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Projecting the field: An NCAA Tournament breakdown
With the NCAA Tournament approaching, our beat writers took a look at the most recent edition of Joe Lunardi's Bracketology on ESPN.com and gave their picks for each region.
The regions are also divided up into the following categories: The favorite, the Cinderella, the early upset and the dark horse. Our writers made their pick for each with a sentence explanation as to why.
Midwest
The Favorite:
Per Lunardi Kansas, Xavier Indiana, Duke Iowa,
Texas, Davton, South Carolina, Colorado, USC, Gan
zaga, Arkansas-Little Rock, Stephen F. Austin, UAB
Green Bay, Fairleigh Dickinson, Austin Peay
The Cinderella:
Scott Chosen | @ SChasenKU:
Kansas Kansas is the deepest team in the nation and the likely No. 1 overall seed.
However, the top three teams in this region are better than in any other; so it won't be a cakewalk
Shone Jackson (#jacksonshame);
Kansas. The Jayhawks have won 11 straight games and look to be the best team in the nation.
Chosen: Gonzaga — The Zags space the floor well and can beat anyone when they're on.
Evon Riggs | @ EvanRiggsUDK:
Evan Riggs] @ EvanRiggsUDK:
Kansas — The Jayhawks may
not be the most talented team
in the country, but with balance
and veteran leadership they've
looked the part.
Jackson USC—USC has a potential second-round matchup against Xavier, a familiar opponent from earlier this year.
Riggs: Steplien F. Austin - The team shoots the ball well from distance, making it an instant upset threat.
The Early Upset:
Chosen. Iowa Iowa has lost five of its last seven. This is the easy pick.
Jackson Iowa - The Hawkeyes are just 6-6 in their last 12 games despite being ranked in the top 20.
Rugs. Duke — Duke struggles to play defense, and if Brandon Ingram or Gravson Allen struggle on offense, an early exit could be in the cards.
The Dark Horse:
Chasee, Indiana — It doesn't feel right calling Iowa a dark horse. This is one of the best teams in the nation and a scary, scary three seed.
Jackson Texas — Texas could be at full strength and could be scary with Shaka Smart leading the way.
Riggs Indiana - With an elite point guard, a skilled big and the fifth best three-point percentage in the nation, the Howse们 all the tools to make a run.
West
The Favorite:
Per Lunardi: North Carolina, Oregon, West Virginia,
Kentucky, Maryland, Wisconsin, Seton Hall, Butler,
VCU, Pittsburgh, St. Bonaventure/Monmouth, Yale,
Stony Brook, lona, Weber State.
Chasen: North Carolina — The Tar Heels only have one loss outside the top 40 and haven't lost a game by more than six. Plus, you have to love a team led by a senior.
Jackson: North Carolina — "Roy's Boys" are a favorite after winning 14 games in a competitive ACC.
The Cinderella:
Riggs: North Carolina — Even though the Tar Heels don't have many great wins this year, they may have the most talented roster in the country.
The Early Upset:
Chasen: St. Bonaventure — The Bonnies have a trio of scorers that can rival just about any tournament team and are more than capable of heating up from deep.
Jackson: Yale — In their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1962, this team has the feel of a magical March story.
Riggs. St. Bonaventure — The Bonnies have three guys averaging more than 16 points per game, making them an atypical matchup for a higher seed.
Chosen: Oregon — Oregon struggles from behind the arc and is led by a pair of players who absolutely disappeared in the game they were eliminated in during last year's NCAA Tournament.
Jackson: West Virginia — The Mountaineers' press can cause chaos, but will they be able to score enough to hang around?
Riggs: Oregon — The Ducks aren't a particularly good shooting team, so if somebody is able to pack it in and keep them out of the paint, they may not see the second weekend.
The Dark Horse:
Chosen: Kentucky - Jamal Murray has been absolutely on fire as of late. Tyler Ulis is a stud, and the team is at another level when Derek Willis is healthy. The four and five seeds in this region are the best of any.
Jackson: Kentucky - The Wildcats are always littered with talent and should never be taken lightly.
Riggs: Maryland — Maryland was a top five team preseason but hasn't lived up to those expectations. If Melo Trimble plays well, Maryland can beat anybody.
Per Lunardi Village, Michigan State, Minniu Texas A&M, California, Arizona, Texas Tech, Wichita State Cincinnati, Syracuse Saint Mary's Temple, South Dakota State, Chattanooga, UNC Wilmington, UNCA Asheville, Florida Gulf Coast, Hampton
The Favorite:
Jackson Michigan State—Tom Izzo in March. Enough said.
Chosen: Michigan State — There is no one in the nation who can take over a game like Denzel Valentine. Matt Costello has been dynamic. Izzo is Izzo.
Riggs. Michigan State — The Spartans will have the best, player on the court in just about every game.
The Cinderella:
Jackson. Temple — Watch out for the Owls who are playing their best basketball, having won nine of their last 12 contests.
Chosen, Wichita State — With two senior guards playing at a high level, you have to imagine they'll be a tough out from the tourney. Rough resume, better team.
Riggs Saint Mary's -Saint Mary's is shooting 41.3 percent from beyond the are this season. If they get hot, they have the firepower to win a few games.
The Early Upset:
Jackson Villanova -- Watch out for Villanova, a team trust 1-3 against the RPI Top 25.
Riggs, Villanova - Villanova hasn't advanced out of the first weekend since 2009, so it's difficult to trust them, even as a No. 1 seed.
Chrisen, Villanova — Villanova has one win against a top 30 RPI team. They lost to that same team later in the year.
The Dark Horses
Chisen: Arizona — Arizona has lost seven games this year; five of which have been by four or fewer points. All of its losses have been to tournament-projected teams. Don't underestimate the Wildcats.
jackson Miami — Miami is 9-3 in its last 12 games and are an impressive 8-2 against the RPI Top 50.
Riggs California — California has as much talent as anybody in the country and has played well as of late, going 8-1 in its last nine.
South
Per Lunardi; Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah, Purdue, Indiana State, Baylor, Notre Dame, Providence, Vanderbilt, Saint Joseph's, San Diego State, Akron, Northern Iowa, Hawaii, New Mexico State, Texas Southern.
The Favorite:
Chosen: Virginia — The Cavaliers play at a slow pace, which gives the impression that they're not an offensive-minded team to those who just look at per-game numbers, but they're lethal on both ends of the floor, pace-adjusted, of course.
Riggs: Oklahoma — Virginia is the one seed, but Oklahoma has the guard play to go deep in the tournament.
Jackson: Virginia — Virginia is one of the best teams in the nation and for good reason. The Cavaliers are 10-2 in their last 12 games.
The Cinderella:
Chosen: Northern Iowa —
With a win over UNC and a
4-1 record vs. the RPI top 50,
Northern Iowa is set up to be
this year's giant killer.
Riggs: Northern Iowa — Northern Iowa plays the seventh slowest pace in college basketball, which is a recipe for a tournament upset.
Jackson: San Diego State — The Aztecs are another hot team, winning 10 of their last 12 games and going 16-2 in conference play.
Chasen: Oklahoma — This team looked like it peaked in mid-January, finishing Big 12 play at 5-4 in its last nine.
Jackson: Oklahoma - The Sooners are one of the hardest teams to predict. If their three guards are not shooting well, they are likely getting bounced early.
The Early Upset:
Riggs. Iowa State — The Cyclones have as good of a one-two punch as anybody with Monte Morris and Georges Niang, but they don't have anything else to fall back on.
The Dark Horse:
Chosen: Iowa State — With Monte' Morris and Georges Niang, it's hard to pick against the Cyclones, even as they definitely underachieved this year.
Jackson: Iowa State — The Cyclones were the best offense in the Big 12 and will be a very dangerous team come tournament time.
Riggs: Vanderbilt - In November, the Commodores were a trendy Final Four pick. They've played well for the last month and have the roster to make a run.
Predictions
SPORTS STAFF
@KansasSporn
Chasen
Elite Eight: Indiana over Kansas, North Carolina over Wisconsin, Virginia over Oklahoma Michigan State over Villanova
Final Four: North Carolina over Indiana Michigan State over Virginia
National Championship: Michigan State over North Carolina
Riggs
Elite Eight: Kansas over Indiana, Maryland over Oregon, Oklahoma over Virginia, Michigan State over California
Final Four: Kansas over Maryland, Michigan State over Oklahoma
National Championship: Kansas over Michigan State
Jackson
Elite Eight: Kansas over Indiana, Kentucky over Oregon, Oklahoma over Virginia, Michigan State over Villanova
Final Four: Kansas over Kentucky, Michigan State over Oklahoma
National Championship: Michigan State over Kansas