Baylor is No. 1 seed in East as it opens title defense

Baylor’s repeat bid for a countrywide title starts in the East Area from Norfolk Condition. The Bears are the top rated seed in the East and open up the match Thursday near to residence in Fort Truly worth, Texas.

The Bears (26-6) are a No. 1 seed for the second straight time and only the next time in method record. Their opportunity path out of the location — which performs Sweet 16 and Elite Eight game titles in Philadelphia — contains No. 8 North Carolina, No. 4 UCLA and No. 2 Kentucky.

Baylor, which still has under no circumstances received a Significant 12 Event men’s title, received six straight game titles very last year and defeat Gonzaga in Indianapolis to win the school’s initial nationwide championship.

Baylor received five straight online games right before it was upset by Oklahoma in the Significant 12 tourney quarterfinals.

“Any time you lose, it’s a chance to strike the reset button. It refocuses anyone,” coach Scott Drew said. “From that, the gamers are going to observe more durable, the coaches are likely to be more dialed in. I believe we’ll be prepared to set our most effective foot ahead occur match time. … It did give us a chance to rest, it did give us a opportunity to reset and refocus. Ideally, that pays off for us.”

Hard CLIMB

Norfolk State gained the MEAC standard-season and tournament championships and is creating its next straight excursion to the NCAA Match. NSU, which beat Coppin Point out in the MEAC Match final, defeated Appalachian Condition in the 1st Four very last period in advance of losing to Gonzaga in the initially round. The get was NSU’s initially in the NCAA Tournament because it beat Missouri in 2012.

BLUE BLOOD BATTLES

Next-seeded Kentucky is again in the match for the initial time since 2019.

The Wildcats ended up 9-16 past season but coach John Calipari bought a quick turnaround heading and they put the smack down this year on tournament groups Tennessee (28-position earn), Kansas (18 points) and North Carolina (29 factors).

The Wildcats participate in No. 15 seed St. Peter’s in the to start with round.

North Carolina is in the bracket as the eighth seed and performs Marquette. The Tar Heels received 12 of their closing 15 video games, with the largest a earn over Duke in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s ultimate home recreation at Cameron Indoor Stadium. UNC dropped in the to start with spherical very last year.

PURDUE Electricity

Purdue failed to acquire the Huge 10 title on Sunday but the Boilermakers gained a stout No. 3 seed in the East. The Boilermakers engage in Yale and here’s 1 reason to feel Purdue could be a contender: It’s back to taking part in nonconference teams. All seven of Purdue’s losses arrived in convention play. Purdue acquired it’s very first No. 1 position in The AP Best 25 poll in December.

Jaden Ivey is a most likely lottery pick and Matt Painter is regarded as one particular of the ideal coaches in the region. But Purdue was upset previous season as the No. 4 seed and the Boilermakers have hardly ever designed a Final 4 below Painter.

Purdue misplaced to Iowa in the Huge 10 Match final. Purdue has not gained the league tourney due to the fact 2009.

“You get form of to the close and it’s a minor little bit various, but I assume actually what we learn is just you’ve bought to lay it on the line. You get on your own in near video games, in particular on a neutral court, like everything can transpire, but you have acquired to participate in much better,” Painter stated Sunday. “You’ve obtained to be extra efficient, you’ve obtained to be able to defend.”

HOOSIER HOPE

Indiana is again in the NCAA Event for the initial time due to the fact 2016.

The Hoosiers will perform Wyoming on Tuesday in the 1st Four in Dayton, Ohio. If the Hoosiers acquire, they will enjoy fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s in the East.

Indiana beat major-seeded Illinois, the normal-time co-champ, to achieve the Big Ten Event semis and they defeat eighth-seeded Michigan in the quarters. And they shed to No. 24 Iowa on Saturday when Jordan Bohannon banked in a tie-breaking 3-pointer from about 35 ft absent with .8 seconds remaining and as the shot clock was about to expire. Iowa received 80-77

“Those two video games ended up massive for us, and anyone is looking ahead to going down to Dayton and playing versus Wyoming due to the fact absolutely everyone is aware we have not been to the match considering that 2016 so it is big for our point out, big for our lover base, and anyone is wanting ahead to it,” IU guard Rob Phinisee reported.

Street TO NEW ORLEANS

When in doubt, go with No. 1. Baylor faces a extensive haul to acquire yet another championship — no staff has won back-to-back titles given that Florida in 2005–06, and 2006–07 less than Billy Donovan. But playing close to house early need to assistance the Bears, and they could roll that early good results all the way to New Orleans.

“Really thrilled about Fort Truly worth. The fellas worked genuinely tough to make that take place, getting a No. 1 seed two yrs in a row,” Drew reported of owning to travel only about 90 miles from the Waco campus. “The perks of that are taking part in in Fort Worthy of.”

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More AP protection of March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-insanity and https://apnews.com/hub/school-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Leading25