Preview and prediction for Clemson vs Arizona

The Clemson Tigers are one of those teams that may have gotten lost in the shuffle a little in this NCAA Tournament. Let's face it - the more glamorous teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference - Duke and North Carolina - are still in the field, but Clemson holds a win over the Tar Heels, and another over Alabama, who will also meet up in the West region.

Clemson has to get past the Arizona Wildcats to get into the Elite Eight, and that will; be a tall task. The game is set for 7:09 PM ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

In the NCAA Tournament betting odds posted on this game by the folks at BetOnline, the Wildcats are favored:

Arizona Wildcats -7 (-115)
Clemson Tigers +7 (-105)

Over 152 points -110
Under 152 points -110

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Let's be honest - Arizona is the team with more talent. Coaach Tommy Lloyd has been able to succesasfuly pick up the pieces after a recruiting scandal sullied the program, and 'Zona has unquestionably prepped itself to compete in te Big Dance with its roster of opponnets, both in an out of the conference.

Playing Duke, Wisconsin and Alabama, and winning, did alot for its credentials. And the Wildcats also tangled with Purdue, with dominant center Zach Edey, and Florida Atlentic, which made last year's Final Four.

This is a team that plavced in the top ten in KenPom's offensive AND defensive efficiency ratings. So don;t make any mistake about the fact that they can play. Can Caleb Love go out there and compete against a toiugh ACC opponent? Well, he was with North Carolina last season and was the Tar Heels' l;eading scorer.

Yes, he'll score some points. But maybe the key guy for the Wildcats in a game like this is Oumar Bello, the seven-footer, a Gonzaga transfer who originally hails from Mali, is th echief architct of Arizona's succss on teh boards, where they are ninth in derfensive rebounding and 19th on offense.

So obviously some of the questions revolve aroiund whether Clemson can bang with the 'Cats.

Well, they go 6-10, 6-10 and 6-8 across, and it's the 6-8 guy, Ian Schieffelin, who might be the most dangerous to Arizona's cause. He had a double-double (16 ppoints, 12 rebounds) when Clemson defeated New Mexico 77-56 in the opening round. PJ Hall and Chauncey Williams will help Clemson stand tall in the lane.

And Chase Hunter is the 6-4 fifth-year guard they look to as a first scoring option. In this tournament he had 21 against New Mexico and 20 against Baylor. And the othe half of that tandem is Joseph Girard, who has to be accounted for from long-range (41.4% triples) and is a blistering 95% from the line. That, by the way, leads the nation.

We don't know if this group of Tigers can duplicqate the feat of last year's Tigers (from Princeton) and knock the 'Cats out of the Big Dance. But they are a vioable dog, having covered eight of nine in that situation. We're going to take the points in this one.

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