No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 9 TCU preview, picks for second round of 2022 NCAA Tournament

A trip to the regional semifinal in the South region will be on the line tonight as the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats will battle the No. 9 TCU Horned Frogs at Viejas Arena in San Diego.

The game will tip off at 9:40 p.m. ET on TBS. Arizona enters as a 9.5-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook.

No. 1 Arizona: 32-3 (18-2 Pac-12):

First round result: Defeated No. 16 Wright State 87-70
KenPom rating: 4 Overall, 7 Offense, 20 Defense
NET ranking: 6, (12-5 VS Quad 1)
Leading scorer: Bennedict Mathurin (17.4 ppg)
Key stat: Six of Arizona’s last eight wins have come by double digits.

The No. 1 Wildcats handled business like expected in Friday’s 17-point victory over Wright State. Arizona never trailed for a single second in a contest where it was never in danger. It held the Raiders to just 34.7% and won the rebounding battle by a significant 46-25 margin. Bennedict Mathurin provided 18 points and five rebounds while Christian Koloko followed with 17 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and five blocks.

‘Zona will have to take advantage of TCU having one of the highest offensive turnover rates in the country.

No. 9 TCU: 21-12 (8-10 Big 12):

First round result: Defeated No. 8 Seton Hall 69-42
KenPom rating: 28 Overall, 76 Offense, 15 Defense
NET ranking: 44, (8-8 VS Quad 1)
Leading scorer: Mike Miles (15.2 ppg)
Key stat: TCU is 2-5 against Top 10 KenPom teams this season.

After the first 10 minutes of Friday’s game, TCU took off on Seton Hall and had the Pirates running on a treadmill offensively. The Horned Frogs dominated their first round foe on the boards and held them to just under 29% shooting for the evening. Mike Miles once again led TCU in scoring with 21 points and Damion Baugh backed him up with 14 points, six assists, and five rebounds.

TCU comes in as the best offensive rebounding team in the nation and will have to find a way to get the edge on the boards against Arizona.

Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook

Point spread: Arizona -9.5
Point total: 144
Moneyline: Arizona -475, TCU +350

The Pick

Against The Spread Pick: TCU +9.5
Point total pick: Over 144
Pick to Win: Arizona

Arizona has a significant height advantage over TCU and that will take away the Horned Frogs’ ability to crash the offensive glass. Mike Miles and company will make things uncomfortable for ‘Zona for a chunk of the game, allowing them to cover. However, the No. 1 Wildcats should be able to walk out of San Diego with the victory and move on to next weekend.

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