The NCAA Tournament is upon us. In the buildup to the opening round, theScore is previewing each region to get you prepared to pick your bracket. After hitting the East Region earlier, here's our breakdown of the South.
Top teams
No. 1 Florida
You can't talk about NCAA Tournament back-to-backs without mentioning Florida. The Gators were the last program to pull off the feat in 2006-07 before UConn did the deed in 2023-24. Florida stopped the Huskies' attempt at a three-peat last season. As the South 1-seed, Florida is now looking to complete its second set of back-to-back national titles in the last 20 years.
While last year's team was perimeter-oriented, these Gators beat the snot out of opponents with a bruising frontline. The trio of Rueben Chinyelu, Thomas Haugh, and Alex Condon combine for an outrageous 43.3 points, 25.4 rebounds, and more than three blocks per game. If the backcourt of Boogie Fland, Xaivian Lee, and Urban Klavzar can hit their triples, Florida might win the whole thing all over again.
No. 2 Houston
The selection committee enjoyed last year's title game so much that it put both finalists in the same region this time. Houston fell short against Florida last year, but would benefit from the regional final being played in its home city.
The Cougars are another classic Kelvin Sampson team featuring elite defense and toughness across the roster. The offense is heavily based around the backcourt trio of Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharp, and Milos Uzan - but Houston's over-reliance on outside shooting can backfire. The Cougars are last in the country in percentage of shots at the rim and don't get to the foul line with any regularity.
If the backcourt trio is hitting from deep, Houston will easily book a trip to a seventh straight Sweet 16. However, if the Cougars start laying bricks, it'll be tough for them to make a deep run.
No. 3 Illinois
Which Illinois team shows up in March Madness? Will it be the nation's top offense, which stretches defenders with endless shooting options? Or will it be the porous defensive unit that's been the main culprit in a 4-5 finish to the season? Maybe it's both.
The Illini can score with anybody. Freshman Keaton Wagler is among the most lethal scorers in the country, while David Mirkovic's versatility as a 6-foot-9 forward is a matchup nightmare. However, the secret to beating Illinois seems to be the 80-point plateau: The Illini have lost each of the last five games where they allowed at least that number.
The neutral fan will dream of a Sweet 16 matchup between Houston and Illinois - a true offense versus defense showdown with the Elite Eight on the line.
South Region odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Florida | +170 |
| Houston | +250 |
| Illinois | +325 |
| Nebraska | +1100 |
| Vanderbilt | +1100 |
| Saint Mary's | +3300 |
| Iowa | +5000 |
| North Carolina | +6000 |
| Clemson | +6600 |
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Bracket-busters
No. 11 VCU
With one loss in its last 17 games, VCU isn't sneaking up on the field. The Rams got a favorable draw in the opening round: a No. 6 North Carolina team that won't have Caleb Wilson. The Tar Heels have gone 5-3 without their star freshman and are coming off two straight losses. The Rams chuck it early and often, attempting 25 of their 58 shots per game from deep and connecting on over 36% of their 3-pointers. If VCU can keep up that kind of accuracy and volume, any March Madness opponent will have a bad time.
No. 12 McNeese
McNeese is looking to do one thing: Create havoc on defense. That worked to perfection last year when the 12th-seeded Cowboys knocked off No. 5 Clemson. Will Wade might be gone, but his torture chamber defense lives on, as McNeese ranks second nationally in forcing turnovers at 16.5 per game. The Cowboys' ability to wreck an opponent's game plan has once again made them a plucky 12-seed looking to upset a 5-seed. That won't be as easy this year: Vanderbilt is one of the best teams in the country at protecting the ball. Still, it seems foolish to question a tournament-tested team that will always be the most energetic squad on the floor.
Players to watch
Kingston Flemings
Flemings broke Houston's single-game freshman scoring record with an outrageous 42 points on the road at Texas Tech this season. That's a monumental mark regardless of the team, but it's even more impressive when you consider the talent that's come through the Cougars program. Despite Flemings being a first-year player, veteran coach Sampson has largely run his offense through the electric guard.
Keaton Wagler
Wagler saw Flemings' 42-point outing as a freshman and raised him a 46-piece against Purdue. The first-year Illinois star isn't shy about hoisting shots, attempting almost six triples a night while connecting on 40% of them. He also goes to the basket enough to keep defenses honest so they can't just hone in on him as a shooter.
Pryce Sandfort
Sandfort has a chance to make history and help stop a terrible Nebraska streak. The Cornhuskers are the only major conference team that's never won an NCAA Tournament game despite currently playing their 130th season of basketball. This has to be the year it finally ends, right? Nebraska enters as the No. 4 seed, and Sandfort's played a large role in the team's success. The junior has six different games with at least 28 points and shoots 40% from deep while averaging eight attempts per contest.
TJ Power
After uneventful stops at Duke and Virginia, Power's broken out in his first season with Penn. If you want to see what the lanky forward is capable of, check the highlights of the Ivy League title win over Yale. Power went bananas in the biggest moments, pouring in 44 points and canning the game-tying buzzer-beater to force overtime. It will be tough to supply a suitable encore, but an opening-round matchup with Illinois could provide a soft landing.
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