The No. 1 seed: Oregon (28-6, 14-4 in the Pac-12). It might've been a surprise to some to see Oregon earn a No. 1 seed ahead of a team like Michigan State. But the Ducks rolled through the regular season and the Pac-12 conference tournament en route to being selected as the top seed in the West. Led by forwards Dillon Brooks and Elgin Cook, Oregon finished its season strong, winning 14 of its last 16 games. The Ducks had a six-game win streak, lost back-to-back games, and then finished the season on an eight-game winning streak, which included a 31-point win against Utah in the championship game of the tournament.
The other contenders: There are a multitude of potential championship contenders placed throughout this region, but each has its own flaws. No. 2 seed Oklahoma rode player of the year candidate Buddy Hield to a 25-7 record, but lost to Big 12 rival West Virginia in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament. The Sooners have struggled at times this season when they haven't been able to get their 3-pointers to fall. Third-seeded Texas A&M was ranked as high as No. 5 in the AP poll before a four-game losing streak hit them in February. The Aggies have four senior guards and will look to lean on their defense and experience to carry them in the tournament. No. 4 seed Duke has one of the top one-two punches in the country with Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram. But, the Blue Devils have experienced their fair share of issues this season, including injury concerns and depth issues that could leave them susceptible to an early exit.
The potential Cinderella: Northern Iowa, coming in as the No. 11 seed, has the best chance of pulling off a Cinderella run in a region where anyone could win it. The Panthers have defeated North Carolina, Iowa State and Wichita State twice this season, but lost six of seven conference games in the middle of the season to put a potential postseason trip in jeopardy. After winning six straight games, the Panthers have seemed to regain their mojo and with the momentum the team has, they are capable of pulling off a couple stunners in the tournament.
The regional narrative: Mystery. Who will step up to the big boy table? Outside of Duke and Virginia Commonwealth, no team in the West has made a run to the Final Four in recent memory. A year ago, Oklahoma fell to a Final Four-bound Michigan State in the Sweet 16 and Oregon was toppled by Wisconsin in the third round. Throw in a Baylor team that was upset in the first round and a Texas A&M team that didn’t make the tournament, and it's clear to see that many of the top teams in this region don't have a standout history in the Big Dance, making the West one of the most exciting, yet unpredictable regions in the bracket.
First-round matchups
Thursday
- No. 4 Duke vs. No. 13 UNC Wilmington, 12:15 p.m.
- No. 5 Baylor vs. No. 12 Yale, 2:45 p.m.
Friday
- No. 7 Oregon State vs. No. 10 VCU, 1:30 p.m.
- No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 CSU Bakersfield, 4:00 p.m.
- No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 14 Green Bay, 7:20 p.m.
- No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 16 Holy Cross/Southern, 7:27 p.m.
- No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 Northern Iowa, 9:50 p.m.
- No. 8 Saint Joseph’s vs. No. 9 Cincinnati, 9:57 p.m.
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