NCAA Midwest Region Reboot: Favorite, Best Value Play, Best Backcourt, & Winner

The second weekend is rapidly approaching for the NCAA Tournament, and we’re here to give you a region-by-region breakdown of the remaining field. We break down the Midwest Region, where it’s been mostly chalk between the top seeds. Take a look at the favorite, the best value play, the top backcourt, and who we believe will be heading to Houston.

Connelly’s Region Reboots: East | South | West

The Cougars suffered a slight scare facing a double-digit deficit at halftime of Saturday’s second-round matchup with Auburn, but they flexed their muscles in the second half and pushed past the Tigers.

This team has everything you want in a national title contender. Every position is filled with talent on the roster, they are experienced, and they are led by arguably the best head coach in the region, Kelvin Sampson. They rightfully remain the favorites to make it out of the Midwest.

Xavier was staring down the barrel of first-round elimination after being down 13 to Kennesaw State in the opening round, but a valiant comeback and domination of Pittsburgh suddenly has them in the second weekend. Souley Boum may be the best transfer in America as he continues to come up big for the Musketeers when they need it most.

Adam Kunkel is a name to watch here. The senior can catch fire at any time from deep. On Sunday, he poured in five triples in the first half alone against the Panthers. This team has the pieces to cash you a handsomely priced ticket this weekend.

Head coach Jim Larrañaga has the luxury of boasting the best backcourt in this region on his Hurricanes roster. Two scorers that come up clutch in crunch time, Isaiah Wong and Nijel Pack, rival any guard combo in the nation.

Frontcourt mates Jordan Miller and Norchad Omier help round out a skillful starting quartet of talent that help produce the 11th-best offense in the nation per KenPom.

Texas is on a seven-game win streak that includes two wins over Kansas, a win over TCU, and a win over Penn State. Yet nobody seems to care.

Interim head coach Rodney Terry may be sealing up the job search in Austin as he is proving he can be the man for the job with the Longhorns playing their best basketball of the season. This is the sixth-oldest team in the country, with unbelievable talent at every position and an offense and defense that each rank within the top 15. They are the ones to back at cost.