March Madness: Ranking the 68 teams in the NCAA Tournament field
32. Texas A&M Aggies
No. 7 seed in the West Region, 20-12 (9-9 SEC)
Texas A&M might not do anything that jumps off the page but they are a very solid team. However, their inconsistent play is worrying for their NCAA Tournament hopes. They have gone through win streaks of three, four (twice), and seven this season. However, they have hit rough patches that include losing streaks of five and three this year. Tyler Davis (14.5 points, 8.8 rebounds) and Admon Gilder (12.2 points) are the offensive leaders on this team. This is a squad that thrives in their ability to block shots. This is especially due to Robert Williams, who swats 2.5 shots per game. However, their 32.7% shooting from deep is what leaves them behind other teams.
31. TCU Horned Frogs
No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region, 21-11 (9-9 Big 12)
After starting the year 12-0, TCU finished just 9-11. They have had a rough go of things lately, especially considering the loss of Jaylen Fisher to injury for the season. While the Horned Frogs have an excellent offense, their defense is horrid. They consistently struggle with teams that shoot well from 3-point range as it is hard for TCU’s offense to keep up with how bad their defense can be. Vladimir Brodziansky is the scoring leader on the team at 15.1 points per game but Kenrich Williams (13.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists) is the man to watch for the Horned Frogs. I find it unlikely that this team goes far in the Big Dance, though, because of their defense.
30. Alabama Crimson Tide
No. 9 seed in the East Region, 19-15 (8-10)
So how about Collin Sexton? The freshman star (19.0 points) is one of the best players in the country and can carry Alabama to a win or two in the Big Dance. Head coach Avery Johnson has pushed the Crimson Tide to new heights this season, even though their record might not reflect on that. The team played one of the most difficult schedules in the country this season and they showed night in and night out that they can compete with the best. Per KenPom, ‘Bama is one of the lowest ranked teams to receive an automatic bid. Yet, they will do everything they can do to change the analytics narrative.
29. Providence Friars
No. 10 seed in the West Region, 21-13 (10-8 Big East)
Providence has the second-worst KenPom rating of any team to receive an at-large bid this year. Don’t tell Kyron Cartwright or Ed Cooley that, though. This team has consistently outdone expectations over the years and there is enough talent on this team to make a second-weekend run. Cartwright’s statistics (11.8 points, 5.7 assists) do not back up just how good he is as a go-to player. Along with Alpha Diallo and Rodney Bullock, Cartwright is what makes this team tick.