Written by Ken Bikoff at CampusInsiders.com
Oregon was somewhat surprising as a No. 1 seed, but the Ducks obviously impressed the selection committee enough to pull it down. Now the challenge becomes living up to the label.
The Pac-12 got a lot of love on Selection Sunday, and for the Ducks to win the regular-season league title and the Pac-12 Tournament title in such convincing fashion was something to behold. Their 31-point demolition of Utah in the championship game certainly showed what the Ducks are capable of.
The fact that there has been so much surprise over their landing a top seed could help Oregon. This has been an under-the-radar team all year, and with the clamor that they aren’t deserving of the honor, the Ducks could pull together and make a run.
Toughest call
The bracket is filled with intriguing games, from No. 8 Saint Joseph’s taking on No. 9 Cincinnati to No. 7 Oregon State battling No. 10 VCU. But for our money, we’re fascinated by the No. 6 Texas Longhorns taking on No. 11 Northern Iowa.
The Panthers have experience after playing in the NCAA Tournament last season, and they beat then-No. 1 North Carolina back in November. They also knocked off then-No. 5 Iowa State and beat Wichita State twice this season. UNI suffered a hiccup during conference play and were inconsistent for a stretch, but they closed the year on a 12-1 run and feature good balance.
Texas, meanwhile, has been through the wringer in the Big 12 and might take the Panthers a bit lightly. The Longhorns also have looked fatigued down the stretch, which could make them ripe for the picking.
Best possible second-round matchup
If No. 4 Duke and No. 5 Baylor both get through their first-round games, they’ll have a fantastic battle in Providence. Duke has been vulnerable this season, and although Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram have been great, they have been bothered by teams with good length. That’s exactly what Baylor brings to the floor, and the Bears are battle hardened after the tough Big 12 race. BU has been on the losing end of some games of late, but their competition has been top notch, and Baylor could be looking at pulling an upset.
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