NCAA Tournament - East Region bracket breakdown
Yahoo Sports college basketball reporter Krysten Peek gives her first look breakdown of the East Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket.
Video transcript
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KRYSTEN PEEK: The Purdue Boilermakers received the number-one seed in the East Region after winning the Big Ten Tournament. Shaka Smart and Marquette cap off a great season and earned the number-two seed with bluebloods Duke, and Kentucky also in the same region, potentially not facing one another until the Elite Eight. Let's take a look at some potential upsets and great matchups in the East Region.
Number-five Duke is the hottest team in the country right now after winning the ACC tournament and not losing since early February. It would be a battle in the post between freshman Kyle Filipowski and Derrick Lively from Duke going up against player of the year Zach Edey if both teams can make it to the Sweet 16. This is a tournament match-up. Every basketball fan is watching and wants to see.
A first-round upset to watch is number 13 Louisiana-Lafayette over number-four Tennessee. The Vols are without their starting point guard and floor general Zakai Ziegler after he sustained a season-ending ACL injury. And they haven't been the same since, losing in the second round of the SEC tournament. Number-six Kentucky has a tough road right off the bat as they face number-11 Providence.
The Friar's standout big guard, Bryce Hopkins, transferred from Kentucky last season and will undoubtedly have something extra to prove against his former squad. Hopkins was selected to the all freshman Big East team and is averaging 16 points and 8.5 rebounds in his sophomore season.
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