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Any Jayhawk fans who feel Kansas got a raw deal with its placement in the South Region should ask Ol' Roy Boy Williams and his North Carolina Tar Heels if they agree with that sentiment. The East is a murderers' row with Providence's big man, and 22 points per game scorer Ben Bentil, waiting for the Heels in the Round of 32. Indiana and Kentucky potentially loom for the Sweet Sixteen. Wisconsin, Xavier and West Virginia pile it on in the bottom half of the bracket. Man, that's just mean. Roy was already suffering from dizzy spells. Any team to emerge from this East Region blood bath will have earned their spot down in Houston for the Final Four.
East Region Bracket
#1 North Carolina vs #16 Florida Gulf Coast/Fairleigh Dickinson - Thursday 3/17 @ 6:20 p.m. (CT) on TBS
North Carolina Tar Heels
Record: 28-6
Coach: Roy Williams - NCAA Tourney Record 65-23 with 7 Final Fours ('91, '93, '02-'03 Kansas & '05, '08, '09 North Carolina) & 2 National Championships ('05, '09 North Carolina)
Leading Scorer: Sr. Forward - Brice Johnson 16.6 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #4
Tournament Appearances: 47 - Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: National Champions - 2009 (most recent shown for each team in this category)
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Play-in Game - #16 Florida Gulf Coast vs #16 Fairleigh Dickinson - Tuesday, 3/15 @ 5:40 p.m. (CT) on truTV
Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
Record: 20-13
Coach: Joe Dooley - NCAA Tourney Record 0-0
Leading Scorer: Jr. Forward - Marc Eddy Norelia 17.2 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #174
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 2 - Most Recent 2013
Deepest Tourney Run: Sweet Sixteen - 2013
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Fairleigh Dickinson Knights
Record: 18-14
Coach: Greg Herenda - NCAA Tourney Record 0-0
Leading Scorer: So. Guard - Darian Anderson 15.4 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #263
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 5 - Most Recent 2005
Deepest Tourney Run: Round of 64 - 2005
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Florida Gulf Coast is making just its second tournament appearance in school history. Last time they were here the Eagles made some serious noise, becoming the first 15-seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen. The Eagles are coached by former Kansas' assistant coach, Joe Dooley. If Dooley can guide the Eagles through the play in game, and miraculously past North Carolina, then FGC could possibly face the man Dooley replaced in Andy Enfield, who parlayed that 2013 FGC run into the head coaching job at USC. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to play out though.
As for the North Carolina Tar Heels, could this be Roy Williams last rodeo? Probably not, but speculation swirls. Health wise Williams has seen better days. He's got nothing left to prove in a great career, but "dad gummit" you just know Roy doesn't want to leave without making at least one more run at a title.
#8 Southern Cal vs #9 Providence - Thursday, 3/17 @ 8:50 p.m. (CT) on TBS
USC Trojans
Record: 21-12
Coach: Andy Enfield - NCAA Tourney Record 2-1
Leading Scorer: So. Guard - Jordan McLaughlin 13.4 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #49
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 17 - Most Recent 2011
Deepest Tourney Run: Final Four - 1954
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Providence Friars
Record: 23-10
Coach: Ed Cooley - NCAA Tourney Record 0-2
Leading Scorer: So. Forward - Ben Bentil 21.2 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #46
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 18 - Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: Final Four - 1987
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At one point in time this season, Providence was 14-1 and sitting at #8 in the nation. They stumbled down the stretch to the tune of a gross 9-9 parade of mediocrity.
#5 Indiana vs #12 Chattanooga - Thursday, 3/17 @ 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Indiana Hoosiers
Record: 25-7
Coach: Tom Crean - NCAA Tourney Record 9-8 with 1 Final Four ('03 Marquette)
Leading Scorer: Sr. Guard - Yogi Ferrell 17 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #14
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 39 - Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: National Champions - 1987
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Chattanooga Mocs
Record: 29-5
Coach: Matt McCall - NCAA Tourney Record 0-0
Leading Scorer: So. Guard - Casey Jones 12.6 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #107
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 11 - Most Recent 2009
Deepest Tourney Run: Sweet Sixteen - 1997
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Before this season Tom Crean was on the seriously hot seat at Indiana. Then his Hoosiers surprisingly won the Big 10 regular season title outright. Crean's reward for this resurgence? A disrespectful 5-seed and the possibility of seeing Kentucky in their second game if they can get by a very solid mid-major squad. Lose to Chattanooga on Thursday and is Crean then right back where he started the season?
#4 Kentucky vs #13 Stony Brook - Thursday, 3/17 @ 8:40 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Kentucky Wildcats
Record: 26-8
Coach: John Calipari - NCAA Tourney Record 47-15 with 6 Final Fours ('96 UMASS, '08, Memphis, '11-'12, '14-'15 Kentucky) & 1 National Championship ('12 Kentucky)
Leading Scorer: Fr. Guard - Jamal Murray 20.1 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #8
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 56 - Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: National Champions - 2012
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Stony Brook Seawolves
Record: 26-6
Coach: Steve Pikiell- NCAA Tourney Record 0-0
Leading Scorer: Sr. Forward - Jameel Warney 19.8 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #91
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 1 - Most Recent N/A
Deepest Tourney Run: N/A
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Don't look now, but once again Coach Cal has his Kentucky Wildcats playing their best ball at the most opportune time. Kentucky will look to make it three straight Final Four appearances. If that happens, it would be for the fifth time in Cal's seven seasons in Lexington. Absolutely unreal.
#6 Notre Dame vs #11 Michigan/Tulsa - Friday, 3/18 @ 8:40 p.m. (CT) on CBS
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Record: 21-11
Coach: Mike Brey - NCAA Tourney Record 9-12
Leading Scorer: Jr. Guard - Demetrius Jackson 15.5 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #39
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 35- Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: Final Four - 1978
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Play-in Game - #11 Michigan vs #11 Tulsa - Wednesday, 3/16 @ 8:10 p.m. (CT) on truTV
Michigan Wolverines
Record: 22-12
Coach: John Beilein - NCAA Tourney Record 16-9 with 1 Final Four ('13 Michigan)
Leading Scorer: Sr. Guard - Caris LeVert 16.5 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #56
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 26 - Most Recent 2014
Deepest Tourney Run: National Champions - 1989
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Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Record: 20-11
Coach: Frank Haith - NCAA Tourney Record 1-3
Leading Scorer: Sr. Guard - James Woodard 15.6 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #58
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 16 - Most Recent 2014 (Danny Manning's Team)
Deepest Tourney Run: Elite Eight - 2000 (Bill Self's Team)
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Frank Haith got out of Columbia, Missouri after doing his part to add gasoline to an already growing dumpster fire. He turned up in the cradle of coaches, Tulsa (Nolan Richardson, Tubby Smith, Bill Self). A win in this play-in game would give Haith one more NCAA Tournament victory than he secured at Mizzou.
As for Notre Dame, head coach Mike Brey saw his best chance to reach the Final Four come up just short against mighty Kentucky in last year's thrilling Elite Eight match-up with the Wildcats.
#3 West Virginia vs #14 Stephen F. Austin - Friday, 3/18 @ 6:10 p.m. (CT) on CBS
West Virginia Mountaineers
Record: 26-8
Coach: Bob Huggins - NCAA Tourney Record 29-21 with 2 Final Fours ('92 Cincinnati, '10 West Virginia)
Leading Scorer: Sr. Guard - Jaysean Paige 13.9 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #6
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 27 - Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: National Runner-Up - 1959
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Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
Record: 27-5
Coach: Brad Underwood - NCAA Tourney Record 1-2
Leading Scorer: Sr. Forward - Thomas Walkup 17.5 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #33
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 4 - Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: Round of 32 - 2014
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In his first three years as a head coach, anywhere, former Bob Huggins assistant Brad Underwood has racked up a ridiculous 88-13 record at Stephen F. Austin. The Lumberjacks had just one NCAA Tournament appearance before Underwood's now three straight tournament bids. Underwood's, and Stephen F Austin's, lone tournament win came in the 2014 tournament against VCU, a pressing team like Huggins' Mountaineers.
#7 Wisconsin vs #10 Pittsburgh - Friday, 3/18 @ 5:50 p.m. (CT) on TNT
Wisconsin Badgers
Record: 20-12
Coach: Greg Gard- NCAA Tourney Record 0-0
Leading Scorer: Jr. Forward - Nigel Hayes 16.3 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #32
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 22 - Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: National Champions - 1941
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Pitt Panthers
Record: 21-11
Coach: Jamie Dixon - NCAA Tourney Record 12-10
Leading Scorer: Jr. Forward - Michael Young 16 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #45
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 26 - Most Recent 2014
Deepest Tourney Run: Final Four - 1941
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Wisconsin interim coach Greg Gard has just 13 wins for his career, since taking over for Bo Ryan 12 games into this season. Does Gard have a Steve Fisher-esque interim coach run to the title in him?
#2 Xavier vs #15 Weber State - Friday, 3/18 @ 8:20 p.m. on TNT
Xavier Musketeers
Record: 27-5
Coach: Chris Mack - NCAA Tourney Record 6-5
Leading Scorer: So. Guard - Trevon Bluiett 15.5 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #15
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 26 - Most Recent 2015
Deepest Tourney Run: Elite Eight - 2008
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Weber State Wildcats
Record: 26-8
Coach: Randy Rahe - NCAA Tourney Record 0-2
Leading Scorer: Jr. Guard - Jeremy Senglin 18.2 ppg
Kenpom Rating: #132
NCAA Tourney Appearances: 16 - Most Recent 2014
Deepest Tourney Run: Sweet Sixteen - 1972
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As a 14-seed Weber State has twice knocked off a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament (Georgetown in '95 and North Carolina in '99). As a 15-seed will they be just as dangerous of a giant killer against Xavier, a team that up until very recently was considered a mid-major itself?