Pick Eight: Saturday's second round

What we learned Friday — the ACC needs better coaches.

Wake Forest and Florida State had way too much talent to lose in the first round. The Deacs and Noles were two of my six losses on Friday.

All of my big upsets (or potential second-round upsets) started Spring Break on Friday. Once again The Ohio State makes me play the fool.

Only eight games today but still three ACC teams to over-value. If you have any sense (as reader JPD Ohio pointed out on Thursday), go the other way.

First round: 24-8.

On with the games:

Note: All games are on CBS (Time Warner Cable carries all the games on 1051, 1052, 1053 and 1054.)

GREENSBORO

LSU (8) vs. UNC (1)
Time: 5:45
Regional: South

LSU has every angle to beat UNC — a high-scoring guard (Marcus Thornton), a solid post defender (Chris Johnson) and a coach with tournament experience (Trent Johnson) — but I can't go against the location or UNC's experience. With or without Ty Lawson, who I can't believe won't at least attempt to play, the Heels find a way to win and partially redeem the ACC. Pick: UNC

Texas (7) vs. Duke (2)
Time: 8:15
Regional: East

If Texas had Kevin Durant or D.J. Augustin, both would be juniors, we could have a different conversation but this Texas group is not as athletic as the previous incarnations and its soft zone is ripe for Duke's 3-point shooting. Pick: Duke

KANSAS CITY

Maryland (10) vs. Memphis (2)
Time: 3:20
Regional: West

Wrong round to catch the Tigers, who were pushed by 15th-seeded Cal State-Northridge in the first round. Memphis coach John Calipari loves these matchups between his C-USA team and major conference opponents. No one has played the "us-vs.-the-big-boys" card better than Coach Cal. Memphis scorers Tyreke Evans and Shawn Taggart are due for a bounce-back game. Pick: Memphis

Michigan (10) vs. Oklahoma (2)
Time: 5:50
Regional: South

Morgan State body-slammed Oklahoma star Blake Griffin. Didn't work. Griffin, who will be the No. 1 pick in June's NBA Draft, still got his 28 and 13 despite the wrestling tactics of Morgan State's Ameer Ali. Michigan's 3-point shooting could make this close for a half but they have no answer for Griffin. Pick: Oklahoma

PORTLAND

Purdue (5) vs. Washington (4)
Time: 5:40
Regional: West

The Huskies beat Mississippi State, rather easily in the first round, without much production from their backcourt. Isaiah Thomas and Justin Dentmon, who carried the Huskies to the Pac-10 regular-season title, need to help big man Jon Brockman (10 and 14 against Mississippi State) to oust savvy Purdue. The location will help the Huskies. Pick: Washington

Western Kentucky (12) vs. Gonzaga (4)
Time: 8:10
Regional: South

Western Kentucky became the first double-digit seed to win in the first round in consecutive years. It helped that llinois was missing one of its best players. No such luck against the Zags, who looked strong in the second half against Akron. Pick: Gonzaga

PHILADELPHIA

UCLA (6) vs. Villanova (3)
Time: 1:05
Regional: East

Let me ask again: What did Villanova do to deserve two home games? The Cats needed the home-court advantage to rally against American. UCLA, which has had the benefit of home sites the past two years, gets a taste of its own medicine. Pick: Villanova

Texas A&M (9) vs. UConn (1)
Time: 3:35
Regional: West

The Aggies gave No.1-seeded UCLA everything they wanted in the second round last year (but lost on some interesting calls in Anaheim). Given their defensive ability and size, it wouldn't surprise me to see the Aggies push the Huskies, who waltzed through the first round. Pick: UConn