Butler Bulldogs 2016 NCAA Tournament Outlook
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
North Carolina will stay close to home as the top seed in the East.
The North Carolina Tar Heels were rewarded for yet another stellar season, earning the No. 1 seed in the East region. UNC made its case after beating Virginia to win the ACC Tournament. The Tar Heels get the built-in advantage of staying close to home, beginning the NCAA Tournament in Raleigh, N.C.
Check out the full NCAA Tournament bracket
The Tar Heels finished the regular season 25-6 and 14-4 in conference play, becoming the top seed in the ACC Tournament. They went on to steamroll Pittsburgh and Notre Dame in the postseason, with the 78-47 win over the Irish standing out as a dominant beatdown. The Cavaliers gave UNC a much bigger fight in the final round, but the Tar Heels eventually pulled out the 61-57 win. Virginia will travel out to the Midwest region as the No. 1 seed.
The rest of region is loaded at the top, with Xavier getting the No. 2 seed, West Virginia the No. 3 and Kentucky the No. 4. A potential UNC/Kentucky matchup in the Sweet Sixteen seems bound to be one of the best tournament"s best games, although mid-major champions Stephen F. Austin and Chattanooga should not be overlooked in this region.
Here"s the complete bracket for the East region.
1. North Carolina16. Florida Gulf Coast/Fairleigh Dickinson
8. USC9. Providence
5. Indiana12. Chattanooga
4. Kentucky13. Stony Brook
6. Notre Dame11. Michigan/Tulsa
3. West Virginia14. Stephen F. Austin
7. Wisconsin10. Pittsburgh
2. Xavier15. Weber State
Source: http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2016/3/13/11215612/ncaa-tournament-bracket-2016-east-region-north-carolina-xavier-kentucky
