I’m sure Purdue will be excited.
Neither No. 4 Kansas nor No. 5 Gonzaga are particularly intimidating, and they should at least pave the way for Zach Eady and the Boilermakers to reach the Elite Eight.
Anything less than that and you won’t get much results.
The bottom of the bracket includes two Final Four contenders, No. 2 Tennessee and No. 3 Creighton, who are elite on one end of the floor, with Tennessee on defense and Creighton on offense. is.
No. 7 Texas, led by star guard Max Abmas, has a potential sleeper, and the Colorado State/Virginia winner won’t face the Longhorns in the first round, but the No. 11 Pac-12 Tournament winner Oregon State is getting into that dance. hot.
Never miss Dana Altman this time of year.
bracket buster
7th place Texas: The one-two punch of Max Abmas and Dylan Diss can keep the Longhorns in the corner. Texas is an incredibly venerable state coming out of the minefield known as the Big 12 and has a top-20 offensive line that could cause problems for Tennessee in the second round.
The Post has you covered with a printable NCAA bracket featuring the entire 68-team field for March Madness 2024.
First round upset watch
No. 13 Samford vs. No. 4 Kansas: Kansas’ two biggest stars, Hunter Dickinson (dislocated shoulder) and Kevin McCuller Jr. (knee), have question marks and are becoming dangerous opponents. Sanford is elite in his 3-point shooting, ranking seventh in the country at 39.3% and has won 12 of his last 14 games.
Best matchups in the first round
No. 6 South Carolina vs. No. 11 Oregon: The matchup between South Carolina’s B.J. Mack and Oregon’s N’Falee Dante is noteworthy on its own, two talented forwards who cause problems for opponents with their athleticism and ability to finish near the rim. Dante, in particular, is in great shape after a dominant performance in the Pac-12 Tournament.
An unsung hero
Shahada Wells, McNeese: The TCU transfer is a playmaking demon, a stout 3-point shooter, a strong passer, a committed defender and a quality rebounder for his size. He averaged 27 points and 5.5 assists in the Southland Conference Tournament.
Featured players
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee: Arguably the best transfer in the country, the 6-foot-6 wing transformed the Voluntese offensively as a marksman at 39.7 percent from beyond the arc and a court-to-court distance shot maker.
Post selection
clayton
Sometimes it’s good to end championship week early. That will be for the Blue Jays, who were eliminated in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals and gave their overworked starters some much-needed rest. Purdue defeated No. 12 seed Cinderella McNeese in the Sweet 16 and will play Creighton in the Elite Eight. Ryan Kalkbrenner slows Eady down enough, Trey Alexander slows down all the big clutch plays, and Creighton puts on a thriller. It gives the despised Big East something to feel good about.
