The greatest three weeks in sports gives us 65 games to follow and can suddenly transform us into fans of schools we never realized even had a basketball team. A look at each region, highlighted by top seeds Pittsburgh, Louisville, Connecticut and North Carolina.
EAST REGION
Overrated: Xavier. Last 10 games include losses to Duquesne, Dayton, woeful Charlotte, Richmond and Temple. Best two wins — against Missouri and Memphis — came in November.
Underrated: Tennessee. The Vols unfairly paid for the sins of a weak SEC and are seeded too low. I love the way this young team is playing right now.
Best player in the bracket: DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh. Incredible on the offensive boards thanks to a huge frame and freakish 7-foot-3 wingspan. It would interesting to see how he handled a quicker forward like Tennessee’s Tyler Smith.
Best player you may not have heard of in the bracket: Kevin Tiggs, ETSU. The Mott Community College transfer stunned college basketball followers when he turned down offers from big schools to sign with ETSU. He’s ranked 15th nationally with 21.5 points per game.
A double-digit danger: VCU. Remember Eric Maynor, the guy who turned in one of the most ridiculous last two minutes you’ll ever see in the CAA championship game two years ago and beat Duke with on a jumper with 1.8 seconds left? He’s still there. Is coach Anthony Grant’s next stop Georgia?
Regional final: Pitt-Villanova
Final Four bound: Pitt. The Panthers have the easiest path to the Final Four and most teams simply don’t have an answer for Blair.
MIDWEST REGION
Overrated: Boston College. The Eagles can’t guard anyone, and they lost some inexplicable games this year. I can’t believe they got a 7 seed with an RPI of 60.
Underrated: Siena. The Saints are outstanding at the guard position. Just ask Vanderbilt. Siena made nine 3-pointers and routed the Commodores in the tournament last year.
Best player in the bracket: Jeff Teague, Wake Forest. One of the most fun players to watch in the country. He plays recklessly and makes unpredictable drives to the basket, making him almost impossible to guard.
Best player you may not have heard of in the bracket: Ben Woodside, North Dakota State. The 5-foot-11 guard scored 60 in a triple-overtime loss to tournament-bound Stephen F. Austin and averages 22.8 points per game, ninth in the country.
A double-digit danger: North Dakota State. The Bison are an older team with five redshirt seniors and nearly toppled Southern Cal on the road earlier in the season. Kansas better be careful.
Regional final: Louisville-West Virginia
Final Four bound: Louisville. That won’t make Kentucky fans feel much better about this season. Earl Clark and Terrence Williams are a tough duo to stop.
WEST REGION
Overrated: Memphis. The Tigers’ only two marquee wins are against Gonzaga (a 4 seed) and Tennessee (a 9 seed). I can’t say much about Conference USA that hasn’t already been said about the AFC West.
Underrated: Marquette. The loss of Dominic James to a foot injury is certainly a reason why the Golden Eagles lost five of their last six and dropped to a 6 seed. But look at those setbacks more closely: Marquette lost by only four at Louisville, lost in overtime to Syracuse and lost on a buzzer-beater to Villanova.
Best player in the bracket: Hasheem Thabeet, UConn. The 7-foot-3 center often beats much smaller players down the court in transition. His jump-hook is really developing.
Best player you may not have heard of in the bracket: Gary Wilkinson, Utah State. What a story. The redhead never played high school basketball, dropped out of school and began abusing drugs, found God, went on a Mormon mission and now averages 17.1 points per game at the age of 26.
A double-digit danger: Northern Iowa. Quite simply, a solid team. The Panthers don’t turn the ball over, make their free throws and defend well around the rim.
Regional final: UConn-Missouri
Final Four bound: UConn. The bracket sets up nicely for the Huskies, who probably have more talent than anyone in the country.
SOUTH REGION
Overrated: Gonzaga. The WCC was down this year — enabling the Bulldogs to finish undefeated in the league — and they didn’t look competitive at all against Memphis last month.
Underrated: Arizona State. The Sun Devils, coached by Herb Sendek, beat tournament teams California, Arizona and Washington before losing to Southern Cal in the conference title game. James Harden is one of the best players in the country.
Best player in the bracket: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma. His production is phenomenal and he plays so ferociously around the basket, helping him get to the free-throw line often.
Best player you may not have heard of in the bracket: Artsiom Parakhouski, Radford. The 6-foot-11 center from Belarus is a double-double machine, averaging 16.3 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Let’s see how he does against Tyler Hansbrough.
A double-digit danger: Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers blew out Louisville on a neutral floor and can score in a hurry from the perimeter with A.J. Slaughter and Orlando Mendez-Valdez.
Regional final: UNC-Oklahoma
Final Four bound: Oklahoma. The Sooners have Blake Griffin and the other teams don’t.
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