Bracketology 2022: Duke, Gonzaga, UCLA among early big winners
By Joey Loose
Last season’s NCAA Tournament was one of the sweetest we’ve had in a long time. After the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Tournament, 2021 gave us plenty of excitement and drama, all the way up to the exciting championship game between Gonzaga and Baylor. Now, the calendar has turned over and a new season has begun. What happened yesterday or yesteryear doesn’t matter to these teams, who now fight to make their way back to the NCAA Tournament.
The season just began five days ago, so it’s hard to say exactly what we know about a majority of the programs around the nation. Some don’t have their full rosters available yet due to injury or ineligibility. Others haven’t played tough opponents, or have been overmatched in their early season games.
Despite this, these five days, the opening week of the season, have given us some idea of what we’re getting to see all season long. There have been upsets, drama, buzzer beaters, and plenty of excitement already. The calendar reads November, not March, but teams are already vying for spots in the NCAA Tournament. The 2022 NCAA Tournament should provide us with some fantastic drama.
Early on, we’ve seen a number of teams play some fantastic games, while several others have stumbled out of the gate. It’s hard to miss some upsetting opening week performances by teams like Virginia, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, and a slew of other power conference programs. However, our focus will instead be on the team’s making a positive impact early in the season, specifically in regards to how these games will affect their standing for that 2022 Tournament.
We’ll be looking closely at five teams from this first week of the season that can be considered winners in regards to bracketology. Months away from the Tournament, these teams are making solid first impressions that are meaningful. Ultimately, it’s still mid-November and there’s a long time for things to change. Without further ado, let’s get right into these five teams, though some won’t come as a surprise.