Bet On NCAA Basketball: Mountain Hawks (15) vs Bears (3)
Who would have guessed that the Round of 32 matchup would be Lehigh vs. Xavier? If you had this matchup in your bracket then you have to be one in a million.
NCAA Tournament Matchup: Lehigh vs. Xavier
South Region
Location: Greensboro, NC
Time/TV: 7:40 PM EST on truTV
College Basketball Gambling Odds from Bovada
NCAA Basketball Betting Favorite: Xavier -3.5
Over/Under: 140
Lehigh stunned Duke on Friday night, while Xavier pulled off a mild upset over Notre Dame.
Which team will be the Cinderella double digit seed that reaches the Sweet Sixteen?
C.J. McCollum was one of the leading scorers in the nation this year, and he showed why Friday night. McCollum scored 30 points and played terrific defense on Duke’s talented guards. The Mountain Hawks weren’t in awe one bit, and their aggressive nature won them a lot of new fans.
Gabe Knutson was 5 for 5 from the floor and 6 of 7 from the free throw line for 17 points.
Mackey McKnight gives the team a second very good ball handler, which takes some pressure off McCollum. Lehigh played Michigan State and Iowa State tough on the road in non-conference action, so this team is no fluke. Lehigh averages 76.2 points per game. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The Xavier Musketeers seemed to struggle after their brawl with rival Cincinnati early this season, but they have put things together at the right time. Senior Tu Holloway is one of the most talented point guards in the nation. He averages 17 points and 5 assists per game.
On Friday he put up 25 points to led his team to victory. Mark Lyons is also a senior, and he is an underrated shooting guard who averages 15.3 points per game. Dezmine Wells is an ultra-talented freshman who shoots 40% from beyond the arc. Kenny Frease gives the Musketeers a solid 7’0 center in the post.
Xavier allows opponents to shoot just 40.1% from the floor.
It should be terrific watching McCollum and Holloway matchup against each other. Xavier is the bigger name, but I believe Lehigh has a legitimate chance here. A #15 seed has never reached the Sweet Sixteen.
I don’t know if they’ll do it or not, but I think it comes right down to the wire.
Free College Basketball Pick: Lehigh +3.5
