Tourney breakdown: South 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 prepare you to pick your bracket. After looking at the Midwest, we now focus on the South Region.
Top teams
No. 1 Auburn
Two things can be true: Auburn undoubtedly had the best resume of any team in the nation this season, and the Tigers also backed into the NCAA Tournament with three losses in their last four games. Bruce Pearl didn't seem too bothered by the recent setbacks, but the air of invincibility around Auburn from earlier in the campaign is gone. However, the experienced (really old) roster should have no problem bouncing back. The Tigers have a potential Wooden Award winner in Johni Broome, balanced scoring with five players in double digits, and a proven coach in tournament time.
No. 2 Michigan State
It wouldn't quite be March Madness without Tom Izzo, would it? The longtime Michigan State coach is back in the NCAA Tournament, this time with his best team in years. The Spartans hang their hat on outstanding defense, ranking fifth nationally in KenPom's ratings. Izzo's team really excels at guarding the 3-pointer, holding opponents to a minuscule 27% shooting from deep. The offensive side of the ball doesn't offer as much positivity. Michigan State ranks 327th nationally in 3-point shooting and relies on drives to the bucket to score. The main cog at that end is Jase Richardson, son of former Spartans great Jason Richardson. The program gave the projected first-round pick more responsibility down the stretch, and he responded by averaging 16.8 points per game over his last nine.
No. 3 Iowa State
Despite its solid resume, Iowa State will be a popular pick as a top-three seed to lose early due to its struggles over the last few months. The Cyclones dominated off the jump this season with a 15-1 start but are 8-7 over their past 15. The team's offensive efficiency has suffered due to assist leader Keshon Gilbert's injury woes, and Iowa State has ruled the point guard out for the tournament. That leaves the bulk of the attack on Curtis Jones' shoulders, something he apparently welcomes after a 31-point showing in his last game. One thing you can bank on with the Cyclones is intense defense, a staple of any T.J. Otzelberger-coached team.
Bracket-busters
No. 10 New Mexico
Watching Richard Pitino's New Mexico squad is one of the most frenetic and chaotic experiences in college basketball. The Lobos are full speed ahead from the opening tip and play at the second-fastest pace in the country. The discord ramps up further on defense, with New Mexico ranking 12th nationally in forcing turnovers. The coaching apple clearly doesn't fall far from the tree in the Pitino family. The Lobos also feature a player who can take over the game anytime in Donovan Dent. The junior guard is one of the top scorers in college at 20.8 points per game and is connecting on over 40% of his triples this season.
No. 12 UC San Diego
Not only did Big Ten Tournament champion Michigan get hosed by getting a No. 5 seed, but the Wolverines received arguably the toughest No. 12 seed in the first round. UC San Diego had such a strong season that it was garnering at-large consideration should it lose in the Big West tourney. However, the Tritons didn't need one as they sealed the deal and are heading to March Madness with plenty of momentum. Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones is the star of the show, but Hayden Gray's and Tyler McGhie's deep shooting could be the difference. Oh, and UC San Diego forces turnovers on over 22% of opponents' possessions, good for fourth-best in the nation. That's a terrible sign for a Michigan team that turns the ball over more times per game than 340 other schools.
Players to watch
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones
The New Zealander won Big West Player of the Year this season largely on the back of his 19.5 points per game. Tait-Jones usually has one goal when he gets the ball: drive to the hoop and seek contact. He leads the nation in getting to the charity stripe with a whopping 8.6 free-throw attempts per contest.
Kam Jones
Jones remains a top scorer in his fourth season with Marquette, but his 3-point shooting has fallen off a cliff. He entered the season as a career 38.6% shooter from deep but is making less than 32% of his attempts in 2024-25. However, Jones has improved at getting to the hoop, putting up almost 20 points per game this campaign.
Ryan Kalkbrenner
Kalkbrenner is a unanimous first-team "Wait, this dude is still in college?" All-Star selection in this region. The standout center's first collegiate campaign ended at the hands of Jalen Suggs and Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament - the same Suggs in his fourth season with the Orlando Magic. Now in his fifth college year, Kalkbrenner is among the most dominant bigs in the nation, averaging 19.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game.
Johni Broome
Broome joins Kalkbrenner on the dominant super-seniors list, as the fifth-year forward is having a brilliant season for Auburn. Broome is averaging 18.9 points and 10.8 rebounds per contest while also playing swarming defense for the Tigers.