The first thing that stands out in the South Region is the potential second-round showdown between No. 4 Kentucky and fifth-seeded Arizona, a blockbuster of a game that features tons of NBA prospects, though both have difficult first-round games. The winner would likely get No. 1 Virginia, which shouldn’t get challenged much by the No. 8 Creighton/No. 9 Kansas State winner. The bottom of the bracket is just an interesting, as No. 2 Cincinnati looks to get to its first Sweet 16 in six years, and upstarts such as No. 7 Nevada and No. 11 Loyola-Chicago lurk.

Best player: Deandre Ayton (Arizona). The potential No. 1 pick in June’s NBA draft, the 7-foot-1 dominator averaged a double-double of 20.3 points and 11.5 rebounds this season, and is the key to Arizona breaking through and finally reaching a Final Four after losing in the Elite Eight three times over the past eight seasons. He was worth more than the reported $100,000 Arizona was willing to pay to secure his services, a charge coach Sean Miller has denied.

Unsung player: Gary Clark (Cincinnati). The 6-foot-7 forward, as versatile as he is talented, can shoot it from deep (43.7 percent), get to the free-throw line (4.3 attempts per game), hit the glass (8.4 rebounds), defend (1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks) and distribute (2.1 assists).

Best first-round matchup: No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 10 Texas. Strength against strength, two elite-level frontcourts going up against one another. Mohamed Bamba, Texas’s 6-foot-11 lottery-pick-to-be freshman, taking on physically imposing junior Jordan Caroline will be reason enough to tune in.

First-round upset watch: No. 12 Davidson over No. 5 Kentucky. Davidson, which got in by winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament, has the patient style, experience and shooting ability — it hit 39.3 percent of its 3-point attempts — to frustrate the young Wildcats.

Bracket buster: Loyola-Chicago. Buy stock in this 11 seed, which has defeated Florida, the sixth seed in the East Region. It enters on a 10-game winning streak and has tremendous depth, five players who average in double-figures. There is no reason the veteran Ramblers can’t knock off No. 6 Miami in the first round and give third-seeded Tennessee all it can handle after that.

By the numbers:

23 — Double-doubles by Arizona’s Ayton, the second most in the country.

57.2 — Points Cincinnati allows per game, the fewest in the country after Virginia.

The Post’s Pick: Arizona. The Wildcats’ toughest game will be their first, against No. 13 Buffalo, a terrific offensive team that will nearly pull the stunner. After catching a break in the second round by facing Davidson, which stuns Kentucky, they get by the Cavaliers riding Ayton’s broad shoulders, continuing the Cavaliers’ March misery. Sean Miller finally reaches a Final Four in his ninth season at Arizona as Ayton and Co. take care of Cincinnati in the Elite Eight, turning the sport’s big event into a referendum on his ethics, and raising the question whether this achievement will be vacated down the line.

1. Virginia (31-2)

ACC

PPG: 67.5 | OPP: 53.4

The top-ranked team in the country possesses the nation’s best defense again. Coach Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers won their third ACC title in the past five years, but are still searching for their first Final Four since 1984.

So. G Kyle Guy

(14.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG)

Sr. G Devon Hall

(12.0 PPG, 3.2 APG)

So. G Ty Jerome

(10.5 PPG, 3.9 APG)

16. UMBC (24-10)

America East

PPG: 73.9 | OPP: 69.5

The Terriers were a laughingstock while posting seven straight single-digit win seasons, but under coach Ryan Odom, have won at least 21 games in his two seasons, and pulled a massive upset in the America East title game.

Sr. G Jairus Lyles

(20.2 PPG, 3.5 APG)

Sr. G K.J. Maura

(11.4 PPG, 5.2 APG)

So. F Arkel Lamar

(10.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG)

8. Creighton (21-11)

Big East

PPG: 84.3 | OPP: 74.2

The up-tempo Bluejays are fifth in the nation in assists per game at 18.1, but struggle away from home, going 5-9 this year. An 89-83 overtime victory against Villanova on Feb. 24 helped punch their ticket to the Big Dance.

Sr. G Marcus Foster

(20.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG)

Jr. G Khyri Thomas

(15.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG)

Sr. C Toby Hegner

(8.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG)

9. Kansas State (22-11)

Big 12

PPG: 72.4 | OPP: 67.9

One of the most improved players in the country, the well-rounded Dean Wade, a highly-skilled 6-foot-10 forward, has keyed the Wildcats’ late run to a seventh tournament bid in the past nine years.

Jr. F Dean Wade

(16.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG)

Jr. G Barry Brown Jr.

(16.0 PPG, 3.4 APG)

So. F Xavier Sneed

(10.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG)

5. Kentucky (24-10)

SEC

PPG: 76.7 | OPP: 70.2

This may not be the typical Kentucky team fans have become accustomed to seeing in recent years. Yes, the Wildcats start all freshmen again, but they have struggled to find consistency and their identity.

Fr. F Kevin Knox

(15.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG)

Fr. G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

(13.4 PPG, 5.1 APG)

Fr. G Hamidou Diallo

(10.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG)

12. Davidson (21-11)

Atlantic 10

PPG: 77.0 | OPP: 67.9

One of the hottest teams in the country, winners of 11 of their last 13 games, Wildcats punched their ticket by winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament and will be dangerous, shooting 39.3 percent from 3-point land.

Sr. F Peyton Aldridge

(21.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG)

Fr. G Kellan Grady

(18.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG)

Jr. G Jon Axel Gudmundsson

(13.1 PPG, 6.0 RPG)

4. Arizona (25-7)

Pac-12

PPG: 81.1 | OPP: 71.8

Coach Sean Miller allegedly has been heard on FBI wiretaps discussing a $100,000 payment for Deandre Ayton, while Allonzo Trier is back from a PED suspension. Can the Wildcats avoid the distractions?

Fr. F Deandre Ayton

(19.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG)

Jr. G Allonzo Trier

(19.0 PPG, 3.3 APG)

So. G Rawle Alkins

(13.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG)

13. Buffalo (26-8)

MAC

PPG: 85.1 | OPP: 76.2

A potential sleeper, the offensively-gifted Bulls are among the nation’s best in points per game (fifth at 85.1) and assists (12th at 17.2), and feature four upperclassmen who average in double figures.

Jr. G CJ Massinburg

(17.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG)

Jr. F Nick Perkins

(16.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG)

Jr. G Jeremy Harris

(15.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG)

6. Miami (22-9)

ACC

PPG: 74.1 | OPP: 68.0

Jim Larranaga’s team has won at least 21 games for the fourth straight year, and the Hurricanes are hoping to have star guard Bruce Brown Jr. back from foot surgery after he missed the past six weeks.

So. F Dewan Huell

(11.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG)

Fr. G Lonnie Walker IV

(11.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG)

Jr. G Anthony Lawrence II

(8.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG)

11. Loyola-Chicago (28-5)

Missouri Valley

PPG: 72.4 | OPP: 62.2

With a win at Florida on their résumé, the Ramblers haven’t lost since January. They captured the program’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 1985, when they advanced to the Sweet 16.

Jr. G Clayton Custer

(13.4 PPG, 4.3 APG)

Sr. G/F Donte Ingram

(11.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG)

Jr. G Marques Townes

(11.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG)

3. Tennessee (25-8)

SEC

PPG: 74.3 | OPP: 66.1

Picked to finish 13th in the preseason SEC poll, the Volunteers have shunned expectations and have the conference’s Coach of the Year (Rick Barnes), Player of the Year (Grant Williams) and Sixth Man of the Year (Lamonte Turner).

So. F Grant Williams

(15.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG)

Jr. F Admiral Schofield

(13.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG)

So. G Lamonte Turner

(10.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG)

14. Wright State (25-9)

Horizon

PPG: 72.1 | OPP: 65.7

Back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years, second-year coach Scott Nagy and Wright State rely on Grant Benzinger, a skilled senior guard, and Loudon Love, a 6-foot-9 freshman wide-body.

Sr. G Grant Benzinger

(14.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG)

Fr. C Loudon Love

(12.9 PPG, 9.8 RPG)

Jr. G Mark Hughes

(9.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG)

7. Nevada (27-7)

Mountain West

PPG: 83.1 | OPP: 72.9

The Martin twins combine for 38.8 percent of Nevada’s points, but Jordan Caroline could be the X-factor. He has 25 career double-doubles and the Wolf Pack are 24-1 in those games.

Jr. F Caleb Martin

(19.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG)

Jr. G/F Jordan Caroline

(17.9 PPG, 8.8 RPG)

Jr. F Cody Martin

(13.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG)

10. Texas (19-14)

Big 12

PPG: 71.8 | OPP: 68.1

Mohamed Bamba is a game-changer on the defensive end, and Dylan Osetkowski provides scoring punch in the paint, but Texas needs guards Kerwin Roach II and Matt Coleman to produce offensively to avoid going home early.

Jr. F Dylan Osetkowski

(13.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG)

Fr. F Mohamed Bamba

(12.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG)

Jr. G Kerwin Roach II

(11.9 PPG, 3.7 APG)

2. Cincinnati (30-4)

AAC

PPG: 75.0 | OPP: 57.2

The Bearcats have strung together eight straight 20-win seasons under coach Mick Cronin, but have reached Sweet 16 just once, putting added pressure on this experienced group to finally break through.

Jr. G Jacob Evans

(12.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG)

Sr. F Gary Clark

(12.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG)

Sr. F Kyle Washington

(11.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG)

15. Georgia State (24-10)

Sun Belt

PPG: 75.4 | OPP: 67.5

D’Marcus Simonds, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, is a handful — a powerfully built 6-foot-3 guard who is a pest on the defensive end, an adept finisher and high-quality playmaker.

So. G D’Marcus Simonds

(20.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG)

Jr. F Jeff Thomas

(10.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG)

Jr. F Malik Benlevi

(9.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG)