Tag: indiana

2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: Midwest Region

The Midwest Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament features some great teams and plenty of potential madness. Let’s break it down and preview how the Midwest will play out.

Cover photo taken from the Houston Chronicle.

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 Midwest: perhaps the strangest, most unpredictable quadrant of the entire bracket.

Meet the 1 Seed: Houston Cougars

What Kelvin Sampson continues to do at Houston is simply remarkable. Houston has been one of the most formidable teams in the nation for several years in a row, making the second weekend in each of the last 3 NCAA Tournaments, including a Final Four in 2021. Now, he boasts his best team yet: one that has been on top of college basketball all season long. They sat in the #1 spot in the AP Poll for the majority of the season en route to being ranked first in BPI, NET, and KenPom and coming one game away from being the top overall seed in the tournament. This team utilizes so much of what made Houston squads of the past so strong: freak athleticism and ridiculous defense. The Cougars have both in bunches. Star guard Marcus Sasser, a First Team All-American, leads the way, averaging 17/3/3/2 and being an absolute pest on defense. Jamal Shead is his backcourt companion, who leads the team in assists and runs the offense to perfection. Forward J’Wan Roberts holds things down in the paint, averaging 10/8/1/1/1. But the player who has really helped separate Houston from the rest of the country this season has been star freshman forward Jarace Walker, a future lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. At 6’8 240, Walker is an absolute beast down low, averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds per game. Simply put, this is Coach Sampson’s best and most talented team in his time at Houston, which is really saying something. The teams of the past may have had their roads end in heartbreak, but this is a squad that feels destined to change the narrative. They deserve to be the favorites to win a fairytale hometown title.

Meet the Sleeper: #13 Kent State Golden Flashes

Honorable Mentions: #7 Texas A&M, #12 Drake

That’s right. The sleeper is the 13th-seeded team out of the MAC. And by all means, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. But this is March. Nothing makes sense! Kent State enters the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the field, having run the table in the MAC Tournament, including a win over heavily-favored Toledo, en route to a championship. Star guard Sincere Carry leads the way for this exciting offense that puts up nearly 80 points per game. They have all the makings of a Cinderella, relying heavily on their shooting and offensive play to simply outscore teams. But the real strength of this team is their defense, which ranks in the top 40 in efficiency according to KenPom. It’s a formula that nearly earned them road wins over Gonzaga, a 3 seed in the West, and Houston, the 1 seed in this region. In a quadrant of the bracket that looks ripe with upsets, the Golden Flashes are deservedly going to be one of the trendier picks. But don’t be afraid to pick them to win more than one game. They have proven that they have what it takes to do so.

Upset Waiting To Happen: #13 Kent State over #4 Indiana

Honorable Mentions: #12 Drake over #5 Miami, #10 Penn State over #7 Texas A&M

See above. Indiana certainly is the better team in this game, and the Hoosiers almost match up too well with the Golden Flashes. Kent State is pretty undersized while Indiana has one of the best big men in the sport in First Team All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis and are extremely well-balanced while Kent State is much better defensively than offensively. But like I said, this is March, a time when nothing makes sense. Honestly, Indiana hasn’t been very impressive down the stretch, and I think they’re over-seeded as a 4. But this would still be a shock for most people. The best upsets are the most unexpected ones, and this could very well be one of those upsets.

Best Potential Games: #2 Texas vs. #7 Texas A&M, #1 Houston vs. #2 Texas

Honorable Mentions: #2 Texas vs. #3 Xavier, #1 Houston vs. #5 Miami (FL)

On the surface, it doesn’t get much better than Texas vs. Texas A&M. Ever since the Aggies left for the SEC, we are never graced with this glorious rivalry. To get it in the second round of this tournament would be a delight. I think Texas is one of the best teams in the field, and I think TAMU is one of the most under-seeded teams in the field. This is a second weekend-caliber game just waiting to happen in the first weekend. Both teams are crazy athletic and extremely fun to watch. I would give the edge to the Longhorns, but I have no doubt that it would be air tight from wire-to-wire in an instant classic which we would be lucky to see so early in the tournament.

The appeal of a potential Houston vs. Texas Regional Final needs no explanation. In-state rivals battling for a chance to go back to the Lone Star State for a shot at the national championship? Sign me up. This game would be a peak display of athleticism and guard play. Marcus Sasser vs. Marcus Carr, Jarace Walker vs. Timmy Allen; the matchups are just too juicy. This is actually my prediction to be the Regional Final. As for who I think will win…

My Pick For Houston: #2 Texas

Honorable Mentions: #1 Houston, #3 Xavier

I love this Texas team. They are just so damn good. They have impressed me all season long. The Longhorns could have fallen apart after a world of controversy hit the program’s head coach Chris Beard, who was dismissed from the program amidst a domestic abuse scandal. Interim HC Rodney Terry has done an incredible job getting the program back on track, going 17-7 and leading the Horns to a Big 12 Tournament championship. They rank 5th in BPI, 6th in KenPom, and 7th in the NET, boasting one of the most-well balanced lineups in all of college basketball. Marcus Carr leads the way in the backcourt, leading the team in scoring (15.9 points/game), assists (4.1/game), and steals (1.8/game). Tyrese Hunter and Sir’Jabari Rice complete one of the best backcourts in the country. Star forward Timmy Allen locks down the paint as one of this team’s key pieces, but a leg injury might have him limited or even unavailable throughout the tournament. Still, I have full faith in Texas. This is a team that went 14-8 in Quad 1 games; they are as battle-tested as any team in the field, and they have been resoundingly successful in the most important games of the year. They won the best league in the nation (by a good margin, in my opinion) in emphatic fashion. They have all the makings of a Final Four team and championship contender. I can’t wait to see what they have in store.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Houston over #16 Northern Kentucky: Cougars might win this one by 50.

#9 Auburn over #8 Iowa: This could very well be the best game of the first round. Iowa has one of the best offenses in the country, but they’re playing a pseudo road game in Birmingham against Auburn, who have the athletes and defense to slow the Hawkeyes down. It’s going to be a war from start to finish, but I don’t trust Iowa’s defense to come through in the most difficult spots down the stretch.

#5 Miami over #12 Drake: It is so tempting to pick this upset. I would honestly pick Drake if we knew that Miami big man Norchad Omier is out. But the possibility of him playing is preventing me from rolling with the Bulldogs. Besides, the Hurricanes boast some of the best guard play in the country with Jordan Miller, Nijel Pack, and ACC PotY Isaiah Wong. Moreover, much of this team has the tournament experience from last year’s Elite 8 run. That should be enough to put them over the top, even without their commanding defensive presence down low.

#13 Kent State over #4 Indiana: You get the point by now. This game should be fascinating to watch, and I can’t wait to be either vindicated or proven completely wrong.

#11 Pitt over #6 Iowa State: This is a classic case of strength vs. strength. The Cyclones excel on defense, grinding you down slowly over the course of 48 minutes. The Panthers, on the other hand, excel on offense with a subpar defense. In March, I tend to favor the superior offensive team. Moreover, teams that win in the First Four carry some momentum with them into the Round of 64, and I think Pitt will have just enough gas to pull off the upset.

#3 Xavier over #14 Kennesaw State: Xavier has one of the best offenses in the country and can light up the scoreboard with the best of them. I like what they have going on in year one under Sean Miller, but I think the loss of Zach Freemantle will prevent them from going too far in this tournament. Thankfully for them, this first game won’t be too difficult.

#7 Texas A&M over #10 Penn State: Like Iowa-Auburn, this is one of the best games of the first round on paper between two power conference teams. Both A&M and Penn State played for conference championships last weekend, and both are more than capable of playing the role of bracket buster in this tournament. Their matchup should be fascinating. I was far more impressed with the Aggies throughout the course of the season as they went 15-3 with some standout wins in the SEC, which was much tougher than the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions will hang around, but their defense won’t be able to get enough stops late to pull the mini-upset.

#2 Texas over #15 Colgate: While I think Texas will make the Final Four, it won’t start with an easy win. Colgate will not be a pushover; this is their fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and in each of their previous three first round games, they have been competitive. The Raiders, who are the best three point shooting team in the nation, won’t go down without a fight, but they simply won’t be able to overcome the athleticism and dominance of the Longhorns for a full 48 minutes.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2022 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: East Region

The East Region of the 2022 NCAA Tournament features incredible potential with some of basketball’s biggest brands. Let’s break it down and preview how the East will play out.

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.