Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
Record: 31-2
Head coach: Brad Underwood (1st season)
Season summary: In his first year on the job, Brad Underwood guided his Lumberjacks to an impressive 31-2 record that included a perfect 18-0 run through the Southland Conference. Stephen F. Austin played just one team currently ranked in the BPI top 125—an early-season loss at Texas—so its first-round matchup against VCU could prove to be a stiff test. The Lumberjacks rank eighth in the nation with an average of 16.6 assists per game despite not having a single player registering more than 3.5 dimes per contest. This speaks to the depth and cohesiveness of the Stephen F. Austin roster, which has nine players averaging double-digit minutes and none logging more than 30 per game. Their best player is versatile junior forward Jacob Parker, who at 6-foot-6 leads the team in rebounding and 3-point percentage, ranking second on the squad in points, steals, blocks, and field goal percentage.
How they make a run: The Lumberjacks' deep rotation and ability to find the open man put the pressure on opponents to make plays, leading to an upset of fifth-seeded VCU.
How they falter: Untested by their weak schedule, the Lumberjacks are simply overwhelmed by the size and talent of more prominent tournament teams and are defeated convincingly in the first round.
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