Overall top seed Duke the favorite
USA TODAY breaks down the NCAA tournament East Regional.
Best first-round matchup: No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 Minnesota. This matchup is dripping with intrigue as Gophers coach Richard Pitino will coach against the team his dad, Rick, used to coach before Louisville fired him in 2017. The Cardinals, who have balanced scoring, finished tied for sixth in the ACC and had victories against Michigan State, North Carolina and Virginia Tech. But they struggled down the stretch, losing five of their last seven games. Sophomore forward Jordan Nwora averages 17.2 points and shoots 37.1 percent on 3-pointers. Minnesota, which lacks 3-point shooting, relies on junior guard Amir Coffey (16.3 points per game) and senior forward Jordan Murphy (14.8).
Potential upset: No. 14 Yale over No. 3 LSU. The Tigers are reeling with the indefinite suspension of coach Will Wade amid an FBI probe that also allegedly involves freshman guard Javonte Smart. LSU, which won the SEC regularseason title, lost in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. It’s going to be tough for the Tigers to put that behind them and focus on basketball against the Ivy League tournament champion. High-scoring Yale loves its high-ball screens, constant movement and fast pace, and the Bulldogs can make 3-pointers, led by junior guard Miye Oni (17.6 points per game), senior guard Alex Copeland (13.4 points) and senior forward Blake Reynolds (11.3 points). Interesting connection: Yale recruited LSU’s leading scorer sophomore guard Tremont Waters, a native of New Haven, Connecticut.
The sleeper: No. 4 Virginia Tech. Hokies coach Buzz Williams should have his team ready, especially with one of the best defensive teams in the nation and the best 3-point shooting team in the ACC. Sophomore guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a potential lottery pick with his ability to score and knock down 3-pointers, and junior forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. provides an interior presence on both ends. Virginia Tech has proved it can beat quality teams with victories against Purdue, Washington, Syracuse and Duke, albeit the Blue Devils were without freshman forward Zion Williamson.
The winner: No. 1 Duke. As long as Williamson is healthy, the Blue Devils are the favorite not only in the East but also the entire bracket. Since Williamson, projected No. 1 in the NBA draft, returned from an injury at the start of the ACC tournament, he is averaging 27 points and 10 rebounds and shooting 76.7 percent. Duke can’t rely on Williamson the deeper it gets into the tournament and will need efficient performances from freshman forwards R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish, both projected lottery picks, and 3-point shooting from sophomore guard Alex O’Connell and junior forward Jack White. A Michigan State-Duke regional final is what the East region needs.