UConn faces loaded West Region bracket in NCAA Tournament; breaking down Huskies’ chances vs. Iona and Final Four contenders

The UConn men’s basketball team wasn’t done any favors by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee.

The Huskies are the fourth seed in a West Region that is chock full with contenders , and their First Round draw is No. 13-seed Iona Gaels (Friday, 4:30 p.m. TBS), led by Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino.

Ten of the 17 programs in the region were ranked for at least one week this season in the AP Poll, seven as high as the Top 16. Each of the top four seeds in the region (Kansas, UCLA, Gonzaga, UConn) were ranked No. 2 or higher at one point this year and all were Top 10 in the AP’s final poll on Monday.

Still, according to The Athletic, UConn has the seventh-best odds (+1600) out of anyone in the tournament to win the national title . Kansas has the second-best odds at +800, while UCLA is fifth at +1200 and Gonzaga is ninth at +1800.

Breaking down the West Region, starting with the group playing in Albany:

No. 4 UConn vs. No. 13 Iona

Head Coach (all-time record): UConn: Dan Hurley (249-159), Iona: Rick Pitino (834-292)Record: UConn: 25-8, Iona: 27-7Key players: UConn: Jordan Hawkins, Tristen Newton, Andre Jackson. Iona: Walter Clayton Jr., Daniss Jenkins, Nelly Junior Joseph.

What to know: Dan Hurley has never coached against Rick Pitino, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, but as the son of a Hall of Fame coach in his own right (Bobby Hurley), he understands the moment. Beaten in the first round the last two seasons, UConn has a team of the quality that should advance, but the Huskies have to prove they can get over the hump. That means Hawkins will have to snap back from a rough shooting night in the Big East semifinal, Newton has to be confident and aggressive on both ends of the floor and Jackson has to stay even-keeled and out of foul trouble .

For Iona, Pitino has a backcourt of Clayton and Jenkins who are each averaging more than 15 points per game. Clayton, shooting over 42% from 3-point range this season, has had 12 games with 20 points or more and three with at least 25. Jenkins scored 27 points in the Gaels’ MAAC Championship win over Marist and, with the cut-down net draped over his shoulders, told reporters: “We just want to seize our opportunity and see what we can do.” Iona also has a 6-foot-9 center in Junior Joseph who averaged a near double-double with 15.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. While the Huskies are the heavy favorite, one can expect Pitino to come with a heavy scout after five days of preparation.

“It’s sports, and it’s entertainment,” Hurley said Sunday. “You have two different things going on: You have a group of people like myself, the coaches and the players who this consumes your whole life. The mission – winning, losing, succeeding, failing together – it’s your life. It’s everything. And then you also have the fans who, for them, this is either they’re die-hards or just they love sports, and we have a responsibility to give them what they want which is dramatic games and storylines, especially in March Madness.”

No. 5 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 12 VCU

Head Coach (all-time record): Saint Mary’s: Randy Bennett (506-207), VCU: Mike Rhoades (176-112)Record: Saint Mary’s: 26-7, VCU: 27-7Key players: Saint Mary’s: Logan Johnson, Aidan Mahaney, Mitchell Saxen. VCU: Adrian Baldwin Jr., Brandon Johns Jr., Jalen DeLoach.

What to know: Saint Mary’s carries the perception its West Coast Conference mate Gonzaga was plagued with for several years, as many believe teams from its mid-major league racked up wins against lesser competition and they are more likely to be ousted early. to the rest of the country and that teams from the conference are more likely to be ousted early. “]The Gaels are just a four-point favorite in this game, according to ESPN, and are looking for their second NCAA Tournament win under Bennett, who’s been at the helm since 2001-02. VCU is making its third tournament appearance in five years, and has the sixth-best forced turnover rate in the country, according to KenPom. To win the game and advance to play the winner of UConn and Iona, VCU will have to maximize its defense and limit Mahoney and Saint Mary’s from beyond the arc.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Predictions: Index

If UConn makes it to the Sweet 16, the Huskies will have to play one of these next four opponents:

No. 1 Kansas (27-7) vs. No. 16 Howard (22-12)

Head Coach: Kansas: Bill Self, Howard: Kenny Blakeney

What to know: Should UConn reach the second weekend for the first time since the 2013-14 national championship season, the Huskies would likely meet a Kansas team that has had spurts where it was undoubtedly the best team in the country and a losing stretch, like UConn, where the Jayhawks struggled to put it all together. Kansas has two of the best forwards in the country in Jalen Wilson and Gradey Dick, and will be an extremely tough out in the early rounds. Howard won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament and is making its first tournament appearance since 1992. The Bison have several players who could make noise, but face a monstrous challenge in Self’s Kansas team.

No. 8 Arkansas (20-13) vs. No. 9 Illinois (20-12)

Head Coach: Arkansas: Eric Musselman, Illinois: Brad Underwood

What to know: Arkansas looked like a legitimate national title contender early in the season. The Razorbacks were picked to finish second in the SEC and went down to the wire with Creighton at the November Maui Invitational in one of the most entertaining games this season. But Arkansas faced a serious battle with the injury bug, six players missing at least five games, and frustration compounded as the Razorbacks lost six of their last nine. Illinois didn’t have the best ending to its season either, losing six of 10, but carries great wins over UCLA and Texas. Illinois guard Terrance Shannon Jr., averaging more than 17 points per game, could help carry the Illini past Arkansas, but whichever team advances will have its hands full with a likely second round matchup against Kansas.

A look at the teams UConn would have to play if it made the Elite Eight in Las Vegas:

No. 2 UCLA (29-5)

Led by veterans Jaime Jaquez and Tyger Campbell, as well as freshman Amari Bailey, Mick Cronin’s team has made it to the Sweet 16 and the Final Four in the last two seasons and has a chance at another long run. Hurting the Bruins, however, is the season-ending achilles tear suffered by Jaylen Clark, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and the shoulder injury to big man Adem Bona that kept him out of the conference championship game.

No. 3 Gonzaga (28-5)

Mark Few doesn’t have the world-beating superstar like the Zags have had over the last several years, but he still has Drew Timme, who averages over 20 points per game. Gonzaga is No. 1 on KenPom in offensive efficiency, but No. 76 on the defensive end.

No. 6 TCU (21-12)

Junior guard Mike Miles Jr. is critical for TCU’s success. Miles, averaging more than 17 points per game and one of 15 finalists for the Wooden Award, missed five games with a hyperextended knee and the Horned Frogs went 1-4 in those games.

No. 7 Northwestern (21-11)

Northwestern beat Illinois and Indiana back-to-back in January and had a February stretch where it beat Purdue and Indiana again in back-to-back games, but then the Wildcats finished their season losing four of five. If Northwestern gets hot, there could be a thrilling second round matchup in store against UCLA.

No. 10 Boise State (24-9)

Boise State has a Top 15 defense and five players averaging double-digit scoring, but the Broncos have few good wins (Texas A&M and season splits against San Diego St., Utah St. and Nevada). Northwestern is a tough first round draw.

No. 11 Arizona State/No. 11 Nevada

Another Hurley! Dan Hurley versus older brother Bobby would be an incredibly entertaining Elite Eight matchup, but first Bobby’s Sun Devils have to get past Jarod Lucas, Kenan Blackshear and Nevada in the First Four.

No. 14 Grand Canyon (24-11)

The Western Athletic Conference champion Antelopes are the 23rd-best 3-point shooting team in the country, per KenPom. Could Rayshon Harrison, averaging over 17 points per game, lead the ‘Lopes to an upset?

No. 15 UNC Asheville (27-7)

The Bulldogs might need even more than the 21.2 points and 9.4 rebounds forward Drew Pember is averaging to get past UCLA, but it is March.