March Madness is officially starting about a week from now, but are you really prepared? Do you know what teams to look out for, championship contenders, or potential Cinderella teams? Well, below are key teams to look out for and more.
Top Championship Contenders
Auburn – Auburn is ranked the #1 overall by ESPN and CBS Sports. They lost last year in an early exit to Yale, but have seen major improvements this year. Their only losses this year come from #2 Duke, and #5 Florida. The reason for these losses is not because of their offensive firepower either, it’s purely because of the defensive effort in those games.
They gave up their season-high against Florida, resulting in a loss. In their other loss against Duke, They gave up 22 to Cooper Flagg and 18 to Isaiah Evans off the bench. That game was also the 3rd highest amount of points they gave up this season.
Although even if they are not amazing defensively, they dominate offensively. They’re #3 in points per game and average score margin, led by National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome, 41% 3-point shooter Miles Kelly (out of 5.8 attempts), and the 4 other players averaging double digits (Only 2 other teams have 6 players averaging double digits). They are 4-2 against top 10 ranked teams, and have only 1 loss in SEC play (SEC has 3 of top 5 ranked teams).
Duke – Duke is the #1 team in the ACC and ranked #2 overall by ESPN. Last year they lost to cross-town rivals NC State during their fairytale run. Although, this year is going to be very different.
They are led by another National Player of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg. He is averaging 19.6 points per game and leads Duke in 5 different stat categories. They also have projected first-round draft picks Khaman Maluach, Kon Knueppel, and Isaiah Evans.
Although there are some concerns about the team’s ability to perform in the clutch under pressure. Against Clemson Cooper Flagg turned the ball over with 15 seconds left; down by 2 points which resulted in a loss. Earlier in the season he did the same thing; he slipped and caused a turnover against Kentucky with 5 seconds left and down by 2 points. Also against Kansas Kon Knueppel had a crucial turnover with 3 seconds left, and Kansas was up by 1. All of those games were their only losses this season.
Although, they are currently on a 7-game winning streak during ACC play, and are gearing up for their rivalry game against UNC.
Florida – Florida is ranked 2nd in the SEC and 4th overall by the NCAA Rankings. They have led a successful 25-4 regular season so far, led by Walter Clayton Jr. Although some can argue they have had an easier schedule this season than others; meaning that they haven’t gone against many tough opponents.
Based on ESPN rankings they have only gone against 4 top 10 teams this year, and are 2-2 against these teams. Despite this, they have notable wins against previous #1 ranked Auburn, Tennessee, and Alabama, but a loss against no. 10 ranked Kentucky and Georgia (Georgia’s not even top 25).
Despite these misfortunes, they are still 7th in ppg, 3rd in average scoring margins, and 6th in offensive rebounds per game. One of the main reasons for these high-scoring games is their transition offense.
In every win against the AP poll’s top 10 opponents, they dominated on fastbreak points. Against Alabama they were 22-10 in fastbreak points, Auburn was 14-3, and Tennessee was a powerful 22-3. In their 20-point loss against Tennessee, they were only 8-5 in fastbreak points, in the loss against Kentucky they were 8-17, and 10-10 against Missouri (all losses). If they go against a team with a tough transition defense it would be a way tougher game for the Gators.
Sleepers
Now let me be clear. When I say sleepers I mean teams that may come as a surprise to make a run this year. Teams like NC State last year or UNC a few years ago, sleepers can be anyone; so let me break down who the sleepers are this year for you.
St John’s – St. John’s has led a 26-4 record and is #1 in the Big East. St. John’s, led by coach Rick Pitino has led a hounding defensive team. They are even ranked 2nd in defensive efficiency by TeamRankings. They are also ranked 6th in rebounds per game, 9th in offensive rebounds per game, and 5th in block percentage.
Dan Hurley even admitted after a loss, “They’ve got a championship-level defense.”
Although they do play strong, physical basketball; that doesn’t mean they don’t have their flaws. The Red Storm have a 30% 3-point percentage, which puts them ranked at 338th (out of 355 teams) in 3-point shooting by the NCAA.
Michigan State – Michigan State leads a 24-5 record, and is 1st in the Big 10 conference. They are led by freshman Jase Richardson and Senior Jaden Akins. One of their major contributions to success is the depth of their team.
Michigan State is ranked 5th in bench points per game, averaging 35 bench points a game. This is understandable when you have players like Tre Holloman (3rd in ppg at Michigan State) and the athletic beast of Coen Carr coming off the bench.
Alongside their bench efficiency is their calling card. What’s even better is their conversion in transition. They are ranked 4th in transition points per game, and average 17 alongside being 4th in defensive 3-point percentage. That means they allow a low amount of 3-point makes
If they went up against a 3-point shooting team like Houston, or Duke; they could shut that part of their game down and turn the tables.
Missouri – Missouri leads a 21-9 record. The most impressive thing about their performance so far is the teams they have beaten. They beat No. 1 at the time Kansa, No. 5 Florida, and No. 4 Alabama. Missouri is led by Mark Mitchell and Caleb Grill.
Just like Michigan State, they have an incredibly deep roster. They are 3rd in bench points per game with 37 points. Caleb Grill dropped at least 20 off the bench in 2 of their wins against top 5 opponents.
Missouri has already proven its ability to make upsets happen. If they can come off the bench with a lot of energy to rattle their opponent; anything is possible.
March Madness is coming up, and Selection Sunday is in a week. Once you see the matchups, look back at this article and use the facts to your advantage. These are not even inferences or assumptions, they are hard indisputable facts from ESPN, the NCAA, and more. Make sure you use the information I have provided wisely, and perhaps do some research of your own!
