It’s bracket time!!!

Let’s take a look at the West Region…

Most Exciting Opening Round Matchup:

To be true to the definition of “exciting”, the Arizona-Memphis tilt would probably fit the ball.  This will pit two teams that enjoy dictating the pace, and getting up and down the floor.  Turnovers will seemingly be the key factor in this one, but if Derrick Williams make his presence felt in the paint this could be blowout-city in favor of the Wildcats. 

The game that should be the tightest will be Temple versus Penn State.  Both teams value their possessions, and are deliberate offensively.  Temple forces more turnovers defensively, as well as holding their opponents to a much lower field goal percentage than does PSU.  The numbers favor Temple, but Penn State has a special way of making opponents play down to their level.

Most Unheralded Players in the Region:

Keith Benson and Reggie Hamilton (Oakland): This dynamic duo averages over 35 points per contest.  The 6’11″ Benson has also dominated the interior this season with 10.1 rebounds and 3.6 blocks every game.  Hamilton is a flat-out scorer with the ability to shoot the rock and penetrate with equal effectiveness.  While Oakland may not be able to knock off Texas in the opening round, they have the pieces to make it a dogfight for the Longhorns.

Potential Upset Brewing?:

This year, in contrast to the traditional 5-12 upsets, it seems that the 6-11 games are a bit more intriguing.  In the West region, Missouri is definitely an atypical 11-seed.  The Tigers are a team that is undeniably capable of gaining momentum and winning a couple of games in a row.  They run a wide open offense, and have a lack of discipline that can be downright frightening to play against.  If they come out of the blocks on fire, they may be able to surprise two Big East squads in one weekend.

The Cincinnati Bearcats went 11-7 in the Big East – which says a lot – but they are not nearly as dangerous as Georgetown, Connecticut, West Virginia or Marquette (who all finished with the same number of wins or less in conference play).  The main reason for that is because of their lack of consistent and timely scoring.  They lack a player who can get them a bucket when they need it, and, at times, that is a necessity in the postseason. 

Surprising Team That Could Make A Deep Run:

Thompson's length could help Texas have an extended stay in the tournament.

Although the Longhorns fell victim to some late-season losses, they have the ingredients that brew success in single-game situations.  They can mix interior post presence (Tristan Thompson) with perimeter shooting (Jordan Hamilton) to be one of the deadliest teams in the dance.  Perhaps more importantly, Texas plays outstanding defense.  Rick Barnes’ group ranked 6th in the NCAA in opponent field goal percentage (38.3%).  Their best players are young, and inexperience could rear its head at some points during their quest.  However, strong defense, above average shooting, interior muscle, and two star-caliber players will make Texas tough to beat. 

In the End it Will Be:

Texas and Connecticut.  Duke’s intelligence and savvy will get them through the first weekend, but they’ll meet their mtach the following weekend.  The Blue Devils haven’t scored a win over a big time opponent since Kyrie Irving was active, so Texas will present them with a huge challenge.  In an epic Sweet Sixteen tussle, Texas’ commitment to physical play, coupled with Hamilton’s legit scoring presence will be too much for Duke, launching them into the Elite Eight. 

As for Connecticut, their supreme confidence will carry over from the Big East Tournament into the NCAA Tournament.  Fatigue shouldn’t be a factor.  Let’s face it – any team that can be effective for five games in five days – as UConn was in capturing the Big East Championship - can easily handle the less rigorous demands of the NCAAs.

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