Overview
UCLA earned the top seed and will stay out in Anaheim for its first two games
before remaining on the West Coast for the regionals in Phoenix.
The Bruins have the easiest road of any No. 1 seed, but could face No. 2 Duke
if both teams get to the Elite Eight.
Xavier earned the No. 3 seed in the West and has a difficult road, playing
the hottest team in the nation, Georgia, in the first round and then the winner
of Purdue/Georgia.
Best first-round matchup
No. 7 West Virginia vs. No.
10 Arizona — Two of the toughest coaches around with first-year
Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins against Wildcats interim coach Kevin O'Neill.
Best potential matchup
No. 1 UCLA vs. No.
4 UConn — If the Huskies can get the game sped up, Jim Calhoun's team
could pose problems for the Bruins. UCLA freshman big man Kevin Love could have
some issues with UConn's mammoth center Hasheem Thabeet.
Upset special
No. 11 Baylor vs. No.
6 Purdue — The Bears are playing with plenty of emotion — and also
some talented guards. The Boilermakers are a year away from a legitimate run.
Cinderella?
Arizona — The Wildcats have
NO depth, but they have three future NBA guys in the lineup.
My pick
UCLA — The Bruins will go back
to the Final Four because of their balance and ability to defend. And the
addition of Kevin Love.
Storylines
The job that Baylor coach Scott Drew has done to get the Bears into the NCAA
tournament in the aftermath of the murder that occurred in Waco.
Jim Calhoun and Ben Howland had some battles in the Big East back when Howland
was at Pittsburgh. The two teams could face one another in the Sweet 16.
Can this year's Cinderella story, Georgia, continue its magic after an
improbable SEC tournament title?
Five players to watch
Best player you've never heard of
Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky
Overrated
No. 5 Drake
Underrated
No. 12 Western Kentucky
Jeff Goodman is a senior college basketball writer for FOXSports.com. He can
be reached at GoodmanonFOX@aol.com
or check out his blog, Good
'N Plenty.