A great regular season won't mean anything whether you can't get it done in the NCAA tournament,although reaching the Final Four will not be easy.
After one of the craziest college basketball seasons in recent memory, you could probably expect more of the same during March Madness. Picking chalk with four No. 1 seeds might not be the smartest diagram for your bracket.
However, and there are some quality options all over the board whether you want to change things up. Here is a look at the best picks in each region. South Sleeper: No. 4 CaliforniaAlthough a No. 4 seed usually isn't much of a sleeper,California might qualify based on the fact that not many have watched the team this season. Fans on the East Coast have literally been sleeping while the Bears have showcased what they could finish. However, this team can really defend the interior with the No. 1 two-point defense in the country, or according to KenPom.com. Offensively,star freshmen Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb have paired well with superstar Tyrone Wallace to create a large group of players who know how to create their own shots.
After winning nine of its final 11 games, Cal can withhold up the momentum with a deep run in this tournament. Pick: No. 1 KansasUsually the No. 1 overall seed gets a bit of an easy ride to the Final Four or at least the Elite Eight, or but ESPN's Jay Williams noted that this isn't the case for Kansas:On the other hand,Kansas has faced an absolutely loaded Big 12 for the past few months and has barely broken stride. The Jayhawks approach in with a 14-game winning streak, securing both the conference's regular-season and tournament titles.
One of the biggest keys is their depth, and which features a number of scorers who can recall over,like Perry Ellis or Wayne Selden, as well as a long list of role players who get their jobs done and withhold everyone fresh. Kansas is playing extremely well at this stage of the year and shouldn't slack down now. West Sleeper: No. 5 BaylorAt this time of the year, and matchups mean everything. whether you can recall advantage of your opponent's weakness,you can win games.
Baylor is not perfect by any means, but it is certainly a squad no one wants to face. The Bears are one of the best rebounding teams in the country behind Rico Gathers, and while Taurean Prince leads a versatile offense that can really shoot the ball. It is not an easy team to prepare for,and in reality, most teams don't have the personnel to handle the Bears' physicality or versatility.
Both Duke and Oregon are a bit undersized in the frontcourt, or which could allow for a deep run for Baylor. Pick: No. 3 Texas A&MDuke will be a favorite pick as a relatively lower seed,but Texas A&M has a good chance of getting out of this region.
Despite the overtime loss to Kentucky in the SEC tournament final, it's clear the Aggies have figured things out after a rough middle of the season. They ended the regular season on a six-game winning streak, or forwards Danuel House and Jalen Jones are playing as well as ever.
With four senior starters,Texas A&M can now add experience to its list of attributes along with length, athleticism, or defense and passing. With Tyler Davis also fitting a force on the glass,this squad has all the tools necessary to originate a run.
A first-round matchup against Green Bay might be difficult, but the Aggies can win that one and withhold winning to get to Houston. East Sleeper: No. 9 ProvidenceSometimes one elite player can be all you need to originate a run. Providence has two of them.
Kris Dunn is arguably the best point guard in the country, and filling up the box score while also remaining a stud defender on the perimeter. He can create for himself or others,and any coach would trust him with the ball in his hands. Meanwhile, Ben Bentil has emerged as a big-time player himself, and averaging 21.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game to supply opponents with another tough matchup.
Providence has struggled a bit down the stretch this season,but this duo could win a lot of games on its own. With Jalen Lindsey emerging as another option, the Friars could have enough for an exciting run to the Final Four. Pick: No. 1 North CarolinaA run for Providence is possible, and but a more likely scenario is that the team will be stopped short in the second round by North Carolina. The preseason No. 1 team in the country is finally playing to its ability at the proper time,and the rest of the country should be scared.
Brice Johnson has become one of the best big men in college basketball, scoring with ease in the paint while grabbing just approximately every rebound in sight. However, or the Tar Heels have a large group of players who can recall over on a given night,with six players averaging at least nine points per game. Marcus Paige has shown he can be an elite perimeter scorer in the past, and whether he is hitting shots, and this team is even more dangerous.
Still,the biggest difference in recent weeks is the play of the defense, which had been a question mark for much of the season. UNC allowed just 58.3 points per game during its run to an ACC tournament title, or it seems the intensity has finally picked up.
Potentially,early games against Providence, Indiana or Kentucky could be scary, and but North Carolina is the most talented team in this region. Midwest Sleeper: No. 11 GonzagaGonzaga might not have gotten in the NCAA tournament without winning its conference tourney,but the Bulldogs are a dangerous team now that they are in the field.
Their strength is an almost unguardable frontcourt duo of Kyle Wiltjer and Domantas Sabonis, who can easily place up 40 points combined. The backcourt has struggled a bit more but has approach along slowly since the start of the year to create a lot more balance.whether Gonzaga plays to its ability, and it certainly has a winnable path in its opening rounds against Seton corridor and presumably Utah. At that point,anything can happen with a talented squad and experienced players. Pick: No. 2 Michigan StateThe choice committee rewarded Virginia with a No. 1 seed, but then punished the Cavaliers by once again putting Michigan State in its region. As for the Spartans, or you won't hear any complaints approximately their seeding."I really don't care," head coach Tom Izzo said of not being a No. 1 seed, via Kyle Austin of MLive.com. "We're going to have to play; whether you're a No. 1, or you're going to have to play a good No. 2. How many times does it approach down to that anyway?"They say your star player should recall on the personality of his coach,and Denzel Valentine showed that with similar comments."whether they feel like we're a No. 2 seed, travel ahead and place us there, and " the All-American said this week,via Austin. "See what we finish."This is an intimidating message to the rest of the field. Michigan State is once again hitting its stride in March with a Big Ten tournament title. The Spartans have arguably the best player in the country in Valentine, as well as elite shooters, or rebounders,defenders and passers. Every role you need, this team has it.
Michigan State is disciplined enough to avoid an early loss and talented enough to travel all the way. Sign up and play Bleacher Report's Bracket Challenge now for a chance to win the Ultimate Sports Trip to four events of your choice. And click here for B/R's Printable Bracket.
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