Breaking Down the NCAA Tourney: Midwest Region (By David Gentile)

Overview: Of the top nine seeds in this bracket, four of them (Louisville, Michigan State, Kansas, Siena) were the outright champions of their respective conferences, and one of them (Utah) tied for first in the MWC. Each of these five has had a strong regular season and will look to prove itself in the tournament. What sets the Midwest apart from the other three brackets is that it has the best collection of defensive teams in the tournament. Keep an eye out for close, low scoring games in the latter rounds.

Spoiler: Wake Forest, a former number one ranked team, has the potential to shake up the bracket. The Demon Deacons are a young group with no seniors in the starting five, and have an impressive collection of victories, including upsets of North Carolina and Duke. Sophomore guard Jeff Teague leads an offensive minded team that can match anyone in the tournament shot-for-shot.

Under the Radar: Despite being as high as a nine seed, Siena has not received the attention of many major conference teams in the tournament. The Saints have a more experienced team than Ohio State, and are fresh off an upset of four seed Vanderbilt one year ago. Siena had four players averaging in double figures in 2008-2009. Their combination of balance and experience make them a tournament ready team that will give Ohio State a run for its money. In four tournament appearances, the Saints have won their first game three times.

Upset City: Arizona has been an inconsistent team all season long. But with inconsistencies come surprises, including wins over Gonzaga and LSU. The Cats will have to be on top of their game, but I believe that they will rise to the challenge and upset the Utes. With all the talk about Arizona not deserving a spot in the tournament, the Wildcats have something to prove, and this will be a time when their inconsistent play is a plus.

Pick: Although this is a very talented group of teams, I don't believe any of them can match up with the Cardinals and shut down Clark, Williams, and Samuels in one game. Louisville has one of the most talented frontcourts in all of the NCAA, and it should lead them to Detroit.