Jeepers, sleepers! Eye-opening teams
Action Network’s March Madness experts offer their top sleepers for the 2022 NCAA Tournament, landing on a No. 6 seed and three schools in double digits.
Midwest: S. Dakota St. (13 seed)
Ziefel: The Jackrabbits are not a team to be taken lightly, as they enter the tournament on the nation’s longest winning streak (21 games). They built that win streak by being an offensive juggernaut.
South Dakota State is 12th in the country in offensive efficiency and is the 15thfastest team. But wait, its numbers get even better when you look deeper. The Jackrabbits are first in the nation in effective field goal and 3-point percentages.
Douglas Wilson, Baylor Scheierman and Zeke Mayo are a significant factor in those impressive numbers, as they all shoot over 40 percent from behind the arc and average nearly double-digit points per game.
This offense may even receive a boost for the tourney, as Noah Freidel, who was third on the roster in points per game, could return. He has been working his way back from an absence after leaving the team to better his mental health.
The only caveat with the Jackrabbits: They are lackluster on the defensive end. However, their first-round matchup vs. Providence at 12:40 p.m. Thursday is a complete contrast of styles, and they could very well bounce the Friars if Providence can’t keep up.
South: Loyola Chicago (10 seed)
Stuckey: We’ve seen it before and we could see it again with the Ramblers, who are just a nightmare once again to play in a tournament setting.
There’s no Cameron Krutwig in the middle, so the offense isn’t quite as good as it was last season.
However, the defense remains absolutely suffocating, especially since getting Marquise Kennedy back from injury prior to the start of the Missouri Valley Tournament. All the Ramblers did in that tournament was hold their three top-100 KenPom opponents to 58, 43 and 50 points.
Loyola also plays extremely slow, ranking outside the top
300 in adjusted pace. That’s what you want for a potential sleeper once they get deep into the bracket against the more talented teams. Fewer possessions equals more variance.
On that same front, Loyola shoots and makes a lot of 3s. All of the ingredients are here for a surprise deep run from an extremely experienced and wellcoached team that is simply a toothache to play, beginning Friday vs. Ohio State.
East: Texas (6 seed)
McNamara: This is one of those situations where I could either see Texas bowing out in the first round or going on a deep run if it can survive the opener.
The reason why is because Texas drew red-hot Virginia Tech in its opening matchup on Friday afternoon. This will be a fascinating battle between one of the most efficient offenses in the country in Virginia Tech and the stout defense of the Longhorns.
Give me the Longhorns to pull out a tight one against Virginia Tech, paving the way for a matchup against Purdue in the Round of 32. I like Texas to win that game and advance to the Sweet 16 in Philly.
West: Davidson (10 seed)
McNichol: The Wildcats are looking to make an impact in March for the first time since Steph Curry was on campus, and they have the tools to do so. Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Luka Brajkovic is a 6-foot-10 center with a flurry of post moves. Hyunjung Lee leads the team in scoring and is getting looks from NBA scouts for his ability to shoot over defenses.
Michigan State transfer Foster Loyer quarterbacks the offense and will get a chance to take down his former team on Friday night.
Finally, Bob McKillop is a coaching legend, with one of the sharpest minds and purest schemes in mid-major basketball.
The major hurdle for a deep Davidson run comes in the form of its North Carolina neighbor and potential second-round matchup, the Duke Blue Devils. Davidson will look to the same game plan that led Virginia Tech to a win over Duke in the ACC title game: make the Blue Devils chase on the defensive end, with constant movement and action.
Duke’s defense has been stricken by bouts of poor communication and listlessness recently. Facing the crisp Davidson motion scheme would be the ultimate wake-up call.