Tourney breakdown: West Region preview
The NCAA Tournament is upon us now that Selection Sunday is officially in the books. In the buildup to the opening round, theScore is previewing each region to get you prepared to pick your bracket. After looking at the Midwest, South, and East, it's now time to glance at the final region with a dive into the West.
Top teams
No. 1 Florida
Florida may be the fourth No. 1 seed, but the Gators are coming into March Madness with as much momentum as anybody in the nation. Florida is 12-1 in its last 13 games - a remarkable feat considering the incredible strength of the SEC this season. One quick look at the Gators and it's easy to see why. Their offense might just be the most impressive thing in the sport this season. KenPom ranks the Florida attack first nationally for a reason, as five players score at least nine points per game, and the entire quintet makes at least 32% of their 3-pointers. Walter Clayton Jr. is the general for Todd Golden's outfit, averaging over 17 points per game on the season, but he's far from the only weapon. The trio of Will Richard, Alijah Martin, and Alex Condon can all take over a game at any time. Add in one of the SEC's top defensive units, and it's easy to see why Florida is a popular title-winning pick this year.
No. 2 St. John's
There might not be a better story in college basketball this season than St. John's revival under Rick Pitino. The Red Storm's return to March Madness means Pitino is now the first man to take six different programs to the NCAA Tournament in his career. And Pitino didn't just get St. John's back to the tourney. He has them primed for a serious run at a national title as the 2-seed in the West. The team's makeup is exactly what you expect from Pitino - toughness, intensity, and swarming defense. St John's is one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the tournament, but the one-on-one ability of guards RJ Luis and Kadary Richmond keeps the offense cooking.
No. 3 Texas Tech
Texas Tech is built more in the Florida model than St. John's. The Red Raiders run out KenPom's sixth-best offense in the country. That's largely due to the brilliance of JT Toppin in both scoring and rebounding the basketball. The New Mexico transfer averages 18.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per contest and comes to the NCAA Tournament with at least 25 points in three of his last four games. The Red Raiders also hold the distinction of being the only team in the nation to beat the Midwest's top seed, Houston, since Dec. 1.
Bracket-busters
No. 11 Drake
Drake over Missouri is one of the most trendy upset picks of the entire bracket. Head coach Ben McCollum came from the D-II ranks and brought star Bennett Stirtz with him to deliver 30 wins in their first season with the program. The first-round matchup is intriguing, as it pits the Bulldogs' dominant defense against the Tigers' elite offense. Drake forces turnovers on 21.9% of the opponent's possessions, while Missouri protects the ball at a top-50 level nationally. If the Bulldogs can win that battle, an upset is highly likely.
No. 12 Colorado State
Despite being the 12-seed, Colorado State is actually favored over No. 5 Memphis in the opening round. The Rams are one of the more balanced mid-majors in the tournament with both the offense and defense ranking inside KenPom's top 50. The first-round game might just end up being a one-on-one battle between each team's prolific scorer. Colorado State is led by Nique Clifford, a man who enters the tourney averaging an absurd 25.3 points over his last six games. The Tigers counter with P.J. Haggerty, an electric talent fresh off a 42-point outing last week.
Players to watch
Walter Clayton Jr.
Clayton has been a perfect fit with Todd Golden's scheme at Florida, averaging over 16 points per game for the second straight season. He's also producing more assists and has nearly doubled his number from last year. That's kicked the Gators' attack into overdrive and has Florida entering the tourney with the top offense in the nation.
RJ Luis
Luis is a handful to guard on the perimeter due to his 6-foot-7 length and ability to get to the basket. He's not a lights-out shooter, but he's a crafty scorer who gets to his spot and puts up over 18 points per game. He's also shown an affinity for the big moment, evidenced by a 29-point outburst in the Big East tourney title game.
JT Toppin
We touched on Toppin earlier - a man who can put up a double-double any time he touches the floor. He's one of the few stars in today's game who can also claim to be a standout performer on the defensive end. His main role on that end is providing an anchor for a Texas Tech team in which he's the only player taller than 6-foot-6 who plays at least 20 minutes.