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| Trey Burke can carry Michigan to the promised land, but will his teammates join him? (Credits: Erin Kirkland/Michigan Daily) |
With the first two rounds in the rearview mirror, we begin to get to the nitty gritty of the NCAA Tournament Cinderellas either continue their magical ride or fade into the history books. Favorites either flame out or make their move. Superstars take over or fall to the backdrop. But, the basketball certainly improves and most of us as viewers have watched our brackets crumble to the ground which turns our attention to either our favorite team or a team we've picked up on the way. Here is a best case/worst case for each of the Sweet Sixteen finalists.
South Region
#1 Kansas
Best Case
The strong second half against UNC carries over to a sweet sixteen matchup vs. Michigan. Trey Burke and Ben McLemore cancel each other out, but Jeff Withey dominates the soft Michigan interior defense in a close Jayhawks win. Kansas gets lucky and plays a Florida Gulf Coast team that had to pull off another miracle upset, but this time in dramatic fashion. McLemore single-handedly undresses FGCU and the Jayhawks advance to the Final Four to again play a favorable foe. Marquette has pulled off a string of intensely close games and has no gas left in the tank. Withey this time dominates the smaller Marquette squad before the Jayhawks fall to a sizzling hot Duke team in the National Championship.
Worst Case
McLemore and Burke get into a guard matchup for the ages as the two take the game to the wire. Withey's foul trouble allows for Mitch McGary to dominate the post once Kansas starts doubling Burke. Eventually the Jayhawks can't stop the dynamic Michigan guards and their Final Four hopes are dashed way before they anticipated.
#4 Michigan
Best Case
Burke puts on an absolute show for the rest of the tournament easily garnering him the John Wooden award. But the play of McGary and Glenn Robinson III really accentuate how the underachieving Wolverines regular season was the aberration. Kansas is the toughest game Michigan has to play before ripping through a wounded Florida squad and exacting beautiful revenge against Indiana in the Final Four game in a hugely surprising blowout. Louisville has a hard time trying to find the cylinder in the National Championship and Michigan walks away with its first title since 1989.
Worst Case
The Wolverine's worst nightmare comes true as the lack of a true dominant big man does them in against Withey and the Jayhawks. Michigan continues its mind-boggling series of disappointing losses after thunderous victories. Oddly successful season for a Wolverine's squad who probably was no better than a Sweet Sixteen team.
#3 Florida
Best Case
FGCU's magical run comes to a screeching halt as Kenny Boynton and the Gators run the Cinderellas out of the building. Florida finds itself in a war with Kansas as Withey and Erik Murphy slug it out in the paint, but Withey's late foul troubles allow Murphy to put the game away late. A surprising Final Four matchup with a run down Syracuse squad (thanks to the Big East Tournament) sees Florida dominate on their way to the National Championship game. But Florida falls apart in a tough matchup vs. Louisville, who's suffocating defense just doesn't let Murphy, Boynton or Patric Young get anything done.
Worst Case
Cinderella comes crashing right through Florida, who succumbs to Florida Gulf Coast's high-flying, athletic style of play. They can't stop the Eagles sizzling ball movement and Sherwood Brown continues his great performance in the tournament. A late run by Florida makes it a riveting, close game, but Brown and the Eagles make magic one more time in this tournament.
#15 Florida Gulf Coast
Best Case
The magic just won't stop for these Eagles who once again put together an insanely efficient offensive performance. Brown and Bernard Thompson are too much of a dynamic duo for Boynton and Scottie Wilbekin. Although the game goes down to the wire, the basketball gods remain on FGCU's side as Brown finishes the game in sensational fashion. This magical run ends in the Elite Eight as they see Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. click on all cylinders, blowing out the Eagles. Still one of the most memorable runs ever.
Worst Case
Kenny Boynton gets off to a sizzling start and a 15-point Florida lead at halftime simply out does the upstart Eagles. Gators win by 20+ and the Eagles go home as a good story and little else.
Worst Case
McLemore and Burke get into a guard matchup for the ages as the two take the game to the wire. Withey's foul trouble allows for Mitch McGary to dominate the post once Kansas starts doubling Burke. Eventually the Jayhawks can't stop the dynamic Michigan guards and their Final Four hopes are dashed way before they anticipated.
#4 Michigan
Best Case
Burke puts on an absolute show for the rest of the tournament easily garnering him the John Wooden award. But the play of McGary and Glenn Robinson III really accentuate how the underachieving Wolverines regular season was the aberration. Kansas is the toughest game Michigan has to play before ripping through a wounded Florida squad and exacting beautiful revenge against Indiana in the Final Four game in a hugely surprising blowout. Louisville has a hard time trying to find the cylinder in the National Championship and Michigan walks away with its first title since 1989.
Worst Case
The Wolverine's worst nightmare comes true as the lack of a true dominant big man does them in against Withey and the Jayhawks. Michigan continues its mind-boggling series of disappointing losses after thunderous victories. Oddly successful season for a Wolverine's squad who probably was no better than a Sweet Sixteen team.
#3 Florida
Best Case
FGCU's magical run comes to a screeching halt as Kenny Boynton and the Gators run the Cinderellas out of the building. Florida finds itself in a war with Kansas as Withey and Erik Murphy slug it out in the paint, but Withey's late foul troubles allow Murphy to put the game away late. A surprising Final Four matchup with a run down Syracuse squad (thanks to the Big East Tournament) sees Florida dominate on their way to the National Championship game. But Florida falls apart in a tough matchup vs. Louisville, who's suffocating defense just doesn't let Murphy, Boynton or Patric Young get anything done.
Worst Case
Cinderella comes crashing right through Florida, who succumbs to Florida Gulf Coast's high-flying, athletic style of play. They can't stop the Eagles sizzling ball movement and Sherwood Brown continues his great performance in the tournament. A late run by Florida makes it a riveting, close game, but Brown and the Eagles make magic one more time in this tournament.
#15 Florida Gulf Coast
Best Case
The magic just won't stop for these Eagles who once again put together an insanely efficient offensive performance. Brown and Bernard Thompson are too much of a dynamic duo for Boynton and Scottie Wilbekin. Although the game goes down to the wire, the basketball gods remain on FGCU's side as Brown finishes the game in sensational fashion. This magical run ends in the Elite Eight as they see Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. click on all cylinders, blowing out the Eagles. Still one of the most memorable runs ever.
Worst Case
Kenny Boynton gets off to a sizzling start and a 15-point Florida lead at halftime simply out does the upstart Eagles. Gators win by 20+ and the Eagles go home as a good story and little else.
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