Otto Porter of Georgetown |
South Region winner: Georgetown Hoyas
The Hoyas are going to win the South Region for one reason: Otto Porter. The do-it-all wing player leads Georgetown in almost every major statistical category and he can beat opponents from anywhere on the floor. The road won't be easy for John Thompson's squad though. Most likely Florida will be waiting in the Sweet 16 and then either Kansas or Michigan will present a huge challenge in the Elite 8. Count on the Hoyas because of they are battle tested and they are 6-2 against ranked opponents. Behind Porter, expect G'Town to be back in the Final Four for the first time since 2007.
Upset Pick: Minnesota over UCLA
Minnesota isn't your typical 11 seed. The Golden Gophers defeated five ranked opponents, including #1 Indiana. However, they have lost three in a row and that doesn't always bode well coming into tournament play. Despite that, they should beat UCLA for a couple of reasons. One, they have played far superior competition and two, UCLA is without Jordan Adams. The freshman guard broke his foot during the Pac-12 tournament and the Bruins will struggle without him.
Nate Wolters of South Dakota State |
Okay so that's kind of cheating, but anybody VCU plays will have a hard time. The Rams qualified for the Final Four in 2011 and their unique style of play makes them a difficult matchup. However, they will have to take down the titans to reach Atlanta, but that is something they have done before. Could they stop Trey Burke in the third round? Could they knock off Kansas just like they did in 2011? Will Florida or Georgetown be too much for them handle? Who knows. We also can't be sure they will even win their first game against Akron, but we can be sure that they will bring 100% effort and be fun to watch.
Player to Watch: Nate Wolters, guard, South Dakota State
Wolters has led South Dakota State to the Big Dance for the second straight year and the do-it-all guard can win a game by himself. The senior averages 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game and had a 53 point outburst on February 7th. His scoring average is fourth best in the nation. Wolters comes from the Summit League, but has performed against top competition. He posted 30 points against Alabama at the beginning of the season and then had 28 against New Mexico before Christmas.
Bottom Line: The South is loaded, but Otto Porter and Georgetown have been very consistent and have defeated some of the nation's elite. They will be in Atlanta.
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