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NCAA Basketball: Matchups we would’ve loved to see in 2020 NCAA Tournament

By Donovan Darlington

JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 20: The NCAA March Madness logo on the floor during the NCAA Basketball First round practice session at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 20: The NCAA March Madness logo on the floor during the NCAA Basketball First round practice session at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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DAYTON, OH – MARCH 07: Rodney Chatman #0, Obi Toppin #1 and Jalen Crutcher #10 of the Dayton Flyers (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
DAYTON, OH – MARCH 07: Rodney Chatman #0, Obi Toppin #1 and Jalen Crutcher #10 of the Dayton Flyers (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Dayton vs. San Diego State

The crazy part about this NCAA basketball season is the fact that during the majority of previous NCAA Tournaments, this would be a First Round game between an 8 seed and a 9 seed. That is far from the case this season. This is a matchup we would have most likely gotten in the Elite Eight or later. Man, it sure would have been great to see.

In a season where Obi Toppin and Malachi Flynn became household names, we were able to watch as their respective teams, carrying the mid-major label, established themselves as two of the most dominant programs in NCAA basketball. A matchup between the Flyers and Aztecs would not only be a great opportunity for Toppin and Flynn to go at it, but it would make it clear that the scope of talent in the college game is ever-changing.

In the game between these two, I would expect lots of points to be scored, but at the same time, I feel as if a few strong defensive stands would be the difference. Both teams possess prolific scoring offenses. Dayton averages 80 ppg and SDSU averages 74.8. Almost as great as their ability to break their opponents on offense, they are also two of the best defensive teams in NCAA basketball. Dayton held its opponents to only 64.5 ppg. SDSU, holding its opponents to only 59.5 ppg, sits at 3rd in the nation in opponent ppg.

With both teams being able to successfully push the tempo while also slow their opponents offensively, I think this game would have given us a back and forth battle like no other. This would have allowed it to be a very great game to watch.

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