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NCAA Tournament 2019: Strengths and weaknesses of South Region teams

By Jason Burgess

KNOXVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 29: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrate on the bench during the second half of the game between the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 29, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 96-53. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 29: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrate on the bench during the second half of the game between the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 29, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 96-53. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 14: Teammates Kyle Guy #5 and Ty Jerome #11 of the Virginia Cavaliers react after a play against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men’s ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 14: Teammates Kyle Guy #5 and Ty Jerome #11 of the Virginia Cavaliers react after a play against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men’s ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers

Strengths: Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers have the best defense in the country, giving up less than 56 points per game and are 4th in field goal percentage defense at 41% and the best at defending the three-pointer, where opponents shoot just 27%. The reason this Virginia team is different is that they are better offensively than in years past. The 72 points per game they score is the best output for Virginia in the last eight seasons.

Weaknesses: The thing that might scare some Hoos’ fans is the fact that they still play at one of the slowest paces in the country, and if you play that slow, opponents have a chance to stay within striking distance if your shots aren’t falling on offense. For a team that plays great defense, Virginia doesn’t force a ton of turnovers, turning teams over less than 11 times per game, which means opponents will have a chance to score at nearly every possession, which is important in a slow-paced game.

No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers

Strengths: Tennessee’s efficiency inside the arc is key for Rick Barnes and his team. The Volunteers are one of the best teams in the country at two-point shots and the 44% they allow opponents to shoot that shot is top-ten in the sport and it’s that kind of versatility on both ends that makes Tennessee tough. The Volunteers are also unselfish and share the basketball, they are 4th in the country in assists per game with over 18 per game and their assist-to-turnover ratio (1.63) is 3rd best.

Weaknesses: Outside the arc, the team isn’t as good, making less than seven per game and opponents shoot it at over 33%. If Tennessee is launching from the outside, that is a good sign for their opponents, another good thing for the Volunteers’ opponents in this tournament is that the team isn’t the same one that began the season, with four of the team’s five losses coming since Feb. 16. As the competition got tougher, the Vols struggled a bit more, something to keep an eye on going forward.

No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers

Strengths: If there is a player in this region that can take over a game, it’s Purdue’s, Carsen Edwards. The senior guard is an All-American candidate averaging 23 points, over three rebounds, three assists and over a steal per game. Another positive for Purdue is that they don’t turn the ball over, surrendering it less than 11 times per game, and in a region that is rampant with defensive specialists, this could be key.

Weaknesses: Matt Painter’s Boilermakers are just an average team when it comes to defending the three-point shot, 34.4% places them just outside the top-200 in the nation. Despite shooting over 73% from the free throw line they don’t do a good job of getting to the line, ranking 272nd in free throw rate at just 29%.

No. 4 Kansas State Wildcats

Strengths: The Wildcats are different with a healthy Dean Wade, but he is injured again and whether he suits up for the tournament is a mystery. Bruce Weber’s team is used to playing without it’s leading rebounder. Like most of the teams in this region, the Wildcats excel defensively, giving up just 59 points per contest and they allow opponents to shoot just 31% from beyond the arc. They are also very good when it comes to taking the ball away and forcing turnovers. They force nearly 15 per game and swipe over seven steals per game to supplement that stingy defense.

Weaknesses: Kansas State struggles on the glass at both ends of the floor, ranking near the bottom of the sport in both defensive rebounds and total rebounds per game, while pulling down just over nine offensive rebounds per game. With a lot of the games in this region likely to be low-scoring, possibly tight affairs, free throw shooting will take on more importance and the Wildcats are one of the worst free-throw shooting teams in the country at just 66%.

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