2016 NCAA Tournament Preview: West Region
- Mar 16, 2016
- 2 min read
Scott Olmos, USA TODAY Sports
The 2016 NCAA Tournament tips off on Thursday afternoon and as always, the hype around March Madness is growing more and more. We have broken down the Midwest, East and South regions. Last but not least, let's take a closer look at the West region, which features the likes of Oregon, Oklahoma and Duke. Here's everything you need to know heading into Thursday.
Players to Watch:
Tyler Dorsey, Oregon - Dorsey is a player who is rising up a lot of NBA Draft boards after his performance this season. He also played for the Greek national team in the U-19 Championships.
Buddy Hield, Oklahoma - Hield is the frontrunner for Player of the Year honors this season and rightfully so. He is an elite scorer and a pure sharpshooter from behind the arc.
Grayson Allen, Duke - Allen is the best scorer on Duke's roster and will be counted on to step up big time in the tournament. Duke isn't quite as deep as they've been, so he'll need to be a focal point.
Taurean Prince, Baylor - Prince's impact on Baylor's success is largely undervalued. At 6-foot-7, he is a really good inside-out player, making him tough to defend.
Danuel House, Texas A&M - House can be a prolific scorer when he wants to be. In order for the Aggies to go far in the tournament, they'll need a big effort from the senior.
Best First Round Matchup: No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 Northern Iowa
The Longhorns are definitely a Shaka Smart coached basketball team. He preaches defense all the time, and his guys practice what he preaches. Isaiah Taylor runs the show and he's very good at what he does. Also, Texas will be getting back their big man Cameron Ridley, who is returning from injury. Northern Iowa is a mid-major team that has made some real noise over the past few years and they're looking to do so again this season. The Panthers are led by Wes Washpun and are one of the hottest teams entering the tournament.
Potential Upset: No. 12 Yale over No. 5 Baylor
By no means am I suggesting that Baylor will fall to Yale, but it could happen. The Bears are head and shoulders above the Bulldogs, but the Ivy League has had pretty good luck in March as of late. Despite their lack of size, Yale is a solid rebounding team and they defend really well too. If Baylor becomes too complacent, they could be exiting earlier than anticipated, similar to last year when they were stunned by Georgia State.
Regional Final: No. 2 Oklahoma over No. 1 Oregon
This has the makings of a classic Elite Eight matchup. Oklahoma advances past Texas A&M and Oregon past Baylor in their respective Sweet 16 matchups. The Sooners may have the best backcourt in the country, which they will surely ride to this point in the tournament. The Ducks are a little stronger in the frontcourt, led by forward Dillon Brooks. With both teams bringing their A-game's, this could have the potential to be a great game.
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