Eastern Region Predictions and Superlatives

For more reading material before the last call at 9:40 local time in Greensboro, the EMAW Online team rounded up some picks and superlatives for the Eastern Region, which is home to K-State. A story similar to what was released before last week’s Big 12 Tournament.

Mason: No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 15 Vermont

I love the Catamounts, mostly because they lost to K-State in the 2007 NIT, and to this day, it’s still my favorite game I’ve ever attended in person. But also, Vermont was a hot 14-seed over 3-seed pick in last year’s NCAA Tournament and pushed Arkansas to the limit. In the end, Arkansas prevailed with a 75-71 victory, but like Colgate, the Catamounts have tournament experience and might not even be seeded. Marquette earned their No. 2 seed, but they are not on the talent level of other No. 2s in the tournament. Watch for this game at 1:45 on CBS.

Alec: No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 USC

I’ll take No. 7 Michigan State against No. 10 USC. When this USC team clicks, the Trojans are one of my favorite teams to watch in college basketball. Boogie Ellis is a bucket, Drew Peterson is one of the most versatile players in the country, and Josh Morgan, Reese Dixon-Waters, Kobe Johnson, and Tre White are strong cast members. Freshman Vince Iwuchuku is everything I enjoy seeing in a modern great, especially on the defensive end. I also think this Spartan team is coming into the NCAA Tournament with some good momentum and the backcourt trio of Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard and Jayden Akins is fun to watch as well.

Gabe: No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 USC

This should be a great battle between two fun back tracks. Whether you prefer Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard or Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson is just a matter of taste, but the Spartans and Trojans should produce a fun game similar to what we saw last year when Miami and USC squared off in another 7-10 matchup. .

Mason: Cam Carter has to be the answer. K-State is going to need some extra shooting help in the NCAA Tournament, because this time of year is all about shooting (just ask Virginia). Carter at guard spot for him is important to keep the offense flowing and if he can hit a couple of 3-pointers in every game this weekend in Greensboro, the Wildcats are in a good spot.

Alec: Surely the answer is Nae’Qwan Tomlin. This season, when Tomlin has scored at least 11 points for Kansas State, the Wildcats are an impressive 13-2 with their only losses coming at Kansas and Oklahoma. K-State needs him to make an impact on the glass in a potential second-round game against Kentucky or Providence. But he needs to avoid foul problems and play within himself as well.

Gabe: must be Nae’Qwan Tomlin. As I wrote last week, Tomlin lays out many of the keys to K-State’s success this season and beyond. Regardless of whether the Wildcats face Kentucky or Providence in the round of 32, they will need their greats to play very well against the likes of Oscar Tshiebwe and Jacob Toppin or Bryce Hopkins.

Mason: for me it is tyler kolek, the guard from Marquette helped the Golden Eagles win the Big East regular and tournament championships and did so while shooting 39% on 3-point shooting. He was also asked if Marquette had been picked to finish ninth in the Big East to start the season on his media day and all he said was “[expletive] ’em.” If a man can put his money where his mouth is like this, he’s done for March.

Alec: Bryce Hopkins. The Providence wing has a chance to play their old school in the round of 16, and it’s a great venue for revenge. Last season he played just 6.5 minutes per game for Kentucky before being traded and becoming one of the most improved players in the country, averaging 16.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 37.8 percent of his 3-point attempts this season.

Gabe: I am looking Max Abmas play again in another NCAA Tournament. He averaged 22.2 points per game this season, a mark that ranked seventh in the nation. He will try to play the game at a faster pace, which will be an interesting game of cat and mouse between the Golden Eagles and the Blue Devils, and if Oral Roberts advances, he will have an intriguing matchup with a physical Tennessee team that will test him again. a different way.

Mason: The one I want: Memphis vs. Tennessee, K-State vs. USC. I’m selfish, give me an easier possible path to K-State than Marquette, Duke and Purdue. The one I think happens though: Purdue vs. Duke, K-State vs. Marquette.

Alec: The Sweet 16 I want to see is the one I think we’ll get, and that’s Purdue vs. Duke and K-State vs. Marquette. Duke lost to Purdue earlier this season, but the Blue Devils weren’t in top shape and I think Duke is in better shape now than they were earlier in the season, and I want to see the matchups up front. I want to see K-State vs. Marquette because I think the Markquis Nowell vs. Tyler Kolek is box office. Two All-American point guards are never a dull place to enjoy.

Gabe: What I want to see: No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 12 Oral Roberts and No. 3 Kansas State vs. No. 10 USC

I’m a sucker for big guard play, and watching Zach Edey get away with a 3-second million on key violations and beating people just isn’t enough for me. Seeing Kendric Davis play Abmas and Markquis Nowell take on Boogie Ellis would be a treat, especially at Madison Square Garden. If we get these matchups, it would be a top-tier guard game for each team as the reason these teams got to this stage and it would be great to see.

What I think we see: No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Duke and No. 3 Kansas State vs. No. 10 USC

Mason: 7.4% probability. 7’4″ is the height of Purdue’s Zach Edey and if this region is going to produce the national champion, Purdue is likely to feed him and go on an unstoppable run. Duke has an outside opportunity, but it’s hard to see in any of all 16 teams from this region and see if they win six straight games with the competition possibly looming.

Alec: Less than 25 percent. The team I feel the best about winning the title in the East is Marquette, but the Golden Eagles would break tradition if they win the title. I think Duke can win the title too. But I don’t trust a lot of freshmen to make that run. Purdue’s guards also don’t have enough experience to win the title. Kansas State can make it to the Final Four, but I don’t think Kansas State has a deep enough rotation of impact players to beat Alabama or Houston in the Final Four.

Gabe: 10 percent. I think the East region is the weakest of the four regions. It doesn’t have the No. 1 seed overall (Alabama), nor does it have the team that leads all statistics based on analytics (Houston) or the team with the best résumé (Kansas). And big men don’t typically dominate March tournament races the way Zach Edey would need to for Purdue to make a national championship run, or Kyle Filipowski or Oscar Tshiebwe would for Kentucky. Tennessee also has trouble playing a consistent offense, Marquette doesn’t defend very consistently, and Kansas State turns the ball over a lot. The East is easily the region least likely to produce the national champion.

Mason: G Markquis Nowell (K-State), G Tyler Kolek (Marquette), F Keyontae Johnson (K-State), F Kyle Filipowski (Duke), F Zach Edey (Purdue)

alec: sir Kendric Davis (Memphis), G Markquis Nowell (K-State), G Tyler Kolek (Marquette), F Kyle Filipkowski (Duke), F Zach Edey (Purdue)

Gabe: G Boogie Ellis (USC), G Kendric Davis (Memphis), F Keyontae Johnson (K-State), F Kyle Filipowksi (Duke), F Zach Edey (Purdue)