East Region

1. North Carolina (1)

2. West Virginia (3)

3. Kentucky (4)

4. Indiana (5)

5. Xavier (2)

6. Wisconsin (7)

7. Stephen F. Austin (14)

8. Notre Dame (6)

9. Pitt (10)

10. Providence (9)

11. USC (8)

12. Michigan (12, play-in)

13. Tulsa (12, play-in)

This is the best top 5 bracket this year. A potential West Virginia-Xavier and UNC-Kentucky Sweet 16 regional? That's Final 4 good.

Kentucky profiles as 2 seed. They're 8th on KenPom. Indiana profiles as a 4. Xavier is a 4 by KenPom. So, in a way, it evens out.

I really expect chalk all the way through this region. Notre Dame could lose to Michigan and Providence playing closer to home in Raleigh against USC would be the other upset.

Any of the top 5 can come out of this region.