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The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee had some questionable selections relating to seeding and placement, one among which was giving maybe probably the most troublesome area to the No. 1 general seed.
UW has a troublesome street to Phoenix and the Final Four. There are powerful groups all through the East, and the truth that as of Tuesday morning, a whopping 34.57% of gamers taking part in Yahoo Sports’ Bracket His Madness has the Huskies successful the championship is even scarier. It will likely be.
Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab and Scott Pianowski break down every area from a betting and bracket perspective utilizing odds from BetMGM. As for the east facet:
Do you belief your favorites?
Frank Schwab: UConn is clearly the perfect staff in school basketball. The Huskies have misplaced as soon as since Dec. 20. While No. 1 seeds gave the impression to be eradicated in different convention tournaments, they simply received the Big East Tournament. The solely downside is that a few third of his Bracket Madness title contenders on Yahoo Sports are from his UConn. It’s laborious to win within the NCAA Tournament, particularly contemplating how powerful the East Division is, and in the event you’re in an enormous pool, choosing UConn most likely is not the best way for him to win.
Scott Pianowski: There’s been plenty of discuss how deep this space is, however UConn has little to fret about. First of all, you may’t play in opposition to each good opponent. Some opponents might surrender alongside the best way, and others might kick one another’s legs. And the Huskies have completely no weaknesses. They are proficient in and out, united, unselfish, and led by high-energy coaches who know how one can advocate for the authorities. I might be surprised if the Huskies did not make it to Phoenix. Of course, successful the bracket in favor of the choke is not simple, however that is a query for one more day.
Donovan Clingan and the Connecticut Huskies are the No. 1 general seed within the NCAA Tournament. (Photo by Sarah Steer/Getty Images)
Which non-No. 1 seeds might make a run?
FS: I want Auburn wasn’t in UConn’s space. As a No. 4 seed, the Tigers have a really attention-grabbing profile. They are the No. 4 staff in his KenPom, ranked within the high 10 in offense and protection, and simply received a troublesome SEC event. Bruce Pearl is an effective coach. The solely downside is that the East is downright brutal. If I had been to win one other area, I feel I might select Auburn.
SP: I feel Auburn is certainly an underseed. And not solely do the Tigers need to be happy with 4 wins, they’re within the high half of the area and are the primary huge factor they need to play in opposition to UConn. The Tigers have nice depth and play nice protection. As a lot because the event is marketed by its stars, I nonetheless fall in love with groups with this sort of steadiness. I might have been extra impressed together with his SEC Tournament win if that they had drawn extra of the higher groups within the convention. So many issues went proper for the Tigers final week. But Auburn will likely be a troublesome outing for everybody, and even when the Tigers tie with UW, they will at the least want some further relaxation and preparation time.
1st spherical to look at
FS: Northwestern vs. Florida Atlantic needs to be a enjoyable recreation. I bear in mind final yr’s Owls and their magical event run, however this season was inconsistent. They had been the No. 8 seed, however there is a good argument to be made that they should not have performed in any respect. Northwestern is a staff that shoots 3s properly and would not flip issues over. Florida Atlantic is favored by 2.5 factors, however it most likely should not be.
SP: Give Morehead State a puncher’s likelihood to beat Illinois. The Illini received the Big Ten Tournament title with out having to do a lot of a troublesome job. The convention was a little bit of a downer, with a lot of the main candidates not colliding with the University of Illinois. The Eagles began with a 12-point deficit, however have received a lot of the early tickets.
What lengthy pictures are being ignored?
FS: Drake is an excellent No. 10 seed. The Bulldogs are 10-1 since Feb. 3, with a 19-point win over event staff Nevada and two wins over Indiana State, which was speculated to be within the event. If the Bulldogs beat Washington State within the first spherical as a small favourite, they may give Iowa State a problem. Iowa State is a superb defensive staff and will have been a No. 1 seed, however it is going to be powerful for Drake.
SP: I’ll keep on with the identical first-round matchup, however select Washington State. It’s not enjoyable to play in opposition to them, one of many largest and longest-running groups within the nation. The Cougars defeated handicapped beloved Arizona not as soon as, however twice. The solely purpose there is not extra discuss Drake and Washington State proper now’s that Iowa State’s fame nowadays appears too good to be true. Everyone is afraid to go in opposition to them, most likely for good purpose. However, both Drake or Washington State will possible give the Cyclones a spot in Week 2.