SOUTH NO. 1 SEED: DUKE (29-3) Mike
Krzyzewski’s team may not have been the top-ranked squad all
year, but they never stopped being the team to beat. The Blue
Devils are thin on the front line, but those shortcomings have been
offset by the recent boost in the play of center Carlos Boozer.
Guard Jason Williams is the nation’s top player and can take
over at any time. Although the Blue Devils lost Shane Battier to
graduation last year, they remain a good defensive team.
DARK HORSE: No. 4 USC (22-9) As a four-seed, the Trojans
aren’t really a dark horse, but they’re only one big
win away ““ against Duke ““ from getting out of an
otherwise weak region and making an unexpected Final Four
appearance. USC matches up quite well against Duke at all
positions, especially up front, where Pacific 10 Player of the Year
Sam Clancy squares off against Boozer. An upset there is
possible.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JASON WILLIAMS, DUKE No college player can take
over a basketball game the way Williams can. Williams, who is
averaging 21.6 points per game, is a human pogo stick who can stick
it from the outside and is strong enough to get inside. If pro
scouts don’t get fooled by China’s Yao Ming, a bust
waiting to happen, Williams should be the No. 1 pick in the NBA
draft this year.
DAILY BRUIN SAYS: DUKE Other than a potential Sweet 16 matchup
against USC, there’s little Duke has to worry about in this
region. While some are picking USC to emerge from this region,
it’s unlikely they’ll topple the Blue Devils. The
Trojans have a tendency to fall asleep at times and are prone to
giving up big runs. And no team is better at making big runs than
Duke. Duke should handle the Trojans and go on to claim their
second straight NCAA Championship. WEST NO. 1
SEED: CINCINNATI (30-3) The Bearcats are tenacious on defense. They
have held opponents to 37.4 percent shooting and their average
scoring margin is +17.8 points per game. Cincinnati is led by
All-American guard Steve Logan (22.0 ppg, 5.1 assists per game).
Jason Maxiell and Donald Little provide strength on the inside.
DARK HORSE: No. 12 MISSOURI (21-11) After starting the season
9-0, beating Alabama in the process, Missouri struggled the rest of
the way. The Tigers finished a disappointing 9-7 in the Big 12
conference, but the duo of junior forward Kareem Rush (20.1 ppg)
and senior guard Clarence Gilbert (17.1 ppg) can keep the team in
any game if they’re hot. Sophomore center Arthur Johnson is
averaging 2.0 blocks per contest. An upset win over No. 5 seed
Miami in the opening round is very possible.
PLAYER TO WATCH: DAN DICKAU, GONZAGA Dickau is this year’s
small-school wonder boy that everyone is waiting to see. He played
at Washington for two years before transferring to Gonzaga, where
he broke out last season. Dickau (20.8 ppg, 4.71 apg) is a fearless
shooter with limitless confidence who forcefully puts himself in a
position to dictate the outcomes of games.
THE DAILY BRUIN SAYS: No. 4 ARIZONA (22-9) Cincinnati always
finds a way to choke, so we’ll assume they’ll do the
same this year. But who can beat them? Arizona, whose stellar guard
play makes them the team best suited to deal with the
Bearcats’ defensive pressure, appears to be the best
candidate. To do that, of course, the Wildcats will have to get
past Gonzaga and Oklahoma first. Arizona’s Jason Gardner and
Luke Walton are capable upperclassmen who know their limits and
freshman Salim Stoudamire looks like a future NBA starter.
EAST NO. 1 SEED: MARYLAND (26-4) Maryland had been
ranked in the top four in the AP Poll for 10 consecutive weeks. The
Terrapins, who are one of just three teams to beat Duke this
season, are second in strength of schedule, and return to the
tournament after going to the Final Four last year. ACC Coach of
the Year Gary Williams is at the helm, and the team is led by Juan
Dixon (19.3 points per game) and Lonny Baxter (15.2 ppg, 8.2
rebounds per game), who present a tough inside-outside
match-up.
DARK HORSE: No. 11 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS ( 26-7) If the Salukis
upset Texas Tech in the first round, they have a chance to make a
run. Southern Illinois is led by Kent Williams (16.2 ppg, 40
percent from three-point line), and the Salukis beat Indiana and
took Illinois to the wire before losing by three. The Salukis make
their first tournament appearance since 1995, and have a legitimate
shot at upsetting Jim Harrick’s Bulldogs in the second
round.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JUAN DIXON, MARYLAND Dixon leads the ACC in
steals for the third straight year, and is on the verge of becoming
Maryland’s all-time leading scorer. Dixon is the only player
in NCAA history to amass 2,000 points, 300 steals and 200
three-pointers.
THE DAILY BRUIN SAYS: MARYLAND After opening their season with a
loss to then-unranked Arizona, the Terrapins suffered just two
regular season losses, to national powerhouses Duke and Oklahoma.
The Terrapins have the balance to go deep, and with the help of
Chris Wilcox inside, Maryland is in good position.
MIDWEST NO. 1 SEED: KANSAS (29-3) Kansas went
undefeated in conference play, but lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12
Championship game. The Jayhawks get consistent guard play from Kirk
Hinrich and Jeff Boschee while Drew Gooden and Nick Collison swarm
the paint. The Jayhawks are ranked first in the nation in scoring
offense, averaging 93 points per game.
DARK HORSE: No. 7 WAKE FOREST (20-12) Wake Forest has quality
wins against teams like Arkansas and Marquette. They can go deep in
their bench, and with consistent play from post-player Darius
Songaila (17.8 ppg) and Josh Howard (14.5), the Demon Deacons have
the ability to make it tough for higher seeds in their region.
PLAYER TO WATCH: CHRIS MARCUS, WESTERN KENTUCKY Western Kentucky
senior center Chris Marcus was a pre-season All-American and has
been compared to Tim Duncan. Marcus enters the tournament averaging
16.4 ppg and 9.4 rebounds per game and pitched in 13 points in the
Hilltoppers’ early season win over Kentucky.
THE DAILY BRUIN SAYS: ILLINOIS (24-8) The Illini enter the
tournament on the heels of a nine-game winning streak. After a
rough start, Illinois put the pieces together down the stretch, and
lost in the semifinals of the Big 10 Tournament to Ohio State. With
veterans Frank Williams (15.8 ppg), Brian Cook (13.4 ppg) and
especially Cory Bradford (11.6 ppg) playing strong down the
stretch, Illinois has the potential to emerge from the
well-balanced region.