Finally, it's time to get this Tournament underway. As mentioned before, I'm condensing the polls to save on traffic, so there will just be two threads for each region and all the matchups will be posted below to vote on. Remember this is just a fun, hypothetical tournament to give us something to talk about in all this down time we suddenly find ourselves with......
EvilMonkey's Bracket of Doom- South Region First Round (top half of bracket):
#1 Kansas Jayhawks (28-3, 17-1)
Big 12 (1st)
Off- 74.6 ppg / Def- 60.7 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 48 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Devon Dotson 18.1 ppg
Udoka Azubuike 13.7 ppg
Ochai Agbaji 10.0 ppg
Marcus Garrett 9.2 ppg
Isaiah Moss 7.9 ppg
vs
#16 North Carolina Central Eagles (19-13, 13-3)
MEAC (1st)
Conf. Tourney champs
Off- 69.7 ppg / Def- 66.0 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 4 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Jibri Blount 19.1 ppg
Randy Miller Jr. 14.3 ppg
C.J. Keyser 11.6 ppg
Deven Palmer 7.0 ppg
Jordan Perkins 6.8 ppg
#8 Utah State Aggies (26-8, 12-6)
MWC (t2nd)
Conf. tourney champs
Off- 76.5 ppg / Def- 64.1 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 21 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Sam Merril 19.7 ppg
Neemias Queta 13.0 ppg
Justin Bean 11.9 ppg
Diogo Breto 8.5 ppg
Brock Miller 8.4 ppg
vs
#9 Saint Mary's Gaels (26-8, 11-5)
WCC (3rd)
Off- 75.3 ppg / Def- 66.9 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 10 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Jordan Ford 21.9 ppg
Malik Fitts 16.5 ppg
Tanner Krebs 9.1 ppg
Matthias Tass 6.6 ppg
Dan Fotu 6.4 ppg
#5 Auburn Tigers (25-6, 12-6)
SEC (t2nd)
Off- 78.0 ppg / Def- 70.4 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 10 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Samir Doughty 16.7 ppg
Isaac Okoro 12.9 ppg
J'von McCormick 11.6 ppg
Austin Wiley 10.6 ppg
Danjel Purifoy 8.5 ppg
vs
#12 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (28-3, 19-1)
Southland (1st)
Off- 80.6 ppg / Def- 67.0 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 5 (Last: 2018)
Top Scorers:
Kevin Harris 17.5 ppg
Gavin Kensmil 11.8 ppg
Cameron Johnson 11.4 ppg
Roti Ware 9.5 ppg
John Comeaux 8.1 ppg
#4 Wisconsin Badgers (21-10, 14-6)
Big Ten (t1st)
Off- 67.2 ppg / Def- 62.2 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 24 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Nate Reuvers 13.1 ppg
Micah Potter 10.1 ppg
Brad Davison 9.9 ppg
D'Mitrik Trice 9.8 ppg
Aleem Ford 8.6 ppg
vs
#13 Vermont Catamounts (26-7, 14-2)
America East (1st)
Off- 71.5 ppg / Def- 59.5 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 7 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Anthony Lamb 16.7 ppg
Stef Smith 14.2 ppg
Ryan Davis 9.5 ppg
Everett Duncan 9.0 ppg
Ben Shungu 7.7 ppg
EvilMonkey's Bracket of Doom- South Region First Round (top half of bracket):
#1 Kansas Jayhawks (28-3, 17-1)
Big 12 (1st)
Off- 74.6 ppg / Def- 60.7 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 48 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Devon Dotson 18.1 ppg
Udoka Azubuike 13.7 ppg
Ochai Agbaji 10.0 ppg
Marcus Garrett 9.2 ppg
Isaiah Moss 7.9 ppg
vs
#16 North Carolina Central Eagles (19-13, 13-3)
MEAC (1st)
Conf. Tourney champs
Off- 69.7 ppg / Def- 66.0 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 4 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Jibri Blount 19.1 ppg
Randy Miller Jr. 14.3 ppg
C.J. Keyser 11.6 ppg
Deven Palmer 7.0 ppg
Jordan Perkins 6.8 ppg
The Jayhawks enter as the #1 overall seed in the Bracket of Doom, led by All-Americans Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike. Kansas is well-known for their explosive offense, 1st in the Big 12, and future-NBA playmakers, but don't be fooled. This team can defend as well, boasting a stingy defense that is top 10 in the nation, and allowing opponents to shoot just 37.7% from the field. That's good for 3rd out of 353 Division 1 teams. It's no wonder they would've been odds-on favorites in the NCAA Tournament.
The heavy underdog Eagles were voted through to the next round, but now get the unenviable task of being Kansas' sparring partner in this 1st Round matchup. If big man Jibri Blount (19.1 ppg) has anything to say about it, it's that the Eagles can look no further than just two years ago when UMBC shocked overall #1 Virginia, and ask, "Why not us?"
The heavy underdog Eagles were voted through to the next round, but now get the unenviable task of being Kansas' sparring partner in this 1st Round matchup. If big man Jibri Blount (19.1 ppg) has anything to say about it, it's that the Eagles can look no further than just two years ago when UMBC shocked overall #1 Virginia, and ask, "Why not us?"
#8 Utah State Aggies (26-8, 12-6)
MWC (t2nd)
Conf. tourney champs
Off- 76.5 ppg / Def- 64.1 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 21 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Sam Merril 19.7 ppg
Neemias Queta 13.0 ppg
Justin Bean 11.9 ppg
Diogo Breto 8.5 ppg
Brock Miller 8.4 ppg
vs
#9 Saint Mary's Gaels (26-8, 11-5)
WCC (3rd)
Off- 75.3 ppg / Def- 66.9 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 10 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Jordan Ford 21.9 ppg
Malik Fitts 16.5 ppg
Tanner Krebs 9.1 ppg
Matthias Tass 6.6 ppg
Dan Fotu 6.4 ppg
The preseason MWC favorite Aggies put together a solid 2019-20 campaign that included a 13-2 start, a win over Florida, and an AP ranking as high as 15th. After losing their regular season finale at New Mexico, the Aggies flipped the script and beat the Lobos in the MWC tournament, jump-starting a run that would culminate with a stunning tournament title win over potential #1 seed San Diego State. This offense may put up a lot of points, but as guard Sam Merrill goes, so do the fortunes of the Aggies. It would also be a cause for concern that Utah State struggled away from home, going just 4-6 including an 81-73 loss to their 1st Round opponent, St. Mary's.
Speaking of the Gaels, this perennial bridesmaid to Gonzaga immediately got the country's attention following a season-opening win against Wisconsin. Their season was littered with quality wins including a season sweep of BYU, the home win over Utah State, and a 40-pt rout over Arizona State. However, the one foe they always seem to play second-fiddle to, got them for 3 of their 8 losses including another loss in the WCC Finals. This hypothetical 1st Round matchup with Utah State, though, would be expected to be a high-scoring barn-burner as both teams sport offenses that can put points up in bunches. Not to mention, the matchup between guards Sam Merrill of Utah State, and Jordan Ford, who torched Pepperdine for a career-high 42 pts in a WCC semifinal.
Speaking of the Gaels, this perennial bridesmaid to Gonzaga immediately got the country's attention following a season-opening win against Wisconsin. Their season was littered with quality wins including a season sweep of BYU, the home win over Utah State, and a 40-pt rout over Arizona State. However, the one foe they always seem to play second-fiddle to, got them for 3 of their 8 losses including another loss in the WCC Finals. This hypothetical 1st Round matchup with Utah State, though, would be expected to be a high-scoring barn-burner as both teams sport offenses that can put points up in bunches. Not to mention, the matchup between guards Sam Merrill of Utah State, and Jordan Ford, who torched Pepperdine for a career-high 42 pts in a WCC semifinal.
#5 Auburn Tigers (25-6, 12-6)
SEC (t2nd)
Off- 78.0 ppg / Def- 70.4 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 10 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Samir Doughty 16.7 ppg
Isaac Okoro 12.9 ppg
J'von McCormick 11.6 ppg
Austin Wiley 10.6 ppg
Danjel Purifoy 8.5 ppg
vs
#12 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (28-3, 19-1)
Southland (1st)
Off- 80.6 ppg / Def- 67.0 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 5 (Last: 2018)
Top Scorers:
Kevin Harris 17.5 ppg
Gavin Kensmil 11.8 ppg
Cameron Johnson 11.4 ppg
Roti Ware 9.5 ppg
John Comeaux 8.1 ppg
Everyone's favorite team on the Rivals CBB board enters the Bracket of Doom in the harrowing 5/12 matchup. Auburn started off the year 15-0, certainly carrying the momentum over from their first-ever Final Four run in 2019. However, they returned to Earth a bit in conference play following road setbacks against rival Alabama and Florida, and then inexplicable losses at Missouri and Georgia. This was still a team that could be dangerous if they got hot from 3, but also in four of their six losses, they failed to score 70 points, showing the struggles of a team that had gone cold shooting. Nevertheless, with a lineup that featured four players in double figures, and on any given night one of them could go off, Auburn is a team that could've been poised for another deep run...if the shots are falling.
The Lumberjacks were poised to be a popular upset pick once again, steamrolling through Southland competition and blistering teams offensively averaging 80.6 ppg, good for 7th in the nation. This is also a team that went into Cameron and stunned Duke by 2. Led by Kevin Harris' 17.5 ppg, and given Auburn's defensive struggles, it would be safe to say that the Tigers would at the very least be on upset alert in this hypothetical 1st Round matchup.
The Lumberjacks were poised to be a popular upset pick once again, steamrolling through Southland competition and blistering teams offensively averaging 80.6 ppg, good for 7th in the nation. This is also a team that went into Cameron and stunned Duke by 2. Led by Kevin Harris' 17.5 ppg, and given Auburn's defensive struggles, it would be safe to say that the Tigers would at the very least be on upset alert in this hypothetical 1st Round matchup.
#4 Wisconsin Badgers (21-10, 14-6)
Big Ten (t1st)
Off- 67.2 ppg / Def- 62.2 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 24 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Nate Reuvers 13.1 ppg
Micah Potter 10.1 ppg
Brad Davison 9.9 ppg
D'Mitrik Trice 9.8 ppg
Aleem Ford 8.6 ppg
vs
#13 Vermont Catamounts (26-7, 14-2)
America East (1st)
Off- 71.5 ppg / Def- 59.5 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 7 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Anthony Lamb 16.7 ppg
Stef Smith 14.2 ppg
Ryan Davis 9.5 ppg
Everett Duncan 9.0 ppg
Ben Shungu 7.7 ppg
The Badgers got off to a rather inauspicious start to the 2019-20 season, at one point sitting at 5-5 following a loss at Rutgers. Even after a 68-62 loss at Iowa, and the departure of one of their top scorers in Kobe King, it was looking as if Wisconsin was finally destined for a middling season after years of consistency among the top four in the Big Ten. However, the very next game the Badgers stunned Michigan State and would win 9 of their remaining 10, to capture a share of the Big Ten title, even being able to claim the #1 seed in the toughest conference in the country this past season, after Maryland and MSU dealt with their own late-season struggles allowing Wisconsin to catch them. It would've been interesting, at the very least, to see if Wisconsin could've carried that momentum of consistency through the Big Ten tournament and into the NCAA tournament.
If you're into low-scoring, slow-paced struggles, then this matchup may have been for you. Only two other teams could say they showed better defensive prowess (statistically speaking) than the Catamounts this season, as they held opponents to a paltry 59.5 ppg on 38% shooting. Wisconsin wasn't far behind, sitting at 14th with 62.2 ppg allowed. Given Wisconsin's penchant for slowing games down and not being a particularly high-scoring team, it's a safe bet that the first team to 60 would've won this 1st Round contest.
If you're into low-scoring, slow-paced struggles, then this matchup may have been for you. Only two other teams could say they showed better defensive prowess (statistically speaking) than the Catamounts this season, as they held opponents to a paltry 59.5 ppg on 38% shooting. Wisconsin wasn't far behind, sitting at 14th with 62.2 ppg allowed. Given Wisconsin's penchant for slowing games down and not being a particularly high-scoring team, it's a safe bet that the first team to 60 would've won this 1st Round contest.
