Looking for star power on the sidelines? Look no further than the East Region of the NCAA Tournament, with at least five Hall of Fame coaches (likely more). Plus, there’s a legit chance that the top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft come from this region as well.
Here’s a preview of the East Region.
Power Watch
It’s hard to overstate how good the East Region is when it comes to the coaches involved. There are a combined seven national titles, 21 Final Four appearances and a few long-time coaches (Jamie Dixon of TCU, Johnny Dawkins of UCF and Ben Jacobsen of Northern Iowa) whose résumés speak for themselves.
There also are two of the biggest player names in the tournament. Duke 6-foot-9 freshman forward Cameron Boozer (22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game) helped lead the Blue Devils to the ACC Tournament title despite two starters being out with injuries. And after dealing with cramping issues through the first half of this season, Kansas 6-foot-5 freshman guard Darryn Peterson (19.8 points per game) has been relatively healthy of late for the Jayhawks, setting up a potential Duke-KU rematch (more on that in a minute) down the line.
Under The Radar
Those who stayed up late Saturday night saw 5-foot-10 senior guard Dominique Daniels carry Cal Baptist to victory over Utah Valley in the WAC Tournament title game. Daniels is one of the top scorers in the nation, averaging 23.2 points per game, including 41 points in a WAC tourney semifinal win over Utah Tech.
One of the more underrated point guards in the country is Themus Fulks, a 6-foot-1 senior guard who leads UCF at 14.1 points and 6.7 assists per game. He has had three seasons with at least 5.9 assists per game, all with different teams (the others were for Louisiana and Milwaukee). Another lead guard in the region who doesn’t get the deserved hype is Ohio State 6-foot-2 senior Bruce Thornton (20.2 ppg and 3.9 assists per game), who played at an All-American level but flies under the radar compared to other Big Ten stars.
There’s no one who flies under the radar more than a D-II transfer, like USF leading scorer Wes Enis (16.7 points per game). Enis, a 6-foot-2 junior who transferred from Lincoln Memorial, scored 19 points in the Bulls’ American tourney championship win over Wichita State. He is one of this season’s top newcomers from outside D-I.
Matchups We Want to See
Between Bill Self and Rick Pitino, there are nearly 1,800 career wins at the D-I level. These all-time greats likely don’t have many years left between them, making a potential Round-of-32 matchup possibly the last chance to see them against each other.
One matchup we’ve already seen this season is Duke-Kansas, with the Blue Devils winning 78-66 in mid-November. But that was without Peterson available, depriving us of the chance to see him and Boozer on the floor together. There’s a chance we get the rematch in the Sweet 16.
Key Storyline
Two coaches I haven’t mentioned yet are in the “up and coming” category. Pat Kelsey has turned Louisville around in his first two seasons with the program, including another NCAA Tournament appearance. But the lack of marquee wins is making some fans nervous.
Meanwhile, USF’s Bryan Hodgson is one of the hottest names in the coaching carousel, with Syracuse and Providence being rumored options. An upset over an ACC program would only strengthen his appeal.
Bracket Buster
With this many strong teams in the bracket, it’s hard to pick an upset. No. 11 USF has the best shot over No. 6 Louisville, but keep an eye on No. 13 Cal Baptist, as Daniels could drop 30+ points to knock off Kansas and become one of the stars of March Madness.
The Pick
Despite the quality of the coaches in the region, injuries will be the only thing that stops Duke from making the Final Four. But their potential Elite Eight opponent is wide open, with UConn, Michigan State and UCLA teams that match up well with one another. The Spartans’ defense should give them an advantage, setting up another rematch with Duke. In the end, look for the Blue Devils to get back to the Final Four.
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