NCAA Tourney previews: EAST | SOUTH | MIDWEST | WEST
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No. 9 Florida State is the best defensive team in the country — at least according to field goal percentage. Opponents shoot just 37.4 percent when they play the Seminoles. Only Kansas is close among high-major teams (37.7 percent). The Seminoles have plenty of size up front, making it tough to get to the basket consistently. Solomon Alabi, a 7-foot-1, 251-pound center, averages 2.4 blocks per game. Florida State outrebounds opponents by 5.6 per game. — Brian McNally
FIRECRACKER SPECIAL » We’d pay for ringside seats to this heavyweight fight
BYU’s Jimmer Fredette vs. Kansas State’s Jacob Pullen
Second round » Two of the country’s top 50 scorers could face off in the second round. BYU junior guard Jimmer Fredette (21.7 ppg) has blistered opposing defenses all season, including a record 45-point effort against Texas Christian in the Mountain West tournament quarterfinals and 49 in a win at Arizona. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder also shoots 44.8 percent from 3-point range. Kansas State junior guard Jacob Pullen, meanwhile, averages a team-high 18.9 ppg and also 3.5 apg. He had 26 points in the Big 12 semifinals against Baylor, and the 6-foot, 200-pound bulldog twice topped 20 points in losses to rival Kansas. He’s not as good a 3-point shooter as Fredette, however, at 38.4 percent. — Brian McNally
The Favorite » Syracuse
Forget the two straight losses. Syracuse has too much talent and versatility to be considered a declining team. The Orange can beat teams in multiple ways, one reason they’ve had great success vs. top 25 teams this season. For a chunk of the year, Wesley Johnson was in the mix when it came to player of the year candidates. He isn’t anymore, but he’s still a stud, averaging 16.0 ppg and 8.4 rpg. Arinze Onuaku, provided he’s healthy after hurting his quadriceps in the Big East Tournament, and Rick Jackson provide physical play inside. Their size on the inside of the 2-3 zone provides a lot of trouble for opponents. Andy Rautins has made a team-best 86 3-pointers and is second in scoring (11.7 ppg). All five starters score in double figures.
Achilles’ heel » Syracuse loves its zone defense, but if a team can attack it with tall, athletic perimeter players, it has a chance to hurt the Orange. But they must have players who can finish at the rim. Georgetown hurt the Orange inside in the Big East Tournament but did so by using a big player in the high post to draw the defense and pass. — John Keim
