It's that time of year again. Basketball fans from all over the world clear their schedules to watch the constant stream of college basketball flooding sports networks.
It is the time of the year that every coach, player, and spectator anticipates and prepares for all season. Winning a regular season championship or just getting into the tournament with a high seed is an accomplishment in itself. However, all of that gets put aside once March Madness begins. It comes down to who performs the best on any given night. Take Middle Tennessee State for example, who was seeded 15th and upset the 2nd seeded Michigan State in last year’s tournament. They just had to perform better than Michigan State one time, and they did.
All that being said, here are some teams to watch for the 2017 NCAA tournament:
1. Kansas University Jayhawks.
A perfect example of why basketball is such a great sport. For the majority of the year, Kansas was the number one men’s basketball team in the country. However, on Thursday (3/9) they lost in the first round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament to Texas Christian University. TCU was ranked 8th in the conference tournament, proving once again that basketball is a game of consistency; it just takes one night to knock off a number one seed, or to fall to a team ranked 7 spots beneath you.
Regardless of this upset, Kansas is still a top team to watch in the NCAA tournament. Specifically, look for Kansas point guard Frank Mason III, a front-runner for national player of the year, to lead this team in the upcoming games.
2. Villanova University Wildcats.
The defending National Champions. Who could forget the buzzer beater that won the game against North Carolina last year in the NCAA Championship game? These defending champions brought back the majority of their starters, including another front-runner for national player of the year: Josh Hart. Josh Hart is a 6’6 senior averaging 18.6 points a game for the wildcats and is undoubtedly a player to watch for as the NCAA tournament gets going.
3. Gonzaga University Bulldogs.
Only recorded one loss in the regular season. The 32-1 Bulldogs are probably going to get one of the top overall seeds in the NCAA Tournament. However, the question with Gonzaga is always the strength of their conference. Going 32-1 is a fantastic accomplishment, but one could argue that the West Coast Conference is significantly weaker than other conferences such as the Big 10 or the ACC. This being said, perhaps the confidence gained from a 32-1 regular season will propel the Bulldogs to success in their upcoming games.
4. University of California Los Angeles.
UCLA has a number of weapons at their disposal. Firstly, they have (arguably) the number one freshman in the country, Lonzo Ball. Ball is averaging 14.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists. Pair him with TJ Leaf, another freshman averaging 16.2 points per game. This talented freshman duo along with the fact that UCLA finished the regular season with the best offense in the country (scoring nearly 91 ppg) makes them a dangerous opponent to face.
5. University of Kentucky Wildcats.
There is always something to say about Kentucky. Their youth, in particular, stands out amongst the 2016-2017 team. Malik Monk, a 6’3 freshman is averaging 21.2 points per game. Their second leading scorer, freshman De’Aaron Fox is averaging 15.5 points per game. While they are young, they have already established themselves as some of the top players in the country, and we can expect nothing less of them as March Madness begins. Although Kentucky often loses its top players every year to the NBA draft, it does not stop them from being a powerhouse in the SEC, and a team to watch for in the NCAA tournament.
