Selection Sunday is officially in the books, and after a one-year absence, the NCAA Tournament is upon us. Ahead of the opening round, theScore previews each region to get you prepared to pick your bracket. First up is the South.
The top teams
No. 1 Baylor
The loss to Oklahoma State in the conference tournament may have been a blessing in disguise, as it allows Baylor to rest before next weekend's games. The Bears finished the season with a flurry of contests against ranked opponents due to a COVID-19 pause bunching their schedule.
Led by the trio of Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, and Davion Mitchell, Baylor boasts one of the most efficient offensive units in the country and has the ability to lock down any opponent. The country's top-ranked 3-point shooting team is never out of a game, and the adversity the Bears already faced in their Big 12 schedule should help them make a deep run in the bracket.
No. 2 Ohio State
A season of runs for Ohio State ended with a narrow overtime loss to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament title game. The Buckeyes entered the conference tournament on a four-game losing streak but peeled off three wins to make the final, including an impressive semifinal victory over Michigan.
Chris Holtmann's outfit has shown the ability to hang with any team in the country this year, but it also fell to Northwestern and Minnesota. If Duane Washington Jr. can repeat his performance from the Big Ten Tournament, the Buckeyes could be poised for a strong run in the bracket. The junior guard torched Illinois for 32 points on Sunday after pouring in 24 during Saturday's win over the rival Wolverines.
No. 3 Arkansas
People will certainly recognize Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman from his previous successful tourney runs with Nevada. His team is never shy to fire from deep, as the Razorbacks have hoisted 649 shots from beyond the arc this season. As star Moses Moody goes, Arkansas goes, with the talented guard averaging 17.4 points on the campaign.
While Arkansas should be pleased with a No. 3 seed, the bracket is not favorable for the SEC's regular-season runner-up. The opening round shouldn't present too many problems, but a second-round battle with Texas Tech could be tricky. With No. 2 Ohio State also looming, it could be tough for Musselman to lead his squad out of the South.
The bracket-busters
No. 6 Texas Tech
A couple of big names immediately jump off the page as bracket-busters in the South, most notably 2019 finalist Texas Tech. Chris Beard certainly has the experience to lead the Red Raiders on a deep tournament run, and Ken Pomeroy's 23rd-ranked team in the country slots in as a very dangerous No. 6 seed. A possible second-round matchup against No. 3 Arkansas could see a star-studded battle between Texas Tech's Mac McClung and the Razorbacks' Moody.
No. 8 North Carolina
It's not often a team with North Carolina's history enters as a No. 8 seed, but the Tar Heels struggled at times this season in a down ACC. Still, outside of a three-point loss to Florida State in the ACC Tournament, Roy Williams' outfit enters with six wins in its last eight contests. North Carolina's massive front line leads the nation in rebounding margin and could challenge No. 1 Baylor's third-ranked offense in the second round.
**See full South Region betting preview**
Players to watch
Jared Butler, Baylor
Butler is one of the more difficult players to guard in the loaded Big 12 this season. The junior guard puts up 17.1 points per game with a very impressive 43% clip from beyond the arc. Baylor is a balanced team that can win games in a variety of ways, but if it's going to make a deep run at the title, Butler has to lead the way.
Mac McClung, Texas Tech
Given his legendary YouTube high school mixtapes and his previous stint at Georgetown, most tournament observers are likely familiar with McClung. The electric Texas Tech guard has provided his fair share of highlights this season, including his game-winning triple on the road against Texas. The 6-foot-2 junior is averaging 15.7 points for the No. 6 seed.
Duane Washington Jr., Ohio State
There might be no hotter player in the country than Washington. The 6-foot-3 junior averaged 15.8 points per game for Ohio State during the regular season, but he surpassed that number in all four of the Buckeyes' contests in the Big Ten Tournament. He saved his best showing for last, pouring in 32 points in an overtime loss to Illinois in the final.
Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
The nation's leading scorer doesn't feature for a marquee program, as Abmas claims that honor by averaging 24.2 points per game for Oral Roberts. The 6-foot-1 sophomore does most of his damage from deep, taking more than eight 3-pointers per game and connecting on over 43% of those attempts. His team faces a tough opening-round matchup with No. 2 Ohio State, but if Abmas gets hot, an upset could be in the making.