Bracket Buster (Part II)

MIDWEST REGION: This is arguably the second best region in the tournament with Big 12 champs Kansas, Big East champs Georgetown and Big Ten champs Wisconsin all representing. This should be a great bracket to watch, but not one to pick.

Kansas (31-3): This was the team I chose last year to win it all. However, after they fell to UCLA in the Elite, that pretty much ruined my bracket. This year, the Jayhawks return a ton of talent, including Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson, each of whom average in double figures. Kansas plays more like an NBA team than a college sqaud, in which scoring is a priority, and defense is second. However, that being said, their athleticism can shut any team down in the country. Look for the Jayhawks to sweep through this bracket as long as their starting five comes to play.

Georgetown (27-5): The Big East was easily the second best conference in the nation this year sending eight representatives to the Big Dance. Georgetown claimed the regular season title, which makes them one of the best in the Big East Conference. I like Hoyas, but not quite as much as last year. Roy Hibbert is a beast inside, while Jonathan Wallace apparently can't miss from beyond the arc. However, the void of the departured Jeff Green has left this team without a go-to guy in the clutch. I like Georgetown returning to the Elite 8, but nothing further.

Wisconsin (29-4): It doesn't say a whole lot about the Big Ten this year when their conference champions are a third seed in the tourney. Either way, the Badgers kind of snuck up on the NCAA this year. The catalyst that will drive this team in the tournament is their defense, who held their opponent to under 60 points in 24 of their 33 games this year. It will be an interesting first round matchup for Wisconsin who faces Cal-State Fullerton, a team who's built on a run-and-gun offensive philosophy.

Vanderbilt (26-7): The SEC is a tough pick for me this year. They were by far the weakest of the six major conferences this year. Despite their fourth place finish in the conference, I thought Vanderbilt was the second best team in the SEC this year behind Tennessee. They'll be led by by conference MVP, Shan Foster. The senior swingman averages 20.5 points per game. Anything further than a Sweet 16 would be a major surprise.

Clemson (24-9): For some reason, I'm just not sold on this team. They like to jump out to early leads, but just can't finish in the clutch. They took North Carolina to two overtimes before falling in heartbreaking fashion. However, the Tigers are a very balance team. They have five players that average scoring in double figures. If Clemson can figure out how to finish, they could be a very dangerous team in the tournament.

USC (21-11): The Trojans are easily led by a very talented freshman class. O. J. Mayo is ahead of his time and is already polished enough for the NBA. Perhaps, too polished, which is why USC didn't get a higher seed. My problem with the Trojans is sometimes they spend too much time watching Mayo. I probably would as well. He's a phenomenal talent that can take USC only so far. Their first round matchup against another freshman phenom, Michael Beasley, and Kansas State should be one of the best games in the first round. If they can escape the Wildcats, they have a good chance of facing Georgetown in the Sweet 16. Don't forget about their sophomore center, Taj Gibson. He could be the X-factor for the Trojans if they go deep into the tourney.

Gonzaga (25-7): The Cinderella slipper just doesn't seem to fit anymore for the Bulldogs. They just don't scare anybody anymore. However, they're still a very talented team with a ton of tournament experience. If Josh Heytvelt can finally live up to his potential and emulate the same production as he did early last season, this could be a force to be reckon with. My guess is he doesn't, and they could receive a first round exit by a very good Davidson club.

UNLV (26-7): This was last year's suprise team in the tourney who make a Sweet 16 run while upsetting second seed Wisconsin. Despite losing most of their talent to graduation, UNLV has once again earned a spot in the Big Dance where they're one of the nation's hottest teams entering the tournament. They've won four straight and seven of their last eight. I like UNLV because of their head coach, Lon Kruger, who's incredibly smart and knows how to utilize his talent to its fullest. However, they're not quite ready yet to return to the Sweet 16 with Kansas standing in their way in the second round.

Kent State (28-6): The Golden Flashes enter the tournament as the Midwest Region's number 9 seed, which in my opinion, is a bit high considering their only quality wins are against George Mason and St. Mary's. They were 13 points worse than Xavier and 29 points away from beating North Carolina. I don't like their chances of defeating UNLV. On the flip side, check out junior guard Al Fisher, a junior college transfer, who was named as the Mid-American Conference's player of the year in just his first season in Division I.

Davidson (26-6): To me, this is one of the most intriguing first round matchups in the tournament. Davidson against Gonzaga should be a spectacular game. The Wildcats had no problems in conference play this season, finishing 23-0 en route to a Southern Conference Championship, which gives them a 23 game winning streak heading into the tourney. Sophomore guard Stephen Curry might be one of the nation's best scorers. He averages over 25 points a game this year, and shot over 43 percent from beyond the arc. This is a good, and if they believe in themselves, could become this year's Cinderella.

Kansas State (20-11): The Wildcats finished third in a competitive Big 12 conference this season. Of course, their main contributor, is freshman phenom, Michael Beasley, who could win the nation's player of the year after averaging 26.5 points per game (3rd best in the nation) and also pulled down over 12 rebounds per contest. Perhaps, best of all, the 6-10 Forward can also shoot lights out from the perimeter (nearly 39 percent from 3 point range), which makes him a potential number one overall pick in this year's draft. While Beasley won't be able to carry Kansas State into the Final Four, their first round test against O. J. Mayo and USC should be one of the most talked about games of the tournament.

Villanova (20-12): This is a bubble team that really didn't deserve a ticket to the Big Dance. They finished eighth in the Big East and were an early round exit in the conference tournament. While they may keep it close against Clemson early on, the Tigers will run away with it in the second half. NOVA will be a one-and-done.

Siena (22-10): The Saints punched their ticket into the NCAA tournament after earning an automatic bid by defeating Rider in the MAAC championship. This is a team who's built up some momentum within the past month by winning six straight. While their strength of schedule may be weak, their most impressive quality win has to be against Stanford early in the season. The Saints have a nice offensive trio in Edwin Ubiles, Kenny Hasbrouck and Alex Franklin, who all averaged in double figures this season. If you're looking for a major first round upset, the Saints would be a fair pick considering they're facing the weakest 4th seed in the tournament, Vanderbilt, in the first round.

Cal State Fullerton (24-8): The Titans are back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1978 thanks to an explosive offense which is led by junior Josh Akognon, who averaged nearly 20 points a game. Akognon transferred to Fullerton two years ago from Washington State, and brings a hot hand from beyond the arc. If he heats up, Akognon can make it from anywhere on the court. The one problem the Titans face, the Wisconsin Badgers, who bring a completely opposite style to the floor. While Fullerton likes to run, the Badgers like to slow it down. The team that can handle making the adjustment will win.

UMBC (24-8): After posting 24 wins, which is more than their previous two seasons combined, the University of Maryland-Baltimore County is heading to the Big Dance for the first time in school history, which makes them an underdawg favorite. Unfortunately for the Retrievers, they'll be an early exit considering they don't have the talent to compete with Roy Hibbert and the Hoyas of Georgetown. They're starting post, Cavell Johnson is 6-8. Hibbert is 7-2.

Portland State (23-9): Apparently the tournament committee wasn't very impressed with the Big Sky Conference this year, considering the conference champs, Portland State, is headed to the Big Dance as a 16th seed. While the Vikings were the best shooting team in the Big Sky this year, they're in for a whole new kind of competition when they take on Kansas. This game could be close midway through the 1st half, but the Jayhawks will dominate after that.

I'll break down the West and South Regional brackets tomorrow.