A Preview of the NCAA West Region
(Courtesy of Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports).
Nonetheless it appears it's Gonzaga's region to lose...
Article by Dave Nguyen, AKSM Sports
INDIANAPOLIS - The West Region is headlined by the only undefeated team in the entire tournament and the odds on favorite to cut down the nets in Indianapolis- the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Say what you want about it playing in a weak conference, the Zags are legit. In its non-conference schedule, Gonzaga has defeated Kansas, West Virginia, Iowa, and Virginia, all of whom were ranked in the Top 15. Senior forward Corey Kispert is one of four players for Mark Few's team that averages double digits in points, leading the way with 19.2. Additionally, the 6'7 senior shot just over 54% from the field, 44% from beyond the arc, scoring 20+ points 11 times this season. While Kispert is the senior leader, what makes the Zags national championship contenders is the play of its freshman-sensation, Jalen Suggs. The 6'4 guard from St. Paul, MN is so athletic that he turned down a football scholarship to play quarterback at Ohio State. He has size, length, and ability to score the ball in multiple ways, making him one of the most dynamic players in this year's tournament and a potential NBA Lottery pick. So far this season, Suggs has averaged 14.3 points per game, shot 51% from the field, and had 11 games with 15 or more points. Mark Few might be coaching his most talented team, and with the typical "Blue Bloods" not as strong in this year's field, it might be the best chance for Few to win Gonzaga's first National Championship. If the Zags were to pull it off, they would become the first team since Bobby Knight's 1976 Indiana Hoosiers to finish undefeated.
The 8-9 matchup in this region is difficult to pick because both Oklahoma and Missouri are similar. Both teams shoot 44% from the field, 32% or more from three, average 32-33 rebounds a game, 13 assists per game, and multiple players who average double-digit points per game. The edge favors Missouri as Oklahoma's second leading scorer Da'Vion Harmon is going to be out for the first two rounds due to testing positive for COVID-19. The winner of this game will ultimately fall to Gonzaga in the second round.
The 5-12 matchup in this region has another upset in the making as Creighton takes on UC Santa Barbara (UCSB). The Blue Jays are coming off an embarrassing loss to Georgetown in the Big East Tournament Championship, and have played inconsistently down the stretch. Creighton has good guards in Marcus Zegarowski and Denzel Mahoney, two of five players that average double-digit points per game this season. The Gauchos of UCSB though are coming into this game with a lot of momentum, winners of its last 13 games. Senior guard JaQuori McLaughlin leads UCSB in scoring averaging 16.2 points per game, shoots almost 50% from the field, and 40% from three, and can be the difference maker in a potential upset win. The winner of this game will take on the 4-13 matchup between Virginia and Ohio, another potential upset game. Virginia is coming into this matchup having multiple players in quarantine due to COVID-19, causing it to withdraw from the ACC Tournament. Since the Cavaliers aren't arriving in Indianapolis until Friday, it doesn't give them a lot of practice time to prepare for Ohio, who have won nine of its last ten games to make it to the Big Dance. The Bobcats have five players who average double-digits in points, led by its dynamic guard Jason Preston, who averages16.6 points per game. The last time Ohio made the NCAA Tournament was in 2012, where it made the Sweet 16 and almost defeated top seeded UNC. I like similar luck for the Bobcats this time around as well.
After Drake pulled off a one-point victory over Wichita State in the first four, it will take on the USC Trojans in the 6-11 matchup. USC is poised to make a run in the tournament this year, and is set up nicely to do so, led by seven-foot freshman Evan Mobley who leads the Trojans in points and rebounds per game. While Kansas may beat Eastern Washington, the Jayhawks are going to be without three players due to COVID-19, including its second leading scorer 6'10" forward David McCormack. That can give the Trojans the edge heading into the Sweet 16 and potentially in the Elite Eight against Gonzaga.
There are two other teams that can challenge USC in the bottom half of the bracket: conference rival Oregon, who takes on VCU in the 7-10 matchup, and the Iowa Hawkeyes, the second seed in the region. Dana Altman in recent years has had his teams playing at the right time heading into March, and this year was no exception as it won 11 of its last 12 regular season games to claim the Pac-12 Regular Season title. Five Ducks average double-digit points, including its guard-forward combo of Eugene Omoruyi and Chris Duarte, who both average over 16 points a game. The Iowa Hawkeyes are a veteran squad led by National Player of the Year Candidate Luka Garza. The 6'11 center is third in the country in scoring averaging 23.7 points per game and is the engine that fuels Iowa both on and off the court. It might have a tough time getting to the Elite Eight with a matchup against Gonzaga, as both Oregon and USC will be tough opponents. One thing is for certain, Garza has made an impact this year in college basketball, and eyes a deep run in this year's NCAA tournament.
Nonetheless it appears it's Gonzaga's region to lose.