South Regional Overview
The South Regional is very deep this year. Both Kansas and Villanova were in the mix for top seeds in this tournament and find themselves in the same bracket. The depth carries down to 5 seed Maryland, a preseason top-five team, 7 seed Iowa who was leading the Big Ten a month ago, and even UConn and Wichita State, who made Final Four runs in recent years.
#1 Kansas, #2 Villanova, #3 Miami (FL), #4 California, #5 Maryland, #6 Arizona, #7 Iowa, #8 Colorado, #9 Connecticut, #10 Temple, #11 Vanderbilt/Wichita State, #12 South Dakota State, #13 Hawaii, #14 Buffalo, #15 UNC Asheville, #16 Austin Peay
Who Can Win?
Kansas finished the regular season as the top ranked team in the polls and as the top overall seed in the tournament, they have a legitimate chance to win the whole thing. Villanova has had some struggles in the NCAA Tournament in the past. They have the talent to win this region with guards Ryan Arcidiacono, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, but will need Daniel Ochefu to step up inside against some teams that feature some talented big men. Maryland might be the best 5 seed in the tournament. A team that was projected to be a top-five program this year, Maryland struggled a bit. But, with the talent on that roster such as Melo Trimble and Diamond Stone, the Terrapins will be a tough out and a team Kansas won’t want to see in the Sweet 16.
Who Can Surprise?
There are two teams in this region, UConn and Wichita State, that have had success as low seeds in the past. UConn won a national title in 2014 as a 7 seed and with the way the Huskies are playing right now, a couple upsets could be in their future. Wichita State struggled this season dealing with injuries to some key players, but have all the pieces to be a dangerous team in the tournament. Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker, mainstays from the Shocker Final Four team as freshmen, give Wichita State a backcourt duo that can matchup with any team.
Who’s Hot?
UConn is playing really well right now coming off their American Conference Tournament win. Needing a win in their opening game to have a chance to get in the field, Jalen Adams saved the Huskies with a three-quarter court, game-tying three that sent the Huskies to a fourth overtime and eventual victory over Cincinnati. UConn picked the right time of the year to play their best basketball and are an extremely tough team as a 9 seed in this regional.
Who’s Cold?
Iowa is trending in the wrong direction right now. A team that was the frontrunner to win the Big Ten in early February but fell apart down the stretch and lost five of their last six games. If you look at the way the Hawkeyes played earlier in the season, particularly in two big wins over Michigan State, Iowa has the talent of a top seed. With a guy like Jared Uthoff, it is very possible Iowa makes a run, but they will need to make a quick turnaround and improve their play as a team or their season could come to an end very fast.
Upset Alert!
The Arizona Wildcats got stuck with a very tough draw this year. The Wildcats get the winner of the play-in game between Vanderbilt and Wichita State. Vanderbilt has very balanced team. On the wings, the Commodores have a number of great shooters led by Wade Baldwin IV and Matthew Fisher-Davis and a trio of seven-footers inside. Wichita State has the experience on their side with VanVleet and Baker that will give the Shockers a chance in any game. Whoever wins this play-in game has a good chance at upsetting Arizona.
What Possible Matchup is Interesting?
A Kansas and Maryland Sweet 16 matchup would be a great game. In the preseason poll, Maryland was one spot ahead of Kansas at number three and has the talent of a top ten team regardless of their seed. Melo Trimble is one of the best guards in the tournament and Kansas would have their hands full with him. This matchup would come down to the production of Perry Ellis. Diamond Stone and Robert Carter are good inside for Maryland but could they guard Ellis as he steps away from the basket? Should these two teams meet, look for Ellis to be an x-factor.
Which Player Will Dominate?
Perry Ellis is one of the toughest matchups in the country. A veteran forward, Ellis can score inside as well as on the perimeter. Ellis has a lot of experience playing in the NCAA Tournament and with his ability to score in a variety of ways, he will be a tough matchup for opposing bigs.
Which System is Tough to Prepare For?
Kansas has the experience and the depth to cause problems for anybody. The Jayhawks are very balanced with four players averaging over 11 points per game and can deal with foul trouble as they can go as deep as 11 players. Their depth inside, with six players who are 6-foot-8 or taller, gives Kansas the ability to wear down opposing bigs. Most teams don’t have the mix of talent and depth inside that Kansas does and this gives the Jayhawks a huge advantage in the tournament.
South Region Round of 64 Game Breakdowns
Midwest Region Round of 64 Game Breakdowns
East Region Round of 64 Game Breakdowns
West Region Round of 64 Game Breakdowns
