Duke’s Cooper Flagg drives previous Florida State’s Jerry Deng, second from left, throughout a sport on March 1.
(Ben McKeown / Related Press)
No. 1 Duke — The Blue Devils are the primary workforce in ACC historical past to steer their convention in scoring offense (83.0) and protection (61.9). Duke, the nation’s No. 1 ranked workforce, is trying to win all of it for a sixth time. The workforce has a trio of star freshmen and opens with a de facto house sport in Raleigh, N.C.
No. 2 Alabama — The Crimson Tide’s up-tempo fashion can catch a whole lot of opponents flat-footed. However does this workforce have the protection to get to the Ultimate 4? Coach Nate Oats led his workforce to the Elite Eight final yr, and had groups that superior to the Candy 16 in ’23 and ’21.
No. 3 Wisconsin — It is a seasoned basketball program. The Badgers are making their twenty fourth NCAA match look within the final 26 years. Wisconsin is a disciplined workforce and lethal when it will get to the road, main the nation in free-throw accuracy (82.6%). That is the highest-scoring Badgers workforce because the 1970-71 season.
No. 4 Arizona — The Wildcats have come on robust of late, making all of it the best way to the Massive 12 title sport of their inaugural season within the convention. Arizona fell 72-64 to Houston, considerably off the Wildcats’ common of 81.7 factors per sport. Arizona blew out Outdated Dominion and Davidson this season.
CINDERELLA SEARCH
Liberty is aware of the right way to gradual it down, play robust protection and make each possession rely. The Twelfth-seeded Flames have a troublesome matchup towards Oregon, and coach Dana Altman may have his Geese in a row, however this sport received’t be a straightforward opener for the No. 5 seed.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Cooper Flagg, ahead, Duke — Projected as the highest choose within the 2025 NBA draft, the 6-9 Flagg suffered a left ankle sprain throughout the ACC match quarterfinals, sparking issues he wouldn’t be out there for the NCAA match. However the Blue Devils are assured the star freshman can be prepared.
Caleb Love, guard, Arizona — Love is a feast-or-famine shooter who can get scorching and have an enormous sport or come out as chilly as an ice plunge. He leads Arizona in scoring (18.0) and three-pointers made (92), and has loads of expertise, having spent his first three seasons with North Carolina.
Egor Demin, guard, Brigham Younger — NBA scouts can be retaining a eager eye on the 6-9 Demin, who grew up in Russia and located his option to BYU. This was his first season on the college and he averaged 10.3 factors and 5.4 assists, and was named to the Massive 12 all-freshman workforce. He might be a lottery choose.
RIM SHOTS
Saint Mary’s is awful with regards to taking pictures threes. The Gaels misplaced to Gonzaga within the West Coast Convention match, going 0 for 16 from three-point vary, the primary ranked workforce to try this since Texas A&M in 2011. Robert Morris, which opens towards Alabama, went 26-8 this season after an total document of 10-22 a yr earlier, with a seven-game shedding streak to complete that season. One other U-turn: Vanderbilt was 9-23 final yr beneath Jerry Stackhouse, however went 20-12 this yr with coach Mark Byinton on the helm.
— Sam Farmer
