This years version of March Madness is looking quite appetizing, even to the most suspect fans of NCAA Men's Basketball. It seems to be one of the most balanced years, as well as some of the best matchups team to team and player to player that we have seen any time recently in March. There are plenty of big storylines from top teams, like Kentucky going in undefeated, to weaker teams, like UCLA, who got an 11 seed despite being projected as a first four out squad. Almost any team has the potential to win the whole thing this year, and cut down the nets in March. Here are some of them, with stats and comparisons via ESPN's Tournament Challenge Application for Apple devices.
1. Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky is pretty self explanatory, but they are a team that everyone respects this year. They have several good players, including one of the best players in the NCAA right now in Karl Anthony Towns. While Kentucky did get put in one of the hardest regions they could have been placed in, they are still going in as a favorite in many peoples minds, and even another number one squad like Villanova beating them would be seen as an upset by many.
2. Kansas Jayhawks
The number two seed in the Kentucky bracket is also viewed as one of the best teams in this years tournament. They have a tough road to climb, including facing off against Notre Dame and of course Kentucky to just make the Final Four, but they have a very talented team, with a good balance of players, including Kelly Oubre, Perry Ellis and Frank Marson. They did get demolished by Kentucky earlier this season by 32 points, however, but they did best a very good Baylor team in all three matchups this season.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame also is in the same hard region this go around, but they have a lot of talent, lead by Jerian Grant, a very good player who averaged 17 points per game and 6.5 assists per game for the Fighting Irish. They shot 51% from the floor, which is great considering the teams they went up against this season in the ACC. They did struggle against Virginia's top ranked defense, losing by six, and they also lost one of their three games to Duke this season, however they wouldn't have to see either of those teams again until the Championship game.
4. Wisconsin Badgers
After shutting down Michigan State in overtime during the Big Ten Championship Game, the Badgers earned a number one seed in this years tournament, and got themselves a very top heavy bracket upon first sight. This might be one of the more boring brackets as far as upsets go, but the games themselves, especially the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games look to be very promising. Wisconsin is lead by Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky, who are one of the best outside-inside combinations in the game, and they allow only 56 points per game while scoring over 70 in a decent Big Ten Conference. They only lost three games this season, two of them being to Maryland by six and Duke by 10.
5. Arizona Wildcats
Arizona got one of the nicer draws of the top teams in the tournament, but that doesn't make it any easier. Stanley Johnson and company will have to get through a couple of tough teams still in what looks to be Baylor in the Sweet Sixteen and either what figures to be Wisconsin or North Carolina in the Elite 8. Arizona is a very athletic team, and has won all three games they've played this season against top 25 teams, including Gonzaga by three. They are a solid rebounding team, and have shot well this season, hitting 49% of their shots.
6. Baylor Bears
Baylor has one of the best rebounding teams in the nation, which should make for an interesting matchup should they face Arizona in the Sweet 16. Rico Gathers is averaging over 11 board per game, and Baylor has hit 40% of their three point shots as a team! With five players who have been solid from beyond the arc this season.
7. North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina has been quite inconsistent this season, but when they are on the top of their game, they are hard to beat. Marcus Paige can be one of the best perimeter shooters in the game, and he really opens up the offense well for the rest of the squad. North Carolina has shined in all facets of the game recently, rebounding well, stopping the three point shot (under 30% in the ACC Tournament) and scoring well at about 78 points per game. Another note as well, is that they can play both styles of play, although they prefer up tempo as the Tar Heels seem to have good fast break defense and love to get quick looks down the floor.
8. Villanova Wildcats
Villanova got arguably the hardest bracket this season, as there are tough teams as soon as they get past the sixteen seed. Someone has to win, however, and Villanova knows how to do it. They are one of the best three point shooting teams in the nation shooting 39% from beyond the arc. They also are coming in extremely hot, and are 12-0 in their last twelve.
9. Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia is also in a tough spot, getting the hardest two seed bid in recent memory, but they have a very good team, and could do well, as they have the best defense in Division One, giving up only 50 points per game, a very low number, especially from an ACC team. They'll have a long road ahead, and are the most likely top team in this authors opinion to be eliminated early, due to their relatively low scoring, as the up tempo style seems to work better in March, and the teams with the better defenses that could not score were getting booted early in recent tournaments.
10. Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma has one of the best starting crews in the nation, and are coming in hot at the perfect time. They have a very balanced team, and can do it all. They have played one of the hardest schedules in the nation this season, which has prepared them for this bracket. One problem they have had is committing fouls, which could haunt them as early as the round of 64.
11. Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals only seem to struggle with top teams. Of their 8 losses this year, 6 came against four or higher seeded teams from the ACC (North Carolina, Duke, Virginia, and Notre Dame). They are one of the best defensive teams in the country, rated top 20 in points allowed per game, blocks, and steals, while Montrezl Harrell is a force to be reckoned with on both boards, and is almost averaging a double double per game. While they are in a tough bracket, they are a very good team, and can hang with the best.
12. Northern Iowa Panthers
One team that many power conference fans might not be aware of is Northern Iowa. They are 30-3 and have lost only one time since the calendar year changed to 2015. They are one of the best shooting teams in the nation, hitting 54% of their shots, and 40% from beyond the arc, while still maintaining one of the better defenses as well. Seth Tuttle is one of the best players in this tournament, and will be a lot of fun to watch. He's averaging 16 points per game, and has been good defensively as well.
13. Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State, lead by one of the best coaches in the game, could also make a run in this deep bracket, so much so that if they do, they might not even be considered an upset team as a seven seed. Brendan Dawson and Travis Trice have been good for the Spartans, while Denzel Valentine has been solid on both sides of the ball as well. The Spartans also come in with plenty of March experience, and they are always viewed as a threat to make a run in the tournament, especially after holding off a great Wisconsin team to Overtime, where Wisconsin would end up eventually winning.
14. Duke Blue Devils
Duke has a solid starting lineup, and have continued to win games despite having only an right man bench. This could become a factor longer into the tournament, when a tired Jahlil Okafor has to go against a fresher Montrezl Harrell, Karl Anthony Towns, etc. Until that point, Okafor is always a matchup problem, and is the favorite to be the number one pick in the draft. Duke is averaging over 80 points and 50% field goals throughout the year, and have been really efficient.
15. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga is always one of the teams rated towards the top of the bracket, and have earned themselves another two seed this year. They lead the nation in field goal percentage and have a well rounded team, including solid defender Gary Bell Jr. They also find themselves in one of the deeper brackets, but if they can hold off the upsets, they should have quite the road to the elite eight, and final four.
16. Iowa State Cyclones or SMU Mustangs
Since these two teams would play each other in the round of 32, this writer is putting them both together, as one team will go home early, and the other has a chance to make it far. Both teams are solid on defense, and both teams have well balanced teams on offense. Either of these teams could upset Gonzaga or Duke and make the final four. Anything can happen in March, and it takes just one player underperforming, one bad play, or one bad foul call to make or break a teams postseason.