Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Eight teams that can win it all in 2014

Auburn v Florida

Getty Images

Rob Foldy

SEC Kentucky Georgia Basketball

AP Photo

AP

RELATED: East Region | South Region | Midwest Region | West Region

1. Florida Gators: Since February, Florida has largely been considered to be the best team in the country, and it showed on Selection Sunday when the committee awarded the Gators the No. 1 overall seed, playing in the South Region. They haven’t lost since Thanksgiving, they stormed through the SEC regular season and won the SEC tournament despite having absolutely nothing to play for. They can play about 17 different defenses at an elite level, and while they don’t have an NBA caliber superstar offensively, there is no weakness in their array of weaponry on that end and Scottie Wilbekin has done wonders to become the closer they need. They’re matchup proof and still got a friendly draw.

2. Michigan State Spartans: We’ve been saying it all season: if Sparty gets healthy, they’re a favorite to win the national title. It took a lot longer than expected, but Michigan State worked over a pair of No. 2 seeds in Wisconsin and Michigan en route to the Big Ten tournament title. I think they’re healthy, and as the No. 4 seed in the East Region that features Virginia and Villanova as the No. 1 and No. 2, that’s a scary thought.
MORE: Did Virginia deserve to get the fourth No. 1 seed?

3. Louisville Cardinals: The biggest argument that everyone seems to have with the bracket that was released was where Louisville was seeded. And while it’s true that there probably aren’t five teams in the country that are better than the Cardinals at this point, before whining about getting a No. 4 seed in the Midwest, remember this: If chalk holds, they only need to beat Manhattan, Saint Louis and Wichita State to get to the Elite 8.

4. Arizona Wildcats: As weird as it sounds, the biggest obstacle between Arizona, the No. 1 seed in the West Region, and the Final Four is a potential Round of 32 matchup with No. 9 seed Oklahoma State. Get past that, and the top four seeds in the region are Wisconsin, Creighton and San Diego State, and that’s before you consider the fact that the Wildcats have been streaking over the course of the past four weeks.

5. Kansas Jayhawks: Clearly, this is all going to depend on whether or not the Jayhawks can get Joel Embiid back by the Sweet 16. That may end up being a moot point, as Kansas, the No. 2 seed in the South, could end up playing New Mexico in the Round of 32. That wouldn’t be a favorable matchup, but the bottom line is that when they’re at 100%, Kansas is arguably the most talented team in the country. They’re the best team that isn’t a favorite.
MORE: TV schedule and announcer pairings for the first weekend

6. Iowa State Cyclones: I love this Iowa State team, and I think they ended up getting a beneficial bracket as the No. 3 seed in the East. They matchup well with both No. 6 North Carolina and No. 11 Providence, they should be favored in any potential Sweet 16 matchup, including No. 2 Villanova. The problem? I’m not sure that they can get past a potential matchup with Michigan State in the Elite 8.

7. Michigan Wolverines: I love Nik Stauskas. I love Caris LeVert. I think Derrick Walton and Glenn Robinson III are playing well of late, and I’m intrigued by the idea that Mitch McGary could end up back with the team at some point. They can put up points with anyone in the country. But can they get enough stops? The good news is that the No. 2 seed in the Midwest could end up unchallenged until the Elite 8.

8. Wichita State Shockers: The committee just didn’t feel like doing Wichita State any favors. The No. 1 seed in the Midwest, they’ll have to face either Kentucky or Kansas State in St. Louis in the Round of 32. Make it out of that meat-grinder and they could end up getting rewarded with a game against Louisville in the Sweet 16. This is a very good basketball team that unfortunately got what pretty much amounts to a worst-case scenario with their draw.