Kansas is the best team in the South Region, but the gap is much smaller than elsewhere. While they will blow away Western Kentucky in the opening round, every game will be tough after that. If the best teams were to win out, they would go in as a favorite in their second game against UNC, particularly in Kansas City, but their edge is only 38-30. Then they would face an even tougher Michigan team (35) and potentially a Georgetown team just as good as Michigan (35). Minnesota over UCLA and Oklahoma over San Diego State seem to be the two likely upsets in the opening round.
You can search for “Selection Sunday -” and the name of a school to find their team wrap-up.
Thursday, March 21
(Auburn Hills, Mich.) No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 13 South Dakota State – Should be Nate Wolters’ final effort unless he can top the 53 points he scored. The best player in the country will be wearing Michigan colors in Trey Burke.
(Auburn Hills, Mich.) No. 5 VCU vs. No. 12 Akron – Akron loses its point guard to an arrest, and the backup has to face VCU’s full-court press.
Friday, March 22
(Kansas City, MO) No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16 Western Kentucky
(Kansas City, MO) No. 8 North Carolina vs. No. 9 Villanova – the talent to compete with Kansas.
(Austin, Texas) No. 3 Florida vs. No. 14 Northwestern State
(Austin, Texas) No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 Minnesota – repeat after me, “Jordan Adams was by far UCLA’s best player throughout this season.” With Adams out for the season with a foot injury, Minnesota becomes the favorite for the upset.
Games in Philadelphia on March 22 and March 24
(Philadelphia, PA) No. 2 Georgetown vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast – a Georgetown-Michigan game for the Southern Region title would be a fun match-up between the top two players in the country in Trey Burke and Otto Porter. Both teams are exactly even in our scoring at 35 points, and that is just three points behind Michigan.
(Philadelphia, PA) No. 7 San Diego State vs. No. 10 Oklahoma – the veteran Oklahoma team can get the upset from a San Diego State team that is slipping.
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