LSU or St. Bonventure? Picking Michigan’s potential Round 2 opponent in the 2021 March Madness bracket

We know, we know. You are looking at the 2021 NCAA tournament ground and you are wondering what I am going to do with these 9-8 matchups? Every year, those coin-flip games give people a lot of trouble when they fill their brackets and enter March Madness competitions and office pools.

This year, 9-8 games are no exception, and one of the more difficult ones to pick up is the St. Bonventure vs. LSU game. Both teams are polar opposites in their playing style, so whichever team will be able to execute their game plan will be the best that will possibly emerge with a win. But how do you know which one will happen?

St. Bonventure (16-4, 11-4 A-10) is coming off a great season that saw them play very well against the Atlantic 10 competition. However, do the LSU Tigers (18-9, 11-6 SEC) advance at the right time? And is the number 8 seed too low for them? This is certainly possible, and their offense can certainly keep pace with anyone in the field.

With this, here is all you need to know about the matchup between St. Bonavanture and LSU, including rankings, key players, season breakdowns and more:

Expert Bag Picture:
DeCourcy (Gonzaga) | Alcoholic (Illinois) | Fagan (Gonzaga) | Lutowski (Baylor)

LSU vs St Bonventure Odds

St. Bonventure vs. LSU 2021 will be the 20th overall game of the NCAA tournament and on Saturday afternoon as one of the first games of the day. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Is a minor favorite in LSU competition. Below is a description of their game, including betting odds, time, TV and venue.

• Odd: LSU (-1.5)
• Date: Saturday, March 20
• Time: 1:45 pm ET
• TV: TNT
• Arena: Simon Skjod Assembly Hall

St. Bonventure (16-4, 11-4 Atlantic 10)

Over the past decade, St. Bonavanture has become one of the most consistent teams in the Atlantic 10. He has made the NCAA Tournament three times since 2012 and became one of the best players in team history, Andrew Nicholson. A 2012 round draft pick of the Orlando Magic.

During the 2020–21 season, the St. Bonventure was one of the best teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference. He cruised to a 16–4 record of the year and No. 1 seed in the Atlantic 10 tournament. He won at least nine points in all three of his games in that tournament and set a 6–1 record in his final seven games. Their only loss was to Dayton by three points.

The Bonnies set a 2–0 record against VCU, the only A-10 team to make the tournament, and 1–1 against St. Louis, one of the first four teams to be off the tournament field this year. Thus, while they have no marquee wins, per se, they performed well against the highest level of competition they faced. This is why both net rankings and kenpom rankings show uptake on balanced bona fides.

• Net Ranking: 23
• KenPom Ranking: 25
• Quad 1 Record: 4-2
• Quad 2 Record: 3-1
• Quad 3 Record: 5-1
• Quad 4 Record: 4-0
• Aggressive efficiency ranking: 38th
• Defensive efficiency: 17th

key players

Kyle Lofton (6-3, 195-pound junior guard)
14.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.5 apg

Jarine Holmes (6-4, 215-pound junior guard)
13.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.0 apg

Jalan Advay (6-5, 210-pound redshirt junior guard)
12.3 PSP, 6.1 RPG, 1.5 APG

Dominic Welch (6-5, 200-pound junior guard)
11.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.2 apg

Osun Osuniyi (6-10, 220-pound junior forward)
10.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.4 apg

Field Construction:
WEST | East | South | MIDWEST

LSU (18-9, 11-6 SEC)

LSU was almost able to win the SEC tournament, but Alabama outscored them by one point. During his tournament run, he defeated No. 8-ranked Arkansas, 3-seed in March Madness, and Sporting News’ Bill Bender projected LSU to be the No. 5 seed in the tournament. Therefore, it is needless to say that they are inferior.

LSU had victories over 16th-ranked Tennessee and the said Arkansas Razorbacks, but 9–16 losses to Kentucky and St. Louis dropped them in the eyes of the committee. That and not one but non-conference schedule. LSU has a dynamic offense, although they rank fifth in offensive efficiency, and they will be blown away by experienced Bonnies and their solid defense.

• Net Ranking: 2.
• KenPom Ranking: 29
• Quad 1 Record: 5-8
• Quad 2 Record: 3-1
• Quad 3 Record: 6-0
• Quad 4 Record: 4-0
• Aggressive efficiency ranking: 5th
• Defensive efficiency: 125

key players

Cameron Thomas (6-4, 210-pound freshman guard)
22.6 PSP, 3.4 RPG, 1.4 APG

Trendon Watford (6-9, 240-pound soporum forward)
16.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.0 apg

Ja’onte Smart (6-4, 205-pound junior guard)
15.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.0 apg

Darius Days (6-7, 245-pound junior forward)
11.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 0.7 apg

André Hyatt (6-6, 225-pound Sampomore Guard)
3.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.3 apg

Bracket Tips: KenPom | Play the odds. Idiot guide

Lsu vs saint bonventure prediction

This matchup is going to be a clash of different genres. LSU is a fast-moving, high-octane offense that likes to shoot quickly and run the score. They are not great on defense and are 49th in pace, showing how quick they are to find substitutes on offense.

Meanwhile, the Bonnies operate at a much slower pace. Out of 347 teams, St. Bonavanture is ranked 329th this season. They hold on to the ball and look for the perfect shot. The veteran Laden squad, which primarily plays the juniors, is well-balanced and their defense is largely due to Osun Osuniani, a shot-blocking machine who averaged 2.9 per game last season, which It was the eighth-most tied in the NCAA.

Due to the clashing styles, the game will be about everyone who can control the pace. If the Bonnies can slow down the Tigers and knock them out of rhythm, they will have a chance to win it. Conversely, if LSU is capable of running their fast-paced offense, they can build a lead that could prove infallible for a St. Bonaventure team that averages 66.8 possessions per game.

It is also worth noting that none of these teams are particularly deep. St. Bonventure stick to the seven-man rotation, while LSU rely on four players to make the most of their scoring. He can cause some serious instability in the game, such that if a player in either team is out of rhythm, it can significantly hamper their intimidating ability.

History of 8 vs. 9 matchups in NCAA tournament

In true sense, throughout the NCAA tournament history, the 9 and 8 seed matchups have been relatively short. This is the largest coin-flip on any bracket, and is only one of the typical first-round matchups where the underdogs have an advantage over a higher-seeded team. No. The 9 seeds have a light edge of 72–68.

If you are looking at recent history, the No. 8 seed has a slight lead. He has set a record of 24–20 in the last 11 NCAA tournaments, but it is worth noting that the No. 9 seeds won in all 9–8 matchups last year.

For this game, LSU should probably be the favorite. He is underseated and his recent performance shows that his crime is firing on all cylinders. St. Bonventure may not be able to keep pace with LSU if their offense is hot – or even hot.

The breakdown of the win below has led to 9 seeds having enjoyed 8 seeds in the last 10 tournaments: