The madness of March is officially upon us. With it comes a bracket and countless matchups to sweat over as millions of entries inevitably bust. With just three days until the tournament tips, now is the time to break down each region and get a sense of how things might unfold.
First, let’s go over the matchups:
1. Michigan vs. 16. UMBC/Howard
8. Georgia vs. 9. Saint Louis
5. Texas Tech vs. 12. Akron
4. Alabama vs. 13 Hofstra
6. Tennessee vs. 11. Miami (OH)/SMU
3. Virginia vs. 14. Wright State
7. Kentucky vs. 10. Santa Clara
2. Iowa State vs. 15. Tennessee State
Simply put, this region runs through Michigan. The Wolverines are the clear favorite, with 2-seed Iowa State right behind them.
Beyond that, this region has more uncertainty than any other. Texas Tech enters without its best player, J.T. Toppin, due to a season-ending injury. Alabama is dealing with off-court issues after Aden Holloway’s arrest earlier this week. Kentucky has been inconsistent all season, though their ceiling is as high as anyone in the field.
All of that creates real volatility in the middle of the bracket, which ultimately benefits the top seeds.
In terms of upsets, this feels like a region where multiple double-digit seeds could advance. Akron, Miami (OH)/SMU, and Santa Clara all stand out as realistic candidates to win their opening games.
The 8-9 matchup between Georgia and Saint Louis also has the potential to be one of the best games of the opening weekend. Both teams are capable of playing at a very high level.
Overall, expect chaos in the middle, but when it settles, this still looks like a collision course between Michigan and Iowa State with a Final Four berth on the line.
Picks
Final Four: (1) Michigan
Upset Alert: (12) Akron over (5) Texas Tech
Sneaky Team to Watch: (9) Saint Louis
Regional MVP: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
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