NO TOP GUN YET
[ 1 HOUSTON ] The Cougars are awaiting the return of Marcus Sasser, who leads them in scoring and is having an All-American-type season. He’s hobbled by a groin strain.
[ 2 TEXAS ] The Longhorns, who went more than two decades without a Big 12 tournament title, have won two of the last three and handled Kansas with surprising ease in this year’s final.
[ 3 XAVIER ] Sean Miller, in his second coaching stint at Xavier, has led the school back to the tournament. His team reached the Elite Eight in 2008.
[ 4 INDIANA ] After missing the tournament five years in a row (it was not held in 2020), the Hoosiers are back in it for a second consecutive season under second-year coach Mike Woodson.
Cinderella search
Tucker DeVries, a 6-foot-7 guard and son of Drake coach Darian DeVries, averaged 19 points for the Bulldogs this season and has had some big games lately. He’s key to the success of that upset-minded team.
Top players
Trayce Jackson-Davis, forward, Indiana Jackson-Davis was among college basketball’s best players this season, averaging 20.5 points and 11 rebounds per game.
Jalen Pickett, guard, Penn State The All-Big Ten first-teamer is shooting 56.6% and averaging 20 points over the last 10 games for the Nittany Lions.
Marcus Sasser, guard, Houston Sasser, still recovering from a groin injury that kept him out of the conference tournament final, is averaging 17.5 points, 3.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals this season.
Rim shots
Kennesaw State went 1-28 in 2019-20, meaning it is the fastest program in history to go from a one-win season to the NCAA tournament.
Rodney Terry has made a splash as interim coach of the Texas Longhorns, taking over after Chris Beard was fired in January.
As a team, Houston is steeped in sadness. Coach Kelvin Sampson’s twin sister, Karen, died on Friday morning, a few hours before the top-ranked Cougars opened the AAC tournament.