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The Breakfast Buffet — March Madness Edition

Who’s hungry for college basketball?

Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, a daily column that can be found here every single morning getting you caught up to date on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.

Mangia!

Things To Sample

Arizona better be ready for a fight
Another team from Texas is ready to trade blows with the Wildcats. Just a few days after Arizona outlasted TCU in overtime, Houston — who reached the Final Four last season — awaits the Wildcats. Do not expect a beauty contest. The Cougars have grabbed 25 offensive rebounds in their first two NCAA Tournament games and are arguably the most physical team in the sport. The key to this game will be whether or not Houston can score enough to keep pace with Arizona. Tip off is at 9:59 PM ET on TBS.

Julian Strawther is in a funk
Which means that Gonzaga isn’t even close to reaching its apex. The Bulldogs’ fourth-leading scorer is only averaging 4.5 points in his first two NCAA Tournament games while shooting just 4-16 from the field and 0-9 from three-point range. On the season, Strawther is averaging 11.8 points while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range. This guy is clearly not playing as well as he’s capable of playing. It’s amazing that Gonzaga averaged 87.5 points in its first two NCAA Tournament without Strawther playing anywhere near his ability.

Coach K and Mark Adams took two different paths to the Sweet 16
Mike Krzyzewski will coach in his 26th Sweet 16 tonight in San Francisco. Mark Adams will coach in his first. When Krzyzewski led Duke to the Final Four for the first time under his watch in 1986, Adams was the head coach of Wayland Baptist University (NAIA). Nevertheless, the two coaches will meet head-to-head tonight at the Chase Center with a berth in the Elite Eight on the line. Tip off for this game is at 9:39 PM ET on CBS.

Villanova’s recent NCAA Tournament success is incredible
Everyone knows that the Wildcats won a pair of national titles in 2016 and 2018, but their overall body of work in recent years in the NCAA Tournament is equally as impressive. In the last six NCAA Tournaments, Villanova is a combined 18-3. This includes back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16, which resumes tonight against Michigan in San Antonio (7:29 PM ET, TBS). The Wildcats have advanced to the Sweet 16 in four of the last six NCAA Tournaments.

Miami’s ball security has been elite in the NCAA Tournament
This is one of the benefits of operating with a small ball lineup. In two NCAA Tournament games, the Hurricanes currently have a combined 32 assists to just seven turnovers. They only had four turnovers against Auburn in the Round of 32 and just three against USC in the Round of 64. Miami is also shooting an impressive 77.5 percent from the free throw line in the NCAA Tournament. More guards on the floor equals a higher level of effectiveness in these two statistical categories.

Leftovers