Toughest potential March Madness matchups for BYU basketball by seed

It’s champ week, which means brackets are being created by the hour, tickets are being punched, and the chaos has just begun. BYU knocked off Iowa State in their first Big 12 tournament game, and they now face an even bigger test against Houston Friday night.

With dozens of games being played every day, the Cougars’ exact spot in the bracket is still an unknown. Bracket Matrix currently has them anywhere from a 5 to an 8 seed. Here are the toughest teams they would face for each possibility:

5 Seed BYU

Toughest First Round Opponent: McNeese State (12 Seed)

North Carolina might be the biggest name currently listed as 12 seed, but the Tar Heels are just 1-11 in Quad 1 games. The Cowboys aren’t any better at 0-2 in Quad 1, but Will Wade has his team rolling at the right time, finishing with a 19-1 conference record in the Southland Conference. McNeese State competed with a top 5 Alabama team in an eight point loss in November, while also taking tournament lock Mississippi State down to the wire in a three point loss.

They force over 14 turnovers per game, crash the offensive glass, and aren’t reliant on a single way to score, which is always a recipe for success in March. The most dangerous stat, though, is their #2 ranking in “Kill Shots,” or the ability to go on a 10-0. Just when you think the game is close, the Cowboys can put you in a big hole in a hurry.

Toughest Second Round Opponent: Maryland (4 Seed)

The Terps have only lost twice since January 19th, both times by only three points. In this hypothetical matchup, it would be up to Fousseyni Traore and Keba Keita to stop Maryland freshman Derik Queen down low. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year averages over 15 points per game and is a projected top 10 pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

6 Seed BYU

Toughest First Round Opponent: VCU (11 Seed)

A number of landmine teams currently sit on the 11 seed line. The 30-3 Missouri Valley champions Drake have Cinderella potential, but VCU might be even tougher. The Rams have more experience playing in the tougher conference and win most of their games by double digits.

They’re a well-balanced team with four guys averaging over 10 points, including A-10 player of the year Max Shulga, who is shooting over 40% from three and has the makings of a potential March star. VCU is also tough down low, ranking top 10 in both offensive rebounding and blocked shots.

The Cougars would be the favorite, but they might not want to see the 11 seeded A-10 champion for the second year in a row.

Toughest Second Round Opponent: Texas Tech (3 Seed)

This would be a great opportunity to get some revenge against the Red Raiders, but it would take a lot from the Cougars. Texas Tech is the number 7 team on KenPom, and has Big 12 Player of the Year J.T. Toppin. And it’s not just Toppin. The Red Raiders won at Houston earlier this season despite Toppin and head coach Grant McCasland being ejected in the opening minutes. They have the ability to keep up with a hot shooting BYU team, as they shoot over 38% from 3 as a team.

7 Seed BYU

Toughest First Round Opponent: Utah State (10 Seed)

Now this one would just be fun. A rivalry game to open up the first round and finally decide who has the best current basketball program in the state. Baylor, Georgia, and a number of other teams hovering around the 10 seed line may be just as good as Utah State, but anything can happen in a rivalry game. This should be the matchup BYU fans want most, but a victory would by no means come easy.

Toughest Second Round Opponent: Alabama (2 Seed)

BYU would be looking in the mirror if they ran into Alabama in the tournament. The Crimson Tide are one of three power conference teams that takes more 3s per game than BYU. For the most part, if the Cougars get hot, there’s no stopping them. But that wouldn’t be the case against ‘Bama, as they are more than capable of keeping up in a track meet. They play at the fastest tempo in the country and continually put on one of the most exciting shows in college basketball.

On the other hand, a matchup with likely 2 seed Tennessee would be just the opposite. The Volunteers employ the number one defense in the country at one of the slowest tempos.

8 Seed BYU

Toughest First Round Opponent: UConn (9 Seed)

After the win over Iowa State, the Cougars should be safe from receiving an 8 seed, but we’ll entertain this option nonetheless. UConn is far from the team they’ve been the two previous seasons, but would anybody seriously want to play the back-to-back champions? With Solo Ball and Liam McNeeley, the Huskies can get hot in a hurry. The defense can struggle at times though, which BYU would certainly look to take advantage of.

Toughest Second Round Opponent: Auburn (1 Seed)

The projected number one overall seed, Auburn has an astounding 15 wins in Quad 1 this season, with likely more on the way in the SEC tournament. Wooden Award candidate Johni Broome is the focus, but the Tigers also have four other players who average over 10 points per game. Each of the 1 seeds are obviously more than formidable opponents, but Auburn has proved it the most this season. Experience wins in March, and Bruce Pearl’s squad will be ready to make a run.