There’s nothing like a good storyline, and there’s no shortage of them in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Every year, we see a different storyline emerge, and the media and the fans eat them up. It makes every game just a little more exciting, and something to talk about. Today, we’ll give you 10. Did we miss any? Let us know @cbbreview on Instagram and X.
10) Who is this year’s Cinderella?
The magic of March is the annual Cinderella. Last year, Fairleigh Dickinson captured the hearts of America after beating Purdue in the biggest upset in March Madness history. Two years ago, it was Saint Peters and Doug Edert. Who could forget UMBC and Oral Roberts? This year, there are plenty of options. Will a 15 seed reach the Sweet 16 again? Will a one-seed fall? Whoever pulls off the massive upset will immediately become America’s team.
9) Will the Mountain West finally have consistent tournament success?
The Mountain West and the NCAA Tournament have not gotten along through the years. From 2016-2022, Mountain West teams went 5-17 in the tournament. That includes an 0-4 record in the 2022 NCAA Tournament where all four teams were knocked out in the first 24 hours. Last year, one team finally broke through, with San Diego State making the championship game. However, the other three teams all lost their first game.
This year, we have six Mountain West teams in the NCAA Tournament. Six! All deserving, but how many can actually make a run? So far, they’re off to a good start with the Colorado State win, but the Boise State loss will keep all eyes on this conference and its legitimacy.
8) We have a potential Rick Barnes vs. Texas matchup
Nothing like seeing a former coach play against their former team in March Madness. Barnes coached at Texas for 14 years from 1988-1999 to 2014-2015. During that time, he took the Longhorns to a Final Four and two Elite Eights. Now, he’ll look to potentially prevent his former team from making a deep run. 2-seed Tennessee would play 7-seed Texas in the Round of 32 if both can win their first-round matchups. Expect the media to eat this storyline up.
7) Can FAU do it again?
Speaking of Cinderellas, FAU’s story last year was nothing short of magical. The nine-seed went all the way to the Final 4 and were a buzzer-beater away from the final. Many thought they would be a top-10 team this year, but instead, they ended up as an 8 seed. Their path is tough, but they’ve shown they can do it. Keep an eye on the Owls, because they can cause some fireworks once again.
6) Can John Calipari and Shaka Smart get over the hump?
Winning in the Tournament is extremely difficult. One game deciding your season, no matter how good you were all year is what makes the tournament great, but as a result, we see great teams and coaches get knocked out early.
The two biggest names at the moment are Shaka Smart and John Calipari. After making the Final Four with VCU in just his second season, many thought Smart would be a championship coach very soon. Unfortunately, he has not made the second weekend since, a span of 12 years. In the past 10 tournaments, Smart only has one win. Meanwhile, Calipari has had plenty of tournament success, but since the pandemic, Kentucky has won just one tournament game.
Marquette is a two-seed and Kentucky is a three-seed, so both are in a good spot to make at least a Sweet 16 run. Can they get there and go farther or will we see yet another early exit?
5) The Legend of Dan Monson
Dan Monson has captured America’s hearts in the past week. After it seemed like Monson would fail to make the tournament after finishing fourth place in the Big West, Monson was fired. However, the school and Monson agreed he would coach until the season ended, which many expected would be during the conference tournament.
Instead, Long Beach State plays Arizona in the NCAA Tournament, and Monson is still coaching. It seems like regardless of the result, his time has ended, but what a story it would be if a team with a fired coach pulled off the upset and won a game in the tournament. Go Long Beach State!
4) The Pac-12 finale
The end of the “Conference of Champions” is here, and we have already seen most of the teams play their final games as members of the conference. Four remain in the tournament. Colorado, Oregon, Washington State, and Arizona. Colorado started us off strong with the first four win. Can these teams end the Pac-12 off with a bang? We saw Washington make the championship in football, can Arizona do the same in basketball?
3) UNC vs Caleb Love potential reunion?
If you watched March Madness the last two years, you know about Caleb Love. The talented guard led UNC to the National Championship to years ago thanks to clutch shots and big-time scoring performances. Last year, things didn’t work out, which ended in a Caleb Love and UNC breakup.
Now, he’s at Arizona crushing it. Arizona is the two-seed and one of the best teams in the country. The team in the way of Caleb Love making it back to the Final 4? UNC. Both lie in West region, and if both win the games they should, an Elite 8 matchup awaits them. What a story that would be.
2) Purdue’s Redemption
The biggest storyline last year revolved around Purdue. The one-seeded Purdue, led by player of the year Zach Edey fell in the first round, marking just the second time in tournament history the 16 seed has won. The other time? Virginia, who would win it all the following year.
This year, Purdue is once again the one seed, and Zach Edey is once again the player of the year. Will things be different? There will be a lot of legacies impacted based on Purdue’s run this year, and America and the media will be locked in on the Boilermakers.
1) UConn’s quest for back-to-back
We have not seen a back-to-back champion since Florida did so in 2006 and 2007. There have been plenty of teams that have come close, but none that have been able to replicate it. Uconn might be the best chance since this Florida team. They are the number one overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament and absolutely ran through the regular season. They are extremely deep, and can win in many different ways.
There’s a reason why it’s so rare. Teams have to win six games in a row at the highest level. The committee didn’t do them any favors either, putting them in the same region as the Big 12, SEC, and Big Ten Tournament winners. Great teams find ways to win, and hopefully, UConn can add to the trophy case and do something we rarely get the opportunity to see.