Tag: Duke Blue Devils

2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: East Region

The East Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament is littered with sleepers and a plethora of potential upsets. Let’s break it down and preview how the East will play out.

Cover photo taken from Purdue Sports.

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 East: a region littered with sleepers and a plethora of potential upsets.

Meet the 1 Seed: Purdue Boilermakers

For the last several years, Purdue and heartbreak have been synonymous in March. If there’s any team that’s built to change that narrative, it’s this one. This is Matt Painter’s best team yet that has been at or near the top of college basketball all season long, finishing the year ranked 5th in NET, 6th in KenPom, and 7th in BPI. And the one true story of this team is Zach Edey. The 7-foot 4-inch 300-pound junior and National Player of the Year-to-be has dominated college basketball for five months and is showing no signs of slowing down. In every single Purdue game, he dominates the middle of the floor, creates space, and cannot be stopped offensively. If he does miss, then he’ll just grab his own board and put it in the net. It’s virtually impossible to attack the paint offensively when Edey stands there, so you better hope you can hit your shots against the Boilers defense. Edey is as dominant and unique as a talent as college basketball has ever seen. Averaging 22 points (sixth nationally), 13 rebounds (third nationally), and two blocks per game with 26 double doubles in 33 games, he is the heart and soul of this Purdue team, and they go as he goes. That’s not to say this team doesn’t have other options; guards Fletcher Loyer, Mason Gillis, and Braden Smith control the backcourt and provide plenty of good scoring and passing. But all eyes will be on #15 when the Boilers are on the floor. If their opponents can’t stop Zach Edey, then Purdue may finally reach their coveted Final Four for the first time since 1980. Unfortunately, they’re the 1 seed in one of the toughest regions imaginable with some incredibly difficult teams lying in wait.

Meet the Sleeper: #6 Kentucky Wildcats

Honorable Mentions: #5 Duke, #8 Memphis, #10 USC

I’m not sure if it’s ever appropriate to call a blue blood a “sleeper” but Kentucky has flown under the radar for months now, and they’re finally starting to get their act together. Though Vanderbilt of all teams was their Achilles heel down the stretch, the Wildcats finished the year winning five of their last seven games to rise up the seed line. While their defense hasn’t been as good as they would hope, the offense has been unstoppable, scoring 80+ points in four of their last five. The star of the show remains forward Oscar Tshiebwe, last year’s National Player of the Year, who remains a rebounding machine and a walking double double. Tshiebwe averages 16.5 points and 13.1 rebounds (to lead the nation) per game and has amassed 19 double doubles on the year. But the rest of the offense has plenty of capable pieces, namely Illinois State transfer Antonio Reeves, who scores over 14 points per game. There are also several key pieces from last year’s team which was upset in the first round by St. Peter’s: guards Cason Wallace and Sahvir Wallace as well as forward Jacob Toppin. I can imagine this Kentucky team wants to atone for their massive failure from last season, when they had title aspirations just to lose to a 15 seed. They haven’t lived up to the hype throughout the season, but they are starting to get hot. If they can stay hot in the tournament, then nobody in the entire field will want to see them. But one of their patented bad days will send them packing.

Upset “Waiting To Happen”: #13 Louisiana over #4 Tennessee

Honorable Mention: #10 USC over #7 Michigan State

I don’t see any first round upsets in this region, but if I had to pick one to happen, it would be this one. Tennessee lost their star guard Zakai Zeigler, an elite perimeter defender, to injury, and it has had clear detriments on a team that was already spiraling downwards as the season came to a close. The Vols are trending in the wrong direction after being so dominant for so long, finishing the year 4-6. Louisiana doesn’t have anything special going on, but their offense can hit threes and rebound with the best of them. If, and that’s a pretty massive if, they get some balls to bounce their way and cash in from distance and the free throw line, they might be able to beat Tennessee’s elite defense, which ranks second in KenPom. But like I said, I think that’s far too unlikely.

Best Potential Games: #1 Purdue vs. #2 Marquette, #5 Duke vs. #6 Kentucky

Honorable Mentions: #1 Purdue vs. #5 Duke, #2 Marquette vs. #6 Kentucky

Purdue and Marquette have the 9th and 7th ranked offensive efficiencies in the country according to KenPom, respectfully. Seeing these offenses square off would be a feast for the eyes. Each team also has one of the nation’s best players in Zach Edey and Tyler Kolek, although they both make their money in vastly different ways. It would be a fascinating display of different offensive styles between two teams and coaches that are desperate for a trip to the Final Four. It would be a wildly entertaining Regional Final, but unfortunately for both squads, I don’t trust them enough to see either one of them making it that far.

Do I really need to outline why I want to see Duke and Kentucky, two Champions Classic teams and two of the greatest programs on Earth, play each other in a Regional Final at Madison Square Garden? This matchup would be everything we could hope for as college hoops fans. Both the Blue Devils and Wildcats are entering the tournament playing some of their best ball, and they are both plenty capable of making deep runs on the backs of their elite talent and coaching. This is the Regional Final I’m predicting in this region, and while I’ve been wrestling with making a pick all week long, there is one team that I’m going to continue to back, no matter how many times they let me down.

My Pick For Houston: #6 Kentucky

Honorable Mentions: #5 Duke, #8 Memphis

I am ready to get hurt again. One year after picking the Wildcats to make the Final Four only to have them lose in the first round to a 15 seed, I am once again backing Coach Calipari and Kentucky. This might not be the most talented team that Cal has ever had in Lexington, but they have a certain feeling to them. If they get hot, they can run through the teams in this region. They’re going to be hungry and desperate to prove themselves and not only make up for the shortcomings of last year, but previous years. Kentucky hasn’t made a Final Four since 2014, when they lost the title game to Shabazz Napier and UConn as an 8 seed. Who’s to say they can’t make another run as a 6? I think they got a favorable draw with a possible breeze in the first weekend before two potential shootouts in the Regionals at MSG. All they need is their offense to operate at its typical level and their defense to step up ever so slightly and they can shock the world en route to Houston.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Purdue over #16 Fairleigh Dickinson: FDU, a 16, is the shortest team in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue, a 1, has Zach Edey. You picking up what I’m putting down?

#8 Memphis over #9 Florida Atlantic: This is one of the most enticing games of the first round. Each of these squads enters the tournament red hot, with Memphis coming off a win over Houston in the AAC title game and FAU having their way with the C-USA en route to a 31-win season. This is as close as an 8-9 gets, but I’m taking the Tigers and their superior talent and coaching. And this might not be the only game they win in this tournament. I think Memphis is the team seeded eighth or lower that has the best shot of making it to Houston.

#5 Duke over #12 Oral Roberts: The Golden Eagles are back in the tournament after their historic Sweet 16 run in 2021, and everyone is jumping on them to pull off an upset over Duke. I hate to break your hearts, but that is simply not happening. The Blue Devils are peaking at the right time, playing their best ball of the year when it matters most. They haven’t lost since February 11th and just ran through the ACC Tournament; they’re primed for a deep run. This one might not be remotely close.

#4 Tennessee over #13 Louisiana: The Vols not having Zakai Zeigler will doom them in this tournament, but not here. The Ragin’ Cajuns are a popular upset pick, but I just don’t see it. Not with the athleticism and level of play that Tennessee brings to the table. This will likely be their lone win in this tournament, but it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

#6 Kentucky over #11 Providence: Both of these offenses are absolute treats to watch. This should be a thrilling, high-scoring affair with a juicy storyline in the Bryce Hopkins revenge game for the Friars guard who transferred from Lexington. I’m obviously rolling with the Wildcats all the way to Houston, but this will be a very tough test for them against an offense that can go blow-for-blow with theirs. The Kentucky defense should be able to be the difference.

#3 Kansas State over #14 Montana State: They don’t make games more uninteresting than this one. K State’s defense will dominate from start to finish against perhaps the worst offense in the field of 68.

#7 Michigan State over #10 USC: This is a fantastic 7-10 matchup between two teams that are plenty capable of making some noise in this tournament. Neither have achieved what they wanted to this season, but both have high ceilings that could show in March. While I think the Trojans will have the best player on the floor in Boogie Ellis, I like Sparty more across the board. The experienced backcourt of Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard should be able to carry them to victory.

#2 Marquette over #15 Vermont: Despite this being a 2-15, the Catamounts won’t be a pushover. This is a great program that continues to dominate the America East and has become a mainstay in the NCAA Tournament. But they don’t have what it takes to handle the offense of the Golden Eagles, who have a lot to prove in this tournament under Shaka Smart.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2022 Final Four Preview and Predictions

The 2022 NCAA Tournament has produced perhaps the most decorated, blue bloodiest Final Four of all time. Let’s break it down and predict how things will go down this weekend in New Orleans.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

We started with 68 teams in the world’s most famous bracket, each with their own hopes and dreams of cutting down the nets in New Orleans. 64 games later, only four teams remain with those dreams still alive. Duke, North Carolina, Villanova, and Kansas have reached the Bayou to compose arguably the single most anticipated Final Four in the long, decorated history of the NCAA Tournament.

It’s rare to see a Final Four with each team having such a rich, deep history. We are in rarified air with three bonafide blue bloods in Duke, UNC, and Kansas, and Villanova has been one of the premier programs of this century, winning 2 of the previous 4 tournaments. It was a wild ride for each of these squads to get to the end of the road. Let’s see how these teams have reached the Final Four.

How Duke Got Here

This being Mike Krzyzewski’s final NCAA Tournament has kept all the eyes on the Blue Devils from the moment they arrived at the First Round. After making light work of CSU Fullerton, they once again ran into the Michigan State Spartans. Sparty gave them a run, but that’s when Duke established a theme that would continue throughout the rest of this run: impeccable late-game execution. Their best players simply went to work in the clutch to help the Devils emerge victorious. This was on display in the Sweet 16 against Texas Tech, where Duke shot 71% in the second half and didn’t miss a shot in the final 7 minutes to escape with a victory in one of the more hard fought, back-and-forth games of this tournament. The Regional Final against Arkansas was simply domination, as the stars shined bright once again to help get Duke to their first Final Four since 2015, where they won it all, and Coach K’s 13th overall (most all time). Those stars include forward Paolo Banchero, guards A.J. Griffin and Jeremy Roach, and center Mark Williams, all of which have had incredible individual moments and are proving themselves as potential first round picks in the NBA. When this team is playing their best ball, you can only pray you can stop them. It truly feels like Coach K is destined to go out on top, and only he is only two wins away from doing just that.

How North Carolina Got Here

The Tar Heels may be an 8 seed, but they sure don’t feel like one. Part of that could be that they are UNC, one of the most decorated and historic programs in the sport. But, it could also be that they are playing like anything but an 8 seed in this tournament. After a subpar regular season and a blowout loss to Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament, not many people gave the Heels a shot to do much in March. However, the formula was clear. The star-studded lineup had to play up to their potential, something that hadn’t been done much in the regular season. But, if they were able to play their best ball, they’d be damn near impossible to stop. That is just what happened in this tournament. After absolutely thrashing Marquette in the First Round, UNC knocked off the 1 seed in the East, the defending champion Baylor Bears, in an OT thriller to reach the Regionals. In the Sweet 16, they outlasted UCLA in a scintillating game that saw star guard Caleb Love take over in the second half. The last opponent standing between them and New Orleans was the Cinderella of all Cinderellas, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks, who they easily disposed of to reach their first Final Four since 2017, where the Heels cut down the nets. Love was a massive part of this run, but he’s not the only guy in Carolina blue making an impact. Fellow guard R.J. Davis has been an incredible complement in the backcourt, forward Brady Manek has been one of the premier scorers in this tournament, and forward Armando Bacot has been a machine, averaging 16.5 points and 15.8 rebounds per game in the tournament. The potential of this roster is finally being realized, and they are at their hottest at the perfect time. That has gotten them to New Orleans, and could potentially put them at the top of a ladder on Monday night.

How Villanova Got Here

Villanova has been the most successful college basketball program of the past 6 years. Without question. The Wildcats are 20-3 in the past six NCAA Tournaments, and this is their third trip to the Final Four in the past five tournaments (and their fourth in the last 13). They have won two of the last four national championships (2016 and 2018), and are more than capable of notching another. After a couple of “down” years, they are back to their standard, and it has been incredible to watch. Nova made light work of each of their first three opponents: Delaware, Ohio State, and Michigan. The Regional Final against Houston was the definition of a war, with both teams playing incredible defense and struggling mightily with shooting. In the end, Villanova made more shots, and that punched their ticket to New Orleans. Unfortunately, it came at a cost. Star forward Justin Moore tore his achilles in that game, and will obviously be out in the Final Four. It’s a massive loss, but that doesn’t mean this team is completely doomed. They are still one of the best teams in the country, led by guard Collin Gillespie, who has been one of the best players in the country all year long, and has continued that level of play in this tournament. Forward Jermaine Samuels has also been huge in this run, and he’ll need to step it up big time if Villanova is to advance to the title game. I think this team has what it takes, but they have a very steep mountain to climb with their opponent, who just so happens to be quite a familiar one.

How Kansas Got Here

The lone 1 seed in New Orleans is no stranger to Final Fours. The Jayhawks are here for the 16th time in their 50th tournament appearance. Going this far in 32% of tournaments you play in is absolutely staggering. This is Kansas’ first trip to the Final Four since 2018, where they lost to the same team they play tonight. But, this is a seemingly better team than that one, and this squad has a great chance to bring a title home to Lawrence for the first time in 14 years. It started with your run-of-the-mill destruction of a 16 seed against Texas Southern in the First Round. The Jayhawks were challenged a bit by Creighton in the Second Round, but toughed it out in the end. They then held off Providence in the Sweet 16, and used a volcanic eruption of a second half to get past Miami in the Regional Final to get to NOLA. Kansas has played like a true 1 seed, and have erased any and all doubt that may have lingered. Thanks to a star-studded lineup with guys like guards Ochai Agbaji, Remy Martin, Christian Braun and a frontcourt with David McCormack and Jalen Wilson, the Jayhawks look like one of the most unstoppable teams in basketball. They are primed to win another title, and I think they have what it takes to do just that.

Saturday night features two matchups that feel larger than life. It’s going to be quite the spectacle. It’s going to be amazing basketball. Let’s pick the 2022 Final Four.

Kansas over Villanova

Saturday, 6:09 PM EST, TBS

The last time both Kansas and Villanova made the Final Four was 2018, where they played each other. The Wildcats dominated that game, winning 95-79, and would go on to win the title two nights later. Now, they’re both here again. But things feel a bit different this time. As I said before, this is a better Kansas team than 2018, and it feels like the best one in a very long time. They have the talent and the experience from top to bottom, and they have executed their winning formula to perfection throughout this tournament. While Villanova is still as strong as ever, the injury to Justin Moore makes it nearly impossible to pick them in this game. If he was playing, then I very well could have picked the Wildcats in this game. He is one of the key cogs in their machine, and without him, I don’t know if they can beat a team as great as the Jayhawks are. Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels will have to step up in a big way, and while I think they are both capable of putting up huge numbers, it will just be too much to overcome. This will be a close game for a while, but the depth and pure excellence of Kansas on both sides of the floor will put them over the top. Look for Ochai Agbaji to have a huge game en route to the Jayhawks’ first title game appearance since 2008.

Duke over North Carolina

Saturday, 8:49 PM EST, TBS

Duke and North Carolina make up arguably the greatest rivalry on Earth. The two schools have met 256 times over the last 102 years, creating history by giving us countless memories and fielding some of the greatest players of all time. On Saturday night in New Orleans, they will meet for the first time ever in the NCAA Tournament. At the Final Four. In Mike Krzyzewski’s final season. Not to mention that this is a rubber match after Duke dominated the first matchup in Chapel Hill on February 5th, then Carolina spoiled Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor stadium on March 5th. I know you guys have heard the storylines a billion times, but they’re so seismic that they must be repeated. To have a matchup like this in a spot like this just seems cosmic. It is divine intervention. It’s honestly overshadowing the fact that this is a phenomenal basketball game on paper. Both of the first two games were sizable wins for each team, so it only makes sense that this rubber match is a close game. Both of these teams have been playing their best basketball in this tournament, but one of them has to go home. And matchups like Mark Williams vs. Armando Bacot or Jeremy Roach vs. Caleb Love make this must-see TV, even if you disregard the two teams playing. I’d be better off leaving this pick to a coin flip, but I’m picking Duke for two reasons. The first of which has some merit, whereas the second really doesn’t. My first reason for picking the Devils is the fact that I think they are the more talented team (just barely), and that can put them over the top when the going gets tough, as it has all tournament long. I do love Carolina’s roster, and they are arguably even hotter than Duke is right now, but I think they can get a bit erratic in the clutch (see: the Baylor game), and it’s just a bit hard to put my faith in them for that reason. The second reason is just that it feels written in the stars that Coach K is going to end his career with winning his sixth national championship. Sometimes, you’ve got to throw your hands in the air and surrender to destiny, and I’ve done that with this Duke team. I’d be elated if I am proven wrong. Regardless, this is arguably the biggest game in the history of the Final Four, and I cannot wait to watch history unfold on Saturday night in New Orleans.

So, I think it’ll be Duke vs. Kansas for the National Championship on Monday night. In terms of picking that game, I’d probably roll with destiny and Duke, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. I can’t wait to watch this historic Final Four, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I know I will.

All stats taken from ESPN.