Who’s in Villanova’s way as March Madness bracket is revealed

How will Villanova prime last year’s excellent ending? By doing it once more. After winning the school’s initial national championship in thirty one years, with arguably the best shot within the history of the game, the Wildcats come back to the NCAA Tournament as an excellent larger favorite, getting into because the top-overall seed within the field in their quest to become the primary team in a very decade to win succeeding national championships. Since Florida won the 2007 national title, no defensive champion has advanced past the Sweet sixteen, however Villanova (31-3) — a veteran cluster light-emitting diode by huge East Player of the Year taunt Hart and championship game hero dagger Jenkins — could also be the most effective bet since to finish the rare effort, as simply the second defensive champion since Florida to earn a No. 1 seed. However, solely 3 top-overall seeds have won the national title within the past thirteen years. To reach another Final Four — at University of Phoenix structure in Glendale, Ariz. — the four-time defensive huge East champions can probably have to be compelled to get past the foremost proficient team within the country — second-seeded Duke. The nation’s top-ranked team within the season also are favorites to succeed in the East Region final at Madison sq. Garden, putting in place a possible pairing of the last 2 national champions. Before the Blue Devils (27-8) will come back to ny, they have to demonstrate that four days of brilliance within the ACC Tournament meant over four months of underachieving. Before that extremely anticipated meeting will occur, Villanova might have to beat No. eight Wisconsin, No. four Florida and A level of pressure not like any the varsity has ever encountered. “Just staying humble,” Villanova coach Jay Wright aforementioned once asked regarding the team’s greatest challenge following its huge East championship win Saturday night. “You get lots of attention. … Handling all that's about to be the most important obstacle.” Duke was thought to be in thought for a No. 1 seed, however ultimately didn’t even earn the highest two-seed within the draw. And despite losing to the Blue Devils double this season, rival North geographical region (27-7) — last year’s national second best — earned the No. one seed within the South Region, mostly thanks to its second straight regular-season conference championship. “The method doesn’t begin Sunday morning. It starts on Wed and Duke came in because the top-ranked team on the four-line. … [and] Duke had the biggest jump by going 2 lines,” aforementioned Mark Hollis, chairman of the choice committee and Michigan State’s athletic director. “Frankly, [they] weren’t compared against groups that were on the one-line.” The Tar Heels, that have advanced to the Elite Eight in their six previous NCAA Tournaments as a top-seed below Roy Williams, headline the blue-blood portion of the bracket, doubtless facing SEC champion, second-seeded American state (29-5) or third-seeded UCLA (29-4) within the Regional final. The 11-time national champion Bruins, World Health Organization won at American state on Dec. 3, can have to be compelled to create the foremost of this run with the highest-scoring offense within the country, and star freshman guard Lonzo Ball, World Health Organization hopes to bring UCLA its initial national championship in twenty two years before turning into a prime NBA draft decide. In the West Region, Gonzaga (32-1) was given the No. 1 seed, giving critics spare fuel if the Bulldogs once more fail to form their initial Final Four. Gonzaga, that has created nineteen straight tournament appearances and lost within the second spherical as a prime seed in 2013, may be a well-liked decide to fall once more early, with No. eight Northwestern — creating its first-ever trip to the massive Dance — looming, followed by a possible meeting with either No. five Notre Dame, that has reached succeeding Elite Eights, or No. four WV.