FIRST ROUND UPSET: NO. 11 VCU OVER NO. 6 UCLA
Star VCU point guard Eric Maynor (22.4 ppg, 6.2 apg) knows about giant-killing. In 2007, Maynor racked up 22 points and eight assists to defeat Duke in the first round.
This year, Maynor's play won't surprise anyone, but he will have another shot at taking down a traditional powerhouse in UCLA.
Aided by impressive sophomore forward Larry Sanders (11.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg) inside, the Rams have the guards to keep up with UCLA and the ability to clean up on the boards.
Senior Bruins guard Darren Collison (14.5 ppg, 4.9 apg) and freshman guard Jrue Holiday (8.5 ppg, 3.5 apg) could potentially cause problems for Maynor and Rams sharpshooter Joey Rodriguez (9.4 ppg, 2.5 apg), but the presence of Sanders down low should relieve some of that pressure.
Despite Maynor's NCAA success, don't discount Collison, either, who has appeared in three Final Fours since becoming a Bruin. Both are future NBA guards and should provide one of the more compelling match-ups of the first round.
As if drawing the Rams wasn't bad enough for the Bruins, UCLA must fly across the country to Philadelphia and will be up against a likely pro-VCU crowd.
In the end, expect the Rams to beat UCLA with a balanced inside-out game that will be too much to handle.
SLEEPER TEAM: FLORIDA STATE
After defeating North Carolina to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament finals, Florida State solidified themselves as a top-tier team.
As a five seed, the Seminoles have a chance to cause some trouble for the top seeds in the East bracket. The 5 vs. 12 game always proves to be unpredictable, but FSU has the players to defend the Wisconsin swing offense.
When the Hokies played the Badgers in December, they took advantage of Virginia Tech's inability to guard the 3-point shot from their big men. Unlike Tech, the Noles have enough athletic post players that can guard on the perimeter as well as down low in the post.
In the second round, likely against Xavier, the 'Noles have standout guards Toney Douglas and Derwin Kitchen to contend with the Musketeers' guards and the excellent post defense to shut down their front line. I
f they get to the round of 16, FSU has the perfect team to give the Pitt Panthers serious trouble.
Both teams play tough, physical defense and are led by senior guards with plenty of experience running their teams. The 'Noles feature the size and depth down low to bang with Panthers forward DeJuan Blair and the athletic ability to move away from the basket to defend Sam Young.
Also keep in mind that even though Pittsburgh continues to develop its basketball tradition with its eight straight NCAA tournament appearances, the Panthers have struggled to advance far.
Pittsburgh received three No. 3 seeds, a No. 2 and a No. 4 seed in that time and could not get beyond the Sweet 16. Knowing that, the Seminoles appear to be in prime position to continue Pittsburgh's string of underwhelming tournament performances.
IMPACT PLAYER: TONEY DOUGLAS
Douglas (21.3 ppg, 2.9 apg) finished second in the ACC Player of the Year voting and also ended up second in scoring to propel FSU to a fourth place finish despite being picked to end up 10th in preseason polls.
In addition to proving his scoring prowess, he also locked down opposing guards, earning the ACC Defensive Player of the Year honor.
He possesses the rare ability to put a team on his back with his scoring talent and lockdown defense, something he put on display in his games against Tech.
Since FSU relies on excellent defense and only averages 68.6 points per game, the Seminoles will depend on Douglas during the tournament - just as they have all season.
BEST POTENTIAL MATCH-UP: DUKE-VILLANOVA
Regardless of one's feelings toward Duke, fans of the ACC must admit they play an exciting brand of basketball: up-tempo, high scoring and guard-oriented with tough defense.
Well, Villanova brings the same style to the table, and if the two teams happen to get together in a Sweet 16, the resulting game will be something to see.
Dante Cunningham (16.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg) provides the Wildcats with an advantage inside, but the Blue Devils have dealt with big men all season without much trouble in the ACC.
This game will ultimately come down to guard play and three-point shooting: With these two teams, there will be plenty of both.
Scottie Reynolds (15.5 ppg, 3.6 apg) and Corey Fisher (10.8 ppg, 2.8 apg) lead the way for 'Nova, and they will be countered by a host of Duke's former McDonald's All-Americans, which may prove to be the deciding factor.
WINNER: PITTSBURGH
Despite the recent postseason struggles, Pittsburgh simply has a complete team that nobody else in the East can measure up to.
With an incredible 3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio, senior point guard Levance Fields runs an efficient offense that protects the ball and eliminates easy buckets for opposing teams.
Their frontcourt goes unmatched with Blair and Young pushing around smaller, less-physical post players.
Pittsburgh received an excellent draw for their bracket, as the rest of the teams depend on superior guard play to win without much of a post threat. That deficiency will be apparent when the Panthers play against undersized teams.
Pitt led the Big East in rebounding margin, an impressive feat considering how brutal the low post play is in their conference.
Whether or not the officials allow them to continue their physicality in the interior will be vital to their success, but if they are allowed to play the way they have all season, the Panthers will take the East, with the only potential upset coming against Florida State.