North Carolina was the big winner.
The tournament gave them the last No. 1 seed in a region that includes No. 4 Alabama, which entered the tournament on the wrong path, and No. 2 Arizona, which has slumped significantly.
The region is loaded with high-end talent, from No. 7 seed Dayton forward Daron Holmes II to No. 3 Jacoby Walter of the Baylors to No. 6 Clemson center P.J. Hall.
Double-digit seeds are dangerous, especially with Mountain West Conference tournament champion New Mexico at No. 11, Grand Canyon with 29 wins at No. 12 and back-to-back CAA champion Charleston at No. 13.
This region is likely to experience the most volatility.
bracket buster
11. New Mexico: The elite guard will play with a quality big team in Jamal Mashburn Jr. and Jalen House, JT Toppin and Nellie Jr. Joseph, and an up-and-coming team that won the Mountain West Conference title. Robo was severely under-seeded.
First round upset watch
No. 13 Charleston defeats No. 4 Alabama.: The Crimson Tide enter the tournament limping, losing four of their past six games. Their defense is a persistent problem. College of Charleston, which nearly upset last year’s tournament runner-up San Diego State in the first round, could take advantage of that.
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. 5 St. Mary’s vs. No. 12 Grand Canyon: Grand Canyon defeated San Diego State and has a tough matchup against South Carolina, so this stage won’t threaten Lopez. St. Mary’s stifling defense against explosive winger Tion Grant-Foster and high-scoring Grand Canyon will be a fun chess match.
An unsung hero
Jarrod Lucas, Nevada: Whenever the 6-foot, 4-year-old senior lets go, it seems to go in every time. He shoots nearly 40% on his six attempts per game, and his free throw percentage is 89.9%.
Featured players
Darron Holmes II, No. 7 Dayton: A do-it-all forward who scores (20.4 ppg), rebounds (8.4 rpg), and makes plays (2.6 rpg) at a high level. He has the size and strength to own the paint, but can also play on the perimeter, making him an attractive prospect at the next level.
Post selection
st mary’s
Both ends of the region will see carnage by teams they weren’t expecting in the second weekend. New Mexico pulled off upsets of Clemson and No. 3 Baylor. No. 9 Michigan State defeats North Carolina State in the second round. No. 10 seed Nevada also defeated Arizona. This opens the door for St. Mary’s, which would have at least advanced to the Sweet 16 had it not advanced to Connecticut last year. The Gaels defeat Richard Pitino and the Lobos in an unpredictable regional final.
