The university coaches across the country are in fact the best at advising you on your NCAA tournament. They know KenPom fluently, watch movies until sunrise and understand the weaknesses, matches and nuances that distinguish the puppies from the dogs. Yahoo Sports spoke to a dozen coaches over the weekend about teams feeling vulnerable in this NCAA tournament.
Here’s an outline of their observations with compound quotes outlining who will immediately throw the most enrolled experts of the sport out of their heel.
Nr. 5 Tennessee
Record: 18-8
First round match: No. 12 Oregon State (17-12)
The status of 9 Vol 9 forward John Fulkerson remains in check after he broke his face by taking two dirty elbows from Omar Payne in Florida. (He also suffered a concussion during the play.) He is the Vols’ second leading rebounder (5.5 per game) and fourth leading scorer (9.5) averaging more than 26 minutes per game. For a team that has struggled all season to find and flow an offensive identity, it’s a potentially crushing blow. (Tennessee has not officially ruled him out of the tournament, but it’s hard to imagine him playing an important role at the moment.) The Vols have two possible one-time NBA drafts in the guards Jaden Springer and Keon Johnson, but was still unable to merge them into a veteran lineup and make the offense work like a symphony.
Why they are vulnerable: ‘They could not consistently see shooting outside. They have too many guys coming off the bench and not always matching the other guys, and Victor Bailey is one of them. Some of their problems are that they only have one point guard, Santiago Vescovi. He’s the only one of them who can really shoot other guys. They can drive and kick, but Vescovi is the only one who can set other guys up. If they do not have Fulkerson, they will miss him, and that’s a big difference.
No 5 Villanova
Record: 16-6
Match in the first round: no. 12 Winthrop (23-1)
The Wildcats sustained one of the most important injuries of the season when senior guard Collin Gillespie tore his MCL on March 3rd. Villanova lost to Providence after the injury to end the regular season and beat Georgetown at No. 8 in the Big East tournament. There’s no way to sugarcoat it, Villanova’s NCAA chances were without Gillespie. Winthrop plays as fast as any team in the tournament, meaning Villanova will struggle to slow down the game and secure a win.
Why they are vulnerable: ‘They are really average without Gillespie. He’s a poor version of Payton Pritchard, who does everything for them. Gillespie is the primary ball handler, which means guys are out of position. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl will have to be Superman for them. The problem is that there is no one who can facilitate the offense. I could see them winning a few games with the right matches. They will have to insert a control line and throw the bag in the corners and grind it out. They can only play a certain way at this point. While Chris Arcidiacono plays 30 minutes on the spot, a team that is fast on the waiting area can get behind the ball and make them uncomfortable. They have a chance if they are able to get into the halfway line and play space below and below Robinson-Earl in the screen-and-roll role, which will give Justin Moore and Caleb Daniels a chance in space . ”
6 USC
Record: 22-7
Match in the first round: Winner of no. 11 Drake (25-4) / Wichita State (16-5)
How they got here: USC has been contradictory all season, despite the possibility that he could pick a top three NBA draft in 7-foot Evan Mobley. The presence of the towerless Mobley brothers – Isaiah and Evan – drives the country’s number 2 defense against two-point shots. But the Trojans are susceptible to three-point shooting, as they reach number 195 on KenPom’s rankings in the three-point defense.
Why they are vulnerable: ‘They’re like the team that looks like the role in the set line, but if you hit them in the mouth, they’ll fold. They do not have a point guard, and this prevents them from playing the style they would like. Andy [Enfield] is a heavy ball coach, and he had to change. They are going to be under constant pressure because the plan is to pressure the guards. This leaves them with a short watch and no one to ease the ball to Evan Mobley. Mobley is a typical West Coast kid – he’s finer than he’s sticky or dirty. That’s why Colorado has beaten them three times already – they are gravelly and they play hard. Mobley is a physical monster, but he’s not a physical player. ‘
No 12 Georgetown
Record: 13-12
First Round Match: Number 5 in Colorado
How they got here: Georgetown stormed through the Big East tournament, winning four games in four nights, giving Patrick Ewing a distinctive moment in his fourth season. This could make the Hoyas a popular upheaval, with Ewing’s story the biggest moment in recent program history. Georgetown has not reached the NCAAs since 2015 and has not had an NBA draft pick since Otto Porter in 2013. Georgetown was 9-12 before the Big East tournament, and the question is whether it was a deviation or that this series the program is new reality.
Why they are vulnerable: “I am always careful of teams that do everything in one go. There is a danger of a disappointment as soon as they achieve something. What they did was so rare. I was shocked at what they did. If you told me to pick 11 teams to win the Big East, they would have been 10th. I give Pat Ewing a huge credit for being able to pull up what they did. What they showed is that they learned to defend themselves. [tails] off. They have never been a challenge in defense. They play with a competitiveness and toughness we have not seen before. This is much more important than what they manage. It is as if they have realized that we need to take people out and beware of winning. I give them credit. That said, I would not mind seeing them in my brackets. They are not used to winning. How do they handle it? I would rather see Winthrop than Georgetown. ”
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