Will the Tide roll through the South, or can the likes of Arizona, Baylor or Virginia knock off overall No. 1 Alabama?

The NCAA Tournament’s top overall seed claimed the South Region with Alabama earning the right to pick its destination. The Crimson Tide were expected to get that honor and are rolling having just won the SEC Tournament.

History tells us that doesn’t guarantee success, however. Five of the last six top overall seeds failed to make the Final Four and three of them – including last season’s Gonzaga – failed to advance past the Sweet 16.

This region is full of talented teams hoping to capitalize on that. Arizona and Virginia won the Pac-12 and ACC titles, respectively, while Baylor and Creighton were both ranked in the top-10 in the AP preseason poll. Even the double-digit seeds are among the strongest in the field.

How will everything shake out in the South? Let’s dive into some projections, identify the top players and storylines to watch and so much more.

—Tournament Index: March Madness projections, Cinderellas, more
—March Madness: Cinderellas | Contenders | Mid-major stars
—Region Previews: South | Midwest | West | East

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