NCAA West Region Opens with Coaching Legends and Anticipated Matchups
John Calipari's Arkansas faces Bill Self's Kansas, while Rick Pitino's St. John's prepares for its first NCAA Tournament in six years.
- Arkansas' Boogie Fland returns from a thumb injury after missing 15 games, expected to play limited minutes against Kansas.
- Kansas relies heavily on 7-foot-2 center Hunter Dickinson, averaging 17.6 points and 10 rebounds per game, as they face Arkansas' strong defense.
- St. John's, led by Rick Pitino, enters as a No. 2 seed after winning its first Big East Tournament title in 25 years and will face No. 15 Omaha.
- The winner of Arkansas-Kansas could meet St. John's in the second round, setting up a potential coaching showdown between Pitino and either Calipari or Self.
- The West Region has been dubbed the 'Region of Coaches,' featuring Hall of Famers Calipari, Self, and Pitino in pivotal early-round matchups.
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