Elite 8: Arizona vs UConn | Prediction & Pick

Arizona’s Williams topples Duke and sets sights on Huskies

The Arizona Wildcats pulled off the improbable, knocking off defending champs the Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet 16 and will now face a resurrected UConn Huskies team in the Regional Final at Anaheim on Saturday. It is the Wildcats first time to reach the Elite Eight since 2005.

vs.

#5 Arizona (30-7, 14-4 Pac-10) vs., #3 Connecticut (29-9, 9-9 Big East)

Date/Time: Saturday, March 26, 7:05 PM EST
Venue: Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
Broadcast: CBS

Money Line:  Arizona +140, Connecticut -160
Spread: Connecticut -3 ½
Over/Under: 145

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Arizona are the now they hottest commodity amongst the national championship contenders  and is likely to be the best a Pac-10 team in the tournament at least since UCLA’s Final Four streak in 2006-2008, and probably longer after walloping top-seeded Duke by 16. Down by six at the break, the ‘Cats outscored the Blue Devils 55-33 in the second half, earning their ticket to the Elite Eight. It was the best Pac-10 performance since Arizona won the national title in 1997.

Future NBA prospect Derrick Williams had his way with the Blue Devils, peeling off a career-high 32 points (11-17 FGM, 5-6 3PM) and 13 rebounds as he led his team to the 93-77 upset. It was the third game that Williams played a huge role. Williams became the first player with 30 points and 10 rebounds vs. a No. 1 seed since Carmelo Anthony against Texas in the 2003 Final Four.

As a team, they shot the ball extremely well from both the field (34-63, 54 percent) and 3-point range (9-15, 60 percent) to help survive solid outings from Duke’s Kyle Singler and Kyrie Irving, who had a team-high 28 points along with three assists. Arizona also won the battle of the boards by nine.

Meanwhile, the Huskies’ Kemba Waker tied a school record for most points in an NCAA tournament game with 36, and freshman swingman Jeremy Lamb tied a career-high with 24 points, as UConn toppled San Diego State 74-67. With the Huskies leading the Aztecs by one with just a minute and a half remaining, Lamb ripped off seven points to end the game. The dynamic duo carried Connecticut into the Elite Eight for the first time since 2009 after earning its first win in the Sweet 16 as the lower seed.

The Huskies shot 50 percent from 3-point range (8-16), marking the fifth time this season the team shot 50 percent or better from long range.

In the Elite 8, the ‘Cats will need to play solid defense and like their bout against Duke, grab the advantage on the boards early. As for UConn, they will need someone else other than Lamb to step up while finding a way to slow down Williams, which really seems like the impossible right now.

The odds makers have the UConn Huskies as a -3.5 point favorite with an over/under of 145.

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Matt’s Free Prediction: After Arizona’s impressive drubbing of Duke. I am on the Tucson bandwagon to Houston.

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