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NCAA Tournament: Virginia, Tennessee, Purdue and Oregon remain in South Region

By John Szymendera

COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 24: The Tennessee Volunteers huddle prior to their game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 24: The Tennessee Volunteers huddle prior to their game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 24: Louis King #2 of the Oregon Ducks celebrates after a basket in the second half against the UC Irvine Anteaters during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 24, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 24: Louis King #2 of the Oregon Ducks celebrates after a basket in the second half against the UC Irvine Anteaters during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 24, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /

Team Review

Virginia

Virginia is a team that may be one of the most underrated due to their past tournament performances, and probably deservedly so. They are led by star trio De’Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, and Kyle Guy, but that has not been the case so far this tournament.

In particular, Guy, one of the best shooters in the country at 44% from beyond the arc, is struggling. He is one for fifteen from three through the first two games. Meanwhile, forward Mamadi Diakite has emerged as a legitimate scoring threat and is picking up the slack for Guy. Averaging 7.4 points on the season, Diakite has contributed 17 and 14 in Virginia’s two tournament games while being a constant terror on the defensive end. He even replaced sole senior Jack Salt in the starting line up against Oklahoma. Salt has essentially been played off the court by Diakite and budding bench center Jay Huff.

As always, the Cavaliers are defined by their dominant defense, and slow efficient offense. They are ranked second in the country in offensive efficiency and third in defensive according to KenPom, combining as the most efficient team overall this season.

Oregon

Oregon is not the typical Cinderella as a power five school with experience late in the tournament, but they are the best underdog story you can get after a weekend dominated by the top seeds. The Ducks are by far the worst team left, but there is reason to have hope.

The Ducks are on a ten game win streak after winning the PAC-12 tournament and are a dangerous defensive team. Without heralded recruit Bol Bol, sophomore forward Kenny Wooten has stepped up as a shot-blocking menace, averaging 2.2 per game but recording 11 through the first two games of the tournament. He will be a major key if Oregon wants to continue their streak.

Junior guard Payton Pritchard will be the most important play for the Ducks if they want to take down Virginia. Oregon has a tendency to go cold for long stretched, and Pritchard will need to have a career game to ensure that does not happen. Senior guard Ehab Amin will also be very important off the bench for the Ducks. After finishing with zero points against Wisconsin, he contributed twelve against the Anteaters and helped shoot the Ducks out of their slump in the second half.

Tennessee

Tennessee has not been at the top of their game to start the tournament, but it is clear that it is not any one player. No one on the team has played exceptionally poorly in either game and it has been more of a team execution slump. The Volunteers committed 17 turnovers against the Hawkeyes with eight of the nine players to get in the game committing at least one turnover.

This should be less of a concern with time to prepare against Purdue but may prove costly in a quick turn around if the Volunteers advance and face the Virginia defense two days later.

Tennessee plays a small rotation with guard Jordan Bowden getting the only significant playing time off the bench. He is a very reliable sixth man however as one of the five players averaging double-digit scoring for the team. Overall, the Volunteers are a veteran team of mostly juniors led by Grant Williams and senior Admiral Schofield.

Purdue

The Boilermakers have had their way with the teams they have faced so far behind the scoring of junior guard Carsen Edwards. Behind Edwards is a group of strong role players led by senior Ryan Cline. The bench has been shortened for Purdue in the tournament with the main production come from their five starters.

Matt Haarms is the biggest x-factor of the region, literally. Standing at 7’3” no one can rival his height. He has played well, doubling his season average with 18 points against Villanova and grabbing nine boards. With only five against Old Dominion however, he needs to focus on winning the battle of the glass against a Tennessee team lacking in elite height.

Overall, this team truly will live and die by what Carsen Edwards can provide on the offensive end in terms of passing and scoring, but so far, so good in that respect.

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