NCAA Bracket 2015: Complete Guide to Midwest Region

It might not be the toughest region in the NCAA tournament, but the Midwest is where most of the attention will be this month. That's because it's the home to unbeaten Kentucky, meaning the Wildcats' quest to become the first team to put together a perfect season in 39 years will go through the nation's heartland.

But there's much more to the Midwest than just the top seed. The 17 teams slotted in this corner of the bracket include seven other automatic qualifiers that won their conference tournaments, as well as five other schools besides Kentucky that won at least 25 games. It also has the only team in the field to qualify with a losing record, as MEAC champion Hampton is making its first NCAA tourney appearance since 2011.

The Midwest Region has games in Columbus, Dayton, Louisville, Omaha and Pittsburgh before moving on to the regional in Cleveland next week. Continuing with the Midwestern flavor: The Final Four is in Indianapolis.

What's most notable about this region and how will things play out? Scroll through for our complete guide.

Round of 64 Schedule and TV Info

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Tuesday

(Games in Dayton, Ohio)

Hampton (16-17) vs. Manhattan (19-13): 6:40 p.m. ET on truTV

 

Thursday

(Games in Louisville, Kentucky)

No. 1 Kentucky (34-0) vs. Hampton/Manhattan winner: 9:40 p.m. ET on CBS

No. 8 Cincinnati (22-10) vs. No. 9 Purdue (21-12): 7:10 p.m. ET on CBS

(Games in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

No. 3 Notre Dame (29-5) vs. No. 14 Northeastern (23-11): 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS

No. 6 Butler (22-10) vs. No. 11 Texas (20-13): 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS

 

Friday

(Games in Columbus, Ohio)

No. 5 West Virginia (23-9) vs. No. 12 Buffalo (23-9): 2:10 p.m. ET on TNT

No. 4 Maryland (27-6) vs. No. 13 Valparaiso (28-5): 4:40 p.m. ET on TNT

(Games in Omaha, Nebraska)

No. 7 Wichita State (28-4) vs. No. 10 Indiana (20-13): 2:45 p.m. ET on CBS

No. 2 Kansas (26-8) vs. No. 15 New Mexico State (23-10): 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS

Must-See Games in Round of 64

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(5) West Virginia vs. (12) Buffalo

Since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams in the early 1980s, a No. 12 seed has upset a No. 5 seed 44 times. It's annually the place where we first look for potential surprise results, and the Midwest gives us a very possible scenario in what could be one of the higher-scoring games in the second round.

West Virginia and Buffalo are ranked 25th and 31st, respectively, in offensive pace, per Sports-Reference. Both teams average at least 68.9 possessions per 40 minutes, and each gets to the line more than 25 times per game.

It should also be a fun coaching clash, with veteran West Virginia coach Bob Huggins matching wits with Buffalo's Bobby Hurley.

(7) Wichita State vs. (10) Indiana

A year after entering the tournament unbeaten only to get knocked off by Kentucky in the third round, Wichita State returns to the under-the-radar level that mid-majors are more used to (and which it used in 2013 to reach the Final Four as a No. 9 seed). Indiana is also finding itself in familiar territory after a brief hiatus, having missed last year's NCAA field after reaching the Sweet 16 in the previous two seasons.

Both teams are heavily reliant on guard play, with Wichita's Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet set to take on James Blackmon Jr. and Yogi Ferrell of Indiana.

The game could be won from behind the arc, as Indiana's 40.3 percent three-point efficiency is ninth-best in the country, while it holds opponents to only 32.8 percent from outside.

(4) Maryland vs. (13) Valparaiso

Maryland was picked to finish 10th in the Big Ten in its first season in the league, yet the Terrapins took second and handed conference champion Wisconsin one of its three losses. Valparaiso was expected to place eighth in the nine-team Horizon League, but instead the Crusaders won the regular-season title and claimed the conference's automatic bid for the second time in three years.

But only one of them can make it out of the opening round, something Maryland hasn't done since its last NCAA appearance in 2010 and Valpo last achieved in 1998. And just because the Terps are the higher seed doesn't make them a heavy favorite—not with how the Crusaders play defense.

Valpo holds opponents to 59.3 points per game and 38 percent shooting, which rank 19th and seventh in Division I, respectively.

Top Storylines

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Battles for state bragging rights abound

With the NCAA selection committee putting even more emphasis this year on keeping as many teams close to home as possible, this has made it possible for some very intriguing matchups down the line that could go a long way toward determining regional and state supremacy.

Assuming they all win their opening games, the third round could feature a battle of Kansas teams (Kansas and Wichita State) playing on Sunday in Omaha as well one between Indiana foes (Butler and Notre Dame) on Saturday in Pittsburgh. Border rivals Maryland and West Virginia could also meet Sunday in Columbus, while Cincinnati and Kentucky are on pace to face off Saturday in Louisville.

All told, the Midwest region features five schools from the Hoosier State (Butler, Indiana, Notre Dame, Purdue and Valparaiso) that makes it possible—though not probable—that we could have an all-Indiana regional next weekend in Cleveland.

John Calipari vs. Steve Masiello

A year after having to face off against his mentor, Louisville's Rick Pitino, Manhattan coach Steve Masiello has a chance to shock the world while also getting the better of his alma mater. The fact Masiello is getting this opportunity is amazing in its own right, considering a little less than a year ago he looked like he was out of a job.

Masiello was briefly hired by South Florida as its coach last March, but then after it was discovered his resume falsely listed him as having graduated from college—Kentucky—the job offer was retracted and Masiello was placed on leave by Manhattan. He was eventually reinstated after finishing course work to complete his degree, and he ended up leading the Jaspers to their second straight MAAC tournament title.

His team plays in Tuesday's First Four against MEAC champion Hampton, and if it gets past the Pirates Masiello will go up against John Calipari and unbeaten Kentucky. Calipari, himself a former Pitino protege, saw one of his assistants from last season (Orlando Antigua) end up taking the South Florida job after Masiello had to back out.

Will the luck of the Irish continue?

Notre Dame went 15-17 last season, falling apart after star guard Jerian Grant was suspended in mid-December because of academic issues. With Grant back and a roster full of shooters, the Fighting Irish nearly doubled their win total en route to the ACC tournament title after beating conference powers Duke and North Carolina on back-to-back nights.

Now Notre Dame finds itself with one of the hottest teams in the country, one that could make a serious push for the program's first Final Four appearance since 1978.

"It's been a great ride with this group," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey told Tom Noie of NDInsider.com.

Stars to Watch

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Ron Baker, G, Wichita State

Two years ago, Baker was a scrappy freshman whose play in the NCAA tournament helped Wichita make a Cinderella run to the Final Four. Last year he was again a huge piece of the Shockers' perfect regular season.

Baker is having his best season yet in 2014-15, as the 6'3" junior is averaging 15.0 points per game and hitting 39.4 percent of his three-pointers.

Jerian Grant, G, Notre Dame

An academic casualty for most of last season, Grant has made up for lost time with a huge senior year and served as the catalyst for Notre Dame's breakout performance. The 6'5" Grant is averaging 16.8 points and 6.6 assists per game on 48.6 percent shooting.

He's come up huge in the Fighting Irish's biggest games, notching 24 points (including 15-of-18 from the line) with 10 assists in the ACC title game as well as 23 points and 12 assists in a big January win over Duke.

Dez Wells, G, Maryland

Maryland had to make the move from the ACC to the Big Ten this season with an overhauled roster, the result of dismissals and transfers that were going to leave the Terrapins heavily reliant on freshmen. Yet it's been the play of one of the few holdovers that has keyed Maryland's second-place showing in its new league.

Wells, a 6'5" senior, averaged 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 46.3 percent. He missed seven games in November and December with a wrist injury, and since February he's scored 18 points per game and shot 51.2 percent.

This will be Wells' second trip to the NCAA tournament, having gone as a freshman with Xavier in 2011-12. His experience from that trip is one of many pieces of knowledge he's been able to pass on to backcourt mate Melo Trimble, a 6'2" freshman who leads Maryland in scoring at 16.3 points per game.

Kentucky's entire rotation

The unbeaten Wildcats have a lineup of players who could all be the top player at almost any other school in the country, yet coach John Calipari has managed to get them to work together as a unit that isn't interested in stats or individual notoriety. A platoon system was implemented to spread the minutes out, and even after injuries Kentucky still regularly uses nine players in equal amounts.

There are nine players averaging at least 17 minutes per game, with seven Wildcats scoring between 6.7 and 11.3 points. With that kind of balance, any player could break out on any night, but it's more likely several of them will stand out.

Favorites Most Likely to Fall

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Butler

The Bulldogs far exceeded expectations this season, tying for second in the Big East after being picked to tie for seventh out of 10 schools. Adding to the situation was the sudden departure of coach Brandon Miller, who took a leave of absence in October and never returned.

Interim coach Chris Holtmann eventually became the full-time coach after the school saw the work he was doing with Butler, which got off to an 18-6 start. The Bulldogs have stumbled since then, splitting their last eight games and getting upset by Xavier in the Big East tournament quarterfinals.

Butler is matched up with a very dangerous Texas team in the opening round. The Longhorns were expected to compete for the Big 12 title, yet they finished below .500 in conference play and might not have made the NCAA tourney had they not won three straight games in March before falling to Big 12 tourney champ Iowa State in the semifinals.

Texas is loaded with big men, something Butler is severely lacking, which will make for a matchup nightmare.

West Virginia

The Mountaineers used a deep rotation to play their frenetic pressure defense and shoot aggressively, but the injuries started to mount toward the end of the season and they're now limping into the NCAA tournament.

Leading scorer Juwan Staten missed West Virginia's final four games with a knee injury, and his status for the NCAA tournament is uncertain.

"I'm doing everything I have to do to make sure I'm ready to play," the 6'1" senior guard told Brian Hamilton of SI.com after West Virginia lost its Big 12 tournament opener on March 12.

Senior guard Gary Browne also missed that game, his third straight absence after getting hurt early in a loss Feb. 28 at Baylor. West Virginia has gone 1-3 without those two players fully healthy. 

Most Likely Cinderella

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Buffalo

The Bulls have no NCAA tournament history as a team, as the program that joined Division I in 1994-95 is making its first appearance in the field after winning the Mid-American Conference tournament on Saturday in Cleveland.

But what Buffalo lacks in postseason experience among its players, it more than makes up for it with its coach. Bobby Hurley, who's in his second year with the program, won two national titles and made three Final Four appearances as Duke's point guard from 1989-93.

"Although his hair has grayed, Hurley hasn't lost any of his intensity," The Associated Press wrote (h/t Fox Sports) after Buffalo beat Central Michigan 89-84. "Placing his hands on the small of his back the way he did when wearing No. 11 during his playing days, the son of a New Jersey high school coaching legend split time throughout the tense final encouraging his players and griping to the officials about calls that didn't go Buffalo's way."

Combine Hurley's tourney experience with an uptempo team that averages 75 points per game, and Buffalo is the exact kind of upstart team that power-conference opponents don't want to face. Just ask Kentucky and Wisconsin, No. 1 seeds that the Bulls played during the regular season and against whom they held halftime leads.

Who Will Make the Sweet 16?

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(1) Kentucky

As the top overall seed, the Wildcats were given a very easy draw during the first weekend. They start with the winner of a First Four game, either Manhattan or Hampton, neither of which has the players to hang with Kentucky. After that it's either Cincinnati or Purdue, schools that will look to slow things down and hope to get lucky.

The Wildcats have had plenty of teams try this approach on them, but no one has come close to making it work.

(4) Maryland

The Terrapins have a very tough draw regardless of who they would face in the third round, but this team has been overachieving all season. Nothing indicates that will stop now.

Valparaiso loves to keep the score low and will make Maryland fight for its points, but athleticism will get the job done. Then comes either Buffalo or West Virginia, teams that will want to push the tempo and try to outrun the Terps, but they've excelled in these kinds of games all season.

(3) Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish are one of the hardest teams to game-plan against because of their four-guard lineup and the fact that everyone on the team can shoot from the perimeter. They're not that well-regarded on the defensive end, but this area has seen massive improvement in the past month.

Opening opponent Northeastern doesn't pose any serious threat, but Notre Dame could have its hands full in the third round against a big Texas team. But the Irish just knocked off Duke and North Carolina in a 24-hour span this weekend, so dealing with a size disadvantage is nothing new.

(7) Wichita State

The Shockers kind of faded from the spotlight when they were upset in the Missouri Valley Conference semifinals March 7, meaning they'll have had 13 days off before they begin tournament play. That's more than enough time for coach Gregg Marshall to show his team highlight videos from Wichita's 2013 Final Four run.

Wichita will outrun Indiana in an up-and-down game, and then it will get a much-desired matchup with Kansas in the third round. The schools are only two hours apart, but they never play, despite the Shockers wanting a piece of the Jayhawks. They'll get it on the biggest stage and start another potential Cinderella run.

The Elite Eight Matchup Will Be...

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(1) Kentucky vs. (3) Notre Dame

After top-seeded Kentucky takes out Maryland in a classic Sweet 16 game that will go down to the final minute, the Wildcats will be sitting at 37-0 and only three games away from the magic perfect season. It will be their toughest game since playing at Georgia in early March, and it will come down to stopping Maryland's guards and their ability to get to the basket.

Notre Dame will still be licking its wounds from a hard-fought third-round game against Texas when it has to match up with scrappy Wichita State, which built momentum from a first-weekend upset of Kansas. The Fighting Irish will struggle with their shooting and have to rely more on their defense, but thanks to a friendly crowd full of green-and-gold fans coming over from South Bend, they'll make their first Elite Eight since 1979.

And the Final Four Team Is...

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Kentucky

In the weeks leading up to the NCAA tournament, Wildcats coach John Calipari joked that the selection committee would likely give his team as tough a draw as possible in order to make them earn being the first unbeaten team since Indiana in 1976. But that rough road doesn't really show up until the Elite Eight, when a Notre Dame team playing with as much momentum as any team in the country lines up on the other side of the court.

Big Blue Nation will be in full force in Cleveland, but it won't be nearly as massive a crowd advantage as Kentucky saw during the SEC tournament or in many true road games. The Fighting Irish have a devoted fanbase, and those supporters will come out in droves for this game, paying top dollar for tickets that Maryland and Wichita fans decide to unload after falling in the Sweet 16.

Kentucky will be a huge favorite, as has been the case nearly all season, and because of its overabundance of big men, the advantage on the inside will prove to be the key difference. That's assuming the Wildcats can also hit some outside shots, because Notre Dame will fire from outside early and can be very dangerous when they're making those shots in bunches.

The Wildcats' depth will also win out, as Notre Dame doesn't have a deep roster and is very susceptible to foul trouble. Kentucky doesn't try to play this way most of the time, but in an effort to neutralize Notre Dame's shooting prowess, the Wildcats will play more physically and look to win in the paint and at the line.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.