Massachusetts Minutemen
Record: 24-8
Head coach: Derek Kellogg (6th season)
Season summary: The Minutemen had a solid 13-1 nonconference showing with wins against then-No. 19 New Mexico, Clemson and BYU, and earned their first bid to the NCAA tournament since 1998. Massachusetts finished fifth in the Atlantic 10 and will be one of six teams from the conference to make an appearance in the NCAA tournament. Guard Chaz Williams has run the Minutemen offense effectively, putting up 15.8 points and 7.0 assists per game. As a No. 6, many bracketologists have Massachusetts as the team most likely to be upset in the opening round of the tournament.
How they make a run: Massachusetts tightens up its defense and Williams outplays opposing guards, allowing Cady Lalanne space in the lane to get back to his early-season form.
How they falter: The Minutemen rank 198th in the nation in points allowed per game at 70.8 points. With a possible second-round matchup against an Iowa squad that ranks 10th in points scored per game and a potential Round of 32 game against Duke, the Minutemen’s defense could be their downfall.
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