South

Preview: The number one overall seed, Kentucky, headlines the east region, and they are loaded. While their starting lineup is inexperienced, consisting of three freshman and two sophomores, they were the most consistent team in America this season, and pose a stifling defensive presence in forward Anthony Davis. When Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Terrence Jones start making shots on the offensive end, this team is scary. The number two and three seeds in the East are Duke and Baylor, respectively. Duke, while being a bit inconsistent this year, have stepped up their game of late led by freshman guard Austin Rivers, and should have no trouble getting through to the Sweet 16. Baylor was never able to win the big game this year, despite possessing a ton of talent both on the perimeter and inside, led by the anemic Perry Jones III. Overall, this region is packed with top NBA prospects and should be fun to watch for any basketball fan. 

Final Four Bound: Kentucky is too talented at both ends of the court, so it’s tough to see them not advancing through this bracket. If Duke are hot from the outside, they could give the Wildcats a run. While we love Baylor’s talent, they are just too inconsistent and don’t possess the mental toughness necessary for the Big Dance.

Bracket Buster: Sixth-seeded UNLV has played well all season and have experience against the ACC’s best, as they defeated North Carolina earlier in the year. They’re led by forward Mike Moser, and may  give Duke a ton of trouble in the Sweet Sixteen. We also like the fifth-seeded Wichita State Shockers to take down the fourth-seeded Indiana in the third round in a mini-upset. If you’re looking for a huge upset, Baylor might also have trouble in their second-round matchup against 14th-seeded South Dakota State.

West

Preview: The number-one seed in the west region is Michigan State, who are fresh off a Big Ten title. The Spartans are very tough inside, led by powerful forward Draymond Green, and also have a couple of strong guards, namely Keith Appling and Brandon Wood. The Spartans will be without one of their young starters, Branden Dawson, who tore a knee ligament in the regular season finale, but if the Big Ten conference tournament was any indication, this team has depth and is mentally tough. The rest of the bracket is interesting, with Missouri, who went 30-4 on the year and looked to be a potential top-seed. Third-seeded Marquette are feisty and led by star guard Darius Johnson-Odom. The fourth seed is Louisville who are coming off a Big East tournament victory, which is no easy feat. Last year’s NCAA Champions, UCONN, much like Louisville, came out of nowhere to claim the Big East title. Look for Louisville to be a tough out with their strong defensive pressure. 

Final Four Bound: We’re sticking with the popular pick and going with the Missouri Tigers. We think they’ll be pitted against Michigan State in another 1-2 seed Elite Eight matchup. The Tigers’ unorthodox style and fast-paced tempo will give the Spartans fits, and missing Dawson will hurt Michigan State as they get deeper in the tournament. 

Bracket Buster: If you’re looking for major upsets, this region has the potential to bust your bracket. Memphis has tons of talent and will prove to be a tough test for the Spartans in the third-round matchup. Sixth-seeded Murray State went 30-1 this year, which is extremely impressive no matter the weakness of their conference. Marquette is a solid sleeper to make the Final Four, but their lack of size and rebounding may come back to bite them. 

East

Preview: Syracuse tops the East, finishing the season with an impressive 31-2 record. They rolled through the Big East, arguably the toughest conference in all of college basketball, and are led by Head Coach Jim Boeheim, one of the best in America. The Orange’s zone is deathly, and they only seem to be vulnerable to strong outside shooting teams. Ohio State is the second ranked team in the region and are led by bruising forward Jared Sullinger and defensive specialist Aaron Craft. They receive scoring help from the wing, namely William Buford. The Buckeyes have struggled against some of the Big Ten’s best teams, particularly those with a strong inside game. Two hot teams are third-seeded Florida State and fifth-seeded Vanderbilt, both coming off of conference tournament wins. Vanderbilt will likely meet Syracuse in the Sweet Sixteen, a nightmare for ‘Cuse fans. Vandy is incredibly proficient from the outside, led by the best shooter in college basketball, John Jenkins. Florida State is meshing at the right time, as they just beat Duke and North Carolina in back-to-back games. 

Final Four Bound: Syracuse hasn’t let up all season and look poised to make the Final Four. They’ll get a scare from Vanderbilt, who has the potential to beat the Orange if Jenkins is shooting the lights out. Florida State  will take down Ohio State in the Sweet Sixteen, but the Orange’s zone defence will slow down the Seminoles’ momentum. Look for Syracuse’s Scoop Jardine to make some huge shots during crunch time. 

Bracket Buster: St. Bonaventure is matched against Florida State in the second round in what has the makings to be the biggest upset of the tournament’s opening round. If the Bonnies pull off the upset, it’ll be in large part due to the contributions of one of the best-unknown big men in the country, Andrew Nicholson. Vanderbilt, notorious for their recent early exits from the tournament, are matched up against Harvard, who make their first appearance in the Big Dance since 1946. 

Midwest

Preview: North Carolina and Kansas are the two top seeds in the Midwest Region. Both programs are two of the top in college basketball, hoisting the NCAA crown in 2009 and 2008, respectively. UNC bolsters one of America’s best lineups, led by the strong inside duo of Tyler Zeller and John Henson. Point guard Kendall Marshall provides stability for the Tar Heels, and the team rolls with him. Kansas seemingly puts out a top team year after year, this season being no different. Thomas Robinson anchors the inside, Tyshawn Taylor rules the backcourt, and Travis < span data-scayt_word="Releford" data-scaytid="5">Releford plays the important duty of “glue guy.” The Jayhawks have had their bumps this year, but they’ve played many of college basketball’s best both inside the Big 12 and outside of it. The third-seed, Georgetown, is all about defence, but they are a team prone to upset. 

Final Four Bound:  UNC and Kansas have relatively easy roads to the Elite Eight, compared to other 1-2 seeded pairings in the rest of the field. Kansas will dictate the tempo and slow down the Tar Heels. Their toughness and defensive effort will be the difference in an incredibly tight contest. A surprise team could be Temple, who have already beaten Duke this season. 

Bracket Buster: While North Carolina and Kansas generally have easy roads to the regional final, 14th-seeded Belmont could surprise Georgetown in their opening round matchup and then San Diego State in their next, placing them in the Sweet Sixteen. Watch out for California, assuming they get past their First Four matchup to challenge Temple.

Winner: Missouri

Final Four:

Missouri will end Kentucky’s dominating season, as the Tigers’ guard-play and defensive tenacity will be nothing like the Wildcats has faced all season. Syracuse will match up well against Kansas, who don’t shoot the ball all that effectively. Look for Syracuse’s zone to neutralize Thomas Robinson. In the championship game, we’re going with Missouri, whose dribble penetration and wealth of strong shooters amount to the perfect formula to handle the Orange’s zone. After being denied of a number one seed, the Tigers will be the last ones dancing in New Orleans.