The NCAA Tournament is officially here, bringing excitement to fans in the college basketball and overall sports world. As student media, this is one of the best and busiest times of the year for coverage and analysis, three weeks packed with nonstop basketball ahead. Throughout the season here at the Reveille, we have run the “Know your Foe” series for LSU’s biggest games, but now we have something even bigger in store. We reached out to student journalists across the country who cover teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament to provide a guide to the madness from a student media point of view. With that said, here is what we were able to gather.
No. 1 Seed Gonzaga- Cole Forsman (@CGForsman) The Gonzaga Bulletin
“Despite being in a tough west region, Gonzaga still has to be the favorite to make it to the Final Four once again. The Chet Holmgren-Drew Timme dynamic makes for the best frontcourt duo in the nation, while Andrew Nembhard’s steadiness and selflessness will be pivotal in the later rounds. It will be interesting to see how the Zags handle more athletic and physical teams, but the combination of talent and coaching is why this team is the odds on favorite to win it all.”
No. 1 Seed Baylor- Michael Haag (@MichaelHaag_) The Baylor Lariat
“When I look at Baylor as we enter March Madness, being a one-seed in the east maintains that possibility for back-to-back national championships. Having the first two rounds in Fort Worth, Texas is huge for the guys in terms of distance to Waco as well. However the ceiling for this team — especially looking at other teams in the Eastern region — in my eyes is a Sweet 16 appearance. I hope to be proven wrong, but with Baylor’s injuries and only playing seven guys, I don’t see them moving into the Elite Eight and above. Again, I hope I am wrong but this year is wide open for anyone and I expect an incredible storyline out of an unexpected team.”
No. 1 Seed Arizona- Ryan Wohl (@ryan_wohl) The Daily Wildcat
“I believe this Arizona team will make it to at least the Final Four. They have it all: depth, shooting, defense, and multiple high level scorers. They also have one of the best front courts in the country with Christian Koloko, Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo. This team has shown everyone that they can win in so many different ways and have overcome adversity with losing Kerr Kriisa and Tubelis for some time due to ankle injuries while showing they can win close games when it matters. The only thing this team doesn’t have is experience but they have a coach in Tommy Lloyd who has been in plenty of big moments in his career to guide this younger roster down the stretch.”
No. 1 Seed Kansas- Nathan Swaffar (@NathanSwaffar) The Daily Kansan
“In my eyes, Kansas got about as good of a draw as they could. They avoided bigger teams that they don’t match up as well against, like Tennessee and Kentucky, and got a pretty favorable first and possible second-round matchup with either Creighton or San Diego State. The biggest problem in their region has to be Iowa though. They’re, in my eyes, the biggest threat to the higher seeds. Although I still think Kansas can get past them, I’d have to think that Kansas and Wisconsin get to the Elite Eight, but from there it’s tough to say. I’d have to think Kansas has a ceiling of a National Championship, but it’s hard to say whether they will get there. If I had to make a prediction on how far Kansas makes it, I think they’ll get to New Orleans, but they’ll probably lose to whoever makes it out of the South region because there are at least five or six teams in that region alone who could cut the nets.”
No. 2 Seed Duke- Jake Piazza (@jake_piazza) The Chronicle
“You can’t deny the talent of this Duke team, but I’m concerned that the squad is heading into the Big Dance off of two huge losses against North Carolina and Virginia Tech. If the Blue Devils are able to fire on all cylinders like we saw them do against Kentucky and Gonzaga, this team could go all the way, but that is a big if. Ultimately, I have them drawing a tough matchup against Texas Tech in my bracket and falling to the tough defense of the Red Raiders.”
No. 2 Seed Kentucky- Hunter Shelton (@HunterWS11) The Kentucky Kernel
“Kentucky’s loss to Tennessee in the SEC Semifinals is a bit worrisome. Maybe Tennessee just has the Cats’ number. If everything goes according to plan, Kentucky makes the Elite Eight. That means Oscar Tshiebwe does his thing, TyTy Washington and Sahvir Wheeler are clicking, and Kellan Grady gets back on track shooting. Having production off the bench from Davion Mintz and Jacob Toppin is nearly a must also. John Calipari lives for March. He knows this is the end game, and he thrives on having his team ready for the moment. I think they have what it takes to win the championship, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they got beat by Murray State in the Round of 32. I think it will likely fall somewhere in between.
No. 2 Seed Villanova- Matthew Ryan (@matthewryan02) The Villanovan
After starting the year off rather slow, Villanova has picked things up over the back half of the season. The Wildcats are 10-1 in their last 11 games and coming off a Big East Tournament championship. But Villanova has had a few flat outings recently that likely won’t fly late in the tournament. I think Villanova gets past the first two rounds pretty easily and will squeak by in the Sweet 16 but fall in the Elite Eight to a very good Arizona team.”
No. 2 Seed Auburn- Callie Stanford (@Stanford1Callie) The Plainsman
“I think Auburn was a bit weird towards the end of the season and got caught by a hot Texas A&M team that got people doubting them. It seems like they took the loss very seriously and said that they’ll be working hard this week to fix the shooting issues. I think they’ll easily get through their region if they fix some problems, but Kansas will eventually be a tough matchup if both teams get that far. Auburn has the skill to go all the way, but only if they play at their best, which I still don’t think we’ve seen yet. They should definitely be an Elite Eight team and I think they win everything past that if they play well.”
No. 3 Seed Texas Tech- Bishop Van Buren (@BishopVB_DT) The Daily Toreador
“Under rookie head coach Mark Adams the Red Raiders have become one of the best defensive teams in the nation with the use of the “No Middle Defense”. Combine an impressive defense with a roster that has seven-ish players who could easily lead the team in scoring on any given night, and you’ve got a team set for a run in this year’s tournament. However, the lack of a reliable perimeter threat and inconsistent scoring from their best players (besides Bryson Williams) could have the Red Raiders either losing to Duke in the Sweet 16 or Gonzaga in the Elite Eight.”
No. 3 Seed Tennessee- Ethan Stone (@Ethanstone23) The Daily Beacon
“So Tennessee is hot right now, that’s for sure. Vols won the SEC for the first time since 1979 and vines around Knoxville are high. While I believe Tennessee has a resume for the two-line, the Vols got a favorable draw at the three. If the Vols can get past upset-minded Longwood, their path to the Sweet 16 seems easy with Colorado State and Michigan as the next opponent. That’s where it gets tough, but I think the Vols that just won the SEC tournament can beat Villanova before falling in the Elite Eight to either Arizona or Illinois. Both those teams are hot right now.”
No. 4 Seed Arkansas- Mason Choate (@ChoateMason) The Arkansas Traveler
“Arkansas drew a tough matchup against a scrappy Vermont team in the first round. Looking at the rest of the West Region, though, the Razorbacks have favorable matchups. I think the Hogs can match up against any of the teams in the West, even Gonzaga. I view Arkansas as a Sweet 16 team with a Final Four ceiling.”
No. 4 Seed Illinois- Jackson Janes (@JacksonJanes3) The Daily Illini
“Illinois is a weird team. Despite not having a fully healthy roster for essentially the entire season, the Illini won a share of the Big Ten regular-season title after going 15-5 in conference play.
This team has the pieces to make a deep run in the Big Dance: a dominant big man in Kofi Cockburn; talented shooters in Trent Frazier, Alfonso Plummer and Jacob Grandison; lockdown defenders in Frazier and Da’Monte Williams; and a deep bench.
The Illini could make a deep run, but that involves beating the likes of Arizona, Villanova, Tennessee, Houston and other lower seeds that have the talent to pull off upsets. Head coach Brad Underwood has guided this program to its second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, and it could make some noise if it can hit its shots and reduce its turnovers.”
No. 4 Seed Providence- Liam Tormey (@liam_tormey) The Cowl
“The Friars are the highest seed they have ever been in program history: No. 4 seed in the midwest region. It won’t be easy Thursday afternoon as Providence faces off against the best three-point shooting team in the country in South Dakota State University. If the Friars lockdown defensively and establish Nate Watson down low, a victory should be in the cards. From there on, if the favorites play out, the Big Ten Tournament champions Iowa Hawkeyes would await. Ed Cooley’s team has overcome expectations from the beginning, and their ‘luck’ is exactly what is needed in March Madness. The health of Al Durham will be of high priority for the Friars. As always, Friar fans will know Ed Cooley is 1-5 in the NCAA Tournament, but this year feels different.”
No. 5 Seed UConn- Jonathan Synott (@jon_synott) The Daily Campus
While they have a tough path to get there in a loaded West Region, UConn has the makeup to have a deep tournament run. Led by a three-headed monster in RJ Cole, Tyrese Martin and Adama Sanogo, they have multiple 15-point scoring options on any given night. Ranking second in the country in blocks per game and third in offensive rebounds per game, the Huskies can destroy teams with their intensity. At only one double-digit loss this year, UConn is never really out of a game, and you can’t count this team out in the tournament this year.
No. 5 Seed Houston- James Mueller (@jdm2186) The Daily Cougar
“If Houston was fully healthy having both Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark I really do think the Cougars could make a second consecutive trip to the Final Four because of how talented and deep the Houston frontcourt is. But with how thin the guard group is I think UH probably loses to Illinois in the Round of 32. I’m not one to doubt Kelvin Sampson though, because he always seems to find ways to win no matter how the roster looks. So if the Cougars make the Sweet 16 and/or Elite Eight I won’t be shocked, but I don’t see them going any further than that.”
No. 5 Seed Iowa- Robert Read (@Robert_Read34) The Daily Iowan
“This Iowa team seems to have as much hype heading into the tournament as any I can remember. The Hawkeyes were a No. 2 seed last year, but are much hotter going into March Madness this time around. Coming off a Big Ten Tournament title, I’d pick Iowa to make the Sweet 16, but I think a Final Four is a real possibility.
No. 6 Seed Alabama- Austin Hannon (@austin_hannon1) The Crimson White
“Alabama is a team that is more likely to lose to its first opponent than its second opponent. I like the Crimson Tide to beat either Notre Dame or Rutgers, but I think Texas Tech will have its way with Alabama, potentially turning the Crimson Tide over 30 times. But if there’s any team in the West region that could shock some people, it’s Alabama.”
No. 6 Seed Texas- Christina Huang (@stina_huang) The Daily Texan
“I think that Texas has a tough first round matchup against Virginia Tech. Coming off that ACC title win over Duke, Virginia Tech is one of the hottest teams in college basketball. Chris Beard is going to have to make sure his team locks in as soon as the ball is tipped off. It’ll be critical for guys like Marcus Carr and Timmy Allen to have a good shooting day on Friday. Texas also needs to make sure that it executes its notoriously tough defense to secure a win.”
No. 6 Seed LSU- Peter Rauterkus (@peter_rauterkus) The Reveille
“The Tigers enter the NCAA Tournament in a position of uncertainty following the dismissal of their head coach. How this will affect the team remains to be seen, but this group has the talent and capability to make a run into the second weekend. The way LSU wreaks havoc on defense and forces turnovers can make the Tigers tough to prepare for on short notice. The Tigers matchup well against 11-seed Iowa State and a win there would most likely set them up with Wisconsin. That game is tough but winnable and I predict that LSU will pull it out. From there, the road gets much tougher, but crazier things have happened in March. Ultimately, I think the baseline expectation in the Round of 32, but a deep run is certainly not out of the question.”
No. 7 Seed Michigan State- Jared Ramsey (@jared_ramsey22) The State News
“Michigan State has a tough road ahead of them as the seven seed in the West region. The Spartans take on 10-seed Davidson and former Michigan State point guard Foster Loyer in the first round. If they manage to win, Duke will most likely await them. Michigan State has a first weekend and will need to pull off a miracle. I believe MSU will fall in the Round of 32.”
No. 7 Seed Murray State- Jakob Milani (@JakobMilani) The Murray State News
“With quality wins over Illinois State and Memphis and a game at Auburn under its belt, Murray State comes into the madness at a seven-seed. CBS is calling the first round matchup between Murray State and San Francisco the “game to watch in the first round” and I think that is true. San Francisco is very similar to the Racers in play style and are a senior-heavy team. I think the Racers can definitely beat San Francisco, but Kentucky is a different animal. As a two-seed, it’s no secret how tough it could be. But many Kentucky fans on social media say Murray State is the toughest seven-seed. I think Murray State has a real chance at beating the Wildcats in what could be one of the biggest upsets of the tournament (Fun fact: Murray State and Kentucky have NEVER played against each other. Ever.). Overall, I think Murray State has a good chance of making the Sweet 16, but they have a very tough first weekend ahead of them. I think all eyes will be on Indianapolis this weekend.”
No. 7 Seed Ohio State- Casey Smith (@casey_smith2419) The Lantern
“There are two factors that will determine whether Ohio State gets out of the Round of 64 or not: health and defense. The two go hand-in-hand for the Buckeyes, as they have been without the services of forwards Kyle Young and Zed Key, who have dealt with a concussion and ankle injury, respectively. Ohio State has had some of its worst defensive efficiency output in its last five games, so the two bigs’ presence protecting the rim and limiting second-chance opportunities — which have plagued the Buckeyes all season — is crucial. If those two don’t play, then I see Loyola-Chicago claiming victory, but if they do suit up, I believe Ohio State squeaks out a close first-round win. My bracket has the Buckeyes losing in the Round of 32 to Villanova.”
No. 7 Seed USC- Anthony Gharib (@GharibSports) The Daily Trojan
“USC returns to March Madness for the second consecutive year with a meeting against No. 10 Miami Friday. A repeat Elite Eight run does not look truly feasible. The Trojans come into the tournament losing three of their last four and playing their worst basketball of the season.
Their matchup against the Hurricanes is a dangerous one — Miami has strong scoring guards that have given USC trouble this season. The Trojans’ size can make a difference in the game, but it truly can go any way.
If USC gets past the Hurricanes in the first round, No. 2 Auburn waiting in the second round is not an easy task by any means. Freshman forward Jabari Smith will give the Trojans problems. His matchup with junior forward Isaiah Mobley is enticing, but will probably be one-sided. This is likely where USC’s March Madness run comes to an end. A win against the Tigers will likely set the Trojans up with No. 3 Wisconsin who is the better side.”
No. 8 Seed Boise State- Adam Bridges (@TheAdamBridges) The Arbiter
“Boise State has had an amazing season this year and is definitely one of their best seasons in program history. They went from 3-4 and everyone counting them out to Mountain West champions. I don’t think they give the same feel as Gonzaga or Arizona roster wise, but I think their mentality and chemistry is the best in the country. If they continue to play for themselves, they can definitely get deep into March Madness. Be ready for Boise State to surprise people this year.”
No. 8 Seed North Carolina- Jeremiah Holloway (@jerem11ah) The Daily Tar Heel
“The North Carolina Tar Heels got off to a shaky start this season, losing early on to Purdue and by wide margins to Tennessee and Kentucky before conference play began. Things began to change when they upset the Duke Blue Devils on the road during Coach K’s final home game, practically assuring their spot in the Big Dance.
UNC is led by First Team All-ACC performer Armando Bacot, who averages 16.5 points and 12.5 rebounds this season.
However, the Tar Heels typically go as starting sophomore guard Caleb Love goes. The team is 10-0 when he scores 20 or more points this season and 14-9 when he does not.
The hot hand of Brady Manek has also been beneficial for UNC of late, as he has averaged 17.1 points per game in the last seven outings.
Though the team does have capable outside shooters, it struggles from the field too often. North Carolina also will run a shorter rotation of players moving forward, so conditioning will be key. The team should be able to get past Marquette, but anything beyond that will require its shooters to get hot from three, its starters to lock in defensively, and Bacot and Love being the driving forces of the offense.”
No. 8 Seed San Diego State- Jason Freund (@jasonfreund_) The Daily Aztec
“I think San Diego State is looking pretty good coming into the NCAA Tournament. They currently have the No. 2 Adjusted Defense according to KenPom, which can make up for their sometimes inconsistent offense. If Matt Bradley can heat up during this tournament, the Aztecs will do pretty well, but Kansas will be looming if the Aztecs beat Creighton.”
No. 9 Seed Memphis- Lucas Finton (@LucasFinton) The Daily Helmsman
“Although I don’t believe Memphis is a Final Four caliber team, I think they’ve got some scrappiness to them. After surviving Boise State in last year’s NIT without Lomax, they should be able to get through them and into the second round. That’s where things get a little tricky because – in all likelihood – they’re going to be pitted against Gonzaga. I think this is where they make their exit this year, but I don’t think it’s going to be a blowout like it seems on paper. I have a feeling Memphis keeps it tight through 35 minutes and then the Zags are going to have their way with them – assuming foul trouble doesn’t sneak up on them early.”
No. 9 Seed Creighton- Max Fritsch (@max_fritsch) The Creightonian
“Drawing the nine-seed is really tough, nonetheless be it against one of the better eight’s in San Diego State. I was really hoping we would be a 10 because the skill gap between one’s and two’s is big this year and we would have had much higher chances of a second straight Sweet 16 run. So, with all that being said, I see the Jays beating San Diego State but falling to Kansas.”
No. 10 Seed Loyola-Chicago- Lu Calzada (@lumcalzada) The Loyola Phoenix
“I think Loyola has the potential to make it to the Elite Eight this year if they play at their highest potential — similarly to the way they played at the MVC Tournament. When the team’s defense and three-point shooting are at their best, they really are amazing assets to the Ramblers. I think if they keep those running smoothly they have the potential to be a real threat in the NCAA Tournament.”
No. 10 Seed Miami- Luke Chaney (@luke_chaney4) The Miami Hurricane
“Miami’s offensive identity starts with their guard play. Charlie Moore is the floor general and main facilitator of the offense, with Kameron McGusty and Isaiah Wong shouldering a majority of the Hurricanes’ isolation-heavy offense. Stretch forward Sam Waardenburg has been Miami’s most consistent three-point shooter. Waardenburg also handles a good chunk of Miami’s facilitation duties, as his synergy with guard Jordan Miller has provided the Canes with a viable high-low option on offense as the season has gone along. Defensively, Miami likes to aggressively play the passing lanes and blitz ball screens to make up for their lack of size. The Canes are really good at forcing turnovers but have mostly struggled in generating stops (rank 11th in the ACC in scoring defense). Miami’s guard trio will be dangerous for any team they may go against, but its lack of frontcourt size and bench production may hinder its ability to make a deep run in the tournament.”
No. 11 Seed Rutgers- Dylan McCoy (@DylanMcCoy99) The Daily Targum
Rutgers suffered a loss to Notre Dame in the First Four. Here were the Scarlet Knights’ expectations coming into the week.
“Well, I think Rutgers is a hot and cold team. If they are hot, I see them beating Notre Dame and Alabama at least. If they are cold, they could be a first round exit. This is a team with a lot of quad one wins, and if they are mentally there they will be the ultimate bracket buster this year.”
No. 11 Seed Notre Dame- Aidan Thomas (@Aidan_Thomas23) The Observer
“Notre Dame has proven all year they can win in different ways. It used to be live and die by the 3, but in the First Four, they had their way scoring in the paint. The Irish’s road to any kind of a deep run is doable, but tough. To reach the Sweet 16, they need to take down a top-15 offense (Alabama) and the No. 1 adjusted defense (Texas Tech). Then it could be Duke, a team the Irish can certainly compete with, in the Sweet 16. I’d cap this team’s ceiling at the Elite Eight, but that would be extremely impressive. It’s going to take all seven core players to fill their roles. Paul Atkinson must continue to dominate, Dane Goodwin needs to get more open looks and, in particular, a continued resurgence from Cormac Ryan is key and gives the Irish an extra true scoring threat.”
No. 11 Seed Michigan- Daniel Dash (@DanielDash_) The Michigan Daily
“I believe Michigan’s tournament success will be directly tied to its guard play. The Wolverines know they’ll get elite production out of All-American center Hunter Dickinson, but the backcourt is more of a wild card. DeVante’ Jones has emerged as a reliable second scoring option and captain Eli Brooks brings a veteran presence, but outside of that, Michigan hasn’t gotten a whole lot of production out of its guards. Freshmen Frankie Collins and Kobe Bufkin could be the key to helping the Wolverines cobble together their fifth consecutive Sweet 16 berth.”
No. 11 Seed Iowa State- Matt Belinson (@BelinsonMatt) Iowa State Daily
“My expectations are that I think Iowa State is going to lose to LSU on Friday. I feel like LSU, from a personnel standpoint, is more talented and I think it’s going to kind of take the edge off Iowa State’s possible magical run. That being said, we’ve seen this team get hot for two or three game stretches where it’s like, okay, this is them at their absolute peak. You watch them beat Memphis and then the game before that, they beat Xavier at the NIT Season Tip Off. At the time, Xavier was a top-25 team.
This team has a ceiling for two or three games where it can just light people up. Obviously that’s kind of the old mantra, like you live and die with the three. This team has shown a small ability to get hot like that. We have not seen that for months now just in terms of an offensive explosion, so I’m not going to predict that. That being said, there is a part of me that thinks in the NCAA Tournament madness, anything can happen. If Gabe Kalscheur can find an offensive spark for a week and for a two game stretch, he can go 8-13 from three and they get something from Caleb Grill off the bench, perhaps they could steal two games here and make a run at the Sweet 16. I’m not predicting that. I think this team, for as good a season as they’ve had, I think they’re going to run into another defensive juggernaut against LSU. I think they’re going to have some issues scoring, and I see them as a first round exit”
No. 12 Seed Indiana- Tristan Jackson (@Trist_Jackson) Indiana Daily Student
“Having now beaten Wyoming, Saint Mary’s is a really good team. I’m not extremely confident Indiana would beat them, but I don’t think it’s impossible. I’d imagine Indiana comes into this tournament with something to prove because they had to play in a First Four game, and with wins against Purdue and Illinois they’ve proven they can compete with anyone, so that matchup would really be a toss up to me.
Realistically, one bad night could doom Indiana in the tournament, but I’m not convinced a deep run isn’t possible. They’ve got steam from the Big Ten Tournament and they’re not happy with their seeding, and I think that’s a dangerous combination in March. If I had to guess, I’d say a Round of 32 loss to UCLA, but I could see their season ending anywhere between the Round of 64 and the Sweet 16.”
No. 12 Seed UAB- Garret Helmers (@GarretHelmers) The Kaleidoscope
UAB has proven to be more than capable of winning games against big time competition, in large part due to their dynamic backcourt of all-conference players Quan Jackson and C-USA player of the year, Jordan Walker. They’ve struggled at times due to their lack of size, especially when they find themselves in foul trouble early on against teams with deeper front-courts. When Walker plays to his potential, this team can beat anyone in the country. If UAB can stay out of foul trouble and Walker can put up a few more 40-point games, UAB could find themselves playing into the second weekend of the tournament. Ultimately, I think their lack of size will keep them from advancing past the Round of 32, but Houston should most definitely be on upset alert.
No. 15 Seed Delaware- Konner Metz (@konner_metz) The Review
“The Blue Hens will have a tall task in front of them with Villanova, their toughest one yet. After a mediocre regular season, the Hens and head coach Martin Ingelsby shifted to a defensive mindset in the CAA Tournament (55.6 PPG allowed) that helped them clinch the CAA autobid. For the Hens to keep the game close, they must continue that defensive pressure and feed redshirt freshman Jyare Davis, who has been stout in the post and midrange ever since being inserted into the starting lineup.”
No. 15 Seed Jacksonville State- Thomas Ashworth (@ThomasAshworth0) The Chanticleer
“While Jacksonville State’s seeding and opponent field will pose a challenge for them, they have been a consistent top five three-point shooting team in the nation almost all season and finished 13-3 in conference play. Many fans in the community are excited about the in-state matchup with Auburn and I expect a full crowd. Regardless, this will be a huge opportunity for Jacksonville State to prove that they earned their NCAA Tournament bid. Expect them to be excited and ready to handle the task at hand.”
