The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WEST REGION
No. 1 Gonzaga
Record: 26- 0, 15- 0. Bid: West Coast champion.
Coach: Mark Few ( 31- 20 in 20 appearances). Overview: Occasionally a team enters the NCAA Tournament unscathed. The most recent was Kentucky in 2015. Can the Bulldogs be the first since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers to complete a perfect season? Gonzaga has the nation's most efficient offense, keyed by slick passing and sound shot selection.
No. 2 Iowa
Record: 21- 8, 14- 6. Bid: Big Ten at- large. Coach: Fran Mccaffery ( 5- 9 in nine appearances).
Overview: With frontrunner for national player of the year Luka Garza, Iowa has one of the most prolific offenses in college basketball. The Hawkeyes had a hot start to the regular season, and finished it strong, winning seven of their last eight regular- season games.
No. 3 Kansas
Record: 20- 8, 12- 6. Bid: Big 12 at- large. Coach: Bill Self ( 48- 20 in 21 appearances). Overview: The Jayhawks were trending toward missing the tournament, but a surge in the second half ended with them finishing second in the nation's best conference. The charge was helped by David Mccormack, the Big 12' s most improved player, who averaged 15.8 points in the last 12 games of the regular season.
No. 4 Virginia
Record: 18- 6, 13- 4. Bid: ACC at- large. Coach: Tony Bennett ( 16- 8 in nine appearances).
Overview: Though the Cavaliers had to withdraw from the ACC tournament due to a positive COVID- 19 test, their lone victory at the event indicated that the clutch gene that served them well two years ago is still alive and well. That's the good news. The bad news is this version of the Cavaliers doesn't possess the scoring depth of the championship squad.
No. 5 Creighton
Record: 20- 8, 14- 6. Bid: Big East at- large. Coach: Greg Mcdermott ( 3- 8 in eight appearances).
Overview: You wouldn't know it if you only watched the Big East tournament finale, but Creighton is actually an excellent shooting team. The Bluejays normally connect at about a 39% clip from three- point range, and they need to in order to compensate for a smallish lineup. A bigger opponent will likely send them packing before the tournament's second weekend.
No. 6 Southern California
Record: 22- 7, 15- 5. Bid: Pac- 12 at- large. Coach: Andy Enfield ( 4- 3 in three appearances).
Overview: Freshman big man Evan Mobley is projected as a top- five pick in the NBA draft after becoming the Pac- 12' s player of the year, freshman of the year and defensive player of the year. He led the Pac- 12 in rebounding ( 8.6 per game) and blocked shots ( 2.85 per game) during the regular season.
No. 7 Oregon
Record: 20- 6, 14- 4. Bid: Pac- 12 at- large. Coach: Dana Altman ( 15- 14 in 14 appearances).
Overview: Four years removed from reaching the Final Four, the Ducks know this is the right time of year to have veteran coaching stability and senior leadership. Senior starters Chris Duarte, LJ Figueroa and Eugene Omoruyi have led the Ducks to their 11th consecutive winning season, a program first.
No. 8 Oklahoma
Record: 15- 10, 9- 8. Bid: Big 12 at- large. Coach: Lon Kruger ( 21- 19 in 19 appearances).
Overview: The Sooners rose to No. 8 in the poll before five losses in six games to end the season spoiled their impressive first three months. Can they regain form or will they be a quick out? Austin Reaves leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists. He'll have to be on top of his game.
No. 9 Missouri
Record: 16- 9, 8- 8. Bid: SEC at- large.
Coach: Cuonzo Martin ( 3- 3 in three appearances).
Overview: Missouri was picked to finish 10th in the Southeastern Conference, then reached as high as No. 10 in the country. The Tigers lost six of their final nine games entering the NCAA Tournament, falling far enough to not receive a single vote in last week's AP Poll. Mizzou hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game in 11 years, with four losses since a 2010 win over Clemson, including the 2012 loss as a No. 2 seed to Norfolk State.
No. 10 Virginia Commonwealth
Record: 19- 7, 10- 4. Bid: Atlantic- 10 at large. Coach: Mike Rhoades ( 0- 1 in one appearance).
Overview: The program's tournament history that includes a First Four to Final Four run suggests VCU shouldn't be taken lightly. Nah'shon Hyland's breakout sophomore season that earned him league player- of- theyear honors was the main reason for the Rams exceeding their preseason projection. Their constant pressure defense generates a lot of steals, but sometimes a lot of fouls as well.
No. 11 Wichita State
Record: 16- 5, 11- 2. Bid: at- large
Coach: Isaac Brown ( first appearance) Overview: The departure of former Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall has not fazed the Shockers as they clinched the AAC'S regular- season crown in Isaac Brown's first season at the helm. WSU is a team that rarely beats itself. The Shockers are top- 60 nationally in fewest turnovers and fewest fouls.
No. 11 Drake
Record: 25- 4, 15- 3. Bid: Missouri Valley at- large.
Coach: Darian Devries ( first appearance). Overview: The veteran- laden Bulldogs are equally as gifted on offense as they are on defense, but they have a shorter lineup that provides an offensive edge and defensive weakness. Shooting the ball well will be important, as the Bulldogs average close to 50% — to rank 13th nationally in field goal percentage.
No. 12 UC Santa Barbara
Record: 22- 4, 13- 3. Bid: Big West champion. Coach: Joe Pasternack ( first appearance). Overview: After finishing 6- 22 in 2017, UCSB hired coach Joe Pasternack, a former student manager at Indiana under coach Bob Knight. He has led the Gauchos to four consecutive 20- win seasons since then and this time earned an NCAA berth by beating UC Irvine in the league tournament game, 7963.
No. 13 Ohio
Record: 16- 7, 9- 5. Bid: MAC champion Coach: Jeff Boals ( first appearance). Overview: The Bobcats entered the MAC tournament as the fifth seed and amid a two- week hiatus. Neither challenge could stop Ohio from upsetting three of the four teams that finished ahead of them in the standings and securing an automatic bid. The Bobcats scored more than 80 points in all three victories; their success flows from the offensive side of the court, as they average more than 80 points per game.
No. 14 Eastern Washington
Record: 16- 7, 12- 3. Bid: Big Sky champion. Coach: Shantay Legans ( first appearance). Overview: The Eagles came into the season as heavy favorites to win the Big Sky, returning four starters — two of whom were allconference players last season — from a team that won the regular season championship. Eastern Washington got off to a rough start this season at 3- 6 but won 13 of their last 14 down the stretch.
No. 15 Grand Canyon
Record: 17- 6, 9- 3. Bid: WAC champion. Coach: Bryce Drew ( 4- 3 in three appearances).
Overview: Grand Canyon brings defense and rebounding prowess into its NCAA Tournament debut. The dominance on the boards has helped the Antelopes keep all but six opponents under 70 points. Heading into conference tournament play, GCU ranked second nationally in field- goal defense and in the top 10 in points allowed per game.
No. 16 Norfolk State
Record: 16- 7, 8- 4. Bid: Mid- Eastern Athletic Conference champion.
Coach: Robert Jones ( first appearance). Overview: Many fans will remember Norfolk State as the team that pulled the biggest point spread upset in tournament history, shocking Missouri in 2012 as a 21.5- point underdog. The Spartans, however, haven't been back to the dance since then despite being one of the top teams in the MEAC.
No. 16 Appalachian State
Record: 17- 11, 7- 8. Bid: Sun Belt Conference champion.
Coach: Dustin Kerns ( first appearance). Overview: Appalachian State is best known as a Cinderella on the gridiron, having upset Michigan football in 2007. Now, the Mountaineers begin that quest on the hardwood, back in the NCAAS for the first time in twoplus decades.