WEST REGION BREAKDOWN

1.UCLA Bruins
Location: Westwood, CA
Record: 31-3
Automatic Bid: Pac-10 Conference Champions
Key Players: Kevin Love (17.1 ppg, 10.6 rpg), Darren Collison (15.2 ppg), Josh Shipp (13.0 ppg), Russell Westbrook (12.6 ppg)
Strengths: It doesn’t matter what the numbers say, UCLA is the best defensive team in the country. The Bruins can lock a team down whenever it wants to no matter who that team is. They have size inside and great quickness at the guard position. With their size, they’re able to keep people off the boards by out-rebounding teams by eight per game. This team can just grind you into submission.
Weakness: On occasion, UCLA will have problems putting points on the board. In UCLA’s losses this year, they’ve scored 63 points or less. If the Bruins can get out and run, it could be a long night for their opponents. However, if you can make the game half court and play solid defense, you can stay in striking range of the Bruins.

2. Duke Blue Devils
Location: Durham, NC
Record: 27-5
At-Large Bid: Atlantic Coast Conference
Key Players: Demarcus Nelson (15.2 ppg), Kyle Singler (13.6), Gerald Henderson (12.3 ppg), Jon Scheyer (11.5 ppg), Greg Paulus (11.3 ppg)
Strengths: Duke loves to play a full court game. That doesn’t necessarily mean Duke will full-court press you, but they will extend defensively and contest the dribble and pass. The Devils love to get you to play faster than you’d like and take advantage of you mistakes. When that happens, they move quickly to their offense where they have a bevy of outstanding three-point shooters. It’s definitely a chore to prepare for the Blue Devils.
Weakness: Duke is in trouble on both ends of the court in the low post. The Devils don’t have any who can guard talented big men and they don’t have anyone to go to when the outside shots aren’t falling. Duke lives and dies by the three, if they’re not hot, they’ll die by it.

3. Xavier Musketeers
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Record: 27-6
At-Large Bid: Atlantic-10 Conference
Key Players: Josh Duncan (11.7 ppg), Derrick Brown (10.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg), Drew Lavender (10.7 ppg), CJ Anderson (10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg), BJ Raymond (10.3 ppg), Stanley Burrell (10.0 ppg)
Strengths: Xavier has great offensive balance. With six guys averaging double figures, the Musketeers have a number of guys who can beat you on any given night. The Musketeers are strong in the backcourt with Lavender and Burrell, but, also have a guy in Josh Duncan who’s good in the post and can also shoot it from deep. This team can score and do it in bunches.
Weakness: It’s strange, but Xavier’s strength can also work against it. This team needs contributions from it’s key players on a night-in, night-out basis to win. Xavier has had a lot of games this season where the high scorer was somewhere between 13-15 points. When you average 75 points a game and that’s the high scorer, that means the contributions are coming from everywhere. When those contributions don’t come, they don’t put up the type of numbers necessary and they lose.

4. Connecticut Huskies
Location: Storrs, Ct
Record: 24-8
At-Large Bid: Big East Conference
Key Players: AJ Price (14.9 ppg), Jeff Adrien (14.7 ppg, 9 rpg), Jerome Dyson (12.4 ppg), Stanley Robinson (10.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Hasheem Thabeet (10.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.5 bpg)
Strengths: Balance. Not many teams in America can go inside out like the Huskies. They can get out in transition with Price, Dyson and Jerome Wiggins off the bench, then, they can punish you down low with Adrien and Thabeet. Then you have 6’9” Stanley Robinson who can step out and hit threes and that presents a whole other set of challenges. UConn’s size and athleticism makes it a tough out.
Weakness: Connecticut has an issue with ball control. The Huskies were 14th out of 16 teams in the Big East in ball control. It is the reason why teams can shoot less than 40% against the Huskies yet still average close to 70 points per game. You must be able to take care of the ball against good teams.

5. Drake Bulldogs
Location: Des Moines, IA
Record: 28-4
Automatic Bid: Missouri Valley Conference Champions
Key Players: Josh Young (15.8 ppg), Leonard Houston (14 ppg), Jonathan Cox (11.8 ppg), Klayton Korver (10 ppg), Adam Emmenecker (6.2 apg)
Strengths: Drake plays a style similar to Tennessee. The Bulldogs extend defensively and love to get up and down the court. Drake is very efficient offensively as well only averaging 11.7 turnovers a game. This is a team that can get hot from the arc and really hurt you. Drake is also solid from the free-throw line where it’s shooting just under 76%.
Weakness: Drake has no post presence to speak of. At 6-8, Jonathan Cox is best option Drake has in the paint. Drake doesn’t like to play in the paint though. The Bulldogs will have issues defending in the low post. The Bulldogs only plays effective defense when it’s sped the game up.

6. Purdue Boilermakers
Location: West Lafayette, IN
Record: 24-8
At-Large Bid: Big Ten Conference
Key Players: E’Twaun Moore (12.4 ppg), Robbie Hummel (11.7 ppg 5.9 rpg), Keaton Grant (10.7 ppg)
Strengths: Purdue is one of the leaders in the Big Ten in three-point shooting, averaging 37% on the year. Moore, Hummel, and Grant all shoot over 40% from three on the year so you have to able to find them. It is especially crucial to get to Hummel. Anybody in the college game who is 6’8” and can knock down the three causes match-up problems all over the court.
Weakness: It’s amazing that Purdue was able to get through the Big Ten season with a 15-3 conference record being out-rebounded. Usually, that’s necessary to be successful in that conference and Purdue got away with it. While Purdue shoots well from three, they don’t shoot to well over all. The Boilermakers are ninth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage. If Purdue is going to miss shots and not rebound, they won’t be around the tournament too long.

7. West Virginia Mountaineers
Location: Morgantown, WV
Record: 24-10
At-Large Bid: Big East Conference
Key Players: Joe Alexander (16.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Alex Ruoff (13.5 ppg), Da’Sean Butler (12.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Darris Nichols (10.9 ppg)
Strengths: When the Mountaineers are knocking down there three-point shots, they are trouble. West Virginia will spread you and then use its quickness to find open shots. We haven’t even gotten to the nightmare that is Joe Alexander. His size and athleticism makes him one of the most difficult people in the country to guard. Also, like all Bob Huggins’ teams, West Virginia crashes the boards. They are really dangerous rebounding ball, especially offensively.
Weakness: Post play is really an issue for the Mountaineers. Alexander can post up, but he’d rather play on the wing. Jamie Smalligan, West Virginia’s 7-footer, is not really a threat offensively and is the only serviceable interior defender for the West Virginia. The Mountaineers will have to get some production out of Smalligan to be successful in the tournament.

8. Brigham Young Cougars
Location: Provo, UT
Record: 27-7
At-Large Bid: Mountain West Conference
Key Players: Lee Cummard (15.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Trent Plaisted (15.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg), Jonathan Taverneri (13.1 ppg)
Strengths: BYU can really fill it up from the land of three. The Cougars are shooting better than 37% from deep and have a number of players who can knock it down. Led by Cummard at 46%, BYU is always a streak away from changing a game. The Cougars have also shown the ability to attack the boards. BYU is first in the Mountain West in rebounding margin. They really get after it on the backboard.
Weakness: As good as BYU is, the Cougars really have issues with their depth. Goin only about seven or eight men deep, BYU may have issues if it gets caught in a transition game during the tournament. That’s not to say BYU won’t take its chances on the break, but it will have to be careful about running during the tournament.

9. Texas A&M Aggies
Location: College Station, TX
Record: 24-10
At-Large Bid: Big 12 Conference
Key Players: Josh Carter (11.9 ppg), Joseph Jones (10.4 ppg) DeAndre Jordan (8.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
Strengths: This team has a lot of size in the paint. Jordan stands 7’0” while four other Aggies stand 6’9” or taller. That has helped Texas A&M to hold its opponents to less than 40% from the field and to third place in rebounding margin in the Big 12. Just like the Cardinal at Stanford, Texas A&M’s size in the frontcourt is a problem for any team in the country.
Weakness: Texas A&M shoots less than 64% from the free throw line. That’s amazing that they’ve been so successful in a conference as good as the Big 12 shooting so poorly. There’s no doubt about, the Aggies don’t have the horses to shot 64% and win in the tournament.

10. Arizona Wildcats
Location: Tucson, AZ
Record: 19-14
At-Large Bid: Pac-10 Conference
Key Players: Jerryd Bayless (20.0 ppg), Chase Budinger (17.0 ppg), Jordan Hill (13.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg)
Strengths: Arizona will always strike fear into its opponents because of the talent on it has. This year is no different. Bayless, Budinger, and Hill are all capable of putting up big numbers for the Wildcats. Now, that the Wildcats are healthy, teams will have a handful putting up with them.
Weakness: This squad has shown a lack of toughness and it’s shown in its rebounding. Teams have are beating the Wildcats on the boards for the season causing the Wildcats to finish in ninth place in rebounding margin in the Pac-10. There will be teams in this tournament that can match Arizona’s talent, but will the Wildcats be able to knuckle up is the question.

11. Baylor Bears
Location: Waco, TX
Record: 21-10
At-Large Bid: Big 12 Conference
Key Players: Curtis Jerrells (14.9 ppg), LaceDarius Dunn (13.5 ppg), Kevin Rogers (12.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg), Henry Dugat (12.1 ppg)
Strengths: Baylor’s style of play is tough to prepare for. The Bears get up and down the court and score in bunches. Averaging 81.4 points per game, good enough for second in the Big 12, trying to keep up with Baylor has been a nightmare for opposing coaches the entire year. Unfamiliarity and the lack of time to prepare could make the Bears a very dangerous team in the tournament.
Weakness: Baylor allows teams to keep pace. The Bears are dead last in the Big 12 in scoring defense. Much of that has to do with its style of play, but allowing people to score breeds confidence in your opponent and keeps them close. That could come back to strike the Bears down.

12. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Location: Bowling Green, KY
Record: 27-6
Automatic Bid: Sun Belt Conference Champions
Key Players: Courtney Lee (20.4 ppg), Tyrone Braselton (13.3 ppg)
Strengths: Western Kentucky’s style of play is going to be hell to prepare for. The Hilltoppers want to pressure you on defense and get out and run on offense. They love an up-tempo game. It would seem as if they only have two guys who can score, but that’s because they go about 11 deep. Western Kentucky forces 18 turnovers a game and that’s a bad number to have if you expect to beat the Hilltoppers.
Weakness: Western Kentucky struggles to keep teams off of the offensive glass. While they play excellent defense, giving teams second and third chances to score isn’t ideal. The Hilltoppers are also ninth in the Sun Belt in free-throw shooting. They were able to get away with against the New Orleans and Florida Atlantics of the world, but there’s a considerable step up in competition that’ll make you pay for that.

13. San Diego Torreros
Location: San Diego, CA
Record: 21-13
Automatic Bid: West Coast Conference Champions
Key Players: Brandon Johnson (16.9 ppg), Gyno Pomare (13.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg)
Strengths: Brandon Johnson and Gyno Pomare are as good of a one-two punch as you’re going to see on the mid-major level. When the Torreros need a hoop, they go to Johnson because he can flat-out score. He’s had ten games so far this season of 20 or more. Pomare does all the dirty work for San Diego as he’s an excellent rebounder and a load to handle in the paint. These two can give teams fits in the tournament.
Weakness: As a team, San Diego doesn’t play defense well enough to score just 66 points in this tournament. The Torreros are averaging a little bit less than that on the year. That’s not good enough at this level. They will have to find someone else outside of Johnson and Pomare to put the ball in the basket or it could be a short stay for the Torreros.

14. Georgia Bulldogs
Location: Athens, GA
Record: 17-16
Automatic Bid: Southeastern Conference Champions
Key Players: Sundiata Gaines (14.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Billy Humphrey (12.2 ppg), Terrance Woodbury (10.8 ppg)
Strengths: Let’s face it, at one game over .500 there’s nothing the Bulldogs do that excites you. However, the heart beating inside the chests of every one of the Bulldog players is huge. Many people will say they stole a bid to get into the tournament. Georgia had to win two games in one day against two tournament teams and then come back the next day to beat another one. The Bulldogs did that and now they’re on they’re in the tournament.
Weakness: Georgia has an extremely short bench. Head Coach Dennis Felton had to make some decisions that meant getting rid of some of the better players on his team and that has left his team pretty depleted. That may finally jump up to get Georgia when it faces tough competition in the tournament.

15. Belmont Bruins
Location: Nashiville TN
Record: 25-8
Automatic Bid: Atlantic Sun Conference Champions
Key Players: Justin Hare (14.9 ppg), Shane Dansby (13.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Matthew Dotson (11.3 ppg)
Strengths: This team can score and can score with the best of them. Averaging over 80 points per game, Belmont led the Atlantic Sun in scoring. The Bruins do much of their damage from behind the arc making over 10 three-point filed goals per game. With that kind of shooting, Belmont is always within striking distance.
Weakness: The Bruins aren’t as athletic as many of teams in the tournament and therefore, they may have issues guarding people. Belmont’s opponents are shooting just under 46% on the season; that’s better than Belmont shoots it. Belmont’s ability to score has gotten in by thus far, but they’ll need to come up with something to be able to compete in the tournament.

16. Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils
Location: Itta Bena, MS
Record: 17-15
Automatic Bid: Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions
Key Players: Carl Lucas (12.7 ppg), Larry Cox (12.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg), Stanford Speech (10.8 ppg)
Strengths: The Delta Devils have very talented frontcourt in Cox and Lucas. These are the guys who must play well for Mississippi Valley St to have any success in the tournament. Anytime you can get 25 points and 13 boards out of two guys on the Delta Devils level, you’re doing pretty well. We’ll see what they’ll do when the bright lights are on.
Weakness: At this level, 62.7 points per game will not cut it. When the Delta Devils walk on the court this week, they will not see Alabama St or Southern. They’ll see a team from a power conference, which can put lots of points up. If the Delta Devils can’t score the ball better, it may be an inauspicious trip to the tournament.

SOUTH REGION BREAKDOWN

1. Memphis Tigers
Location: Memphis, TN
Record: 33-1
Automatic Bid: Conference USA Champions
Key Players: Chris Douglas-Roberts (17.2 ppg), Derrick Rose (13.9 ppg), Robert Dozier (9.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Joey Dorse (9.6 rpg)
Strengths: Across the board, Memphis is the most talented team in the country. While Douglas-Roberts and Rose are Memphis’ go-to guys, Memphis has a litany of other guys who can hurt you. It’s also amazing that such a talented team makes the kind of commitment on the defensive end. Memphis’ opponents are shooting just 38% against the Tigers. When you can score like the Tigers and defend the way they do, you’re going to be one tough team to compete with.
Weakness: The Tigers are a terrible free-throw shooting team. Memphis has played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country and its 60% from the charity stripe hasn’t really hurt it too much. The Tigers have been able to get by on their superior talent. However, in the tournament, when mistakes are crucial, will Memphis’ shortcomings at the free-throw line spell doom?

2. Texas Longhorns
Location: Austin, TX
Record: 28-6
At-Large Bid: Big 12 Conference
Key Players: DJ Augustin (19.8 ppg), AJ Abrams (16.1 ppg), Damion James (13.2 ppg, 10.5 rpg)
Strengths: Bar none, Texas has the best starting backcourt in the country. DJ Augustin may be the best point guard in the country and AJ Abrams can fill it up as well. Those two are very difficult to handle. No team has been able to contain the two, let alone stop them. If they’re working their magic, they can take the Longhorns a long way.
Weakness: Texas starting five is among the best in the country. There’s not much production past that though. Texas must get something out of its bench to be successful in the tournament. Teams are too good at this level to allow Augustin and Abrams alone to beat them. If Texas wants to make a serious run at a national Championsship, someone else will have to step up for Texas.

3. Stanford Cardinal
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Record: 26-7
At-Large Bid: Pac-10 Conference
Key Players: Brook Lopez (19.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg), Anthony Goods (10.4 ppg), Robin Lopez (10.0 ppg)
Strengths: Stanford will go as far as the Lopez twins will take them. They are the most difficult players in the country to match-up against. Their size and skill level allow them to take over games on a regular basis. Defensively, they’re game-changers by the way they just shut the paint down. You just don’t score in the paint against them. The twins are a load to deal with.
Weakness: For a team with that kind of talent in the paint, Stanford still doesn’t shoot the ball well. Stanford is second from the bottom in the Pac-10 in field goal percentage. Stanford should be getting easy shots with the Lopez twins, yet the Cardinal only shoot 45% from the field. Teams are going to throw zones at the Cardinal, if they can’t handle it, they may not be around the tournament long.

4. Pittsburgh Panthers
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Record: 26-9
Automatic Bid: Big East Conference Champions
Key Players: Sam Young (18.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg), DeJuan Blair (11.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg), LeVance Fields (11.1 ppg)
Strengths: Pittsburgh is just tough. To have gone through what the Panthers had to go through this season and have the success they’ve had is nothing short of amazing. There is no back down and no give up. If you’re going to beat Pitt over the next three weeks, not only are you going to have to play well, you’re going to have to outwork them for everything because they are going to fight you tooth and nail to the finish.
Weakness: Depth is a problem for the Panthers. They weren’t extremely deep to begin with and then the injuries they incurred this season exasperated the problem. Fields has return and that provides relief, but Pittsburgh really only has 7-man rotation. A team that likes to run may do the Panthers in.

5. Michigan State Spartans
Location: East Lansing, MI
Record: 25-8
At-Large Bid: Big Ten Conference
Key Players: Raymar Morgan (14.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Drew Neitzel (13.8 ppg), Goran Suton (8.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg)
Strengths: If there are two things a Tom Izzo-coached team is going to do they are play great defense and rebound the basketball. That’s exactly what this team hangs it’s hat on. In a conference where those two things are valued, Michigan St is fourth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense and first in rebounding margin. There won’t be many tougher teams in than tournament than the Spartans.
Weakness: I question Michigan St’s athleticism. This is a team that can get out and run more than your typical Spartan squad yet it still scores in the low 70’s. Will Michigan St be able to go up-and-down effectively against teams with superior athleticism? That’s the question the Spartans will have to answer at some point in the big dance.

6. Marquette Golden Eagles
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Record: 24-9
At-Large Bid: Big East Conference
Key Players: Jerel McNeal (14.3 ppg), Dominic James (13.0 ppg), Lazar Hayward (13.0, 6.5 rpg), Wesley Matthews (11.2 ppg)
Strengths: Marquette has a trio of guards in McNeal, James, and Matthews who cause problems both offensively and defensively. They’re athletic, quick and can do just about anything they want whenever they want to do it offensively. On defense, they well take a team out of its offense. They’re that disruptive with their quick hands and quick feet. That creates easy offense for the Golden Eagles and when they can do that, they’re dangerous.
Weakness: As good as Marquette’s guards are, its frontcourt is the opposite. Not much scoring and not much in terms of rebounding. They can defend a little bit, but not much outside of that . That kind of production has made the Golden Eagles one dimensional.

7. Miami Hurricanes
Location: Coral Gables, FL
Record: 22-10
At-Large Bid: Atlantic Coast Conference
Key Players: Jack McClinton (17 ppg), James Dews (10.4 ppg), Dwayne Collins (8.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Anthony King (7.1 rpg)
Strengths: Miami is a team that really rebounds the ball well. The Hurricanes are in the top half of the ACC in every major rebounding category there is and that’s been key to their success this season. The Hurricanes are also second in the ACC in scoring defense allowing just under 68 points per game. In a conference where only two teams average under 70, that’s great defense.
Weakness: Miami doesn’t shoot the ball well. The Hurricanes are ninth in the ACC in field goal percentage. That stat alone makes Miami’s rebounding prowess necessary. If Miami rebounds the ball, they’ll stay in it, but because of the way it shoots, you can get a leg up on Miami if you bang the boards with them.

8. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Location: Starkville, MS
Record: 22-10
At-Large Bid: Southeastern Conference
Key Players: Jamont Gordon (17.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Charles Rhodes (16.7, 7.8 rpg), Barry Stewart (11.6 ppg), Ben Hansbrough (10.3 ppg), Jarvis Varnado (7.9 ppg, 8.0 rpg)
Strengths: Mississippi St does an excellent job defensively; contesting shots and crashing the boards. Teams only shoot 37% and score 65 points per game against the Bulldogs on the year, both good enough for first in the SEC in field goal percentage and scoring defense. The Bulldogs collect just under 41 boards a game, again, good enough for first in the conference. They’ll be a tough out if they can continue to do that this March.
Weakness: The Bulldogs have a turnover problem. Mississippi St has 88 more turnovers than its opponents this season. That’s the reason the Bulldogs have been a bit inconsistent given the talent level on this squad. If it sures that up, Mississippi St will be tough, but that’s big if considering it hasn’t happened by now.

9. Oregon Ducks
Location: Eugene, OR
Record: 18-13
At-Large Bid: Pac-10 Conference
Key Players: Malik Hairston (16.1 ppg), Marty Leunen (15.2 ppg, 9.2 rpg), Tajuan Porter (13.8 ppg), Bryce Jordan (13.0 ppg)
Strengths: Oregon’s offensive balance is much underrated. You have a trio of guards in Hairston, Porter, and Jordan who can light it up at anytime. Then you have Leunen who can work down low, but also shoots just under 51% from three-point range. When you have the kind of weapons Oregon has offensively, you can beat a lot of people.
Weakness: In a conference with teams that play excellent defense, Oregon has decided to shy away from that part of the game. The Ducks are in the bottom half of the Pac-10 in field goal percentage defense, scoring defense and they force just over 11 turnovers a game. While the Ducks are hard to defend, they’re easy to score on.

10. Saint Mary’s Gaels
Location: Moraga, CA
Record: 25-6
At-Large Bid: West Coast Conference
Key Players: Patrick Mills (14.5 ppg), Diamon Simpson (13.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg), Omar Samhan (10.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
Strengths: Overall, Saint Mary’s is the best defensive team in the West Coast Conference. The Gaels are in the top quarter of the league in every major defensive statistical category, including rebounding. Given the competition they’ve played throughout the season, that’s very impressive. Saint Mary’s stingy defense really has been the key to it’s surprising success this season.
Weakness: The Gaels are shooting about 66% from the line this season. That’s not going to win you many games in March. It’s killed them all year and they’ve got to shoot it better to advance in the tournament. If the Gaels has another 10-22 night from the line, it will go down.

11. Kentucky Wildcats
Location: Lexington, KY
Record: 18-12
At-Large Bid: Southeastern Conference
Key Players: Joe Crawford (17.3 ppg), Ramel Bradley (15.8 ppg)
Strengths: Tubby Smith may have left Kentucky for Minnesota, but the Wildcats will still guard you like his teams did. The Wildcats hold their opponents to under 40% for the year. Playing that kind of defense held the fort together until Kentucky got healthy and turn it’s season around. Kentucky now has a chance to really put a nice ending to a season that started so poorly using its lock-down defense.
Weakness: Kentucky’s depth and inexperience will play huge factors in what it’ll do in the tournament. With Patrick Patterson out for the duration of the tournament, Kentucky will need someone off the bench to step up. Kentucky’s roster is littered with freshmen and sophomores-will those kids be able to handle the moment? Some interesting questions for the Wildcats to answer.

12. Temple Owls
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Record: 21-12
Automatic Bid: Atlantic 10 Conference Champions
Key Players: Dionte Christmas (20.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg), Mark Tyndale (15.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
Strengths: It only makes sense that Philly kids star for a team from Philly. Dionte Christmas and Mark Tyndale do everything for the Owls. From being the facilitators on offense to rebounding the basketball to being the best defenders, these two are the reason why Temple is in the tournament. If Temple is to go far, these two will be the reason why that happens as well.
Weakness: Apparently when John Chaney retired, he took his mentally tough trademark with him because the Owls lag in that area. Temple is in the bottom half of the A-10 in scoring defense, rebounding margin, and turnover margin. That means the Owls don’t defend, don’t crash the boards and don’t value the basketball-three things that were hallmarks of Chaney’s teams.

13. Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
Location: Tulsa, OK
Record: 24-8
Automatic Bid: Summit League Champions
Key Players: Robert Jarvis (16.1 ppg), Moses Ehambe (11.7 ppg), Shawn King (9.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
Strengths: Oral Roberts plays outstanding defense. Its opponents shoot less than 40% from the field. The Golden Eagles also average over six steals a game and force over 14 turnovers a game altogether. If you can guard like that, you’re going to win your fair share of games. That’s what the Golden Eagles have done to the tune of 24 victories this season.
Weakness: A team of Oral Roberts’ talent level has to shoot better than 67% percent from the line. That’s just not going to cut it against NCAA touranament teams. They just don’t have the horses to overcome a sub-70% night from the line. They’re solid in just about every area, but the free line and that will kill you.

14. Cornell Big Red
Location: Ithaca, NY
Record: 22-5
Automatic Bid: Ivy League Champions
Key Players: Ryan Wittman (15.4 ppg), Louis Dale (13.8 ppg), Adam Gore (10.1 ppg), Jeff Foote (6.4 rpg)
Strengths: Cornell’s advantage lies in its backcourt with Wittman, Dale and Gore. They take a lot of 3 pt shots and when you can hit them at a 41% clip, you can get away with it. Cornell also counters with good size for mid-major. Jeff Foote stands at 7-feet tall while Jason Hartford comes in at 6’9. This is a team that doesn’t beat itself. The Big Red averages 77 ppg while it averages 13 turnovers per game.
Weakness: Defense. The Big Red allows its opponents to shoot a respectable 36% from three and 42% overall. In its five losses, the lowest amount the opposing team scored was 76 points, and it that was Colgate. While this team has shown the ability to score, if it faces a squad that can do the same in the tournament, Cornell may be in trouble.

15. Austin Peay Governors
Location: Clarksville, TN
Record: 24-10
Automatic Bid: Ohio Valley Conference Champions
Key Players: Drake Reed (14.6 ppg), Derek Wright (11.7 ppg), Todd Babington (11.6 ppg), Wes Channels (11.0 ppg), Fernandez Lockett (10.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
Strengths: With five players averaging double figures, Austin Peay presents a dilemma for opposing defenses. While Reed is its main cog, Austin Peay has four other guys to turn to when it needs a bucket. That kind of balance can be a nightmare for opposing coaches.
Weakness: Only going eight-men deep, Austin Peay lacks depth. The quality teams in the country will be able to throw a lot of people at the Governors to get into their legs and fatigue them. In addition to that, Austin Peay’s opponents are shooting a higher percentage than it is. That’s amazing given what the Governors been able to do this year. If they don’t contest more shots, they won’t be doing much else.

16. UT-Arlington Mavericks
Location: Arlington, TX
Record: 21-11
Automatic Bid: Southland Conference Champions
Key Players: Anthony Vereen (13.6 ppg), Rog’er Guignard (13.1 ppg), Jermaine Griffin (12.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg), Brandon Long (11.1 ppg), Larry Posey (8.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
Strengths: UTA has ridden its defense all year long and will need to if it wants to compete in the tournament. The Mavericks have held opposing teams to under 40% shooting on the season. That’s the reason UTA was able to do so well during the nonconference and in the conference tournament. If the Mavericks can carry that kind of effort into the tournament, maybe they can cause so trouble.
Weakness: The reason UTA finished second in the Southland is because it averages 17 turnovers a game. If that gets you seventh place in the Southland conference, what do you think it’ll get the Mavericks in the tournament? That’s a problem the Mavericks don’t need to rear itself or they will be going home quickly.

MIDWEST REGION BREAKDOWN

1. Kansas Jayhawks
Location: Lawrence, KS
Record: 31-3
Automatic Bid: Big 12 Conference Champions
Key Players: Darrell Arthur (13.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Brandon Rush (12.9 ppg), Mario Chalmers (12.4 ppg), Darnell Jackson (11.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
Strengths: Kansas may be the most complete team in the country. The Jayhawks can score with the best of them but what people don’t realize is their defense can be stifling. Kansas scores over 81 points a game and only gives up 61. The Jayhawks’ opponents are only shooting 38% against them. That’s scary given the talent on that ball club. If they can continue to play like this, Kansas just may cut down the nets.
Weakness: Kansas probably doesn’t have the depth that some of the other top teams in the country have. The Jayhawks have a wealth of talent but, can they sustain the same energy level when other squads send waves of players at them. Should be interesting to see.

2. Georgetown Hoyas
Location: Washington, DC
Record: 27-5
At-Large Bid: Big East Conference
Key Players: Roy Hibbert (13.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg), DaJuan Summers (11.3 ppg), Jonathan Wallace (10.6 ppg)
Strengths: Defensively, Georgetown is tops in the country in opponents field goal percentage. The Hoyas lock people down. Teams have scored 70 just four times this season. They’re long and athletic in the front court, and have physical guards in the backcourt. Georgetown also has experience. It’s rare to see a team of its caliber with so many seniors. That’s the main reason the Hoyas have been able to win the close games this season.
Weakness: For Georgetown’s size inside, they don’t rebound the ball well at all. The Hoyas have consistently been out-rebounded on the year by the better teams they’ve faced. The Hoyas must also figure out a way to get Hibbert his touches when teams play zone. They’ve struggled running their offense against the zone and must figure that out because teams will play them zone.

3. Wisconsin Badgers
Location: Madison, WI
Record: 29-4
Automatic Bid: Big Ten Conference Champions
Key Players: Brian Butch (12.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg), Marcus Landry (11.3 ppg), Trevon Hughes (11.3 ppg), Joe Krabbenhoft (6.5 rpg)
Strengths: Wisconsin plays the kind of defense that just kills your confidence. The Badgers have, on more than one occasion, kept their opponents under 40 points in a 40 minute game. That’s amazing defense. They’ve not only locked down teams in the Big Ten, but they’ve also taken it on the road and done it to Texas. Holding its opponents to 38% and 53 points per game, Wisconsin will stay in every game in this tournament.
Weakness: The Badgers don’t score the ball consistently enough. It’s sometimes a struggle for Wisconsin to put the ball in the basket. The fact that the Badgers play such great defense, it has been able to get away with it. However, the Badgers cannot score 51 and expect to win games as they did in the Big Ten tournament versus Michigan.

4. Vanderbilt Commodores
Location: Nashville, TN
Record: 26-7
At-Large Bid: Southeastern Conference
Key Players: Shan Foster (20.8 ppg), AJ Ogilvy (17.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Alex Gordon (10.6 ppg)
Strengths: When the three-pointers fall Vanderbilt is tough. Really tough. Vanderbilt has six guys that can come in and knock down shots from behind the arc consistently. That makes them a nightmare to guard when you have a guy like Ogilvy who can hurt you in the post. The combination of Ogilvy and Foster could spell another run to the second weekend for the Commodores.
Weakness: Defense and rebounding are the Commodores Achilles heel. They have struggled in both departments all season. They’ve been able to get away with for most of the season by outscoring their opponents, but there will come a time when the shots don’t fall and we’ll see if Vanderbilt can scrap.

5. Clemson Tigers
Location: Clemson, SC
Record: 24-9
At-Large Bid: Atlantic Coast Conference
Key Players: KC Rivers (14.7 ppg), Cliff Hammonds (11.5 ppg), Trevor Booker (11.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg), James Mays (10.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg), Terrance Oglesby (10.5 ppg)
Strengths: Clemson’s pressure defense is something that has cause teams problems all year long. It will continue to do so in the tournament. The Tigers have excellent size which causes problems on the press. They turn opposing teams’ turnovers into easy points. They have guys who can finish at the rim and guys who can shoot it from behind the arc. Clemson is a match-up problem waiting to happen.
Weakness: 62%. That’s what Clemson shoots from the free-throw line. Amazingly enough, the Tigers have survived an entire season in the ACC with a winning record shooting that poorly from the line. Clemson’s shooting from the charity stripe cost it both games against North Carolina and if the Tigers don’t get a handle on it, it will cost the Tigers more.

6. USC Trojans
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Record: 21-11
At-Large Bid: Pac-10 Conference
Key Players: OJ Mayo (20.9 ppg), Davon Jefferson (12.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Dwight Lewis (11.0 ppg), Taj Gibson (11.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg)
Strengths: USC has an advantage over just about every team it faces with its athleticism. That athleticism makes the Trojans hard to guard offensively guys like Mayo, Jefferson and Gibson. More importantly, though, it makes them very difficult to score on defensively. Teams are only shooting 39% on USC. In four combined games against UCLA and Kansas, the highest point total against the Trojans was 63, so you know they can get out and guard any team in America.
Weakness: Youth is USC’s issue. While talented, the Trojans’ key players are all freshman and sophomores. That would explain their inexperienced play on the year. That inexperience would include having 74 more turnovers than assists on the year.

7. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Location: Spokane, WA
Record: 25-7
At-Large Bid: West Coast Conference
Key Players: Matt Bouldin (12.7 ppg), Jeremy Pargo (11.9 ppg, 6.0 apg), Austin Daye (10.6 ppg), Josh Heytvelt (10.2 ppg)
Strengths: Gonzaga does a lot of things well, but one thing it does better than most is score the basketball. The Bulldogs have a nice post game to compliment their outside shooting, which is second in the West Coast Conference at 37%. Gonzaga has only been under 70 points six teams this season. Offensively, Gonzaga is hard to guard.
Weakness: Overall, the Bulldogs are good rebounding team. However, Gonzaga has been punished on the boards when they’ve played athletic teams. Texas Tech, UConn, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Memphis are just a sampling of the teams that have beaten Gonzaga up on the boards. They’re going to have to do a better job against the teams they’ll face in the tournament if the Bulldogs want to survive and advance.

8. UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Record: 26-7
Automatic Bid: Mountain West Conference Champions
Key Players: Wink Adams (16.6 ppg), Curtis Terry (11.2 ppg), Joe Darger (11.2 ppg), Rene Rougeau (9.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
Strengths: The Rebels really get after you defensively. Forcing 15 turnovers a game and holding its opponents to less than 41% shooting, the Rebels make it tough for teams to score. UNLV plays passing lanes well, yet still are able to contest shots. That’s difficult to do. As long as UNLV plays this kind of defense, it’ll be able to stay in it against a lot of teams in this tournament.
Weakness: UNLV is not a good rebounding team. On the year, the Rebels are being out-rebounded by a margin of two rebounds a game, that’s seventh in the nine-team Mountain West. That’s not good enough to get it done against the level of competition the Rebels will face. They must sure up the backboards if they expect to win in the tournament.

9. Kent State Golden Flashes
Location: Kent, OH
Record: 28-6
Automatic Bid: Mid-American Conference Champions
Key Players: Al Fisher (14.0 ppg), Mike Scott (13.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg), Chris Singletary (10.2 ppg), Haminn Quaintance (10.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg)
Strengths: Kent St is a lock-down defensive team. The Golden Flashes are second in the MAC in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, steals, and blocked shots. If you couple its defense with how well Kent St shoots from behind the arc then you can see why it has had another year dominating the MAC.
Weakness: The Golden Flashes do not have good size in the low post. Kent St’s best post players, while effective, stand 6’8” and 6’7” respectively. A team with quality big men could really punish Kent St. Scott and Quaintance are going to have to play bigger than there size for the Golden Flashes to be successful in the tournament.

10. Davidson Wildcats
Location: Davidson, NC
Record: 26-6
Automatic Bid: Southern Conference Champions
Key Players: Stephen Curry (25.1 ppg), Jason Richards (12.6 ppg)
Strengths: Guard play. It’s very rare for a mid-major to have one of the best backcourts in the country. Davidson enjoys the luxury. Curry and Richards lead the way by being deadline from behind the arc. This team is also tested. Having fought tooth and nail against Duke, North Carolina and UCLA has prepared the Wildcats for any challenge they’ll see in the tournament.
Weakness: If Curry and Richards have off nights, Davidson will struggle. Those two make up about half of the Wildcats’ scoring punch. As great as they are, especially Curry, Davidson will need someone else to step up to beat good teams in the tournament.

11. Kansas State Wildcats
Location: Manhattan, KS
Record: 20-11
At-Large Bid: Big 12 Conference
Key Players: Michael Beasley (26.5 ppg, 12.4 rpg), Bill Walker (15.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg)
Strengths: Kansas St has enough talent in its frontcourt to go a long way in this tournament. Teams have thrown every kind of defense there is at Beasley and Walker and they’ve still been able to score on anybody. Beasley, the most talented player in the country, could easily go on a Danny Manning, Carmelo Anthony type run and carry this team a long way.
Weakness: Kansas St’s youth, especially in its backcourt is a major hindrance. The guys in the Wildcats backcourt turn the ball over a little too much and often have questionable shot selection. Their play has been the reason why Kansas St has been inconsistent all season.

12. Villanova Wildcats
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Record: 20-12
At-Large Bid: Big East Conference
Key Players: Scottie Reynolds (15.6 ppg), Dante Cunningham (10.4 ppg, 6.5 ppg)
Strengths: Villanova has great team quickness. This is especially true for its guards. Scottie Reynolds and Dwayne Anderson are adept at disrupting offenses and creating easy opportunities for the Wildcats, who are fourth in the Big East in turnover margin. Offensively, Scottie Reynolds is a load. He can score in bunches and can do it against a variety of defenses. He’s the key if Villanova is going to go far in the tournament.
Weakness: The Wildcats shoot it less than 43% from the field. That’s not going to win a lot of basketball games for you. They’ve been able to get by because they’re able to turn people over, but you have to show the ability to knock shots to move on in this tournament.

13. Siena Saints
Location: Loudonville, NY
Record: 22-10
Automatic Bid: Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference Champions
Key Players: Edwin Ubiles (17.3 ppg), Kenny Hasbrouck (15.6 ppg), Alex Franklin (15.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg)
Strengths: Siena is a team that likes to get out in transition. The Saints turn you over at a clip of 17.3 per game. They use that to get into their break where they like to get easy layups and open looks from three. Shooting over 38% from three makes them dangerous if the game has a fast pace to it.
Weakness: While the Saints force a lot of turnovers, they’re still easy to score on. Teams are shooting 45% against Siena and scoring over 71 points per game. Siena has also been out-rebounded on average for the year. The Saints are dead last in the MAAC in rebounding margin. Given the competition they’ll see this March, the Saints have to be able to contest shots and rebound better to make any noise.

14. Cal St Fullerton Titans
Location: Fullerton, CA
Record: 23-10
Automatic Bid: Big West Conference Champions
Key Players: Bobby Brown (20.2 ppg), Scott Cutley (15.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg), Frank Robinson (11.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Marcus Crenshaw (11.4 ppg), Justin Burns (10.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
Strengths: Fullerton is a team that loves to get you in a track meet. They like to turn you over and then get into their transition game. Fullerton averages about 83 points a game so you know they can fill it up. What’s more crucial to the Titans success though, is the nine steals per game it uses to get out and run. This is definitely a team that won’t be afraid to get up and down the court with anybody.
Weakness: In its exuberance to get up and down the court, Fullerton allows easy buckets. That means if Fullerton isn’t turning people over, they’re in bad shape. The Titans are second from last in field goal percentage defense in the Big West Conference. If they face a solid ball handling club in the tournament, the Titans could fall early.

15. UMBC Retrievers
Location: Catonsville, MD
Record: 24-8
Automatic Bid: America East Conference Champions
Key Players: Ray Barbosa (16.9 ppg), Darryl Proctor (15.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg), Brian Hodges (14.1 ppg), Cavell Johnson (13.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Jay Greene (8.8 ppg, 7.3 apg)
Strengths: The Retrievers are an excellent offensive team led by Jay Greene. He’s one of the most underrated players in the country, but he is very solid at point guard. He doesn’t make mistakes and he’s one of the best passers, not just in the America East, but in the country. He makes the Retrievers go and if he continues to take care of the basketball and get easy shots for his teammates, the Retrievers have a chance and making some noise.
Weakness: The Retrievers have virtually no bench. With only a seven-man rotation, UMBC will have to be intelligent about when to run. The Retrievers like to get out in transition, but they might want to think twice about that when they’re up against teams who can throw waves of talented players at them.

16. Portland State Vikings
Location: Portland, OR
Record: 23-9
Automatic Bid: Big Sky Conference Champions
Key Players: Jeremiah Dominguez (14.3 ppg), Deonte Huff (13.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Scott Morrison (10.6 ppg)
Strengths: The Vikings have one of the best backcourts among all mid-majors. Dominguez and huff do everything for Portland State from setting their teammates up to crashing the boards to knocking down three’s at a high rate. They’ve been the two most consistent guys for Portland State all year and they have to continue to be to have any success in the tournament.
Weakness: Portland State is not a strong free throw shooting club. The Vikings are seventh in the Big Sky in free throw percentage at just over 67%. That’s not going to get it done against the caliber of competition the Vikings will play in the tournament.

EAST REGION BREAKDOWN

1. North Carolina Tarheels
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Record: 32-2
Automatic Bid: Atlantic Coast Conference Champions
Key Players: Tyler Hansbrough (23.0 ppg, 10.4 rpg), Wayne Ellington (16.7 ppg), Tywon Lawson (12.4 ppg), Danny Green (11.6 ppg)
Strengths: North Carolina can just come at you in waves. The Tarheels are just so deep at every position. They have balance that can give you fits and then depth that can do the same. There are not many teams in America who could get up and down the court with Carolina’s athletes. North Carolina is averaging close to 90 points a game, those are NBA-type numbers. The Tarheels are ready for this tournament.
Weakness: While the Tarheels are defending better lately, good teams have found success scoring on the Tarheels. I don’t expect anyone in the first couple of rounds to be able to keep up with North Carolina, but as the Tarheels approach the Sweet 16 and beyond, they are going to have defend to win. Teams in this tournament are just too good to just let them run and gun.

2. Tennessee Volunteers
Location: Knoxville, TN
Record: 29-4
At-Large Bid: Southeastern Conference
Key Players: Chris Lofton (16.1 ppg), JaJuan Smith (14.5 ppg), Tyler Smith (13.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg),
Strengths: Tennessee may have the most effective press in the country. The Volunteers force over 18 turnovers per game off of it and they have athletes and deadly shooters to make you pay. Lofton is one of the most clutch players in college basketball today, he makes big shots and he makes tough shots. If you can get a handle on him, you may have a chance, but there hasn’t been anyone who could do that yet.
Weakness: Over the course of the year, Tennessee has played great defense, but lately they’ve been allowing teams to score on them too easily. We’re not talking tournament teams either. South Carolina gave them a scare twice down the stretch and if the Gamecocks can do it, teams in the tournament will be able to as well.

3. Louisville Cardinals
Location: Louisville, KY
Record: 24-8
At-Large Bid: Big East Conference
Key Players: David Padgett (11.7 ppg), Terrance Williams (11.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg), Earl Clark (10.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg), Jerry Smith (10.4 ppg)
Strengths: Louisville makes it next to very difficult to score. There aren’t many teams in the country that can guard like the Cardinals. Louisville has made a habit out of holding teams under 60 and that’s difficult to do with the way it likes to press. Offensively, Louisville’s post players are a load. Padgett, Williams, Clark, Derrick Caracter and Juan Palacios present one of the more formidable frontlines in the country. Guarding them would be a nightmare for anybody.
Weakness: Louisville struggles from the line at times. By shooting 66% from the charity stripe for the season, the Cardinals have sometimes struggled to put teams away. The Cardinals just flat out aren’t good enough to overcome that number. Louisville struggles getting second shot opportunities. You’d like to be able to do that in a half-court game, which will happen in March.

4. Washington State Cougars
Location: Pullman, WA
Record: 24-8
At-Large Bid: Pac-10 Conference
Key Players: Derrick Low (14.1 ppg), Kyle Weaver (12.1 ppg), Taylor Rochestie (11.0 ppg), Aron Baynes (10.2 ppg)
Strengths: Washington St will be in any game it plays in because it makes it extremely difficult for its opponents to score. Washington St opponents only score a paltry 57 points and shoot 42% on average against the Cougars. They play some of the toughest man-to-man defense you’ll see anybody play.
Weakness: There’s no explosion to the Cougars. There are other teams in the country that play a similar style to Washington St, but, in the case of the Cougars, it seems as if you can strike at any moment. That’s a dangerous way to live. The Cougars inability to put teams away may come back to haunt them this March.

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Location: South Bend, IN
Record: 24-7
At-Large Bid: Big East Conference
Key Players: Luke Harangody (20.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg), Kyle McAlarney (15.2 ppg), Rob Kurz (12.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg), Tory Jackson (8.1 ppg, 6.1 apg)
Strengths: Notre Dame does one thing maybe better than any team in the country-shoot the three. That’s the Irish’s game plan and it doesn’t matter if you know it. They’re going to let the three’s fly regardless. Notre Dame has eight guys it can send out there that can knock down shots. When they’re falling it’s a beautiful thing to behold, but hell to defend.
Weakness: Notre Dame really lacks athletes and that has caused a lot of issues defending people. Teams such as UConn and Marquette have really given the Irish trouble defensively this season because both have guards that can get up and down the court. That’s why Big East opponents have average just under 76 points per game on Notre Dame. Transition basketball may turn out to be what does in the Irish.

6. Oklahoma Sooners
Location: Norman, OK
Record: 22-10
At-Large Bid: Big 12 Conference
Key Players: Blake Griffin (14.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg), Longar Longar (11.8 ppg), Tony Crocker (11.5 ppg)
Strengths: Oklahoma can punish you with its frontcourt. Griffin and Longar are one of the best frontcourt combinations in a conference, the Big 12, which has outstanding frontcourts. They have good size, know their limitations, and they work well together. Those two can be a load to deal with in the paint.
Weakness: For a team that isn’t that explosive, shooting 68% from the free-throw line will not cut it. You can not leave points on the board when it’s already a struggle for you to score. Oklahoma is not a team that has the luxury of missing free throws. They can not have a bad shooting night in the tournament and survive.

7. Butler Bulldogs
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Record: 29-3
Automatic Bid: Horizon League Champions
Key Players: Mike Green (14.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg), AJ Graves (13.3 ppg), Matt Howard (12.6 ppg, 5.6 apg), Pete Campbell (11.2 ppg)
Strengths: Any team that doesn’t turn the ball over and shoots the three well is going to win a lot of games. That’s what Butler does. They have guys at every position who can knock it down from behind the arc and that makes the Bulldogs hard to defend. Having made the Sweet 16 last season and playing the entire year with a target on its back don’t’ expect Butler to be overwhelmed by anything. The Bulldogs will be ready.
Weakness: Butler is really weak in the paint. Matt Howard is Butler’s most effective low post player, but at 6’7, he may have his hands full with a skilled big man in the tournament. The Bulldogs have been out-rebounded on the year. With possessions coming at a premium in the Big Dance, the backboard will be an issue for Butler.

8. Indiana Hoosiers
Location: Bloomington, IN
Record: 25-7
At-Large Bid: Big Ten Conference
Key Players: Eric Gordon (21.8 ppg), DJ White (17.3 ppg, 10.4 rpg), Armon Bassett (11.1), Jordan Crawford (10.0 ppg)
Strengths: Indiana has an inside-out punch that is tough to deal with. Gordon and White may be that best guard-big man combo in the country. They’re both skilled and can do so many things. Their teammates play off of them very well and are able to get easy baskets because of it. When those two are on, the Hoosiers can be anybody in America.
Weakness: Indiana doesn’t have the depth you’d like to see a team of its caliber have. There are only about seven players who really play significant minutes for Indiana. With such a short turnaround in the tournament, having such a short bench will be an issue.

9. Arkansas Razorbacks
Location: Fayetteville, AK
Record: 19-12
At-Large Bid: Southeastern Conference
Key Players: Sonny Weems (14.3 ppg), Patrick Beverly (12.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg), Darian Townes (11.8 ppg)
Strengths: Arkansas is an excellent defensive team. The Razorbacks are third in the SEC in both scoring defense and field goal percentage defense, while averaging over seven steals a game. They’re athletic and have excellent size in the low-post. With its personnel, Arkansas can defend any team in the country.
Weakness: Arkansas turns the ball over at high rate. The Razorbacks are eighth in the SEC in turnover margin. With the way they play defense, that’s not good enough. Arkansas cannot give teams extra opportunities and expect to advance in this tournament. Teams are just too good.

10. South Alabama Jaguars
Location: Mobile, AL
Record: 26-6
At-Large Bid: Sun Belt Conference
Key Players: Demetric Bennet (20.1 ppg), Domonic Tilford (12.7 ppg), Daon Merritt (11.5 ppg), Brandon Davis (10.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg), DeAndre Coleman (7.8 rpg)
Strengths: South Alabama really values getting on the glass. The Jaguars lead the Sun Belt Conference in rebounding margin at 6.4 per game. Coleman, Davis, and Bennet are all adept at attacking the backboard. If the Jaguars are able to do that in the tournament, they’ll be able to stay within striking distance of any team they’ll face.
Weakness: The Jaguars are rather shaky with the basketball. Teams are getting extra possessions from the Jaguars because South Alabama’s opponents are averaging seven steals per game. That’s an alarming stat because those are the kind of turnovers that can lead to immediate points.

11. Saint Joseph’s Hawks
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Record: 21-12
At-Large Bid: Atlantic-10 Conference
Key Players: Pat Calathes (17.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg), Ahmad Nivins (14.4 ppg), Rob Feguson (11.6 ppg), Tasheed Carr (10.9 ppg)
Strengths: Pat Calthes and Ahmad Nivins are one of the most underrated frontcourt tandems in the country. Averaging around 32 points and 13 rebounds together, those two can cause problems for any team in the country. For the Hawks to be successful, those two must continue to provide the offense and help on the backboards for St Joseph’s to be successful.
Weakness: St. Joseph’s will have to rebound and play better defense to win games in the tournament. Teams shoot too well from three on the Hawks and they are seventh in the A-10 in rebounding margin. The Hawks will not face a Richmond or Fordham in the tournament, so making those two issues priorities should be imperative for them.

12. George Mason Patriots
Location: Fairfax, VA
Record: 23-10
Automatic Bid: Colonial Athletic Association Champions
Key Players: Folarin Campbell (15.9 ppg), Will Thomas (15.8 ppg, 10.5 rpg), John Vaughn (12.6 ppg)
Strengths: George Mason has experience. Final Four experience. Two years ago the Patriots made the run to Indianapolis with two of its seniors, Campbell and Thomas, playing prominent roles. Throw in Jordan Carter in that mix and it’s not much you can throw at George Mason it hasn’t seen already.
Weakness: George Mason has had wild bouts of inconsistency this year. You don’t know which Patriot squad will show up. Will it be the team that beat Cleveland St, Kansas St, VCU, and a healthy Dayton outfit or will it be the team that lost to East Carolina, Georgia St, Delaware, and Northeastern?

13. Winthrop Eagles
Location: Rock Hill, SC
Record: 22-11
Automatic Bid: Big South Conference Champions
Key Players: Michael Jenkins (14.3 ppg), Taj McCullough (11.5 ppg)
Strengths: Winthrop has depth that many high-majors would love to have. With nine guys playing significant minutes, the Eagles will have enough people to play against any style they’ll face in the tournament. Being able to throw a lot of different players at opposing teams is definitely an advantage most teams at Winthrop’s level don’t have.
Weakness: This is not like your old Winthrop teams that could score from anywhere. This team has difficulties putting points on the board from the field and from the line. They play good defense, so it’s masked that deficiency for the season. However, Winthrop won’t be playing any more teams from the Big South in the tournament. The Eagles will have to figure out a way to put points on the board consistently.

14. Boise State Broncos
Location: Boise, ID
Record: 25-8
Automatic Bid: Western Athletic Conference Champions
Key Players: Reggie Larry (19.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg), Matt Nelson (15.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg), Tyler Tiederman (14.0 ppg)
Strengths: Boise St is an excellent offensive basketball team. The Broncos shoot close to 51% from the field and over 39% from behind the arc. Their 82-point-per-game average is first in the WAC and is just one of the reasons why Boise St held onto first in the WAC for much of the year. If they can continue to score like this, they’ll be able to keep up with a lot of clubs in the tournament.
Weakness: Boise St commits somewhere close to 16 turnovers a game. Most team on its schedule can’t score with Boise St so it hasn’t really hurt it yet. However, the tournament is an entirely different animal. There will be teams that can‘t compete with the Broncos bucket for bucket in the tournament. It might not want to give its opponents extra opportunities.

15. American Eagles
Location: Washington, DC
Record: 21-11
Automatic Bid: Patriot League Champions
Key Players: Garrison Carr (18.1 ppg), Derrick Mercer (12.4 ppg)
Strengths: American is ranked fourth nationally in three-point shooting. That will win you a lot of ball games. While Carr and Mercer both shoot ridiculous percentages in the forties, American has other guys who can knock down shots.
Weakness: There’s something wrong when a team shoots 41% from three and only averages 65 points a game. The Eagles have a turnover problem. When you’re sixth in the Patriot League in turnover margin, you know there something there that needs to be corrected. Given its opponent, American better fix that problem in a hurry.

16A. Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers
Location: Emmitsburg, MD
Record: 18-14
Automatic Bid: Northeast Conference Champions
Key Players: Chris Vann (14.4 ppg), Jeremy Goode (14.3 ppg)
Strengths: The Mountaineers have had their most success when it’s shooting well from the outside. Led by Jean Cajou, who’s shooting the three at 49%, Mount St. Mary’s has shown the ability to be deadly from deep. There are five guys on this club capable of making shots from downtown. The Mountaineers will need that to happen if they expect to have any success in the tournament.
Weakness: While the Mountaineers have a 7-footer, they don’t really have enough effective size inside. They don’t have a consistent scorer, defender, or guy who can rebound in the paint. There is no question that the Mountaineers will be punished in the paint.

16B. Coppin State Eagles
Location: Baltimore, MD
Record: 16-20
Automatic Bid: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Champions
Key Players: Tywain McKee (16.6 ppg)
Strengths: Coppin St will not be afraid. Coach Fang Mitchell always puts together a tough schedule for his team and this year it paid off. Coppin is playing well right now and there’s no team in front of it that the Eagles will fear. That kind of attitude and preparation will have the Eagles ready for the tournament.
Weakness: Coppin can’t score. The Eagles only average 59.8 points per game as team for the year and they shoot the ball less than 40% from the field. It will extremely tough to win games in March that way. Getting through the conference tournament doing that is one thing, getting through the NCAA tournament with that kind of offense is entirely different.

BRACKETOLOGY: Sunday March 16, 2008 5:45 pm (Welcome North Carolina, UT-Arlington, Kansas, Wisconsin, Georgia)

SOUTH
1.Memphis(CUSA)16.Mississippi Valley St(SWAC)/Coppin St(MEAC) Little Rock, AR
8.Oklahoma9.UNLV(MWest)
5.Michigan St12.Oregon Denver, CO
4.Pittsburgh(BEast)13.San Diego(WCC)
6.Indiana11.Western Kentucky(SBelt) Anaheim, CA
3.Stanford14.Boise St(WAC)
7.Arkansas10.Kansas St Raleigh, NC
2.Duke15.UMBC(AEast)
MIDWEST
1.Kansas(B12)16.Texas-Arlington(Southland) Omaha, NE
8.Kent St(MAC)9.South Alabama
5.Clemson12.George Mason(CAA) Tampa, FL
4.UConn13.Cornell(Ivy)
6.Notre Dame11.Arizona St Washington, DC
3.Xavier14.Siena(MAAC)
7.Gonzaga10.Baylor Birmingham, AL
2.Tennessee15.Austin Peay(OVC)
WEST
1.UCLA(P10)16.Mount St. Mary’s(NEC) Anaheim, CA
8.Mississippi St9.Texas A&M
5.Marquette12.St Josephs Tampa, FL
4.Butler(Horizon)13.Oral Roberts (Summit)
6.Purdue11.Arizona Washington, DC
3.Louisville14.Cal St Fullerton(BWest)
7.Vanderbilt10.Davidson(SoCon) Little Rock, AR
2.Texas15.Belmont(ASun)
EAST
1.North Carolina(ACC)16.American(Patriot) Raleigh, NC
8.West Virginia9.St Mary’s
5.Washington St12.Temple(A-10) Denver, CO
4.Drake(MVC)13.Georgia(SEC)
6.USC11.Miami-FL Birmingham, AL
3.Georgetown14.Winthrop(BSouth)
7.BYU10.Kentucky Omaha, NE
2.Wisconsin(B10)15.Portland St(BSky)

Last Four In: Oregon, St Josephs, Arizona, Arizona St
Last Four Out: Villanova, Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech, Illinois St

BRACKETOLOGY: Sunday March 16, 2008 9:40 am (Welcome Memphis, UMBC, UCLA, Kent St, Mississippi Valley St, Coppin St, Pittsburgh, UNLV, Boise St...

Temple, Cal St Fullerton)

SOUTH
1.Memphis(CUSA)16.Northwestern St/Coppin(MEAC) Little Rock, AR
8.Oklahoma9.UNLV(MWest)
5.Michigan St12.Western Kentucky(SBelt) Denver, CO
4.Pittsburgh(BEast)13.San Diego(WCC)
6.Indiana11.Villanova Anaheim, CA
3.Stanford14.Boise St(WAC)
7.Arkansas10.Kansas St Raleigh, NC
2.Duke15.UMBC(AEast)
MIDWEST
1.Kansas16.Mount St. Mary’s(NEC) Omaha, NE
8.Kent St(MAC)9.South Alabama
5.Clemson12.Oregon Tampa, FL
4.UConn13.Cornell(Ivy)
6.Notre Dame11.Arizona St Washington, DC
3.Xavier14.Siena(MAAC)
7.Gonzaga10.Baylor Birmingham, AL
2.Tennessee15.Austin Peay(OVC)
WEST
1.UCLA(P10)16.Mississippi Valley St(SWAC) Anaheim, CA
8.Mississippi St9.Texas A&M
5.Marquette12.St Josephs Tampa, FL
4.Butler(Horizon)13.George Mason(CAA)
6.Purdue11.Arizona Washington, DC
3.Louisville14.Cal St Fullerton(BWest)
7.Vanderbilt10.Davidson(SoCon) Little Rock, AR
2.Texas15.Belmont(ASun)
EAST
1.North Carolina16.American(Patriot) Raleigh, NC
8.West Virginia9.St Mary’s
5.Washington St12.Temple(A-10) Denver, CO
4.Drake(MVC)13.Oral Roberts(Summit)
6.USC11.Miami-FL Birmingham, AL
3.Georgetown14.Winthrop(BSouth)
7.BYU10.Kentucky Omaha, NE
2.Wisconsin15.Portland St(BSky)

Last Four In: Villanova, St Josephs, Oregon, Arizona
Last Four Out: Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech, Illinois St, Mississippi

BRACKETOLOGY: Saturday March 15, 2008 11:40 am (Welcome American)

SOUTH
1.Memphis16.Northwestern St/MVSU Little Rock, AR
8.Arkansas9.Texas A&M
5.Pittsburgh12.Oregon Tampa, FL
4.Michigan St13.George Mason(CAA)
6.Indiana11.Western Kentucky(SBelt) Anaheim, CA
3.Stanford14.New Mexico St
7.Oklahoma10.UNLV Raleigh, NC
2.Duke15.Belmont(ASun)
MIDWEST
1.Tennessee16.American(Patriot) Birmingham, AL
8.Kent St9.South Alabama
5.Washington St12.VCU Denver, CO
4.UConn13.Cornell(Ivy)
6.Notre Dame11.Arizona St Washington, DC
3.Xavier14.Winthrop(BSouth)
7.Gonzaga10.Kentucky Omaha, NE
2.Kansas15.UMBC
WEST
1.UCLA16.Mount St Mary’s(NEC) Anaheim, CA
8.Mississippi St9.Kansas St
5.Marquette12.St Josephs Tampa, FL
4.Butler(Horizon)13.San Diego(WCC)
6.Purdue11.Arizona Washington, DC
3.Louisville14.Siena(MAAC)
7.Clemson10.Davidson(SoCon) Little Rock, AR
2.Texas15.Austin Peay(OVC)
EAST
1.North Carolina16.Morgan St Raleigh, NC
8.West Virginia9.St Mary’s
5.BYU12.Temple Denver, CO
4.Drake(MVC)13.Oral Roberts(Summit)
6.USC11.Miami-FL Birmingham, AL
3.Georgetown14.Cal St Fullerton
7.Vanderbilt10.Baylor Omaha, NE
2.Wisconsin15.Portland St(BSky)

Last Four In: VCU, Temple, Oregon, Arizona
Last Four Out: Illinois St, Mississippi, Villanova, Virginia Tech

BRACKETOLOGY: Friday March 14, 2008 9:55 am

SOUTH
1.Memphis16.Mount St Mary’s(NEC)/Alabama St Little Rock, AR
8.Kent St9.St Mary’s
5.Michigan St12.Mississippi Tampa, FL
4.UConn13.Oral Roberts(Summit)
6.Vanderbilt11.Arizona St Washington, DC
3.Xavier14.Winthrop(BSouth)
7.West Virginia10.Baylor Raleigh, NC
2.Duke15.Cornell(Ivy)
MIDWEST
1.Tennessee16.Morgan St Birmingham, AL
8.Kansas St9.South Alabama
5.Marquette12.Oregon Denver, CO
4.Butler13.Sam Houston St
6.Indiana11.UNLV Anaheim, CA
3.Stanford14.Boise St
7.Pittsburgh10.Miami-FL Omaha, NE
2.Kansas15.Belmont(ASun)
WEST
1.UCLA16.American Anaheim, CA
8.Clemson9.Arkansas
5.Drake(MVC)12.Villanova Tampa, FL
4.Purdue13.George Mason(CAA)
6.BYU11.Arizona Washington, DC
3.Louisville14.Siena(MAAC)
7.Gonzaga10.Kentucky Little Rock, AR
2.Texas15.Austin Peay(OVC)
EAST
1.North Carolina16.UMBC Raleigh, NC
8.Mississippi St9.Texas A&M
5.Notre Dame12.Ohio St Denver, CO
4.Washington St13.San Diego(WCC)
6.USC11.Western Kentucky(SBelt) Birmingham, AL
3.Georgetown4.UC Santa Barbara
7.Oklahoma10.Davidson(SoCon) Omaha, NE
2.Wisconsin15.Portland St(BSky)

Last Four In: Ohio St, Villanova, Mississippi, Oregon
Last Four Out: VCU, UMASS, Illinois St, Florida St

BRACKETOLOGY: Thursday March 13, 2008 (Welcome Mount St. Mary's, Portland St)

SOUTH
1.Memphis16.Mount St. Mary's(NEC)/Alabama St Little Rock, AR
8.Pittsburgh9.Arkansas
5.Michigan St12.Oregon Denver, CO
4.Notre Dame13.Oral Roberts(Summit)
6.Marquette11.UNLV Washington, DC
3.Xavier14.Winthrop(BSouth)
7.Oklahoma10.Kentucky Raleigh, NC
2.Duke15.Cornell(Ivy)
MIDWEST
1.Tennessee16.Morgan St Little Rock, AR
8.Kansas St9.St Mary’s
5.Drake(MVC)12.George Mason(CAA) Denver, CO
4.Washington St13.Sam Houston St
6.Indiana11.Arizona St Washington, DC
3.Louisville14.Boise St
7.Gonzaga10.Miami-FL Omaha, NE
2.Kansas15.Belmont(ASun)
WEST
1.UCLA16.American Anaheim, CA
8.Kent St9.Baylor
5.Butler(Horizon)12.Villanova Tampa, FL
4.Purdue13.Western Kentucky(SBelt)
6.Vanderbilt11.Arizona Tampa, FL
3.UConn14.Siena(MAAC)
7.Clemson10.UMass Little Rock, AR
2.Texas15.Austin Peay(OVC)
EAST
1.North Carolina16.UMBC Raleigh, NC
8.West Virginia9.South Alabama
5.BYU12.Mississippi Anaheim, CA
4.Stanford13.San Diego(WCC)
6.USC11.Davidson(SoCon) Birmingham, AL
3.Georgetown4.UC Santa Barbara
7.Mississippi St10.Texas A&M Omaha, NE
2.Wisconsin15.Portland St(BSky)

Last Four In: Oregon, Mississippi, Arizona, Villanova
Last Four Out: Ohio St, Virginia Commonwealth, Illinois St, Dayton

BRACKETOLOGY: Wednesday March 12, 2008 9:35 am (Welcome Oral Roberts, Butler and Western Kentucky)

SOUTH
1.Memphis16.Sacred Heart/Alabama St Little Rock, AR
8.Pittsburgh9.Arkansas
5.Michigan St12.Oregon Denver, CO
4.Notre Dame13.Oral Roberts(Summit)
6.Marquette11.UNLV Washington, DC
3.Xavier14.Winthrop(BSouth)
7.Oklahoma10.Kentucky Raleigh, NC
2.Duke15.Cornell(Ivy)
MIDWEST
1.Tennessee16.Morgan St Little Rock, AR
8.Kansas St9.St Mary’s
5.Drake(MVC)12.George Mason(CAA) Denver, CO
4.Washington St13.Sam Houston St
6.Indiana11.Arizona St Washington, DC
3.Louisville14.Boise St
7.Gonzaga10.Miami-FL Omaha, NE
2.Kansas15.Belmont(ASun)
WEST
1.UCLA16.American Anaheim, CA
8.Kent St9.Baylor
5.Butler(Horizon)12.Syracuse Tampa, FL
4.Purdue13.Western Kentucky(SBelt)
6.Vanderbilt11.Arizona Tampa, FL
3.UConn14.Siena(MAAC)
7.Clemson10.UMass Little Rock, AR
2.Texas15.Austin Peay(OVC)
EAST
1.North Carolina16.UMBC Raleigh, NC
8.West Virginia9.South Alabama
5.BYU12.Mississippi Anaheim, CA
4.Stanford13.San Diego(WCC)
6.USC11.Davidson(SoCon) Birmingham, AL
3.Georgetown4.UC Santa Barbara
7.Mississippi St10.Texas A&M Omaha, NE
2.Wisconsin15.Portland St

Last Four In: Syracuse, Oregon, Mississippi, Arizona
Last Four Out: Villanova, Ohio St, Illinois St, Virginia Commonwealth

BRACKETOLOGY: Tuesday March 11, 2008 8:35 am (Welcome George Mason, Siena, Davidson, San Diego)

SOUTH
1.Memphis16.Sacred Heart/Alabama St Little Rock, AR
8.Pittsburgh9.Arkansas
5.Michigan St12.Oregon Denver, CO
4.Notre Dame13.Oral Roberts
6.Marquette11.UNLV Washington, DC
3.Xavier14.Winthrop(BSouth)
7.Oklahoma10.Kentucky Raleigh, NC
2.Duke15.Cornell(Ivy)
MIDWEST
1.Tennessee16.Morgan St Little Rock, AR
8.Kansas St9.St Mary’s
5.Drake(MVC)12.George Mason(CAA) Denver, CO
4.Washington St13.Sam Houston St
6.Indiana11.Arizona St Washington, DC
3.Louisville14.Boise St
7.Gonzaga10.Miami-FL Omaha, NE
2.Kansas15.Belmont(ASun)
WEST
1.UCLA16.American Anaheim, CA
8.Kent St9.Baylor
5.Butler12.Syracuse Tampa, FL
4.Purdue13.Western Kentucky
6.Vanderbilt11.Arizona Tampa, FL
3.UConn14.Siena(MAAC)
7.Clemson10.UMass Little Rock, AR
2.Texas15.Austin Peay(OVC)
EAST
1.North Carolina16.UMBC Raleigh, NC
8.West Virginia9.South Alabama
5.BYU12.Mississippi Anaheim, CA
4.Stanford13.San Diego(WCC)
6.USC11.Davidson(SoCon) Birmingham, AL
3.Georgetown4.UC Santa Barbara
7.Mississippi St10.Texas A&M Omaha, NE
2.Wisconsin15.Portland St

Last Four In: Syracuse, Oregon, Mississippi, Arizona
Last Four Out: Villanova, Ohio St, Illinois St, Virginia Commonwealth