West Regional Breakdown

Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com breaks down the West Regional for the 2008 NCAA Basketball Tournament.

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.

Breakdowns

East

South

West

Midwest

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

• Kevin Love, UCLA
  
• Jerryd Bayless, Arizona
  
  Joe Alexander, West Virginia
  
• A.J. Price, UConn
  
• Robbie Hummel, Purdue
  

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 or check out his blog, Good 'N Plenty.