NCAA Basketball: Previewing the 2017 PK80 Motion Bracket
Meet the teams
Duke Blue Devils
The No. 1 team in the nation going into this tournament, the Duke Blue Devils have it all. They are led by one of the top freshmen in the country in Marvin Bagley and an elite senior in Grayson Allen. Coach K once again has compiled an awesome recruiting class and it is showing in the early going. Duke has a victory over Michigan State already under their belt and they can add a couple more good wins here.
Portland State Vikings
Portland State is 3-0, but it also seems like they are the worst team in this bracket. The Vikings are playing in their hometown so they will have that advantage, but their talent level is below the rest of the teams here. Their wins this season have been against Portland, Willamette, and UC-Riverside. It would be a massive surprise if they came away with one or more victories in this tournament. They have three senior leaders who average in double-figures.
Butler Bulldogs
One of the more consistent programs in the country in recent years, Butler is coming off of a Sweet 16 appearance last year. They lost a bunch of talent in the offseason but look to have reloaded for another solid season. Seniors Kelan Martin and Tyler Wideman are off to solid starts in their final season. The Bulldogs are 3-1 in the early going with a tough road loss to Maryland. Otherwise, their wins over Princeton and Furman could be against potential tournament teams.
Texas Longhorns
Head coach Shaka Smart has put together a very young and talented team for this year. In the preseason, they were picked to finish around the middle of the Big 12 and they have several high-profile players. Leading the way is Mo Bamba, who was a top-5 high school recruit. Add in Matt Coleman, Kerwin Roach Jr., and Dylan Osetkowski as well and this is a potential NCAA Tournament team. The Longhorns are 3-0, but this will be the first time they will be tested with any major conference opponent.
Florida Gators
Fresh off their Elite Eight appearance of a season ago, the Florida Gators are a preseason top-15 team in the country. They bring back a ton of talent throughout their roster, including an elite backcourt of KeVaughn Allen and Chris Chiozza. Similar to Texas, the Gators are yet to be tested against a major conference opponent, so this will be a good opportunity for the team. Head coach Mike White will have his team ready.
Stanford Cardinal
A dark-horse contender to snag a big win or two in this tournament, Stanford is sneaky. As long as they are healthy, the Cardinal has a solid chance at being a bubble team this year. The most important thing for them in this tournament is hopefully coming away with at least one resume-building win. Behind the star play of Reid Travis, they could upset anyone if he has an unconscious night. If you haven’t heard of Travis yet, you will soon.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State is expected to have a down year this season but do not underestimate Chris Holtmann as a head coach. Even though he is working with a depleted roster compared to last season, Holtmann is an incredible in-game coach and he could push this team to an upset. The Buckeyes are yet to play a major conference opponent but they are 4-0 in the early going.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Despite losing plenty of talent from their national runner-up season a year ago, Gonzaga is still a preseason top-25 team in the country. They bring back enough of their rotation along with some intriguing freshmen/transfers to make them a dangerous team. Coach Mark Few always makes the Bulldogs one of the top teams in the nation and there is no reason to believe they won’t be once again. They are 3-0 so far.