EAST REGIONAL
Must-watch player: Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
Kentucky's 6-9 junior forward leads the nation in rebounding (15.1 per game), averages 17.0 points and is considered by many to be the front-runner for the Wooden Award. The SEC Player of the Year led the Wildcats to a second-place regular-season finish in the conference. A transfer from West Virginia, Tshiebwe had a 28-rebound performance against Western Kentucky in December and scored a season-high 30 points at Arkansas.
Must-watch matchup
Defending national champion Baylor enters the NCAA tournament licking its wounds from an upset loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals and could face No. 8 seed North Carolina in the second round. The Tar Heels closed the regular season with a five-game winning streak, including a 94-81 win at Duke to spoil Mike Krzyzewski's final home game.
Who could challenge Baylor?
Along with North Carolina, Baylor could face a stiff challenge in the Sweet 16 in either No. 4 seed UCLA or No. 5 Saint Mary's. UCLA won five consecutive games before falling to No. 2-ranked Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament final, while Saint Mary's owns a victory over No. 1 Gonzaga in the regular-season finale. Should the Bears reach the Elite Eight, Kentucky and No. 3 seed Purdue are potential opponents.
— RANDY JOHNSON
SOUTH REGIONAL
Must-watch player: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona
A native of Montreal, the 6-6, 210-pound Mathurin made a big impression as a freshman last season. His sophomore campaign has been downright spectacular. The Pac-12 player of the year, Mathurin is second in the league in scoring (17.4 points per game), and he's a projected NBA lottery pick based on his size, athleticism, shooting ability and defense. He's had some of his best games against top opponents, a good sign this time of year.
Must-watch matchup: No. 1 seed Arizona can pour in the points, ranking third in Division I with 84.6 per game. Fifth-seeded Houston is among the country's best defensive teams, holding opponents to 59.1 points per game. That could make for an intriguing Sweet 16 clash between the champions of the Pac-12 and the American Athletic Conference. Houston romped through the league tournament, winning three games by an average of 17 points.
Who could challenge Arizona?
SEC champion Tennessee got a No. 3 seed, which some analysts thought was low; the Vols have won seven in a row, including recent victories over Auburn and Kentucky. Villanova brings NCAA tournament experience and has nine wins over teams in the field. Though Illinois was upset in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, center Kofi Cockburn and guard Alfonso Plummer are a formidable inside-outside scoring duo.
— RACHEL BLOUNT
MIDWEST REGIONAL
Must-watch player: Johnny Davis, Wisconsin
Davis was not a marquee player last season as a Badgers freshman, but he blossomed this year into an All-America guard and the Big Ten Player of the Year. The La Crosse native averaged 19.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Davis injured his ankle in the regular-season finale, and Michigan State held him to 11 points on 3-of-19 shooting, helping bounce the Badgers from the Big Ten Tournament.
Must-watch matchup: Iowa vs. Providence
If Iowa gets past Richmond, and Providence avoids an upset against South Dakota State, a Hawkeyes/Friars matchup would make for good second-round TV. The Hawkeyes were a No. 5 seed in the Big Ten tournament and reeled off four victories for their first conference tournament title since 2006. Providence is a better team than the one that has lost two of its past three games.
Who could challenge Kansas?
The list is long in this tantalizing regional. Auburn might draw a Sweet 16 matchup against Wisconsin, and the winner would be dangerous for the Jayhawks. Iowa State, a rival from the Big 12, also looms as one of those teams better than its seeding (11th). The Cyclones seem like a good best to get past LSU, which just fired coach Will Wade amid a scandal.
— JOE CHRISTENSEN
WEST REGIONAL
Must-watch player: Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga
The 7-foot forward will try to become the second Minnehaha Academy graduate in as many years to lead the Bulldogs to a deep NCAA run, following Jalen Suggs' 2021 performance in which he helped Gonzaga reach the national title game. Holmgren, among 15 players up for the Wooden Award, averages 14.2 points per game on 61% field-goal shooting, and his all-around skills — 9.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocked shots per game, plus 41.2% three-point shooting — helped Gonzaga go 26-3.
Must-watch matchup
If Duke can get past Cal State-Fullerton and Michigan State can beat Davidson, a second-round matchup would pit two Hall of Famers in retiring Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski and Spartans coach Tom Izzo. The two have combined for 1,863 wins, 20 Final Fours and six national championships. Duke wants to send Krzyzewski out on a better note than it did in losing his home finale to North Carolina.
Who could challenge Gonzaga?
The Zags should be on alert for a potential second-round matchup against Memphis, which rebounded from an early four-game losing streak under coach Penny Hardaway to win 12 of its past 14 games and reach the American Athletic Conference tournament final. Tigers freshman center Jalen Duren (12.2 points, 8.1 rebounds per game) and Holmgren could meet in a matchup of potential NBA draft lottery picks.
— Randy Johnson
