After the past two full days of action in the NCAA
tournament, Saturday's and Sunday's games will present their participants with
the opportunity to advance to the Sweet 16. The selection committee acted
admirably in seeding the 68 teams in the field on Selection Sunday. After the
opening round, however, we've decided to do our own reseeding of the remaining
teams.
1. DUKE BLUE
DEVILS (ORIGINAL
SEED: NO. 1; RESEED: NO. 1)
The Blue Devils needed the first half to get loose against a
stubborn North Dakota State squad that took an early seven-point lead. After
the break, Duke stopped messing around and outscored the Bison 54-35, as RJ Barrett recorded
26 points and 14 rebounds and Zion
Williamson finished with 25 points in the latest edition of "We
have a pair of top-three NBA draft picks, and you don't."
2. GONZAGA
BULLDOGS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 1; RESEED: 1)
When Gonzaga scored just 47 points in a loss to Saint Mary's
in the WCC title game, critics wondered if the Bulldogs were an overrated team
that only secured the No. 1 mark in adjusted offensive efficiency due to
lopsided wins over subpar programs in league play. But their 1.28 points per
possession and 43 percent clip from the 3-point line against Fairleigh
Dickinson reminded all of Gonzaga's offensive potential.
3. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (ORIGINAL SEED: 1; RESEED: 1)
When Gardner-Webb took a 14-point lead over Virginia in the
first half, visions of another UMBC-like upset circulated among viewers and on
social media. De'Andre Hunter (23 points), however, led a
come-from-behind rally as Virginia outscored Gardner-Webb 41-20 after halftime
in a great finish that shouldn't mask the current slump (12-for-47 from the
3-point line in the past two games) for one of America's top shooting teams.
4. NORTH
CAROLINA TAR HEELS (ORIGINAL SEED: 1; RESEED 1)
The Tar Heels mimicked Virginia as they too entered halftime
down, trailing by five points against 16-seed Iona in the first round.
But Cam Johnson(21 points) and Nassir Little (19
points off the bench) rejuvenated a Tar Heels squad that outscored Iona by 20
points after halftime and recorded a 46 percent offensive rebounding rate.
5. KENTUCKY
WILDCATS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 2; RESEED: 2)
John Calipari's team was dominant in a win over Abilene
Christian in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, despite not having PJ Washington,
who was injured. Yeah, the Wildcats didn't play a great team, but the 39-13
tally in the first half, sans the team's best player, was a strong start
for Keldon
Johnson (25 points, 10-for-16 shooting) and the Wildcats.
6. TEXAS TECH
RED RAIDERS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 3; RESEED: 2)
There was an unexpected stretch in the first half of Texas
Tech's win over Northern Kentucky on Thursday when the Norse kept things close.
But Jarrett
Culver (29 points, 10-for-17) played like a lottery pick, and
Texas Tech's defense (0.81 PPP allowed) maintained its status as America's most
effective D in the victory.
7. MICHIGAN
STATE SPARTANS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 2; RESEED: 2)
Although the Spartans outscored Bradley 42-30 in the second
half of their first-round win, the game was tied 55-55 with 6:24 to play.
With Nick Ward still
not 100 percent after suffering a fractured hand late in the regular season
and Kenny Goins shooting
1-for-10 in the win, the idea of Cassius
Winston (26 points) going cold and Michigan State crumbling in
the future remains a concern.
8. MICHIGAN
WOLVERINES (ORIGINAL SEED: 2; RESEED: 2)
This is not John Beilein's most potent offense within his
tenure at Michigan. But last season's national runner-up possesses a
suppressing defense that used the same formula on Thursday that could guide the
Wolverines to another Final Four after the team held Montana to a 38 percent
mark inside the arc and a 25 percent success rate from the 3-point line.
9. TENNESSEE
VOLUNTEERS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 2; RESEED: 3)
The Volunteers, who are 7-4 in their past 11 games, had a
healthy lead in a first-round win over Colgate before they allowed a 22-8 run
to a Raiders squad that scored more points against Tennessee (70) than it did
in a loss to Boston University (68). Tennessee's defensive slip in recent weeks
isn't something folks should ignore.
10. HOUSTON
COUGARS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 3; RESEED: 3)
Prior to Houston's defeat against Cincinnati in the American
Athletic Conference tournament title game, the Cougars -- one of America's best
defensive teams -- had lost only two games throughout the season. An 84-55 win
(Corey Davis Jr. finished with 26 points) over Georgia
State allowed the Cougars to display their ability to morph into an efficient
scoring outfit, as well.
11. KANSAS
JAYHAWKS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 4; RESEED: 3)
The Jayhawks seemed vulnerable after entering the NCAA
tournament dealing with injuries and other unknowns. Yet the output in their
24-point win over Northeastern in the opening round (Dedric Lawson finished
with 23 points and 11 rebounds) suggested that this Kansas team has moved
forward without Udoka
Azubuike and Lagerald Vick and
can still play at a high level if Lawson gets help (Devon Dotson scored
18 points).
12. AUBURN TIGERS (ORIGINAL SEED: 5; RESEED: 3)
The Tigers claimed the SEC tournament title on Sunday with a
20-point win over Tennessee, elevating themselves to "sleeper" status
entering the NCAA tournament. Then the Tigers barely escaped in the final
seconds against New Mexico State (69 percent clip inside the arc) with a
one-point victory in the first round on Friday, halting some of the chatter
about a team that forced 16 turnovers but nearly squandered the win.
13. VILLANOVA
WILDCATS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 6; RESEED: 4)
Don't let Villanova's 61-57 tally over Saint Mary's in the
opening round of the NCAA tournament fool you. Jay Wright's squad connected on
55 percent of its shots inside the arc and 40 percent of its 3-pointers, while
committing just seven turnovers in the 56-possession matchup.
14. BUFFALO BULLS (ORIGINAL SEED: 6; RESEED: 4)
Nate Oats protested an emotional matchup against Arizona
State's Bobby Hurley, his good friend and mentor, in the opening round.
But CJ Massinburg, Jeremy Harris and Nick Perkins combined
to score 60 of their team's 91 points in a strong win for Buffalo.
15. VIRGINIA
TECH HOKIES (ORIGINAL SEED: 4; RESEED: 4)
Buzz Williams' squad did the bulk of its best work in the
first half of a win over Saint Louis when Virginia Tech outscored the Billikens
40-18. The Hokies fizzled a bit after halftime, but they managed to force 18
turnovers in the victory.
16. MURRAY STATE
RACERS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 12; RESEED: 4)
Ja Morant lived
up to the hype as one of America's top playmakers and a projected top-three
pick in this summer's NBA draft when he registered just the eighth
triple-double in NCAA tournament history in a 19-point upset of Marquette in
the first round. Plus, big efforts by Shaq Buchanan and Tevin Brown showed
that Morant has talent around him, which should scare the field.
17. FLORIDA STATE
SEMINOLES (ORIGINAL
SEED: 4; RESEED: 5)
Leonard Hamilton's squad failed to adjust as Vermont
connected on 16 of 32 attempts from beyond the arc in the first round of the
NCAA tournament. In the end, a Florida State squad that played without injured
veteran Phil Cofer overwhelmed
the Catamounts in the final minutes with its size and athleticism.
18. WOFFORD
TERRIERS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 7; RESEED: 5)
Fletcher
Magee (24 points) and the Terriers had a bark -- sorry,
couldn't help it -- down the stretch of a 84-68 win over Seton Hall on
Thursday, after squandering a double-digit lead at halftime. Still, they scored
27 points and made five of six 3-point attempts in the final 9:26 of the game,
which is why this hot-handed Wofford squad is a sexy upset pick in Saturday's
game against Kentucky.
19. WASHINGTON
HUSKIES (ORIGINAL
SEED: 9; RESEED: 5)
Utah State won the Mountain West tournament championship,
the culmination of a 17-1 stretch. But Craig Smith's team had nothing for
Pac-12 champion Washington, which forced 21 turnovers in a convincing 78-61 win
for a Huskies squad that needed one.
20. OREGON DUCKS (ORIGINAL SEED: 12; RESEED: 5)
Dana Altman's program started the NCAA tournament as one of
the hottest teams in the country -- the Ducks were riding an eight-game win
streak -- with a defense that had given up 60 points or more just twice since
late February. If there were any doubts about Oregon's improvement in the
subpar Pac-12, the Ducks secured validation with their 72-54 win over
Wisconsin, a top-five defensive team and Big Ten contender.
21. MINNESOTA
GOLDEN GOPHERS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 10; RESEED: 6)
Gabe
Kalscheur (24 points) was one of five players who produced
double figures for Richard Pitino's squad in a 10-point win over Louisville in
the first round. The Cardinals had struggled since early February. And it
showed Thursday, as the Golden Gophers made 11 3-pointers (1.34 PPP), did what
they wanted around the rim and dominated a program that had played top-25
defense.
22. PURDUE
BOILERMAKERS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 3: RESEED: 6)
The Boilermakers played an ugly affair against Old Dominion,
which is top-40 in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom, to advance to the
second round. Carsen
Edwards (7-for-23), who has not made more than 35 percent of
his shots in the past four games, scored 26 points. A Big Ten co-champion
registered just 0.94 points per possession against Conference USA's top team.
23. OKLAHOMA
SOONERS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 9; RESEED: 6)
The post-Trae Young Sooners
have relied on their improved defense (top-25). But an explosive offense
registered 95 points in a win over Ole Miss (a team that has been in a
free-fall for weeks) and connected on 61 percent of its shots inside the arc to
advance Oklahoma in the NCAA tournament.
24. BAYLOR BEARS (ORIGINAL SEED: 9; RESEED: 6)
Scott Drew's squad has been impacted by injuries throughout
the season, but the Bears possessed the most efficient offense in Big 12 play.
And Syracuse learned as much when Jim Boeheim's zone surrendered a 16 for 34
mark (47 percent) in falling to Baylor, which ended a four-game losing streak,
in the first round.
25. MARYLAND
TERRAPINS (ORIGINAL
SEED: 6; RESEED: 7)
Although Belmont's Dylan Windler finished
with 35 points, Maryland largely suppressed a good Bruins team in the second
half of a 79-77 victory on Thursday. But the Terps had to fight through a
double-digit hole before the break in a game that properly illustrated the
frustrating team Mark Turgeon has coached over the past two months.
26. LSU TIGERS (ORIGINAL SEED: 3; RESEED 7)
The Tigers have aimed to show the world they can still play
at the same level that helped them capture the SEC championship after losing
coach Will Wade (indefinite suspension for potential ties to a pay-for-play
scheme) and exiting their conference tournament with an opening-round loss to
Florida. In the second half of a win over Yale, interim coach Tony Benford's
squad was outscored 45-34, which didn't help the program make its case.
27. OHIO STATE
BUCKEYES (ORIGINAL
SEED: 11; RESEED: 7)
Chris Holtmann now has won an NCAA tournament game in five
consecutive seasons after Ohio State held off Iowa State, the Big 12 tournament
champion, on Friday night in a 62-59 win. The Buckeyes are 4-2 over the past
six games in which Kaleb Wesson (21
points against Iowa State on Friday after missing a recent three-game stretch
due to suspension) has logged minutes.
28. UC IRVINE ANTEATERS (ORIGINAL SEED: 13; RESEED: 7)
The Anteaters, who boast the nation's top defense inside the
arc, held Kansas State to a 43.7 percent mark on 2-pointers in their upset of
the Big 12 champs, who played without star Dean Wade. Max Hazzard &
Co. made some big shots in the final minutes to seal the win.
29. IOWA HAWKEYES (ORIGINAL SEED: 10; RESEED: 8)
The Hawkeyes, who had won just two of their past eight games
entering the NCAA tournament, overcame another challenging situation when they
turned an early 13-point deficit into a 79-72 win over a Cincinnati squad that
finished second behind Houston in the American Athletic Conference. The
Hawkeyes, who made 54.7 percent of their shots, were led by Luka Garza (20 points).
30. FLORIDA GATORS (ORIGINAL SEED: 10; RESEED: 8)
The Gators beat a Nevada squad that finished 5-4 after
winning 24 of its first 25 games. Jalen Hudson (15
points) and his teammates made fewer than 30 percent of their 3-point attempts,
but they held a top-40 offense under one point per possession.
31. UCF KNIGHTS (ORIGINAL SEED: 9; RESEED: 8)
Tacko Fall (13
points, eight rebounds and five blocks) was brilliant in a 15-point win over
VCU in the first round on Friday. Johnny Dawkins has a team that has held its
opponents less than 65 points in the past five wins.
32. LIBERTY
FLAMES (ORIGINAL
SEED: 12; RESEED: 8)
Mississippi State finished with a 2-4 record in its last six
games when it suffered an 80-76 loss to Liberty in the first round. The Flames,
who made just 34 percent of their 3-point attempts in the Atlantic Sun
Conference, made 12-of-25 against the Bulldogs.
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