NCAA Tournament Contenders as March Madness Begins

The NCAA has had a crazy year. Since one-and dones became the standard in college basketball, it seems like there is more equality. Similar results were seen this year, as powerhouses from power conferences battled it out, especially in the Big Ten or SEC.

Many of these large programs have distinguished themselves in 2022 from others. While there is always the possibility of an upset, or poor matchups, in general the six to eight top teams are the cream on the cake — the cereal’s crackle and snap. These are the top teams that are most likely to win the NCAA College Basketball Championship Trophy in April 4.

Gonzaga

Five teams have been ranked first in college basketball week 18. But Gonzaga is the most notable. Although the consensus in 2022 states that college hoops is not the best, the difference between Arizona’s KenPom adjusted efficiency margin of the Zags and Arizona’s number two is greater than between Arizona and UCLA.

Chet Holmgren is one of the most elite college basketball players ever. This 7-foot tall, 1 inch tall, 6″ reach big man is not only a game changer on the defensive side, but also an offensive genius. Drew Timme is college basketball’s greatest forward alongside Holmgren.

Only two teams, Saint Mary’s and San Francisco have been within 20 points of Zags since the COVID-19 break around New Years. They both lost to 16. It will be difficult for any team or team to defeat the Zags, who are clearly the number one entry into the tournament.

Duke

Duke is one of only three NCAA teams that beat Gonzaga in this year’s NCAA tournament. Each of the five potential NBA picks are possible first-rounders, with Paolo Banchero being one potential forward.

Blue Devils fans will feel motivated to win to add an extra exclamation mark to Mike Krzyzewski’s retirement tour. There are few teams that could stop the Blue Devils pick-n’roll offense when it is at its best. It’s difficult to score against Duke when they are engaged in defensive play. They have Mark Williams and Theo John as enforcers and switched elite athletes at each position.

However, the Blue Devils are on cruise control now for more than a month. The Blue Devils have suffered a loss at home to North Carolina as well as a defeat by Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship semifinal. The question is whether they are able to flip the switch fast enough to maneuver a dangerous region, which includes Gonzaga as well as potential Cinderella Texas Tech.

Arizona

Gonzaga’s influence on the tournament has extended their Spokane roots. The new teams are being led by assistants of Mark Few, the head coach. Arizona is one example. They should be reeling after Sean Miller’s embarrassing dismissal last season following a series of NCAA recruiting violations. The Wildcats have become the Pac-10’s number-one seed, their first since 2016.

The ‘Cats are led by Tommy Lloyd (ex-assistant to Gonzaga) and play just like the team he played in Spokane. Arizona is ranked fifth for adjusted offense, and eighth for tempo. The team is also 20th on defense. This puts intense pressure on opposing teams to score enough points for them to catch up to its racing offense.

As a young team, turnovers can be a problem. It’s hard for any country to defeat this talented team, especially when Christian Koloko and Christian Mathurin are potential NBA draft picks.

Kentucky

Kentucky did not win either the conference championship tournament or the SEC’s regular season. In 10 seasons, the Wildcats haven’t won a national title. However, Kentucky can still be considered the top college basketball team on any given night.

Oscar Tshiebwe, the Sporting News Player-of-the Year, is the first to get the ball rolling. On average, the forward scores 17 points per game and grabs 15.2 rebounds. Five Wildcats players average over 20 points per game, which is impressive.

Since mid-December, the Wildcats are down to three losses. All of them were on the road against KenPom’s top-20 teams. One of UK’s best guards suffered injury in all three games. Kentucky is able to win titles when everyone’s on the court. The team is one John Calipari has ranked as the best defensive unit in recent years.

Baylor

National champions last year (with victory over the Zags), weren’t expected to become this strong again after the loss of Davion Mitchell’s guard and Jared Butler’s to the NBA. Yet, the Bears remain strong, with its talented young players contributing to Scott Drew’s brilliant defense.

Baylor has been able to defeat Kansas and secure its top seed over the last two months. However, injuries have been devastating for the team. Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, the senior big man, was injured in his knee and LJ Cryer (top shooter) has been out of action for six weeks with a foot injury.

Baylor has the ability to keep any team below 70 points. Baylor is already young and thin, so it will take all of the pieces to make Baylor a winner for the third consecutive year.

Auburn

Auburn was the most popular team in America up until December. The Tigers’ frontcourt is perhaps the most impressive in the nation, with Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith as potential draft picks. Bruce Pearl, the head coach, has not just one but two point guards available to help that dynamic pair — K.D. (the relentless and emotional K.D.). Johnson, the experienced game manager who is a solid hand and doesn’t make any mistakes but can open J’s. This team, along with Wendell Green Jr. who is a dynamic player, are as strong as any in the game.

The problem is that teams are able to defeat the Tigers. Texas A&M defeated Auburn by floodgating the court with large bodies in the SEC quarterfinals. Auburn’s shooting is not great from the deep, and they are vulnerable if opponents try to stuff them in the middle.

In their nine last games, the Tigers have lost four. Are they hot enough to win six consecutive games to be eligible for the Big Dance?

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Conclusion

The NCAA has had a crazy year. Since one-and dones became the standard in college basketball, it seems like there is more equality. Similar results were seen this year, as powerhouses from power conferences battled it out, especially in the Big Ten or SEC. Many of these large programs have