The sector is about for the West regional within the males’s NCAA Event, which returns to the Bay Space this week.
San Francisco’s Chase Middle will host Candy 16 video games on Thursday night time earlier than an Elite Eight matchup on Saturday.
No. 10 seed Arkansas, led by coach John Calipari in his first yr, will face No. 3 seed Texas Tech, which is making its fourth Candy 16 look within the final eight years. Prime-seeded Florida, coached by former Saint Mary’s guard Todd Golden, will tackle No. 4 Maryland after Derik Queen’s buzzer-beater despatched the Terrapins on to subsequent weekend.
Just one crew will advance to the Last 4 in San Antonio.
Right here’s what to find out about every of the groups:
Walter Clayton Jr. #1 and Will Richard #5 of the Florida Gators rejoice within the second half in opposition to the Connecticut Huskies within the second spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at Lenovo Middle on March 23, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Picture by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Pictures) No. 1 FLORIDA GATORS
Coach: Todd Golden
Report: 32-4
Prime gamers: Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, Will Richard, Alex Condon
How they reached San Francisco: Beat No. 16 Norfolk State 95-69, No. 8 Connecticut 77-75
Storylines: Florida coach Todd Golden is dancing again to San Francisco after his Gators dethroned two-time defending nationwide champion UConn 77-75 on Sunday. UConn’s 13 consecutive NCAA Event wins had matched Duke’s document (1991-93) within the 64-team period. However Florida heated up down the stretch to offer Golden, who was USF’s head coach from 2019-22, a Bay Space homecoming. He’ll deliver an ultra-talented crew that has gained eight in a row, 14 of its previous 15 and on Sunday confirmed it may well elevate its stage of play to save lots of its season. Senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., a first-team All-American, averages practically 18 factors per sport and was even higher in opposition to UConn. He was 5 of 8 from past the 3-point arc and completed with 23 factors. Guards Alijah Martin and Will Richard and 6-foot-11 ahead Alex Condon additionally common double figures in scoring. Florida is making its twelfth journey to a Candy 16 – although its 1987 look was later vacated – and looking for its sixth regional championship. The Gators gained their solely nationwide titles in 2006 and 2007 below coach Billy Donovan. In Golden’s three seasons at USF, the Dons went 57-36 and made the 2022 NCAA Event.
– Darren Sabedra
Texas Tech ahead JT Toppin (15) will get between Drake ahead Cam Manyawu (3) and guard Kael Combs (11) throughout the second half of the second spherical of the NCAA school basketball event, Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Wichita, Kan. (AP Picture/Charlie Riedel) No. 3 TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
Coach: Grant McCasland
Report: 27-8
Prime gamers: JT Toppin, Darrion Williams, Elijah Hawkins, Probability McMillan
How they reached San Francisco: Beat No. 14 UNC Wilmington 82-72, No. 11 Drake 77-64
Storylines: Texas Tech likes to shoot 3-pointers – lots. The Purple Raiders set a college document within the first spherical with 46 tried 3s however made simply 13. That was sufficient to get by UNC Wilmington, as Kerwin Walton led the best way with eight made 3-pointers and 27 factors. Towards Drake, Tech once more struggled from 3 regardless of dialing again the makes an attempt, making simply 2 of 14. However the Purple Raiders have been environment friendly contained in the arc, making 28 of 52 2-point makes an attempt and limiting Drake to 42.6% taking pictures total. Tech is led by JT Toppin, a New Mexico switch who was the Massive 12 Participant and Newcomer of the 12 months. Toppin is the primary participant to win each awards in the identical season. Grant McCasland is in his second yr in control of Texas Tech after a profitable six-year profession at North Texas, the place he led the Imply Inexperienced to the 2023 NIT championship to cap his closing season in Denton. That is Texas Tech’s first journey to the Candy 16 since 2022. The Purple Raiders have a current historical past of regional success, particularly within the West. Texas Tech’s 2018-19 squad gained the West Regional in Anaheim and finally superior to the nationwide championship sport. That crew, led by lottery choose Jarrett Culver, was additionally the No. 3 seed within the West area.
– Christian Babcock
Maryland heart Derik Queen, heart, makes the game-winning basket in opposition to Colorado State guard Ethan Morton (25) and guard Jalen Lake, proper, within the closing seconds of the sport within the second spherical of the NCAA school basketball event Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Picture/Lindsey Wasson) No. 4 MARYLAND TERRAPINS
Coach: Kevin Willard
Report: 27-8
Prime gamers: Derik Queen, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Julian Reese, Rodney Rice
How they reached San Francisco: Beat No. 13 Grand Canyon 81-49, No. 12 Colorado State 72-71
Storylines: The Terrapins erased a seven-point halftime deficit to beat Colorado State on Sunday on a buzzer-beater by freshman heart Derik Queen. Their beginning unit, dubbed the Crab 5, is the hub of their crew. All 5 starters common at the least 28 minutes and 12 factors per sport, whereas no different participant averages even 4 factors. Queen, the Massive Ten Freshman of the 12 months, leads the cost with 16.2 factors and 9.2 rebounds, whereas ahead Julian Reese provides 9.0 boards himself. The Terps’ success isn’t slanted towards one facet of the court docket: They rank within the high 30 in each factors scored per possession and factors allowed per possession. Coach Kevin Willard, in his third season at Maryland, made waves earlier than the event by calling out former athletic director Damon Evans, who was named the brand new AD at SMU on Friday. Willard is reportedly a candidate for Villanova’s job and has been negotiating a brand new deal at Maryland. That is the Terrapins’ first journey to the Candy 16 since 2016, and solely their third since successful the 2002 nationwide championship.
– Michael Nowels
Head coach John Calipari of the Arkansas Razorbacks talks with the crew in opposition to the St. John’s Purple Storm throughout the first half within the second spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at Amica Mutual Pavillion on March 22, 2025 in Windfall, Rhode Island. (Picture by Emilee Chinn/Getty Pictures) No. 10 ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS
Coach: John Calipari
Report: 22-13
Prime gamers: Adou Theiro, Boogie Fland, Johnell Davis, D.J. Wagner
How they reached San Francisco: Beat No. 7 Kansas 79-72, No. 2 St. John’s 75-66
Storylines: Arkansas has gotten scorching on the proper time. The Razorbacks defeated blue blood program Kansas, then Rick Pitino’s St. John’s Purple Storm by a cushty margin. It’s a formidable run for Corridor of Fame coach John Calipari, who left Kentucky final yr for Arkansas after 15 seasons and one nationwide championship. The Razorbacks struggled in Southeastern Convention play, opening with a five-game shedding streak and ending two video games beneath .500. However Arkansas completed the common season with 5 wins in its final six video games. The Razorbacks are led by Adou Theiro, who leads the crew in scoring (15.6), rebounds (6.0) and steals (1.7). Calipari, making his sixteenth look in a Candy 16, will probably be trying to win his seventh regional championship. When the West Regional was held at Chase Middle in 2022, Arkansas beat top-seeded Gonzaga within the Spherical of 16 earlier than shedding to second-seeded Duke within the regional closing.
– Nathan Canilao
