Virginia (29-3, 16-2 ACC, lost in the conference tourney semis)
By Dave Preston
The Cavaliers get a #2 seed in the East after being ranked in the top five for most of the season. You could make the case for UVa being in the same bracket as the softest of the #1’s (Villanova has looked suspect in losses and capitalized on a not-as-good-as-you-think Big East). While defense was the difference this winter — the Cavaliers led the nation in scoring defense (50.8 points allowed per game) — Tony Bennett’s offense is highly effective, ranking 53rd in shooting. Last year, coach Tony Bennett guided the Cavaliers to their first ACC regular season title since 1983 and their first ACC Tournament Championship since 1976. Can he lead the UVa to their first Final Four since 1984?
Player to Watch: Malcolm Brogdon tallied 25 points (including 12 straight at one point) in the ACC loss to North Carolina and remains the #1 offensive option on a team that doesn’t score a lot (225th in Division I). They need the 6-foot-5 matchup nightmare to produce from the perimeter with Justin Anderson still working his way back from injury.
Dark Horse Breakout Candidate: Can you be a breakout candidate if you’re the team’s best player? Justin Anderson missed eight games — the first seven with a broken pinkie and the eighth because of an appendectomy. In two ACC Tournament games the junior shot 0-for-6 in 26 minutes played. If he can regain his previous form (13ppg, 47% three-point shooting) the Cavaliers will suddenly have that necessary extra gear for the Big Dance.
Road to the Penthouse: Anderson is fully healed and gives the stagnating offense exactly what it was missing. The Cavaliers cruise into the Final Four after disposing of an over-seeded Villanova in the Elite Eight. Once there, they face a spent Wisconsin team that has nothing left in the tank after upsetting Kentucky. BANNER!
Road to the Outhouse: The offense stays in neutral and Justin Anderson fails to regain his pre-injury form. Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans bounce the Cavaliers for the second straight year — only this time in the round of 32. A heartbreaking loss is made even worse by Duke advancing to the Sweet 16 in the same building hours before…and the Blue Devil faithful stay to cheer on the Cavaliers’ collapse.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Maryland (27-6, 14-4 Big Ten, lost in conference tourney semis)
By George Wallace
The Maryland Terrapins team reaction when it saw its name pop up on the screen as a four seed says it all. I think many people figured that Maryland was going to get a three seed after being ranked #8 last week and losing to a pretty good Michigan State team in the Big Ten semifinals. Not only a four seed, but also in the Kentucky bracket so needless to say the Terps have their work cut out for them. They set a school record for regular season wins in their first in the Big Ten with 26. They had some great wins throughout the year, including sweeping Michigan State and beating then Number five Wisconsin in College Park. Despite the loss this weekend, Mark Turgeon says his team got better and they now have a fully healthy Dez Wells. He hopes his team can learn from the loss to Michigan State as they get ready for Valporaiso.
Player to Watch: Dez Wells has put this team on his back all year and doesn’t want to see his collegiate career end anytime soon. Look for a determined Wells to take this team as far as he can.
Dark Horse Breakout Candidate: Melo Trimble has been more than anyone expected this year as a freshman, but in the tournament watch out for Jake Layman. The third leading scorer on this team has been quiet as of late but has the potential to break out. Layman can be the key to the Terps having a long run averaging nearly 3 points a game and shooting nearly 48% from the floor. When Layman is playing well, teams have a hard time guarding him, Wells and Trimble.
Road to the Penthouse: Needless to say a Sweet 16 matchup with an undefeated Kentucky team would pose an unbelievable test for Maryland. If they were to somehow beat Kentucky, well we’ll just leave it at that.
Road to the Outhouse: The worst case scenario for Maryland is that they can’t get over being disappointed with a four seed and come out real flat against a Valporaiso team that won 28 games and a league championship. Oh, and remember the time when Valporaiso was a 13 seed and shocked the 4th seed Mississippi on a shot by Bryce Drew? Well, he’s now coaching this team.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
AP Photo/Michael Conroy
Georgetown (21-10, 12-6 Big East, lost in the conference tourney semis)
By Dave Preston
The Hoyas go west to Portland, Ore. for the first weekend as the #4 seed in the South bracket. Coach John Thompson III’s team was consistently uneven against elite competition, looking great in 20+ point wins against Villanova and St. John’s, but finishing 4-6 against the top six teams in the Big East. Xavier and Providence were bad matchups that caused the offense to self-destruct…and away from home Georgetown was 5-4. Now they have to head all of the way across the country? Does somebody have it in for the Hoyas?
Player to Watch: D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera.The junior guard leads the team in scoring and assists while also ranking third on the team in rebounding. On a team without a true point guard, Smith-Rivera provides a clear head offensively. On a team with multiple freshman playing major minutes, the upperclassman provides a steady hand.If the Hoyas make a run, he’ll be the reason why.
Dark Horse Breakout Candidate: Freshman Isaac Copeland appeared to have turned the corner in January, averaging 11 points over a 10-game stretch where he became the secondary offensive option (we won’t even discuss how center Joshua Smith’s inability to be an offensive factor thanks to continual foul trouble). Then he suffered not a “freshman 15” but a “freshman 16” — managing a total of 16 points over the next four games as Copeland suffered a 4-21 shooting slump. Could a 15-point effort in the Big East Semifinals against Xavier be the start of a monster March?
Road to the Penthouse: The Hoyas find their offensive identity and scrape past Eastern Washington before benefitting by Stephen F. Austin’s upset of Utah. The Lumberjacks are no match for the Hoyas –who reach the second weekend of the big dance for the first time 2007. Even a loss to top-seeded Duke doesn’t dim the shine of a fantastic tournament run.
Road to the Outhouse: Eastern Washington travels well to nearby Portland. The Hoyas offense stagnates and Joshua Smith gets into early foul trouble. Eagles sophomore guard Tyler Harvey (23 ppg) goes off and the Hoyas D can’t contain him. Another agonizing defeat to a double-digit seed for coach John Thompson III.
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
VCU (26-9, 12-6 A-10, won conference tournament)
By Noah Frank
Let’s get this straight — you play terrifically to start the year, beating non-conference Tournament-bound teams like Oregon, Northern Iowa and Cincinnati. You storm out to seven straight wins to open conference play. You lose your best player, senior point guard Briante Weber, and scuffle through the middle of the year to end up the five seed in your own conference tournament. Then you dominate that tournament, beating three of the five teams that beat you during the regular season to capture the Atlantic 10 crown…and you get a seven seed and a likely matchup with juggernaut Arizona in the second round? Yipes. Shaka Smart’s crew may need a more impressive win then they had in their Final Four run in 2011 just to reach the Sweet Sixteen.
Player to Watch: In Weber’s absence, fellow senior Treveon Graham has battled through an injury of his own (high ankle sprain) to lead the team in scoring and rebounding. He shoots 38 percent from deep, and is the guy who gets the ball when the team needs a big shot, like the one that forced overtime against Richmond on February 25. Runner-up goes to sophomore JeQuan Lewis, who has stepped into the starting point guard role in Weber’s place.
Dark Horse Breakout Candidate: Much of VCU’s potential success will rest on the ample shoulders of 6-foot-6 sophomore forward Mo Allie-Cox. On an undersized team, he is the best shot blocker and inside presence on both ends of the floor. A handful of highlight reel dunks should be expected, but Allie-Cox’s ability to match up with opposing big men will be the difference for VCU.
Road to the Penthouse: What did the A-10 tourney teach us? Is VCU back? Have they weathered the storm and figured out how to win without their senior leader? They beat Fordham at their game, scoring just 63 points. Two days later, they hung 93 on a fast-paced Davidson team. If they can play Arizona at their game and stun the Wildcats, maybe they can shock the world again. But with Baylor and Wisconsin still lurking in the loaded West region, a Final Four return is hard to envision.
Road to the Outhouse: Beware the underachieving Ohio State Buckeyes, VCU’s first-round opponent. KenPom.com actually has Ohio State (21) ranked ahead of VCU (30), and is projecting the upset. This is a team that throttled Maryland by 24 points in late January, so they’re no stranger to big games. If VCU reverts back to their pre-conference tournament form, it could be another one-and-done for HAVOC.
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
WASHINGTON — Four area teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament this year.
Virginia earned the number two seed in the East Region, and will play 15-seed Belmont in Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday.
Maryland was given the fourth seed in the Midwest, the same region as top overall seed Kentucky. They will play 13-seed Valparaiso Friday in Columbus, Oh.
Georgetown also secured a four seed, playing 13-seed Eastern Washington Thursday in Portland, Ore.
Finally, VCU heads to the West Region as a seven seed and will take on 10-seed Ohio St. on Thursday, also in Portland.
Check out the gallery above to see breakdowns of each team’s opponents and their chances to advance.
