After an awesome first weekend of basketball that consisted of No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s winning two games, and No. 1 Baylor and No. 2 Auburn being beaten, we are down to 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament.
We took a deep dive into each region before the tournament tipped off, so now it’s time for a “bracket reset,” where we’ll make a new Final Four pick for each region.
West Region: Gonzaga
Dabbundo: I picked Gonzaga at the start of the tournament to win the region, and I think it’s still going to advance to New Orleans. I was impressed by the second-half comeback against Memphis, and the Bulldogs do have the easiest path to the Final Four in this region.
Arkansas has the speed and athleticism to run with the Bulldogs, but it lacks the size and shooting to compete offensively for 40 minutes.
The Razorbacks can cause some problems with ball pressure and can try to get Holmgren into foul trouble to make it a game. However, Gonzaga will prove too much for the Hogs and Eric Musselman.
The Bulldogs will then get the winner of Texas Tech and Duke. Texas Tech’s no-middle defense is the best defense in the country, but Gonzaga has more than enough shooting to exploit it.
If the rematch with Duke occurs, the Blue Devils have some edges, but this isn’t November anymore. Holmgren has taken a huge step forward at both ends of the floor since then.
It won’t be easy, but the Bulldogs will return to the Final Four.
South Region: Houston
McGrath: Houston looks criminally under-seeded. Even without Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark, Kelvin Sampson has adjusted and dominated. After Houston’s embarrassment of Illinois, the Cougars are now second in KenPom.
The future looks bright. The Cougars get Arizona, which looked vulnerable in an overtime victory over TCU, in the Sweet 16. It’s nice to have Kerr Kriisa back, but he shot just 1-for-10 from 3 in that game.
If the Cougars get past that game, they’ll have a major size advantage over Villanova or Michigan. They also have the ability to shoot with either team.
I’ll take Sampson to again make the Final Four against all odds.
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East Region: Purdue
Dabbundo: Because I think UNC vs. UCLA is a true toss-up game, I’m taking the copout pick and going with Purdue to make the Final Four.
The Boilermakers shouldn’t have any real problems getting past Saint Peter’s, even if the Peacocks are able to cover the spread and make a game of it. Purdue’s defense has improved its ball-screen coverage in the tournament thus far, and it will have a size advantage on either UCLA or UNC if it meets either in the Elite Eight.
Purdue’s ability to get to the free-throw line at a very high rate makes them a tough out this weekend. And when it comes down to the final possessions, Purdue has a guard who can create his own shot off the dribble and score on his own in Jaden Ivey. I’m not sure either UCLA or UNC have the individual defenders to cause him problems like Courtney Ramey and Texas did on Sunday.
Midwest Region: Kansas
Dabbundo: Before the NCAA Tournament began on Thursday, I wrote that Kansas had the easiest path of the four No. 1 seeds to make the Final Four. That’s largely played out, as the Jayhawks faced a 16 seed and then an injured Creighton in the second round.
Following the upsets of Auburn and Wisconsin, Kansas now has huge talent advantages on the remaining teams in the Midwest.
Providence does have some areas in which it matches up decently well with KU, but the Jayhawks are more talented across the board and Remy Martin raises their ceiling.
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