Find Your Magic: 3 teams most likely to pull off a Round 1 upset Thursday
The Bulldogs know a thing or two about pulling off upsets.
The mere mention of Gonzaga evokes memories of a weepy-eyed Adam Morrison making fickle forays into the Sweet Sixteen. Since breaking onto the scene as a Cinderella, head coach Mark Few has whipped his team into one of the best programs in the country over the last decade.
But after an inconsistent season, the Bulldogs once again find themselves in a familiar spot. They'll need to pull off an upset to advance.
No. 11 Gonzaga over No. 6 Seton Hall
Seton Hall won the Big East tournament after rattling off an impressive string of victories over Villanova, Xavier, and Creighton, but none of those teams featured the kind of firepower Gonzaga is working with.
Senior forward Kyle Wiltjer is an absolute matchup nightmare with his inside-out game. He's putting up 20.7 points per game while shooting 42.4 percent from the floor. His deadeye shooting ability, height, and craftiness on the interior have given opponents fits.
On the other post stands Domantas Sabonis, a favorite to go in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft should he declare. Unlike his father, Sabonis isn't quite as adept with the passing and outside shooting, but the sophomore is an absolute beast on the interior. He's averaging 17.4 points and 11.6 rebounds - the latter of which ranks in the top 10 nationwide.
The Pirates have the advantage on the perimeter, especially with standout sophomore Isaiah Whitehead emerging as one of the best two-way players in the nation. But if Gonzaga can control the tempo and make it a half-court game, the singular brilliance of Whitehead won't be enough against the twin towers of Wiltjer and Sabonis.
No. 13 UNC Wilmington over No. 4 Duke
Save for Blue Devils fans, who isn't rooting for Duke, and supervillain Grayson Allen, to flame out in the first round like they did against Lehigh four years ago?
Duke is definitely the favorite. The team boasts the sixth-ranked offense in the league, according to Ken Pomeroy's rankings, and is miles ahead of UNC Wilmington on both ends of the court.
However, Coach K's squad has looked vulnerable at times. They ducked out in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament against Notre Dame last Thursday after just barely squeaking by N.C. State in the second round with a three-point victory.
In both games, Duke's defense was their Achilles' heel. Both N.C. State and Notre Dame shot 50 percent from the field in continuing a season-long trend that has seen the Blue Devils' defense rank 111th nationwide.
That's where UNC Wilmington can strike. Led by a trio of polished guards in Chris Flemmings, Denzel Ingram, and Craig Ponder, the Seahawks should be a handful, as they have three perimeter threats who can drive, shoot, and pass. And if the pesky Allen lands in foul trouble, Duke's limited depth could be its ultimate undoing.
No. 11 Wichita State over No. 6 Arizona
The Shockers have been, pardon the pun, a shocking disappointment this season, but is anyone ready to overlook Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet?
The veteran-laden Wichita State had to take down Vanderbilt in the First Four to make it to the Big Dance, but with Baker and a bloodied VanVleet leading the charge, a spot in the Round of 64 was never really in doubt - especially since they might be one of the strongest 11-seeds in the history of the NCAA tournament.
Pomeroy's rankings like Wichita State as the stingiest defense in the league, and they're not shabby on offense, either, with a ranking of 81st nationwide. The Shockers excel when slowing down the pace, and have the veteran heads to dictate tempo.
The Wildcats will have to play Wichita State's style, and it remains to be seen if they can excel in a half-court game.
The key for the Shockers will be to limit the 3-point shooting of Gabe York and Allonzo Trier, who are averaging 4.4 threes per game for the Wildcats. If VanFleet and Baker can win their individual matchups, the Shockers might be looking at yet another Cinderella run similar to 2013, when they made it to the Final Four.