Blue chips:
North Carolina
Despite struggling of late, look for second-ranked North Carolina (25-6) to turn things around in the tournament. The Tar Heels blew a chance to capture the number one seed in the East after an embarrassing performance against Duke in the finals of the ACC tournament. That horrendous display of basketball wasn't exactly the best precursor to the NCAA Tournament, especially after the Heels had lost three of their past seven, spoiling a 21-2 start to the season. Perhaps it was just what the doctor ordered, however, as two big losses to the Blue Devils could serve as wake up calls for Joseph Forte, Brandon Haywood, and company. Don't forget that the Tar Heels have experience rising up from adversity in the NCAA Tournament. Last year, North Carolina entered the tournament with a weak 18-13 record but managed to make it all the way to the Final Four before falling to Florida.Florida
Speaking of Florida (23-6), Billy Donavon's squad charged its way to the finals of the 2000 tournament, and as the number three seed in the South, could make a return appearance. Point guard Brett Nelson (15.3 ppg) leads the Gators' attack, which ranked first in the SEC in multiple categories, including scoring, scoring margin, field-goal percentage, three-point percentage, and assists. Center Udonis Haslem averaged 16.6 point per game to go along with 7.3 rebounds and is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. Don't be surprised if Donavon's team runs and guns it all the way to the Final Four.Michigan State
Then, of course, there is defending champion and one-seed Michigan State (24-4). Despite winning their fourth straight Big Ten regular season title, the Spartans must deal with serious question marks, especially after losing to Penn. State in the Big Ten tournament. Still, the Spartans should not be overlooked.Cinderella Team:
Gonzaga
Gonzaga (24-6), the 12th seed, is the pick here. That should come as no surprise to anyone, as this small school from Spokane, Washington has developed a reputation for being a dream killer, upsetting many bigger and supposedly better teams over the last two years. The Zags ended the regular season by winning 18 of their last 19 games to clinch their third straight West Coast Conference tournament title. Over the past two years the Zags have won five NCAA Tournament games _ look for them to win a few more this year, starting with their first-round match against the fifth seed, Virginia. Senior forward Casey Calvary, the team's leading scorer and rebounder (19.0 ppg and 6.3 rpg), provides inside presence and leadership, while Blake Stepp won the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year award.Player to Watch :
Joseph Forte, UNC
Without the sophomore guard the Heels offense becomes stagnant. Forte averages 21.6 points per game and the team's second leading scorer is Brendan Haywood who averages a relatively modest 12.2 ppg. Against Duke on Sunday Forte led the team in scoring with 14 points on a weak 4-15 from the field _ no other Heels were in double figures. Simply put, UNC goes nowhere without a huge tournament from their young leader.Summary:
The South is wide open. The top three seeds in this bracket all advanced to the Final Four last season, and any of the three could do it again this year. Billy Donavon, UNC's Matt Doherty, and Michigan's Tom Izzo are three of the best coaches in the business. Their leadership could be the determining factor in which team emerges from the South. Doherty makes the best story, having moved from Notre Dame to coach at his alma mater. After winning championships as a UNC role player on the Michael Jordan-led teams, Doherty would like to cap this season with a championship as a coach.
