We’ve got a bracket, and now we’ve got three days to speak about it. Let’s begin instantly.
Listed below are 10 speedy ideas on this yr’s area of 68:
1. The SEC was valued much more extremely than we thought
There was little doubt that Sunday was going to be the day the SEC was going to set a brand new file for essentially the most groups from a single convention in the identical NCAA event. That occurred in a serious approach, with a whopping 14 of the league’s 16 groups listening to their title referred to as.
Texas was one thing of a shock inclusion, and wasn’t even near being the final group within the area. The Longhorns had been seeded greater than three different at-large groups, which means they had been really only one spot away from avoiding Dayton and the First 4 fully.
The opposite three groups that had been thought of to be on or a minimum of close to the bubble, made the sector much more comfortably. Vanderbilt and Arkansas had been safely away from Dayton as 10-seeds, whereas Oklahoma earned a 9.
The highest of the league dominated the highest three strains of the sector, however that was to be anticipated.
2. A few of the sport’s greatest names within the sport are headed to Windfall
How about this for a quadrant: Rick Pitino and St. John’s, Invoice Self and Kansas, and John Calipari and Arkansas. Chris Crutchfield and Omaha might be there too, and their garbage can custom is fairly cool, so there’s that.
The opposite two video games performed in Windfall — that are Midwest Area contests — have the potential to be two of the primary spherical’s extra entertaining tilts. Matt Painter and reigning nationwide runner-up Purdue will face Excessive Level and one of many nation’s greatest offenses in a single sport, whereas Clemson — which made a regional last for the primary time in program historical past final yr — will sq. off towards Will Wade (quickly to be energy convention head coach once more Will Wade) and his mighty McNeese squad in what’s going to assuredly be a classy 12/5 upset decide.
The fireworks inside Amica Mutal Pavilion determine to be ample.
3. West Virginia made essentially the most brutal sort of historical past
All 111 of the Bracketologists tracked on BracketMatrix.com had West Virginia within the area of 68, making the Mountaineers the primary unanimous choice within the historical past of the positioning to be excluded from the Huge Dance. Simply 50 Bracketologists had Texas within the event, and solely 27 had North Carolina making the lower.
Committee chair Bubba Cunningham mentioned the Mountaineers had been dinged for not having star Tucker DeVries, who was declared out for the season in early February due to a shoulder damage. That appears somewhat unusual and unfair contemplating DeVries performed simply the primary eight video games of the season for WVU, and the group was nonetheless in a position to amass a 10-10 Huge 12 file that included wins over Kansas and Iowa State with out him.
4. There was some excessive inconsistency on the ACC
Within the first 5 seconds of the bracket reveal, we discovered that Auburn, and never Duke, was event’s No. 1 total seed. About 15 seconds after that, we discovered that Louisville, which completed second within the ACC common season and event and which was projected by almost everybody to be a 5 or 6-seed, was relegated to 8-seed standing.
Instantly, nearly everybody who follows school basketball tweeted one thing alongside the strains of “nicely, this looks as if the top for North Carolina.” So naturally, lower than a minute later, we discovered that the Tar Heels — who misplaced seven ACC video games and went 1-12 in Quadrant-I alternatives — had in some way made the sector.
Including to the inconsistency was that Clemson, which had almost similar metrics to Louisville and misplaced to the Cardinals in each their conferences — had been seeded a full three strains greater at No. 5.
Generally there’s merely no rhyme or purpose to those issues.
5. The Midwest Area may very well be the chaos area
Everybody appears to be predicting that that is going to be the “chalkiest event since 2015,” or one thing alongside these strains.
Whereas the highest two seed strains appear to be particularly dominant this yr, right here’s a pleasant reminder: Each single Ultimate 4 however one since 2012 has featured a minimum of one group seeded No. 7 or worse. Since 2011, a complete of 13 groups seeded seventh or worse have crashed the season’s last weekend, together with Eleventh-seeded NC State final yr.
If there’s one other one this yr, don’t be stunned if it comes out of this area.
Prime-seeded Houston has been rock stable as soon as once more all season, however is (additionally as soon as once more heading into the event) coping with an damage to a key participant in J’Wan Roberts. Second-seeded Tennessee has famously by no means crushed a No. 1 seed within the NCAA event, and is extensively thought of to be the perfect program in school basketball and not using a single Ultimate 4 look. Third-seeded Kentucky has made a latest behavior of taking stunning losses within the first spherical. Positive, that was underneath John Calipari, however new head coach Mark Pope has received a grand complete of zero video games within the Huge Dance and has twice been crushed within the first spherical as a high six seed.
Toss in Gonzaga because the 8-seed regardless of being No. 9 total on Ken Pom in addition to a pair of extraordinarily harmful double-digit seeds in McNeese and Excessive Level, and don’t be stunned if issues get bizarre right here.
6. Significantly, North Carolina?
Enable me to be the millionth individual as we speak to level out how little sense this makes.
North Carolina misplaced seven video games in a dreadful ACC, went a mixed 0-5 towards the opposite at-large groups from the convention, and went 1-12 in Quadrant-I video games total. They had been additionally the one group East of the Mississippi that Stanford beat on their residence flooring this season, good for a Quadrant-III loss.
There’s merely no purpose — outdoors of name recognition or a TV rankings increase for TruTV or, maybe, their athletic director being the chairman for the Choice Committee — for the Tar Heels to be on this event.
7. They’ll most likely nonetheless win a number of video games on this event
You recognize what different group had completely zero enterprise making an NCAA event? The 2010-11 VCU Rams. They promptly shut everybody up by going from the First 4 to the Ultimate 4.
Since then, there’s been a development among the many last at-large groups within the area.
For the reason that inception of the First 4 in 2011, a group popping out of Dayton has received a minimum of one sport within the event’s “principal draw” in yearly however one. The one time it didn’t occur was in 2019. That’s pretty exceptional contemplating we’re speaking about simply two 11 or 12 seeds each single yr having the chance to make this occur.
Total, the First 4 has produced a complete of twenty-two victories within the “principal draw” of the event, 5 Candy 16 squads, and two Ultimate 4 groups, the latest being UCLA three seasons in the past.
North Carolina has underachieved dramatically this season. That doesn’t imply they’re missing in expertise. R.J. Davis is a former ACC Participant of the 12 months who has showcased a capability to play March hero earlier than, Ian Jackson is an NBA man, and Eliot Cadeau was unbelievable down the stretch towards Duke within the ACC event semifinals.
Unqualified doesn’t imply incapable.
8. The 12/5 upset development may proceed in an enormous approach
In 33 of the final 39 years, a minimum of one 12 seed has superior out of the primary spherical of the event. During the last 16 years, 12 seeds really personal a extremely respectable total file of 27-37 towards 5 seeds, together with a 2-2 mark final season.
This yr’s 12-seed line is stacked.
UC San Diego is a high 40 group in nearly each metric and has a sport towards a Michigan group that, regardless of its run to the Huge 10 event title, has been profitable shut all season. McNeese has misplaced as soon as since mid-December and has possibly essentially the most sought-after head coach within the sport. Mountain West champ Colorado State has received 10 straight and hasn’t received a sport by fewer than eight factors over that stretch. Liberty beat each McNeese and Kansas State on a impartial court docket again in November and in addition received a 12/5 sport underneath head coach Ritchie McKay again in 2019.
A minimum of one among these groups is profitable this week.
9. BYU-VCU appears like the perfect sport of the primary spherical
BYU has scored 90 or extra factors in half of its final eight video games, and has a pair of essentially the most enjoyable gamers within the event in Richie Saunders and Egor Demin. When the Cougars are on, there may not be a extra entertaining group within the nation.
On the opposite aspect, there’s all kind of buzz that VCU’s Ryan Odom may very well be out the door for an influence convention job after the Rams’ run within the dance involves an finish. That has the potential to be a bit longer than these faculties would love. The A-10 champs have misplaced simply as soon as because the begin of February, and ought to have been an at-large choice even when they hadn’t taken care of enterprise of their league event.
10. Gonzaga extending its Candy 16 streak goes to be robust
There was no larger paradox this season than the Zags, who had the resume of an 8/9 group however the pc metrics of a high 2-seed. The widespread thought was that the Committee may break up the distinction and slot Gonzaga on the six or seven line to keep away from giving a No. 1 seed a second spherical matchup towards a group that ranks within the high 10 on KenPom and within the NET.
That didn’t occur, and now the Zags are set to face Georgia in an 8/9 contest on Thursday. Houston is the fortunate 1-seed seemingly awaiting the winner on Saturday.
The seeding supplied a major hit to Gonzaga’s possibilities of setting a brand new file for many consecutive Candy 16 appearances. The Bulldogs have been to the second weekend 9 years in a row, tied with Duke (1998-2006) and North Carolina (1985-1993) for the longest such streaks ever.