Want to be an instant expert? Here’s who’s in the NCAA tournament field ...
EAST REGION
No. 1 Villanova
Record: 31-3. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Big East champion. RPI: 1
Best win: Beat No. 12 Virginia 61-59 on Jan. 29.
Scouting the Wildcats: The defending champions look like the team to beat. Their 79.4 percent free-throwing percentage is a big boost in tight games.
No. 2 Duke
Record: 27-8. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: ACC champion. RPI: 6
Best win: Beat No. 6 North Carolina 93-83 on March 10.
Scouting the Blue Devils: Freshman forward Jayson Tatum’s development in recent games has given Duke the inside power for a lengthy NCAA tournament run.
No. 3 Baylor
Record: 25-7. Last 10: 5-5
Bid: At-large. RPI: 11
Best win: Beat No. 4 Oregon 66-49 on Nov. 15.
Scouting the Bears: Johnathan Motley (17.3 points per game) leads a high-powered offense. Baylor has faced the third-toughest schedule in Division I.
No. 4 Florida
Record: 24-8. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: At-large. RPI: 10
Best win: Beat No. 8 Kentucky 88-66 on Feb. 4.
Scouting the Gators: They win with defense, ranking among the nation’s best in 3-point field-goal defense and blocked shots.
No. 5 Virginia
Record: 22-10. Last 10: 5-5
Bid: At-large. RPI: 18
Best win: Beat No. 5 North Carolina 53-43 on Feb. 27.
Scouting the Cavaliers: Their defense (allowing 55.6 points per game) leads the NCAA, but the Cavaliers once again are shaky in several offensive categories.
No. 6 SMU
Record: 29-5. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: At-large. RPI: 15
Best win: Beat No. 11 Cincinnati 60-51 on Feb 12.
Scouting the Mustangs: They allowed an average of only 60.0 points per game, third-best in Division I. Forward Semi Ojeleye (19.0 points a game) leads the offense.
No. 7 South Carolina
Record: 22-10. Last 10: 4-6
Bid: At-large. RPI: 43
Best win: Beat No. 19 Florida 57-53 on Jan. 18.
Scouting the Gamecocks: Sindarius Thornwell, who made 25 free throws in one game this season (nation’s best), might be the key for a team that has slumped in the past month.
No. 8 Wisconsin
Record: 25-9. Last 10: 5-5
Bid: At-large. RPI: 32
Best win: Beat No. 23 Maryland 71-60 on Jan. 22.
Scouting the Badgers: There are four experienced senior starters, along with All-Big Ten sophomore Ethan Happ. Their big weakness: Shaky foul shooting.
No. 9 Virginia Tech
Record: 22-10. Last 10: 6-4
Bid: At-large. RPI: 47
Best win: Beat No. 5 Duke 89-75 on Dec. 31.
Scouting the Hokies: Their offensively-talented seven-man rotation sometimes gets tired during the regular season, but that shouldn’t be a problem in the NCAA tournament.
No. 10 Marquette
Record: 19-12. Last 10: 5-5
Bid: At-large. RPI: 60
Best win: Beat No. 1 Villanova 74-72 on Jan. 24.
Scouting the Golden Eagles: They have one of the lowest RPI’s of at-large teams – but also Division I’s best 3-point shooting percentage (43.0).
No. 11 Providence
Record: 20-12. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: At-large. RPI: 56
Best win: Beat No. 22 Butler 71-65 on Feb. 11.
Scouting the Friars: They were among the Big East’s best teams down the stretch. Kyron Cartwright (6.7 assists per game) is a standout point guard.
No. 11 Southern California
Record: 24-9. Last 10: 5-5
Bid: At-large. RPI: 41
Best Win: Beat No. 8 UCLA 84-76 on Jan. 25.
Scouting the Trojans: They’ve sputtered in recent weeks but feature standout guards Jordan McLaughlin and De’Anthony Melton.
No. 12 UNCW
Record: 29-5. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Colonial Athletic champion. RPI: 27
Best win: Beat East Tennessee State 68-59 on Nov. 20.
Scouting the Seahawks: Notice the stellar RPI for a mid-major team. They are 10th in scoring (85.2 points per game), and Devontae Cacok had 24 rebounds in a game this season.
No. 13 East Tennessee State
Record: 27-7. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Southern Conference champion. RPI: 55
Best win: Beat UNC Greensboro 79-74 on March 6.
Scouting the Buccaneers: Three-point specialist T.J. Cromer leads a perimeter-oriented offense that was 10th-best nationally in shooting.
No. 14 New Mexico State
Record: 28-5. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: Western Athletic champion. RPI: 59
Best win: Beat Arizona State 81-70 on Dec. 17.
Scouting the Aggies: Point guard Ian Baker fuels the offense, and the Aggies are holding opponents to 29 percent from outside the 3-point line.
No. 15 Troy
Record: 22-14. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: Sun Belt champion. RPI: 159
Best win: Beat Texas State 59-53 on Sunday.
Scouting the Trojans: They scored 135 points (tops in Division I) in a game this season and are fouled frequently, averaging 25 free throws a game.
No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s
Record: 19-15. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: Northeast champion. RPI: 149
Best win: Beat George Mason 78-76 in overtime on Nov. 18.
Scouting the Mountaineers: They went 2-11 before opening league play, but seven of those losses were to NCAA tournament qualifiers.
No. 16 New Orleans
Record: 20-11. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: Southland champion. RPI: 151
Best Win: Beat Washington State 70-54 on Dec. 3.
Scouting the Privateers: Seven years ago, New Orleans was moving to Division III. Power forward Erik Thomas (60 percent field goal shooting, 7.8 rebounds a game) has led the resurgence.
MIDWEST REGION
No. 1 Kansas
Record: 28-4. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 3
Best win: Beat No. 1 Duke 77-75 on Nov. 15.
Scouting the Jayhawks: Player of the year candidate Frank Mason is top 25 in scoring (20.8 points per game), free throws attempted and made and minutes per game.
No. 2 Louisville
Record: 24-8. Last 10: 6-4
Bid: At-large. RPI: 7
Best win: Beat No. 6 Kentucky 73-70 on Dec. 21.
Scouting the Cardinals: That high RPI ranking is a result of the NCAA’s second-toughest schedule. Louisville’s foes have won 63.5 percent of their games.
No. 3 Oregon
Record: 29-5. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 9
Best win: Beat No. 5 Arizona 85-58 on Feb. 4.
Scouting the Ducks: Chris Boucher and Jordan Bell are each among the top 20 in blocked shots. They shoot the ball well from the floor but not from the foul line. Boucher, however, tore his ACL against California on Friday and is out the rest of the season.
No. 4 Purdue
Record: 25-7. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 20
Best win: Beat No. 13 Wisconsin 66-55 on Jan. 8.
Scouting the Boilermakers: They dominate the inside. Caleb Swanigan ranked second nationally in rebounds (12.6 a game).
No. 5 Iowa State
Record: 23-10. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Big 12 champion. RPI: 22
Best win: Beat No. 3 Kansas 92-89 in overtime on Feb. 4.
Scouting the Cyclones: They’re a rarity, with five seniors in the starting lineup most games. Experienced teams usually fare well in this tournament.
No. 6 Creighton
Record: 25-9. Last 10: 5-5
Bid: At-large. RPI: 26
Best win: Beat No. 9 Wisconsin 79-67 on Nov. 15.
Scouting the Bluejays: They have the third-best field-goal shooting percentage (51.1). Davion Mintz, a freshman from North Mecklenburg, is starting point guard.
No. 7 Michigan
Record: 24-11. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: Big Ten champion. RPI: 30
Best win: Beat No. 24 Wisconsin 71-56 on Sunday.
Scouting the Wolverines: All of their losses were to RPI top 100 teams. Point guard Derrick Walton Jr. is No. 1 nationally in assists per game (16).
No. 8 Miami
Record: 21-11. Last 10: 6-4
Bid: At-large. RPI: 42
Best win: Beat No. 9 North Carolina 77-62 on Jan. 28.
Scouting the Hurricanes: They average only 15 personal fouls a game – 11th-lowest in the nation. That’s despite a tough perimeter defense.
No. 9 Michigan State
Record: 19-14. Last 10: 5-5
Bid: At-large. RPI: 51
Best win: Beat No. 16 Wisconsin 84-74 on Feb. 26.
Scouting the Spartans: They are built around point guard Lourawls Naim Jr. (No. 8 in assists-to-turnovers ratio) and center Miles Bridges (No. 2 rebounder in Big Ten).
No. 10 Oklahoma State
Record: 20-12. Last 10: 6-4
Bid: At-large. RPI: 40
Best win: Beat Wichita State 93-76 on Dec. 17.
Scouting the Cowboys: Don’t foul Phil Forte III. He’s No. 1 in free-throw percentage (90.0). Overall, the team ranks fourth in that category.
No. 11 Rhode Island
Record: 24-9. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: Atlantic 10 champion. RPI: 37
Best win: Beat No. 24 Cincinnati 76-71 on Nov. 19.
Scouting the Rams: Forwards Hassan Martin and Kuran Iverson (a relative of Allen Iverson and Marcus Camby) anchor the nation’s No. 4 team in blocked shots and rebounding.
No. 12 Nevada
Record: 28-6. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Mountain West champion. RPI: 29
Best win: Beat Colorado State 79-71 on March 11.
Scouting the Wolf Pack: Forward Marcus Marshall (19.8 points per game) is among the Mountain West leaders in every offensive category.
No. 13 Vermont
Record: 29-5. Last 10: 10-0
Bid: America East champion. RPI: 46
Best win: Beat Harvard 82-71 on Jan. 2.
Scouting the Catamounts: Their 18-game winning streak is the nation’s longest, and they are one of two NCAA teams (the other is Princeton) to go unbeaten in their league.
No. 14 Iona
Record: 22-12. Last 10: 6-4
Bid: Metro Atlantic Athletic champion. RPI: 88
Best win: Beat Nevada 75-73 on Nov. 27.
Scouting the Gaels: They live and die from the outside and rank eighth nationally in 3-pointers made.
No. 15 Jacksonville State
Record: 20-14. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: Ohio Valley champion. RPI: 150
Best win: Beat Tulsa 84-73 on Nov. 11.
Scouting the Gamecocks: This is their first appearance in the NCAA tournament. They rank near the bottom of Division I in perimeter defense.
No. 16 N.C. Central
Record: 25-8. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: Mid-Eastern Athletic champion. RPI: 202
Best win: Beat NCAA qualifiers Jacksonville State (84-75) and Northern Kentucky (82-74) in December.
Scouting the Eagles: Patrick Cole is among the top three in nearly every MEAC offensive category.
No. 16 UC-Davis
Record: 22-12. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: Big West champion. RPI: 166
Best win: Beat UC-Irvine 50-47 on March 11.
Scouting the Aggies: Chima Moneke (9.4 rebounds per game) has caught the attention of NBA scouts, but the Aggies are among Division I’s worst in turnovers.
SOUTH REGION
No. 1 North Carolina
Record: 27-7. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: At-large. RPI: 5
Best win: Beat No. 17 Duke 90-83 on March 4.
Scouting the Tar Heels: If small forward Justin Jackson can shake a shooting slump, the Tar Heels are positioned for a Final Four return. They rank No. 1 nationally in most rebounding categories.
No. 2 Kentucky
Record: 29-5. Last 10: 10-0
Bid: SEC champion. RPI: 4
Best win: Beat No. 7 North Carolina 103-100 on Dec. 17.
Scouting the Wildcats: This top-five offense, which appears to be improving as it enters the NCAA tournament, features Edrice Adebayo (SEC’s top rebounder) and De’Aaron Fox (assists leader).
No. 3 UCLA
Record: 29-4. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: At-large. RPI: 16
Best win: Beat No. 1 Kentucky 97-92 on Dec. 3.
Scouting the Bruins: They’re the nation’s top-scoring team (90.4 points per game), and guard Lonzo Ball ranks No. 1 in assists (7.7).
No. 4 Butler
Record: 23-8. Last 10: 5-5
Bid: At-large. RPI: 14
Best win: Beat No. 8 Arizona 69-65 on Nov. 25.
Scouting the Bulldogs: Point guard Tyler Lewis ranks fourth in assists-to-turnover ratio, and they are fifth-best in turnovers (only 10 per game).
No. 5 Minnesota
Record: 24-9. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 21
Best win: Beat No. 15 Purdue 91-80 on Jan. 1.
Scouting the Golden Gophers: They are NCAA leaders in blocked shots (7.0 per game), and forward Reggie Lynch had 11 in one contest this season.
No. 6 Cincinnati
Record: 30-4. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: America East champion. RPI: 12
Best win: Beat SMU 66-64 on Jan. 12
Scouting the Bearcats: Like fellow American Athletic power SMU, the Bearcats are among the NCAA defensive leaders (fourth, with 60.2 points per game).
No. 7 Dayton
Record: 24-7. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 28
Best win: Beat VCU 79-71 on March 1.
Scouting the Flyers: Dayton ranks 25th in turnover margin (versus opponents), but is near the bottom in rebounding and struggles against strong teams.
No. 8 Arkansas
Record: 25-9. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 25
Best win: Beat No. 21 South Carolina 83-76 on Feb. 15.
Scouting the Razorbacks: Power forward Moses Kingsley led the SEC in rebounds and blocked shots.
No. 9 Seton Hall
Record: 21-11. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: At-large. RPI: 44
Best win: Beat No. 13 Butler 70-64 on March 4.
Scouting the Pirates: Forward Angel Delgado, a likely future NBA lottery pick, leads the country in rebounds (13.1 per game). The Pirates have three wins against RPI top 40 teams.
No. 10 Wichita State
Record: 30-4. Last 10: 10-0
Bid: Missouri Valley champion. RPI: 31
Best win: Beat Colorado State 82-67 on Dec. 3.
Scouting the Shockers: Led by former Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall, they have dominated opponents, outscoring teams by nearly 20 points a game. This is an experienced team.
No. 11 Wake Forest
Record: 19-13. Last 10: 6-4
Bid: At-large. RPI: 39
Best win: Beat No. 8 Louisville 88-81 on March 1.
Scouting the Deacons: They have been one of the ACC’s best teams down the stretch, playing the nation’s sixth-toughest schedule. Forward John Collins can take over a game.
No. 11 Kansas State
Record: 20-13. Last 10: 4-6
Bid: At-large. RPI: 57
Best win: Beat No. 7 West Virginia 79-75 on Jan. 21.
Scouting the Wildcats: Point guard Barry Brown (2.4 steals per game) is among the nation’s best, but the Wildcats rank among the worst rebounding teams.
No. 12 Middle Tennessee State
Record: 30-4. Last 10: 10-0
Bid: Conference USA champion. RPI: 35
Best win: Beat Vanderbilt 71-48 on Dec. 8.
Scouting the Blue Raiders: This is largely the same team that KO’d Michigan State in last year’s NCAA tournament. They are top-10 in forcing turnovers.
No. 13 Winthrop
Record: 26-6. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Big South champion. RPI: 70
Best win: Beat Illinois 84-80 on Nov. 21.
Scouting the Eagles: Keon Johnson ranks 10th nationally in scoring (22.5 points per game) and 17 th in 3-pointers per game (3.19).
No. 14 Kent State
Record: 22-13. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Mid-American champion. RPI: 143
Best win: Beat Akron 70-67 on March 3 and 70-65 on March 11.
Scouting the Golden Flashes: Power forward Jimmy Hall leads the country’s No. 2 rebounding team. This is the 15th anniversary of Kent’s run to the Elite 8.
No. 15 Northern Kentucky
Record: 24-10. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Horizon League champion. RPI: 87
Best win: Beat Valparaiso 82-78 on Feb. 26.
Scouting the Norse: They made the NCAA tournament in their first year of eligibility. This is a young team led by sophomore point guard Drew McDonald.
No. 16 Texas Southern
Record: 23-11. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Southwestern Athletic champion. RPI: 104
Best win: Beat Rice 71-68 on Nov. 16.
Scouting the Tigers: Zach Lofton is 13th nationally in free throws for the third-most fouled team in Division I. The Tigers are 0-6 in their NCAA appearances.
WEST REGION
No. 1 Gonzaga
Record: 32-1. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: West Coast champion. RPI: 8
Best win: Beat No. 16 Arizona 69-62 on Dec. 3.
Scouting the Bulldogs: The Zags enter the tournament with the No. 1 scoring margin over opponents (23.4 points) and feature a lineup full of potential pros.
No. 2 Arizona
Record: 30-4. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Pac 12 champion. RPI: 2
Best win: Beat No. 3 UCLA 96-85 on Jan. 21.
Scouting the Wildcats: This might be a coming-out party for 7-footer Lauri Markkanen, who leads the team (the Pac 12’s best, down the stretch) in nearly every offensive category.
No. 3 Florida State
Record: 25-8. Last 10: 6-4
Bid: At-large. RPI: 13
Best win: Beat No. 7 Duke 88-72 on Jan. 10.
Scouting the Seminoles: Forward Jonathan Isaac is among the best freshmen in this tournament. He and point guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes are the keys to Florida State’s hopes.
No. 4 West Virginia
Record: 26-8. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: At-large. RPI: 24
Best win: Beat No. 2 Kansas 85-69 on Jan. 24.
Scouting the Mountaineers: Defense fuels their game, as they rank No. 1 in steals (10.5 per game) and turnovers margin (plus 8.4).
No. 5 Notre Dame
Record: 25-9. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 23
Best win: Beat No. 16 Florida State 77-73 on March 10.
Scouting the Fighting Irish: They are at their best when sent to the foul line, making 80 percent of their free throws. And forward Bonzie Colson is among the nation’s best big men.
No. 6 Maryland
Record: 24-8. Last 10: 4-6
Bid: At-large. RPI: 34
Best win: Beat Minnesota 85-78 on Jan. 28.
Scouting the Terrapins: They rely on interior defense and led the Big Ten in blocked shots. Perimeter defense has been a problem at times, though.
No. 7 Saint Mary’s
Record: 28-4. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 17
Best win: Beat Dayton 61-57 on Nov. 19.
Scouting the Gaels: While rival Gonzaga features a high-scoring offense, the Gaels are No. 2 behind Virginia in defense (56.5 points per game).
No. 8 Northwestern
Record: 23-11. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 21
Best win: Beat No. 7 Wisconsin 66-59 on Feb. 12.
Scouting the Wildcats: Finally, they have made the NCAA field, and they have been hot in recent weeks. They rank No. 1 in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers.
No. 9 Vanderbilt
Record: 19-15. Last 10: 7-3
Bid: At-large. RPI: 38
Best win: Beat No. 12 Florida 73-71 on March 4.
Scouting the Commodores: First-year coach Bryce Drew and his team (the first to get an NCAA berth with 15 losses) faced the fifth-toughest Division I schedule.
No. 10 VCU
Record: 26-8. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: At-large. RPI: 19
Best win: Beat Middle Tennessee 80-77 on Dec. 17.
Scouting the Rams: They’ve been called for more fouls than all but 44 of 347 Division I teams, but their pressure defense puts them among NCAA leaders in steals.
No. 11 Xavier
Record: 21-13. Last 10: 3-7
Bid: At-large. RPI: 36
Best win: Beat No. 22 Creighton 82-80 on Feb. 4.
Scouting the Musketeers: A late-season collapse almost wiped out their NCAA hopes. They are strong rebounders but have a shaky perimeter defense.
No. 12 Princeton
Record: 23-6. Last 10: 10-0
Bid: Ivy League champion. RPI: 49
Best win: Beat Bucknell 72-70 on Dec. 22.
Scouting the Tigers: They rolled unbeaten through the Ivy League schedule, thanks to a defense holding foes to 61.6 points per game.
No. 13 Bucknell
Record: 26-8. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: Patriot champion. RPI: 63
Best win: Beat Vanderbilt 75-72 on Nov. 21.
Scouting the Bison: Nana Foulland is most of the offense (field-goal percentage, blocked shots, double-doubles). Otherwise, their shooting is shaky.
No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast
Record: 26-7. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Atlantic Sun champion. RPI: 85
Best win: Beat UT-Arlington 85-72 on Nov. 15.
Scouting the Eagles: This isn’t the entertaining dunking machine of a few years ago, but they are accurate shooters, hitting 50.2 percent from the floor.
No. 15 North Dakota
Record: 22-9. Last 10: 9-1
Bid: Big Sky champion. RPI: 144
Best win: Beat Weber State 93-89 on March 11.
Scouting the Fighting Hawks: Point guard Quinton Hooker was near the top of Big Sky statistics in assists, steals, free-throw percentage and minutes played.
No. 16 South Dakota State
Record: 18-16. Last 10: 8-2
Bid: Summit League champion. RPI: 154
Best win: Beat South Dakota 74-71 on March 6.
Scouting the Jackrabbits: They have won six straight and feature the nation’s No. 2 scorer, Mike Daum (25.3 per game). He scored 51 points in a game this season.
This story was originally published March 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Want to be an instant expert? Here’s who’s in the NCAA tournament field ...."