West
The Pac-12 champion Ducks had 10 victories against the RPI top 50, went 5-1 against the AP Top 25, played the nation's third-toughest schedule and rank No. 2 in the RPI. Their two losses to opponents outside the top 100 have a caveat: They came during a one-week stretch when standout freshman Tyler Dorsey was injured and Jordan Bell was just coming back from a broken foot.
The Panthers aren't going to flinch. They've beaten North Carolina, Iowa State and Wichita State (twice) this season. They have a balanced roster with four players averaging double-digit scoring. Said coach Ben Jacobson: “This team has played (with a chip on its shoulder) pretty much the whole year. I don't know that we've ever lost that. Even in the last six weeks, we've played like a team that's got something to prove. So I think that will absolutely be a part of what we do this week.”
Is this a different Texas team than we've seen in recent tournaments? The Longhorns have failed to get out of the first weekend the last seven years (including the no-bid year of 2013).
If Texas beats Northern Iowa and No. 3 Texas A&M beats No. 14 Green Bay, it will be a Lone Star State showdown in the Round of 32. ... Oregon State got a questionable slot at No. 7 with eight top-100 RPI losses and a 4-8 road record. ... Former Northwestern coach Bill Carmody has No. 16 Holy Cross in the tournament in his first season. His Princeton teams made it twice in his four seasons there, while Northwestern went 0-for-13.
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