The 2019 NCAA tournament bracket has arrived, and the selection committee has set up some headline-grabbing matchups and possibilities for this year’s 68 teams.
Some of them had social media abuzz on Sunday night. There’s a first-round matchup involving the Pitino family (sort of), a game between two of the best guards in the nation, the possibility Zion Williamson could face the Tar Heels one more time in what would be an all-timer of a final if it happens, a couple of teams who landed perfect spots for a home court advantage of sorts and so much more.
Here’s a collection of those little bracket quirks:
1. Is Minnesota vs. Louisville a wink to Rick Pitino?
The 7-10 first-round matchup in the East regional just so happens to pit the team Pitino used to coach against the team his son Richard coaches. Lots of people think the committee did that on purpose. Hmmmmm …
2. Ja Morant will face Markus Howard
This is the first-round matchup that has everyone buzzing as the must-watch game of the first round. Morant is averaging 24.6 ppg and 10 apg for No. 12 Murray State. Marquette features Howard, who’s poured in 25 ppg for the fifth-seeded Golden Eagles. This is going to be epic.
3. Kansas could get to play a game in Kansas City
As noted by USA TODAY Sports’ Scott Gleeson, if the fourth-seeded Jayhawks get by Northeastern and their second-round matchup, they’ll advance to the Sweet 16, which just happens to take place at the Sprint Center. Whoever their opponent is — No. 1 seed North Carolina? — could face a rabid home crowd.
4. St. John’s is arguably the worst pick of the lot
According to Ken Pomeroy’s rankings.
File that away if they beat Arizona State in their First Four game and step in to face Buffalo, which would make for an all-New York state matchup.
5. The selection committee has set up a possible Duke and North Carolina matchup
That’s what we all want: The ACC rivals played each other three times this year, with the Tar Heels winning twice before Zion Williamson returned to beat North Carolina by a single point in the conference tournament. Just imagine the hype if these two get to Minneapolis.
6. LSU vs. Yale is a matchup of two schools under investigation
There’s the Will Wade suspension from LSU after a wiretap and Yale being part of the college admissions scandal that broke last week.
7. Cincinnati will play in Columbus
That’s a game against Iowa two hours away from the Bearcats’ home. And if they win and the No. 2 seeded Tennessee Volunteers move on to face them, that give Cincinnati home-court advantage.
