Player to watch: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
It’s not exactly a reach, but the fact of the matter is that there are few, if any, players in college basketball as good as Buddy Hield. The senior guard is averaging 25 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and a sensational 46.4 percent from behind the arc. He is a frontrunner in the race for national player of the year and with a talented supporting cast around him, don’t be surprised if the Legend of Buddy Hield lasts all the way to Houston.
Dream matchup—Early Rounds: No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 6 Texas
This one’s an easy pick. As long as both the Aggies and the Longhorns can get past their first-round opponents, we’ll be treated to a Lone Star State showdown for a spot in the Sweet 16. The two teams met in late November in the Battle 4 Atlantis, where Texas A&M emerged victorious 84-73. Of course, those early-season tournaments feel like they happened a lifetime ago. The Longhorns have exceeded expectations in Shaka Smart’s first season in Austin, while Billy Kennedy has the Aggies back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. Texas hasn’t played past the first weekend since 2008 and Texas A&M hasn’t advanced to the Sweet 16 since 2007, adding an extra layer of intrigue to this potential meeting between in-state rivals.
Dream matchup—Late Rounds: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 5 Baylor
If both Baylor and Oregon make it to the Sweet 16, it may be in your best interest to break out a pair of sunglasses to avoid having your retinas seared by their uniforms. But in all seriousness, this is a very compelling matchup beyond their vibrant uniforms. Oregon outlasted Baylor 74-67 way back in November, and the Bears will surely be out for revenge and looking to spoil the Ducks’ dream season. When you consider possible games like Texas-Oklahoma (Red River Shootout in the Sweet 16) and Texas-VCU (Shaka Smart against his old team), there is no shortage of intriguing potential matchups in the West Region.
Dark horse: Saint Joseph’s
The Hawks can be suspect on defense, but they boast two players, DeAndre Bembry and Isaiah Miles, who can take over a game at any time. Throw in reserve players like Papa Ndao, and you have a team that’s very solid and balanced on offense. Phil Martelli has a team that would make fellow Pennsylvania native Bo Ryan proud. St. Joe’s does a great job of limiting fouls and turnovers, which will make it a tough out in the NCAA Tournament.
Grab Bag: Oregon was called the Webfoots the last time it won a national title
The Ducks won their only national championship in 1939, which also marks the only time in program history that they advanced to the Final Four. That team was also nicknamed the “Tall Firs” due to its decided height advantage over most of its competition. Oregon, which changed its mascot from the Webfoots to the Ducks in the 1940s, has made two Elite Eight appearances (2002, 2007) since the turn of the millennium, but hasn’t been able to break through and make a return trip to college basketball’s final weekend.
