West Region: Like it or not, it’s all about Duke and Coach K

Coach K’s last dance among region’s notable storylines

The West region features the most efficient offense in the nation against the most efficient defense, according to Kenpom.com. So it would figure that the college basketball world is clamoring to see that matchup between Gonzaga and Texas Tech in San Francisco.

That is what everyone is talking about in the West region, right? Not hardly.

This tournament is all about Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s last go-round in the NCAAs. He has been on a farewell tour all season, but this is when the end of his career truly starts to become a reality as every game could be his last.

“It’s the last time I’m going to be able to do this and to be a No. 2 seed is terrific,” he said. “There’s no second chances for anybody. That’s what makes this tournament the best thing in sports.

“Each game is really a championship game.”

This is the 36th time a Krzyzewski-coached Duke team has earned a bid, breaking a tie with Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim for most in history. He already holds the record with 97 tournament wins.

Duke has been either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in 20 of its last 24 appearances.

Four players to watch

■ Chet Holmgren, Gonzaga — Sure, this is an easy one. Holmgren has been among the projected top five picks in the 2022 NBA draft since well before he arrived on campus in Spokane. But many people may still be watching him for the first time as he has quietly developed his game in the Pacific Northwest. Holmgren has become more assertive as the season has gone on. He often grabs a rebound or blocks a shot and brings the ball up the floor himself to lead the break. He’s a 7-footer with plenty of skill and could finally help lead Gonzaga to that elusive national title.

■ Teddy Allen, New Mexico State — The well-traveled “Teddy Buckets” is at his fifth school in five years. The Aggies are glad he finally found his way to Las Cruces. A former national junior college scoring champion and all-Big Ten honorable mention, Allen is averaging 19.3 points per game. He can score in a variety of ways and is a matchup problem.

■ JD Notae, Arkansas — After making just one start last season, Notae took full advantage of his increased role for Eric Musselman’s team. Notae finished second in the Southeastern Conference in scoring with 18.4 points per game and was the only player to finish in the top 10 in the league in scoring, steals, assists and defensive rebounds.

■ E.J. Anosike, Cal State Fullerton — In a world of stretch fours, the Fullerton star is the definition of a power forward. The New Jersey native was second in the Big West in scoring at 16.1 points per game and placed in the top five in rebounding and field-goal percentage.

Three potential matchups

■ Gonzaga vs. Boise State, second round — The second round could bring a matchup of close friends in Broncos coach Leon Rice and Bulldogs coach Mark Few. Rice was an assistant to Few at Gonzaga from 1999 until 2010. The two remain close. Should they face off, it would mean Rice had earned his first NCAA Tournament victory. He’s 0-2 in two previous appearances.

■ Duke vs. Michigan State, second round — Tell us again how the committee doesn’t try to set up potentially intriguing second-round matchups made for television. In Mike Krzyzewski’s final tournament run, he could be tasked with preparing for a second-round matchup against fellow Hall of Famer Tom Izzo. While Krzyzewski will be the major storyline of the tournament for as long as his team is alive, this would be something special.

■ Duke vs. Alabama, Sweet 16 — Remember when Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats took a bit of a shot at Krzyzewski early in the 2020-21 season about whether the Duke coach would be so quick to suggest postponing games amid the coronavirus pandemic if his team had been playing better? It’s certain Krzyzewski does. This could be fun.

Two bracket busters

■ Vermont — The Catamounts are extremely experienced and deft at controlling pace. Eight of the top nine players in their rotation are seniors and the other is a junior, which is part of the reason they were able to destroy the competition in the conference tournament. Vermont outscored America East foes by an average of 36.7 points per game and ended the season winning 22 of its last 23 games.

■ Davidson — Steph Curry is no longer there and the fact Woodrow Wilson attended the school won’t help much, either. But Foster Loyer spent three seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Davidson this season and could give his teammates a pretty good scouting report on the Spartans before their first-round matchup. His 16.6 points per game average is also pretty helpful. The Wildcats struggle defensively at times, but they give teams fits as an efficient offense both inside and outside the arc.

Last team standing

Gonzaga

The top-seeded Bulldogs don’t have the same kind of hype as they did last year when they entered the tournament undefeated before falling in the championship game. But they are once again the No. 1 team in the nation and are driven by the disappointment of falling short in the title game. This could be the year coach Mark Few finally achieves the ultimate prize in college basketball. While there are potential land mines like Texas Tech’s grinding defense and the pressure of Arkansas, Gonzaga is the best team in this region.

Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal