Tag: illinois

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: South Region

The South Region of the 2022 NCAA Tournament features all sorts of big names and an abundance of star power. Let’s break it down and preview how the South will play out.

Cover photo taken from The Athletic.

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 South: a region with an abundance of star power and my personal pick to cut down the nets in New Orleans.

Meet the 1 Seed: Arizona Wildcats

This year’s Arizona team is an incredible story. After the turmoil of the last few years with Sean Miller’s departure and an FBI investigation, former long-time Gonzaga assistant Tommy Lloyd took this program over and restored them to their usual glory in just one year. The Wildcats won the most games in college basketball with 31 and dominated the PAC-12 all season long, including a championship in the conference tournament en route to their first 1 seed since 2014. This is a deep, remarkably talented team led by guard Bennedict Mathurin, who is one of my favorite players to watch. Mathurin averages 17/6/3/1 on 46% shooting, and has quickly become one of college basketball’s premier guards and a potential NBA lottery pick. But it’s not just him that makes this team so special. Other key contributors include center Christian Koloko, the National Most Improved Player of the Year, forward Azuolas Tubelis, and guard Kerr Kriisa. Kriisa injured his ankle in the PAC-12 Tournament and could be limited during this tournament, which is something to watch. But, Zona seemed to be just fine without him in those games, and I think that can easily continue in the dance. This is a dominant team on both ends of the floor, playing picturesque offense and shutting down even the best of offenses. They are destined for a deep run and have a fantastic chance of reaching their first Final Four since 2001. It’s safe to say that Arizona basketball is back.

Meet the Sleeper: #7 Ohio State Buckeyes

Honorable Mentions: #5 Houston Cougars, #9 TCU Horned Frogs

In my eyes, there are only two possible outcomes for the Buckeyes in this tournament. They will either lose in the first round, or make a run to at least the second weekend. That has been their nature all season long. Ohio State has huge wins over teams like Duke, Seton Hall, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan State. But, they have also lost to vastly inferior competition, most recently teams like Maryland, Nebraska, and Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament. There’s no doubt that this team is as dangerous as any when they play their best basketball, but a combination of injuries and general inconsistency makes it so that we rarely see the Bucks at their best. With much of both still lingering, it’s going to be feast or famine in this tournament for Ohio State. If they feast, then this team is capable of getting all the way to at least the second weekend, and maybe even the Final Four. It just remains to be seen if they can live up to that potential.

Upset Waiting to Happen: #12 UAB over #5 Houston

Honorable Mentions: #11 Michigan over #6 Colorado State, #13 Chattanooga over #4 Illinois, #10 Loyola Chicago over #7 Ohio State

On paper, Houston is one of the best teams in the country. They have some of the best stats and metrics of any team in college basketball. The Cougars rank 2nd in BPI, 3rd in NET, and 4th in KenPom. This is seemingly just as good of a team as last year’s Final Four squad. But, there is a reason they are a 5 seed. The AAC was remarkably weak this season, and Houston feasted on vastly inferior competition all year long. They also struggled against fellow tournament teams, losing to Wisconsin, Alabama, and Memphis twice. There’s no doubt that Houston is an elite team at their best, but they are much more vulnerable than they might seem. Enter the Blazers of UAB. This is a ridiculously fun team that ran the table in the C-USA Tournament to reach the big dance, and I think they have what it takes to pull off the quintessential 12-5 upset. Led by Jordan “Jelly” Walker, a 20 PPG scorer, the Blazers play top-tier offense, and aren’t so bad on the other side of the ball either. If they can successfully speed things up on the floor, getting Houston off their game, and hit perimeter shots, then I really like UAB’s chance of kicking off a potential Cinderella run. It will be a tall task against one of the nation’s best defenses, but I’ve seen crazier things in March.

Best Potential Games: #1 Arizona vs. #4 Illinois, #1 Arizona vs. #2 Villanova

Honorable Mentions: #1 Arizona vs. #9 TCU, #2 Villanova vs. #3 Tennessee

Illinois hasn’t lived up to their potential this year, a trend that seems to have started in last season’s NCAA Tournament. However, they still have one of college basketball’s most talented lineups, especially up front with their star center, Kofi Cockburn. Going up against an equally-talented Arizona roster in the Sweet 16 would be appointment television, especially with the battle of the big men in Cockburn vs. Zona’s Christian Koloko. This would be a phenomenal game between two historic basketball programs: just what March is all about. I’d have to roll with the Wildcats simply due to the utter inconsistency that the Illini have displayed all season long vs. Arizona’s year-long dominance.

Here’s a question for you. When the Wildcats face off against the Wildcats, who emerges victorious. Probably the Wildcats, right? All jokes aside, Arizona-Villanova would be a spectacular game for anyone who loves basketball. The guard play on display would be something special, with Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin facing off against Villanova’s Collin Gillespie. Other players like Kerr Kriisa of Arizona and Justin Moore of Villanova just add to the pageantry of this one. Again, I’d have to rock with Arizona to win this one. I truly believe they are the best team in the field.

My Pick for New Orleans: #1 Arizona

Honorable Mentions: #2 Villanova Wildcats, #3 Tennessee Volunteers

Arizona is not just my pick to win this region and make the Final Four. They are my pick to win the NCAA Tournament. They are the best basketball team I have seen this season. Gonzaga is close, but we see how that plays out every season. Bennedict Mathurin is ready to play his way into a household name, and Tommy Lloyd is ready to lead one of the most improbable title runs in history. I’ve got the Wildcats beating Tennessee in the Regional Final to get to New Orleans, where two more wins await them.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Arizona over #16 Wright State: Zona’s title run has to start somewhere.

#9 TCU over #8 Seton Hall: On their best day, the Pirates can beat some of the nation’s top teams. The problem? They don’t have many great days. TCU was a pest in the Big 12 all year long, and their size and athleticism will win them this game.

#12 UAB over #5 Houston: All of the metrics in the college basketball world absolutely adore the Cougars. Makes sense that a team full of seniors that just went to the Final Four gets so much love. For some reason, I just don’t see it. UAB is a super fun team led by guard Jordan “Jelly” Walker, that willed their way into the dance in last week’s C-USA tournament. Why not them?

#4 Illinois over #13 Chattanooga: The Mocs seem to be a trendy upset pick in this game, but I just don’t see it. Just imagine Kofi Cockburn going up against those guys, and your mind might change.

#6 Colorado State over #11 Michigan: The Rams have a budding star in David Roddy, one of college basketball’s best players. Stars usually tend to shine brightest in March. Moreover, the Wolverines should not have made the tournament. The fact that they got a bye is insulting. Luckily for us, their stay in the dance will be short and sweet. Let’s just hope Juwan Howard keeps his hands to himself.

#3 Tennessee over #14 Longwood: The SEC champion Vols are as hot as anyone in America right now, and are criminally under-seeded as a 3. Look for them to continue playing with a chip on their shoulder en route to a deep run.

#10 Loyola Chicago over #7 Ohio State: The Buckeyes are just so unlucky. Injuries have derailed them all year long, and they come into this tournament limping after a loss to Penn State in the Big Ten tournament. They have the star power to compete against anyone in this tournament, but with the way they stand, this pick just seems too plausible. The Ramblers love making noise in March, and I think that trend will continue on Friday afternoon.

#2 Villanova over #15 Delaware: This is Villanova’s best shot at a title since their last in 2018. This team is as deep and experienced as any, and that tends to work wonders in March. This will be the start of a potentially special run for the Wildcats.

All stats taken from ESPN.