Todd Golden knows he has to prepare for Houston's aggressive perimeter defenders trying to take the ball out of Walter Clayton, Jr's hands whenever possible, and constant blitzing of ball-screens at the top of the key. How Clayton responds and involves fellow Gs Alijah Martin and Will Richard will be key, but this also goes back to the defensive end for the Gators, as off missed shots, the Cougar defense has less time to regroup. Meanwhile, Kelvin Sampson has to deal with Florida crashing the boards, especially after missed shots, as the Gators corralled 40% of the rebounds off their own misfires. In the end, we'd simply rather back the best team from the best conference. Play Florida on ML (NCAA at San Antonio)

Watch for the Blue Devils to do what Tennessee couldn't and play over the top of the Houston defense, with savvy vet components like Tyrese Proctor and ex-Tulane Sion James strong enough to handle the UH pressure. As the romp past the Tide reminded, there is also much more to Duke than Cooper Flagg, with fellow frosh Kon Knueppel (21 points) and the unflappable Proctor (17 points) leading the scoring assault vs. Bama. Scoring better than 92 ppg in the Dance thus far, Duke's offense is humming. No Blue Devils scoreline with a healthy Cooper Flagg in the lineup has fallen beneath 140 since a midseason 78-57 win over the Cal Bears. Play Duke-Houston Over (NCAA at San Antonio).

Remember that even a healthy Johni Broome wasn't enough for Auburn to beat Florida on Feb. 8, at home, no less, when the Tigers were running at their absolute peak this season and on a 14-game win streak. Many insiders also thought Auburn was there for the taking in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 if Michigan retained composure and MSU had converted several of the shots it normally hits. Still, like the first meeting, the Gators have the depth and especially the length to match up with Auburn as the case in that earlier 90-81 win, with their own big-play star in G Walter Clayton, Jr, whose 30 points helped save Florida in the Elite 8. Play Florida (NCAA at San Antonio).

Something compels about the Movin’ Mocs, three times rallying from halftime deficits in the NIT. The player of this tourney to date has been UTC’s G Trey Bonham, scoring at a 23 ppg pace and making big shot after big shot, while fellow ex-VMI transfer PG Honor Huff has played all but one minute in the NIT and has scored at a near 20 ppg clip the past ten games. The perfect complement has turned out to be bruising 6-6 ex-Bellarmine G Bash Wieland (14.1 ppg) and his ability to drive the ball into the paint, forcing foes to play Hoff and (especially) Bonham more carefully. The Mocs’ recent pattern also includes a 12-4 over mark. Play UTC-UCI Over (NIT at Indianapolis).

It was an over-fest at the Crown on Monday with all four games landing that way. True, it's a curious Cincy recommendation, ranking 26th nationally in scoring defense at 65.7 ppg, but scoreline patterns were consistent across Monday's games. The Bearcats, also haven't been hurt much by the portal with most of their weapons expected available, led by top scorer G Jizzie James. DePaul has had a few more casualties to the portal and could be minus up to 26 ppg of offense if all in the portal aren't allowed to suit, though the Blue Demons were a high-volume three-point shooting team hitting a school record 309, though defense remains a concern for Chris Holtmann. Play DePaul-Cincinnati Over (Crown at MGM Garden, Las Vegas).

ASU can thanks its membership in Crown so-organizer Big XII for being invited to this event in Vegas. The Sun Devils don't deserve a postseason bid after losing 11 of their last 12, as deterioration was rapid after top scorer G BJ Freeman was dismissed from the team in mid-February, and now G Joson Sonon (12 ppg) has hit the portal and inked with St. John's. Bobby Hurley supposedly has only seven scholarship players available on Monday. Nebraska looks one of the favorites, though Fred Hoiberg will be minus G Rollie Worster. Still, G Brice Williams (20 ppg) and F Juwan Gary (14 ppg) have chances to end their college careers on high notes. Play Nebraska (Crown at MGM Grand Garden, Las Vegas)

GW is generating some interest at the Crown. As 6-11 Rafael Castro will apparently be available, the Revolutionaries have perhaps the most-unique weapon in this event. Castro's 14.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 66.1% FG shooting confirm that he is a force around the basket, more so than perhaps anyone Boise has seen in the Mountain west aside from New Mexico's Nelly Junior Joseph. Chris Caputo's GW also ranked among the nation's defensive leaders for most of the season. While the Broncos were right on the Big Dance cut-line, Boise did not extend many margins on the road, inconsistent three-point shooting a factor. Leon Rice's team can advance, but maybe not easily. Play George Washington (Crown at MGM Grand Garden, Las Vegas).

Utah was on our go-against list since February and there's even less reason to back to Utes in the Crown. HC Craig Smith was dismissed before the end of a disappointing season and replaced by Dallas Mavericks assistant Alex Jensen, but in the short term there has been roster upheaval, with no fewer than seven Utes leaving the program via the portal, including starters Lawson Lovering and Jake Wahlin. Meanwhile, Thad Matta can salvage something from a disappointing Butler campaign. The Bulldogs mostly beat the Big East lesser sorts, and assuming F Jahmyl Telfort (16 ppg) and bruising wing Pierre Brooks II (15.2 ppg) make the post, Butler has an edge. Play Butler (Crown at MGM Grand Garden, Las Vegas).

Will taking care of MSU prove more tricky for Auburn than doing the same vs. Michigan on Friday? Maybe not, though Auburn had to rally from a 9-point deficit midway in the second half to outscore Michigan by 22 the rest of the way to win handily. Bruce Pearl called upon three scorers to hit for 20+ on Friday (when Johni Broome, Denver Jones, and Tahaad Pettiford all complied) suggests real explosive balance. Meanwhile, MSU was up against the wall on Friday vs. a slightly-lesser SEC entry (Ole Miss), and for all of the Tom Izzo accolades, he doesn't always win in March, as no coach has lost more games in the Big Dance the past 20 years. Play Auburn (NCAA at Atlanta)

Tennessee has never made it to the Final Four... time for that to change. Last year's trip to the Elite 8 matched as close as UT has ever gotten, but was running into Purdue and Zach Edey in the Elite 8. The Cougars don't have that sort of component, and considering their discomfort at Lucas Oil vs. Purdue on Friday, how they fare vs. a more-uncompromising UT remains to be seen. The Vols put the clamps on Kentucky in Friday's 78-65 cruise, and the savvy Ziegler-Lanier pairing in the backcourt isn't likely to be fazed by the Cougs after dealing with SEC heavyweights all season. Is this the year for Rick Barnes to get to the Final Four? Play Tennessee (NCAA at Indianapolis).

Houston hardly looked comfy with the depth perception at Lucas Oil on Friday, as shooting suffered and caused the Cougs to kick away a 10-point lead before a Milos Uzan bucket in the last second saved the Purdue win. UH still has the nation's best scoring defense (59 ppg) and slowing down Purdue's collection of bombardiers on Friday. Tennessee doesn't have shooters the caliber of Braden Smith or Fletcher Loyer so don't expect the Vols to bomb at will on Sunday. Tennessee, however, plays rugged defense, too, and took Kentucky out of its offense on Friday. UH needs to executes a lot better than it did vs. Purdue if it wants to solve this Rick Barnes defense. Play Tennessee-Houston Under (NCAA at Indianapolis).

No need to amplify on Duke and all-everything 6-9 frosh Cooper Flagg, who put 30 on Arizona Thursday night. But before coronating the Blue Devils, note their perimeter defense was shot full of holes by Arizona's Caleb Love, who scored 35, and Duke couldn't shake the dogged Wildcats down the stretch. gg). Experience, also gained from a Final Four trip last spring, and excess firepower are great advantages for any underdog like Bama. If the 3s are falling anywhere near as they did on Thursday (when hitting 25 of 51--sheesh!--vs BYU), the Tide, after surviving the rugged SEC, can get back to another Final Four. Play Alabama (NCAA at Newark)

There hasn't been such a long-range shooting display like Bama's on Thursday vs. BYU since Loyola-Marymount's memorable 1990 run to the Elite 8, when Paul Westhead's Lions hit for 21 triples in the second round vs. Michigan. The Tide had broken that LMU record for most 3s in a game with seven minutes still to play at the Rock! While BYU conducted a suicidal resolve by trying to run with the Tide and its nation's-best 91.4 ppg offense, Jon Scheyer might not have the same approach on Saturday, though the Blue Devils and their near 84 ppg offense never shy from a shootout, either. Still, it's not hard to get sucked in by the racehorse style that Bama prefers. Play Alabama-Duke Over (NCAA at Newark)

The Red Raiders rallied vs. Arkansas on Thursday but it wasn't an offensive clinic by any means. After inconsistencies in the first two rounds, TT was only 8 for 32 from deep vs. the Porkers, continuing erratic shooting. Meanwhile, we suspect the Gators got the yips out of their system in the second-round win over UConn, as all the cylinders were firing in Thursday's romp past a dangerous Maryland side. Attacking from all angles with six double-digits scorers on Thursday led by G Will Richard's 15 points, it was Florida at its best, and this nine-game win streak vs. Big Dance entries, scoring 86 or more eight times, suggests Florida is peaking at the right time. Play Florida (NCAA at San Francisco)

Blessed with shooting accuracy from deep but not great quickness, Matt Painter's main dagger-throwers Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith usually hold the key for Purdue. Loyer and Smith, however, were collectively neutralized on more than once this season, as quickness is not their forte, and we wonder about their abilities to get clear looks against a jarring Houston that has lead the country in scoring defense for much of the season (58.4 ppg). Here's the other difference with this Cougar edition compared to recent Kelvin Sampson versions that have slipped in the Dance; UH leads the nation in three-point accuracy (39.8%), after hitting around 34% from deep in recent seasons. Sampson's best chance to finally win it all? Play Houston (NCAA at Indianapolis)