2022 NCAA Tournament: Baylor, Kentucky and Purdue headlines East Region

(1) Baylor vs. (16) Norfolk State

The defending national champs begin the defense of their title with a game against the champs of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the Spartans of Norfolk State. Whether the Bears have leading scorer LJ Cryer, who has missed the last 13 games or not remains a mystery, but it likely won’t matter for a Baylor team that checks every advantage box in this game.

Even without Cryer, Baylor has a handful of guys capable of throwing up double digits in any given game. They are led by James Akinjo and Adam Flagler who average 13.4 points but the trio of Matthew Mayer, Kendall Brown, and Jeremy Sochan has also shown that ability.

Norfolk State will likely struggle in this game, but Joe Bryant, Jr. will be fun to watch. The 6’1 guard leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals and is one of the best free-throw shooters in the country at 92%.

Prediction: Baylor

(8) North Carolina vs. (9) Marquette

North Carolina enters this game with Marquette having won eight of their last 10 despite losing to Virginia Tech in the ACC semifinals. Marquette on the other hand had a stretch earlier in the year where they won eight of nine with five wins over top-25 teams, but after beating Villanova they finished the year just 3-5.

I expect the Tar Heels to use the size advantage of Armando Bacot and Brady Manek in this one because Kur Kath and Oso Ighodaro are the only players in Marquette’s rotation over 6’9, but neither should pose much of a hindrance at either end for the North Carolina big men.

Prediction: North Carolina