Spring is right around the corner. With the season change comes the NCAA men’s basketball tournament — March Madness. Every year, teams expected to falter and teams that barely made the tournament make a deep run. Though we almost certainly won’t be seeing the Panthers in this year’s tournament, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know before the tournament begins.
In anticipation of Selection Sunday on March 15, this year’s projected top four are UConn, Michigan, Arizona and — of course — Duke, with Purdue, Iowa State and Illinois in position to earn the top seed, possibly. These seven teams are the go-to picks to win any bracket. We’ll see these teams make their dominance clear throughout the tournament in the fight to reach the national championship game, set for April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
But the top dogs don’t always win and take all. Every tournament has its Cinderella stories — here are some underdog teams to watch out for.
Ohio State, though not starting off the year as great as the team wanted, has shown significant improvement throughout the season. The second stretch of this season has shown spirit and stronger team communication, playing far better than the first half of the season. The Buckeyes are finally coming together just in time to display their much-improved defense. Just this Saturday, the Buckeyes upset Purdue — a feat impressive enough for any team to worry about facing Ohio State in the tournament.
The Indiana Hoosiers are also a team to look out for. Though facing a tough four-game losing streak, the Hoosiers are still going to dominate in this year’s tournament. Their harsh losses to lower-tier teams are nothing compared to the big wins they’ve had this year against teams like UCLA and Purdue. They have proven time and time again they can stay in the game against some of the best — expect to see this grit mirrored in the tournament.
In addition to outstanding teams, there are a few players who define every March. These players are going to have a major impact on the tournament and redefine the game.
First and foremost, Duke’s Boozer brothers have been electrifying every game they play in. The twin brother duo — Cameron at 6-foot-9 and Cayden at 6-foot-4, absolutely control every game for the Blue Devils.
On the other side of the country, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa has also turned heads. In only his first year, Dybantsa is the nation’s leading scorer this year and has spent the regular season breaking BYU records left and right.
The last player to look out for is Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson. With Texas Tech’s star player JT Toppin injured for this year’s tournament, Anderson has a chance to step up and display his authority.
Tune into the first four games, played in Dayton, Ohio, starting Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18. The first round will be streaming on the March Madness Live app.