Here’s a look at the West region:
Hot team: Michigan
The Wolverines will be a trendy Final Four pick and deservingly so.
Michigan eliminated Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan State and Purdue in route to the Big 10 title. They performed similarly last season prior to a Sweet 16 run.
Michigan gets Montana, the Big Sky champions, to open the tournament. The Grizzlies don’t likely have the firepower to match the Wolverines for 40 minutes.
Top 5 players:
G Trevon Bluiett, Xavier: Bluiett entertained the NBA following the past two seasons, deciding ultimately to hone his craft in college.
The decision has paid off, as Bluiett is the second-leading scorer in Xavier history and has won over 100 games in his career.
He’ll be the deciding factor when Xavier sees UNC and the like. Bluiett has played in the tournament every year in his career, and if the Musketeers are going to get over the hump, he’ll be doing the heavy lifting.
F Jontay Porter, Missouri: Jontay arrived at Missouri as the 'other' Porter, in the shadow of brother Michael. But his brother required back surgery that took him out for almost the entirety of the season, and Jontay got the chance to shine.
Porter isn’t a reliable shooter, but his motor in unmatched. His strength gives teams problems under the basketball and frequently creates mismatches. He won’t take over a game, but Porter will be a nightmare to deal with, especially for teams lacking size.
F Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State: Bates-Diop is among the best two-way players in the country. He's clutch, experienced and athletic. He's also largely responsibility for Ohio State's basketball renaissance.
The redshirt junior blossomed into Ohio State’s go-to man. He’s cut from the same cloth as Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, able to defend almost anyone while scoring from anywhere on the court.
A stress fracture in his leg ended his junior season in January, but Bates-Diop returned without missing a beat. He gives the Buckeyes some hope for a surprise run.
F Moritz Wagner, Michigan: Guards dominate today's game, which makes Wagner even harder to contain.
If Wagner can stay out of foul trouble, he has the potential to carry Michigan through a game. He dominated in the Big 10 tournament, including scoring 17 points in 17 minutes in the finale.
He’s built for the modern game, able to shoot, pass and move fluidly. The Wolverines surround him with shooters to make life difficult for the defense.
G Joel Berry, North Carolina: The Tar Heels repeating as champs requires a total team effort, but Berry would unquestionably be a key contributor.
The senior has been with UNC through winning a title, losing a title in heartbreaking fashion, winning an ACC title and falling short of an ACC title.
He might not be as flashy as some, but between Berry and Theo Pinson, UNC has a sizable experience advantage.
Biggest surprise: Xavier got the weakest bracket – on paper
On the surface, the West doesn’t appear particularly strong. North Carolina finished sixth in the ACC, lost 10 games and secured a 2-seed (its conference tournament run notwithstanding).
Even Xavier itself, despite winning the Big East regular season title, was swept by Villanova and upset by Providence in its conference tournament.
Michigan as the 3-seed seems to be in optimal position. If Michael Porter Jr. shakes off the rust he showed in Missouri’s SEC tournament loss to Georgia, the Tigers would have enough scoring to upset anybody.
But overall, the bracket doesn’t seem like a gauntlet. It’s conceivable any of the higher seeded schools could be upset, but the matchups don’t seem to hurt them.
Best shooter: Corey Davis Jr., Houston
Best rebounder: Luke Maye, North Carolina
Best defender: Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State
Upset special: Florida State over Missouri
The Tigers were a presumed sleeper when Porter Jr. returned, but they didn’t show much in their latest loss to Georgia. The Seminoles stand a solid shot at unseating them if the Tigers’ offense performs as poorly as it did then.
But if Missouri wakes up, it could top FSU and give Xavier a run in the following round. The Buckeyes are a logical sleeper and could upset Gonzaga in the second round.
The Tar Heels appear comfortable until a potential Michigan matchup on the other end. If either school is knocked off before facing each other, it’d qualify as a big upset.
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