Selection Sunday is officially in the books, and the NCAA Tournament is now upon us. In the buildup to the opening round, theScore will preview each region to get you prepared to pick your bracket. Let's begin with the East Region.
The top teams
No. 1 Baylor
Scott Drew turned in an incredible encore in the wake of Baylor's first national title in school history, as the veteran coach has led the Bears to the No. 1 seed in the East. This comes despite the losses of stars Davion Mitchell and Jared Butler to the NBA. The Bears are one of the nation's most balanced teams with five players scoring more than nine points per game. How far Baylor progresses will likely depend on the backcourt duo of James Akinjo and Adam Flagler. The pair combine for over 26 points per contest and lead KenPom's 14th-ranked defense in the country.
No. 2 Kentucky
Every time Kentucky has taken the court this year, it's quickly turned into the Oscar Tshiebwe show. The West Virginia transfer has been an absolute star for John Calipari this season, pouring in 17 points per game while adding over 15 rebounds. The junior has finished with a double-double in all but three total games this year. His dominance on the block combined with the backcourt talents of TyTy Washington will make Kentucky a tough out.
No. 3 Purdue
There's no doubting Purdue's offensive ability, as the Boilermakers come in as KenPom's third-ranked attack. However, Matt Painter's outfit doesn't crack the top 100 on the defensive side and will need to fix that to go on a deep run. Jaden Ivey is the straw that stirs the drink, with the electric guard projected to be an NBA lottery pick this year. With 7-foot-4 Zach Edey and forward Trevion Williams, the Boilermakers feature arguably the best three-pack in the country.
The bracket-busters
No. 7 Murray State
Ja Morant isn't around anymore, but this year's Murray State is still a formidable team in the NCAA Tournament. The Racers turned in an incredible campaign with a sparkling 30-2 overall record and an OVC championship. With 18 straight victories, they also enter play as the hottest team in the nation. A second-round matchup with Kentucky would prove difficult, but the Racers have experience against SEC opponents this season thanks to a road game at Auburn in December.
No. 8 North Carolina
It might feel odd to see a powerhouse like North Carolina as a bracket-buster, but that's where the Tar Heels find themselves this year. North Carolina is as talented as any team in the bracket, but a very rough start to the season doomed its chances at a top seed. Armando Bacot is a matchup nightmare for anybody, putting up a nightly double-double of 16.5 points and 12.5 rebounds. The Tar Heels' size could prove difficult for Baylor to match in a potential Round of 32 contest.
Players to watch
Jaden Ivey
Ivey is one of the most electric players around, putting up highlight-reel plays at an incredible rate for Purdue. The 6-foot-4 sophomore averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per contest to lead the nation's third-ranked offense. The high-flying guard has shown numerous times what he's capable of, and his style of play should make him a fan favorite at this year's tourney.
Oscar Tshiebwe
Tshiebwe isn't just the best player in this region, he's likely to be honored as the best player in the country at the upcoming Wooden Award ceremony. His double-double production is the best around, and the junior standout is the main reason Kentucky was able to grab a No. 2 seed. If the Wildcats are to make a deep run, it will likely be thanks to some gaudy stats from Tshiebwe.
Johnny Juzang
Juzang became a household name during last year's tournament as he pushed UCLA to the Final Four with an incredible six-game scoring performance. His 29-point showing in a losing effort in the national semifinal last season will remain in people's minds for years to come. The standout junior has battled injuries throughout the campaign, but if he remains healthy, there's no reason to think he won't repeat last year's scoring performance and push the Bruins deep yet again.
