Midwest Region Round of 64 Game Breakdowns
#1 North Carolina vs. #16 Iona
North Carolina should be able to dominate Iona in the paint. Luke Maye and Garrison Brooks have the strength to back into the Iona defense and get some easy buckets. Those two will also take advantage of the Gaels ineffectiveness on the glass. A 16 seed is never going to have a good matchup, but it could have been worse for Iona. The Gaels have a potent offense and do not have a problem getting up and down the floor with the Tar Heels.
#8 Utah State vs. #9 Washington
Washington has lost twice to Oregon in the last couple of weeks and now they have drawn a team that is quite similar to the Ducks. Utah State has a lot of size, plays tough defense and is solid on the glass. The Aggies allow their opponents to shoot just 39.2 percent from the floor and have a superb shot blocker in freshman Neemias Queta. This will be a low scoring contest and it may come down to which guards can make big shots…Sam Merrill of Utah State or Washington’s Jaylen Nowell.
#5 Auburn vs. #12 New Mexico State
With their SEC Tournament title, Auburn is one of the hottest teams in the country right now. They are one of most prolific three-point shooting teams in the nation and that could be problematic for New Mexico State. The Aggies have a lot of depth and that will help them defensively, but it may not be enough to pull off an upset. This is a very tough NM State team though and they should be able to get the edge on Auburn on the glass. They normally do not shoot the ball particularly well from long range and that will have to change.
#4 Kansas vs. #13 Northeastern
Most will see Kansas against Northeastern and immediately move Kansas into the next round. That could be a mistake though. This is a Northeastern team that will not beat themselves. They take care of the ball and have some very talented scorers, most notably Vasa Pusica and Jordan Roland. Their defense and lack of a shot blocking threat will give Kansas plenty of opportunities to score points. If the Jayhawks can use their size and quickness to attack the basket, they should win. If Kansas turns this game into a shooting contest though, Northeastern has the advantage.
#6 Iowa State vs. #11 Ohio State
After losing their last three regular season games, Iowa State beat Baylor, Kansas State and Kansas to claim the Big 12 tournament title. They will hope to carry that momentum into the NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones have a ton of talented options on the perimeter and they should cause some problems for the usually solid Ohio State defense. Tyrese Haliburton, Nick Weiler-Babb, Talen Horton-Tucker, Marial Shayok and Lindell Wigginton can beat you in so many ways. The Buckeyes have been extremely inconsistent on offense and they will need seniors C.J. Jackson and Keyshawn Woods to step up for the NCAA Tournament.
#3 Houston vs. #14 Georgia State
Georgia State is going to have to make the most of every possession to upset Houston. The Cougars are one of the best defensive teams and one of the best rebounding teams in the country. Georgia State has a decent offense, but not good enough to consistently crack the Cougars. They are also one of the worst rebounding teams. If the Panthers are not hitting their shots at a very high percentage, this one could get out of hand.
#7 Wofford vs. #10 Seton Hall
Seton Hall has been relatively inconsistent this season, but they are playing well right now. In their last five games they have beaten Marquette twice, Villanova once and Georgetown once. Their lone loss was a two-point defeat at the hands of Villanova. Myles Powell is one of the best pure scorers in all of college basketball and Wofford will have to find a way to slow him down. But if this game does end up in a shootout, Wofford is fine with that. The Terriers hit an amazing 42.0 percent of their shots from beyond the arc and can keep up with anybody in the scoring department.
#2 Kentucky vs. #15 Abilene Christian
Kentucky is going to have to grow up quickly in the NCAA Tournament and getting a nice start against Abilene Christian should help. The backcourt is loaded with freshmen who will be getting their first taste of the bright lights of March. However, there is more experience in the frontcourt with sophomore PJ Washington and senior Reid Travis. Those two should be able to dominate the frontcourt against an overmatched and depleted Abilene Christian squad.
