re: Tide Hoops | Please Anchor

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NCAA Tournament: March sleepers to know for each power conference

You can already feel it. The energy is building as the scent of March Madness looms in the air. In just two weeks conference tournaments begin tipping off and with that comes the opportunity for another unexpected Cinderella run.

In 2021, we saw it with two teams out of the Pac 12. UCLA barely made into the Tournament and made a run from the First to the Final Four. Oregon State miraculously won the Pac 12 Tournament to make it in and advanced all the way to the Elite Eight.

When people say March Madness, most people think strictly of the NCAA Tournament but the madness truly begins in those sink-or-swim moments for many team in the conference tournaments.

With less than five games left for most of the teams across the country, we polled who our sleepers were heading into the greatest month of basketball we have seen in three years with fans expected to be back in attendance.

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SEC

Brandon Jenkins: Although Oliver Nkamhoua is out for the year, this Tennessee squad is deep enough to still make a deep run in the field even if it might by hard to classify them as a true sleeper. Their freshman backcourt is tough, scrappy, and confidently productive while the upperclassmen around them balance things out and produce with a great level of skill, feel, and IQ. Motivation is the key component to this team's success as they have the markers at each position to surprise those outside their league. If anything, their current status only proves how deep the SEC is this season.

Eric Bossi: Alabama has been one of the toughest teams in the country to get a good read on. They play fast, they have offensive freedom and they can play with any team in America. They can also do as good a job of getting in their own way as any team in America. They've got dynamic guards in Keon Ellis, Jahvon Quinerly, Jaden Shackelford and JD Davison and we all know how important guard play can be when it gets to Tournament time.

Jerry Meyer: Arkansas- They are tough to score on when they are determined to defend. The Hogs also have guards who can make tough shots up against the shot clock. I also like the game of Jaylin Williams.

Travis Branham: I'm not sure if they're a "sleeper" anymore but I am taking Arkansas here. Eric Musselman has this team playing their best basketball late in the year and on top of that Muss is always dangerous in March. His guys are tough, they play hard, they defend, they have a closer in JD Notae and they have a variety of weapons at each position. They've won 12 of their last 13 with Kentucky coming to town on Saturday.

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