The East Region of the NCAA Tournament appropriately features the Big East Conference Tournament champion Villanova Wildcats, a No. 1 seed looking for their second national championship in three years.
Tracking Villanova’s road to the Final Four through the East Region
Here’s what you need to know about the No. 1 seed Wildcats, and how they’ve been doing in the NCAA tournament so far.
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Villanova is the top seed in the region and finished second in the Big East during the regular season to Xavier, also a No. 1 seed out West. Villanova cruised past No. 16 Radford on Thursday, 87-61, in the round of 64.
The Wildcats are led by a pair of junior guards this season, with Jalen Brunson leading the team in scoring (19.4 points per game) and assists (4.7 per game) and Mikal Bridges close behind at 18.0 points per contest. Both shoot over 40 percent from distance, which is a mark of this Villanova team. Five of their top six regulars shoot at least 38% from three-point range.
Villanova was ranked No. 1 in the country eight different weeks this season and after entering the season ranked sixth in the nation never dipped below No. 5 in polling.
The competition
The Purdue Boilermakers scored the No. 2 seed in the East after a quietly excellent season in the Big Ten. Purdue finished second in the conference during the regular season and advanced to the conference final before falling to Michigan. Sophomore guard Carsen Edwards is the engine that drives the Boilermakers, averaging 18.5 points per game.
Keenan Evans and Texas Tech are the No. 3 seed and get to open in nearby Dallas, after finishing second in the Big 12 and falling in the conference tournament semifinals to West Virginia. The senior Evans started 31 of 33 games and led the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game
The Wichita State Shockers switched conferences but found life just as rewarding in the AAC, going 24-7 and finishing second in their first year a new league. Wichita State secured the No. 4 seed in the East and will rely on the inside-outside combination of guard Landry Shamet and center Shaquille Morris, the latter averaging 1.6 blocks and 14 points per contest.
The sleeping giant
Alabama Crimson Tide may not get to the Final Four, but the No. 9 seed in the region won’t fail for lack of trying. They nearly won a game playing 3-on-5 this season, and will be a team to watch at the very least thanks to freshman guard Collin Sexton, who gets his national stage on his way to NBA stardom.
Cinderellas
Butler returns three starters from last year’s Sweet 16 team, and as the No. 10 seed could make life rough for the No. 7 Arkansas Razorbacks in the first round.
The Cal State Fullerton Titans won the Big West Tournament and made the NCAAs for just the second time in 40 years, and the first time since 2008. They are the No. 15 seed in the region and open against Purdue on Friday in Detroit.
East Region Schedule & Scores
All times ET
Thursday, March 15
No. 1 Villanova 87,. No. 16 Radford 61
No. 3 Texas Tech 70, No. 14 Stephen F. Austin 60
No. 8 Virginia Tech 83, No. 9 Alabama 86
No. 6 Florida 77, No. 11 St. Bonaventure 62
Friday, March 16
No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 15 Cal State Fullerton (Detroit, MI), 12:40 p.m. (truTV)
No. 4 Wichita State vs. No. 13 Marshall (San Diego, CA), 1:30 p.m. (TNT)
No. 7 Arkansas vs. No. 10 Butler (Detroit, MI), ~3:10 p.m. (truTV)
No. 5 West Virginia vs. No. 12 Murray State (San Diego, CA), ~4 p.m. (TNT)
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