The Pure Hoops Quick Hitters

Oklahoma looked good early after an 11-1 start including wins over Wofford and Florida. But they stumbled through an uneven stretch run. They are well coached by Lon Kruger and while they don’t have a “go to” scorer, they do have other double digit scorers, so balance is a strength. And so is their team defense.

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Oregon has had an up and down season, but they’re responded well down the stretch. Although they lost star 7-3 freshman Bol Bol to injury earlier in the season, they have continued to play great defense. Payton Pritchard provides experience and leadership at the guard position. And Kenny Wooten is an intimidating shot blocker. Their “D” rarely has an off night and that could spell trouble for their opponents.

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NC Central played and lost to some elite teams earlier in the season, but the team has learned from the experience and gotten stronger. But they probably aren’t strong enough. Four of their key players are transfers, they’re not smooth on offense, and they struggle shooting threes. Unless they find a way to score more points, they’ll be done early.

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Iona comes out of the MAAC, but their pace gives other teams fits. Their overall record isn’t great, but they head into the tournament on a 9 game win streak. EJ Crawford, Rickey McGill, and Tajuan Agee give the Gaels good balance. They are a bit under the radar, but their late season play makes them a confident bunch.

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Iowa State has talent, but chemistry has been elusive for coach Steve Prohm. Their go to guy is Canadian Marial Shayok, a 6-6 guard averaging 18 a game. Freshman Talen Horton-Tucker is a 6-4 guard with NBA potential. Their defense has not been great in the latter part of the season, but their talent has the potential to compensate for those shortcomings.

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Liberty finished the season with 18 wins in its last 20 games. They also beat UCLA at Pauley Pavilion by 15 points. They play slowly but efficiently and are great at the free throw line. Led by Scottie James and Celeb Homesley, they are solid defensively and when they slow the pace down against more talented teams, they become very dangerous.

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Duke has the top player in the nation in Zion Williamson. But he is more than just an incredible talent, he plays with a level of energy that drives the entire team. And there is lots of other NBA ready talent on this team with Cam Reddish, RJ Barrett, and Tre Jones. If Zion is healthy, this team could simply overwhelm the field.

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Fairleigh Dickinson handled the Northeast Conference top seed St Francis in their tournament and is currently on an 8 game win streak. Darnell Edge leads the way with 16 points a game and can be explosive. Jahlil Jenkins has found his stride and the team’s late season balance makes them a tough first round opponent.

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Iowa won’t wow you with talent, but they are a smart team. Tyler Cook, Jordan Bohannon, and Luka Garza all have solid offensive skills and experience. They were 11-0 outside of the Big Ten and their efficiency is something that allows them to do well against more talented teams.

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Michigan State is led by Cassius Winston and Matt McQuaid in the backcourt. Junior forward Nick Ward is recovering from a broken hand and this team is efficient at both ends. They are a matchup nightmare and behind coach Tom Izzo they have been playing their best ball late in the season.

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