Previewing the East Region for the NCAA Tournament
East Region
On this side of the bracket, can Alabama keep Duke out of the Final Four and make it an SEC party (if Tennessee can do the same to Houston).
Who wins the East: Alabama
Duke is LOADED, I get that. Even if Cooper Flagg is injured or limited, this team is loaded. But I’m going with Alabama’s offense and fast pace over Duke’s talent and efficiency. Watch for Bama’s 3-point defense to make things difficult for the Dukies and the Crimson Tide return to the Final Four.
Potential Upset #11 VCU over #6 BYU
An elite Rams defense against an elite Cougars offense. but watch for the A10 Player of the Year, Max Shulga, to have a monster game. This might get into a back and forth battle between Shulga and BYU’s Ritchie Saunders (43% from three), but I’m taking the Rams.
Montana over Wisconsin is obviously the game we are all rooting for.
Players to Watch
VJ Edgcombe is Baylor’s freshman guard who will be a top 5 pick in the upcoming draft. Kid is explosive and can take over a game anytime he wants to. When he decides to explode to the rim, it as fast as anybody in the game.
PrizePicks Lock: John Tonje OVER 6.5 Rebounds
Montana does not rebound very well and they don’t defend the three either. So really I am taking any Badger OVER on rebounds and would also think about OVER on threes, as they are among the top teams for 3s attempted per game.
Intriguing later-round matchups
Baylor and Duke in the second round is going to be a must-watch game for me, especially if Edgecombe is being assertive and playing smart.
Oregon and Arizona might be a fun matchup of former Pac 12 foes.
Best Mascot
Oregon’s “Puddles” is easily the second best mascot in the country. But we also have to give a hat-tip to Akron for the best nickname in this bracket.