Let’s call this the star power area. No. 1 Houston will have to deal with No. 2 Marquette, No. 3 Kentucky, and No. 4 Duke, all of whom have a chance to survive until the end and are incredibly adept at traveling.
No. 7 seed Florida could make a big jump, as could No. 9 seed Texas A&M, which came off an impressive SEC Tournament run.
There are dynamic guards all over the place, most notably Houston’s Jamal Shehead, Marquette’s Tyler Kolek and Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham. Jeremy Roach of Duke University, Walter Clayton Jr. of the University of Florida, and Wade Taylor IV of A&M.
bracket buster
7th place Florida: The deep and offensively balanced Gators have defeated Kentucky, Auburn, Texas A&M and Alabama twice, and have shown they can beat anyone.
First round upset watch
No. 14 Oakland vs. No. 3 Kentucky: Honestly, does anyone know what to expect from the enigmatic Kentucky? They got the door blown out by Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament opener, which boded badly for the Big Blue Nation. And Oakland faces tough competition this year, playing Dayton, Michigan State, Illinois and facing a team that won at Xavier.
The Post has you covered with a printable NCAA bracket featuring the entire 68-team field for March Madness 2024.
Best matchups in the first round
No. 8 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Texas A&M: This must be easy on the eyes. That’s because two talented offensive teams entering the tournament are playing extremely well on that end of the floor. There are few better guards these days than Aggie junior Wade Taylor IV.
An unsung hero
DJ Burns Jr., North Carolina: He’s big, wide, and surprisingly agile. The 6-foot-9, 275-pound senior is a liability in the paint but an underrated passer. He played in the ACC Tournament title game against North Carolina and had 20 points and seven assists.
Featured players
Tyler Kolek, Market: Kolek, who led the nation in assists with 7.6 per game, missed the entire Big East Tournament due to an oblique muscle injury. Markets can pass through this area if they are healthy. Failure to do so may result in early withdrawal.
Post selection
houston
Things aren’t easy for the Cougars. Texas A&M is an early test. Duke pushes them into the Sweet 16, and Marquette will be gunning for a spot in the Final Four with a healthy Kolek helping the Golden Eagles beat Kentucky on the other side of the region. Ultimately, Houston finds a way through with its No. 2 defense and mastery of offensive rebounding. Shihed brought Kolek under control and was named the best player in the south.
