NCAA bracket, early projections are already stirring up excitement and anticipation among basketball fans. As teams begin to analyze their potential matchups and paths to the Final Four, speculation runs rampant about which teams will emerge as contenders and which will fall short of expectations.
Top-seeded teams like Gonzaga, Baylor, Michigan, and Illinois are seen as strong favorites to make deep tournament runs, with their talented rosters and impressive regular-season performances. However, upsets are always a possibility in March Madness, making it crucial for every team to bring their A-game from the opening tip-off.
The usual disclaimer applies: This column is designed to inform and entertain, not to predict. You will hear from many ESPN personalities throughout the week, but this piece is all about historical nuggets we hope you will find interesting.
Arizona, on April 6-8.
As always, the more interesting discussions will be about the ever-shrinking bubble and who will be among the last to squeak into the field of 68 teams — 32 of which qualify automatically by winning their postseason conference tournaments.
A handful of unexpected results in conference tournaments — among them, North Carolina State winning the Atlantic Coast, Florida Atlantic losing in the American Athletic and Oregon winning the Pac-12 — meant highly rated teams would gobble up more of the remaining 34 at-large spots. It made the wait more perilous for teams such as Indiana State, Virginia, Seton Hall and St. John's, while turning Sunday into a much more difficult journey for the committee that picks the brackets.
Florida Atlantic and Auburn will be teams to watch who could spoil the Huskies run. The Owls await them in the Round of 32 after making a run to the Final Four last season. Auburn ranks in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, per Bart Torvik.
Iowa State lurks as the No. 2 seed in the region. They are one of the top teams in the country at forcing turnovers so UConn will have to be at their best offensively to return to the Final Four.
As fans eagerly fill out their brackets and debate the strengths and weaknesses of each team, one thing is certain: the madness of March is just beginning. With thrilling games, buzzer-beaters, and Cinderella stories waiting to unfold, this year's NCAA tournament promises to be one for the ages
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