Bracket Breakdown: The South

The South region is ruled by big men, which makes this particular quadrant of the bracket all the more exciting. The physicality and strength that the top teams in this region provide are sure to provide us with numerous memorable match-ups. Headlining this region is the top-seeded Blue Devils of Duke University and their star freshman center Jahlil Okafor. If Duke hopes to punch a ticket to Indy, Okafor and the rest of Duke's front line will have their hands full with players such as Joshua Smith (Georgetown), Winston Shepard  (San Diego State), and Przemek Karnowski (Gonzaga). But don't be fooled, the back courts in this region aren't pushovers. Yet with such talented forwards and centers, which front court will lead their team into the month of April? Zach was too busy working the Illinois State-Green Bay NIT game. So I'll take this one solo.

General Overview: Duke is number one and Gonzaga is number two. One is looking for redemption after an embarrassing opening round exit to a 14 seed, and the other is looking to advance to their first Final Four in school history. While both teams are clearly talented enough to make it to Indy, a handful of lower seeded teams will make sure that the road to the Final Four is a tough one.

We've said it before, we'll say it again: March is not about who's better on paper, it's about who's on a hot streak at the right time. Two teams in particular are rolling at a time when momentum can sometimes mean more than talent. Iowa State and SMU, both conference tournament winners in their own right, have their sights set on Final Four appearances and are equipped to make those dreams come true. Iowa State has won eight of their last ten games (including five wins over ranked opponents) and have won five straight. Southern Methodist, on the other hand, have won seventeen of their last twenty and have won four straight. Fred Hoiberg and Larry Brown will have their teams ready to roll and, while they'll take it one game at a time, will surely be focused on catching flights to Indianapolis in three weeks.

Upset Alert: You remember them as the Cinderella of 2008. You remember them as the Stephen Curry-led Davidson Wildcats. Yet this year's Davidson squad is not to be disregarded as Curry's team was pre-March Madness. Winners of ten of their last eleven, Davidson has not just beaten their opponents, they've disposed of them. Their average margin of victory is just under fifteen points per game in those ten wins and with the seventh-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes in mind, the Wildcats look to build off of their recent success. What makes this team so special is that four players average double digits in the points category, with Taylor Kalinoski (17 ppg) and Jack Gibbs (16.3 ppg) leading the charge. Even more dangerous than their balanced attack is the depth that Bob McKillop's team has. Ten players average over ten minutes a game which means plenty of fresh legs for the Hawkeyes to keep track of.

Add all of this in with the facts that Davidson's ball movement results in 17 assists per game (good for 3rd in the nation) and their ability to shoot 47% per game enables them to put up 80 points per game (good for 6th in the nation), and you have a force to be reckoned with. Fran McCaffery's team will need to be up to the challenge or an opening round exit is sure to be in store for the Hawkeyes squad that did not finish in the top 50 in points, assists, rebounds, or field goal percentage per game (Davidson was top 35 in three of the four categories). Iowa will not be an easy victory, but if there were an upset in this region that I would pay close attention to, it would definitely be this seven/ten match-up.

Player to Watch: SMU was highlighted earlier in this post, and a big part of their potential for success in this tournament is because of the stellar play of their junior point guard Nic Moore. The Mustangs offense runs through him as he averages 14 points and 5 assists per game. Aside from the numbers he puts up, Moore's mere presence on the floor is also critical for Larry Brown's team. He's the only member of the team that averages more than 28 minutes per game and is on the court for 34 and a half minutes, on average. The question remains if Moore can bounce back from a sub par performance in the American Conference championship (11 points on 3-14 shooting, 1-7 from three point range), but if he returns to form in their opening match-up against the UCLA Bruins, SMU might ride the coattails of Nic Moore deep into the tournament.

5 Things to Watch Before March Madness

Cleanthony Early of Wichita State

It doesn't seem that long ago that we were full from the Thanksgiving feasts and settling in for a day of hoops on television during the Maui Invitational. Nor does it seem that long ago that a trio of freshmen introduced themselves to the nation at the United Center in front of a worldwide audience on ESPN. However, that was November and the Madness is quickly approaching.

Plenty has happened since the beginning of the season: Duke and Syracuse have treated us to a couple of thrillers, Jim Boeheim lost his mind and couldn't get his jacket off, Sean Miller has Arizona rolling out west and those Wichita State Shockers have a goose egg in the loss column. Still, there are still some things to keep an eye on before Selection Sunday. Here's a few storylines to watch before The Big Dance.

1. Can Wichita State enter the tournament undefeated?
The Shockers are a win against Missouri State away from finishing the regular season undefeated. No matter what conference a team is in, that is an unbelievable accomplishment. But can Wichita State enter the tournament undefeated? Thinking back to 2004, the St. Joseph's Hawks, led by Jameer Nelson and Delonte West, completed the regular season undefeated, only to lose in the Atlantic 10 tournament. The Shockers will have to win three games in the Missouri Valley tournament to enter the tourney with an unblemished record. Wichita State winning the conference tournament also has an effect on the NCAA Tournament because if they were to lose then that would mean another MVC team who wouldn't be getting in now would steal a bid from somebody.

2. How will Oklahoma State finish the season?
It's been a rollercoaster ride for Travis Ford and the Oklahoma State Cowboys this season. At the beginning of the season many people, including us at The World of Wadley, though the Pokes would unseat Kansas from the Big 12 throne, but they have been dreadful since late-January, going 2-7. OK State is currently 18-10 overall, but just 6-9 in the Big 12. Still, the conference is so balanced this year, the Cowboys will most likely make the tournament. There's no room for slip-ups though and that is a tall task. The remaining three games on the regular season schedule are Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State. Good luck with that.

3. Who will come out on top in the tough Big Ten?
The Big Ten has been a tough conference to figure out this season, but figures to get about six teams into the Dance. As of now, Michigan is atop the standings at 12-3, but Michigan State is one game back at 11-4 and Wisconsin is still in the hunt at 10-5. Michigan has a pretty favorable schedule with home games against Minnesota and Indiana and a road contest at Illinois. Wisconsin's is also favorable with games against Penn State, Purdue and Nebraska. Meanwhile, the Spartans must finish the year with Illinois, Iowa and Ohio State. It would appear that Michigan could and should win the Big Ten title.

4. Pay attention to the Mountain West Conference tournament final
This is assuming a lot of things, but if the top two teams in the conference square off for the conference tournament title then it will be a dandy between San Diego State and New Mexico. The Aztecs are 23-3 and have spent some time in the top 10 this year. New Mexico, under first year coach Craig Neal, are 23-5 and defeated SDSU back on February 22. That game was in Albuquerque and got a little chippy after the final horn. It's worth noting that these two teams finish the regular season with a game in San Diego on March 8. Potentially two more games between these two is a real treat for college basketball fans.

5. Watch the Missouri-Tennessee game on March 8
Both the Tigers and Volunteers are bubble teams and finish the regular season with a head-to-head matchup in Knoxville. In Joe Lunardi's latest Bracketology he has Tennessee as one of the last four in and Mizzou as one of the first four out. Obviously, both teams need to take care of business before this game and, if they do, their matchup will have a big effect on the NCAA Tournament. Both teams are more than capable of winning a game in the Dance.

Bracket Breakdown: South

Otto Porter of Georgetown

The South Region is the most top heavy bracket of the four. Kansas headlines the region as the number two overall seed and they are joined by Georgetown, Florida and Michigan. KU won the Big 12, Florida won the SEC and Georgetown won the Big East. Michigan was a couple of bricked free throws from sharing the Big Ten title. Clearly, this is a bracket of winners, but also take a look at the coaches. Of the 16 coaches in the bracket, 10 have won a national title. It's also likely that one of those 10 adds some more hardware to their office. Let's take a look...

South Region winner: Georgetown Hoyas
The Hoyas are going to win the South Region for one reason: Otto Porter. The do-it-all wing player leads Georgetown in almost every major statistical category and he can beat opponents from anywhere on the floor. The road won't be easy for John Thompson's squad though. Most likely Florida will be waiting in the Sweet 16 and then either Kansas or Michigan will present a huge challenge in the Elite 8. Count on the Hoyas because of they are battle tested and they are 6-2 against ranked opponents. Behind Porter, expect G'Town to be back in the Final Four for the first time since 2007.

Upset Pick: Minnesota over UCLA
Minnesota isn't your typical 11 seed. The Golden Gophers defeated five ranked opponents, including #1 Indiana. However, they have lost three in a row and that doesn't always bode well coming into tournament play. Despite that, they should beat UCLA for a couple of reasons. One, they have played far superior competition and two, UCLA is without Jordan Adams. The freshman guard broke his foot during the Pac-12 tournament and the Bruins will struggle without him.

Nate Wolters of South Dakota State

Potentially Intriguing Matchup: Anybody who has to play VCU
Okay so that's kind of cheating, but anybody VCU plays will have a hard time. The Rams qualified for the Final Four in 2011 and their unique style of play makes them a difficult matchup. However, they will have to take down the titans to reach Atlanta, but that is something they have done before. Could they stop Trey Burke in the third round? Could they knock off Kansas just like they did in 2011? Will Florida or Georgetown be too much for them handle? Who knows. We also can't be sure they will even win their first game against Akron, but we can be sure that they will bring 100% effort and be fun to watch.

Player to Watch: Nate Wolters, guard, South Dakota State
Wolters has led South Dakota State to the Big Dance for the second straight year and the do-it-all guard can win a game by himself. The senior averages 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game and had a 53 point outburst on February 7th. His scoring average is fourth best in the nation. Wolters comes from the Summit League, but has performed against top competition. He posted 30 points against Alabama at the beginning of the season and then had 28 against New Mexico before Christmas.

Bottom Line: The South is loaded, but Otto Porter and Georgetown have been very consistent and have defeated some of the nation's elite. They will be in Atlanta.

Cavs Hoping Strong Draft Class Makes Them A Contender Again

By: Nate Wadley

It all started with “The Decision” last July. Throughout the entire summer, Cleveland fans held on to only a ray of hope that the kid they had embraced as a hero would elect to remain with the team that drafted him, the team that had built their city around him. Yet that all came to a screeching halt when LeBron James told the world that he would be “taking his talents to South Beach”. From then on, everyone knew that the Cleveland Cavaliers perennial runs through the playoffs were over. But nobody expected their first season without the King to go like it did. A dreadful 19-63 record (which at one point consisted of a 26-game losing streak) haunted the Cavs players, organization, and fan base for what turned out to be a painful year. While the Cavs are at home watching the Playoffs, LeBron is making noise down in Miami, the same city that will host the Dallas Mavericks in game one of the Finals on Tuesday night.

As for the Cavaliers, it can’t get any worse…right? Correct. Experts and analysts have shown that this year’s draft class is sure to be weaker than years’ past. However, Cleveland will potentially have the first, second, AND fourth picks in the first round. Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, and Kawhi Leonard stand in those three spots in ESPN’s mock draft in which the Cavs will draft.

Kyrie Irving left Duke early, exiting the campus after being injured for half of his freshman year. Yet at the young age Irving is at right now, he dominated the games he played and shows unbelievable potential at the NBA level. Irving is considered to be a true point guard, yet can score whenever need be. He has a knack for the game and his basketball IQ is very high for a kid his age. In time, Irving just might be one of the elite point guards in the NBA.

Derrick Williams came alive in the NCAA tournament last year. Proving to all the critics that he was not just a post presence, Williams has developed a jumper from anywhere inside the arc. His knack for getting to the rim will surely draw multiple defenders, opening countless opportunities for kick-outs. With a 6’8, 240 frame he’s a little undersized for his position, but his strength and versatility will surely prove that he can play against anyone.

After his team had a breakout season, Kawhi Leonard decided to leave San Diego State and enter the draft. A 6’7 small forward, Leonard is a flexible player and feels comfortable playing power forward as well. Leonard repeatedly dominated the offensive boards at the collegiate level and shows great tenacity as a defender. He’s a threat to score both inside as well as outside and will surely draw attention from defenses around the league.

It is a term used in college year-round; “this was a rebuilding year”. Well, we can say that about the Cavs, but as a team they never had the players (or will?) to compete with anyone last year. Yet trade negotiations are flying around the league and the Cavaliers may just end up with the first, second, and fourth overall picks. When LeBron left, Cleveland fell to rock bottom of the league and was constantly a source of amusement on SportsCenter. If they are able to snatch these three picks, the Cavs may just end up being a contender once again.

Nate Wadley is the brother of Zach Wadley and is a contributor to the World of Wadley site. He is a senior in high school.