NCAA Tournament Preview: West Region

WEST REGION PREVIEW

If the 2015 West Regional can be as good as the 2014 version, we are in for a treat. The top two teams heading toward the Pacific Ocean are the same. Whereas Arizona was the top seed last year, Wisconsin used the Big Ten regular and tournament championships to get that No. 1 next to its name this year. Baylor, another Elite Eight team from 2014, is also back in the West. What year is this again? Are we in some sort of time-space anomaly? No. It's a new year and it is going to be really interesting.

THE FAVORITES

No. 1 Wisconsin - The Badgers were supposed to win the Big Ten regular season title. They won the Big Ten regular season title. Things get a bit dicey in the conference tournaments, but Wisconsin outlasted Michigan State for that championship, as well. Like Badger teams of past years, this squad has talent and experience. Senior forward Frank Kaminsky (18.2 points, 8.1 rebounds) and junior forward Sam Dekkar (13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds) lead the charge. Josh Gasser is an experienced guard and three-point marksman. The big question will be whether Traevon Jackson, Jimmy Jackson's son, can return from a foot injury that has caused him to miss half the season.

No. 2 Arizona - Like Wisconsin, Arizona won its conference's regular and tournament championships, but it might say something about the Pac-12 relative to the Big Ten that the Wildcats are slotted as the two seed. Badgers coach Bo Ryan made his first Final Four last year, and kept coach Sean Miller from reaching the same goal. The Wildcats are once again stocked with talent, led by freshman forward Stanley Johnson. Arizona has plenty of size and skill around Johnson in Brandon Ashley (who missed last year's tournament with a foot injury), center Kaleb Tarczewski, point guard T.J. McConnell and underrated forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. The team does not have much depth, so foul trouble can be an issue.

No. 3 Baylor - The Big 12 grabbed three of the tournament's four three seeds with Baylor heading to the West Region for the second straight season. The Bears were ousted by Wisconsin in the Elite Eight last year after ending Doug McDermott's collegiate career. Junior forward Rico Gathers is the star of the squad. He is fourth in the nation in rebounding at 11.6 boards per game to go with 11.7 points. Taurean Prince leads the team with 13.8 points, and senior point guard Kenny Chery hits 38.1 percent of his three-pointers on his way to 11.4 points to go with 4.0 assists. The Bears are an extremely athletic team who can pound opponents on the boards.

No. 4 North Carolina- All of the top-four seeds in the West has plenty of size. The Tar Heels struggled down the stretch of the regular season and lost six of their last 11 games, including an unsightly home loss to North Carolina State. Coach Roy Williams righted the ship in the conference tournament in which the squad knocked out Louisville and Virginia before falling to Notre Dame in the final. The frontcourt is stocked with size and talent in forward Brice Johnson, center Kennedy Meeks, jack-of-all trades J.P. Tokoto, and freshman Justin Jackson. The key to the team's long-term success might be guard Marcus Paige, who did not show the same type of scoring burst as he did last year.

CINDERELLA WATCH

No. 12 Wofford – When looking for a Cinderella to fit a bracket's glass slipper, one should look for experience and steady guard play. The Terriers have both: they played in last year's tournament (losing to Michigan in the Round of 64); and guards Karl Cochran and Spencer Collins have been starting since they arrived on campus. The 6-1 senior Cochran leads the team in points (14.6), rebounds (5.8) and assists (2.7). Collins hit 38.3 percent of his three-pointers. If Wofford can clog the lane and hit a reasonable percentage of its three-pointers, it could pull off an upset of Arkansas.

No. 13 Harvard – The Crimson has clearly succeeded Cornell as the top dogs in the Ivy and will be making their fourth consecutive trip to the Big Dance. Last year, the squad won its first NCAA tournament game and will look to duplicate the feat against the North Carolina in the Round of 64. Coach Tommy Amaker relies on senior guard Wesley Saunders, who provides 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists. The Crimson will need to control the pace of the game. If Harvard can keep the game to a halfcourt battle, it could advance for the second straight season.

BIGGEST BUST

No. 3 Baylor - The Bears certainly had West Virginia's number. They had three wins against the Mountaineers in the last two months. Other than a win against Iowa State on Feb. 25, Baylor mostly beat the cellar dwellers of the Big 12, or lost. The team is a fine rebounding squad, but that is somewhat due to its propensity to miss shots. Kenny Chery, freshman Jonathan Motley and Lester Medford are below average shooters. If the perimeter jumpers aren't falling, Baylor can lose to anyone (such as a flailing Texas team on March 2).

FIRST-ROUND UPSET

No. 14 Georgia State over No. 3. Baylor – The Panthers won the regular season Sun Belt title last year, but were upset by Louisiana-Lafayette in the Sun Belt tournament final. This year, R.J. Hunter and his mates sealed the deal and will be hungry for more. If guard Ryan Harrow gets on the court after missing the Sun Belt tournament final with a hamstring injury, the Panthers have the sort of perimeter power that can cause the Bears' size advantage to go for naught. Louisville transfer Kevin Ware makes his return to the NCAA Tournament and doesn't just want to be known as the guy who broke his leg.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Frank Kaminksy, forward, Wisconsin - Kaminsky was named the preseason Player of the Year by many outlets. The 7-0 forward lived up to the hype by building on his team's Final Four run by demolishing the tough Big Ten. He improved just about every facet of his game and was only held to single-digit scoring once (Nov. 27 in a win over Georgetown). Few teams have players who can counter Kaminsky's size and skill. He could well lead the Badgers to back-to-back Final Fours.

SWEET 16 PICKS

No. 1 Wisconsin - The Badgers have taken care of business this season. Neither potential second-round opponent, Oregon and Oklahoma State, have the frontcourt power to deal with the experienced Wisconsin forwards (Kaminsky, Dekkar and Nigel Hayes).

No. 2 Arizona - The Wildcats mirror Wisconsin in many ways. Had Briante Weber been healthy for VCU, then Arizona may have had more issues getting to the Sweet 16 (and the Rams would not have been a seven seed). Arizona simply has too much size and skill for its first two opponents.

No. 5 Arkansas - Arkansas plays the kind of full-press style that can cause difficult adjustments and might be a nightmare for potential Round of 32 opponent North Carolina. Center Bobby Portis (17.7 points, 8.8 rebounds) would also cause nightmares to all non-Kentucky opponents.

No. 11 BYU - Time for a flyer! In triple-double machine Kyle Collinsworth and leading scorer Tyler Haws (21.9 points), the Cougars have the fire power to knock off anyone (see BYU's win at Gonzaga on Feb. 28). The Zags got their revenge by ending the Cougars' eight-game winning streak in the WCC tournament final. It has been a few years since Wichita State went from First Four to Sweet 16 (and eventually the Final Four). BYU will repeat the feat.

FINAL FOUR PICK

No. 2 Arizona- One could spend hours and hours trying to pick between Arizona and Wisconsin. The teams played an overtime thriller last year in Anaheim in which Kaminsky hit a tip-in with a minute remaining to give the Badgers a lead they would not relinquish. Arizona can match up with the Badgers across the court and may get that one break that will lead them to the Final Four.