While the the East Region in this year’s NCAA Tournament may not possess many intriguing first round matchups, college basketball fans should expect plenty of excitement as teams begin advancing to the later rounds. The region is filled with historic programs, hall of fame coaches and tremendous overall talent.
Here are potential matchups to watch for in each round of the tournament:
Round 2: No. 11 Michigan vs. No. 6 Notre Dame
The biggest struggle for Notre Dame the past two seasons has been their inability to match up with another team’s size. The tallest player on their entire roster is Zach Auguste, who, while listed at 6-foot-10, doesn’t possess ideal size for a player at the center position. Enter Michigan, a team that typically starts four guards and doesn’t have a player in their rotation above 6-foot-9.
Therefore, as Michigan gets through their opening-round game against Tulsa, this should make for an exciting matchup consisting of plenty of small ball basketball. Both teams love to let it fly from behind the arc and the lack of size on the floor tends to make defense an issue for both squads. There should be plenty of scoring in a matchup, which should be relatively more even than a typical No. 6 vs. No. 11 game.
Round 3: No. 5 Indiana vs. No. 4 Kentucky
These two passionate fan bases just can’t catch a break with how the bracket is framed. One of these two conference champions won’t make it out of the first weekend. For other fan bases in America, however, this type of matchup is a real treat.
Indiana against Kentucky is everything a college basketball fan could ask for. It puts two of the nation’s best point guards, Yogi Ferrell and Tyler Ulis, as well as two of the most polarizing coaches, Tom Crean and John Calipari against one another. Above all, it will be two of the most explosive offenses in college basketball up against each other in what will inevitably be a third-round thriller.
Sweet 16: No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 1 North Carolina
Should the Wildcats be fortunate enough to get past the Hoosiers, they’ll likely have North Carolina waiting for them in the next round, which is a matchup that seems more Final Four-worthy rather than the Sweet 16.
Regardless, the significance of this matchup goes well beyond the basketball court, as these two programs are two of the most historic in college basketball. Kentucky’s program has the most wins in Division I history and North Carolina’s has the third most. It is not often that two historic programs are fortunate enough to meet this early in the tournament, and it will surely be a treat should both get to this point.
Elite 8: No. 3 West Virginia vs. No. 1 North Carolina
The Tar Heels love to push the ball and play a fast-paced game. Their guards love to run and score in transition and their forwards are athletic enough to run right alongside them. What seems to be the only way to slow down North Carolina in transition is to play defense from baseline to baseline, which is exactly what West Virginia does with their full-court pressure.
The Mountaineers may be the team, not only in the East Region, but the entire tournament, best-equipped to take down the Tar Heels. The Mountaineers’ length and excellent, high-pressure defense, will make this one of the best potential matchups in a regional final.
