Bracket Breakdown: East

Michigan State Spartans

Perhaps there's no teams hotter than Virginia and Michigan State and the two of them headline the East Region which will meet in Madison Square Garden for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Plenty of questions surround the teams such as whether or not North Carolina will play like good or bad Carolina. Then there is the matter of Villanova. The Wildcats lost only four games, but laid an egg in the Big East tournament. Iowa State marched through the Big 12 tournament, but will have to meet either Michigan State or Virginia in the Elite 8. And what about Harvard-Cincinnati? Harvard is not sneaking up on anybody after last year's upset of New Mexico. Let's break it down...

East Region winner: Michigan State is healthy and that is a very, very scary thing for the other 67 teams in the tournament. I spent this past weekend at the Big Ten tournament and the Spartans stomped on all three of their opponents. Branden Dawson was phenomenal, Adreian Payne and Keith Appling looked healthy, and Gary Harris was nothing short of spectacular. MSU will have no problem with Delaware in the second round and has too much firepower for either Cincinnati or Harvard in the third round.

Simply put, they are the best team in the region and are playing like it. Remember, MSU may have a four next to their name, but this is a team many thought would challenge for a national championship and was once ranked first. Injuries hampered their play throughout the year, but Dawsen, Appling and Payne have all looked healthy. That means that Tom Izzo's streak of every four year player qualifying for the Final Four at least once in their career will continue.

Upset Pick: Providence over North Carolina
The Friars are hot and, in what will be a common theme throughout this post, are playing some of their best ball this season. With an upset victory over Creighton in the Big East final, they took themselves off of the bubble and now get an inconsistent Carolina team in the first round. This is a risky pick due to the fact that UNC has enough talent to go to the Final Four. However, they have bad losses to Belmont, Richmond and UAB this season which leaves some scratching their heads.

So it depends on which Carolina team shows up, but the matchup to watch is at the point guard position. The Friars' Bryce Cotton averages 21.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists and will go up against Marcus Paige. Paige has been the heady playmaker for the Tar Heels, averaging 17.4 points and shooting nearly 40 percent from three point. The play of these two will dictate the game.

Iowa State's Melvin Ejim

Player to Watch: Branden Dawsen, Michigan State
Dawsen is healthy after a hand injury slowed him down and he was named the Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player. An absolute beast, Dawsen can face a defender up and knock down a 15-footer, but he can also bully his way to the hoop and score down low. He missed ten games this season, but averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds in three Big Ten tournament games. His energy and aggressiveness is paramount to the Spartans' success and they will need that consistent play he showed in Indianapolis during this tourney run.

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Michigan State vs. Iowa State (Elite 8)
This is the matchup I have picked for the Regional title and it would be a fun one. The two teams would matchup well at several positions. Appling may have to take DeAndre Kane at certain times throughout the game while Harris could find himself guarding the Big 12 Player of the Year in Melvin Ejim. Inside, Payne and Georges Niang will pair up with their somewhat similar games.

Iowa State's up-tempo offense that's focused on plenty of threes would meet Michigan State's hard-nosed defense. The Spartans have posted much higher numbers in both steals and blocks than the Cyclones. Both teams have four players averaging double figures and we could expect a high-scoring affair with plenty of great collegiate players.

Bottom Line: It's been too long since Tom Izzo and Michigan State has been in the Final Four and they are playing their best ball of the season now. They should be in Dallas.