Texas is on the eleven line because they’re not. The Longhorns have a distinct size advantage up front, and a player like Myles Turner (potential Heat pick target) should be able to simply out-talent the Bulldogs with his length and skill level. They key word is “should” there, because again, Myles Turner is coached by Rick Barnes, who is the great equalizer. I expect this game to come down to the wire.
SMU vs. UCLA (Thursday at 3:10 on truTV): UCLA probably shouldn’t have gotten into the tourney, but Kevon Looney is a real talent. The 6’9” freshman forward (potential Heat pick target) is a major talent. He can shoot 3s, rebound, and affect the game in a lot of different ways. As UCLA’s 20-13 record would indicate, he hasn’t consistently made a major impact. As we saw over the weekend in Hartford, Larry Brown has a formidable frontline that will pose a major challenge for him. I’d imagine that NBA scouts weren’t necessarily crying over Temple and Colorado State’s snub when they saw this game revealed.
Duke vs. North Florida/Robert Morris (Friday at 7:10 on CBS): If you’re a fan of Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow playing well and collecting highlights, this game should be right up your alley. If you’re a fan of top prospects facing a legitimate challenge, it might not be your cup of tea. When watching YouTube highlights of these players around draft time, this matchup could be featured heavily. It might be best to watch the first 15 minutes and wait for the weekend to focus on the Dukies.
Kentucky vs. Hampton (Thursday at 9:40 on CBS): Pretty much everything said about the game above applies to this one, except replace the names with Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Devin Booker. The Hampton coach tried to literally call Jesus when asked yesterday about his odds in this matchup, but he didn’t pick up. I bet he’s more of a texting guy anyway.
Providence vs. Dayton/Boise State (Friday at 9:57 on truTV): Instead of airing an “Impractical Jokers” re-run, truTV will have Kris Dunn on its airwaves late on Friday night. If the Sixers decide to go big at the top of the draft and the Miami pick conveys this year, keep an eye out for the lightning-quick Dunn. His playing style reminds me a little bit of John Wall.
Notre Dame vs. Northeastern (Thursday at 12:15 on CBS): It would be pretty sweet to watch Jerian Grant throw alley-oops to his younger brother next year.
Arizona vs. Texas Southern (Thursday at 2:10 on TNT): This game should be a romp, but can you imagine if the Lakers’ pick fell to six and the Sixers were able to scoop up Stanley Johnson? That scenario would be incredible. If only Jeremy Lin didn’t use up all of his ability to close games during a one-month stretch in 2012. Deep down in my provincial heart, I would also love to see Chester’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson start his NBA career in Philly.
Kansas vs. New Mexico State (Friday at 12:15 on CBS): Another probable blowout, but Kelly Oubre looks very much like a lottery pick. He might not be the athletic Kansas wing that Sixers fans want, but he could be the one they deserve.
Wisconsin vs. Coastal Carolina (Friday at 9:20 on TBS): Of all the potential lottery picks, Frank the Tank Kaminsky probably has the least to gain from the tournament. The sharp-shooting center was the best player in college hoops this year by a wide margin, but he’s also about to turn 22 years old and isn’t a great athlete. What I’m trying to say is that we already have a pretty good idea of what he is as a player, which might be good enough for a late lottery pick. Sam Dekker is also an interesting prospect for the Buzzcuts.
