Freshmen have certainly found a way to leave their mark on the NCAA Tournament in recent years.
Last year, of course, Duke rode the contributions of three one-and-done players — Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow — to the program’s fifth national title.
In that same season, Kentucky, propelled by a rotation comprised largely of freshman — four of which entered the NBA draft — won 38 straight games before a perfect season crashed in the final four.
But in this year’s East Region, which is dotted with traditional powers, the programs in contention have found success this season on the backs of a number of talented upperclassmen leaders.
North Carolina, which struggled through a period of early NBA departures earlier in the decade, has found balance with an experienced trio of Marcus Paige (senior), Brice Johnson (senior) and Kennedy Meeks (junior).
Bracket:
Indiana has the leadership of senior guard Yogi Ferrell and the versatility of junior guard Troy Williams, to thank for what has been a special season in Bloomington.
Heck, even one-and-done factory Kentucky has been boosted heavily in the frontcourt by a senior, Alex Poythress.
It has often been the case that the most coveted freshman are landed by the big-name schools. But in a bracket full of traditional powers this year, it will be the old guys who lead the way to the promised land.
East Regional
Favorite: North Carolina
The Tar Heels are a top seed in the NCAA Tournament for the 15th time. This is an experienced group, led by talented senior guard Marcus Paige and 6-foot-10 classmate Brice Johnson, a walking double-double. The Tar Heels won their final five games — and seven of their last eight — including a victory over Virginia in the ACC Tournament championship game Saturday. The path through the East won’t be easy for them, but the Tar Heels have sharpened Final Four tools.
Sleeper: Indiana
Yes, the Hoosiers were stunned in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on a buzzer-beating game-winner by Michigan, but they have been among the country’s most consistent teams after a rough start to their season. And who doesn’t want to see a second-round matchup with fourth-seeded Kentucky?
Upset alert
Stephen F. Austin over West Virginia. Experience counts for a lot in the NCAA Tournament, and the Lumberjacks have plenty of it. They have been to the tournament three consecutive times, advancing to the round of 32 two years ago.
Bracket breakdown
Simply put, the East is a beast. Stacked with traditional power programs in Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana and Wisconsin, this bracket has no shortage of star power. The top five seeds in this bracket have combined for 18 national championships. That means this bracket’s Final Four team will have earned the trip.
