NCAA Tournament: UNC, Kentucky, Houston, and Auburn remain in Midwest Region
By TJ Miller
Key Questions
Will Kentucky have PJ Washington?
This is perhaps the most pressing question in the Midwest Region. Things may clarify as we draw near to Friday night’s game time, but for now it seems the status of PJ Washington is unclear. It has been reported Washington is likely to shed the cast covering his sprained foot which is good news. With that said, it’s just hard to know how likely Washington is to suit up against Houston. Without him it’s a little difficult to see Kentucky having the chops to win two straight in Kansas City.
Are we promised dinner and a show?
Friday night we get North Carolina vs. Auburn in what is being hyped as a must see offensive treat. Both teams rank in the top 10 in adjusted offense efficiency, just the second sweet sixteen matchup of its kind (Tennessee vs. Purdue). The over/under as of now sits at 164 which forecasts both teams to near or surpass 80 points. Both teams have well-balanced offenses that can hurt you in multiple ways.
Where they differ is North Carolina plays a faster tempo than Auburn. The Tigers don’t play a slow style by any means but will prefer to find more shots in the half court if they can’t get an easy fast break look. It will be interesting to see if Bruce Pearl is willing to run with the Tar Heels or if he’ll elect to be more selective.
How much does location matter?
After Selection Sunday much was made of the possibility of Kansas practically playing a home game in Kansas City if the Jayhawks advanced. With Kansas knocked out early, Kansas City won’t be a home game for anybody. But an interesting inconvenience remains for the Tar Heels. Check out the distance each school has to travel to the Spring Center.
- Kentucky – 583 Miles
- Houston – 739 Miles
- Auburn – 838 Miles
- North Carolina – 1064 Miles
Even though North Carolina is the 1 seed in the Midwest, UNC fans will have the longest travel journey to Kansas City of the four schools. I don’t think the Tar Heels will be vastly outnumbered in any matchup in KC. However, it’s probably fair to assume North Carolina might not have any overwhelming advantage when it comes to crowd support.