1. Who is the player in the South Region that can cause Virginia the most trouble?
Jake Blank: While higher seeded teams such as Arizona and Kentucky are loaded with dangerous players, I wouldn’t overlook junior Creighton guard Khyri Thomas, who Virginia could face in the second round. Thomas has worked his way onto NBA draft boards this spring behind his all around play. Thomas’ silky smooth shot could help Creighton overcome the Cavaliers’ pack line defense, and his talents on the other end have led to back to back Big East defensive player of the year awards.
Emma D’Arpino: DeAndre Ayton — the 7-1 freshman forward on Arizona — is ridiculously good. He’s averaging 20.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, and he was instrumental in leading Arizona to a regular season title and the conference tournament championship. The 2017-18 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Player and Freshman of the Year is the likely No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
Zach Zamoff: Kevin Knox is a beast. The Kentucky freshman possesses all the weapons to scare any team and is poised to be a lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft. At six-foot-nine and 215 pounds, Knox’s size is difficult to deal with, especially for how prolific of a scorer he is. Knox can beat a team from inside and outside, sporting a great three point shot combined with an arsenal of post moves.
Alec Dougherty: There many not be a more versatile player in the South Region than Cincinnati senior forward Gary Clark. Clark is the best defender on the nation’s second best defensive team and at 6-foot-8, 225 pounds, has the body to guard multiple positions against the Cavaliers. A true two-way player, the senior also has great ability on offense, averaging 13.0 points while shooting over 43 percent from beyond the arc.
2. Who or what is Virginia’s X-factor?
JB: I originally said that De’Andre Hunter’s performance under pressure would be the key, that his length, athleticism, and shooting ability made him a unique type of player Virginia had never had in the tournament. Instead, the X-factor will be whether the Cavaliers can replace his production. Mamadi Diakite, the uber-athletic big man who has shown remarkable shooting touch of late, will shoulder the majority of Dre’s burden in his absence.
ED: I think Virginia’s X-factor is their character as a team. After the Cavaliers won the ACC Tournament, Coach Tony Bennett said what he’s pretty much been saying all season long about this team — “They're so unified. They're so unselfish." These characteristics are not just preached and embodied by Bennett but by the team captains — Devon Hall, Isaiah Wilkins and Jack Salt — as well. I think that these values not only distinguish Virginia, but they create a culture that enables success.
ZZ: Virginia’s X-factor is their maturity. Virginia is anchored by the veteran leadership of senior forward Isaiah Wilkins, senior guard Devon Hall, and junior center Jack Salt. This core has led Virginia to a 31-2 record, defeating a variety of opposition with their style that consistently wears teams down. Devon Hall, for example, who redshirted as a freshman, will take part in his fifth NCAA tournament this March. There aren’t many other top teams — maybe excluding Xavier — that boast this caliber of experience in tournament play.
AD: Bench scoring is what has set Virginia apart from its competitors in recent weeks. The trio of Hunter, Diakite and senior guard Nigel Johnson played a huge offensive role in putting Virginia through the ACC Tournament, while opposing bench players found little success in cracking Virginia’s defense. Without Hunter, Diakite will have to do much of the heavy lifting on the interior — which, as he has proven in recent weeks, he is more than capable of doing. While Johnson has been limited as of late, he gave the team a huge lift with eight points against North Carolina in the final.
3. What potential matchup against Virginia would be the most intriguing?
JB: Cincinnati is essentially Virginia-lite. KenPom ranks Virginia as the best team in the country, with the best defense and the slowest pace in the country. By the same metrics, Cincinnati is the fourth best team in the country, powered by the nation’s second ranked defense and a pace that ranks 322nd out of 351 teams. While many teams try to make Virginia play at their pace, it would be fascinating to see a team try to beat Virginia at their own game, particularly a team such as Cincinnati, that might well be good enough to do so.
ED: I would also like to see a Virginia-Cincinnati matchup. Although this is a nightmare for basketball fans who want to see high scoring games with quick back-and-forth buckets, I think the grind for every point that we would get from this game would be awesome and it would be interesting to see whether Virginia truly is the best at what it does or if they’ll stumble in the face of another defensive-minded, slow-paced team.
ZZ: I really want to see the Arizona-Virginia matchup — a battle between the disciplined style of Virginia basketball and the image Arizona has acquired as result of the FBI scandal potentially involving Coach Sean Miller. Both teams value defensive discipline — Miller also preaches a variation of pack line defense to his Wildcats. However, Arizona is also known for getting out in transition, utilizing the athleticism of its players. Virginia will have to cope with this run-and-gun play to win, something they’ve had significant experience with in the ACC in playing teams like Virginia Tech. This matchup will be a test of whether the talent of an individual player or the collective strength of a team will ultimately prevail.
AD: I was going to say Cincinnati, but I’ll go with a Kentucky matchup in the Sweet Sixteen. A matchup of Calipari’s raw, athletic freshman versus Bennett’s system-developed veterans would be an astounding clash of talent. The Wildcats aren’t great shooters, but Calipari has taught them to defend well. Lengthy freshman guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has exploded as a scorer for the Wildcat offense lately, and a showdown with Devon Hall on the perimeter would make for a juicy matchup on both ends.
4. Who could be the Cinderella team in Virginia’s region?
JB: As the one seed in the region, Virginia would be well served by as much chalk as possible. In terms of an early round Cinderella, I like Loyola-Chicago’s chances of beat Miami. As far as a lower seeded team that can make a deep run in the tournament, Arizona — a top five preseason team playing its best basketball of the season — should not be counted out.
ED: I think No. 10-seeded Texas stands a chance to make a run in the tournament. They have a good coach in Shaka Smart, and they have faced a lot of tough teams in their non-conference play and in the regular season. Also, Dylan Osetkowski has been solid for the Longhorns this season, averaging a little more than 13 points a game. And, of course, having All-Big 12 Second Team selection Mohamba Bamba on the team will help Texas upset a few teams.
ZZ: Davidson is known as a classic Cinderella after its run with Stephen Curry in 2008. This year the Wildcats, returning to March Madness for the first time in four years, boast similar offensive firepower that could lead to a series of upsets. Senior forward Peyton Aldridge has torn apart the Atlantic 10 with his scoring. Add that to the shooting of freshman guard Kellan Grady, and Davidson has what it takes to upset Kentucky and possibly advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
AD: No. 7 seeded Nevada had a rough loss in the Mountain West Conference Final that marred what was one of the best seasons by a mid-major. The Wolfpack have the offensive firepower to give any team in the bracket a run, led by junior forward Caleb Martin and his brother junior forward Cody. While the Wolfpack aren’t a very deep team due to injuries, the Martin duo has the potential and the pieces around them to challenge Cincinnati and Tennessee on the bottom half of the bracket for a spot in the Elite Eight.
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