Michigan
Ann Arbor, Mich. 20-4.
Nickname: Wolverines. Coach: Juwan Howard.
Conference: Big Ten. Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 1.
Tournament History: 53-24, 6 Final Fours, and 1 National Championship in 26 appearances.
Last appearance: 2019, lost to Texas Tech in Sweet Sixteen.
Season Stats
Scoring: 76.2 points per game; 48.3 fg pct; 38.7 3-pt pct; 77.8 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Hunter Dickinson 14.2; Isaiah Livers 13.1; Franz Wagner 12.8.
Rebounds: Dickinson 7.6; Wagner 6.2; Avg team margin (plus-6.2).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.39): Mike Smith (5.4/2.1), 130 assists.
Last 10 Games: 7-3.
Best Win: 79-57 at home to Iowa on Feb. 25.
Worst Loss: 57-75 at Minnesota on Jan. 16.
The Skinny: The injury to Isaiah Livers, the Wolverines second-leading scorer, is a concern. Livers is out indefinitely due to a stress fracture in his right foot. But even when the Wolverines played their first game without him in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, they proved they were still formidable enough to be considered a serious national title contender, coming up just short against ninth-ranked Ohio State 68-67. The NCAA selection committee agreed when it awarded Michigan the top seed in the East region.
Mount St. Marys
Emmitsburg, Md. 12-10.
Nickname: Mountaineers. Coach: Dan Engelstad.
Conference: Northeast. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 16.
Tournament History: 2-5 in 2 appearances.
Last appearance: 2017, lost to Villanova in the First Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 63.7 points per game; 42.6 fg pct; 33.7 3-pt pct; 67.8 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Damian Chong Qui 15.1; Jalen Gibbs; Nana Opoku 10.3.
Rebounds: Malik Jefferson 8.0; Opoku 7.0; Avg team margin (plus-5.4).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (0.89): Chong Qui (5.5/2.8), 120 assists.
Last 10 Games: 7-3.
Best Win: 73-68 at home to Bryant on Mar. 9.
Worst Loss: 64-65 at C. Connecticut.
The Skinny: In the small-but-mighty category, add the Mountaineers and scrappy 5-foot-8, 145-pound guard Damien Chong Qui and his 15.3 points and 5.5 assists per game. Chong Qui, a walk-on, may personify the underdog aspect of Mount St. Mary’s which comes into its sixth NCAA barely above .500. The Mount (12-10) upended second-seeded Bryant to win the Northeast Conference, Bryant’s first home loss of the season. “Ive never won a championship at any level. This is the greatest thing in my life. I cant even put it into words,” Chong Qui told the Baltimore Sun.
Texas Southern
Houston. 16-8.
Nickname: Tigers. Coach: Johnny Jones.
Conference: Southwestern Athletic. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 16.
Tournament History: 1-8 in 8 appearances.
Last appearance: 2018, lost to Xavier in the First Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 74.8 points per game; 45.0 fg pct; 27.6 3-pt pct; 69.9 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Michael Weathers 16.5; John Walker III 11.9; Joirdon Karl Nichols 11.3.
Rebounds: Karl Nichols 7.0; Walker III 5.4; Avg team margin (plus-6.0).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (0.78): Weathers (3.5/3.4), 77 assists.
Last 10 Games: 9-1.
Best Win: 76-74 at Wyoming on Nov. 30.
Worst Loss: 72-78 at home to Grambling St. on Jan. 16.
The Skinny: Former LSU standout player Johnny Jones has already been to the NCAA Tournament as the coach at North Texas and LSU. Now hes going back with Texas Southern after coaching the Tigers to the SWAC Tournament title in his third season. Texas Southern makes long early-season road trips to take on Power 5 opponents as far away as top-ranked Gonzaga, Baylor, Oregon. Jones’ Tigers beat Baylor in his TSU debut, knocked off No. 18 Oregon and beat Texas A&M for the first time in the series history.
LSU
Baton Rouge, La. 18-9.
Nickname: Tigers. Coach: Will Wade.
Conference: Southwestern Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 8.
Tournament History: 26-25, 4 Final Fours in 22 appearances.
Last appearance: 2019, lost to Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 82.2 points per game; 46.6 fg pct; 34.9 3-pt pct; 74.7 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Cameron Thomas 22.8; Trendon Watford 16.2; Javonte Smart 15.7.
Rebounds: Darius Days 7.7; Watford 7.4; Avg team margin (plus-0.5).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.03): Smart (4.0/2.8), 99 assists.
Last 10 Games: 7-3.
Best Win: 78-65 at home to Tennessee on Feb. 13.
Worst Loss: 78-91 at Georgia on Feb. 23.
The Skinny: LSU had an opportunity to claim its first Southeastern Conference Tournament title since 1980 after wins over Ole Miss and Arkansas. But that went to No. 6 Alabama, winning it for the first time since 1991 by topping the Tigers 80-79. LSU is set to make consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 2005 and 2006. LSU became the only team in the Southeastern Conference to earn a double bye in the last three tournaments (2019, 2020 and 2021) winning 39 regular-season games over that span.
St. Bonaventure
St. Bonaventure, N.Y. 16-4.
Nickname: Bonnies. Coach: Mark Schmidt.
Conference: Atlantic 10. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 9.
Tournament History: 7-9, 1 Final Four in 7 appearances.
Last appearance: 2018, lost to Florida in the First Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 70.3 points per game; 45.1 fg pct; 35.0 3-pt pct; 72.9 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Kyle Lofton 14.2; Jaren Holmes 13.8; Jalen Adaway 12.4.
Rebounds: Osun Osunniyi 9.3; Dominick Welch 6.2; Avg team margin (plus-4.0).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.35): Lofton (5.5/2.6), 104 assists.
Last 10 Games: 7-3.
Best Win: 74-65 vs. VCU on Mar. 14.
Worst Loss: 57-63 at Rhode Island on Dec. 30.
The Skinny: The Bonnies pulled a twofer winning the conferences regular season crown and post-season tournament crown. St. Bonaventure is a unique entry in that it had five games canceled due to COVID-19 protocols and has played just 20 times. Their first-round opponent will have to contend with a starting five that averages double-digits in scoring, has fresh legs, and after beating VCU in the A-10 final, immediately boarded the tour bus in Dayton, Ohio to Indy. Win or lose, they wont be tired.
Colorado
Boulder, Colo. 22-8.
Nickname: Buffaloes. Coach: Tad Boyle.
Conference: Pac-12. Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 5.
Tournament History: 10-16, 2 Final Fours in 14 appearances.
Last appearance: 2016, lost to UConn in the First Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 73.0 points per game; 45.4 fg pct; 36.7 3-pt pct; 82.2 ft pct.
Top Scorers: McKinley Wright IV 15.5; Jeriah Horne 11.4; Evan Battey 10.2.
Rebounds: Horne 5.8; Battey 5.4; Avg team margin (plus-4.2).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.19): Wright IV (5.6/2.1), 168 assists.
Last 10 Games: 7-3.
Best Win: 72-70 vs. Southern Cal on Mar 12.
Worst Loss: 80-84 at Washington on Jan. 20.
The Skinny: Making its fifth tournament appearance in the last nine seasons, the Buffs want to move past the first round, something they havent done since 2012. Colorado finished with an 11-7 record away from Boulder, a sticking point for past teams, so that bodes well for their chances. Despite an off night at the foul line (12 for 20) in a 70-68 loss to Oregon State in the Pac-12 championship, a close game down the stretch favors the Buffs as they entered that game leading the nation from the stripe at an 83.1% clip.
Georgetown
Washington, D.C. 13-12.
Nickname: Hoyas. Coach: Patrick Ewing.
Conference: Big East. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 12.
Tournament History: 47-29, 5 Final Fours, and 1 National Championship in 30 appearances.
Last appearance: 2015, lost to Utah in the Second Round.
Season Stats
Scoring: 71.4 points per game; 42.4 fg pct; 36.6 3-pt pct; 75.4 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Jahvon Blair 15.8; Qudus Wahab 12.4; Jamorka Pickett 12.3.
Rebounds: Wahab 8.0; Pickett 7.4; Avg team margin (plus-5.1).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (0.84): Blair (3.7/2.6), 89 assists.
Last 10 Games: 8-2.
Best Win: 72-71 vs. Villanova on Mar. 11.
Worst Loss: 55-63 at Butler on Jan. 6.
The Skinny: The Big East Conference champion Hoyas may be the epitome of the team you dont want to face having won four straight tournament games on the strength of limiting the opposition on average to 36.8% shooting. Head coach Patrick Ewing will continue to use the Georgetown us-against-the-world mindset he was raised on by his mentor, the late John Thompson, to its fullest in Indianapolis. Ewing and the Hoyas will most certainly be recognized there.
Florida State
Tallahassee, Fla. 16-6.
Nickname: Seminoles. Coach: Leonard Hamilton.
Conference: Atlantic Coast. Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 4.
Tournament History: 21-17, 1 Final Four in 17 appearances.
Last appearance: 2019, lost to Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 78.9 points per game; 47.4 fg pct; 39.0 3-pt pct; 73.8 ft pct.
Top Scorers: M.J. Walker 13.0; RaiQuan Gray 12.0; Scottie Barnes 11.0.
Rebounds: Gray 6.5; Balsa Koprivica 5.9; Avg team margin (plus-4.5).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.02): Barnes (4.2/2.3), 89 assists.
Last 10 Games: 6-4.
Best Win: 81-60 at home to Virginia on Feb. 15.
Worst Loss: 74-86 at home to UCF on Dec. 19.
The Skinny: The Seminoles had a delayed ACC Tournament debut when their scheduled quarterfinal game against Duke was called off, but they pushed past North Carolina in the semifinals by locking down defensively in the final four minutes. They found themselves in another tough finish in the title game despite turning it over 25 times, but Georgia Tech, and ACC player of the year Moses Wright, found a way to win its first title in nearly three decades.
UNC-Greensboro
Greensboro, N.C. 21-8.
Nickname: Spartans. Coach: Wes Miller.
Conference: Southern. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 13.
Tournament History: 0-3 in 3 appearances.
Last appearance: 2018, lost to Gonzaga in the First Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 73.6 points per game; 42.4 fg pct; 30.0 3-pt pct; 68.3 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Isaiah Miller 19.3; Keyshaun Langley 9.8; Kaleb Hunter 8.7.
Rebounds: Mohammed Abdulsalam 7.0; Miller 6.9; Avg team margin (plus-3.1).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.12): Miller (4.0/3.0), 112 assists.
Last 10 Games: 8-2.
Best Win: 64-58 at home to Furman on Feb. 10.
Worst Loss: 80-85 at Coppin St. on Dec. 10.
The Skinny: Top-seeded UNCG won the Southern Conference championship playing in the game for the fourth time in five years to get to its fourth NCAA Tournament. Isaiah Miller, the two-time SoCon player of the year and the first in history to also be the defensive POY both seasons, scored 25 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and had six assists in the title game. The Spartans have never gotten past the first round of the NCAAs, falling to No. 2 seed Cincinnati, No. 1 Stanford and No. 4 Gonzaga.
BYU
Provo, Utah. 20-6.
Nickname: Cougars. Coach: Mark Pope.
Conference: West Coast. Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 6.
Tournament History: 15-32 in 29 appearances.
Last appearance: 2015, lost to Mississippi in the Opening Round.
Season Stats
Scoring: 78.7 points per game; 48.2 fg pct; 37.8 3-pt pct; 73.1 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Alex Barcello 15.9; Brandon Averette 11.5; Matt Haarms 11.3.
Rebounds: Caleb Lohner 7.0; Haarms 4.8; Avg team margin (plus-6.8).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.25): Barcello (4.5/2.0), 116 assists.
Last 10 Games: 7-3.
Best Win: 72-62 at San Diego St. on Dec. 18.
Worst Loss: 73-76 at Pepperdine on Jan. 27.
The Skinny: BYU showed it can hang with anyone when the shots are falling, using an early 11-0 run to build a 12-point halftime lead against undefeated Gonzaga before falling 88-78 in the West Coast Conference title game. BYU handed Gonzaga its largest deficit of the season at 14 points. The Cougars, in the NCAAs for the first time since 2015, havent made it into the Round of 32 or the Sweet Sixteen since 2011.
Michigan State
East Lansing, Mich. 15-12.
Nickname: Spartans. Coach: Tom Izzo.
Conference: Big Ten. Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 11.
Tournament History: 69-32, 10 Final Fours, and 2 National Championships in 33 appearances.
Last appearance: 2019, lost to Texas Tech in the Final Four.
Season Stats
Scoring: 69.0 points per game; 42.4 fg pct; 32.0 3-pt pct; 72.1 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Aaron Henry 15.3; Joey Hauser 9.7; Joshua Langford 9.6.
Rebounds: Hauser 5.7; Henry 5.7; Avg team margin (plus-3.3).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.22): Henry (3.5/2.8), 94 assists.
Last 10 Games: 5-5.
Best Win: 70-64 at home to Michigan on Mar. 7.
Worst Loss: 65-79 at Northwestern on Dec. 20.
The Skinny: The Spartans have risen and fallen more than a sine wave this season. After jumping to a 6-0 start, coach Tom Izzo’s team lost nine of its next 13 games and finished with a losing record in Big Ten play for the first time since 1992-93 under Jud Heathcoate. Michigan State closed the regular season by winning five of its last seven, including wins over No. 3 Illinois, No. 9 Illinois and No. 4 Michigan before losing to Maryland in the first round of the conference tournament the first time the Spartans failed to advance to the quarterfinals since the Big Ten Tournament began in 1998.
UCLA
Los Angeles. 17-9.
Nickname: Bruins. Coach: Mick Cronin.
Conference: Pacific 12. Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 11.
Tournament History: 100-40, 17 Final Fours, and 11 National Championships in 47 appearances.
Last appearance: 2018, lost to St. Bonaventure in the Opening Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 72.8 points per game; 46.2 fg pct; 36.7 3-pt pct; 72.1 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Johnny Juzang 14.0; Chris Smith 12.6; Jaime Jaquez Jr. 11.7.
Rebounds: Smith 6.4; Jaquez Jr. 6.0; Avg team margin (plus-4.5).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.21): Tyger Campbell (5.6/2.0), 145 assists.
Last 10 Games: 4-6.
Best Win: 65-62 at home to Colorado on Jan. 2.
Worst Loss: 73-81 at Washington St. on Feb. 11.
The Skinny: UCLA had an early exit in the Pac-12 Conference Tournament after Oregon State erased a 16-point deficit to prevail in overtime in the quarterfinals. UCLA compiled a 13-6 record in Pac-12 play after having opened its conference schedule with eight straight wins. But the Bruins have lost four straight including a 64-63 defeat to USC to snap an 18-game home winning streak. The Bruins were looking for their fifth Pac-12 title, the last coming in 2014.
Texas
Austin, Texas. 19-7.
Nickname: Longhorns. Coach: Shaka Smart.
Conference: Big 12. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 3.
Tournament History: 35-37, 3 Final Four in 34 appearances.
Last appearance: 2018, lost to Nevada in the First Round.
Season Stats
Scoring: 75.2 points per game; 45.4 fg pct; 35.6 3-pt pct; 70.8 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Andrew Jones 14.6; Mat Coleman III 13.3; Courtney Ramey 12.6.
Rebounds: Jericho Sims 7.1; Greg Brown 6.4; Avg team margin (plus-4.4).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (0.92): Coleman III (4.1/2.4), 107 assists.
Last 10 Games: 8-2.
Best Win: 84-59 at home to Kansas on Jan. 2.
Worst Loss: 79-80 at home to Oklahoma on Jan. 26.
The Skinny: Texas finally won the Big 12 Tournament championship. The Longhorns got a free pass through the semifinals when Kansas withdrew due to a positive COVID-19 test, and avoided Baylor once they reached the title game to face freshman star Cade Cunningham and Oklahoma State. It’s the first conference tournament title for Texas since winning the old Southwest Conference in 1995. The Longhorns, who played just six games in 35 days due to positive COVID-19 tests in January and February, won seven games over a top-25 opponent this season. All seven of the Longhorns losses this season came against teams that were ranked at the time.
Abilene Christian
Abilene, Texas. 23-4.
Nickname: Wildcats. Coach: Joe Golding.
Conference: Southland. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 14.
Tournament History: 0-1 in 1 appearance.
Last appearance: 2019, lost to Kentucky in the First Round.
Season Stats
Scoring: 77.6 points per game; 46.0 fg pct; 35.3 3-pt pct; 67.3 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Kolton Kohl 12.3; Joe Pleasant 10.8; Coryon Mason 10.7.
Rebounds: Pleasant 5.4; Kohl 4.8; Avg team margin (plus-2.5).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.31): Reggie Miller (4.4/1.8), 118 assists.
Last 10 Games: 9-1.
Best Win: 70-47 vs. East Tennessee St. on Nov. 25.
Worst Loss: 82-84 at Cent. Arkansas on Feb. 27.
The Skinny: The Wildcats will look to follow their season-long recipe into the tournament stout defense and ball distribution on the other end. ACU entered the Southland Conference championship game leading the nation in forced turnovers (20.46) and turnover margin (6.7), second in steals (256), and fifth in total assists (472). The Wildcats held Nicholls to a season-low 45 points in a 34-point blowout win in the SoCon final. The Colonels entered with the leagues highest-scoring offense.
UConn
Storrs, Conn. 15-7.
Nickname: Huskies. Coach: Dan Hurley.
Conference: Big East. Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 7.
Tournament History: 57-29, 5 Final Fours, and 4 National Championships in 32 appearances.
Last appearance: 2016, lost to Kansas in the Second Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 72.5 points per game; 43.9 fg pct; 33.6 3-pt pct; 73.1 ft pct.
Top Scorers: James Bouknight 19.0; R.J. Cole 12.3; Tyrese Martin 10.7.
Rebounds: Martin 7.3; Isaiah Whaley 6.1; Avg team margin (plus-4.8).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.11): Cole (4.4/1.8), 96 assists.
Last 10 Games: 7-3.
Best Win: 61-58 vs. Southern Cal on Dec. 3.
Worst Loss: 59-70 at Providence on Feb. 10.
The Skinny: The Huskies were on a rolling, winning five straight and seven of eight before losing to No. 17 Creighton for the third time the semifinals of the Big East tourney. Despite a five-year absence from the Big Dance, the Huskies have been know for some remarkable postseason runs over the years and have the explosiveness James Bouknight scored 40 in a regular-season loss to the Bluejays to make a run again.
Maryland
College Park, Md. 16-13.
Nickname: Terrapins. Coach: Mark Turgeon.
Conference: Big Ten. Bid: At-Large.
Region: East. Seed: No. 10.
Tournament History: 41-26, 2 Final Fours, and 1 National Championship in 27 appearances.
Last appearance: 2019, lost to LSU in the Second Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 68.8 points per game; 45.6 fg pct; 35.3 3-pt pct; 70.2 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Eric Ayala 14.9; Aaron Wiggins 14.0; Donta Scott 10.9.
Rebounds: Scott 6.1; Wiggins 5.9; Avg team margin (minus-0.2).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.19): Darryl Morsell (2.8/2.1), 78 assists.
Last 10 Games: 6-4.
Best Win: 66-63 at Illinois on Jan. 10.
Worst Loss: 55-60 at Northwestern on Mar. 3.
The Skinny: What to expect from the Terrapins, who can be a one-seed in Illinois and lose twice to Penn State. But advancing out of the loaded Big Ten says a lot and the Terrapins are balanced, led by Aaron Wiggins (14.5 PPG) and Eric Ayala (14.0). And the Terps are feisty as the coach got into a verbal altercation in their last game with Michigan that got Wolverines coach Juwan Howard ejected.
Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Ala. 24-6.
Nickname: Crimson Tide. Coach: Nate Oats.
Conference: Southeastern. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 2.
Tournament History: 19-20 in 20 appearances.
Last appearance: 2018, lost to Villanova in the Second Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 79.6 points per game; 43.0 fg pct; 35.2 3-pt pct; 72.3 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Jaden Shackelford 14.0; John Petty Jr. 12.6; Jahvon Quinerly 12.6.
Rebounds: Herbert Jones 6.4; Petty Jr. 5.0; Avg team margin (plus-1.4).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.00): Jones (3.3/2.7), 96 assists.
Last 10 Games: 9-1.
Best Win: 71-63 at Tennessee on Jan. 2.
Worst Loss: 71-73 at home to W. Kentucky on Dec. 19.
The Skinny: The Crimson Tide are certainly on a roll after winning its first SEC Tournament title in 30 years, edging LSU 80-79, in its first championship game appearance since 2002. And it also claimed its eighth regular-season championship. Alabama built its impressive record without padding its record with a Quad 4 matchup. SEC player of the year Herbert Jones, still one of the leagues top defenders, has improved his offense, averaging 10.9 points per game but also ranked in the leagues top 10 in four categories.
Iona
New Rochelle, N.Y. 12-5.
Nickname: Gaels. Coach: Rick Pitino.
Conference: Metro Atlantic. Bid: Automatic.
Region: East. Seed: No. 15.
Tournament History: 0-13 in 13 appearances.
Last appearance: 2019, lost to North Carolina in the First Round.
Season Stats
Team Scoring: 72.2 points per game; 44.5 fg pct; 35.5 3-pt pct; 74.3 ft pct.
Top Scorers: Isaiah Ross 18.4; Asante Gist 13.3; Nelly Junior Joseph 11.4.
Rebounds: Junior Joseph 7.6; Dylan Van Eyck 6.5; Avg team margin (plus-5.9).
Assist/Turnover Ratio (0.89): Gist (3.7/2.5), 55 assists.
Last 10 Games: 8-2.
Best Win: 55-52 vs. Siena on Mar. 10.
Worst Loss: 70-77 at home to Manhattan on Feb. 13.
The Skinny: Rick Pitino is the X-factor. Iona has been the cream of the MAAC for years with a .690 winning percentage in the conference tournament and 13 titles. The architect of all that, Tim Cluess, resigned March 13, 2020. Pitino was hired the next day after coaching two seasons in Greece. “I dont know how many points hes worth, but hes a hell of a coach and hes a Hall of Famer,” said Fairfield’s Jay Young after losing to Iona in the MAAC championship.
