SOUTH REGION: Easiest Bracket to Bust Has Many Contenders
As many as ten - yes, ten - teams could advance
by Samuel McKewon
March 19, 2008
Also see: Big Dance Primer East Region Midwest Region Poll
Breakdown:What a terrific bracket. Texas is getting the attention because the regional final is in Houston, but one wonders if the Longhorns are built to last, using just six players in a regular rotation. Memphis, meanwhile, just wins basketball games. Analysts like to nitpick the Tigers - specifically their free-throw shooting - but they dominate the boards, generate a lot of steals, and don't turn the ball over. Stanford is in intriguing for its defense and size, while scrappy Pittsburgh looks to muscle its way to a miracle run. Finally, there are two bona fide sleepers in the bracket. Keep reading to find out.
Best Five Players:Texas PG D.J. Augustin. Memphis PG Derrick Rose, Memphis G Chris Douglas-Roberts, Stanford C Brook Lopez, Temple G Dionte Christmas
Best Uniforms:I like Marquette's flashy, retro look. Others don’t. Stanford is more classy.
Worst Uniforms:Oregon's black/green/lemon nightmares
Best Frontcourt:Stanford
Best Backcourt:Memphis
Best Shooters:Probably Maarty Leunen of Oregon. He shoots five a game, and hits 2 or 3 per.
Best Big Man:Lopez at Stanford
X-Men:Oregon guard Tajuan Porter. He can drop 30. Or he can lay an egg. It's an adventure every time he jacks up a trey.
Best Coach: Tom Izzo, Michigan State. He doesn't have the horses, probably, but he knows how to draw his opponents into a tempo they don’t like.
Overseeded:One could gripe about Marquette a little, but it seems like a fair shake. Oregon seems a little high.
Underseeded:Given its record, Kentucky's in the right slot. But who wants to play the Wildcats? Nobody. Cornell is better than any of the 13 seeds.
Scouting Report
No. 1 Memphis (33-1)A complete team that few completely believe in. Judged too harshly for a loss to Tennessee, a game in which both teams played terribly. The Tigers have a good mix of shooters, slashers and inside bulk with Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey, who are better than their so-so statistics suggest. The Tigers frustrate opponents with their sheer athleticism. Coach John Calipari is a quote machine, but his last two teams have flopped in the Elite Eight. Considering this is the best of that bunch - will it happen again? If Memphis falls too in love with the 3-pointer, it could.
No. 2 Texas (28-6)A six-man squad that needs to shoot well to win. Streaky, but potent. Beat Tennessee and UCLA within eight days of each other. Augustin is the nation's purest, prettiest point guard, scoring and passing with equal skill. He makes impossible-looking shots with regularity. Forward Damion James is an effective hybrid who can rebound and hit a jump shot. A.J Abrams is a pure gunner, sweeping behind screens for 3-pointers. The Longhorns execute well, but coach Rick Barnes is predictable, often calling the same plays for a long Abrams trey, or simply asking Augustin to figure it out on his own. The Horns will settle for a bad shot, and rely on skill to bail them out.
No. 3 Stanford (26-7)Lost three titanic games to UCLA, one of which was swiped from it by referees. Seven-foot brothers Brook and Robin Lopez are the nation's best frontcourt duo, combining for 30 points, 15 boards and five blocks, but the Cardinal don't always know what to do with them, and they're both lightning rods for fouls. Brook's better - he has a jump shot. The guards - Anthony Goods and Mitch Johnson - are occasionally bewildering; sometimes they play as if they don’t have two incredible weapons at their disposal. Iffy emotional quotient, too.
No. 4 Pittsburgh (26-9)Since they got Bob Knight's official (and unearned) endorsement as national champions, the Panthers have been the talk of this region. Is the team tougher than a two-dollar steak? Yes. Can it hold its own with more talented teams? Sure. But Pitt simply must have the opponent comply with a bad shooting night, because its perimeter defense isn't good enough, and the Panthers routinely allow 15-20 free throws a night. Forward Sam Young is a real grinder - tough, versatile, capable of getting out on the break. Keith Benjamin and Ronald Ramon are good shooters.
No. 5 Michigan State (25-8)Different than just about every team in the Big Dance. Comparatively, the Spartans take very few 3-pointers , and half of them come from one player: Guard Drew Neitzel. Otherwise, Tom Izzo's bunch tries to pound the ball inside, draw fouls and inch its way to victory. Against teams with a good zone defense, MSU can struggle, so Temple could be a tough matchup. This team underachieved in 2008, but the experience, size and athleticism is there. If there is a darkhorse, this is one of them.
No. 6 Marquette (24-9)A classic "city" team that features an array of hard-charging, me-first showmen that overplay on defense (leading to steals, fouls and easy baskets) and run on offense. No deficit - or lead - is too comfortable. Generous only on fast breaks, Marquette is not the kind of team that exactly reflects "sharing," but the Golden Eagles are fun to watch and a definite threat if they can avoid too much foul trouble. Jerel McNeal and Dominic James lead the way.
No. 7 Miami (Fla) (22-10)With one of the tourney's biggest frontcourts, flanked by two sharp-shooting guards in Jack McClinton and James Dews, the unknown Hurricanes are a good matchup for Texas in the second round and a potential sleeper. With guys who, 6-8, 6-8 and 6-9 respectively, Miami will beat just about any opponent on the boards, but fouls are a problem. So are turnovers. The "U" struggles against teams that run - which includes St. Mary's.
No. 8 Mississippi State (22-10)Another athletic rebounding machine that features the nation's best shot-blocker in Jarvis Varnado, who averages 4.5 per game. Lost a lot of games to Tourney teams, including South Alabama. Not the best perimeter defense. Tough matchup with Oregon, which dares you to outscore them.
No. 9 Oregon (18-13)Gunners. No mystery with the Ducks - they'll shoot 3-pointers until they drop, even if they don't. Defense optional. Maarty Leunen, Brice Porter, Malik Hairston and Tajuan Porter are the quartet in question, and they comprise 75 percent of the team's scoring. Doesn't create many steals, but fouls constantly. Why the NCAA would choose to reward a team that plays basketball like this is unclear, but the Ducks are here, and they can blow up a bracket.
No. 10 St. Mary's (25-6)An aggressive, high-energy bunch that you don't want to play when they're hot. The Gaels shoot plenty of 3-pointers, but they get to the line with great frequency, too, so there's balance to their offensive attack. The best player is a freshman, an Australian import named Patrick Mills. Get used the name, because the little guy's got game. He'd be a good test for D.J. Augustin in a second round game against Texas.
No. 11 Kentucky (18-12)Now that UK has bought into Coach Billy Gillespie's preferred style of grinding, aggressive defense, this team has the look. Probably not for anything beyond a first-round win, but one never knows - Stanford could easily blink against a pedigree like this mixed with desire.Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley have to do a lot of the work now that star forward Patrick Patterson is hurt for the rest of the season, but UK manages to get by with pretty effective rebounding.
No. 12 Temple (21-12)Not your father's Temple team: These Owls score quite well, and struggle to defend. At least one thing hasn't changed since John Chaney retired: Temple is built around its guards, led by Dionte Christmas, who shot an astonishing 274 3-pointers during the season and averaged 37.3 out of 40 minutes. His backcourt mate, Mark Tyndale averaged 37.4. This is a seven-man team, but one of confidence, emerging from a tough Atlantic 10 Conference.
No. 13 Oral Roberts (24-8)OK team in a pretty crappy, two-team Summit League, the tournament of which was played on ORU's hometown. The Golden Eagles have a fair amount of balance, but need points from guards Robert Jarvis and Moses Ehambe. ORU rarely plays power conference teams, but did beat Oklahoma State during the non-conference season.
No. 14 Cornell (22-5)The Big Red ran the table in the Ivy League, and were rarely challenged in doing so. Extremely efficient shooters, making 41 percent of their 3-pointers and 76 percent of their free throws. And Cornell has a 7-footer in Jeff Foote. Probably can't beat Stanford, but this team is not a pushover.
No. 15 Austin Peay (24-10)Typical Ohio Valley team: Athletic, high-scoring. Lots of steals, fouls and turnovers. Undersized, but not to be underestimated.
No. 16 Texas-Arlington (21-11)Plucky bunch finished seventh in its conference before punching a Golden Ticket to a first-round blowout loss.
First-round upsets: Kentucky over Marquette. Watch for Temple, too, against a up-and-down Michigan State team.
Bracket Busters:They're everywhere. Texas will struggle during that first weekend against Miami or St. Mary's. Count on it. Memphis might, too. And the winner of Marquette/Kentucky could easily slay Stanford.
Best Bets:Put this Pitt nonsense to rest; across the board, Memphis is better than the Panthers. On the bottom half of the bracket…anything goes. Texas doesn’t have some magical advantage because of the regional's final destination, either - the Longhorns' fans are average, at best. Did "home court advantage" help Texas A&M last year? It'd be easy to pick Memphis, but any of ten - yes, ten - teams could emerge.
Also see: Big Dance Primer East Region Midwest Region
Breakdown:What a terrific bracket. Texas is getting the attention because the regional final is in Houston, but one wonders if the Longhorns are built to last, using just six players in a regular rotation. Memphis, meanwhile, just wins basketball games. Analysts like to nitpick the Tigers - specifically their free-throw shooting - but they dominate the boards, generate a lot of steals, and don't turn the ball over. Stanford is in intriguing for its defense and size, while scrappy Pittsburgh looks to muscle its way to a miracle run. Finally, there are two bona fide sleepers in the bracket. Keep reading to find out.
Best Five Players:Texas PG D.J. Augustin. Memphis PG Derrick Rose, Memphis G Chris Douglas-Roberts, Stanford C Brook Lopez, Temple G Dionte Christmas
Best Uniforms:I like Marquette's flashy, retro look. Others don’t. Stanford is more classy.
Worst Uniforms:Oregon's black/green/lemon nightmares
Best Frontcourt:Stanford
Best Backcourt:Memphis
Best Shooters:Probably Maarty Leunen of Oregon. He shoots five a game, and hits 2 or 3 per.
Best Big Man:Lopez at Stanford
X-Men:Oregon guard Tajuan Porter. He can drop 30. Or he can lay an egg. It's an adventure every time he jacks up a trey.
Best Coach: Tom Izzo, Michigan State. He doesn't have the horses, probably, but he knows how to draw his opponents into a tempo they don’t like.
Overseeded:One could gripe about Marquette a little, but it seems like a fair shake. Oregon seems a little high.
Underseeded:Given its record, Kentucky's in the right slot. But who wants to play the Wildcats? Nobody. Cornell is better than any of the 13 seeds.
Scouting Report
No. 1 Memphis (33-1)A complete team that few completely believe in. Judged too harshly for a loss to Tennessee, a game in which both teams played terribly. The Tigers have a good mix of shooters, slashers and inside bulk with Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey, who are better than their so-so statistics suggest. The Tigers frustrate opponents with their sheer athleticism. Coach John Calipari is a quote machine, but his last two teams have flopped in the Elite Eight. Considering this is the best of that bunch - will it happen again? If Memphis falls too in love with the 3-pointer, it could.
No. 2 Texas (28-6)A six-man squad that needs to shoot well to win. Streaky, but potent. Beat Tennessee and UCLA within eight days of each other. Augustin is the nation's purest, prettiest point guard, scoring and passing with equal skill. He makes impossible-looking shots with regularity. Forward Damion James is an effective hybrid who can rebound and hit a jump shot. A.J Abrams is a pure gunner, sweeping behind screens for 3-pointers. The Longhorns execute well, but coach Rick Barnes is predictable, often calling the same plays for a long Abrams trey, or simply asking Augustin to figure it out on his own. The Horns will settle for a bad shot, and rely on skill to bail them out.
No. 3 Stanford (26-7)Lost three titanic games to UCLA, one of which was swiped from it by referees. Seven-foot brothers Brook and Robin Lopez are the nation's best frontcourt duo, combining for 30 points, 15 boards and five blocks, but the Cardinal don't always know what to do with them, and they're both lightning rods for fouls. Brook's better - he has a jump shot. The guards - Anthony Goods and Mitch Johnson - are occasionally bewildering; sometimes they play as if they don’t have two incredible weapons at their disposal. Iffy emotional quotient, too.
No. 4 Pittsburgh (26-9)Since they got Bob Knight's official (and unearned) endorsement as national champions, the Panthers have been the talk of this region. Is the team tougher than a two-dollar steak? Yes. Can it hold its own with more talented teams? Sure. But Pitt simply must have the opponent comply with a bad shooting night, because its perimeter defense isn't good enough, and the Panthers routinely allow 15-20 free throws a night. Forward Sam Young is a real grinder - tough, versatile, capable of getting out on the break. Keith Benjamin and Ronald Ramon are good shooters.
No. 5 Michigan State (25-8)Different than just about every team in the Big Dance. Comparatively, the Spartans take very few 3-pointers , and half of them come from one player: Guard Drew Neitzel. Otherwise, Tom Izzo's bunch tries to pound the ball inside, draw fouls and inch its way to victory. Against teams with a good zone defense, MSU can struggle, so Temple could be a tough matchup. This team underachieved in 2008, but the experience, size and athleticism is there. If there is a darkhorse, this is one of them.
No. 6 Marquette (24-9)A classic "city" team that features an array of hard-charging, me-first showmen that overplay on defense (leading to steals, fouls and easy baskets) and run on offense. No deficit - or lead - is too comfortable. Generous only on fast breaks, Marquette is not the kind of team that exactly reflects "sharing," but the Golden Eagles are fun to watch and a definite threat if they can avoid too much foul trouble. Jerel McNeal and Dominic James lead the way.
No. 7 Miami (Fla) (22-10)With one of the tourney's biggest frontcourts, flanked by two sharp-shooting guards in Jack McClinton and James Dews, the unknown Hurricanes are a good matchup for Texas in the second round and a potential sleeper. With guys who, 6-8, 6-8 and 6-9 respectively, Miami will beat just about any opponent on the boards, but fouls are a problem. So are turnovers. The "U" struggles against teams that run - which includes St. Mary's.
No. 8 Mississippi State (22-10)Another athletic rebounding machine that features the nation's best shot-blocker in Jarvis Varnado, who averages 4.5 per game. Lost a lot of games to Tourney teams, including South Alabama. Not the best perimeter defense. Tough matchup with Oregon, which dares you to outscore them.
No. 9 Oregon (18-13)Gunners. No mystery with the Ducks - they'll shoot 3-pointers until they drop, even if they don't. Defense optional. Maarty Leunen, Brice Porter, Malik Hairston and Tajuan Porter are the quartet in question, and they comprise 75 percent of the team's scoring. Doesn't create many steals, but fouls constantly. Why the NCAA would choose to reward a team that plays basketball like this is unclear, but the Ducks are here, and they can blow up a bracket.
No. 10 St. Mary's (25-6)An aggressive, high-energy bunch that you don't want to play when they're hot. The Gaels shoot plenty of 3-pointers, but they get to the line with great frequency, too, so there's balance to their offensive attack. The best player is a freshman, an Australian import named Patrick Mills. Get used the name, because the little guy's got game. He'd be a good test for D.J. Augustin in a second round game against Texas.
No. 11 Kentucky (18-12)Now that UK has bought into Coach Billy Gillespie's preferred style of grinding, aggressive defense, this team has the look. Probably not for anything beyond a first-round win, but one never knows - Stanford could easily blink against a pedigree like this mixed with desire.Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley have to do a lot of the work now that star forward Patrick Patterson is hurt for the rest of the season, but UK manages to get by with pretty effective rebounding.
No. 12 Temple (21-12)Not your father's Temple team: These Owls score quite well, and struggle to defend. At least one thing hasn't changed since John Chaney retired: Temple is built around its guards, led by Dionte Christmas, who shot an astonishing 274 3-pointers during the season and averaged 37.3 out of 40 minutes. His backcourt mate, Mark Tyndale averaged 37.4. This is a seven-man team, but one of confidence, emerging from a tough Atlantic 10 Conference.
No. 13 Oral Roberts (24-8)OK team in a pretty crappy, two-team Summit League, the tournament of which was played on ORU's hometown. The Golden Eagles have a fair amount of balance, but need points from guards Robert Jarvis and Moses Ehambe. ORU rarely plays power conference teams, but did beat Oklahoma State during the non-conference season.
No. 14 Cornell (22-5)The Big Red ran the table in the Ivy League, and were rarely challenged in doing so. Extremely efficient shooters, making 41 percent of their 3-pointers and 76 percent of their free throws. And Cornell has a 7-footer in Jeff Foote. Probably can't beat Stanford, but this team is not a pushover.
No. 15 Austin Peay (24-10)Typical Ohio Valley team: Athletic, high-scoring. Lots of steals, fouls and turnovers. Undersized, but not to be underestimated.
No. 16 Texas-Arlington (21-11)Plucky bunch finished seventh in its conference before punching a Golden Ticket to a first-round blowout loss.
First-round upsets: Kentucky over Marquette. Watch for Temple, too, against a up-and-down Michigan State team.
Bracket Busters:They're everywhere. Texas will struggle during that first weekend against Miami or St. Mary's. Count on it. Memphis might, too. And the winner of Marquette/Kentucky could easily slay Stanford.
Best Bets:Put this Pitt nonsense to rest; across the board, Memphis is better than the Panthers. On the bottom half of the bracket…anything goes. Texas doesn’t have some magical advantage because of the regional's final destination, either - the Longhorns' fans are average, at best. Did "home court advantage" help Texas A&M last year? It'd be easy to pick Memphis, but any of ten - yes, ten - teams could emerge.
Also see: Big Dance Primer East Region Midwest Region
Breakdown:What a terrific bracket. Texas is getting the attention because the regional final is in Houston, but one wonders if the Longhorns are built to last, using just six players in a regular rotation. Memphis, meanwhile, just wins basketball games. Analysts like to nitpick the Tigers - specifically their free-throw shooting - but they dominate the boards, generate a lot of steals, and don't turn the ball over. Stanford is in intriguing for its defense and size, while scrappy Pittsburgh looks to muscle its way to a miracle run. Finally, there are two bona fide sleepers in the bracket. Keep reading to find out.
Best Five Players:Texas PG D.J. Augustin. Memphis PG Derrick Rose, Memphis G Chris Douglas-Roberts, Stanford C Brook Lopez, Temple G Dionte Christmas
Best Uniforms:I like Marquette's flashy, retro look. Others don’t. Stanford is more classy.
Worst Uniforms:Oregon's black/green/lemon nightmares
Best Frontcourt:Stanford
Best Backcourt:Memphis
Best Shooters:Probably Maarty Leunen of Oregon. He shoots five a game, and hits 2 or 3 per.
Best Big Man:Lopez at Stanford
X-Men:Oregon guard Tajuan Porter. He can drop 30. Or he can lay an egg. It's an adventure every time he jacks up a trey.
Best Coach: Tom Izzo, Michigan State. He doesn't have the horses, probably, but he knows how to draw his opponents into a tempo they don’t like.
Overseeded:One could gripe about Marquette a little, but it seems like a fair shake. Oregon seems a little high.
Underseeded:Given its record, Kentucky's in the right slot. But who wants to play the Wildcats? Nobody. Cornell is better than any of the 13 seeds.
Scouting Report
No. 1 Memphis (33-1)A complete team that few completely believe in. Judged too harshly for a loss to Tennessee, a game in which both teams played terribly. The Tigers have a good mix of shooters, slashers and inside bulk with Robert Dozier and Joey Dorsey, who are better than their so-so statistics suggest. The Tigers frustrate opponents with their sheer athleticism. Coach John Calipari is a quote machine, but his last two teams have flopped in the Elite Eight. Considering this is the best of that bunch - will it happen again? If Memphis falls too in love with the 3-pointer, it could.
No. 2 Texas (28-6)A six-man squad that needs to shoot well to win. Streaky, but potent. Beat Tennessee and UCLA within eight days of each other. Augustin is the nation's purest, prettiest point guard, scoring and passing with equal skill. He makes impossible-looking shots with regularity. Forward Damion James is an effective hybrid who can rebound and hit a jump shot. A.J Abrams is a pure gunner, sweeping behind screens for 3-pointers. The Longhorns execute well, but coach Rick Barnes is predictable, often calling the same plays for a long Abrams trey, or simply asking Augustin to figure it out on his own. The Horns will settle for a bad shot, and rely on skill to bail them out.
AP
Texas do-it-all guard D.J. Augustin will have repeat his regular season act if the short-handed Longhorns are to make the Final FourNo. 3 Stanford (26-7)Lost three titanic games to UCLA, one of which was swiped from it by referees. Seven-foot brothers Brook and Robin Lopez are the nation's best frontcourt duo, combining for 30 points, 15 boards and five blocks, but the Cardinal don't always know what to do with them, and they're both lightning rods for fouls. Brook's better - he has a jump shot. The guards - Anthony Goods and Mitch Johnson - are occasionally bewildering; sometimes they play as if they don’t have two incredible weapons at their disposal. Iffy emotional quotient, too.
No. 4 Pittsburgh (26-9)Since they got Bob Knight's official (and unearned) endorsement as national champions, the Panthers have been the talk of this region. Is the team tougher than a two-dollar steak? Yes. Can it hold its own with more talented teams? Sure. But Pitt simply must have the opponent comply with a bad shooting night, because its perimeter defense isn't good enough, and the Panthers routinely allow 15-20 free throws a night. Forward Sam Young is a real grinder - tough, versatile, capable of getting out on the break. Keith Benjamin and Ronald Ramon are good shooters.
No. 5 Michigan State (25-8)Different than just about every team in the Big Dance. Comparatively, the Spartans take very few 3-pointers , and half of them come from one player: Guard Drew Neitzel. Otherwise, Tom Izzo's bunch tries to pound the ball inside, draw fouls and inch its way to victory. Against teams with a good zone defense, MSU can struggle, so Temple could be a tough matchup. This team underachieved in 2008, but the experience, size and athleticism is there. If there is a darkhorse, this is one of them.
No. 6 Marquette (24-9)A classic "city" team that features an array of hard-charging, me-first showmen that overplay on defense (leading to steals, fouls and easy baskets) and run on offense. No deficit - or lead - is too comfortable. Generous only on fast breaks, Marquette is not the kind of team that exactly reflects "sharing," but the Golden Eagles are fun to watch and a definite threat if they can avoid too much foul trouble. Jerel McNeal and Dominic James lead the way.
No. 7 Miami (Fla) (22-10)With one of the tourney's biggest frontcourts, flanked by two sharp-shooting guards in Jack McClinton and James Dews, the unknown Hurricanes are a good matchup for Texas in the second round and a potential sleeper. With guys who, 6-8, 6-8 and 6-9 respectively, Miami will beat just about any opponent on the boards, but fouls are a problem. So are turnovers. The "U" struggles against teams that run - which includes St. Mary's.
No. 8 Mississippi State (22-10)Another athletic rebounding machine that features the nation's best shot-blocker in Jarvis Varnado, who averages 4.5 per game. Lost a lot of games to Tourney teams, including South Alabama. Not the best perimeter defense. Tough matchup with Oregon, which dares you to outscore them.
No. 9 Oregon (18-13)Gunners. No mystery with the Ducks - they'll shoot 3-pointers until they drop, even if they don't. Defense optional. Maarty Leunen, Brice Porter, Malik Hairston and Tajuan Porter are the quartet in question, and they comprise 75 percent of the team's scoring. Doesn't create many steals, but fouls constantly. Why the NCAA would choose to reward a team that plays basketball like this is unclear, but the Ducks are here, and they can blow up a bracket.
No. 10 St. Mary's (25-6)An aggressive, high-energy bunch that you don't want to play when they're hot. The Gaels shoot plenty of 3-pointers, but they get to the line with great frequency, too, so there's balance to their offensive attack. The best player is a freshman, an Australian import named Patrick Mills. Get used the name, because the little guy's got game. He'd be a good test for D.J. Augustin in a second round game against Texas.
No. 11 Kentucky (18-12)Now that UK has bought into Coach Billy Gillespie's preferred style of grinding, aggressive defense, this team has the look. Probably not for anything beyond a first-round win, but one never knows - Stanford could easily blink against a pedigree like this mixed with desire.Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley have to do a lot of the work now that star forward Patrick Patterson is hurt for the rest of the season, but UK manages to get by with pretty effective rebounding.
No. 12 Temple (21-12)Not your father's Temple team: These Owls score quite well, and struggle to defend. At least one thing hasn't changed since John Chaney retired: Temple is built around its guards, led by Dionte Christmas, who shot an astonishing 274 3-pointers during the season and averaged 37.3 out of 40 minutes. His backcourt mate, Mark Tyndale averaged 37.4. This is a seven-man team, but one of confidence, emerging from a tough Atlantic 10 Conference.
No. 13 Oral Roberts (24-8)OK team in a pretty crappy, two-team Summit League, the tournament of which was played on ORU's hometown. The Golden Eagles have a fair amount of balance, but need points from guards Robert Jarvis and Moses Ehambe. ORU rarely plays power conference teams, but did beat Oklahoma State during the non-conference season.
No. 14 Cornell (22-5)The Big Red ran the table in the Ivy League, and were rarely challenged in doing so. Extremely efficient shooters, making 41 percent of their 3-pointers and 76 percent of their free throws. And Cornell has a 7-footer in Jeff Foote. Probably can't beat Stanford, but this team is not a pushover.
No. 15 Austin Peay (24-10)Typical Ohio Valley team: Athletic, high-scoring. Lots of steals, fouls and turnovers. Undersized, but not to be underestimated.
No. 16 Texas-Arlington (21-11)Plucky bunch finished seventh in its conference before punching a Golden Ticket to a first-round blowout loss.
First-round upsets: Kentucky over Marquette. Watch for Temple, too, against a up-and-down Michigan State team.
Bracket Busters:They're everywhere. Texas will struggle during that first weekend against Miami or St. Mary's. Count on it. Memphis might, too. And the winner of Marquette/Kentucky could easily slay Stanford.
Best Bets:Put this Pitt nonsense to rest; across the board, Memphis is better than the Panthers. On the bottom half of the bracket…anything goes. Texas doesn’t have some magical advantage because of the regional's final destination, either - the Longhorns' fans are average, at best. Did "home court advantage" help Texas A&M last year? It'd be easy to pick Memphis, but any of ten - yes, ten - teams could emerge.
Email Samuel McKewon at sam@ne.statepaper.com
SOUTH REGION: Easiest Bracket to Bust Has Many Contenders
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