Gonzaga.
It’s a name synonymous with midmajor success, with building a basketball power. But lately, the Bulldogs haven’t necessarily lived up to their billing. They struggled at various points this season before pulling it together to win the West Coast Conference’s tournament title.
There is a lot of talent on the Bulldogs’ roster, including former Utah Jazz star John Stockton’s son, David, who is a freshman in the backcourt.
Gonzaga will make a lot of experts’ lists of sleeper teams, and rightfully so. Steven Gray is a good scoring guard and 7-foot center Robert Sacre has the size to dominate.
Gonzaga wants to win, like all teams. But are the Bulldogs willing, this time, to dig deep enough to become the NCAA Tournament team many have expected them to be for years?
Southeast Regional
Favorite: Pittsburgh
The Panthers are back in a familiar position under coach Jamie Dixon, that of favorite. And as is usually the custom under Dixon, the Panthers are a big, bruising team that ranks in the top 10 nationally in rebounds per game. Pitt shares the ball as well as any team and makes a high percentage of shots, while still playing solid defense. Only six teams scored 70 or more points on the Panthers all season long. That style will serve Pitt well in the NCAA Tournament.
Sleeper: St. John’s
Coach Steve Lavin has a knack for getting teams into the NCAA Tournament. In his first season with the Red Storm, he waved his wand and got this downtrodden program back in the NCAA field. D.J. Kennedy, the Red Storm’s third-leading scorer, is out the rest of the season because of a knee injury suffered in the Big East Tournament, but there is more than enough firepower to compensate. Senior Dwight Hardy is a slippery scorer who can put big points on the board.
Upset alert
Utah State over Kansas State: The Wildcats have a prime-time player in Jacob Pullen, but one of their major deficiencies — perimeter defense — plays right into the hands of Utah State. The WAC champion Aggies are one of the most potent scoring teams in the nation, averaging 72 points on blistering 47 percent shooting from the field. Utah State is led by senior guard Tai Wesley, who averages 14.7 points and 8.0 rebounds.
Bracket breakdown
Pittsburgh received a No. 1 seed despite losing in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament, and this region appears tailor-made to get the Panthers to the Final Four. There are some great players, including Kansas State’s Pullen and BYU star Jimmer Fredette, but this is a region of flawed teams. Keep an eye on Gonzaga, which has the talent to make a deep run in the tournament but hasn’t always played to its potential this season. Coach Tom Izzo always gets the best out of his Michigan State team come tournament time, so the Spartans should not be overlooked in what could be a rough-and-tumble region.
