East Regional: An Insider's Guide

Jared Sullinger continues phenomenal freshman season with No. 1 overall seed Ohio State as Buckeyes are favorites in East regional. (Photo courtesy of USA Today)

The greatest three weeks known to man have started with a resonating bang. That's right, it's NCAA Tournament time. Today, (and for the next three days) we'll take you through the brackets one regional at a time as we reveal the players and teams to watch before ultimately trying to make sense of this 68-team field to determine who represents who in Houston. Up first is the East regional, whose finals will be contested at Newark's Prudential Center, just about an hour away from "Daly Dose" headquarters.

#1 Seed Ohio State vs. #16 Seed Texas-San Antonio or Alabama State - The Buckeyes should roll over whoever their play-in opponet is. Led by freshman sensation Jared Sullinger and three-point threats Jon Diebler and William Buford, Ohio State also gets solid contributions from point guard David Lighty on a team that is a threat to win the whole thing on April 4th.

#8 Seed George Mason vs. #9 Seed Villanova - Five years ago, the Patriots shocked the world and knocked out three former national champions on their way to a Final Four appearance as an 11 seed. Jim Larranaga's bunch starts out with a former champion once again, (Michigan State in 2006, Villanova this time around) with another former champion probably waiting in the wings in Ohio State. The Wildcats come in looking to prove their late-season swoon was an aberration after their shocking first-round Big East tournament exit at the hands of South Florida.

#5 Seed West Virginia vs. #12 Seed Alabama-Birmingham or Clemson - Another team that won't immediately know its opponent, as the Mountaineers look to complete what would be an improbable road back to the Final Four after getting there a year ago. Led by Kevin Jones and point guard combo Truck Bryant and Joe Mazzulla, West Virginia will need to take advantage of their "First Four" play-in winner's fatigue in order to avoid the trendy 5/12 upset.

#4 Seed Kentucky vs. #13 Seed Princeton - If John Calipari can get past the Ivy League champion Tigers and West Virginia survives its first opponent, there will be an early rematch of last year's Elite Eight matchup in which the Mountaineers got the better of a highly regarded freshman class that included the names Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe. Kentucky's free throw inefficiency will be the center of attention if they are in a tight game early on.

#6 Seed Xavier vs. #11 Seed Marquette - Probably the best and most underrated matchup in the first week of the tournament. The Musketeers are always capable of their typical under-the-radar Sweet 16 run, and Tu (no longer Terrell) Holloway will bring his clutch act into Cleveland to meet the Golden Eagles of Marquette, who locked up an at-large bid with a run to the Big East tournament quarterfinals. Pay attention to Xavier's physical game against an undersized Marquette frontline. By the way, this game will be close. Want to know why? Two words: Gus Johnson. If you follow college basketball religiously, nothing else needs to be said.

#3 Seed Syracuse vs. #14 Seed Indiana State - The Orange pick up after an overtime (only one) loss to eventual Big East champion UConn in their conference tournament semifinals to face a Sycamore team that is getting hot at the right time after defeating the top two teams in their conference (Wichita State and Missouri State on consecutive nights) on their way to the Missouri Valley championship. Freshman Jake Odum will need to replicate his sensational showing in Arch Madness to have any shot of effectively breaking the vaunted 2-3 zone defense employed by Jim Boeheim.

#7 Seed Washington vs. #10 Seed Georgia - Usually, a 7/10 matchup is close; but this one is probably the most decisive of the four. Led by Isaiah Thomas in the backcourt and Matthew Bryan-Amaning up front, Lorenzo Romar's team gets a boost by bringing Venoy Overton back after he was suspended during the Pac-10 tournament to face a Georgia team that, by all accounts, may be a surprising inclusion into the field of 68. The Bulldogs will need to rely upon their supporting cast to bail out Trey Thompkins if the star forward gets into foul trouble.

#2 Seed North Carolina vs. #15 Seed Long Island University - LIU makes its return to the "Big Dance" for the first time since 1997 against a Tar Heels team that fell on its face against Duke in the ACC championship. You may call me crazy here, but DO NOT BE SURPRISED to see the Blackbirds not only stay in contention; but also take Carolina to the limit. Jamal Olasewere and Julian Boyd may be small in stature, but both are capable of shutting down a bigger Heels frontcourt that will be the key for Roy Williams. The most intriguing matchup of the night will be the one between the freshman point guards; as Kendall Marshall (North Carolina) and Jason Brickman (LIU) are both capable of scoring and dishing it out equally.

The Way I See It: Predictions

First Four play-in games:

Texas-San Antonio defeats Alabama State

Clemson defeats UAB

Second round: (I still call it the first round, but we have to be technical here)

Ohio State defeats Texas-San Antonio

George Mason defeats Villanova

West Virginia defeats Clemson

Kentucky defeats Princeton

Xavier defeats Marquette

Syracuse defeats Indiana State

Washington defeats Georgia

North Carolina defeats LIU (in a closer game than everyone will expect)

Third round:

Ohio State defeats George Mason

Kentucky defeats West Virginia

Syracuse defeats Xavier

North Carolina defeats Washington

Sweet 16: (Regional semifinals)

Ohio State defeats Kentucky

Syracuse defeats North Carolina

Elite 8: (Regional final)

Ohio State defeats Syracuse

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Johnny Come Lately

Sean Evans looks to help St. John's recover from loss of D.J. Kennedy in upcoming NCAA Tournament. (Photo courtesy of New York Post)

After nine years of riding an emotional roller coaster, St. John's will finally take its spot among college basketball's elite once again; a place that could best be described more as "reserved" than "usurped." The Red Storm will learn their fate in approximately 15 minutes as the 21-11 Johnnies make their return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002, looking for their first victory in the Big Dance since Mike Jarvis patrolled the sidelines on the corner of Union and Utopia back in 2000.

"I know that our body of work speaks for itself," head coach Steve Lavin said moments ago in an interview with CBS' studio team anchored by Greg Gumbel. When asked how the loss of senior D.J. Kennedy due to a torn ACL would affect his team moving forward, Lavin mentioned that it could "end up being a motivating factor" for this team as they look to advance deep into the field of 68. St. John's is one of four local teams in the tournament this year, joining conference champions Long Island, St. Peter's and Princeton.

St. John's may have to wait just a little longer in regard to who their opponent will be if they are announced as a 5 seed, as the Red Storm may potentially face a team coming off a play-in game in the new "First Four" round to be contested Tuesday and Wednesday. Various bracket projections list St. John's as anywhere from a low 4 seed to a high 6 seed, and the possibilities of who they will take the court against are still endless for another few minutes.

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Full Court Press: Big East Championship

Preston Knowles and Louisville play for second Big East title in three years tonight against UConn. (Photo courtesy of USA Today)

After four days, fourteen games, and countless memories that will last a lifetime; the Big East tournament reaches its conclusion tonight at Madison Square Garden as Connecticut looks to win an unprecedented five games in as many days against 2009 Big East champion Louisville, who makes its return to the title game for the first time since cutting down the nets at the Garden against Syracuse in 2009. With tipoff just 30 minutes away, we'll get you caught up before the ball goes up in the air.

Connecticut Huskies (9th seed, 25-9)

Head Coach: Jim Calhoun

Probable Starting Lineup:

PG: Kemba Walker (6-1 Jr., 23.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, 43% FG, 81% FT, 34% 3pt)

SG: Jeremy Lamb (6-5 Fr., 10.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, 47% FG, 78% FT)

SF: Roscoe Smith (6-8 Fr., 6.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 37% FG, 78% FT)
PF: Alex Oriakhi (6-9 So., 10.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 51% FG, 63% FT)

C: Charles Okwandu (7-0 Sr., 2.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 45% FG, 53% FT)

Key Reserves:

G Shabazz Napier (6-0 Fr., 8.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.7 SPG, 39% FG, 76% FT, 35% 3pt)

F Jamal Coombs-McDaniel (6-7 So., 6.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 44% FG, 81% FT)

Keys To Victory:

One For The Thumb - No team has ever attempted to win five games in as many days to win its conference tournament, so the Huskies have made history no matter what happens tonight. Jim Calhoun's team has already played their way into the top half of whatever regional they are selected into tomorrow night, at least as a 4 seed and maybe even a 3 with a win tonight.

Gerry Who? - Every year, the name Gerry McNamara gets brought up when legends are made during the Big East tournament after the Syracuse guard singlehandedly lifted the Orange from the #9 seed that UConn is playing as this week to a conference title. This year, Gerry Mac is being overshadowed by Kemba Walker. The Rice High School product is averaging almost 28 points per game this week in victories over DePaul, Georgetown, Pitt and Syracuse; and the scary concept to the casual fan is that Walker isn't done yet. The point guard and first team All-Big East selection has gone for at least 20 in six straight games, and UConn will need his explosiveness one more time to win their first conference championship since 2004.

Unsung Heroes - The UConn bench has yielded a star performance each night this week. From Alex Oriakhi's double-double to Tyler Olander's career night last night against Syracuse, it seems like Jim Calhoun has found a different reserve to pick up the pieces when Walker is unable to find a road to the basket. With a Louisville lineup that plays guard-heavy, it wouldn't be surprising to see Shabazz Napier be the go-to guy off the bench for Calhoun tonight as he continues to capitalize on his audition to crack the Huskies' lineup when Walker almost certainly declares for the NBA Draft this June.

Louisville Cardinals (3rd seed, 25-8)

Head Coach: Rick Pitino

Probable Starting Lineup:

PG: Peyton Siva (5-11 So., 10.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 45% FG, 67% FT)
SG: Preston Knowles (6-1 Sr., 14.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 38% FG, 81% FT, 39% 3pt)

SG: Chris Smith (6-2 Jr., 9.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.4 APG, 45% FG, 69% FT, 40% 3pt)

SG: Kyle Kuric (6-4 Jr., 10.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 52% FG, 83% FT, 45% 3pt)

PF: Terrence Jennings (6-10 Jr., 9.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 53% FG, 66% FT)

Key Reserves:

G Mike Marra (6-5 So., 6.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 33% FG, 79% FT)
C Gorgui Dieng (6-10 Fr., 5.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 62% FG, 56% FT)

Keys To Victory:

Bombs Away - Even during the days of Taquan Dean and Francisco Garcia, Pitino's Cardinals have always been an outside threat; and at 36 percent from beyond the arc this season, Louisville is no different. The Cards, much like UConn on their bench, have found a different shooter to step up every night. One night it could be Kyle Kuric, Mike Marra the next, or senior leader Preston Knowles the night after. Fellow guard Chris Smith, who also shoots 40 percent from three-point range, is also a potent and capable weapon if Louisville looks to bury the Huskies with early daggers.

Board Meeting - UConn had been getting outplayed on the glass before this week during Big East play, and Louisville needs to continue that trend if they have any hope of raising a trophy at the Garden for the second time in three years. The good thing for the Cardinals is that after Alex Oriakhi, UConn's rebounders aren't as strong as some of the other teams in the conference. Louisville outlasted a scrappy Marquette team and a shooting threat in Notre Dame to get this matchup; and although the primary target will be stopping the one-man show that is Kemba Walker, the Cardinals need to get the advantage in the rebound department to effectively put UConn away.

Special K - Preston Knowles entered this season as Louisville's lone senior, which helps Rick Pitino next season in that the rest of the team comes back next year. However, what people did not expect from Knowles was his ability to step up and be among the more underrated players in the conference in the absence of Edgar Sosa and Jerry Smith, who graduated following last season. Knowles may look like a streaky shooter on paper; but is anything but on the court, as the senior is a feared man any time the ball is in his hands.

So, Who Wins?

In one corner, you have a team that has literally run the gauntlet by winning four games in as many days. On the other bench lies a team that is simply the best one standing after the early exits of Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, who were regarded as the class of the Big East throughout the year. The deciding factor in this matchup is overall depth of each side. UConn has solid players after Walker, but Jim Calhoun's squad still has not been able to find their way for long stretches during a game if their star is exposed. This alone is enough to tip the scales in favor of the Cardinals, who will take advantage of a fatigued UConn en route to a second conference championship in three years before they are the favorites to make it three out of four next year.

Your Final: Louisville 78, Connecticut 69

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Big East Semis: An Insider's Guide

UConn and Syracuse meet in Big East tournament for first time on this stage since their six-overtime epic in 2009. (Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Times)

After a 2-2 third day in the Big East tournament yesterday, we now shift our sights to the semifinals tonight. Actually, there was some of that going on yesterday after Syracuse defeated St. John's to secure a final four matchup with Connecticut, prompting me to be among the first to say the following two words when I came across my redstormsports.com colleague Ralph Bednarczyk in the press room:

Six overtimes.

That's right, tonight marks the first time UConn and the 'Cuse have seen each other at Madison Square Garden since the instant classic that produced this T-shirt in upstate New York. (Photo courtesy of CNYcentral.com)

Here we go with two games that will determine who faces off tomorrow night for a conference title.

#9 Seed UConn vs. #4 Seed Syracuse - The Kemba Walker express returns to the "World's Most Famous Arena" for the fourth time in as many days to take on an Orange team that was taken to the limit by St. John's even after Johnnies swingman D.J. Kennedy tore his ACL six minutes into the game. Walker is also one of just four players on either side (teammate Donnell Beverly and Rick Jackson and Kris Joseph of Syracuse being the others) to have actually played in the six-overtime marathon, as Syracuse guard Scoop Jardine was injured that year and medically redshirted.

#2 Seed Notre Dame vs. #3 Seed Louisville - Both teams used decisive quarterfinal wins to propel themselves into this meeting, and the Fighting Irish will most likely secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with a win tonight. Louisville will be looking to avenge an 89-79 defeat at the Joyce Center earlier in the regular season in a game the Cardinals had chances to win in regulation before Notre Dame forced overtime. Pay close attention to a matchup between Louisville's Kyle Kuric and Scott Martin of Notre Dame on the perimeter, as whoever makes the most threes will likely be the winner.

The Way I See It: Predictions

UConn defeats Syracuse

Louisville defeats Notre Dame

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Big East Quarters: An Insider's Guide

Big East Player of the Year Ben Hansbrough leads Notre Dame into action against Cincinnati tonight in Big East tournament quarterfinals. (Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated)

So we've reached day three of the Big East tournament; and if you're keeping track of our predictions, you'll see a 7-1 record. The quarters mark the debuts of the four double-bye recipients on the Madison Square Garden floor this week as the strongest conference in the country draws closer to crowning a new champion, which is now guaranteed following last night's Marquette win over reigning titleholder West Virginia.

#9 Seed UConn vs. #1 Seed Pitt - The Huskies proved their DePaul win was no fluke with a decisive 17-point victory over Georgetown yesterday, but that victory has been downgraded in the absence of Hoya guard Chris Wright, who is still out with a broken hand. On the other bench, the Panthers have been the class of the Big East all season thanks to impressive campaigns from Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker. While Kemba Walker alone changes the complexion of any game, the matchup to watch will be the inside battle between UConn's Alex Oriakhi and Gary McGhee of Pitt.

#5 Seed St. John's vs. #4 Seed Syracuse - The Johnnies make their return to the final eight for the first time since 2003 against a Syracuse team that handed them their only loss at the Garden this season. In what will be a battle in every sense of the word, the winner of this game will be the team that exhibits the most versatility. Syracuse has four players averaging double figures in points per game; and when St. John's gets four to score at least ten, they're 11-0. Adding to the already thick plot is the fact that the Orange are the one Big East team that St. John's ten-man senior class has yet to beat.

#7 Seed Cincinnati vs. #2 Seed Notre Dame - It was said on last night's ESPN broadcast that Bearcats coach Mick Cronin told his team that they weren't getting any respect. Unfortunately, it's true; and for a coach like Cronin that deserves every bit of success he gets as much as the players do, it's a shame. Notre Dame is on the inside track to a top seed in the NCAA Tournament if they can get the chips to fall in the right places this week, and all eyes will be on conference player of the year Ben Hansbrough against a lightly regarded Cincinnati backcourt.

#11 Seed Marquette vs. #3 Seed Louisville - The Golden Eagles all but sealed an NCAA Tournament appearance with last night's victory against West Virginia. Next up for Buzz Williams and Marquette is a Louisville team that has overachieved despite injuries to almost everyone on the squad to the point where coach Rick Pitino had to practice with team managers. The guard play will take center stage here, as a banged-up Cardinal frontcourt and undersized Marquette inside game will yield to the backcourts.

The Way I See It: Predictions

UConn defeats Pitt

St. John's defeats Syracuse

Cincinnati defeats Notre Dame

Louisville defeats Marquette

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Never Mind Charlie, Mike's A Winner

Rutgers coach Mike Rice meets the media minutes after Scarlet Knights lost heartbreaking Big East tournament game against St. John's. (Photo courtesy of Newark Star-Ledger)

The world has been overexposed to the word "winning" over the past two weeks after the ludicrous and pathetic behavior displayed by Charlie Sheen, and recently by disgraced former Manhattan and Seton Hall head coach Bobby Gonzalez after his comments toward new Pirates boss Kevin Willard. (Click here to see exactly what Gonzo had to say) Fortunately for those who still hold the concept of winning in a high regard, in central New Jersey resides a man who embodies the true meaning of a winner despite an intensity that is often misconstrued for hysterics. They say that true genius is misunderstood. Whoever coined that adage may very well have known what was to come in the career of Mike Rice.

After a three-year tenure at Robert Morris in which he led the Colonials to consecutive Northeast Conference championships in his first head coaching job following various stops as an assistant coach for over fifteen years following his 1991 graduation from Fordham, Rice replaced Fred Hill this spring as the head coach at Rutgers University, and has transformed the Scarlet Knights from Big East doormat to scrappy upstarts in less than a year. His critics may be unable to see past his fiery on-court persona that includes emphatically tossing his blazer within the first ten minutes of a game, but such displays only drive home the fact that the 42-year-old Rice is just far more driven than his counterparts. More importantly, behind the passionate and intense demeanor lies a man who, once you get to know him, is among the nicest and classiest people you would ever want to know.

Last October at Big East media day, I met Rice for the first time inside Madison Square Garden as he unveiled his intentions for the new era of Rutgers basketball, and I honestly did not know what to expect. After an interview that lasted nearly nine minutes, I was able to sense that Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti may have tapped into a gold mine when he plucked Rice out of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris. The best was truly yet to come for a program that had seen better days, but not since their players' parents were college students themselves. I will admit to only taking a passing interest in the Scarlet Knights during the first month of the year, and was honestly a little surprised to see how well Rice had his team playing in the nonconference portion of the schedule. The coach unexpectedly won me over for the first time six weeks later.

Rice's former Robert Morris squad made its way into Brooklyn on December 4th of last year to take on St. Francis; and for those who don't know, I am the Terriers' public address announcer for home basketball games. On the way back to press row during halftime, I noticed a familiar face doing an interview with the Colonials' radio broadcast team. I'll never forget my reaction, which was me asking St. Francis SID Dave Gansell "Is that who I think it is?" Sure enough, it was Mike Rice, who was in attendance cheering his old players on; even jumping up over six feet in the air (or at least it looked that way) when Robert Morris drew a foul and a three-point play in the second half. St. Francis won the game 65-63, (ironically, that was the final score of today's St. John's-Rutgers game, which I'll get to later) but my postgame activity was what made me embrace an up-and-coming coach who was slowly molding his program into his own image.

When I said hello to Rice, he remembered me from our Madison Square Garden encounter, and told me such before I even had an opportunity to reintroduce myself. Being in my position as an aspiring broadcaster in a field where getting noticed is an eternal struggle, the fact that a coach, let alone one in charge of a Big East team, was able to remember me goes a long way with me. I spent a good five minutes with Rice talking about his team and the strides they had made, wished him luck in his upcoming game against Marist; and told him I would be in attendance to see Rutgers host North Carolina three weeks later at Madison Square Garden. That game against the Tar Heels was the second instance in which Rutgers won me over; only this time it wasn't the coach, it was a player. North Carolina dominated from start to finish, but Rutgers had frustrated Roy Williams' team enough to the point where the Tar Heels had difficulty finishing down the stretch and also found it hard to contain Rutgers forward Jonathan Mitchell, who finished with 20 points. Watching "J-Mitch" evolve over the course of the night proved to be an eye-opener for me, as the Scarlet Knights had a diamond in the rough who not only made contested shots and NBA-range threes, but embraced the inherent challenges in taking them. Leaving the Garden that night, I immediately circled February 2nd as a must-watch game; as the combination of Rice and Mitchell would be inside Carnesecca Arena that night to face my alma mater of St. John's.

The St. John's game was the third in which Rutgers won me over. About three hours prior to tipoff, (I'm usually among the first media members in the arena on game night, as it's a routine from my play-by-play days that I've never broken away from) I noticed a familiar face on the bench watching pregame shootaround. Seconds later, I was courtside greeting Mike Rice and welcoming him to Queens. Again, the coach remembered me from St. Francis; and asked me how things were going for me. Rice's team put on a valiant display later that night as well, coming back to tie the Red Storm in the final seconds before Justin Brownlee won it for the Johnnies on a reverse layup that he took with a broken thumb. Jonathan Mitchell, who has since become my favorite player in the Big East because he is so good yet so underrated, scored 21 in the losing effort for the Scarlet Knights. The fourth and final time Rutgers won me over came this afternoon.

When the bracket for the Big East tournament was finalized Sunday night and St. John's had drawn the No. 5 seed, all I could hope for was that Rutgers would defeat Seton Hall in the preceding 12/13 matchup. A Rutgers win would enable me to cover a rematch with St. John's in the Big East tournament, and I wanted to see it for many reasons. However, the selfish desire to see Rice and Mitchell one more time was the primary motivation. I didn't get to see Rice until the postgame press conference, which was an event in itself. After the aforementioned Justin Brownlee stepped out of bounds with 1.7 seconds remaining in regulation with St. John's up two, (I got an official game time from my friend and colleague Chris Carlin after the game) he then threw the ball into the crowd; but the officials, who had missed at least two other calls that Rutgers should have received, called neither and the game was over. Even as a St. John's alum and broadcaster, I couldn't help but think that St. John's had won a game it shouldn't have. (At least not at that moment) I'm sure more than one person in the Madison Square Garden media room was expecting a harangue directed toward the officials from the perceived loose cannon that is Mike Rice. Instead, the coach took the high road and proved just how much of a great person he is by surmising the last-second happenings with a succinct "it is what it is," although he did admit there was a mistake. You can see the end of this one for yourself by just pressing play below.

I had already regarded Rutgers to be the Rocky Balboa of the Big East in that although they lost the battle against St. John's, (Apollo Creed in this instance) they ultimately won the war. Mike Rice may be 0-for-2 against the Red Storm, but his maintaining composure at a time where mortal men would have melted under pressure only adds to the many reasons why he is a man to be respected and idolized. It just goes to show you that in a world where we unfortunately celebrate the out-of-control escapades of celebrities in a society where TMZ has become a credible news source, there really are true winners walking this planet, people that are great in their profession; but even better human beings. People like Mike Rice, who will lead Rutgers into the promised land much sooner rather than later. Gatorade had its world-famous "Be Like Mike" advertising campaign featuring Michael Jordan in the early 1990s; but in 2011, we should aspire to be like another Mike. Not many are made like Mike Rice, which is all the more reason why he should be appreciated.

The next time Charlie Sheen says he is winning, he shouldn't look in the mirror. Instead, he should just turn on a Rutgers basketball game and take a look at a true winner in Mike Rice.

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Big East 2nd Round: An Insider's Guide

Dwight Hardy looks to send St. John's into Big East tournament quarterfinals with victory against Rutgers later today. (Photo courtesy of ESPN)

Four teams advanced, four more make their debuts today. Fresh off a Big East tournament opener that saw a 15 seed shock their way into the second round, day two should provide just as much entertainment. Since we're about thirty minutes away from tipoff between UConn and Georgetown, let's get it started.

#9 Seed UConn vs. #8 Seed Georgetown - The Huskies wasted little time proving they were the better team in their 97-71 victory over DePaul that saw Alex Oriakhi come to life off the bench for 13 points and 19 rebounds to lift Jim Calhoun's unit into the second round. Waiting for them is a Georgetown team that has hit the skids since losing Chris Wright to a broken left hand, making it even more important that Austin Freeman and Jason Clark have productive afternoons.

#13 Seed Rutgers vs. #5 Seed St. John's - The Scarlet Knights fought their way past Seton Hall even through overtime and Jeff Robinson's inefficiency, and Mike Rice gets the Johnnies as his reward. If you enjoyed yesterday's encounter with the Pirates, Rutgers should give you more of the same today as Jonathan Mitchell matches up with yet another dynamic scorer in St. John's guard Dwight Hardy. In the one meeting between the two back on February 2nd at Carnesecca Arena, Rutgers tied the game at 56 before Justin Brownlee drove in for a reverse layup off his broken left thumb to give the Red Storm a two-point victory.

#15 Seed South Florida vs. #7 Seed Cincinnati - Anthony Crater and the Bulls are riding high after their first-round upset of Villanova, and now look to stop a Bearcats team playing for a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. Since USF's frontcourt is one of the biggest in the conference, don't be surprised to see Anthony McClain early and often for Mick Cronin and Cincinnati.

#11 Seed Marquette vs. #6 Seed West Virginia - Marquette won their first battle last night by handily defeating Providence in a game the Golden Eagles started on a 17-0 run. Next up for Buzz Williams and company is the reigning Big East champions, who finished strong after languishing in the middle of the standings through most of the season. Pay close attention to the matchup at the point between Truck Bryant and Dwight Buycks. If the Mountaineers can control the tempo in the backcourt, the game is theirs for the taking.

The Way I See It: Predictions

UConn defeats Georgetown

St. John's defeats Rutgers

Cincinnati defeats USF

Marquette defeats West Virginia

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