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| Adreian Payne and Gary Harris' exciting style of play could propel the Spartans to the National Championship Game. (Credits: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) |
With the first two rounds in the rearview mirror, we begin to get to the nitty gritty of the NCAA Tournanment. 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.
Midwest Region
#1 Louisville
Best Case
The Cardinals live up to the pre-tournament, best-team-in-the-tournament hype by storming through high seed Oregon, suffocating Duke's three point shooting. They then dominate Ohio State and Indiana in the Final four for the most dominant tournament run since the '09 Tar Heels who slaughtered everyone on their way to a title.
Worst Case
Oregon gives Louisville a run for its money before the Cardinals overwhelming defense finally shuts down the Carlos Emory, E.J. Singler duo in an overtime thriller. Then Duke catches fire from behind the arc in the Elite Eight and turns a close first half into a rout. Russ Smith is colder than the Arctic in the game and Louisville can't keep up with clicking-on-all-cylinders Duke offense. So much for all the out-of-nowhere hype
#12 Oregon
Best Case
Singler and Emory provide the type of dual threat offensively that builds Oregon a surprising 10-point lead at halftime. But Gorgui Dieng and the Cardinals interior defense becomes stifling in a slow, grind 'em out second half. Oregon continues to battle to a double overtime finish, but Peyton Siva begins to slash through a tiring Ducks defense and the Pac-12 champs eventually lose.
Worst Case
Louisville comes to play from the git-go, suffocating the Ducks offense, while shredding their defense to pieces. Ducks "magical" run goes up in flames with an embarrassing 20-point blowout.
#2 Duke
Best Case
Ryan Kelly finally turns on the burners from the three-point arc and turns into a human 9-0 run machine. Duke actually finds itself in a game with Michigan State in the first half, but then turns in a insanely efficient second half. That second half groove carries over to their game vs. Louisville, who they handle pretty easily. Seth Curry and Mason Plumlee help Ryan Kelly methodically break down the Cardinals good defense. Duke gets lucky and meets an overmatched Wichita State team who watches this Duke team score 80-plus points on the way to a monster blowout. Duke plays a Marquette squad who is dead tired from winning tight game after tight game. They take low-scoring Marquette behind the woodshed and Coach K wins his fifth National Championship
Worst Case
Duke goes relatively cold against a Michigan State team whose athleticism is simply unmatchable. Keith Appling slices and dices Quinn Cook and Adreian Payne puts on a show, blocking shots, grabbing boards and throwing down momentum-shifting dunks. Tom Izzo marches on in a close, but relatively dominating Spartans performance.
#3 Michigan State
Best Case
Tom Izzo's tournament wisdom helps his immature, but highly athletic team overwhelm the Dukies in a game that is close on the scoreboard but far from close on the eye test. A matchup against Louisville goes down to the wire but freshman Gary Harris nails a buzzer beater three in a ugly, but exciting game, sending Izzo to his seventh Final Four appearance. In the National Semi-final the Spartans play the Buckeyes, and avenge a February 24th loss to their Big Ten rivals in a surprisingly high scoring game, with Aaron Craft and Harris trading big three pointers late. However, Mich. State can't get it done for a third time this season against a determined Hoosiers side. It's a battle, but the Spartans waste all their offensive efficiency in the National Semifinal and lost in the National Championship.
Worst Case
Michigan State just cannot keep up with a hot shooting Duke team while their own issues on the bench flair up again. This time the team is down eight, instead of up eight and they simply implode in the second half. Derrick Nix gets called for a frustration flagrant two and is tossed from the game. Duke once again outclasses another opponent.
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