Tennessee could make Virginia swoon again
USA TODAY breaks down the NCAA South Regional.
Best first-round matchup: Wisconsin-Oregon. The 5-12 game usually pairs a power-conference team with a mid-major champ. OK, one might argue the Pac-12 looked more like a midmajor this year, but this is still an attractive clash of name-brand programs. The Ducks needed to reinvent themselves when big man Bol Bol’s season was cut short early due to a nagging foot injury. They enter on an eight-game winning streak, including a four-game run through the Pac-12 tournament, and they’re getting excellent floor leadership from Payton Pritchard. The Badgers will provide a tough defensive challenge for Oregon, but Wisconsin sometimes finds points hard to come by as well. Ethan Happ is a veteran who averages a double double, but he’ll need help to corral the surging Ducks.
Potential upset: No, we’re not going to say Gardner-Webb. Virginia will not be victimized by a No. 16 seed for second time. Instead, we direct your attention to No. 13 seed UC-Irvine. The Anteaters haven’t lost since Jan. 16, and their non-conference slate includes wins against NCAA participants Saint Mary’s and Montana. They’ll be a tough draw for fourthseeded Kansas State. The Wildcats can struggle to score even when at full strength, and Dean Wade might still be limited if he’s available at all.
The sleeper: Can the defending national champion really be called a sleeper? We think Villanova can in this case. This version of the Wildcats looks a lot different from last year’s title squad that had some unexpected departures. As the No. 6 seed, they’re going to have a hard time just reaching the Sweet 16. First-round opponent Saint Mary’s won’t be a pushover, and a likely encounter with Purdue would be up next. But seniors Phil Booth and Eric Paschall know how to win on the big stage. If the Wildcats somehow make it to the tournament’s second weekend, watch out.
The winner: Tennessee. Despite what we said above about top-seeded Virginia not making bad history a second time, it’s hard to trust the Cavaliers to reach the Final Four. At some point, they’re going to encounter a squad capable of making contested shots while taking them out of their deliberate offense. That team might just be the Volunteers. They weren’t quite themselves in the SEC title game after they emptied the tank to get by Kentucky in the semifinal. With their batteries recharged, however, they should be ready to make a run all the way to Minneapolis.