West Region Analysis

Aaron Craft

All though the West has been ripped for being the worst region it has three very dangerous teams. One of them is Ohio State who comes into the tournament playing their best basketball of the season. They have a smart, efficient Aaron Craft who has shown he can shut down opposing point guards. If they get guys to step up around high scoring Deshaun Thomas the Buckeyes could find themselves in the Final Four. New Mexico could be very scary as they have showed they can shoot and defend well. With three-point bomber Kendall Williams playing well they can beat anyone. Wisconsin could also go deep in this tournament. They have size, good shooters and Bo Ryan's teams always seem to have success in the tournament. All three of these could find themselves winning the West.

People are quick to call Gonzaga overrated but they still be a tough out in the West. Few teams can match Kelly Olynyk in the low post and they can spread out the floor with their great guards Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell. They should get into the Sweet 16 where I believe Wisconsin will beat them. Everybody says the bad them about the Bulldogs is that they haven't played anyone. But, they could be fantastic and just haven't proved it yet. So, don't think these 'Zags will go down early.

Marshall Henderson

If Ole Miss had any other team in the West I think they would find themselves in the third round. But, they have the Badgers and that is never a good thing. Few players can take over the game like Ole Miss' Marshall Henderson who will take nearly every shot on the floor. If he has a great shooting night and the Rebels get contributions from players like Murphy Holloway and Jarvis Summers, who knows, they could make a run.

The Ohio Valley Conference has been the conference of upsets the past couple of years. Morehead State has had success in the tournament and Murray State has been dangerous over the past couple of years. Belmont should be the next bracket buster from the OVC. They take on an Arizona team without a lot of size and inconsistent guard play from Mark Lyons and Nick Johnson. With star Ian Clark and great passing Kerron Johnson the Bruins should beat Sean Miller's Wildcats and might give New Mexico some issues in the third round.

My Pick: Ohio State over Wisconsin

South Region Analysis

Ben McLemore

Kansas looks like they are suiting up for another deep tournament run. They have a great, steady point guard who has played in big games in Elijah Johnson, shot blocking Jeff Withey and fantastic perimeter play in Ben McLemore. If they can get past a tough Sweet 16 match up likely against the winner of Michigan/VCU, they should fly into the Final Four.

If we see a 15 seed upset a 2 seed this year, it will likely be Florida Gulf Coast over Georgetown. The Eagles have played Duke and Miami this season and even beat the Hurricanes by 12, so they will not be intimidated by the Hoyas. FGCU has a high scoring backcourt and should pressure a Georgetown team without a lot of quality ball handlers. If they can pull a huge upset over the Hoyas they have a pretty favorable game against the winner of San Diego State/Oklahoma both who have inconsistent seasons.

VCU's Briante Weber

"Havoc" is coming back to the NCAA tournament and you bet teams are worried about it. VCU uses this up-tempo, high pressure press to force team to make mistakes and speed up the game to their liking. Akron had a pretty good year in the MAC but does not have star point guard Alex Abreu, which should hurt them even more against this press. If the Rams can get past the Zips they will get the winner of Michigan/South Dakota State both who have star point guards. It will be interesting to see if they can ride Havoc deep into the tournament.

Minnesota came into this tournament reeling, losing every game after pulling the huge upset over Indiana. Though they got a pretty good draw, going up against UCLA, a team without one of their most important players in Jordan Adams. The Gophers have the edge in athleticism down low where they possess Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams. Their backcourt is amazingly inconsistent but if they can shut down Larry Drew and Shabazz Muhammed the Gophers should be in good shape to advance to the third round where they will most likely get Florida, a team without much momentum.

As weird as it was to see Kentucky not in the Field of 68 it was even more surprising to see UNC at an eight seed. They will get the hot Villanova Wildcats who have a great point guard in Ryan Arcidiacono and a fantastic big man in JayVaughn Pinkston who can score and rebound effectively. He will have to have a great game to shut down UNC's James Michael McAdoo who leads the Tar Heels' in scoring. The winner of this match up will meet up with Kansas, and don't think an upset isn't possible.

My Pick: Kansas over Florida

Midwest Region Analysis

Peyton Siva

The Louisville Cardinals are on a roll. The squad won the Big East for the second straight year, then gained a number one overall seed. Their hot streak should not stop there. They will the play the winner of Colorado State and Missouri. Louisville already handled Mizzou earlier in the year meaning the team they should fear the most would be the Rams who present five seniors.

How did Oregon, a 26-8 team that won the Pac-12 tournament reach a 12 seed? They will get the Cowboys of Oklahoma State led by super freshman Marcus Smart. If they get big contributions from big men Arsalan Kazemi and Tony Woods they should use their size to beat OSU.

Oregon Ducks

Assuming Duke beats Albany in the second round they should be very worried about their next matchup.They will either get the Creighton Bluejays, the king of the Missouri Valley or Cincinnati who looks like they are climbing out of a slump. The importance of Ryan Kelly should be shown in this game. Creighton's star Doug McDermott can stretch the floor, dominating in the low post then using his arsenal of skills to hit shots on the perimeter. Kelly is very mobile, as he can easily guard McDermott nobody where he is. They will also need Kelly to handle the Bearcats' undersized forwards.

Many might look at St. Louis and right them off. But, if the Billikens can get past an interesting New Mexico State team in the second round they can easily hit the Sweet 16 and might even have a chance at pulling an upset over Louisville. They went 13-3 in a pretty tough Atlantic 10 thanks to great play from junior Dwayne Evans who led them in points and rebounds per game. They also have a load of ball handlers at should help them against pressure defenders.

This isn't the best Michigan State team we've seen the past couple of years but they should still be a tough out. Few teams can match colossal Derrick Nix in the paint and they have fantastic guard play from Keith Appling and Gary Harris, both good shooters. They should roll past Valpo and eventually into the Sweet 16 which I believe they will meet Duke. It should be a great game and we could see the Spartans in the Elite Eight.

My Pick: Louisville over Duke

MLB Preview: AL East

Jose Bautista

1. Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto was tired of losing so they changed things up this offseason. They traded for R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson and Jose Reyes and then signed controversial outfielder Melky Cabrera. The addition of Dickey, Buehrle and Johnson helps improve one of the worst pitching staffs in the AL last season. The Jays are also hoping that former ace Ricky Romero returns to form after an atrocious 2012. Reyes should really help Toronto's lineup. The past few years Toronto has relied on power led by Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion but Reyes adds the dynamic of speed and a great on base percentage, if he can stay healthy. With Bautista healthy and Encarnacion and Colby Rasmus on their roster, the Blue Jays shouldn't suffer too much in the home run department. Cabrera could have an All-Star season or could be average, you never know. He had a great season in San Francisco before being suspended. With the Yankees unhealthy, the Red Sox rebuilding their has never been a better opportunity for the Jays to win the AL East.

PROJECTED LINEUP                                 PITCHING STAFF                

SS Jose Reyes                                            SP R.A. Dickey
LF Melky Cabrera                                     SP Mark Buehrle
RF Jose Bautista                                        SP Josh Johnson
DH Edwin Encarnacion                            SP Brandon Morrow
3B Brett Lawrie                                        SP Ricky Romrero
1B Adam Lind
CF Colby Rasmus
C J.P. Arencibia
2B Emilio Bonifacio

2. Baltimore Orioles

Adam Jones

The O's were a pleasant surprise in 2012 winning 93 games and reaching the ALDS. Not much should change this season as they retain a lot of last year's stars. Catcher Matt Wieters has the talent to be dominat in 2013, while they also get major contributions from Nick Markakis, J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones. Though the pitching was key to last year's success. The Orioles will be forced to lean heavily on pitchers like Jason Hammel, Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman. Not much star power but there is enough to get the job done. In order to get into the playoffs though, the O's need a big year from Manny Machado who has the potential to do great things and designated hitter Chris Davis, who may also spend time at first base. Baltimore could fall back to Earth this year but they should still be a power out East.
PROJECTED LINEUP                             PITCHING STAFF             
2B Brian Roberts                                      SP Jason Hammel
RF Nick Markakis                                    SP Chris Tillman
CF Adam Jones                                         SP Wei-Yin Chen
C Matt Wieters                                         SP Miguel Gonzalez
1B Chris Davis                                         SP Brian Matusz
SS J.J. Hardy
3B Manny Machado
LF Nate McLouth 
DH Wilson Betemit

3. New York Yankees
This could be an odd year for the Yankees. Alex Rodriguez is out for much of the season, in fact, maybe the whole year. Derek Jeter is starting to decline and they have no catcher to speak of. Though, there is still talent on the New York's roster. C.C. Sabathia is still a 20 win threat every single year and Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira can still be All-Stars. Other than Sabathia the staff is still loaded with talent. Phil Hughes is continuing to improve and Hiroki Kuroda has proven he can be a beast on the mound. New York doesn't look quite as powerful this year as the past couple, but with their experienced vets they should still be a playoff contender.
PROJECTED LINEUP                          PITCHING STAFF
RF Ichiro                                             SP C.C. Sabathia
SS Derek Jeter                                    SP Hiroki Kuroda
2B Robinson Cano                              SP Phil Hughes
1B Mark Teixeira                               SP Andy Pettitte
3B Kevin Youkillis                              SP Ivan Nova
DH Travis Hafner
LF Brett Gardner
CF Matt Diaz
C Francisco Cervelli 

4. Tampa Bay Rays
It should be another 80 win season for the Rays but the real question is whether or not they can make it over the hump and into the playoffs. Ace David Price returns after winning 20 games and recording a 2.56 ERA. Though, the Rays will be without another one of their star pitchers after shipping James Shields to Kansas City in the Wil Meyers deal. The lineup has star power and some great fielders. Evan Longoria should continue to be a MVP candidate on the hot corner and right fielder Ben Zobrist provides great value. Though catcher and first base should gives Tampa some growing pains through the 2013 season. Without Shields the Rays should lean heavily on improving starter Jeremy Hellickson and Alex Cobb. They may also need some help from the bullpen where they will use Fernando Rodney and Kyle Farnsworth to close out games.
PROJECTED LINEUP                           PITCHING STAFF
CF Desmond Jennings                             SP David Price
SS Yunel Escobar                                   SP Jeremy Hellickson
RF Ben Zobrist                                       SP Alex Cobb
3B Evan Longoria                                  SP Matt Moore
DH Luke Scott                                        SP Jeff Niemann
LF Matt Joyce
2B Kelly Johnson
1B James Loney
C Jose Molina

5. Boston Red Sox
Disaster was a huge understatement for the Red Sox in 2012. After hiring Bobby Valentine as manager and retaining Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford it seemed like Boston could ride their talent all the way to the World Series. Then, the perfect storm of injuries, distractions and poor play led to a 69-93 year. Boston looks different in '13 but not much better. They still have some talent in Dustin Pedroia, Shane Victorino and aging vet David Ortiz. Ortiz continues to slap home runs occasionally but not at the rate at which he used to. The staff also has some good players but overall doesn't have much depth and can be wildly inconsistent. Jon Lester hopes to recover from a 2012, in which he went 9-14 and had a 4.82 ERA. Boston may improve this season but not enough that they will be in serious playoff contention.
PROJECTED LINEUP                              PITCHING STAFF
CF Jacoby Ellsbury                                     SP Jon Lester
2B Dustin Pedroia                                      SP Ryan Dempster
DH David Ortiz                                           SP Clay Buchholz
1B Mike Napoli                                          SP John Lackey
RF Shane Victorino                                    SP Felix Doubront
3B Will Middlebrooks
SS Stephen Drew
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
LF Jonny Gomes

Gonzaga Overrated?

Kevin Pangos

Kelly Olynyk

In a season where top five teams seem to fall everyday Gonzaga has been like a rock. They are undefeated inside the West Coast Conference and their only losses have been to previously ranked Illinois and Butler. Then this Sunday, they got a huge reward as the polls placed them as number one for the first time in school history. But, the question remains, are the 'Zags true title contenders or just a strong team from a weak conference? First things first, we have to look at their schedule to this point. They have only beat two ranked teams this whole season in Kansas State and a one point victory over Oklahoma State. They have dominated weak teams like West Virginia by 34, Portland by 29 and Loyola Marymont by 35. But, other top five teams can beat those teams just as easily as well. The Bulldogs and coach Mark Few are smart, rarely settling for tough shots. In fact, that plan of attack has led to Gonzaga having a .505 field goal percentage, which is 3rd best in the nation. They have a dominant low post presence in seven-footer Kelly Olynyk, who averages 17.7 points per game and can clean up the glass well recording seven boards a game. As good as a season as it has been for Few and Gonzaga the season has to be measured by how they finish up in the NCAA tournament. If the Bulldogs went up against say, a Duke or Indiana they would actually match up well. Olynyk could stifle beasts like Plumlee or Zeller and point guard Kevin Pangos has the speed, smarts and court vision to hang with any point guard in the nation. Considering they are undefeated inside the WCC (even if it is a weak conference) and have just two losses in this crazy season they probably deserve the number one ranking and shouldn't be considered overrated. But, as far as the tournament goes, the Bulldogs still have a lot to prove. They can get to the Elite Eight without too many troubles but they need big games from Wooden Award candidate Olynyk, Pangos and forward Elias Harris in order to get to Atlanta.

Gonzaga Resume:
+ WCC regular season title
+ Wins against KSU, OSU
+ Undefeated inside conference
- Soft schedule
- Loss to Illinois

College Basketball Power Rankings

Mason Plumlee

1. Indiana
2. Duke
3. Miami
4. Gonzaga
5. Michigan
6. Kansas
7. Florida
8. Michigan State
9. Georgetown
10. Arizona
11. Syracuse
12. Louisville
13. Kansas State
14. New Mexico
15. Ohio State
16. Oklahoma State
17. Memphis
18. Wisconsin

Otto Porter

19. Saint Louis
20. Butler
21. Marquette
22. Oregon
23. Notre Dame
24. Pittsburgh
25. VCU

Others Considering:
Louisiana Tech
Akron
Colorado State
Saint Mary's
Wichita State

Havoc Defense

Head coach Shaka Smart

With March Madness right around the corner it's time to take a look at VCU's Havoc Defense as they suit up for another deep tournament run:


Havoc Setup

Havoc Defense

Havoc is a 1-2-1-1 press nicknamed Diamond. It uses incredible speed, precise timing and a lot of energy pouncing on point guards deep in their backcourts. Shaka Smart, head coach at VCU, stole the Diamond press at his time at Clemson under current DePaul coach Oliver Purnell. Smart loves to use the Diamond press with a small, guard-oriented four-man front with guys like Briante Weber, Darius Theus and Treveon Graham running like madman by the other team's basket.

Why is Havoc so Dangerous?
Many have run full-court, aggressive presses like the Rams' run. But, the Diamond allows players to be at the exact right spot at the same time. The Diamond does a fantastic job of destroying the point guard's composure pressuring him to make tough plays and beat athletic, long defenders. One of the most important elements of Havoc is the surprise. The Rams spring the trap at times you least expect it, even if you have watched film of it. Then it wears you down, possession by possession until the turnovers add up to the 20's.

The Players
You can't run Havoc effectively without the right players. Every player on the Rams' roster has speed, size, agility and a great basketball I.Q. Weber, a sophomore averages nearly three steals a game thanks to his location and ability to time when players are trying to get rid of the ball. Graham and Theus can run wild and Rob Brandenburg has spent enough time in the system to run it like an old pro.

How Good are the Rams?
Havoc has helped VCU go 22-6 overall and climb to second inside the Atlantic 10 in just their first year in the league after dominating the Colonial for years. Headed by Graham, who is just as dangerous on offense as on defense the Rams can score as well. If we see a Cinderella, it will likely be VCU who have already shown how dangerous Havoc can be in the tournament. The bottom line is, nobody is going to want to play the Rams in the Big Dance this year.

Clips of Havoc Defense click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovdKAAEIxc8

Big Ten Power Rankings

1. Indiana
The Hoosiers may be the best player in the nation, not just the Big Ten. They have a dominant scorer in transition in Cody Zeller and maybe the best defender in the country in speedy Victor Oladipo. Though they need more consistent point guard play from Yogi Ferrell in order to keep their spot above Michigan and surging Michigan State.
2. Michigan
Michigan is 9-4 inside the Big Ten but they still need to prove they can win big games. Coming off a 23 point loss to Michigan State we need more consistency from sometimes erratic point guard Trey Burke and a more dominant low post presence than Jordan Morgan. But, if they find those things they could still have a shot at knocking off Indiana.

The Spartans are on fire

3. Michigan State
Earlier in the season Michigan State did not look like a realistic contender. But, right now the Spartans are playing like a Final Four team. They have found consistent scoring threats in Keith Appling and Gary Harris. Gigantic center Derrick Nix could help the Spartans beat teams down inside. The game against Indiana this Tuesday could go a long way in proving just how good this team could be.
4. Ohio State
The talent is there for the Buckeyes. Aaron Craft is one of the best overall players in the conference and Deshaun Thomas can score everytime he touches the ball. Though, they haven't quite been able to translate this into too much success inside the nation's toughest conference. If they can figure out how to close out games they could still finish the season strong.
5. Wisconsin
Big Ten play is usually not kind to most teams. But, it has been great for the Badgers who seem to be playing better despite tougher games. Led by a stingy defense and a scrappy roster the Badgers have climbed to 3rd inside the conference. With Jared Berggren playing like a beast down low Wisconsin should keep on playing the way they are.
6. Illinois
At one point John Groce's Fighting Illini were undefeated and in the Top Ten but they have struggled mightily inside the Big Ten. Though maybe wins against Indiana and Purdue can propel Illinois back to the way they were playing earlier this year.
7. Iowa
Nobody is really paying attention to the Hawkeyes but they aren't out of the race to the tournament yet. They have a dangerous scoring threat in junior Roy Devyn Marble and play unselfish basketball, as they are 19th in the nation in assists per game. The talent is there to make a run they just need their upperclassmen to be smart.
8. Minnesota
The hype is over for Minnesota and the only hope now is that they somehow manage to start building momentum for a postseason run. When on their game Andre and Austin Hollins can form one of the best backcourts in the Big Ten but they have played terrible through much of the Big Ten schedule. The Gophers need a big win or else their season could be drawing to a close if it hasn't already.
9. Northwestern
The Wildcats aren't a postseason team by any measure but they could still end the season strong thanks to great guard play from Dave Sobolewski and Reggie Hearn as they look forward to next year.
10. Purdue
Coming off a beatdown from Indiana the Boilermakers are trying to look toward next year were they will get star center A.J. Hammons back.
11. Nebraska
Tim Miles' squad has fought hard this season but even with Dylan Talley scoring in bunches the Cornhuskers just don't have enough talent to contend in the Big Ten right now.
12. Penn State
The Nittany Lions are 0-13 inside the Big Ten and looking at their schedule they not win a conference game this whole season.

Is Miami Legit?

Miami Defense

The Miami Hurricanes are undefeated inside the ACC and ranked number three in the nation. No, this is not the football team I'm talking about. The 'Canes basketball team is on fire this season reaching a 20-3 record and 11-0 inside a tough conference. And, it hasn't been because of weak scheduling. Miami, led by star sophomore guard Shane Larkin, has destroyed Duke by 27, UNC by 26 and managed to escape with a victory over NC State. All that could help this squad emerge as a number one seed on Selection Sunday. But, are the Hurricanes a legit title threat? Larkin is the best player on their roster averaging 13.4 points per game and leading the team in assists. He is sometimes automatic from deep and has the ability to drive and finish. As fantastic of a player as Larkin is, the inexperienced guard could cost the team games due to the fact he can turn the ball over at an incredible rate. He's hit 5 or more turnovers twice this season. Miami has an advantage over many times though. They have a senior oriented roster led by Kenny Kadji, Reggie Johnson and Durand Scott that will play well in difficult situations and keep the time focused as we near the end of the season. Johnson is their most reliable big man, leading the team in rebounds and blocks. The 'Canes have their work cut out for them if they want to win the national title. They still play Duke once more (not to mention if they meet in the ACC tournament) but if they win that one they could realistically go undefeated inside the ACC this year. But, they could steal wipe out early in the tournament like Duke did last year due to some key issues.They have experienced shaky guard play at times and must finish the season without any key injuries in order to fulfill their potential.

Durand Scott and Shane Larkin

Miami Resume:
+ 20-3 overall record
+ 11-0 ACC record
+ Wins against Duke, UNC
-  Bad losses to FGCU, Indiana State

Ole Miss Signing Day

Robert Nkemdiche



Laquon Treadwell

The Ole Miss Rebels are widing a huge wave of momentum. They improved their win total from two to seven and won a bowl game a season ago. Then, signing day. Through the whole offseason we knew the Rebels might have a shot at the number one prize, defensive end Robert Nkemdiche who decommited from Clemson. The 6 foot, 5 inch, 265 pound Nkemdiche is explosive off the side and could start immediately even with experience returning on the Rebels' defensive line. Nkemdiche would have made a great signing day for Hugh Freeze's staff. Then Laremy Tunsil, the number one overall offensive tackle announced he would play for Ole Miss next season. The huge, nearly 300 pound Tunsil will join another tackle Austin Golson up front, who was a steal from the state of Alabama. And, that wasn't where it stopped for the Rebels. Four-star safety Antonio Conner announced he was heading to Oxford and Illinois product Laquon Treadwell will also be on the team next year. So what does all this add up to? The Rebels ended up with the fifth best class in the nation, not bad for a team that won two games two seasons ago. Especially considering the four above them were traditional powers Notre Dame, Alabama, Florida and Ohio State. What should we expect from Ole Miss in 2013? As beastly as Robert Nkemdiche is, he will still need time to develope and be productive against the fantastic offensive linement that the SEC provides. Tunsil will also have his work cut out for him as he has to go up against 300 pound men rushing in from the defensive side. The Rebels will have a ton back, so this class doesn't have to do everything. Quarterback Bo Wallace, speedy back Jeff Scott, wide out Ja-Mes Logan and Robert's brother Denzel should help this team have a shot at 10 wins.