Three Things to Know About Kentucky's Potential NCAA Tournament East Region Opponents

Three Things to Know About Kentucky's Potential NCAA Tournament East Region Opponents

Kentucky basketball will head to Greensboro, N.C. this weekend, beginning its journey in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. 

The No. 6-seeded Wildcats were placed in the East Region and will square off against the No. 11 seed Providence in the Round of 64 inside the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on Friday, March 17. 

Here are all of the matchups in the East Region: 

• No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 16 Texas Southern/Farleigh Dickinson (Columbus) 
• No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic (Columbus) 
• No. 5 Duke vs. No. 12 Oral Roberts (Orlando) 
• No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 13 Louisiana (Orlando) 
• No. 6 Kentucky vs. No. 11 Providence (Greensboro) 
• No. 3 Kansas State vs. No. 14 Montana State (Greensboro) 
• No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 USC (Columbus) 
• No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 15 Vermont (Columbus)

You already know about Kentucky. To find out more about the Friars, click HERE. 

Otherwise, here are three things you need to know about the other 14 teams that could be standing in the Wildcats' way of making the Final Four. 

*Adjusted Offensive Efficiency — AdjOE

*Adjusted Defensive Efficiency — AdjDE

No. 1 Purdue

NET: 5th

Quad 1 Record: 10-4

KenPom: 7th

AdjOE: 7th

AdjDE: 26th

1. The Boilermakers have dominated all season, compiling a 29-5 (15-5 Big Ten) record that most recently added a Big Ten Tournament title. Coach Matt Painter is still seeking that deep run in the Big Dance, but he's slowly built one of the best programs in the country. 

2. Center Zach Edey is the Big Ten Player of the Year and is likely on his way to becoming the National Player of the Year, averaging 22.3 PPG and 12.8 RPG, leading the Boilermakers to the No. 7 Adjusted Offensive Efficiency in the nation. The 7-foot-4 behemoth is blocking over two shots a game and will be the best player in the region. Things will start and end with Edey.  

3. While certainly worthy of the one seed, Purdue did finish the regular season 7-4, playing against a Big Ten conference that lacks other heavy-hitting teams. The last time Purdue won a game against a ranked opponent was against then-No. 24 Ohio State on Jan. 5. Since then, it has lost its only two ranked matchups, falling to Indiana twice. 

No. 2 Marquette

NET: 12th

Quad 1 Record: 8-5

KenPom: 12th

AdjOE: 8th

AdjDE: 47th

1. Standing at 28-6 (17-3 Big East), the Golden Eagles are conference champions, conference tournament champions and will enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country, winners of nine in a row. Marquette hasn't gotten out of the first weekend since 2013 (just three appearances since then), but this is the best roster it has had since then, led by coach Shaka Smart. 

2. Like Purdue, a conference Player of the Year leads the way. Sophomore guard Tyler Kolek averages 13.3 PPG, 7.7 APG (2nd in DI) and 4.2 RPG. He's a good shooter and can clearly move the rock. Marquette isn't as reliant on him as Purdue is on Edey, though, as four players average double-figures. It's actually guard Kam Jones who leads the team with 15.0 PPG. 

3. Marquette is a smaller team, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in shooting. Six players shoot 3-pointers at over a 30-percent clip, leading to a team-percentage of 34.8. It also ranks third in the nation in turnover margin. The downside? Rebounding. The Golden Eagles are 315th in the country in rebound margin. 

No. 3 Kansas State

NET: 24th

Quad 1 Record: 9-8

KenPom: 24th

AdjOE: 52nd

AdjDE: 19th

1. It's been one helluva turnaround for first-year head coach Jerome Tang, who has K-State in the Big Dance for the first time since 2019. The Wildcats are 23-9 (11-7 Big 12), headlined by a big nine-game winning streak. Since then, though, it went 8-8 in its final 16 games leading up to the tourney.

2. Kansas State may have the best one-two punch in the bracket, as Florida transfer forward Keyontae Johnson and Little Rock transfer guard Markquis Nowell combine for 34.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 9.8 APG and 3.5 steals-per-game. Johnson is shooting over 50 percent from the field and over 40 percent from 3-point range. The combo propel the Wildcats, while a bevy of other transfers help make one of the top defenses in the country. 

3. The Cats have the No. 40 tempo in D1, per KenPom. Getting up and down the court while staying stout on defense is the M.O. K-State is battle tested, having trekked through the Big 12, owning the No. 15 strength of schedule. If it and Kentucky both hold serve and move on to the Round of 32, memories of 2018 will arise, as Kentucky fell in the Sweet 16 to its namesake due to poor free-throw shooting. 

No. 4 Tennessee

NET: 4th

Quad 1 Record: 7-7

KenPom: 5th

AdjOE: 49th

AdjDE: 2nd

1. Sitting at 23-10 (11-7 SEC), No team is hobbling into March quite like the Tennessee Volunteers. After being considered one of the best teams in the nation for the first half of the season, a loss to Kentucky at home spurred a 9-8 finish through the SEC Tournament. 

2. Zakai Zeigler, a feisty point guard and one of the biggest cogs in the Volunteers' system (10.7 PPG, 5.4 APG, 2.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG) tore his ACL and is out for the season. Tennessee has struggled to recoup without him. Veterans Santiago Vescovi, Josiah-Jordan James and Olivier Nkamhoua are all capable of pulling extra weight and have played plenty of postseason basketball. It's all defense for the Vols, regardless. That won't change in March.  

3. Not counting the COVID season, this is the fifth NCAA Tourney in a row for coach Rick Barnes and Co. Making a deep run has been a challenge. Since 2010, UT has made the second weekend just three times and is seeking for just its second-ever appearance in the Elite Eight. That's the cloud that will hang over Knoxville until it's remedied. 

No. 5 Duke

NET: 16th

Quad 1 Record: 5-6

KenPom: 21st

AdjOE: 42nd

AdjDE: 24th

1. Year one of the Jon Scheyer era wasn't going great, until the Blue Devils (26-8, 14-6 ACC) ripped a nine-game winning streak that was finished off with a smooth run to the ACC Tournament title. All of a sudden, the Blue Devils are a hot and trendy pick to make some noise in March Madness. The tone has changed back to that normal gusto and bravado that's been carried around Durham for so long.

2. Freshman 7-footer Kyle Filipowski (15.4 PPG, 9.0 RPG) has taken the reigns in a big way. He's become the focal point, while veteran guard Jeremy Roach continues to run things in the backcourt. A group of hit-or-miss freshmen provide a high ceiling and a low floor. 

3. The defense has gotten better as the season has drawn on, sparking this big run that Duke finds itself amidst. Roach, as well as freshmen Dereck Lively II and Dariq Whitehead have gone through some injury patches, leading to some low spots in the middle of the campaign, but health is also on the side of the program that's looking to make it to its second consecutive Final Four and first post Mike Krzyzewski.

No. 7 Michigan State

NET: 33rd

Quad 1 Record: 5-9

KenPom: 32nd

AdjOE: 41st

AdjDE: 40th

1. This is the 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the Spartans (19-12, 11-8 Big 12) and Tom Izzo. Things haven't been as dominant in East Lansing over the past few seasons, but you know you'll always see that certain shade of green in March on the basketball court. MSU made the Final Four in 2019, but hasn't cracked the second weekend since. It feels like Sparty may be due. 

2. Michigan State's backcourt combo of Tyson Walker (14.6 PPG) and A.J. Hoggard (12.5 PPG, 6.0 APG) is lethal. Walker shoots the three at over 40 percent and doesn't turn the ball over much. Forward Joey Hauser — who lit up UK for 23 points and eight boards in the Champions Classic back in November — is a 45.6-percent 3-point shooter who also leads the team in rebounding at 6.9 a night to go along with 14.2 PPG.

3. The Spartans are a bunch of grizzled vets, making for a quintessential Izzo group. MSU has the No. 304 tempo in the country, making for a calculated style of play that has shown mixed results. Nothing encapsulates it like its last two games of the season, both of which came against Ohio State. March 4? An 84-78 win. March 10? a 68-58 loss. 

No. 8 Memphis

NET: 23rd

Quad 1 Record: 4-4

KenPom: 19th

AdjOE: 26th

AdjDE: 35th

1. It's back-to-back appearances in the Big Dance for Penny Hardaway-led Memphis (26-8, 13-5 AAC). The Tigers defeated Houston for a big win in the AAC Tournament championship, though the conference as a whole was rather down, and Houston's star Marcus Sasser was dealing with a groin injury. Aside from the Cougars, the only other ranked foes Memphis faced this season were Auburn and Alabama, defeating the Tigers in Atlanta and giving the No. 1 overall seed Crimson Tide a run for its money, losing 91-88 back in December. 

2. Memphis plays a fun brand of basketball that averages 79.8 PPG, and it all centers around senior guard Kendric Davis (22.1 PPG, 5.6 APG, 3.7 RPG) and senior forward DeAndre Williams (17.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG). The tempo is much different from Michigan State, as it ranks as the 17th fastest in the land. It's the style of basketball that can bode really well for a run in a tournament, but also be the reason why you lost and gave up 95 points in the Round of 64.

3. Hardaway's bench runs deep. A grand total of 11 players average over 10 minutes-per-game. Senior guard Elijah McCadden has stuffed the stat sheet as of late, while the likes of Keonte Kennedy, Alex Lomax and Malcom Dandridge each add a slew of points and boards. This is another team with a bevy of veterans as well. 

No. 9 Florida Atlantic

NET: 13th

Quad 1 Record: 2-1

KenPom: 26th

AdjOE: 32nd

AdjDE: 36th

1. Yes, Florida Atlantic is 13th in the NET. The Owls (31-3, 18-2 Conference USA) annihilated the C-USA and are going dancing for just the second time in program history. Coach Dusty May is in his fifth season as skipper in Boca Raton and failed to win 20 games in each of his first four seasons until this 2022-23 explosion.

2. A rotation of nine players make up the well-oiled machine. No one averages more than 26 minutes a night, meaning fresh bodies are on the court at all times. Guard Johnell Davis comes off the bench (C-USA Sixth Man of the Year) yet leads the team with 13.5 PPG, also adding 5.2 RPG. Sophomore guard Alijah Martin (13.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG) is right alongside Davis, while 7-foot-1 center Vladislav Goldin (10.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG) roams the paint. 

3. The Owls own the 19th-best 3-point shooting percentage in the nation at 37.2. Freshman guard Nicholas Boyd leads at 41.4 percent, followed by Davis at 39.3. Seven of the main nine players shoot it at 33 percent or better from deep. You know what the long ball can do in March. 

No. 10 USC

NET: 50th

Quad 1 Record: 3-6

KenPom: 36th

AdjOE: 43rd

AdjDE: 48th

1. The Trojans (22-10, 14-6 Pac-12) are back in the tournament for the third season in a row, now two years removed from their big run to the Elite Eight in 2021. Coach Andy Enfield is making his fifth NCAA Tourney appearance with USC. 

2. Senior guard Boogie Ellis is the star of the show, averaging 18.0 PPG. He has 11 games this season where he's eclipsed 20 points and recently dropped 35 on No. 2 seed Arizona. He's an 80.5-percent free-throw shooter and a 39.2-percent 3-point shooter. Ellis is paired in the backcourt with fellow senior Drew Peterson (14.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.4 APG). The lengthy scorer is rock solid in every aspect on the court. Another case of older veteran guard play, something that we've seen dominate tournaments in the past.

3. Another thing in favor of the Trojans? They have gone on four different win streaks of four games or more this season. There's nothing that USC does that will overly wow you, but there's also nothing that can be viewed at as a glaring weakness. 

No. 12 Oral Roberts

NET: 36th

Quad 1 Record: 0-4

KenPom: 56th

AdjOE: 23rd

AdjDE: 107th

1. There's another set of Golden Eagles (30-4, 18-0 Summit League) in the East Region. Oral Roberts is back for its seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament. It made a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 just two seasons ago in 2021, upsetting Ohio State as a No. 15 seed, then beating Florida. A certain guard that was the star of that show is back in the saddle once again.

2. Senior guard Max Abmas (22.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.0 APG) is one of the best players in the nation when he turns it on. He has 14 games with 25 or more points and is entering the Big Dance fresh off a 26-point, 11-assist outing in Oral's 92-58 win over North Dakota State to win the Summit League Tournament title. Arkansas transfer forward Connor Vanover (12.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG) is one to watch as well, but all eyes will be on Abmas as he looks to guide his team to another magical March.

3. The offensive efficiency rating is high for a reason. The Golden Eagles will chuck up 3-pointers, averaging the fourth-most per-game in the nation at 29.3. DeShang Weaver and Kareem Thompson — both of whom were on the Sweet 16 team with Abmas — shoot it at 42.3 and 39.2 percent, respectively, while guard Issac McBride sits at 41.1 percent. Oral's tempo is No. 38 in DI, making for some fun, run-and-gun basketball. 

No. 13 Louisiana

NET: 89th

Quad 1 Record: 0-2

KenPom: 92nd

AdjOE: 57th

AdjDE: 146th

1. Louisiana (26-7, 13-5 Sun Belt) is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. Its last five appearances have all witnessed first-round exits. Coach Bob Marlin is amidst year 13 and has guided the Ragin' Cajuns to their best record since the 2017-18 season. They went on a 10-game winning streak after starting Sun Belt play 0-2 and will now enter March Madness winners of five in a row. 

2. Jordan Brown stirs the drink down in Lafayette, as the junior forward averages a team-best 19.4 PPG and 8.7 RPG. He owns 10 double-doubles this season, including an Oscar Tshiebwe-esque performance against Marshall on Feb. 4 that witnessed 26 points and 20 rebounds. He's flanked by 40-percent 3-point shooter Greg Williams Jr and senior forward Terence Lewis II (11.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG). 

3. The Cajuns have put up plenty of high scoring totals this season, but it may have another metric in its favor come the tourney. Per KenPom, Louisiana is 35th in the nation in luck — "which is the deviation in winning percentage between a team’s actual record and their expected record using the correlated gaussian method." Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good!

No. 14 Montana State

NET: 103rd

Quad 1 Record: 0-2

KenPom: 110th

AdjOE: 170th

AdjDE: 73rd

1. It's the second straight appearance in March Madness for the Montana State Bobcats (29-5, 15-3 Big Sky). Coach Danny Sprinkle has now won 25 games or more for two years in a row, building a powerhouse that is finishing in the top two of its conference. It's on an eight-game winning streak and has won 13 of its last 14. 

2. Must acknowledge the luck metric, because Montana State (31st) is one of the few teams in the tournament that is "luckier" than Louisiana. Otherwise, junior guard RaeQuan Battle (17.4 PPG) spearheads the offense, while 6-foot-9 senior forward Jubrile Belo pours in 13.0 PPG to go with 6.1 RPG. 

3. The Bobcats will carry one of the better mid-major defenses into the bracket, as they rank 70th in the country in scoring defense, allowing just over 66 PPG. They played two Power 5 schools early in the season, losing by 30 to Oregon, then by 21 to Arizona. The average margin of victory during the eight-game Big Sky winning streak is just 6.25 points.

No. 15 Vermont

NET: 109th

Quad 1 Record: 0-3

KenPom: 113th

AdjOE: 99th

AdjDE: 153rd

1. It's also back-to-back appearances for the Catamounts (23-10, 14-2 America East), who are looking for their third-ever win in the NCAA Tournament. A tough early-season schedule built up some losses, but coach John Becker's team has won 15 in a row, smushing its conference. Becker, who is in year 12 as HC, has now won at least 20 games in 11 of those seasons and has seven straight conference titles. 

2. Kentucky fans may be familiar with Bellarmine transfer Dylan Penn, who made the jump to Vermont and is now rewarded with being able to play in the tournament. The senior guard leads his team with 13.5 points. he's a part of a backcourt quartet of sorts that also features America East Player of the Year Finn Sullivan (11.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG), Aaron Deloney (11.6 PPG) and do-it-all senior Robin Duncan (7.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.4 APG). 

3. The Catamounts are 50th in the country in turnover percentage, another stat that bodes well for an upset bid and run in March. One stat this isn't in their favor? Free throw percentage. 69.7 percent from the line is 247th in Division I. 

No. 16 Texas Southern

NET: 294th

Quad 1 Record: 10-11

KenPom: 285th

AdjOE: 330th

AdjDE: 196th

1. The Tigers got hot. Despite going 14-20 (7-11 SWAC), Coach Johnny Jones' squad stunned the SWAC Tournament to swipe a bid for the third straight season. It's miraculous, frankly. Especially considering they lost their final three games of the regular season. 

2. Four players average double-figures, led by sophomore forward Davon Barnes (13.6 PPG). Joirdan Karl Nicholas is nearly putting up a double-double a game with 10.7 PPG, 8.9 RPG. The No. 225 offense in the country isn't exactly eye-popping. 

3. Texas Southern does have experience going up against tough competition, as its non-conference schedule featured games against Texas Tech, Houston, Auburn and Kansas. It has also won its First Four game in the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons over Mt. St. Mary's and Texas A&M Corpus-Christi, so it's technically going for a March win three years in a row. That's certainly something. 

No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson

NET: 301st

Quad 1 Record: 0-1

KenPom: 312th

AdjOE: 155th

AdjDE: 361st

1. This will be the Knights' (19-15, 10-6 NEC) seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2019. They've also won a First Four game, defeating Prairie View A&M in their last appearance. The only reason FDU is in is because Merrimack, the actual champs of the NEC, are ineligible due to its transition from DII to DI. 

2. Like Texas Southern, the Knights have four in double-figures. Senior guard duo Demetre Roberts (16.7 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.0 RPG) and Grant Singleton (14.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.3 APG) do the damage in Teaneck, N.J. There's not much to ooh and awe over on either side of the basketball, specifically that No. 361 defensive efficiency. 

3. This is as tongue and cheek as it gets, but the Knights actually won six games in a row at one point this season. Granted, it was over Merrimack, Centenary College, St. Francis Brooklyn, Long Island, Central Connecticut and Stonehill, but still! FDU has one thing in common with Kentucky: It lost to Saint Peter's the last it played it. So, do with that what you will. 

WATCH: Calipari, Fredrick, Ware react to draw

More on Bryce Hopkins HERE.

More on the bracket reveal and Kentucky's draw HERE.

Kentucky needs to get healthy, fast. More HERE.

More on the SEC Tournament loss to Vanderbilt HERE.

Everything Calipari said after the loss HERE.

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