March Madness 2014 Bracket: Latest Odds and Predictions for Sweet 16

Donald WoodMar 24, 2014

The excitement leading into the March Madness bracket was through the roof, and the 2014 NCAA men’s basketball tournament has lived up to the lofty expectations set for the postseason event.

With the first three rounds of competition completed, the field has been narrowed down to the Sweet 16. Thursday and Friday will feature eight exciting games that will determine which eight programs will advance to the next round.

Here is all the vital bracket information, the full Sweet 16 schedule and the most intriguing matchup for this round of action.

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Date	Regional Semifinals	Time (ET)	TV	Odds	Predicted Winner
Thu, March 27	(11) Dayton vs. (10) Stanford	7:15 p.m.	CBS	Stanford -2.5	Stanford
Thu, March 27	(6) Baylor vs. (2) Wisconsin	7:47 p.m.	TBS	Wisconsin -3.5	Baylor
Thu, March 27	(4) UCLA vs. (1) Florida	9:45 p.m.	CBS	Florida -5	Florida
Thu, March 27	(4) San Diego State vs. (1) Arizona	10:17 p.m.	TBS	Arizona -6	Arizona
Fri, March 28	(11) Tennessee vs. (2) Michigan	7:15 p.m.	CBS	Michigan -1.5	Tennessee
Fri, March 28	(7) Connecticut vs. (3) Iowa State	7:27 p.m.	TBS	Iowa State -1	Iowa State
Fri, March 28	(8) Kentucky vs. (4) Louisville	9:45 p.m.	CBS	Louisville -5	Louisville
Fri, March 28	(4) Michigan State vs. (1) Virginia	9:57 p.m.	TBS	Michigan State -2.5	Michigan State

Most Intriguing Sweet 16 Matchup: No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 4 Michigan State

The final and most intriguing game of the Sweet 16 will be Friday’s matchup between the No. 1 seed Virginia Cavaliers (30-6, 16-2 ACC) taking on the No. 4 seed Michigan State Spartans (28-8, 12-6 Big Ten).

Virginia comes into this game as one of the best teams in the nation defensively, but it will face its toughest test of the season against a Michigan State program that has momentum on its side.

Gregory Kelser of Fox Sports Detroit understands the kind of matchup that is on the horizon:

As well as the Cavaliers defend, the team has struggled to put up offensive numbers consistently, averaging just 65.8 points per game and ranking 295th in the nation in that category. No matter how you slice it, those numbers are atrocious.

Not only are the Spartans the more dangerous offensive unit (averaging 76.2 points per game), but the team is also one of the most efficient programs, ranking 31st in the country with a field-goal percentage of .474.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo spoke to Gillian Van Stratt of MLive.com after the team’s hard-fought victory over Harvard in the third round:

"
You know what we did late, we executed. We ran that play for Harris. Trav executed a couple plays. I learned that they dug back down, that they could take a blow and get back on their feet. I was happy for them.
"

Virginia will not alter its game plan too much for the Spartans. With Michigan State boasting an offensive unit that moves the ball well and attacks the glass with ferocity, though, the Cavaliers must be ready to make adjustments as the game progresses.

Izzo is no stranger to the Sweet 16, and the veteran coach will have his boys prepared to throw different sets and offensive attacks at the less-experienced Virginia team. If the Spartans can shake the Cavaliers’ confidence early, Izzo will put the program in a position to achieve victory.

This Sweet 16 battle will be one of the best all tournament.

Predicted Final Score: Michigan State 76, Virginia 70

*Stats via ESPN.com.

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