NCAA Tournament: Virginia, Tennessee headline South Region primer

Players to watch in the South Region

De’Andre Hunter, Virginia: A future NBA star, De’Andre Hunter is the best player on the Virginia roster. He brings elite-level size to the wing and is superb on both ends of the floor. On offense, he is a knockdown shooter from the perimeter and a better finisher around the basket than most give him credit for. Defensively, good luck finding a better wing.

Ethan Happ, Wisconsin: The best post player in the country, Ethan Happ is a matchup nightmare for both teams. He has insane footwork around the rim, is an incredible passer, and is very creative as a defender as well. Happ, now a senior, has been the national radar for some time and it is great to see him back in the NCAA Tournament. Will he be able to make free throws, though?

Payton Pritchard, Oregon: One of Bill Walton’s favorite players nationally, Payton Pritchard is your prototypical “do-it-all” guard. He can shoot it from deep, distribute for others, play sound defense, and be the leader that he needs to be for his teammates. Pritchard is one of the few “veterans” on the Oregon roster and that makes his presence on the team invaluable.

Phil Booth, Villanova: Villanova’s senior leader is one of the more underrated players in the nation. For the past few seasons, Phil Booth has been overshadowed by other players but this is his team now and he is doing a great job with it. Booth can score at all three levels, is an incredible leader, and is finally healthy enough to be a strong defender as well.

Jordan Ford, St. Mary’s: Not many players in the country drive to the hoop better than Jordan Ford. He might not be an elite perimeter shooter but he does an absolutely incredible job getting to the basket and finishing around or through traffic. He did not play tremendously well against Gonzaga and you should expect that Ford has a big game coming.

Carsen Edwards, Purdue: Arguably the best scoring guard in the country, Carsen Edwards can absolutely fill it up. He has insane range and a light greener than…whatever the greenest item in the world is. Edwards has seemingly free reign within the Purdue offense and he is the reason why they are ranked in the top-5 in adjusted offensive efficiency.

Grant Williams, Tennessee: One of the veteran leaders on the Tennessee roster, Grant Williams has the ability to impact every game in a multitude of ways. He can score from deep or bully his way to the basket and is also a strong defender. Williams, along with his partner-in-crime Admiral Schofield, is a major reason why the Vols are a national title contender.

Jordan Bohannon, Iowa: One of the most clutch scorers in the nation, Jordan Bohannon is a “big-shot maker.” Seemingly regardless of the situation, Bohannon will add three points to the scoreboard in a ridiculous way and that makes the Hawkeyes dangerous. Bohannon has insane range and only needs an inch of space to get his shot off.