March Madness regional breakdowns: Teams and players to watch
The NCAA Tournament bracket is set and the games began Tuesday with the start of the First Four.
Here’s a rundown of the players to watch, potential Cinderella teams and game previews for every region in the 2024 NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
EAST REGION
— No. 1 CONNECTICUT: The defending national champion didn’t land an easy path, with last season’s Final Four participants Florida Atlantic and San Diego State, and an arguable No. 1 seed in Iowa State all in the same region. Center Donovan Clingan (12.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg) was a key factor in UConn winning its first Big East tournament title since 2011.
— No. 2 IOWA STATE: The Cyclones were widely projected to be a No. 1 seed, but their weak nonconference schedule was seen as a liability. The balanced Iowa State lineup is coming off a 69-41 win over top-ranked Houston in the Big 12 tournament title game.
— No. 3 ILLINOIS: The Illini won the Big Ten tournament title and the team’s 26 wins are the program’s most in the last 18 years. Terrence Shannon Jr. leads the Illini in scoring at 22.6 points per game, the program’s highest single-season scoring average in 51 years.
— No. 4 AUBURN: The Tigers enter the NCAA Tournament on a six-game winning streak. Auburn defeated Florida for its third Southeastern Conference tournament title in school history and coach Bruce Pearl’s 200th career win leading the program.
Cinderella search
Stetson’s Jalen Blackmon set a conference record for most points scored in a tournament title game, finishing with 43 and earning MVP honors. Blackmon ranks No. 10 nationally with 21.5 points per game. The Hatters are making the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.
Players to watch
— Johni Broome, center, Auburn: The All-SEC first team and All-SEC defensive team selection is a key leader averaging 16.2 points and 8.4 rebounds.
— Riley Minix, guard, Morehead State: The Ohio Valley tournament MVP ranks among the top three nationally in field goals made (263) and averages 20.8 points.
— Terrence Shannon Jr., guard, Illinois: Shannon ranks third nationally in scoring at 22.6 points per game, scoring 40 points against Nebraska and 34
