The Phanatic Magazine's "Push for the Peach" continues with a breakdown of the East Region.
By John Gottlieb
The Phanatic Magazine
AT A GLANCE: There is so much to like when it comes to the East. It starts at the top with a deep North Carolina team that starts three freshmen. Reyshawn Terry and Tyler Hansbrough are the elder statesmen on a team that loves to get out and run. A young backcourt may be the only downfall to the Tar Heels. If you’re the rest of the East Region you have to get UNC early. Hansbrough has not regained his scoring touch since the vicious hit from Duke’s Gerald Henderson, but that didn’t prevent the Tar Heels from winning the ACC Tournament.
The first round game to keep your eye on is Texas versus Reggie Theus’ New Mexico State team. The Aggies beat Utah State to win the WAC and their full court press may help slow down the man-child known as Kevin Durant. However, the Longhorns are just too much, as A.J. Abrams and D.J. Augustin are the perfect backcourt to complement the National Player of the Year candidate. The only shortcoming to Texas is their lack of defensive stability.
Pay attention to the upstart Cougars of Washington State. They usually keep it a low scoring game and are adept at forcing turnovers. Guards Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver will propel the Cougars deep into the tourney.
Arkansas very well may be the upset special in the East region. When teams like Syracuse and Drexel complain about being left out in the cold, the Razorbacks are the team most pointed to. It’s fairly safe to assume that Arkansas was the last team selected and it was thanks to a run in the SEC tourney. The Hogs finished fourth in the weak SEC West with a 7-9 record, but the 35th-best RPI and the 15th-hardest strength of schedule along with winning six of their last nine games secured a bid. They should be looking to prove that they are deserving, and they’ll get a chance against the fifth-seeded USC Trojans, who were demolished by Oregon in the Pac-10 final. It’s a lock that a #12 will beat a #5, but look to a different region for your bracket buster.
REGION STRENTH: This has to be the toughest region in the tournament. The South is a close second where Louisville got a #6 seed, but there are a handful of teams that can find themselves playing in Atlanta, including the Trojans, who finished fourth in the Pac-10 and Georgetown, which as a two-seed, is one of the hottest teams in the country. The East region has the most question marks and it’ll take a fantastic two weeks to play itself out.
DEAR MR. COMMITTEE: How is it possible that Arkansas was more deserving of a bid than Syracuse, which was the first team to win 20 games, including 10 in a major conference, and not make the tournament. How about Drexel, which won 13 games on the road, including wins at Villanova, Syracuse, and Creighton, or even Air Force, which had the 30th-best RPI, destroyed Stanford, and also bested tourney teams such as Texas Tech, George Washington, and UNLV?
TEAM-BY-TEAM GLANCE
#1 North Carolina Tar Heels (28-6, 11-5 ACC)
What to Like: Where do you begin? Roy Williams is one of the best coaches in the country and like always he has his team ready to run. Reyshawn Terry is as solid as it gets while Brandan Wright, Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington, all freshmen, seem like naturals in Williams’ run-and-gun offense. Then there is Tyler Hansbrough, who knows how to get to the free thrown line and has no regard for his body when it comes to a loose ball.
What not to Like: Hansbrough has not been the same offensively since breaking his nose against Duke. He’s clearly not comfortable wearing the mask. He’s a gamer and that will not prevent him from making a run at a national title.
Last until...The more they play the more dangerous they are. If Hansbrough regains his form this team will be tough to beat. I like them to breeze into the Sweet 16 until they meet Texas.
This may very well be the best game in the entire tournament. It’s two young teams and a number of future NBA stars. The tandem of Kevin Durant, A.J. Abrams and D.J. Augustin will be too much for Williams’ Tar Heels. I just don’t see anyone on North Carolina that can stop Durant. UNC will have to double him, which will leave open Longhorns to hit big shots. Texas gets by North Carolina in a Sweet 16 squeaker.
#2 Georgetown Hoyas (26-6, 13-3 Big East)
What to Like: They are one of the hottest teams in the country and easily could’ve been given a No. 1 seed. They won 15 of their final 16 games, including a dominant performance against Pittsburgh in the Big East championship. Jeff Green was the Big East Player of the Year and he donated 30 in a fantastic semifinal win over Notre Dame. They are dominant defensively, allowing 56.5 points per contest. While not adept as some of the past big men, Roy Hibbert is a force in the middle of the paint.
What not to Like: If you can disrupt their rhythm and not allow the Hoyas to get into their halfcourt offense then they can have trouble scoring. Guard play is a key to making it far in the tournament and it took some time for Jonathan Wallace and Jessie Sapp to get into the offense.
Last until...This team will return the Hoyas to the prominence they experienced throughout the 80s. They’ll be playing well into the second week and will get past Durant to reach Atlanta.
#3 Washington State Cougars (25-7, 13-5 Pac-10)
What to Like: The Cougars rank third in the country with only 10.4 turnovers per game and hold opponents to under 59 points per game, which is good enough for 14th in the country. Keep your eye out for Derrick Low, who just may be the best player in the East region that you’ve never heard of.
What not to Like: Their lack of experience. This is the first time they’ve finished in the upper half of the Pac-10 since 1994-95. They can get beat on the inside.
Last until...Washington State was pegged for last place in the Pac-10 but Tony Bennett, who took over his father Dick, turned this team around. The Cougars are one of the teams that pundits say to look out for since they weren’t expected to be here. Their run ends with a Sweet 16 birth.
#4 Texas Longhorns (24-9, 12-4 Big 12)
What to Like: Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, they’ve got a pretty good freshman, I think his name is Kevin Durant. If you haven’t heard of him, then you’re not reading this anyway. He’s got Kevin Garnett written all over him, pouring in 25.1 points and pulling down 11.4 rebounds per game.
What not to Like: They give up 72 points per game. If Durant struggles, which he hasn’t, then the Longhorns can be in for a long night. The team is extremely young with four freshmen starters.
Last until...This team will be stopped one game short of Atlanta. The only team stopping them from a title is the Hoyas of Georgetown. I like them to get past the Tar Heels in the Sweet 16, but the Georgetown defense should be able to slow down Durant.
#5 USC Trojans (23-11, 11-7 Pac-10)
What to Like: Freshman forward Taj Gibson scores 11.8 per game and pulls down 8.3 boards a contest, as four starters score in double figures led by Nick Young with 17.1. They are dominant defensively, allowing teams to shoot a paltry 39 percent from the field.
What not to Like: They got blown out by 24 points in the Pac-10 title game and that can’t be a good lead-in to the Big Dance. There is not a lot to rely upon on the bench.
Last until...They’ll get past the Razorbacks but Kevin Durant is an entirely different story. Tim Floyd and the rest of the Trojans will be enjoying the fun and sun of southern Cal after one contest.
#6 Vanderbilt Commodores (20-11, 10-6 SEC)
What to Like: A pair of big guards that can shoot the lights out. Derrick Byars is 6-foot-7 and Shan Foster is 6-foot-6 and each scores more than 15 per game. They spread the floor and attack opposing defenses with a potent three-point barrage.
What not to Like: They ranked 11th out of 12 in the SEC in rebounding and last in blocked shots. The only problem with a team that relies on the three is that it doesn’t always fall.
Last until...A lot of people think they were ranked too high and I think that losing to Arkansas in back-to-back games to end the season may have rattled the Commodores. I like GW to knock out Vandy in the first round.
#7 Boston College Eagles (20-11, 10-6 ACC)
What to Like: ACC Player of the Year Jared Dudley can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court and can beat you off the dribble. Dudley averages 19.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and three assists per game. He’s connected on 60 percent of his shots from the floor, including 47 percent from long distance.
What not to Like: They lost five of their last seven games and despite big bodies they have trouble outrebounding teams.
Last until...They’ll get past Texas Tech but former Big East rival Georgetown will knock out the Eagles.
#8 Marquette Golden Eagles (24-9, 11-7 Big East)
What to Like: Tom Crean is an excellent coach that learned the tricks of the trade from Tom Izzo. Sophomore guard Dominic James is a dominating talent on the court (14.9 ppg, 4.9 apg).
What not to Like: They are a young team and sophomore guard Jerel McNeal is questionable with a sprained right thumb. The lack of consistency includes losing five of their last eight and an early season loss to North Dakota State.
Last until...Izzo gets the best of his protégé in the first round.
#9 Michigan State Spartans (22-11, 8-8 Big Ten)
What to Like: The experience of Tom Izzo and Drew Neitzel. Neitzel has the capability to take over a game if he gets hot. Izzo has brought the Spartans to four Final Fours in the last eight seasons. They held teams to 56.7 points per game as opponents hit just 38 percent of their shots from the field.
What not to Like: They’ve lost three of their last four games, including to Michigan.
Last until...They’ll get past Marquette in the first round, but a date with the Tar Heels looms large. The Spartans will keep the game close, but UNC will be too much to overcome in the second round.
#10 Texas Tech Red Raiders (21-12, 9-7 Big 12)
What to Like: The General. If anybody can get a team ready to play a big game it’s Bob Knight. He’s got an excellent shooting team (41.6 percent from beyond the arc for fourth in the country) and the Red Raiders are great at forcing teams into making mistakes.
What not to Like: They’ve got no interior size and the team isn’t very deep.
Last until...Dudley causes Knight to burst a blood vessel. The Red Raiders will be back in Lubbock soon.
#11 George Washington Colonials (23-8, 11-5 A-10)
What to Like: They have a dynamic backcourt with Carl Elliott and Maureece Rice and have a nose for the ball.
What not to Like: They got lucky to be here, as Xavier and UMass were both gone from the title game. The only good team they beat all season was Virginia Tech.
Last until...They’ve been to this dance before and have experience. The Colonials are my upset special in this bracket, but their dream comes to an end in the second round.
#12 Arkansas Razorbacks (21-13, 7-9 SEC)
What to Like: Freshman guard Patrick Beverly leads a team that has four starters that score in double figures. Nobody in America thinks they deserve to be playing in the tourney.
What not to Like: This team has underachieved all season, losing to South Carolina, Georgia and Missouri.
Last until...They realize that USC doesn’t just play football.
#13 New Mexico State Aggies (25-8, 11-5 WAC)
What to Like: A solid full-court press that wreaks havoc on opposing offenses. They go seven-deep with mostly juniors and seniors.
What not to Like: Their halfcourt defense leaves something to be desired. Once teams break the press they can get open looks.
Last until...Kevin Durant wins the opening tip.
#14 Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (23-10, 12-2 Mid-Continent)
What to Like: Senior forward and three-time conference Player of the Year Caleb Green led the league in scoring (20.8 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg). That and they also went into Allen Fieldhouse and beat Kansas, 78-71.
What not to Like: If guard Ken Tutt or Green have an off night it’s blowout city.
Last until...Could be dangerous with a lot of upperclassmen but will fall in the opener.
#15 Belmont Bruins (23-9, 14-4 Atlantic Sun)
What to Like: The Bruins have three players that are 6-10 or taller and that resulted in 37.4 rebounds per game.
What not to Like: They turn the ball over almost as often as they dish out the helpers.
Last until...Their big men may slow down Hibbert, but how do they stop Green? Belmont’s out after one.
#16 Eastern Kentucky Colonels (21-11, 13-7 Ohio Valley)
What to Like: The Colonels sank 258 threes, ranking them 35th in the country for the most made shots from beyond the arc.
What not to Like: Their lack of any inside presence or shooting 68 percent from the free throw line.
Last until...UNC is safe.
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