Cover photo taken from The Sun.
Welcome to the Madness. The NCAA Tournament is finally back in its full glory in 2022, and if you’re not more excited than ever, you’re just lying. Last year was certainly fun, but the tournament was a shell of its usual self, with virtually no fans and a bubble in Indianapolis from start till finish. Now, March Madness is back to full strength with a plethora of different locations, and fans filling the stands all across the country. This promises to be a glorious few weeks in college basketball. To preview the tournament, I’ll be breaking down the 2022 bracket region by region. This is the preview of the East: a region with some of the biggest brands in the sport, with potential late-round games that can captivate the country.
Meet the 1 Seed: 
Baylor Bears
The defending champions are back with a vengeance and geared up for a potential repeat. Head coach Scott Drew continues to work miracles in Waco, further establishing Baylor as a perennial power in college basketball. It was a bit of a bumpy season, with injuries running rampant during the conference schedule and derailing the Bears for a few weeks. But, by season’s end, Baylor proved themselves as a team more than deserving of a 1 seed. This year’s squad is similar to last year’s title-winning team in the sense that they pride themselves on elite defense on the perimeter and inside alongside impeccable guard play. Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell may be gone, but James Akinjo, a transfer from Arizona, and 2021 champ Adam Flagler headline a more than capable backcourt. LJ Cryer is another key piece of the backcourt, but he has been dealing with a foot injury since January that could keep him on the sidelines for this tournament. The frontcourt is still dominant as well, led by forward Flo Thamba, but a season-ending injury to Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua has seriously hurt Baylor on that part of the floor. This has led to some rough losses, most recently in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinal against Oklahoma, who didn’t even make the NCAA Tournament. Still, this team paints one of basketball’s most gorgeous paintings when their guards are clicking on offense, and they’re just as suffocating defensively as last year’s championship team. They certainly have what it takes to run it back and cut down the nets once again.
Meet the Sleeper: 
#4 UCLA Bruins
Honorable Mentions: #8 North Carolina Tar Heels, #11 Virginia Tech Hokies
I know what you’re thinking. How can UCLA, the most successful program in the history of the sport, and a team that went to the Final Four last year be a sleeper? Well, everyone sort of just… stopped talking about them. The Bruins had all the hype in the world coming into this season after last year’s Cinderella run to the Final Four as an 11 seed and First Four team. But between some losses, injuries, and a COVID pause that lasted over a month, UCLA fell through the cracks of college basketball, especially with the emergence of Arizona in the PAC-12. But this is a team that can do real damage in this tournament, and I know this because I’ve seen it. UCLA returned all five starters from last year’s team, and although injuries have shaken them up all season long, they are healthy and hot right now, which is a winning combination in March. Guard Johnny Juzang still gets all the hype and the love, as he should, but other guards like Tyger Campbell, Jules Bernard, and Jaime Jaquez have been lights out to help UCLA reach this point. This team has the experience and the star power to make a deep run, and I truly believe that they’ll do just that. Between that and their favorable draw, UCLA seems geared up to wrap up some unfinished business.
Upset Waiting to Happen: #11 Virginia Tech over #6 Texas
Honorable Mentions: #12 Indiana over #5 Saint Mary’s, #10 San Francisco over #7 Murray State
In case you haven’t been paying attention, perhaps the hottest team in college basketball resides in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Hokies were a fringe bubble team heading into last week’s ACC Tournament, and all they did was run the table with vastly impressive wins over fellow NCAA Tournament teams in UNC, Notre Dame, and Duke to win the tournament title. Mike Young’s team of scrappy transfers features one of the hottest offenses you’ll see that can shoot from the perimeter and have their way inside. Players like Justyn Mutts, Hunter Cattoor, Darius Maddox, and Keve Aluma are remarkably dangerous when they’re clicking, and the Hokies can beat anyone in that circumstance. They can especially beat a Texas team that has underachieved all season long. Chris Beard’s team entered this season as a national title contender, and they haven’t lived up to that hype for a second. They treaded water all season long in the Big 12 and were bounced out of the conference tournament early. This immensely talented team simply refuses to live up to their potential, and I can think of no more poetic way for this disappointing season to end than with a first round exit.
Best Potential Games: #1 Baylor vs. #4 UCLA, #2 Kentucky vs. #3 Purdue
Honorable Mentions: #1 Baylor vs. #2 Kentucky, #2 Kentucky vs. #4 UCLA
Let’s just say that the second weekend in this region is going to be an absolute blast. Just look at the names! Baylor, the defending champs and 1 seed. Kentucky and UCLA are two blue bloods and some of the most successful programs in history. Purdue boasts one of the nation’s most talented rosters and always seems to make noise in March. Let’s have some fun.
A potential Baylor-UCLA Sweet 16 game would be a delight. It easily could have been last year’s title game matchup, if it weren’t for a certain Jalen Suggs shot. Both of these teams thrive off their guard play, and with some of the biggest names in the sport at those positions, this could be one of the most star-studded matchups of the tournament. I’d have to roll with UCLA in this one, simply because my gut tells me to. I love what they have with their experience, and I really want to see this team make a deep run after last year.
Kentucky-Purdue would be a different story. Instead of a clash of guards, the primary focus in this game would be on the frontcourt, with Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky going up against Trevion Williams and Zach Edey of Purdue. That’s not to say the little guys won’t get some spotlight as well, namely Purdue’s Jaden Ivey and Kentucky’s TyTy Washington. Simply put, this is a matchup with superstars all over the floor that would be a treat for us all to watch. I’d pick Kentucky in this game due to their dominance down low with Tshiebwe, and I have the utmost faith in them to go much further than just the Elite 8.
My Pick for New Orleans: 
#2 Kentucky Wildcats
Honorable Mentions: #3 Purdue Boilermakers, #4 UCLA Bruins
It’s no surprise that Kentucky is back in the spotlight at the NCAA Tournament. After missing last year’s dance entirely, the Wildcats are back with a furious vengeance. Head coach John Calipari is no stranger to insanely-talented rosters, and this is his best in several years. It all starts with forward Oscar Tshiebwe, a transfer from West Virginia who is perhaps the best player in college basketball. Tshiebwe averages 17 PPG and an unbelievable 15 RPG to go along with 2 SPG and 2 BPG. He is the heart of this team, and the single most dominant force in the sport. The Cats boast four other players who average double digits in scoring in TyTy Washington (13), Kellan Grady (12), Keion Brooks (11), and Sahvir Wheeler (10). Kentucky might just be college basketball’s most talented team with one of the best offenses in the nation, and I think that will carry them all the way to the Final Four. I just don’t think any other team in the East has what it takes to stop them. I like the Wildcats to beat UCLA in the Regional Final and get to New Orleans.
Full Round of 64 Picks:
#1 Baylor over #16 Norfolk State: A nice, easy way to start a title defense.
#8 North Carolina over #9 Marquette: The Tar Heels are honestly a spooky 8 seed. They have underachieved all season long, but if they get hot, then you’d better watch out. But when it comes to underachieving, look no further than Shaka Smart. Sorry, Golden Eagles.
#5 Saint Mary’s over #12 Indiana: The Hoosiers have had a hell of a run to get to this point. Led by star big man Trayce Jackson-Davis, their old-school basketball is immensely tough to beat. I think I’d pick Indiana against a more favorable opponent, but Saint Mary’s seemingly does what they do even better. Their elite defense should be enough to get them over the hump against a very good Indiana squad.
#4 UCLA over #13 Akron: Last year’s Final Four team from Westwood is ready to run it back with another deep run in 2022. They certainly have what it takes, and it starts here with what should be an easy win against a Zips team that admittedly made a nice run in the MAC Tournament to make the dance.
#11 Virginia Tech over #6 Texas: Against all odds, the hottest team in the nation in the last week might have been the Hokies. Mike Young and his group of transfers who followed him to Blacksburg ran the table in the ACC Tournament to leave no doubt and get to the dance. Now, they face a fledgling Texas team that has underachieved all season long. March seems to reward those who overachieve, and that’s all VT has been doing.
#3 Purdue over #14 Yale: The Boilermakers are the true wild card of this region. Boasting one of the nation’s most talented lineups, this team has what it takes to get to New Orleans. It just remains to be seen if they can live up to their potential. In any case, this matchup won’t be too much trouble for them.
#7 Murray State over #10 San Francisco: This is one of the more intriguing matchups of the first round between two of the best Mid-Majors all season long. The Racers boast a whopping 30 wins (tied for second-most in the nation), and the Dons have been a super fun team that proved their worth out of the WCC. This will be a fun one, but Murray State has simply been too dominant throughout the course of this season for me to pick against them.
#2 Kentucky over #15 Saint Peter’s: The Wildcats will get to the Final Four. It all starts here, in a game that might have the biggest point differential in the entire first round.
All stats taken from ESPN.
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