Basketball Fans Discuss NCAA Brackets Ahead of Tournament
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That’s right, basketball fans: it’s time for the NCAA tournament once again. As the teams gear up for the most important month in college basketball, fans are busting out their brackets and trying to predict which team will go all the way.
Which teams are the favorites to win this year? And could a massive upset ruin everyone’s bracket and leave fans howling over the injustice of the underdog victory?
Many experts are saying the University of Houston is their top pick to win the NCAA Tournament this year. The team benefits from the presence of coach Kelvin Sampson, an experienced and level-headed leader who can bring the team together in pivotal moments.
Houston also has fantastic guards in both Jamal Shead and Marcus Sasser. Moreover, the team boasts likely NBA first-round draft pick Jarace Walker. That’s a lot of talent concentrated in a single organization, and it could be enough to propel Houston to the top of the bracket.
Arizona got to be the number two seed in the bracket this year for good reason. Many experts predict them going all the way. After all, Marcus Sasser has a groin injury he needs to contend with, which could be pivotal down the stretch in March and into April, depending on how far Houston goes.
Arizona, meanwhile, has help from sophomore coach Tommy Lloyd, who has already seen the team through the 2022 Maui Invitational Tournament and helped them win with flying colors. The Wildcats went undefeated through the 2021-2022 regular season, making them an organization worth watching going forward into March.
It wouldn’t be an NCAA Tournament bracket discussion without Duke popping up somewhere. The North Carolina school has been omnipresent in the highest levels of men’s collegiate basketball for decades and for good reason. The university prides itself on its sterling basketball reputation and recruits players from all over the country into its prestigious program.
Duke’s on a nine-game winning streak going into the NCAA Tournament and also took home the top spot in the ACC Tournament before the end of the regular season. For the first time in the 2022-2023 season, Duke’s the top-rated ACC team. Still, they’ve got an unusually low NCAA seed: they’re currently twelfth seed, which is far below the team’s expected top-ten placement. Time will tell whether this is an accurate reading or if Duke can cause an upset and return to form in the upcoming showdown.