Here’s the Post’s guide to Saturday’s best NCAA Tournament games:
(5) Kentucky vs. (13) Buffalo
5:15 p.m., CBS
This was supposed to be the much-anticipated Kentucky-Arizona showdown, but the 13th-seeded Bulls had other ideas. Kentucky is filled with its usual group of stellar freshmen — Kevin Knox led the Wildcats with 25 points in the first round — while Buffalo’s experienced team routed No. 4 seed Arizona on Thursday night. If Kentucky can avoid the upset, it’ll be John Calipari’s seventh trip to the Sweet 16 since taking over in Lexington. Buffalo’s shocker against Arizona, on the other hand, was the first NCAA Tournament victory in school history.
(3) Tennessee vs. (11) Loyola-Chicago
6:10 p.m., TNT
It’s another SEC team against a Cinderella. Loyola-Chicago, playing with Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, a 98-year-old nun and the team chaplain, on the sideline, knocked off No. 6 Miami on a 3-pointer by Donte Ingram in the final seconds. The Ramblers will need more of that magic against the Vols, which dominated Wright State in the first round. Tennessee is led by Admiral Schofield, who posted a double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds) in the blowout.
(4) Gonzaga vs. (5) Ohio State
7:45 p.m., CBS
These two teams met back in November, and the Buckeyes are hoping for a very different outcome. Gonzaga rolled to a 86-59 blowout victory at the PK80 tournament, as forward Johnathan Williams led the way with 21 points. Williams is coming off a dominant performance in the first round, scoring 19 points with 13 rebounds against UNC Greensboro. Watch out for Ohio State’s Keita Bates-Diop, who torched South Dakota State for 24 points and 12 rebounds in Thursday’s win.
(3) Texas Tech vs. (6) Florida
8:40 p.m., TNT
Florida will be looking to keep alive the SEC’s hot streak — the conference started the tournament 5-0 — against an upstart Texas Tech that came out of nowhere this year to surprise in the Big 12. The Gators made a surprise run to the Elite Eight last year as a No. 4 seed behind guard Chris Chiozza, who paced Florida with eight points and 11 assists in their first-round victory against St. Bonaventure. Texas Tech, meanwhile, rallied from a halftime deficit against 14th-seeded Stephen F. Austin behind 23 points from Keenan Evans.
