We are there: the “bracket” of the “March Madness” edition 2023 was unveiled this Sunday evening by the NCAA selection committee, in charge of selecting the 68 teams that will take part in the final tournament of the university season from tomorrow, until April 3, the date of the national final.
Before the outbreak of hostilities tomorrow, USA Basketball therefore offers you a quick review of the main elements and main dynamics to know. Then, it will be up to you to print the table and bring your best pen to try to predict the perfect “bracket”.
The probability of achieving it? One chance out of… 120 billion!!!
The absents
We start with the most mythical absentee of the tournament this year: North Carolina. Six-time winner of the national title, no later than 2017 for the last time, and above all a finalist last year against Kansas after an incredible run, the Chapel Hill program was quite logically snubbed by the selection committee after a season regular very, very disappointing. Ranked first in the AP Top 25 in the preseason, the Tar Heels have won “only” 20 of their 33 games this season, including 11 of their only 20 games on the ACC schedule. It was a season to forget for UNC, becoming the first program in history to fail to qualify for March Madness after starting the season as #1 in the Top 25.
Another notable absentee: Villanova. Champions in 2016 and 2018 and still qualified for the “Final Four” last season, the Wildcats have fallen from a height this season, the first of Kyle Neptune at the head of the program after the retirement of the legendary Jay Wright last spring. After a clearly failed start to the season with only 2 wins after 7 games, Villanova has struggled all season to improve its March Madness bid, and even the return of Justin Moore, who suffered a ruptured Achilles during the tournament last year, didn’t change much. Final balance sheet: 17 wins and 16 losses, including 10 wins by 10 losses in the Big East calendar, and a logical absence from the “Big Dance” this year.
Last absent among the big programs: Michigan. Finalists in 2018, seeded #1 in 2021 and qualified for the “Sweet Sixteen” last year, Juwan Howard’s Wolverines will not be dancing this year. Despite the good season of pivot Hunter Dickinson and “freshman” Jett Howard, Juwan’s son, the Ann Arbor program missed its season, which ended with a barely balanced record: 17 wins and 15 losses, including 11 wins for 9 losses in the Big Ten. A series of three defeats in a row to end the season, including a final loss in the second round of the conference tournament, which they had to win at all costs to validate a ticket to “March Madness”, definitively buried all hopes of a selection by the committee.
If the absences of UNC, Villanova and Michigan were expected, that of Clemson is rather a surprise. Authors of a very solid regular season, concluded with 22 wins for 10 defeats including 14 wins in 20 games in the ACC calendar, the Tigers, third in their conference, did indeed appear, a priori, as a team deserving of going to the “March Madness” this season. The committee did not seem very far from including them: Clemson finished in the “First Four Out”, that is to say the four teams that failed at the gates of the field of 68 teams. Naughty losses against modest teams such as South Carolina, Louisville and even North Carolina certainly worked against them…
A high-level “First Four”
Round of play-offs to define the last four teams qualified for the tournament, among the eight lowest ranked teams of the “Field Of 68”, the “First Four” will indeed be raised this year.
Two posters in particular will be exciting: Mississippi State against Pittsburgh in the Midwest region, with a #11 seed in the first round against Iowa State and its #6 seed, and ArizonaState – Nevada in the West region, again with a #11 seed for a first round against TCU, also a #6 seed.
Four experienced teams, all of which are sure to be tough to play in the first round, for Iowa and TCU.
The major posters
They are numerous, but we will only highlight the crème de la crème. Let’s proceed by region.
South Region
The poster between #8 Maryland And #9 West Virginia appears to be one of the most attractive and balanced of the first round. The attack of the Terrapins and their super leader Jahmir Young against the rough and physical defense of the Mountaineers: a duel of styles that promises beautiful basketball. Note that the winner of this match will challenge, barring a huge surprise, #1 Alabama in the second round. The Crimson Tide is a favorite on paper, but an upset alert isn’t impossible either…
Still in this region, we can only advise you to keep an eye on this brilliant duel of high-tempo attacks between #6 Creighton And #11 North Carolina State. Despite the gap between the top seeds, expect a close match between the two teams, which should engage in a battle at loggerheads. In the second round, the winner will challenge, unless surprised once again, the champion in 2021: #3 Baylor. Here too, the duel of styles between the attack of the Wolfpack or the Blue Jays and the defense of the Bears promises an epic match…
Eastern Region
The first round match between #6 Kentucky And #11 Providence is unmissable here. The Friars’ best player this season, winger Bryce Hopkins was a little-used freshman in … Kentucky last season. The “revenge game” promises to be epic. Beyond that, the difference in level between the two formations appears very small and this promises a balanced match, certainly turned towards the defense.
Just below in the table of this region, we particularly appreciate this #7 Michigan State – #10 Southern California. Two inconsistent teams in the regular season, but with the perfect profile of itchy hair, capable of furiously gaining momentum in a context of knockout matches. Never underestimate Tom Izzo in March…
Finally, higher in the table, we will keep a close eye on the first lap between #8 Memphis And #9 Florida Atlantic. A poster for lovers of the uninhibited attack between two teams who know how to delight in this area. The winner will definitely go play ogre Zach Edey and #1 Purdue in the second round…
Midwest Region
Clearly not the most exciting, this region will still offer a superb #8 Iowa And #9 Auburn from the first round. The Hawkeyes attack led by Kris Murray, against the united defense of Bruce Pearl and his Tigers.
If a “Most Epic First-Round Match Potential” gauge existed, the slider would explode the meters on this poster. Like all matches between #8 and #9, the winner would go on to challenge #1 Houston in the second round, perhaps the ultimate favorite for the title. An “upset” would be a huge earthquake…
West Region
We end with the most geographically remote region, that of the defending champions, #1 Kansas. Able to go very far in the tournament, the Jayhawks would have a lot to do in the second round: to wrestle with the winner of the exquisite #8 Arkansas – #9 Illinois of the first round. By far the best poster of the first round on paper, for DNA of Sports. Two explosive attacks, with future “lottery picks” Nick Smith Jr. and Anthony Black on one side, and Fighting Illini veterans on the other (Matthew Mayer, Terrence Shannon Jr., Coleman Hawkins…).
The first “100% East Coast” round between #4 Connecticut And #11 Iona also strongly titillates us. We can count on the wise old Rick Pitino to motivate his troops and do everything to shake up the entry “bracket” by sending the Huskies on vacation from the first round…
