There’s nothing more difficult than predicting a March Madness matchup between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds.
Historically, it’s a matchup where you really don’t know how it will turn out. The No. 8 seed has a slightly better winning percentage at 51.3%, but the No. 9 seed has gone 5-3 over the past two seasons.
While the No. 1 seed is no longer the undisputed power it once was, at least one of the No. 8 or No. 9 seeds tends to have a chance to advance to the Sweet 16.
Last year, Florida Atlantic University (FAU) made it to the Final Four despite being the 9th seed. Will the University of Nebraska or Texas A&M be able to repeat FAU’s success this year? It won’t be easy. However, in any case, the first step to achieving that goal is to win a direct showdown between the two universities, which is expected to be a close battle.
The University of Nebraska (23-10, 12-8 conference) is led by head coach Fred Hoiberg. The coach, nicknamed “The Mayor” after his success at Iowa State University, wants Nebraska to be a constant threat in March Madness. Leading the attack is Japanese superstar Keio Tominaga. He should play a key role in the first round.
Meanwhile, head coach Buzz Williams is at the helm of Texas A&M (20-14, 9-9 conference). The university emphasizes rebounding and hustle plays. The driving forces behind the offense are Wade Taylor IV and Tyrese Radford.
There are some interesting off-court episodes in the matchup between these two teams. The University of Nebraska’s athletic director recently resigned to take the same position at Texas A&M.
Will the University of Nebraska be able to avenge their revenge and get their first win in the NCAA Tournament? Or will Texas A&M pull off a minor upset? “Sporting News” analyzes this.
Nebraska vs. Texas A&M odds
The University of Nebraska has never won in March Madness. However, BetMGM’s odds are that the University of Nebraska has a slight advantage. The match will be held on March 23rd at 7:50 a.m. Japan time. The event will take place at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.
University of Nebraska
The University of Nebraska has one clear mission as it heads into this NCAA Tournament. It was the first March Madness victory in the school’s history. They have an 0-7 record and have only appeared in the NCAA Tournament once since 2000. In 2014, they were seeded No. 11 and lost to No. 6 Baylor University.
However, this year’s University of Nebraska is a threatening group. They are a well-balanced team, especially strong from the perimeter. Of the six players who average more than 20 minutes per game, four have a 3-point shot success rate of over 36.4%. Their average of 26.4 3-point attempts per game is tied for 26th out of 362 Division I teams.
As long as Tominaga and Bryce Williams’ 3-pointers are strong, Nebraska will be seen as a force to be reckoned with. They’re averaging 88.3 points per game in the final three games of the season, and their offense is on a roll at the perfect time to look for their first March Madness win.
The University of Nebraska is not without fragility. They lost to the University of Illinois in the Big Ten Conference Tournament semifinals and are 4-7 against Quad 1 opponents.
But they have won seven of the last nine games of the season. Additionally, Hoiberg has the experience of making Iowa State a contender for the NCAA Tournament. It may shed the stigma of being the only school in a power conference that has never won the NCAA Tournament.
- NET ranking:33
- KenPom ranking:28
- Quad 1 results:4 wins and 7 losses
- Quad 2 results:5 wins and 3 losses
- Quad 3 results:7 wins and 0 losses
- Quad 4 results:7 wins and 0 losses
- Offensive efficiency ranking:36
- Defensive efficiency ranking:30
main player
- Keio Tominaga (G): Average 14.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists
- Bryce Williams (G): Averages 13.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals.
- Link Mast (F): Averages 12.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists.
- Juwan Gary (F): Averages 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals.
- CJ Wilcher (G): Averages 7.9 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M is an interesting opponent for Nebraska. Both have had success with their attacks, but in different ways.
While Nebraska relies on strong 3-pointers, Texas A&M is different. His 3-point success rate is 28.4%, which ranks 344th in the nation. That doesn’t mean they’ll stop hitting 3-pointers. His average of 24.2 attempts per game ranks 78th in the nation. However, Taylor IV, the team’s top scorer, and Radford do more damage inside.
How can they create a high-quality attack without an efficient 3-pointer? Texas A&M leads the nation in average rebounds (42.7) and offensive rebounds (17.3) per game. Texas A&M is the only other school to average more than 14.5 offensive rebounds per game.
By increasing possession with offensive rebounds, Texas A&M can turn missed shots into points. Although his shot percentage is down, he ranks 31st in offensive efficiency according to KenPom. He will be a difficult opponent for teams that have trouble rebounding and height.
However, Texas A&M has been inconsistent this season. That could hurt them in the NCAA Tournament as well. Before losing to the University of Florida in the Southeastern Conference semifinals, they had won five straight, including a game against the University of Kentucky, but before that they had lost five straight.
However, Williams is a coach with plenty of postseason experience. He could help the team gain momentum at the right time.
- NET ranking: 45
- KenPom Ranking: 44
- Quad 1 results:7 wins and 7 losses
- Quad 2 results:6 wins and 3 losses
- Quad 3 results:2 wins and 4 losses
- Quad 4 results:5 wins and 0 losses
- Offensive efficiency ranking:31
- Defensive efficiency ranking:57
main player
- Wade Taylor IV (G): Averages 18.9 points, 4.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 steals.
- Tyrese Radford (G): Averages 16.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists.
- Henry Coleman III (F): Averages 8.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists.
- Solomon Washington (F): Averages 7.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.0 blocks.
- Jace Carter (G): Averages 6.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists.
Nebraska vs. Texas A&M predictions
The matchup between the University of Nebraska and Texas A&M is sure to be one of the most intriguing games in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It will be a matchup between two teams with different styles, with the former relying on 3-pointers and the latter emphasizing scoring from second chances and creating open shots.
Still, the University of Nebraska still has an advantage. He also has the size to limit Texas A&M’s rebounding success. The 6-foot-10-inch Mast is a strong rebounder, averaging 7.6 rebounds. It may take away offensive rebound opportunities from Texas A&M, which tries to pick up rebounds in groups.
And 3-pointers will be a big advantage for Nebraska. Barring a slump, they should easily outperform Texas A&M in 3-pointers. Considering Tominaga and Williams’ recent shot shooting, Nebraska’s 3-point line should be solid unless there are some postseason tensions.
That’s not to say Texas A&M can’t beat Nebraska. However, Texas A&M will have less room for error. Especially if Nebraska’s Mast and Gary (6.2 rebounds average) are good enough in the rebound battle.
That’s probably why the University of Nebraska is the top seed. And that’s also why he has a slight advantage in this matchup.
原文：Nebraska or Texas A&M? How to pick 8 vs. 9 matchup in 2024 March Madness bracket(abbreviated translation)
Translation: Miai Bando
2024-03-19 10:08:11
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