Why Auburn Advances:
Auburn, the primary total seed, has been essentially the most full, most completed group for the overwhelming majority of the season. They conquered a convention that noticed 14 of its 16 groups make the match, together with 6 that acquired a high 4 seed (together with Auburn). Merely put, they’d a hell of a season. Led by one of many favorites for Nationwide Participant of the 12 months, Johni Broome (pictured), they boast high finish expertise, however even managed to seek out group success when he was out coping with accidents all through the season. They’re extraordinarily environment friendly on each ends of the court docket, and have proven the power to win each excessive scoring and low scoring video games. That type of versatility will pay main dividends in a match like this one.
Why Auburn will get Eradicated:
Of their 5 losses this season, three have come of their final 4 video games. Between their non-conference schedule and their SEC slate, they performed 11 video games in opposition to groups that ended up getting a high 4 seed within the match. Their document in these video games? 6-5 with a optimistic level differential of solely +3. Regardless of being the presumptive high total seed for a lot of the season, this isn’t an unbeatable group. As well as, Johni Broome has battled accidents all season, and whereas he has largely been accessible for his or her video games, it’s at all times doable that he goes down, and if that occurs, the Tigers don’t have a ton of depth, as Dylan Cardwell is the one established massive man behind him.
Candy 16 Sleeper: North Carolina Tar Heels
Do I imagine that North Carolina deserved a spot within the match? Completely not. Does that imply they will’t make some noise? Additionally no. Most years there’s a group that comes out of the primary 4 to make a run. This 12 months, that group might be North Carolina. That they had a poor season and struggled in opposition to good groups. Nevertheless, they’ve been taking part in their greatest basketball of late, and had been a weird lane violation away from probably beating Duke within the ACC Event. For the reason that begin of February, their solely losses have come to Clemson and Duke, and the bracket may doubtlessly break of their favor. Their first 4 sport pits them in opposition to San Diego State in a sport that may characteristic clashing types, but when the Tar Heels’ offense can overcome the Aztec protection, they might face off in opposition to a beatable Ole Miss group subsequent. From there, they might doubtlessly find yourself dealing with a 3 seed in Iowa State that introduced on Choice Sunday that Keshon Gilbert (their help chief and second main scorer) wouldn’t be accessible for the match. From undeserving of a bid to a Candy 16 group is a surprisingly real looking end result for the Tar Heels.
Closing 4 Sleeper: Creighton Bluejays
While you enter the match as a 9 seed, you understand that you simply aren’t going to have a simple path to the Candy 16, a lot much less the Closing 4. Nevertheless, Creighton finds themselves with a extremely powerful path to make it deep into the match. They begin off with a sport in opposition to a Louisville squad that had no enterprise being an 8 seed (extra on that in a second), and with a win could be staring down the #1 total seed. So, why are they nonetheless thought-about a darkish horse for the Closing 4? They matchup properly with the groups of their bracket. Ryan Kalkbrenner has sufficient gravity inside to open up issues for Bluejay shooters Jackson McAndrew and Steven Ashworth exterior. Louisville actually struggles when the opposite group is hitting from exterior. Towards Auburn, Kalkbrenner has the scale to present Broome hassle. From there, the bracket may go a lot of methods, however at that time, there’s no person that would appear to matchup particularly properly with Creighton, opening a path to a Closing 4 during which their two hardest video games are their first two.
Prime First Spherical Matchup: 8 Louisville vs. 9 Creighton
When the South Area was revealed, one of many first issues that caught my eye was the shot of Louisville’s gamers celebrating as their group was introduced. As a result of I used to be shocked they had been seeded so low, my eyes instantly went to Pat Kelsey to see his response. He was clearly confused and upset. I don’t blame him, Louisville has solely misplaced two video games this calendar 12 months, and whereas the ACC was putrid, Louisville largely beat the groups put in entrance of it. Regardless of fixed damage issues, the group has come collectively and managed to win video games whereas guard Chucky Hepburn grew to become an all-conference performer and potential All-American. From what I’ve stated above, you possibly can in all probability inform that I’m choosing Creighton to win this matchup, however it’s properly inside the realm of chance that Louisville knocks them off in spherical 1. Louisville was thirteenth within the AP Ballot, and but bought an 8 seed, so they are going to come into this sport with one thing to show. Seeing the twenty third and thirty seventh ranked groups at KenPom sq. off this early within the match needs to be a superb one.
Prime Potential Participant Matchup: Johni Broome & Ryan Kalkbrenner, Spherical 2
Broome has been elite this season, and will very properly find yourself successful Nationwide Participant of the 12 months honors. He was the main rebounder within the SEC in addition to the second main scorer within the convention. In the meantime, Kaklbrenner did the identical within the Huge East. Kalkbrenner additionally has led the Huge East in blocks three years operating. At 6-10, 235 kilos, Broome is a giant man that may play an inside out sport, utilizing his combination of measurement, savvy and athleticism to use matchups. Kalkbrenner stands seven ft tall, 235 kilos and can be comfy exterior as a spot up shooter (33.3% on the 12 months). These two legitimately superior faculty gamers may discover themselves squaring off in spherical two. Will the agility of Broome come out on high, or will or not it’s the energy and energy of Kalkbrenner. Hopefully we get the chance to seek out out.
Prime Beneath the Radar Matchup: 4 Texas A&M vs. 13 Yale
Texas A&M is a group constructed on exhausting work, grit, and an entire lot of offensive rebounding. They will pound groups on the glass after which on the opposite finish, harass them into turnovers for straightforward buckets. Wade Taylor IV is their engine on offense, main them in scoring and assists. What makes this sport so intriguing to me is the truth that Yale is so protecting of their possessions. They not often flip the ball over, which means that the Aggies could battle to get straightforward baskets in transition. If that’s the case, the sport will grow to be extra about execution on the offensive finish. Yale shoots an absurd 38.8% from three as a group, however they hardly take any. Regardless of de-emphasizing the three, they’re nonetheless the twenty fourth greatest scoring offense within the nation. A&M is extra of a defensive-oriented group. This can doubtless not be the prettiest sport of the primary weekend, however will probably be intriguing to see two groups that strategy the sport in a different way try and counter one another. Anticipate this sport to return right down to the chess sport that would be the teaching matchup between Buzz Williams and James Jones.
Prime 5 NBA Prospects within the area:
1. Jase Richardson, Michigan StateThe son of former NBA participant and dunk champion Jason Richardson, Jase has actually come into his personal because the season has progressed. To start the 12 months, he was extra of a task participant, getting a handful of alternatives to indicate what he may do every sport. Nevertheless, beginning in early February in a sport in opposition to Oregon, Tom Izzo turned him free, and he has greater than answered the decision. In that sport, he performed 35 minutes, scored 29 factors, and hasn’t seemed again. Since then, he has been a focus of the offense, averaging over 17 factors per sport. A great exterior shooter (41.2%), he’s additionally proven the power to create appears for others as properly. He’s fairly probably the very best professional prospect on this area.
2. Ian Jackson, North Carolina
One other gifted younger guard, Jackson has proven flashes of being a excessive profile scorer in addition to an environment friendly scorer. He has struggled with consistency, however when he’s on, he’s tough to cease. His greatest sport was arguably a contest in opposition to a extremely good Alabama group and he put collectively a 23-5-5 line (albeit in a loss). He additionally had 27-6-6 in opposition to Notre Dame, and 26-5-5 in opposition to Campbell. On the flip facet, he’s had 15 complete factors over his final 4 video games, so there’s nonetheless room for him to grow to be extra constant and develop his sport.
3. Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
Broome could also be the very best faculty participant on Auburn, however their greatest NBA prospect is probably going freshman Tahaad Pettiford. Simply taking a look at his stats, he received’t blow you away, averaging 11 factors, 2.1 rebounds and a couple of.9 assists. Nevertheless, once you watch him, you possibly can see his talent degree exceeds the numbers. He’s a gifted shooter than could make some actually tough appears. He is ready to create offense on his personal, whereas having the ability to end above the rim regardless of his 6 foot 1 measurement. He’s extra of a combo guard and at his measurement, that might maintain him again, however his means to attain the basketball provides him a stable shot at carving out a task on the subsequent degree.
4. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
I don’t need to beat a useless horse and I’ve stated quite a bit about him already. He’s massive, he’s robust, he has good foot work, he can shoot, and he’ll block pictures. He’s older, however I believe he can carve out a task as a rotational massive on the subsequent degree as a shot blocker and ground spacer in a task just like that of Brook Lopez.
5. Danny Wolf, Michigan
The second main scorer and high rebounder for the Huge Ten champs, is a giant man that strikes properly, which permits the Wolverines to play two bigs. What’s interesting about Wolf to NBA groups is the truth that he has the taking pictures means to stretch the ground on offense whereas having the mobility to maneuver and defend in choose and roll conditions. As a result of he can do some little bit of the whole lot, it isn’t tough to check him carving out a task on an NBA group. He is probably not a star at anybody side of his sport, however he’s the full bundle and since he strikes properly at his measurement, he might be a man that sneaks into the again of spherical one on draft night time.
