Preview: Breaking down the bracket

Texas is seeking its archetypal assemblage volleyball title since 2012, and if the Longhorns are to triumph it all, they volition bash truthful arsenic the No. 1 wide effect successful the NCAA tournament.

Two different 1-seeds, Stanford and defending champion Wisconsin, person combined for 4 of the past six NCAA titles.

The 4th No. 1 seed, Louisville, reached the nationalist semifinals for the archetypal clip successful programme past past twelvemonth and could marque past arsenic the archetypal ACC squad to triumph it all, but the Cardinals mightiness person to spell done second-seeded Nebraska, which would beryllium nary tiny task.

With this year's last 4 (Dec. 15-17) returning to CHI Health Center successful Omaha, the Huskers are aiming for their sixth nationalist rubric and their archetypal successful their location authorities since 2015.

Meanwhile, San Diego is 27-1 and hasn't mislaid since falling to Louisville successful aboriginal September, but if the Toreros, a No. 2 seed, privation to support shocking the world, they could person to look 2020 champion Kentucky successful a determination semifinal and nine-time champion Stanford successful the determination finals.

Before the regionals statesman Thursday, we asked our analysts to interruption down the bracket -- which teams person the toughest roadworthy to Omaha and what are their predictions for the archetypal play of the tournament?

Which team's effect amazed you the most?

Holly McPeak: Going into the enactment show, I thought either Stanford oregon San Diego would beryllium No. 4, truthful it isn't astonishing that they would person to play each different to get to the nationalist semifinals. I thought Nebraska being seeded up of a streaking Minnesota team, which conscionable swept the Huskers and has a amended RPI, was a surprise, but the committee told maine that portion they agreed the Gophers were the blistery squad of late, Nebraska had a large assemblage of enactment the remainder of the play with nary atrocious losses to unranked teams.

Courtney Lyle: My biggest astonishment wasn't a seed; it was the information that the SEC had the astir teams successful the tournament. Seven teams are dancing, the astir since the SEC had 8 successful 2013. We've seen conferences similar the Pac-12 and the Big Ten reign ultimate successful the volleyball satellite for a agelong time. I deliberation this is simply a large motion the athletics is increasing each implicit the country.

Jennifer Hoffman: I hold with Courtney here. Not that rankings are an denotation of league strength, but lone 2 of the 7 SEC teams are ranked successful the apical 25, and losses down the agelong for a fewer teams should person near immoderate of their at-large bids among the archetypal 4 retired list.

M.A. Voepel: The NCAA tourney bubble tin beryllium murky successful each sports, but it often seems to beryllium truly murky successful volleyball. As Courtney and Jennifer said, 7 for the SEC meant the inclusion of teams specified arsenic Tennessee and Auburn. The league mightiness person expected to get 1 successful (Auburn), but not both. That said, wide determination truly weren't galore strange-looking decisions, particularly compared to immoderate past years.

Sam Gore: This is really the archetypal NCAA tourney bracket that didn't permission maine with a immense question. The Committee did a thorough job, and immoderate archetypal skepticism astir thing was met caput connected and explained by committee seat Pauline Theros. If I had to nitpick, I was minorly amazed Georgia Tech was not a 4-seed.

Paul Sunderland: I was not astatine each amazed wide by the seeding. The committee for years has been wide criticized ... but not this year. However, San Diego earned and deserved a No. 1 seed. The Toreros inactive would person to woody with Stanford, but they earned the No. 4 wide effect and the vantage of hosting.

Which of the apical 4 seeds has the toughest roadworthy to Omaha?

McPeak: Because Minnesota is the hottest squad close now, I consciousness similar Texas' roadworthy volition beryllium challenging. Texas is 1 of the astir carnal teams successful the state and Minnesota tin lucifer the Longhorns successful definite areas. Texas has a peculiar squad chemistry this twelvemonth with each its caller players, and led by Logan Eggleston, the Longhorns are connected a ngo to triumph it all.

Lyle: Texas has the toughest roadworthy to Omaha. The Longhorns could look Ohio State oregon Minnesota successful the ace regionals. The Golden Gophers are 1 of the hottest teams entering the tournament, having won 11 of their past 13 matches. Taylor Landfair averages much than 4.0 kills per acceptable and she's utilized to battling a large artifact successful the Big Ten.

Hoffman: I don't spot immoderate apical 4 seeds having an casual roadworthy to Omaha. I consciousness the tourney tract had immoderate fans questioning the committee, but overall, the mode the tract is dispersed out, whichever teams marque it to Omaha astir surely volition person earned it.

Voepel: The Longhorns whitethorn extremity up with the hardest Elite Eight match, but mightiness not person excessively overmuch occupation earlier that. So for the full roadworthy to Omaha, determination whitethorn beryllium a fewer much imaginable potholes for Louisvillle, which whitethorn person to get past Purdue, Baylor and Nebraska to beforehand to the last four. Overall, each determination last whitethorn consciousness similar a nationalist title lucifer successful presumption of the prime of play.

Gore: Even though I deliberation Texas is the champion wide squad successful the field, its roadworthy to the nationalist semis is afloat of imaginable obstacles. Georgia Tech tin beryllium truly bully erstwhile it gains momentum, and Julia Bergmann tin instrumentality implicit a match. Ohio State and USC are some loaded with endowment arsenic well. That said, Minnesota presents the biggest situation earlier the Texas quarterfinal starts. The Gophers finished beardown successful the Big Ten, and I ever consciousness the caliber of contention Big Ten teams play is simply a affirmative intangible successful NCAA tourney play. With this besides being Hugh McCutcheon's last season, there's an affectional constituent successful play arsenic well. Make nary doubt, Texas tin get done its quarter, but it volition beryllium a well-earned, hard-fought effort.

Sunderland: Texas. Julia Bergmann and Georgia Tech await down the road, and Minnesota is healthy, blistery (7-1 successful the past eight) and has Taylor Landfair rolling.

Which low-seeded oregon unseeded squad has the champion accidental to marque a heavy tally successful the tournament?

McPeak: This is simply a pugnacious question. USC has the imaginable to upset idiosyncratic due to the fact that the Trojans vie well, but they person been battling immoderate superior injuries. Washington is simply a senior-heavy squad that has tons of NCAA acquisition and could marque a agelong tally if it catches fire.

Lyle: I'm excited to spot what Auburn tin do. The Tigers went into the play looking to summation acquisition and turn the antithetic weapons they have. Now Auburn is successful the NCAA tourney for conscionable the 2nd time, dancing with thing to lose. That makes for a unsafe team.

Hoffman: Auburn is young and plays fearlessly. The Tigers had precocious highs and debased lows passim the season, but that ne'er seemed to impact them. Akasha Anderson and Kendel Kemp are forces to beryllium reckoned with, and Auburn is positioned to instrumentality this tourney by surprise.

Voepel: No. 7 effect BYU had lone 1 "bad" nonaccomplishment -- 3-2 astatine Pacific successful October -- and could person a rematch with No. 2 Pitt successful the 2nd round. The Cougars mislaid to Pitt 3-1 successful Provo, Utah, connected Sept. 3, and whitethorn relish different changeable astatine the Panthers.

Gore: I'm going to spell with Kansas oregon UNLV. Both teams are underrated and person the pieces to propulsion disconnected immoderate upsets.

Sunderland: BYU and USC are some susceptible of a run. The Cougars are steadfast present with the instrumentality of setter Whitney Bower. For the Trojans, Texas transportation Skylar Fields and apical setter Mia Tuaniga tin transportation them. Setters marque the difference, particularly this clip of year.

Who is the tournament's must-watch player?

McPeak: I deliberation determination are truthful galore peculiar players that it is hard to prime one. Madi Skinner has developed into 1 of the champion six rotation left-side attackers successful the country, and her counterpart Logan Eggleston is simply a four-time All-American connected a mission. Taylor Landfair of Minnesota is simply a dynamic attacker who tin instrumentality implicit a lucifer arsenic well.

Lyle: Logan Eggleston of Texas has done beauteous overmuch everything but triumph a nationalist championship. Her teammates privation to triumph it for her -- that tells you what benignant of idiosyncratic she is. Eggleston is must-watch TV for her almighty swings, her nasty service and conscionable her axenic drive.

Hoffman: I don't perceive capable astir Brooke Nuneville from Oregon. She's breathtaking to ticker but besides does it connected the antiaircraft extremity and tin beryllium a spark for the Ducks.

Voepel: If you emotion the large hitters, you'll bask watching 6-foot-5 other Kendall Kipp of Stanford. She was a freshman connected the Cardinal's 2019 nationalist title team, erstwhile Kathryn Plummer was Stanford's star. Kipp is averaging 4.31 kills per acceptable and was conscionable named the Pac-12 subordinate of the year. She is the 13th Cardinal subordinate to triumph the conference's apical honor, and the archetypal since Plummer won it back-to-back successful 2017-2018.

Gore: There are 2 must-watch players that springiness fans instant highlights each match: Texas' Logan Eggleston and Georgia Tech's Julia Bergmann.

Sunderland: There are truthful galore must-watch players, but let's commencement with Wisconsin's Devyn Robinson. She is explosive and tin beryllium unstoppable -- conscionable inquire Nebraska and Ohio State. Next is Claire Chaussee of Louisville. She's this year's Jordan Larson grant victor arsenic the champion all-around subordinate successful the country. (OK, truthful what if I made that up?) Lastly, Rice setter Carly Graham is unsocial and led the Owls to a expanse implicit San Diego successful past year's tournament.

Which teams volition marque it to the last four?

Hoffman: Minnesota, San Diego, Wisconsin and Louisville. December is the champion clip of the year. Let the games begin.

Voepel: Texas, San Diego, Wisconsin, Louisville. But if Nebraska, Creighton oregon some marque it, the vigor successful the gathering volition beryllium done the roof.

Gore: The 4 that triumph each their matches! Sorry, I couldn't resist! I'm delighted to accidental this year's NCAA tourney is afloat of imaginable upsets, truthful let's bask however it each plays out.

Sunderland: Let's get down to it. Wisconsin is playing astatine an unthinkable level and Louisville is getting healthier by the time with Anna Debeer returning. I'll prime Stanford by a whisker implicit San Diego (which is the existent deal). Lastly, not to beryllium boring, but Minnesota implicit Stanford. It's a agelong shot, but Minnesota is Texas' kryptonite based connected style.