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Arizona vs. Arkansas bold predictions for March Madness Sweet 16 clash appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
March Madness cranks up the intensity dial this weekend as the Sweet 16 is here. The nation soon will see if Arizona basketball or Arkansas basketball are Final Four material. Arizona has a distraction hovering above, however.
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Hubert Davis needs a replacement for North Carolina. Tommy Lloyd rose as a name to watch. Lloyd’s resume in winning the Big 12 and delivering a No. 1 seed makes him an obvious appeal for Chapel Hill.
But we’ll get the first prediction out of the way: UNC will not distract Lloyd. He’ll game-plan against the Razorbacks.
Meanwhile, here are the other bold predictions before these powers clash in San Jose.
Arizona will limit Darius Acuff Jr.
Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Acuff is rising as a potential top overall pick come June in the NBA Draft. He’s averaging 23.3 points per game as the latest John Calipari sharpshooter. Acuff’s clutch shooting prevented a High Point upset on Saturday.
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Lloyd will create an aggressive plan for the Arkansas star.
He’ll likely employ a zone pressure look that allows his forwards and centers to guard him. That means Koa Peat guarding Acuff on multiple occasions. Even 7-foot-2 option and potential Arizona x-factor Motiejus Krivas will cross Acuff, especially down low.
Acuff still will get his touches. Lloyd, though, will force him into uncomfortable shooting scenarios. It also helps Lloyd knows his game well, as a past coach of his.
“Darius is a supreme talent, and he’s a great young man,” Lloyd said via Jason Scheer of Wildcat Authority. “Obviously, for those that don’t know, I was able to coach him in USA Basketball two summers ago. He was the MVP of our tournament.”
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Lloyd called Acuff “a serious guy” who doesn’t say much. But knows he’s a “supreme competitor.”
