The 2022 NCAA tournament continues Friday with only 12 teams standing after Thursday’s Sweet 16 games and four more to be eliminated before we head to the Elite Eight event on Saturday and Sunday. The list of the four games is filled with stories and stars descending from the contestants to Cinderella.
Speaking of Cinderellas, the biggest still in the championship is No. 15 seed St. Peter kicking off Friday with a 7:09 p.m. ET tip on CBS against No. 3 seed Purdue. Peacock stormed the Sweet 16 center and captured the hearts of people everywhere, as they look forward to making history on Friday as the first 15th seed to win the Elite Eight berth.
The Underdogs will also finish the night with two double-digit seeds – Miami #10 and Iowa State #11 – to wrap up the evening against each other in the joint highest rankings of all Sweet 16 games this year. Between the two games will be Kansas Providence – the only game on the list with the top seed – and UCLA-North Carolina. These two games are combined for 20 NCAA Championships.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports for the remainder of the month for coverage of the NCAA Championship through to the end of the fourth round. Let’s take a look at our experts’ picks for Friday’s final round three matches.
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times are oriental
NCAA Championship: 16 Beautiful Picks
(3) Bordeaux vs. (15) Saint Peter
Friday, 7:09 pm | CBS, March Madness Live: Saint Peter’s was able to pick out Kentucky (as a double digit dog) and Murray State (as a roughly double digit dog) on the way to her first Sweet 16. Why not be able to cover this figure? The Purdue staff is a peacock rivalry problem, no doubt, and I expect the kettle makers to roll. But Cinderella’s story in the pageant showed that she had the ability to sustain this competition. Choose: St. Peter +12.5
diffusion |
SPU +12.5 |
PUR -12.5 | PUR -12.5 | SPU +12.5 | SPU +12.5 | PUR -12.5 |
straighten up |
PUR |
PUR | PUR | PUR | PUR | PUR |
(1) KS vs. (4) Providence
Friday, 7:29 pm | TBS, March Madness Live: You’re done choosing against Providence. It will never happen again. Ed Cooley is a magician who has his physical brethren as finely tuned as any remaining team on the field. This might not be a winning formula against a flex KU team that can win in different ways, but I think it’s a formula that can help them cover the points difference. Picking: Providence +7.5
diffusion |
Proof +7.5 |
Proof +7.5 | was -7.5 | Proof +7.5 | Proof +7.5 | Proof +7.5 |
straighten up |
It was |
It was | It was | It was | It was | Proof |
(4) UCLA vs (8) North Carolina
Friday, 9:39 pm | CBS, March Madness Live: Jaime Jaques’ health looks less of a question mark than it did a few days ago – all indications he’ll be playing – which makes me feel comfortable putting the two points together with the Bruins. Their skill and experience in the backcourt is a defining advantage, and I expect Mick Cronin to have some sort of answer to slowing Brady Mannick, who has been on a rip-off all along in this tournament. Choose: UCLA-2
diffusion |
UCLA-2 |
UNC +2 | UCLA-2 | UCLA-2 | UCLA-2 | UCLA-2 |
straighten up |
University of California |
UNC | University of California | University of California | University of California | University of California |
(10) Miami (Florida) vs. (11) Iowa
Friday, 9:59 PM | TBS, March Madness Live: Jim Larranaga’s Miami is old, experienced and strutting just in time thanks to the hot Isaiah Wong tournament and the steady hands of Kam McGusty and Charlie Moore. I’m just going to take the team with the best vets and put the points with the Hurricanes. Choose: Miami -2.5
diffusion |
MIA -2.5 |
MIA -2.5 | MIA -2.5 | MIA -2.5 | MIA -2.5 | MIA -2.5 |
straighten up |
MIA |
MIA | MIA | MIA | MIA | MIA |
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