Selection Sunday is officially in the books and 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 looking at the East and West on Monday, today we tackle the Midwest.
The top teams
No. 1 Kansas
Kansas rolls into March Madness fresh off an impressive win over Texas Tech for its 12th Big 12 Tournament title. The Jayhawks rolled up a 28-6 record on the season, including victories in nine of their last 11 contests. Led by star guard Ochai Agbaji, Kansas sports KenPom's sixth-ranked offense in the country. That could set the scene for an incredible showdown in the Sweet 16 should No. 5 Iowa advance to that point. The Hawkeyes have one of the nation's top talents in Keegan Murray and the second-ranked offense.
No. 2 Auburn
After racing to a 22-1 start and the first No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll in school history, Auburn has lost a little sizzle entering the tournament, dropping three of its last six contests. Bruce Pearl has experienced March success in the past, and given the high-end talent of this year's Tigers, he should be able to turn things around in time for a deep run. Jabari Smith is a projected lottery pick in the upcoming draft while Walker Kessler and Wendell Green Jr. add important depth to the Auburn attack.
No. 3 Wisconsin
Wisconsin is the most controversial No. 3 seed in the tournament, with KenPom ranking the Badgers as the 34th-best team in the country. They've lost their last two games and face the prospect of star Johnny Davis operating at less than 100% due to an ankle injury. While Wisconsin should avoid an early upset thanks to an experienced roster, Davis will need to play at a high level moving forward if the Badgers have hopes of a deep tournament run.
The bracket-busters
No. 5 Iowa
With just two losses since the start of February, Iowa is one of the hottest teams in the country. It also rolled through the Big Ten Tournament to claim the title with an impressive victory over Purdue in the final. It's all about the offense for the Hawkeyes, and Murray leads the way with lights-out shooting from deep. Iowa can score with anybody and likely has the best player on the court in any game the Hawkeyes play. That's a dangerous combo in the NCAA Tournament.
No. 13 South Dakota State
South Dakota State will be one of the most popular upset picks in the tournament, as many people don't see a major difference between the Jackrabbits and opening-round opponent Providence. KenPom's rankings put the Jackrabbits at No. 71 overall with the Friars at No. 48. South Dakota State puts up a whopping 86.7 points per contest, trailing only Gonzaga nationally, and has three players who average double-digit points while making over 40% of their triples. There's a reason South Dakota State is only a two-point underdog despite the opening-round matchup being a No. 4 vs. No. 13.
Providence is currently a 2-point favorite over South Dakota State. There has never been a 4-seed this short of a favorite in R64. Both 4 seeds which were 2.5-pt favorites lost outright - Vandy to Murray State in 2010 and Dayton to Tulsa in 2003.
— Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) March 14, 2022
Players to watch
Keegan Murray
How incredible has Murray been this season? He just joined Kevin Durant as the second player on this very exclusive list:
Keegan Murray has 782 points, 66 blocked shots and 63 3-pointers this season. Murray joins Kevin Durant (2006-07) as the only two underclassmen over the last 30 years with 700+ points, 50+ blocks, and 50+ 3-pointers in a single season.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) March 13, 2022
The Iowa star wasn't a highly touted recruit but has exploded onto the scene with some unbelievable play. He's fourth in the country in scoring at 23.6 points per contest, but he's been putting up 25.3 points per game since the start of February. If Murray keeps that clip going, don't be shocked to see the Hawkeyes make a deep run.
Ochai Agbaji
Agbaji's decision to come back to Kansas paid off huge for the Jayhawks with Kansas grabbing one of the No. 1 seeds. The high-flying senior averages just over 19 points per contest, good for the top spot in the Big 12, and is the focal point of the best offense in the conference. Agbaji also does most of his work against multiple defenders since Kansas lacks the depth to lighten his load.
Jabari Smith
Smith won't have to wait long to hear his name called in the upcoming NBA draft, as most analysts expect the electric freshman to be a top-three pick. At 6-foot-10 and 220 pounds, Smith is a matchup nightmare for anybody, especially when he's connecting on his triples. The Georgia native hits 43% of his shots from deep, good for second in the SEC among qualified shooters. Auburn lacks momentum coming into the tournament, but if Smith shines, the Tigers could make some noise.
