N.C.A.A. Tournament Live: Updates From Indiana and Texas
March 22, 2021, 11:52 a.m. ET
The matchup between No. 7 Oregon and No. 2 Iowa will be interesting in part because Oregon advanced directly to the second round after its opponent, Virginia Commonwealth, had to withdraw from the tournament because of multiple positive coronavirus tests.
The Ducks have not played in 10 days and of course, that leaves some questions as to how ready they will be. On the flip side, they should be well rested since their last game, a Pac-12 tournament semifinal loss to Oregon State. In the mean time, Iowa warmed up in the first round as it coasted past No. 15 Grand Canyon.
The Hawkeyes are led by one of the best players in the country, Luka Garza, who had 24 points and 6 rebounds against Grand Canyon. He is the anchor of Iowa’s offensive success and will be crucial against Oregon. The Ducks are a well-rounded team, with five players averaging at least 10 points per game.
Iowa and Oregon are both offense heavy teams, so expect this one to be a shootout.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/22/sports/march-madness/