Sweet 16 picks for College Hoops Pick'em

What a great first two rounds it has been!  There have been some incredible upsets, and if you've picked the upsets correctly, you've been rewarded handsomely.  We had a great second round which propelled us to only 7 points behind the leader and a rank of 52.  We're in a great position to win it.  Here are our picks for the sweet sixteen round.  You can also get a second opinion by visiting Jim Lee's write-ups in the James Lee Sports Report.

1. Miami Hurricanes
• Miami is favored by 5 in this game.  Miami will be without their powerful center, Reggie Johnson, so they could be vulnerable against Marquette's inside game.  They will still have their star shot-blocker Gambi though, and with a smaller lineup, should be able to run and control the tempo, forcing Marquette out of their half-court offensive sets.  If Miami gets a lead early, it will be especially hard for Marquette to come back, since they aren't terrific shooters from long range.
• Confidence: 80%
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
• A great match-up in this game, if we get it, will be Mark Lyons vs Aaron Craft.  One is a terrific scorer and loves to get in the lane and score.  The other is known for his defense, especially on-ball defending.  Both of these teams are playing well at the end of the season, and this should be a great game.  Ohio State is favored by 4 and should have the strength and finesse to be victorious.  They have lots of experience in close-game situations, should it come to that.  An interesting stat for this game:  Ohio State and Arizona have never met in the NCAA tournament.
• Confidence: 90%
3. Syracuse Orange
• Indiana is favored by 6 in this game, but I'm not buying into the line on this one.  Syracuse's 2-3  zone defense will be tough for Indiana I think.  They have never seen it before, and they can be very sloppy with their passes at times.  Indiana barely escaped against Temple, and I think they will be the 2nd #1 seed to lose.  Indiana has losses to teams worse than Syracuse this year, and Syracuse is peaking at just the right time.
• Confidence: 70%
4. Wichita State Shockers
• The Shockers are clearly the better team in this match-up.  They are more physical and present a match-up to La Salle that they have not seen before.  They are favored by 4 in this game and in my opinion take this one easily, but will lose to Ohio State in the Elite Eight.
• Confidence: 90%
5. Louisville Cardinals
• The Cardinals are favored by 10 in this game.  They have been dominant and clearly are deserving of the overall #1 seed.  Oregon, you probably shouldn't have gotten a 12 seed and have done well to advance to the sweet 16, but good luck getting past Louisville.  
• Confidence:  100%
6. Kansas
• The Michigan Wolverines have looked so dominant in their first two games of this tournament that it is hard to pick against them.  I think a major reason they did so well in those games was because they were "at home".  They were 17 - 1 at home this season, but just 5 - 5 on the road.  This game is being played in Arlington, Texas, so Kansas will have more of a home-court crowd in attendance.  Kansas is favored by 2, and this should be a close, fun to watch game.  A key to the game will be Michigan's Mitch McGary and how he fares against Withey and Kansas's inside game.
• Confidence: 70%
7. Duke Blue Devils
• I think this is one of the most intriguing of the sweet 16 match-ups.  These teams match up well and have similar strengths.  Both play great defense, both have great post players, and both can shoot the 3 well.  Michigan State should have more of a home-crowd advantage since the game is in Indianapolis, but Duke is favored by 2 and I like them to get a hard-fought win here to advance to the Elite Eight.
• Confidence:  80%
8. Florida Gators
• Everyone is aware of FGCU by now.  These teams have not met during the regular season, but Florida is favored by 10 and are different animal than Georgetown and San Diego State.  Florida has the better road record, and the teams' ability to travel may play a role in this game since it is in Arlington, Texas.  
• Confidence: 80%

Sweet 16 Predictions

For a breakdown of all the Sweet 16 match-ups, check out the James Lee Sports Report.

First Weekend in Review

I hope everyone enjoyed the first weekend of March Madness as much as I did.  It was an exciting 4 days of basketball.  For me it was especially exciting that my Arizona Wildcats were able to make it to the Sweet 16.  March Madness is always exciting, but it is much better when you have your own team to cheer for.  I don't know what I will do if both Arizona and Florida Gulf Coast lose this week in the Sweet 16, I'm gonna be forced to cheer for, uh, gosh, I don't even know who I would be cheering for, probably Wichita State.  Come on Wildcats! On Thursday morning before the games started I made a couple of predictions for the first weekend of the tournament, so lets see how I did.
1) There will be an upset no one is expecting. 
Hmm, lets see, how many people had Harvard over New Mexico or FGCU over Georgetown? I know I certainly didn't, I had the Hoyas in the Final Four.  I think those two games would count as unexpected upsets.  My other prediction was that a #1 seed would be tested.  Both Gonzaga and Kansas won by single digits and Gonzaga was tied with Southern in the final minutes of the second half before Kevin Pangos hit a couple of big shots including a step-back 3 from the corner.  (1 for 1)
2) Someone will have their coming our party in the first round.
Honestly, there were a couple of people that could fit this description.  I think of Mitch McGary who was a bench player averaging only 6.4 ppg until he got called up to start for Michigan and scored 13 and 21 points in the first and second rounds, respectively.  I also think Sherwood Brown became one of the most exciting players to watch over the first weekend.  No one had heard of him or pretty much anyone from FGCU, but now the entire country knows their names, and everyone knows that their head coach is married to a former Victoria's Secret model (the camera flashed to her every time FGCU scored).  Sherwood Brown had 24 points in the Eagles first game and followed it up with 17 in the second game.  He has some amazing dreads and loves to stick his tongue out.  He is awesome.  I would be in Heaven if this team continued to win.  Not only are they a number 15 seed and fit the bill of a Cinderella team, they are one of the most fun teams I have ever watched in the tournament.  They have had some absolutely mind-blowing dunks that made me think that Lob City was located in Fort Meyers, Florida and not Los Angeles. I even asked my wife if she would mind naming our first son Sherwood.  Check back with me in a few years to see if she was ok with that.  I must also give a bit of a homer shout out to Mark Lyons who led Arizona with 23 and 27 points in the first two games.  He was without question the best player on the court for either team in those games.  He finally started to look like a PG and was able to distribute without causing too many turnovers.  But I must also finally mention the player of the tournament so far, Khalif Wyatt, who had 31 points against both NC State and Indiana.  Temple almost pulled off the upset of the Hoosiers and the star of the show was Wyatt (until Oladipo stole the crown in the end).  I don't know if McGary, Brown, Lyons, or Wyatt will carry this stellar play into the NBA, but at least for now, people who maybe didn't know too much about them before the start of the week, now know their names. (2 for 2)
3) At least 3 double digit seeds will make it to the Sweet 16.
Sunday afternoon I was starting to worry that this pick would not materialize and the tournament would be left with only 2 double digit seeds, but thanks to the Eagles of Florida Gulf coast, a third double digit seed advanced to the round of 16.  Remaining after the weekend of chaos is #12 Oregon, #13 La Salle, and #15 Florida Gulf Coast.  I don't know if any of these teams can make it to the Elite 8, but for now, all have their tickets books for at least one more game.  (3 for 3)
Overall, it was a great first weekend.  Let's hope the next few days can keep the excitement rolling.  In case anyone else wants to jump on the band wagon, get your gear before Friday's game.

College Hoops Pick'em 2nd round picks

What a great first round of the tournament!  A ton of upsets, surprises, and crazy finishes.   Here are our picks for Round 1:

1. Michigan 
• This should be a really close game and could go either way, but since Michigan has home-court advantage, I'm going with them here.
• Confidence: 60%
2. Michigan State 
• This game is played in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  Michigan State will have home-court advantage, are one of the best defensive teams in the country, and play in the toughest conference in America.
• Confidence: 80%
3. Louisville
• Colorado State is a great rebounding team and plays a style of offense that Louisville hasn't seen much, but Louisville was so impressive in their opening round game that we can't pick against them here.  Louisville also has home-court advantage, which plays even more into their favor.
• Confidence: 90%
4. Arizona
• Arizona had a pretty impressive win in the first round against Belmont, who was a really popular upset pick.  Arizona can guard the 3-point line much better than New Mexico can, so we expect Arizona to come out victorious.  This game is in Salt Lake City, so Arizona will have a huge home crowd advantage.
• Confidence: 80%
5. Saint Louis
• Saint Louis should easily win here.  Oregon had a big upset in the first round, but that's it.  Saint Louis looks really, really good.  
• Confidence:  90%
6. Marquette
• Many people forget that Marquette shared the Big East regular season.  They are a physical team, but shoot the ball poorly from 3-point range, so if they get behind early, don't expect a big comeback.
• Confidence: 80%
7. Wichita State 
• Since the brackets were released, I've thought Gonzaga would be the first #1 to lose.  I really like the Shockers in this one to shock the world and take down the Zags.
• Confidence:  80%
8. Syracuse
• Syracuse demolished Montana in the opening round.  They will simply be too much for Cal.  Cal had a great upset of UNLV, but them beating Syracuse would be a monstrous upset.
• Confidence: 100%
9. Ohio State
• Ohio State just man-handled Iona by 25 points.  If they keep playing like that they will go far in the tournament.  They will need to have good perimeter defending since Iowa State leads the nation in 3-pointers made per game.
• Confidence:  85%
10. Indiana
• I really like Indiana to win here, but I think they'll lose to Syracuse in the next round.
• Confidence:  90%
11. Kansas
• Kansas better not have a breakdown like they did in the end of the Western Kentucky game or they will go down early.  I think they'll get past North Carolina pretty easily though.
• Confidence:  85%
12. Florida
• Florida and Minnesota both looked great in their first round games, but Florida is clearly the better team in this match-up.  
• Confidence:  90%
13. Florida Gulf Coast
• The Eagles shocked the country with their upset of Georgetown in the first round.  They have never been to the tournament, but have really caught people's attention with their athleticism and offensive efficiency.  If they can beat Georgetown, they should be able to easily beat San Diego St.
• Confidence:  90%
14. La Salle 
• If La Salle has another second half like they did today, they will not advance far in this tournament.  Fortunately for them, Ole Miss doesn't have near the defense that Kansas State does.  I like La Salle to advance one more round with the mini upset.
• Confidence: 60%
15. Miami
• Illinois simply doesn't have the athletes to keep up and compete with Miami.  I think Miami will at least make the final four.
• Confidence: 90%
16. Duke Blue Devils
• This should be a great game actually.  These two teams match up pretty well.  Both have size on the interior and guards that can shoot the 3 well.  Duke with "home-court advantage" should win here.  
• Confidence: 80%

Best Day of the Year!

It is finally here.  Let me tell you what happened to me last night, I COULDN'T SLEEP.  Oh but not because I wasn't tired or because I had to take care of a crying baby, no it was because I was so excited for March Madness to begin.  It was like being a kid on Christmas eve.  So I wanted to give you all a few additional picks for this first day of the tournament.  These picks have nothing to do with Streak for the Cash or College Pick 'Em, but these are my 3 top things to look for on the first weekend of the dance.

1) There will be an upset no one is expecting.  Most people are picking Oregon over Oklahoma State or Belmont over Arizona, or Saint Mary's over Memphis, but my prediction is that there is an upset out there that no one is expecting.  Unless you all totally forget about how insane and unpredictable the regular season was, how can you not expect something of equal insanity to happen today?  Last season we had two 15 seeds win on the first day of the tournament.  Now I will not be bold enough to predict that something that awesome will happen again, but there will be a few shockers.  I am expecting Davidson to take Marquette down to the wire. I think Harvard may keep it close against New Mexico.  I also think Iona, who has the 5th highest scorer in the country in Momo Jones and their other guard Sean Armand can make lots and lots of 3's, he knocked down 7 or more on multiple occasions this season.  Iona will not be an easy out for the Buckeyes.  And now, my biggest prediction of all: a number 1 seed will ALMOST lose.  Last season Syracuse almost got knocked off by #16 UNC Asheville.  I was impressed by some of the #16 seeds in the play-in games and would not be surprised if a #1 seed is tested again early.

2) Someone will have their coming out party in the first round.  Like Steph Curry did back in 2008 leading his team all the way to the Elite 8 and missing out on a Final Four by 2 points. Curry's tournament play turned him into a # 7 draft pick.  Back in 2011 Derrick Williams of Arizona led his team all the way to the Elite 8 and had his coming out party against Duke when he scored 32 points.  He was subsequently selected #2 in the following NBA draft.  This year someone who is almost unknown will stand out and surprise a lot of people. I think someone will have their coming out party in this tournament.  Maybe Nate Wolters, or Mike Muscala, or Spencer Dinwiddie, but I have a feeling that someone unexpected is going to put up big numbers.  My bold prediction: Someone will score 30 points in the first round.

3)  At least 3, thats right 3, double digit seeds will make it to the Sweet 16.  Lets face it, we all love to pick the upsets but when we pick our brackets, we usually make the straight forward chalk picks after the first round.  We pick an upset here or there, but then come round two, its all chalk.  Most people's Sweet 16's are nothing but top 4 seeds and maybe an 8 seed.  But if we look at the most recent years, double digits seeds are advancing.  In 2010, Washington (11), St. Mary's (10), Cornell (12).  In 2011, Richmond (12), VCU (11), Florida St. (10), Marquette (11).  And last year in 2012, Xavier (10), Ohio (13), NC State (11).   So this year will be more of the same.  So don't just pick chalk.  Some of your first round upsets will also go to the next round.

I hope you all enjoy the tournament! Let's pray for some upsets and some buzzer beaters.  Oh yes, it is finally here.  If you are having to work and won't be able to watch all the games on TV, make sure you check out (http://www.ncaa.com/march-madness-live/?ncaa_mid=persistence-bar:%20mml) and stream all the games live. If you are watching the games at work, just click on the "Boss Button" and an Outlook screen will come up so your boss won't yell at you.  Don't get fired! Also, for those of you who enjoy Grantland, check out some live March Madness commentary with Bill Simmons, Jalen Rose, and others (http://www.grantland.com/live).
Good luck on all your picks.  Have a great first weekend of the tournament.

First Round Picks for College Hoops Pick'em

First of all, for those of you playing Tournament Challenge, be sure and check out our write-ups for each region of the bracket by clicking here.

One reason we like the game of College Hoops Pick'em is that it is played one round of the tournament at a time, and you can change your pick for a game as much as you want until that particular game starts.  So even if your bracket is busted after the first round, you still have a chance at this game. 

We hope you will join our group, and we wish you good luck with your prognostications!

Here are our picks for Round 1:

1. Michigan State -- 95% Confident
• This game is played in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  Michigan State will have home-court advantage, are one of the best defensive teams in the country, and play in the toughest conference in America.
• Confidence: 95%
2. Bucknell
• I'm going with the upset here.  Brad Stevens can flat out coach, and Butler is always good come tournament time, but they missed the tournament last year, are rebuilding, and didn't have a good showing in their conference tournament.
• Confidence:  60%
3. Pittsburgh
• People seem to forget about Pittsburgh and how good they are.  They are long and athletic and have one of the premeir shot-blockers in the country.  I actually like them to upset Gonzaga in the 2nd round.
• Confidence:  90%
4. Saint Louis
• I think Saint Louis will go at least 2 rounds this tournament.  They won their conference tournament, and look really, really good.  
• Confidence:  95%
5. Memphis
• Memphis flat out has some athletes on their team!  Quite a few people are picking the upset of St. Marys in this one, but I just don't see it.  St. Mary's doesn't have the defense to stop Memphis and are not nearly as athletic.  
• Confidence:  85%
6. Marquette
• Many people forget that Marquette shared the Big East regular season.  They are a physical team, but shoot the ball poorly from 3-point range, so if they get behind early, don't expect a big comeback.
• Confidence: 90%
7. Gonzaga
• I think Gonaga will be the first #1 to lose in this tournament, but no #16 has ever beaten a #1 and it won't happen here.
• Confidence:  100%
8. Oklahoma State
• There are so many people that are picking the Oregon upset in this game.  I just don't see it.  Oklahoma St. has some high-quaility wins on their schedule and have Marcus Smart, one of the best point guards in the country.  He will definitely be a 1st round NBA draft pick.  The only advantage I see for Oregon is that the game is in San Jose so they will have more fans at the game.
• Confidence:  85%
9. Louisville
• Again, no #16 has every beaten a #1.  Louisville is the #1 overall seed and is projected by many to cut down the nets in Atlanta.  No chance of an upset here.
• Confidence: 100%
10. Michigan
• One game that busted many people's brackets last year was the #13 seeded Ohio beating Michigan in the first round.  South Dakota State is a good team and have one of the most prolific scorers in the country in Nate Wolters.  I don't think Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. let happen this year what happened last year though, especially since they are playing in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
• Confidence: 70%
11. Arizona
• Arizona has some head-scratching losses this season, but with their early exit from the PAC 12 tournament, they have had time to rest and prepare for this tournament.  This game is in Salt Lake City, so Arizona will have a huge home crowd advantage.
• Confidence: 85%
12. California
• I'm actually taking Cal in the upset here to get revenge for their heart-breaking home loss to UNLV during the regular season.  This game is in San Jose, so it is a virtual home game for Cal.  Cal also had an early exit from their conference tournament, so they will be ready for this game.
• Confidence: 75%
13. Colorado State
• A disadvantage for Colorado State is the travel, but I think they are still talented and athletic enough to beat Missouri.
• Confidence: 60%
14. VCU
• If you like Jay Bilas's picks, then VCU is your team.  He likes them to at least go to the Final Four.  I don't know if they'll make it that far, but they are a great team that plays suffocating defense.  I don't think Akron stands a chance.
• Confidence: 90%
15. New Mexico
• New Mexico has some great shooters, and play good defense.  I don't thnk Harvard has a chance.
• Confidence: 95%
16. Syracuse
• Syracuse seemed to peak at just the right time.  There is not chance that Montana wins this.  
• Confidence: 100%
17. Duke
• Will Duke lay a huge egg like last year?  I highly doubt it.  Their early exit from the ACC tournament will get them motivated to play hard and take care of business.
• Confidence:  100%
18. Ole Miss
• I may be wrong about this one, but I really think Ole Miss can pull off the upset.  Maybe I'm just enamored by how they played through the SEC tournament, but Marshall Henderson is one of the best 3 point shooters in the nation, and when he's on, Ole Miss is really tough to beat.  Check out highlights of the SEC championship game and you'll see what I mean.
• Confidence:  65%
19. Temple
• I'm just feeling the Temple upset in this one, even though NC State is favored by 5.  
• Confidence:  65%
20. Miami
• Miami is extremely talented.  I mean, you don't beat Duke by 28 without having talent.  They are favored by 12 points in this game.  Pacific doesn't stand a chance.
• Confidence:  100%
21. Creighton
• I don't think Cincinnati shoots the ball well enough to beat Creighton.  The only thing that keeps them in games is their ability to get offensive rebounds, but they have not faced someone on the interior like Doug McDermott.
• Confidence:  70%
22. Kansas State
• Kansas State will face either Boise State or La Salle, both of which have not been to the tournament in many years.  Kansas State is a great team with no glaring weaknesses, and should win easily here.
• Confidence: 100%
23. Indiana
• Another #1 seed skates by into the 2nd round.  There will be no troubles with Indiana here.
• Confidence:  100%
24. Illinois
• Many people are picking Colorado to upset Illinois, but I have to go with the Illini in this one.  The Illini are favored by 2.  The big thing that doesn't make me more confident about this pick is that Illinois has been very inconsistent this season.  They should be ready for the tournament though.
• Confidence:  65%
25. Georgetown
• Florida Gulf Coast has never made the tournament, and unfortunately they will get beat soundly by Georgetown in the first round.
• Confidence: 100%
26. Ohio State
• I highly doubt there will be any upsets by #15 seeds in this tournament.  Ohio State had a great run through their conference tournament, and should win with ease here.
• Confidence:  100%
27. North Carolina
• I like the Tar Heels.  Roy Williams know how to coach his team to win tournament games.
• Confidence:  85%
28. Florida
• Florida is favored by 21 in this game.  Northwestern State beating them would be an egregious upset.
• Confidence:  100%
29. Oklahoma
• San Diego State is favored by 2, but I like Romero Osby and Oklahoma to pull of the upset here.
• Confidence:  65%
30. Iowa State
• Notre Dame is favored by 2 in this game, but I like Iowa State in this one.  They average the most 3s made per game at just over 10.  They might get blinded by Notre Dame's uniforms though. 
• Confidence: 75%
31. Kansas
• The line is Kansas -20.  If #1 seeded Kansas loses this game I think Dr. Naismith will roll over in his grave like he probably did when Kansas lost to TCU this season.
• Confidence:  100%
32. Minnesota
• The line on this game is Minnesota -3.  UCLA lost their star point guard to a broken foot.  Minnesota rebounds the ball extremely well and UCLA doesn't at all.  
• Confidence:  85%

It's Madness Time!

Welcome to March Madness!  Are you agonizing over your bracket?  Are your palms sweating, heart racing, and blood pumping?  Don't worry, because we've got you covered.  We have broken down each bracket and analyzed the teams for you to help you make those all-important decisions.

You can find our analysis of each bracket by clicking on the following links:

• Midwest Region
• West Region
• South Region
• East Region

For each region we give a bio of each team, including past tournament appearances and results.  We then give the best game, potential Final Four dark horse, and our Final Four prediction for the region.

We hope you find our site and information useful, that you come back often, and that you help us spread the word by referring all of your friends.  We hope you will join our groups (found in the "Join Our Groups" box on the left) as well.  We will also soon be posting our picks for Women's Tournament and College Hoops Pick'em, so check back often for our latest picks and analysis!

We appreciate any feedback you are willing to offer, so please take time to leave us a comment, or send us a tweet.  

16 teams of the East Region

#1 Indiana Hoosiers (27-6)

• Indiana, preseason number 1 in the nation and now, a number 1 seed, but in the East region.  Indiana's punishment for not winning the Big 10 tournament was being sent to the East region where they will not get to play the sweet 16 and elite 8 games in their backyard, Indianapolis.  But the Hoosiers are still the favorites to win the East and are many peoples pick to cut down the nets in Atlanta.  Victor Oladipo may not have won Big 10 player of the year but he will possibly win national player of the year, especially if he keeps making highlight dunks.  No one would be surprised if Indiana was to win it all.  Head Coach Tom Crean has Final Four experience with Marquette and is hoping to get a championship trophy like his brother-in-law recently did.
• Tournament appearances: 36 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Kentucky in the sweet 16

#2  Miami Hurricanes (27-6)

• Miami was the hottest team in the country for the months of January and February and although they did not finish quite as hot as they started, they were able to win both the ACC regular season and tournament championships.  Shane Larkin has proven himself as one of the best Point Guards in the country and when he starts knocking down his shot, he is lethal from anywhere inside of half-court.  I had my 3 year old daughter fill out a bracket this year, and she picked Miami to win it all.  I highly doubt that will happen, but if I'm wrong, my daughter will have plenty of bragging rights for a long time.
• Tournament appearances: 6 (last appeared in 2008)

#3 Marquette Golden Eagles (23-8)

• If you were to ask anyone who won the Big East this year, I can guarantee that most people would think of Louisville and Georgetown, but few people took notice that Marquette also finished as a part of that 3-way tie for the regular season title.  The Golden Eagles had a solid year and only lost once to a "bad team", the Green Bay Phoenix (who did finish with 18 wins).  Marquette should be a sweet 16 team, but I don't expect much more from them than that.
• Tournament appearances: 30 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Florida in the sweet 16

#4 Syracuse Orange

• On March 9th, Syracuse scored 39 points.  No, not in the first half or in the second half, but in the entire game.  They lost to Georgetown by 22 points in the final regular season Big East game.  I was quick to assume that for all intents and purposes, the Syracuse season was over.  They would maybe play a game or two in the tournament but would not be of much significance.  But then Syracuse almost went on a Gerry McNamara-like run through the Big East tournament and looked poised to win the championship game over Louisville.  Then in the second half after leading the game by 16 points, they suddenly shut down.  They were outscored by 30 points in the second half.  I have no idea which Syracuse team will show up for which game.  I think they'll beat Montana in the first round, but maybe my wife will have correctly picked that upset (she has Montana going to the Elite 8).
• Tournament appearances: 30 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Ohio State in the elite 8

#5 UNLV Rebels (25-9)

• UNLV will take on Cal in the first round of the tournament.  Hmm, I seem to remember these teams playing each other in the not too distant past.  The Rebels were able to beat Cal in Berkeley by 1 point.  Now, one might say that this game is on a neutral court so advantage UNLV.  But this game is only about an hour south of Cal's home.  So this should be another great game.  UNLV has a very exciting Freshman, Anthony Bennett, who is big but also versatile and can shoot from distance, making nearly 40% from long range.  The Rebels have the talent, now its all about putting it together at the right time.
• Tournament appearances: 19 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Colorado in the first round

#6 Butler Bulldogs (26-8)

• Ever man in America wishes he could be Brad Stevens.  The Butler head coach was working at a pharmaceutical company when back in 2000 he decided to quit and became a volunteer assistant for Butler.  He eventually became a full-time assistant and then head coach.  I know I would quit my job today if it meant I could become a head coach somewhere.  He is living the dream.  Not only is he head coach of a division one basketball team, but he has led that team to two Final Fours (it still breaks my heart to this day this this shot didn't go in).  As long as Brad Stevens is Butler's head coach you can never count the Bulldogs out.  Butler was the first team to beat Indiana this season, so we know they have potential to win some big games.  
• Tournament appearances: 11 (last appeared in 2011)

#7 Illinois Fighting Illini (22-12)

• I don't know if any team has been as much of a roller coaster case this season as Illinois.  They have beaten some of the nations top teams including Butler, Ohio State, Indiana, and Gonzaga.  But they also only went 8-10 in conference play and some of those losses were not good (ie, Northwestern and Purdue).  The Illini are good, but I never know if their roller coaster ride is rising up or falling fast to the ground.
• Tournament appearances: 29 (last appeared in 2011)

#8 North Carolina State Wolfpack (24-10)

• NC State gave Duke their first loss of the season, so they can get results in big games.  But here is my questions, will the NC State fans bring the awesome C.J. Leslie cutout to Dayton, OH for the first round games?  Last year as a #11 seed, the Wolfpack went to the sweet 16 and many thought they would contend this year for the ACC title.  They didn't quite live up to expectations, but another sweet sixteen run is not impossible, just very very difficult.
• Tournament appearances: 23 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Kansas in the sweet 16

#9 Temple Owls (23-9)

• As I look at the Owls games this season, only one loss jumps out as an embarrassing and bad loss; a loss to Duquesnse at home.  They beat both Syracuse and St. Louis who are #4 seeds in the tournament.  Khalif Wyatt is a 20 ppg scorer and is a great senior leader.  They are a high scoring team who gets the majority of those points from assists.  
• Tournament appearances: 30 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to South Florida in the first round

#10 Colorado Buffalo (21-11)

• In just two seasons in the Pac 12, Colorado has become one of the best teams in the conference.  Spencer Dinwiddie is a 6'6" point guard who can score and create plays for his teammates   Andre Roberson is only 6'7" but he leads the country in rebounds at over 11 per game.  He is active and knows where he needs to be on the court at all times.  The Buffalos should beat Illinois in the first round and will be a tough competition to Miami in round 2.
• Tournament appearances: 11 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Baylor in the second round

#12 California Golden Bears

• Cal is lead by Pac 12 player of the yea Allen Crabbe who scored 31 in Tucson this year in Cal's defeat of Arizona.  For a stretch during the conference season Cal won 9 of 10 games and looked like the best team in the conference.  As mentioned above, the Bears already played UNLV this season which can help them as they try to figure out what they need to improve on to be victorious the second time around.  If the backcourt of Crabbe and Cobbs plays well, Cal is a difficult team to beat.  This will likely be a popular upset pick.
• Tournament appearances: 17 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to South Florida in the play-in game

#13  Montana Grizzlies (25 - 6)

• The Grizzlies are a tournament regular but are also usually a one-game fixture.  This will be their 10th appearance in the big dance and only twice before have they won a game.  The first time was all the way back in 1975 and the other time, in 2006, as a #12 seed, they knocked off Nevada in the first round.  Montana does not have a win this season against a big name opponent.
• Tournament appearances: 10 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the first round to Wisconsin

#14  Davidson Wildcats (26 - 7)  

• You can't think of Davidson without thinking of Steph Curry.  They made a run to the Elite 8 back in 2008, losing to the eventual champions Kansas.  Davidson has been here before.  They have some upset adds against Marquette, but I wouldn't count on it.
• Tournament appearances: 12 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the first round to Louisville

#15  Pacific Tigers (22 - 12)

• The Tigers beat the Anteaters (which seems like an unfair advantage) to win the Big West tournament.  Pacific has beaten some decent teams this season including Saint Marys and Xavier.  The Tigers have once made it all the way to the elite 8, back in 1967.  In 2006 they were a #13 seed and took Boston College to 3 OT before losing and being sent home.  Pacific is a good team and will be a tough out for whoever they are matched against in the first round.
• Tournament appearances:  9 (last appeared in 2006)

#16  James Madison Dukes (20 - 14) 

• The Dukes make it back to the Madness for the first time since 1994.  Their two leading scorers are Seniors which is often a recipe for a potential first round Cinderella.
• Tournament appearances: 5 (last appeared in 1994)

#16  LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (20 - 13) 

• Brooklyn played the number 303 strength of schedule this year, which is a major reason why they got a #16 seed.  Who knows, maybe they will be the team to finally do the impossible and knock off a #1, but don't count on it.
• Tournament appearances: 6 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the round of 64 to Michigan St.

Best first round game: Butler vs. Bucknell

Possible Dark Horse who could reach the Final Four: Colorado

Final Four Prediction: Miami

16 teams of the South Region

#1  Kansas Jayhawks (29 - 5)

• I'm not sure why, but when I think back to last season, I always seem to forget that Kansas made it all the way to the championship game only to fall to Kentucky.  I guess it's true what they say, no one ever remembers the team who finishes in second.  The Jayhawks have at times this season looked like one of the nation's top teams and at other times, they looked like a team that didn't belong anywhere near the tournament, or in head coach Bill Self's own words, they looked like "the worst Kansas team since Doctor Naismith was the coach."  Having said all that, Kansas find themselves as a #1 seed and are likely to make a deep run, but will someone be the next Northern Iowa?  They have one of the nation's top players, Ben McLemore, who is hoping that this year, they not only make it to the title game but that they win it and this time next year, people will remember them.
• Tournament appearances: 42 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the championship game to Kentucky

#2 Georgetown Hoyas (25-6)

• No one knew at the start of the season that Otto Porter Jr, was going to have as good of a year as he did and win the Big East player of the year.  OPJ (as the kids like to call him) averaged 16 ppg while shooting nearly 50% from the field and 43% from distance.  He will likely be a top five pick in the upcoming NBA draft.  The Hoyas get to play their first round games just a couple of hours away from DC and should have a good crowd of smart people there cheering them on.  Maybe even their most famous Alumi will make the trip, if he isn't too busy taking pictures with one of their biggest rivals.  The Hoyas were able to win a share of the Big East regular season title after winning 12 of their final 14 games.  I think the Georgetown has what it takes to make a run to Atlanta.
• Tournament appearances: 28 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to NC State in the second round

#3 Florida Gators (26-7)

• Most of the time, Florida is really good.  But then, every once in a while, the Gators will lay a stink bomb and forget how to play basketball.  Such was the case against Kentucky when they couldn't score a single point, not even a free throw, in the final seven minutes of the game.  The Gators lost a handful of games this season that they should have own including games against Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee.  When the Gators played Arizona they had a 7 point lead with less than a minute to go and somehow managed to give the Wildcats the game.  Florida has a lot of talent and I would not be surprised if they make it to the Final Four, but I don't think this is their year.
• Tournament appearances: 17 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Louisville in the Elite 8

#4 Michigan Wolverines (26-7)

• All season Michigan was one of my picks to go to the Final Four.  I loved watching their backcourt of Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.  I told my friends that if I was the GM of my favorite NBA team, I would do whatever it took to draft Trey Burke in the first round, even if we had the number 1 overall pick.  I truly think he is that good.  He won the Big 10 player of the year award.  He scores nearly 20 ppg but is also a true PG who can pass the ball very well; he averages 7 assists per game.  So what happened to the maze and blue down the stretch? They went 4-4 and did not look like the team that was once ranked #1 in the country.  Part of that may have to do with the tough Big 10 schedule and it may have taken its toll on them.  A lot of people are picking South Dakota State to knock off Michigan in the first round but the Wolverines are playing their first round games just 55 miles from Ann Arbor and should have a home court feel.  I think Michigan could go to the Final Four, but something tells me this won't be their year.
• Tournament appearances: 23 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Ohio in the first round

#5 Virginia Commonwealth Rams

• VCU is the only team to ever win 5 games en route to the Final Four.  Two years ago the Rams were not supposed to be selected to the tournament, but the selection committee saw something that no one else did and invited them to play in one of the play-in games.  I, like many other people, thought that VCU would lose that play-in game and soon everyone would forget that they even participated in the tourney.  But their young coach, Shaka Smart somehow got that group of players to knock off #1 Kansas and then get all the way to the Final Four.  Few players remain from that team, but it must have had a huge impact on recruiting as the Rams have some very good young talent.  VCU finds themselves in what some people consider one of the easier regions this year and may be poised to repeat the feat they accomplished just two seasons ago.  But this time, a Final Four run will require only 4 games.  
• Tournament appearances: 11 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Indiana in the second round

#6 UCLA Bruins (25-9)

• Eight games into the season, UCLA looked nothing like the team they were expected to be this season.  They had one of the top recruiting classes and were supposed to contend for the Pac 12 title.  But after 8 games, the Bruins had already lost 3 games including a home loss to Cal Poly.  The Bruins dreams of a trip to the tournament seemed like a distant memory.  But then on December 28th the Bruins faced off against the #7 Tigers from Missouri and beat them in OT.  From that point on, UCLA looked like a different team.  They went on to win the Pac 12 regular season title and Shabazz Muhammad became one of the top Freshman in the country.  But in the Pac 12 semi-final against Arizona, Jordan Adams, the Bruins second leading scorer, broke his foot on the final play of the game and will miss the rest of the season.  Bad news for Bruins fans but they still have a lot of talent and will need players like Larry Drew II to step up even more.
• Tournament appearances: 44 (last appeared in 2011)

#7 San Diego State Aztecs (22-10)

• The Aztecs are led by the backcourt of Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley.  The two Juniors average almost 30 ppg between the two of them.  The Aztecs lost games this season to all the top teams in the Mountain West and I am quite surprised that they received a #7 seed.  I think they are better than their first round opponent, but probably not good enough to make it to the second weekend.
• Tournament appearances: 8 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to NC State in the first round

#8 North Carolina Tar Heels (24-10)

• For North Carolina, this was an off year.  The Heels lost 10 games including both against their rivals Duke.  UNC is not a bad team but is nothing compared to what they have been historically.  James Michael McAdoo and P.J. Hairston both average 14 ppg but the Heels are lacking a signature win this season as they lost every time they played a significant opponent.  UNC should win their first game, but I would be shocked if they can beat Kansas in the second round.  But back in 2000 UNC was a #8 seed and made it all the way to the Final Four.  But I don't see history repeating itself this year.
• Tournament appearances: 43 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Kansas in the Elite 8

#9 Villanova Wildcats (20-13)

• With 13 losses, I have no idea how Nova received a #9 seed.  In the off season they lost 3 straight games to Alabama, Columbia, and La Salle.  But they made up for those losses during conference season by upsetting Louisviile, Syracuse, Marquette and Georgetown.  The Wildcats have potential to be good, but I don't think they'll win their first round game against North Carolina.
• Tournament appearances: 32 (last appeared in 2011)

#10 Oklahoma Sooners (20-11)

• The Sooners are another team that I was surprised to see in the tournament.  After finishing the season with losses to TCU and Iowa State, I assumed their tournament chances were doomed.  It is very likely that Oklahoma is in the tournament because of their one victory over Kansas back in February.  They finished 5th in the Big 12 and if they hope to win a game or two in the tournament, they may need this guy to suit up for them.
• Tournament appearances: 26 (last appeared in 2009)

#11 Minnesota Golden Gophers (20-12)

• Ok, I get it, the Big 10 was the best conference in the country this year.  But Minnesota? I am not trying to be a hater but after starting 15-1 on the season, the Gophers finished the season going 5-11. I understand that the committee looks at the entire body of work, but there has to be some teams out there that were more deserving than Minnesota.  They had a 4 game losing streak this season and then a 3 game losing streak with losses to Nebraska and Purdue.  Minnesota's saving grace this year was their upset of then #1 Indiana.  Navigating through the Big 10 this season was not an easy task for any team, but Minnesota did it worse than any other team that made the tournament.  But Minnesota caught a break when they got paired against UCLA who just lost one of their leading scorers to a broken foot.
• Tournament appearances: 11 (last appeared in 2010)

#12  Akron Zips (26 - 6)

• The Zips are pretty good.  They are in the top 60 in the nation in 4 major categories  Points per game, rebounds per game, assists per game, and field goal percentage.  The Zips are matched up with VCU in the first round though, so I don't expect their tournament lives to be long lived.
• Tournament appearances: 4 (last appeared in 2011)

#13  South Dakota State Jackrabbits (25 - 9) 

• One thing that I don't love about college athletics is the amount of teams that share the same mascot.  There are too many Bears, Bulldogs, Wildcats, etc.  So anytime there is a team called the Roadrunners like at UT San Antonio, or the Gauchos from UC Santa Barbara, or the Jackrabbits from South Dakota State, I automatically want to see that team win.  But the sad thing is that those schools with unique names usually aren't very good.  But South Dakota State does have one very very good player. Nate Wolters is averaging 23 ppg this season and that includes a 53 point game earlier this year.  I don't expect the Jackrabbits to get a win in this year tournament, but I hope they do, and remember that Michigan lost to #13 Ohio last year.
• Tournament appearances: 2 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the round of 64 to Baylor

#14  Northwestern State Demons (23 - 8)

• NW St has been to the tournament two other times and both times won at least one game.  Once was only a play in game, but the other time in 2006 they knocked off the #3 seed Iowa.  The Demons will may be able to pull off a similar upset, but don't count on it.
• Tournament appearances: 3 (last appeared in 2006)

#15  Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (24 - 10) 

• FGC earns their first ever trip to the tournament.  The Eagles have two guards that average over 14ppg.  They will have a David vs Goliath match-up against Georgetown.
• Tournament appearances: none

#16  Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (20 - 15) 

• Remember what I said about South Dakota State's mascot? Well go ahead and ditto that entire section here for the Hilltoppers.  WKU will not make it past the first round, but so what,  I am excited to see Big Red dance on the court.
• Tournament appearances: 23 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the first round to Kentucky

Best first round game: Michigan vs. South Dakota St.
Possible Dark Horse who could reach the Final Four: VCU
Final Four Prediction: Georgetown

16 teams of the West Region

#1  Gonzaga Bulldogs (30 - 2)

• The Zags have won 14 straight going into the tournament.  They do play in a "weaker" conference, but as mid-majors go, it is one of the better ones.  Gonzaga went undefeated in conference play and their only two losses were to teams in the BPI top 50.  In my opinion, what Mark Few has been able to do with his group of players makes him the leading candidate for coach of the year.  And Kelly Olynyk may have long hair to go along with his girl's name, but he plays like a man.  He too is a leading candidate for player of the year. Since Gonzaga has a #1 seed for the first time in school history, maybe this is the year they will advance to their first Final Four.  Be aware though, that Gonzaga is largely untested, and may be the first #1 seed to go down.
• Tournament appearances: 16 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the round of 32 to Ohio State

#2  Ohio State Buckeyes (26-7)

• The Buckeyes have won 8 straight games and have gotten hot at the right time.  They remind me of Connecticut from 3 years ago when Kemba Walker inspired the team that finished 8th in the Big East to win the Big East tournament and eventually the National Championship.  Could OSU be this year's version of UConn?  I would not be surprised if Ohio State makes a Final Four run.  Having a Point Guard, Aaron Craft, who has great experience leading his team will benefit the Buckeyes as they try and win their first national title since 1960.
• Tournament appearances: 28 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost to Kansas in the Final Four

#3  New Mexico Lobos (29 - 5)

• You gotta cheer for a team that is named after a Shakira song.  The Lobos finished the season with only 5 losses.  UNM is a quality team that has 4 players who average 10 points or more a game.  They do not have a superstar but play strong defense and hold the majority of their opponents under 60 points a game.
• Tournament appearances: 14 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the second round to Louisville

#4 Kansas State Wildcats (27-7)

• I wonder is Frank Martin is regretting his decision to leave Kansas State for South Carolina.  It took me a while to get use to seeing a Kansas State coach who's eyes were not popping out of his head.  Luckily for Kansas State, they were able to find the perfect fit for their program, Bruce Weber, who has led a team to the National Championship game before.  I was expecting the Wildcats to have an off season as they adjusting to the new coaching style, but what occurred in little Manhattan this year was anything but an off season.  K-State finished in a tie for first in the Big 12, but 2 of their four losses were to the team they tied with, Kansas.  K-State's Senior star, Rodney McGruder has great experience and was on the elite eight team of 2010.  Having Senior leadership will be a great asset as they hope to advance.
• Tournament appearances: 26 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Syracuse in the second round

#5 Wisconsin Badgers (23-11)

• One might ask themselves, "how can a team with 11 losses be a number 5 seed?"  Well that 11 loss team has also beaten Michigan twice, Indiana twice, Illinois twice and Ohio State once.  I have no idea how a team with so much talent could have lost as many times as they did.  Wisconsin has the talent of a Final Four team.  The question is, will this team that looks like a bunch of dairy farmers play like they did when they beat Indiana twice or will they play like they did when they lost to Purdue or Iowa?  
• Tournament appearances: 18 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Syracuse in the sweet 16

#6 Arizona Wildcats (25-7)

• Arizona went undefeated in the non-conference season with victories over Florida, Miami, and San Diego State.  Once conference play started, they never looked quite like the team they were at the start of the season.  Since the Wildcats don't have the possibility of meeting any Pac 12 team until the Final Four, it is obvious to me that their road to Atlanta will be a breeze.   Ok, maybe not.  Two years ago Arizona was ranked #3 in the country in 3 point defense and last season they were ranked #5.  This year, they have fallen all they way to about 150th.  When the Cats shoot well, they are hard to beat.  But if they can't knock down their shots and if they can't defend, they will not last long in the tournament.  Arizona's freshmen never quite developed into what they were expecting and Mark Lyons, their transfer PG never quite became a true PG.  Arizona has some of the best talent in the country, but they may still be a season away from making a run deep into the tourney.
• Tournament appearances: 29 (last appeared in 2011)

#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (25-9)

• If you are a ND fan, lets hope for your sake that the basketball team shows up to the post season more than the football team did.  The Fighting Irish go the way that Jack Cooley goes.  If they are able to run their offense through him effectively, they are tough to beat.  If not, Iowa State may be able to knock them off in the first round.
• Tournament appearances: 32 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Xavier in the first round

#8 Pittsburgh Panthers (24-8)

• Pitt is a very good #8 seed and will likely pose a huge threat to Gonzaga in the second round.  They have beaten Syracuse, Georgetown, and Cincinnati this season.  They are a very good passing team and when they are able to settle into a half-court offense they can often find the open man.  They have 5 players who shoot better than 30% from behind the arc and can be a 3 point threat.  Don't sleep on Pitt.  They are good and may just become Giant Slayers.
• Tournament appearances: 23 (last appeared in 2011)

#9 Wichita State Shockers (26-8)

• I was honestly surprised that Wichita State got a 9 seed.  I think they are good, but there are a lot of teams who received seeds lower than they did who I would consider much better than they are.  Their best two wins of the season were against Creighton and VCU.  They are a team with great potential, but I would be surprised to see them in the second round.
• Tournament appearances: 9 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to VCU in the first round

#10 Iowa State Cyclones (22-11)

• The Cyclones can score!  They have the 4th highest points per game in the country and shoot over 45% from the field.  They took Kansas to OT twice this season, so they can hang with the big boys.  I think Iowa State has a very favorable match-up against Notre Dame in the first round and should be able to pull off the upset.  
• Tournament appearances: 14 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Kentucky in the second round

#11  Belmont Bruins (26 - 6) 

• The Bruins have been to the tournament a few times before and in previous seasons have been chosen by a lot of people as their "upset pick".  They have yet to actually upset anyone, but this may be the year.
• Tournament Appearances: 6 (were in it last year)
• Tournament Result last year:  lost in the first round to Georgetown

#12  Ole Miss Rebels (26-8)

• Before today, the Rebels were a bubble team and were going to have to wait and see if the committee found them worthy of the tournament.  But instead of waiting on the committee, the Rebels decided to take care of business and win the SEC tournament.  Guard Marshall Henderson leads the team with 20 ppg and is the white man Reggie Miller.  He trash talks, taunts the crowd, and even hits on the cheerleaders during the game.  He plays with a lot of emotion and is someone you either love or hate, surprised me he didn't go to Duke, he would've fit right in.  I think they have decent upset odds against Wisconsin, but will likely be a one-and-done.
• Tournament appearances: 6 (last appeared in 2006)

#13 Boise State Broncos (21-10)

• Who remembers the game back on January 9th when Boise State knocked off one of the 4 remaining undefeated teams in the country? What a huge win that was for the Broncos against the Cowboys.  No, not Oklahoma State, but Wyoming.  Ok, so it wasn't that big of a victory and Wyoming only finished with 4 conference wins.  The Broncos have an impressive looking Guard from Australia named Anthony Drmic (almost looked like I was about to write Anthony Davis), who averages 18 ppg.  If the Broncos can make it past their play-in game, they will have a very tough match-up against Kansas State.  But if BSU can win that first game, it will be their first ever tournament victory.  As a side note, this is Boise State's first ever at-large bid to the tourney.  
• Tournament appearances: 5 (last appeared in 2008)

#13 La Salle Explorers (21-9)

• You know how before every football game Colorado will have a big buffalo and Texas has a longhorn run onto the field.  Well what do you think La Salle has on the court before the start of their games? Here is your answer.  The Explorers did beat Butler and VCU this year which shows they can win against quality competition.  But hey, La Salle has won a National Championship, albeit 59 years ago. I think La Salle is your perfect example of the girl who is just happy to be invited to the dance.  They have not been to the tournament in 21 years and have overcome some huge scandals and adversity.  Welcome back to the tourney La Salle.
• Tournament appearances: 11 (last appeared in 1992)

#14  Harvard Crimson (19 - 9) 

• Harvard goes to their second straight tournament.  The Ivy League has given us some exciting first round games the past few seasons.  Harvard has some good wins this year, including a victory against the second place Pac-12 team, Cal.
• Tournament appearances: 3 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the first round to Vanderbilt

#15  Iona Gaels (20 - 13) 

• The Gaels gave up a 25 point lead last year against BYU in the play-in round.  They will be back for a second season led by Momo Jones who averages over 23 ppg and last season dropped 43 in a game.  Momo has some tournament history including an elite 8 in 2011 when he played for Arizona.
• Tournament appearances: 10 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the play-in round to BYU

#16   Southern Jaguars (23 - 9)

• Southern University has only one tournament win, back in 1993.  As a 16 seed, they will most surely not get another one this season.  A #16 seed has never beaten a #1 seed, but there's always a first for everything I guess.
• Tournament appearances: 8 (last appeared in 2006)

Best first round game: Notre Dame vs. Iowa State

Possible Dark Horse who could reach the Final Four: Arizona 

Final Four Prediction: Ohio State

16 teams of the Midwest Region

#1 Louisville Cardinals (29 - 5)

• The Cardinals were at one point this season ranked #1 before losing at home to Syracuse, which was the first of three straight losses.  But since those 3 losses, Louisville has only fallen one other time, which was against Notre Dame in a 5 OT thriller.  Louisville was in the Final Four last season and is led by head coach Rick Patino who knows how to get to the Final Four, but also knows how to win it all.  They are the overall #1 seed, and should be considered a threat to once again reach the Final Four and possibly win it all.
• Tournament appearances: 39 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the Final Four to Kentucky

#2 Duke Bluedevils (27-5)

• Duke was zeroing in on another #1 seed but fell in the ACC quarterfinals to Maryland.  Still, Duke has a shot at making the Final Four but find themselves in one of, if not the, toughest region.  Duke has only 5 losses on the season but has been quite inconsistent.  They have had moments of greatness with Ryan Kelley but have had several losses against mediocre competition, including Maryland and Virginia and a near 30 point loss to Miami.  Now these aren't bad teams, but they are losses that should have been wins.  I don't expect Duke to lose again as a #2 seed like they did last year.  Depending on which version of Duke shows up, the Bluedevils could either win the National title, or go home in the second round to Creighton/Cincinnati, or they could lose to another 15 seed.
• Tournament appearances: 36 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in first round to Lehigh

#3 Michigan State Spartans (25-8)

• The Spartans have been to five Final Fours since 2000.  Under Tom Izzo they are always a threat to make a deep run.  MSU looked at times to be the best team in a very difficult Big 10.  They didn't have a single loss this season against an unranked team.  I think the Spartans should win their first round game, but if they are matched up against Memphis in the second round, they may not make it back to the sweet 16.
• Tournament appearances: 26 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost to Louisville in the Sweet 16

 #4 St. Louis Billikens (27-6)

• At the beginning of the season I did not expect St. Louis to be as good as they were the past few seasons.  After their former head coach Rick Majerus decided to retire before the start of the season and then passed away a few weeks later, I expected St. Louis to have an off year.  But it was the exact opposite.  St. Louis had a better season than last year and as a #4 seed could really make some noise in this tournament.
• Tournament appearances: 7 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in second round to Michigan State

#5 Oklahoma State Cowboys (24-8)

• The Cowboys may have the #1 player selected in the upcoming draft, Marcus Smart, who averages 15 ppg, 6 rbg, and 4 apg.  He is a great all around player and is the biggest reason OK St was able to have such a successful season.  They had some big wins this season, none bigger than knocking off Kansas in Lawrence and ending their 33 game home court win streak.  But the Cowboys got unlucky with their first round draw.  They are matched with the Pac 12 tournament champs, Oregon, who most people believe deserved much higher than a 12 seed.  Tough break for the Cowboys.
• Tournament appearances: 24 (last appeared in 2010)

#6  Memphis Tigers (30 - 4)

• Memphis started the season 6-3 and chatter begin to circulate about how coach Josh Pastner was on the hot seat.  Since that start, the Tigers have gone 24-1 with their only loss on the road against Xavier.  They finished the conference season undefeated and won the conference tournament for the third straight year.  I think this team is good enough to win their first two games and advance to the Sweet Sixteen.  If you get a chance to watch Memphis, keep your eye on Chris Crawford who can score with the best in the country.  In the conference quarter finals he had 6 triples and followed that up by scoring 30 points in only 27 minutes of play and knocking down 8 of 10 from behind the arc.  Oh and did I mention, he is not a starter.  Also take a look at DJ Stephens who may be one of the most athletic players in the country with a 41" vertical jump.  He plays above the rim and can block, rebound, and oh yes, dunk.
• Tournament appearances: 25 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the first round to St. Louis

#7  Creighton Bluejays (27 - 7) 

• The Jays spent most of this season in the top 25.  They may play in a smaller conference but they played 7 games this season against teams in the RPI top 50 and have wins over Cal and Wisconsin.  Creighton is led by one of the Wooden Award finalists Doug McDermott.  They have a tough draw against Cincinnati, but could knock off a couple teams in the tournament.
• Tournament appearances: 18 (were in it last year)
• Tournament Result last year:  lost in the Round of 32 to North Carolina

#8 Colorado State Rams (25-8)

• Of all the mid-major conferences, the Mountain West is arguably the best.  The MWC has 5 teams in the tournament this year.  For the Rams to finish in second place in that conference says a lot about the quality of team that they are.  If they get past their first round game, they will give Louisville a tough test in the second round.
• Tournament appearances: 9 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year (lost to Murray State in the first round)

#9 Missouri Tigers (23-10)

• Missouri had the potential this season to compete with Kansas for the Big 12 title, but in the end it didn't play out that way and they finished 5th in their conference.  The Tigers biggest win of the year was against then #5 Florida.  Missouri will look to avenge their first round upset last season when they were shocked as a #2 seed getting knocked of by the #15 seed.  Led by Junior PG Phil Pressy, the Tigers like their first round opponent Colorado State could be a tough match for Louisville, but the biggest challenge will be getting to the second round.  This should be a great first round match-up.
• Tournament appearances: 25 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year (lost to Norfolk State in the first round)

#10 Cincinnati Bearcats (22-11)

• For those women who mark their bracket selections based on which mascot would win in a fight, Cincinnati may win the National Championship.  I mean, think about it, a bear that is also a car, nothing could defeat a Bearcat could it?  But for the rest of us who make our selections based on performance during the regular season, Cincinnati does not pose much of a threat to make it out of the first weekend of the tournament.  They lost 7 of their final 11 games and finished in 9th place in the Big East.  
• Tournament appearances: 26 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year (lost to Ohio State State in the sweet 16)

#11 Middle Tennessee (28-5)

• Growing up I remember when Middle Tennessee played my local Univeristy in football.  The next week when my group of friends played each other we would all argue over who got to pretend to be Middle Tennessee.  We would say things like, "I get to be Middle Southern Northwest a little to the left Tennessee." For us, Mid Tenn was a joke, but this season, the basketball team is nothing of the sorts.  They won 17 straight games before losing to FIU in the conference tournament.  A lot of people were shocked to see two teams selected from the Sun Belt conference, but the Blue Raiders should put up a fight against any team they play in the tournament.
• Tournament appearances: 6 (last appeared in 1989)

#11 Saint Mary's Gaels (27-6)

• The Gaels are led by Senior guard Matthew Dellavedova from Australia who averages 16 ppg and 7 apg.  He was one of the best players in the West Coast Conference this season and helped his team win every single conference game this season, except for the 3 times they played Gonzaga.  I know a lot of people overlook the "play-in games" and start watching the tournament on Thursday.  But I think this St. Mary's / Mid Tenn game should be an exciting game to watch.
• Tournament appearances: 7 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year (lost to Purdue in the first round)

#12  Oregon Ducks (26 - 8)

• The Ducks finished the Pac 12 season losing two in a row to Colorado and Utah.  Going into the Pac 12 tournament they were the #3 seed but many people expected them to be a one and done in the tourney.  The Ducks are led by E.J. Singler, brother of the Pistons forward and former Duke standout Kyle Singler.  The Ducks are considered by many to be a first round threat to Oklahoma St.
• Tournament appearances: 11 (last appeared in 2008)

#13  New Mexico State Aggies (24 - 10)

• New Mexico State once went to the Final Four, well, back in 1970.  So don't expect them to repeat that feat of 1970.  The Aggies will likely go home after one game.
• Tournament appearances: 20 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the first round to Indiana

#14  Valparaiso Crusaders (26 - 7) 

• Any time Valpo is in the tournament I have to assume an upset is a possibility.  After all, Bryce Drew is their head coach.  This will be a very tall order against Michigan St. though.
• Tournament appearances: 8 (last appeared in 2004)

#15  Albany Great Danes (24 - 10)

• Albany finished in 5th place in their conference standings but got hot at the right time to win the American East tournament. The Great Danes only played one school from the power 6 conferences, Ohio State, and lost by 24.  I don't expect to see them last too long in the tournament, as they should be a one and done.  Them beating Duke would be a monumental upset, and Coach K. will not let happen again what happened last year.
• Tournament appearances: 3 (last appeared in 2007)

#16  North Carolina A&T (19 - 16)

• When people think about the state of North Carolina, the first team everyone thinks about is the Aggies from North Carolina A&T.  No one thinks about Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest, it's all about NC A&T.  Welcome to the tournament Aggies, hope you enjoy being a #16 seed.
• Tournament appearances: 10 (last appeared in 1995)

Best first round game: Oklahoma St vs. Oregon

Possible Dark Horse who could reach the Final Four:  Memphis 

Final Four Prediction: Louisville

Who's Already In...

Automatic Bids to the Big Dance:

American East:  Albany Great Danes (24 - 10)

• Albany finished in 5th place in their conference standings but got hot at the right time to win the American East tournament. The Great Danes only played one school from the power 6 conferences, Ohio State, and lost by 24.  I don't expect to see them last too long in the tournament, as they should be a one and done.
• Tournament appearances: 3 (last appeared in 2007)

ACC:  Miami Hurricanes (27-6)

• Miami was the hottest team in the country for the months of January and February and although they did not finish quite as hot as they started, they were able to win both the ACC regular season and tournament championships.  Shane Larkin has proven himself as one of the best Point Guards in the country and when he starts knocking down his shot, he is lethal from anywhere inside of half-court.
• Tournament appearances: 6 (last appeared in 2008)

Atlantic Sun:  Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (24 - 10) 

• FGC earns their first ever trip to the tournament.  The Eagles have two guards that average over 14ppg.  They will most likely be a 15 or 16 seed.
• Tournament appearances: none
• Tournament result last year:  did not play

Atlantic 10:  St. Louis Billikens (27-6)

• At the beginning of the season I did not expect St. Louis to be as good as they were the past few seasons.  After their former head coach Rick Majerus decided to retire before the start of the season and then passed away a few weeks later, I expected St. Louis to have an off year.  But it was the exact opposite.  St. Louis had a better season than last year and should earn a top 4 seed.
• Tournament appearances: 7 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in second round to Michigan State

Big East:  Louisville Cardinals (29 - 5)

• The Cardinals were at one point this season ranked #1 before losing at home to Syracuse which was the first of three straight losses.  But since those 3 losses, Louisville has only fallen one other time, which was against Notre Dame in a 5 OT thriller.  Louisville was in the Final Four last season and is led by head coach Rick Patino who knows how to get to the Final Four, but also knows how to win it all.  They will likely receive a #1 seed and should be considered a threat to once again reach the Final Four and possibly win it all.
• Tournament appearances: 39 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the Final Four to Kentucky

Big Sky:  Montana Grizzlies (25 - 6)

• The Grizzlies are a tournament regular but are also usually a one game fixture.  This will be their 10th appearance in the big dance and only twice before have they won a game.  The first time was all the way back in 1975 and the other time, in 2006, as a #12 seed, they knocked off Nevada in the first round.  Montana does not have a win this season against a big name opponent and will probably receive somewhere around a 14 seed.
• Tournament appearances: 10 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the first round to Wisconsin

Big South:  Liberty Flames (15 - 20) 

• Liberty is only the second ever 20 loss team to make it to the tournament.  They will be a 16 seed.  This is why I love sports.  Two years ago a 7-9 Seattle Seahawks team went to the NFL playoffs and knocked off the defending Champs.  In 2009, Real Salt Lake who had a losing record went into the MLS playoffs and won the title.  In sports, anything can happen.  And who knows, maybe Liberty can win a tournament game, if that game happens to be the play-in game against another #16 seed.
• Tournament appearances: 3 (last appeared in 2004)

Big Ten:  Ohio State Buckeyes (26-7)

• The Buckeyes have won 8 straight games and have gotten hot at the right time.  They remind me of Connecticut from 3 years ago when Kemba Walker inspired the team that finished 8th in the Big East to win the Big East tournament and eventually the National Championship.  Could OSU be this year's version of UConn?  I would not be surprised if Ohio State makes a Final Four run.  Having a Point Guard, Aaron Craft, who has great experience leading his team will benefit the Buckeyes as they try and win their first national title since 1960.
• Tournament appearances: 28 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost to Kansas in the Final Four

Big 12:  Kansas Jayhawks (29 - 5)

• I'm not sure why, but when I think back to last season, I always seem to forget that Kansas made it all the way to the championship game only to fall to Kentucky.  I guess it's true what they say, no one ever remembers the team who finishes in second.  The Jayhawks have at times this season looked like one of the nation's top teams and at other times, they looked like a team that didn't belong anywhere near the tournament, or in head coach Bill Self's own words, they looked like "the worst Kansas team since Doctor Naismith was the coach."  Having said all that, Kansas too will be hoping to receive a #1 seed.  They have one of the nations top players, Ben McLemore, who is hoping that this year, they not only make it to the title game but that they win it and this time next year, people will remember them.
• Tournament appearances: 42 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the championship game to Kentucky

Big West:  Pacific Tigers (22 - 12)

• The Tigers beat the Anteaters (which seems like an unfair advantage) to win the Big West tournament.  Pacific has beaten some decent teams this season including Saint Marys and Xavier.  The Tigers have once made it all the way to the elite 8, back in 1967.  In 2006 they were a #13 seed and took Boston College to 3 OT before losing and being sent home.  Pacific is a good team and will be a tough out for whoever they are matched against in the first round.
• Tournament appearances:  9 (last appeared in 2006)

Colonial Athletic:  James Madison Dukes (20 - 14) 

• The Dukes make it back to the Madness for the first time since 1994.  Their two leading scorers are Seniors which is often a recipe for a potential first round Cinderella.
• Tournament appearances: 5 (last appeared in 1994)

Conference USA:  Memphis Tigers (30 - 4)

• Memphis started the season 6-3 and chatter begin to circulate about how coach Josh Pastner was on the hot seat.  Since that start, the Tigers have gone 24-1 with their only loss on the road against Xavier.  They finished the conference season undefeated and won the conference tournament for the third straight year.  I think Memphis will possibly get as high as a 5 seed, but I expect them to most likely receive a 6 or 7.  Even still, I think this team is good enough to win their first two games and advance to the Sweet Sixteen.  If you get a chance to watch Memphis, keep your eye on Chris Crawford who can score with the best in the country.  In the conference quarter finals he had 6 triples and followed that up by scoring 30 points in only 27 minutes of play and knocking down 8 of 10 from behind the arc.  Oh and did I mention, he is not a starter.  Also take a look at DJ Stephens who may be one of the most athletic players in the country with a 41" vertical jump.  He plays above the rim and can block, rebound, and oh yes, dunk.
• Tournament appearances: 25 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the first round to St. Louis

Horizon League:  Valparaiso Crusaders (26 - 7) 

• Any time Valpo is in the tournament I have to assume an upset is a possibility.  After all, Bryce Drew is their head coach. 
• Tournament appearances: 8 (last appeared in 2004)

Ivy League:  Harvard Crimson (19 - 9) 

• Harvard goes to their second straight tournament.  The Ivy League has given us some exciting first round games the past few seasons.  Harvard has some good wins this year, including a victory against the second place Pac-12 team, Cal.
• Tournament appearances: 3 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the round of 64 to Vanderbilt

MAAC:  Iona Gaels (20 - 13) 

• The Gaels gave up a 25 point lead last year against BYU in the first round.  They will be back for a second season led by Momo Jones who averages over 23 ppg and last season dropped 43 in a game.  Momo has some tournament history including an elite 8 in 2011 when he played for Arizona.
• Tournament appearances: 10 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the play-in round to BYU

Mid American:  Akron Zips (26 - 6)

• The Zips are pretty good.  They are in the top 60 in the nation in 4 major categories  Points per game, rebounds per game, assists per game, and field goal percentage.  But unless the Zips get a favorable first round matchup, I don't expect their tournament lives to be long lived.
• Tournament appearances: 4 (last appeared in 2011)

Mid Eastern:  North Carolina A&T (19 - 16)

• When people think about the state of North Carolina, the first team everyone thinks about is the Aggies from North Carolina A&T.  No one thinks about Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest, it's all about NC A&T.  Welcome to the tournament Aggies, hope you enjoy being a #16 seed.
• Tournament appearances: 10 (last appeared in 1995)

Missouri Valley:  Creighton Bluejays (27 - 7) 

• The Jays spent most of this season in the top 25.  They may play in a smaller conference but they played 7 games this season against teams in the RPI top 50 and have wins over Cal and Wisconsin.  Creighton is led by one of the Wooden Award finalists Doug McDermott.  They may get as high as a 6 seed and could knock off a few teams in the tournament.
• Tournament appearances: 18 (were in it last year)
• Tournament Result last year:  lost in the Round of 32 to North Carolina

Mountain West:  New Mexico Lobos (29 - 5)

• You gotta cheer for a team that is named after a Shakira song.  The Lobos finished the season with only 5 losses.  UNM is a quality team that has 4 players who average 10 points or more a game.  They do not have a superstar but play strong defense and hold the majority of their opponents under 60 points a game.
• Tournament appearances: 14 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the second round to Louisville

Northeast:  LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (20 - 13) 

• Brooklyn played the number 303 strength of schedule this year and will likely end up as a 16 seed.  Who knows, maybe they will be the team to finally do the impossible and knock off a #1, but don't count on it.
• Tournament appearances: 6 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the round of 64 to Michigan St.

Ohio Valley:  Belmont Bruins (26 - 6) 

• The Bruins have been to the tournament a few times before and in previous seasons have been chosen by a lot of people as their "upset pick".  They have yet to actually upset anyone, but this may be the year.
• Tournament Appearances: 6 (were in it last year)
• Tournament Result last year:  Lost in the first round to Georgetown

Pac 12:  Oregon Ducks (26 - 8)

• The Ducks finished the Pac 12 season losing two in a row to Colorado and Utah.  Going into the Pac 12 tournament they were the #3 seed but many people expected them to be a one and done in the tourney.  The Ducks are led by E.J. Singler, brother of the Pistons forward and former Duke standout Kyle Singler.  Depending on their seeding, the Ducks may be a first round threat, even though they would not be considered the best team from the Pac 12 in the tournament.
• Tournament appearances: 11 (last appeared in 2008)

Patriot League:  Bucknell Bison (28-5)

• The Bison are led by a 6'11" Senior Mike Muscala who averages a double double on the season (19 pts and 11 reb).  Back in 2005 Bucknell, who was a number 14 seed, knocked off Kansas in a shocking first round upset.  The majority of their players are upper class-men which means many of them will remember what it was like being in the tournament just two years ago.  Bucknell will probably be a 13 or 14 seed, but depending on the match up, they have the potential to pull off another repeat of the 2005 season. 
• Tournament appearances: 5 (last appeared in 2011)

SEC:  Ole Miss Rebels (26-8)

• Before today, the Rebels were a bubble team and were going to have to wait and see if the committee found them worthy of the tournament.  But instead of waiting on the committee, the Rebels decided to take care of business and win the SEC tournament.  Guard Marshall Henderson leads the team with 20 ppg and is the white man Reggie Miller.  He trash talks, taunts the crowd, and even hits on the cheerleaders during the game.  He plays with a lot of emotion and is someone you either love or hate, surprised me he didn't go to Duke, he would've fit right in.
• Tournament appearances: 6 (last appeared in 2006)

Southern:  Davidson Wildcats (26 - 7)  

• You can't think Davidson without thinking Steph Curry.  They made a run to the Elite 8 back in 2008, losing to the eventual champions Kansas.  Davidson has been here before.  They will likely be seeded somewhere between 11 and 13 and those 4 v 13, 5 v 12, and 6 v 11 match ups always bring an upset or two.  Especially if they find themselves playing a power conference team who has started to slump like Arizona or Syracuse.  
• Tournament appearances: 12 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the first round to Louisville

Southland:  Northwestern State Demons (23 - 8)

• NW St has been to the tournament two other times and both times won at least one game.  Once was only a play in game but the other time in 2006 they knocked off the #3 seed Iowa.  The Demons will probably be a 14 or 15 seed and may be able to pull off a similar upset, but don't count on it.
• Tournament appearances: 3 (last appeared in 2006)

Southwestern Athletic:  Southern Jaguars (23 - 9)

• Southern University has only one tournament win, back in 1993.  I'm assuming they will be a 16 seed and will not likely get another one this season.
• Tournament appearances: 8 (last appeared in 2006)

Summit:  South Dakota State Jackrabbits (25 - 9) 

• One thing that I don't love about college athletics is the amount of teams that share the same mascot.  There are too many Bears, Bulldogs, Wildcats, etc.  So anytime there is a team called the Roadrunners like at UT San Antonio, or the Gauchos from UC Santa Barbara, or the Jackrabbits from South Dakota State, I automatically want to see that team win.  But the sad thing is that those schools with unique names usually aren't very good.  But South Dakota State does have one very very good player. Nate Wolters is averaging 23 ppg this season and that includes a 53 point game earlier this year.  I don't expect the Jackrabbits to get a win in this year tournament, but I hope they do.
• Tournament appearances: 2 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the round of 64 to Baylor

Sun Belt:  Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (20 - 15) 

• Remember what I said about South Dakota State's mascot? Well go ahead and ditto that entire section here for the Hilltoppers.  WKU will likely be a 15 or 16 seed, but so what,  I am excited to see Big Red dance on the court.
• Tournament appearances: 23 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year: lost in the round of 64 to Kentucky

West Coast:  Gonzaga Bulldogs (30 - 2)

• The Zags have won 14 straight going into the tournament.  They do play in a "weaker" conference, but as mid-majors go, it is one of the better ones.  Gonzaa went undeafeated in conference play and their only two losses were to teams in the BPI top 50.  In my opinion, what Mark Few has been able to do with his group of players makes him the leading candidate for coach of the year.  And Kelly Olynyk may have long hair to go along with his girl's name, but he plays like a man.  He too is a leading candidate for player of the year.  Gonzaga should get a #1 seed and may get the top overall seed.  Maybe this is the year Gonzaga advances to their first Final Four.  Be aware though, that Gonzaga is largely untested, and may be the first #1 seed to go down.
• Tournament appearances: 16 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the round of 32 to Ohio State

WAC:  New Mexico State Aggies (24 - 10)

• New Mexico State once went to the Final Four, well, back in 1970.  So don't expect them to repeat that feat of 1970.  The Aggies will likely go home after one game.
• Tournament appearances: 20 (were in it last year)
• Tournament result last year:  lost in the first round to Indiana