East Region preview: Can Duke escape difficult draw?
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. Today, we focus on the East Region.
Top teams
No. 1 Duke
Duke fully deserved the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed. The Blue Devils tallied a nation-leading 17 Quad 1 wins and lost just two games all season (by a combined four points). Jon Scheyer's squad is one of two schools ranked in KenPom's top five for both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. Freshman forward Cameron Boozer is the Wooden Award front-runner, Isaiah Evans has emerged as a solid secondary scorer, and Patrick Ngongba has been a force in the paint.
Meanwhile, Caleb Foster, Maliq Brown, and Dame Sarr give Duke a trio of strong perimeter defenders. However, the Blue Devils got the toughest path of any 1-seed and will reportedly be missing Foster until at least the Final Four. Ngongba is also sidelined with foot soreness but is hopeful to return for the Big Dance.
No. 2 UConn
UConn is back in the national championship mix after last season's disappointing exit to Florida in the Round of 32. The Huskies' improved point guard play and defensive turnaround are huge parts of their 29-win campaign. Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. brought a similar skill set as ex-floor general Tristen Newton. Demary ranks 12th in the NCAA in assists (211), boasts a 2.7 assist-to-turnover ratio, and has been an effective point-of-attack defender.
Dan Hurley's offense is well-balanced. Five-star freshman Braylon Mullins provides the Huskies with another movement shooter alongside Solo Ball and Alex Karaban. Upperclassman Tarris Reed Jr. and first-year center Eric Reibe give UConn a one-two punch at the five, which was a key component of their previous two national championship-winning teams. The Huskies weren't dominant in Big East play despite a 17-3 record. But wins over Florida, Kansas, Illinois, and BYU in the nonconference portion of the schedule show what this team is capable of when it's firing on all cylinders.
No. 3 Michigan State
Michigan State hasn't missed the NCAA Tournament since 1997. The Spartans have been a model of consistency under Tom Izzo, reaching at least the second weekend on 16 occasions, including a title run in 2000. This season's bunch has the toughness and grit that's been a trademark of his best teams.
Michigan State is 13th on KenPom's rankings for adjusted defensive efficiency (94.7 points per 100 possessions) and third in rebounding margin. The Spartans are elite at limiting opportunities in the paint, surrendering the ninth-fewest 2-point field goals (14.7 per contest). Izzo's got an experienced group led by star point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who's averaging a team-high 15.7 points and an NCAA-best 9.2 assists.
East Region odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Duke | -125 |
| Connecticut | +550 |
| Michigan State | +700 |
| St. John's | +900 |
| Kansas | +1500 |
| Louisville | +1500 |
| UCLA | +2200 |
| Ohio State | +2500 |
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Bracket-busters
No. 11 South Florida
South Florida is heading to the dance for the first time in 14 years. But don't expect the Bulls to be content with just getting into the party. They've won 11 straight games and 14 of their past 15 overall, and their last defeat was a one-point loss to Temple on Jan. 31. South Florida has the NCAA's eighth-highest scoring offense (88.3 points per game), with all five starters averaging at least 11 points. The Bulls' multi-pronged attack is led by double-double machine Izaiyah Nelson and sharpshooters Wes Enis and Joseph Pinion. Bryan Hodgson's team is absolutely capable of pulling off an upset or two.
No. 13 California Baptist
California Baptist secured its first March Madness berth with a dramatic 63-61 win over top-seeded Utah Valley in the last-ever WAC Tournament. The Lancers trailed by six points with 2:22 to go before Dominique Daniels Jr. drilled three triples to save their season. The-ex junior college guard is the nation's fifth-highest scorer (23.2 points per game) and can single-handedly take over any contest. Daniels' explosive scoring ability combined with his team's stingy defense could make California Baptist this year's Cinderella.
Players to watch
Darryn Peterson
Peterson's health has spent more time in the spotlight than his game. But the Kansas freshman has proven to be quite the talent when available. He's averaging 19.8 points and shooting 38.4% from beyond the arc across 22 appearances this season. The 6-foot-5 guard can efficiently score at all three levels, create for others out of the pick-and-roll, and cause havoc on the defensive end. The Jayhawks could make a serious run if Bill Self finds a way to optimize Peterson's strengths.
Donovan Dent
Dent transferred back home to UCLA this offseason following three seasons at New Mexico. The Bruins guard got off to a rough start in Westwood but has turned things around in the past month, averaging 14.1 points, 9.8 assists, 3.6 boards, and 1.3 steals over his last eight appearances. Dent's triple-double against Rutgers in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament was the first triple-double in the history of the tourney. It's no coincidence that Dent's improved play lines up with the Bruins' late-season turnaround, and he could be the key to upsetting UConn in a potential Round of 32 matchup.
Cameron Boozer
Boozer is doing a pretty good Cooper Flagg impression. The 6-foot-9 forward has been Duke's Swiss Army knife, leading the team in scoring (22.5 points per game), rebounding (10.2), and assists (4.2). Boozer can score in the paint against taller players, knock down threes, crash the glass with physicality, and initiate offense from the high post. The Blue Devils have a tough task ahead of them, but a star of Boozer's caliber can overcome a lot of their challenges.
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