Tag: arkansas

2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: West Region

The West Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament features some of the sport’s biggest brands and brightest stars. Let’s break it down and preview how the West will play out.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

Welcome back to the Madness. The 2023 NCAA Tournament is upon us with 68 teams and 67 incredible games ahead to crown a champion. The 2022-23 college basketball season has been one of the most unique in recent memory, as the field appears to be as wide open as it has ever been. There isn’t necessarily a clear favorite in this tournament, so March Madness is sure to live up to its name in the coming weeks. To preview the tournament, I’ll be breaking down the 2023 bracket region by region. This is the preview of the West: a region with more big brands and star players than we could ever ask for.

Meet the 1 Seed: Kansas Jayhawks

The defending champions are back with a vengeance. Kansas continues to be one of the premier programs in the country with elite talent and impeccable coaching. A year after winning the national championship and losing stars like Ochai Agbaji to the NBA, they have reloaded and been one of the best teams in the nation from start to finish this season. Bill Self’s Jayhawks won the Big 12 regular season title, but got crushed in the tournament championship by Texas. Self was hospitalized for the tournament, but will be back for the NCAAs, so take that blowout with a grain of salt (although Texas is a great team). They finished the year ranked 7th in KenPom as well as 9th in both NET and BPI. Those may be low numbers for a 1 seed, but KU had to go through the toughest league in the sport, so they’re more than worthy of this 1 seed. They played a whopping 24 Quad 1 games and won 17 of them. They are battle-tested and they have proven that they can beat any team on any floor, no matter how good they are. The star of the show is forward Jalen Wilson, who returned to Lawrence after winning the championship last year and has only gotten better. Wilson is one of the nation’s leading scorers with more than 20 points per game in addition to grabbing 8 boards per game. Fellow returning player Dajuan Harris facilitates the offense to perfection with 6.2 assists per game, which ranks top 10 nationally, to go along with 10 points and two steals per game. Freshman guard Gradey Dick has emerged as one of the best scorers in basketball, averaging 14/5/2/1. There is cause for concern, as Kevin McCullar, one of the team’s key pieces, is dealing with injury problems and might not play in the tournament. McCullar is a do-it-all guard/forward who averages 11/7/2/2/1, and without him, the Jayhawks might not be able to handle the athletic teams that could stand in their way like Arkansas and UConn. But at their healthiest, Kansas is as good as they’ve ever been, and they are more than capable of being the sport’s first repeat champion since Florida 15 years ago.

Meet the Sleeper: #4 Connecticut Huskies

Honorable Mentions: #8 Arkansas, #12 VCU

UConn is obviously no stranger to the NCAA Tournament, but this might be their best opportunity for a deep run since their improbable championship in 2014. They might be the most under-seeded team in the field, getting a 4 despite being ranked 4th in KenPom, 6th in BPI, and 8th in NET. They started the year 14-0, including a double digit win over the tournament’s top seed in Alabama. They struggled a bit in the mighty difficult Big East, but the talent is abundant on this roster, and they got a nice draw for a potential Final Four push. Dan Hurley’s squad is led by big man Adama Sanogo, a monster in the paint who averages 17/7/1/1/1. Sanogo has helped this team be the best in the nation on the offensive glass, leading the country in offensive rebounds. The Huskies have patented great guard play with the sensational duo of Jordan Hawkins (16/4/1/1) and Tristen Newton (10/4/5/1): a perfect pairing of scoring and facilitation. Freshman forward Alex Karaban has also emerged as a key piece on both ends of the floor. This team’s offense is one of the hardest in the nation to slow down as they pick you apart all game long while producing plenty of second chance points, and their defense is extremely difficult to beat with its size and physicality. Any team in the field will have their hands full with UConn. Don’t let the seeding fool you; this is one of the best teams in this tournament, and they are more than capable of not only making a Final Four, but winning the whole thing.

Upset Waiting To Happen: #12 VCU over #5 Saint Mary’s

This is the only first round upset that I see happening in the West. VCU enters this tournament after capturing the A10 title with a 27-win season, including a 22-3 finish to the year. But they’re not getting as much love as other potential Cinderellas in the field. I’m here to tell you that you should absolutely be backing the Rams here. For the majority of the season, their defense was the strongsuit, but the offense lagged behind. Now, they’re peaking offensively at just the right time while the defense continues to be as pesky as it always is. Star guard Ace Baldwin Jr. has been one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball this year while simultaneously being the team’s leading scorer and assist man (top 10 nationally in assists with 5.9/game). The size and physicality also helps the defense, with Michigan transfer Brandon Johns, Jalen DeLoach, and Jamir Watkins stretching the floor and locking down the middle of the floor. Saint Mary’s plays a very similar style of ball; their own star guard Logan Johnson has been one of the better players in the country this season. They have an elite defense and a sneaky good offense. But the Gaels seem to have peaked earlier in the season. They ended their season getting absolutely waxed by Gonzaga in the WCC tournament championship, and their confidence is likely shaken by that. VCU has been red hot for months, and I think they can carry that momentum into this tournament and knock off Saint Mary’s for a classic 5-12 upset.

Best Potential Games: #2 UCLA vs. #3 Gonzaga, #1 Kansas vs. #2 UCLA

Honorable Mentions: #1 Kansas vs. #8 Arkansas, #1 Kansas vs. #4 UConn, #2 UCLA vs. #4 UConn

The South has the potential for several Goliath vs. Goliath clashes before we even reach the Regional Final. Each of the top four seeds have played in Final Fours in the past decade, and two of them have played for a national championship, including Kansas’ win last April.

Perhaps the most enticing of these matchups is the potential rematch between UCLA and Gonzaga. We all remember their thrilling classic in the 2021 Final Four which was capped off by Jalen Suggs hitting a half-court shot at the buzzer to send the Zags to the title game. To get this matchup again in a Regional Semifinal in Las Vegas would be an absolute delight. Even with the Bruins being shorthanded, seeing matchups like Tyger Campbell vs. Julian Strawther or Drew Timme vs. Adem Bona would be so much fun. I actually see this being one of the Regional Semis, with UCLA advancing to the Elite 8.

While I don’t think this will be the Regional Final, the appeal of Kansas-UCLA needs no explanation. They’re two blue bloods, two of the greatest programs in the history of collegiate athletics. They have been near the top of the polls for this entire season. They each feature All-American forwards in Jalen Wilson for the Jayhawks and Jaime Jaquez for the Bruins. This is a matchup that’s worthy of the pageantry of Los Angeles. If this does end up being the Elite 8 game in the West, I’d give a slight edge to UCLA, even though they’ll be without Jaylen Clark. This team just has an energy and level of play that truly inspires me.

My Pick For Houston: #2 UCLA

Honorable Mentions: #1 Kansas, #4 UConn

As I just said, I love this UCLA team. They’re probably my favorite team in the country to watch. They have players that are easy to root for, and Mick Cronin has done another tremendous job building a championship-contending team in Westwood. 26 of their 29 wins came on 14 and 12-game winning streaks, and although they didn’t win the Pac-12 tournament, I thought they were far and away the best team in the league from start to finish. They finished the year ranking 3rd in both NET and KenPom (including having the #1 defensive efficiency according to KenPom) while being 4th in BPI. First Team All-American Jaime Jaquez leads the way, doing it all with 17/8/2/1/1 averages. The heart and soul remains Tyger Campbell, who I would pick over any point guard in the world to lead my team. Campbell is second on the team in scoring with 13.6 points/game and leads the team with 4.7 assists/game. Freshman forward Adem Bona has emerged as a key piece down low, averaging 8 points and 5 boards per game. But the real differentiator for this Bruins squad was G/F Jaylen Clark, perhaps the best perimeter defender in the nation who averaged 13/6/2/3, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the final game of the regular season. With Clark, UCLA would’ve waltzed through the conference tournament, and perhaps this tournament as well. I would have rode them all the way to the national championship, but it’s much harder to put my faith in them now. Still, I think this Bruins team has the talent and the culture for another deep tournament run. The key piece will end up being David Singleton, who will start in place of the injured Clark. The senior guard has played the role of a spark-plug off the bench all year long. Now, he’ll need to carry his weight in the starting lineup. If they can consistently play at the top of their game, this team is destined for another Final Four run. It will be difficult in what I consider to be the toughest region in the tournament, but I’m not going to give up on this team now after months of rocking with them. I have UCLA beating UConn in the Regional Final in Las Vegas to get to Houston for a heavyweight clash with Texas before losing the national championship to Alabama.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Kansas over #16 Howard: The Bison are a great story, earning their first NCAA bid in 31 years, but title defenses don’t get off to an easier start than this for the Jayhawks.

#8 Arkansas over #9 Illinois: Eric Musselman’s ferocious Hogs always leave their mark in March. This is another physical group of guys that will impose their will on any basketball game they play. Illinois has been too underwhelming offensively to pick them to overcome the Razorbacks’ physicality on defense.

#12 VCU over #5 Saint Mary’s: Apropos of above. The Rams are the hottest team in the field that no one is talking about. The Gaels are a great team who had a great year, but I’m rolling with my former school to ride their defense and improving shooting to the upset.

#4 UConn over #13 Iona: Rick Pitino’s Gaels are a trendy upset pick, and for good reason. They have a geographical advantage and are one of the hottest teams in the field. But the Huskies are simply too dominant down low and imposing on defense to lose a game to a vastly inferior opponent.

#6 TCU over #11 Arizona State: It’s pretty hard to pick against the Sun Devils after their offensive explosion in the First Four, but they’ll be facing a much tougher test in the Horned Frogs’ elite defense. If TCU’s star guard Mike Miles is healthy, then they should be able to dominate on both ends of the floor. This is a team that made some splashes in the extremely tough Big 12, so I trust them to beat an Arizona State squad that treaded water in the Pac-12.

#3 Gonzaga over #14 GCU: The Zags are one of the most fascinating teams in the field of 68. For the first time in several years, haven’t had the spotlight shining on them throughout the season, and have almost flown under the radar en route to another WCC title. I think this team plays much better when the pressure isn’t on them, and they have virtually none on them in this tournament. They could be primed for a deep run, and it will start with a very easy win against the WAC champions.

#7 Northwestern over #10 Boise State: Northwestern has been one of the best stories of the season, with Big Ten Coach of the Year Chris Collins improbably leading the Wildcats to an impressive season led by a suffocating defense. Their offense is an extremely weak link, but I think that playing in the Big Ten has prepared them for the big stage. If nothing else, they are capable of winning this opening round matchup against an admittedly stingy Broncos squad.

#2 UCLA over #15 UNC Asheville: I have backed the Bruins all season long. This is perhaps my favorite team in the entire tournament, despite their recent injuries. I think they’re primed for another run to the Final Four, and it starts here.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2022 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: West Region

The West Region of the 2022 NCAA Tournament features some heavyweight programs and a plethora of storylines. Let’s break it down and preview how the West will play out.

Cover photo taken by Young Kwak, AP.

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 West: a region with endless stories and potentially larger-than-life matchups.

Meet the 1 Seed: Gonzaga Bulldogs

What head coach Mark Few has done and continues to do in Spokane is nothing short of miraculous. For the second consecutive year, Gonzaga is the #1 overall seed in the tournament. Moreover, this is their third consecutive 1 seed and fourth in the last five tournaments. In each of those tournaments, they have reached at least the Elite 8, with one loss in that round (2019) and two National Championship losses (2017 and 2021). The Zags continue to recruit and play at a blue blood level, and this program is here to say. This year’s bunch might be even better than last year’s team that was one game away from completing college basketball’s first undefeated season in over 40 years. It helps when you return a star in forward Drew Timme, who leads the team in scoring with 17.5 PPG to go along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game. The Zags also boast 2021’s #1 recruit and potential 2022 #1 NBA Draft selection in forward Chet Holmgren, a true unicorn of basketball. Holmgren stands at 7 feet, 190 pounds, and can do it all on the floor. From scoring inside and outside to passing or even getting boards and proceeding to run breaks, there truly isn’t anything that Chet can’t do. Averaging 14 PPG, 10 RPG, and 4 BPG, he is the differentiator of this Gonzaga team, but that doesn’t mean they only go as far as he goes. Other role players are plenty capable, including sharpshooter guard Julian Strawther, shifty PG Andrew Nembhard, and 3pt specialist Rasir Bolton. This team can beat you in a plethora of ways with a plethora of pieces, and they are not only the favorites to get to the Final Four in New Orleans, but also to cut down the nets once they get there.

Meet the Sleeper: #3 Texas Tech Red Raiders

Honorable Mention: #4 Arkansas Razorbacks, #10 Davidson Wildcats

I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to call a 3 seed a sleeper, but in a region where the 1 is Gonzaga and the 2 is Duke, maybe it is. I’ve been high on this TTU team all season long, simply because I love the style of basketball that they play. Mark Adams’ team grinds you down with an impeccable defense that is the best in the country according to KenPom. Their offense runs slow, but efficiently and effectively, using the full shot clock to find a good shot and nail it. Led by forward Bryson Williams (14 PPG) and guard Terrance Shannon Jr. (10.4 PPG), along with several other nice pieces in Davion Warren, Kevin McCullar, and Kevin Obanor (a transfer from last year’s Cinderella, Oral Roberts), the Red Raiders are one of the more balanced teams in the field. They have already shown us that their defense can get them to a Final Four in 2019 (in a region where they were the 3 and Gonzaga was the 1, funnily enough). Who’s to say it can’t happen again?

Upset Waiting to Happen: #10 Davidson over #7 Michigan State

Honorable Mention: #11 Notre Dame over #6 Alabama

I really like the Davidson Wildcats. They ran through the Atlantic 10 all season long, and although they couldn’t capture the A10 Tournament title, they left no doubt that they were the best team in the conference. This team scores a LOT of points, highlighted by fantastic guard play and perimeter dominance. Guard Foster Loyer leads the way with 16.3 PPG and nearly 45% 3pt shooting. This MSU team isn’t one of Tom Izzo’s finest groups. As resilient and tough as they are, they simply fail to rise to the occasion too often to inspire confidence in a tournament run. I think it ends before it can start for Sparty against a Davidson team that has flown under the radar for far too long.

Best Potential Games: #2 Duke vs. #7 Michigan State, #1 Gonzaga vs. #2 Duke

Honorable Mentions: #4 Arkansas vs. #5 UConn, #1 Gonzaga vs. #3 Texas Tech

The selection committee setting up a potential Mike Krzyzewski vs. Tom Izzo matchup in the Round of 32 had to be deliberate. What better way to end the first weekend of Coach K’s final tournament with Duke than with a contest with his longterm rival from East Lansing? It would be a great matchup on the surface and would certainly draw in the ratings, but I don’t think it’d be the best game on the court. Duke is substantially better than Michigan State, and they would be able to handle them with ease. But it’s safe to say we’ll all be tuning into that one, if both teams get there.

A potential Regional Final between Gonzaga and Duke would essentially be Goliath vs. Goliath. The Zags may have played the role of David in the past, but not anymore. These two teams met earlier in the season in Las Vegas, with the Blue Devils edging the Bulldogs to the tune of an 84-81 victory. I think things would go a bit differently a second time around. Duke’s starting lineup boasts 5 potential first round picks, and they have one of the highest ceilings in all of college basketball with all that talent. But, Gonzaga has been the vastly better team since that meeting in November, and seemingly nothing stands between them and the Final Four. Not even Coach K in what could be his final game of all time.

My Pick for New Orleans: #1 Gonzaga

Honorable Mentions: #2 Duke Blue Devils, #3 Texas Tech Red Raiders

It just makes a bit too much sense. Gonzaga is easily the best team in this region, with Duke being an underachieving group and Texas Tech, Arkansas, and UConn simply lacking the talent to slay Goliath. I’ve got the Zags over the Red Raiders in a slugfest in the Regional Final to get to the Final Four, where unfinished business awaits them.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Gonzaga over #16 Georgia State: A 16 will never beat a 1 again. I truly believe that.

#9 Memphis over #8 Boise State: This is as close to a coin flip as an 8/9 can get, but I’m rocking with Memphis and their athleticism, led by star big man Jalen Duren.

#5 UConn over #12 New Mexico State: The Huskies are a solid group led by a great PG in R.J. Cole and a star big man in Adama Sanogo. This shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for them.

#4 Arkansas over #13 Vermont: I love everything about the Razorbacks and their coach Eric Musselman. Their star guard play led by J.D. Notae and dominant presence down low with Jaylin Williams will guide them to victory over a trendy upset pick in the Catamounts.

#11 Notre Dame over #6 Alabama: After getting a spot in the play-in game, the Fighting Irish fought to the very end in a 2OT classic in Dayton against Rutgers to get a shot at Alabama. People may be worried about the fatigue following such a draining game, but I’ll be optimistic and look at the momentum that Notre Dame now has. The Tide are a talented team, but they’ve underachieved all season long. This just feels like a classic 11-6 upset in the making.

#3 Texas Tech over over #14 Montana State: The Red Raiders boast the best defense in the nation, and will suffocate any opponent in this field. Their first challenge shouldn’t be too difficult.

#10 Davidson over #7 Michigan State: Sparty enters the Madness with an above average resume in the gauntlet that was the Big Ten in 2022, but I’ve seen them fall flat too many times to pick them over a Davidson squad that has been consistent all year long. The Wildcats fell in the A10 title game against Richmond, but they were the league’s best team from start to finish, and I like their chances to pull off this upset.

#2 Duke over #15 Cal State Fullerton: Coach K’s final NCAA Tournament can’t be another one-and-done against a 14 or 15 seed… right?

All stats taken from ESPN.