The Favorite: Indiana
The team that started the season No. 1 heads into the tournament as the third No. 1 seed.
Indiana is the nation’s most efficient offensive team and has proven capable of playing well at any pace. Led by player of the year candidates Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo, the Hoosiers are among the most talented squads in the nation.
The emergence of freshman point guard Yogi Ferrell gives Indiana an explosive, defensive presence to spell sharpshooter Jordan Hulls.
In many instances, the Hoosiers go as Christian Watford goes. A senior power forward, Watford has NBA talent and shoots 49.1% from three, but he doesn’t always show up. The Hoosiers will need him to play his best if they intend to make a Final Four run.
Top Challenger: Miami
Under second-year coach Jim Larranaga, Miami won both the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and tournament championships.
The Hurricanes are tough, physical and experienced — their primary seven rotation players are an average of 22 years old. Durand Scott and Reggie Johnson both missed time early this season, but the Hurricanes went on an 14-game winning streak when the duo returned to the court in January.
Shane Larkin leads Miami with elite play on both ends of the floor in his first season as the starting point guard. Scott has shown the ability to be a dynamic scorer, while Florida transfer Kenny Kadji has been stellar as a defending, rebounding stretch four.
The wildcard for the Hurricanes is the center position. Johnson is a talented but inconsistent 292-pounder who hasn’t scored more than five points since Feb. 19. He played just 3 minutes against North Carolina on Sunday. His struggles have led to more minutes for Julian Gamble, who can run the floor, rebound and protect the basket.
Storyline to Watch: Will top talents shine?
No. 5 seed UNLV and No. 8 seed N.C. State entered the 2012-13 season with great expectations, and neither came close to living up to them.
UNLV never found a floor general, as Anthony Marshall struggled in the transition from shooting guard to the point. N.C. State continues to be plagued by C.J. Leslie’s inconsistency. With four legitimate NBA talents each, either team could make a run.
Player to Watch: Brandon Paul, Illinois guard
Paul’s play will determine just how far the Illini go. One of the most athletic guards in the NCAA, Paul leads Illinois with 16.6 points per game. When Paul is at his best, Illinois can beat anyone.
Earlier this season, Paul scored 35 points on 10-of-16 shooting and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line as Illinois went into Spokane and handed No. 1 seed Gonzaga one of its two losses. He’ll face a test right out of the gate, matching up with 6-foot-6 sophomore Spencer Dinwiddie, Colorado’s lead guard and star player.
Sleepers: Bucknell
Star center Mike Muscala (19 points per game, 11.2 rebounds per game, 2.4 blocks per game) makes the Bison a legitimate threat. Going against Butler, Bucknell won’t face the type of athletic mismatches a Patriot League entrant typically would.
The biggest concern for Bucknell should be Joe Willman’s ability to match up with athletic point-power-forward Roosevelt Jones. If there’s a mismatch to be had, Butler coach Brad Stevens will find it.
Davidson
Led by the duo of Jake Cohen and De’Mon Brooks, the Wildcats have the bodies to match up with Marquette’s frontcourt.
Davidson is an experienced unit that returns all five starters from last year’s tournament team, but the Wildcats will have to prove they can guard Marquette on the perimeter. Vander Blue, especially, will prove difficult to contain.
Contact Greg Luca at gluca@alligator.org.
Junior forward Will Yeguete attempts a layup during Florida’s 66-40 victory against Vanderbilt on March 6 in the O’Connell Center. Yeguete underwent arthroscopic debridement on his right knee Wednesday.
