Florida, Illinois Freshmen Lead South Region

0:00On March 16, Florida tops the South Region as the number one seed and defending national champions fresh off winning the southeastern conference by three games despite a late skid. They're set to face a mid major winner in the first round, making them a safe bet to advance deep into the bracket. Meanwhile, Virginia Commonwealth earned an 11th seed by claiming their lead tournament and they draw a struggling North Carolina squad that's dropped back to back games. Six give the tar heels a slim three point edge, but this match up screams first round chaos. Illinois boasts freshman standout, Keaton Wagler, a six foot six guard leading his third seeded team in scoring and assists while hitting over 40. Percent from three on nearly six tries per game, he's drawing national player of the year buzz and won't stick around mong. Houston's Kingston Flimmings, another top freshman at six foot four, leads his squad in scoring in shots with sharp passing and clutch three point, shooting that shines against tough

1:00foes. He could shoulder the load if needed to push them toward the sweet 16. Penn's TJ power, a transfer with a winding path from Duke to Virginia and now the Quakers, exploded for 44 points and 14 rebounds in. Their Ivy League title win. This former top 20 recruit might be the region's best kept secret facing Illinois firepower. He even eyes these stories unfold to the tournament.