Most Overrated: West- This Region sucks. I know there’s 2 teams that could have been 1 seeds, but other than that, there’s really no one else you would’ve thought of as a Final Four contender before selection sunday, so there’s several teams that could qualify here. That being said, I’m going to go with the #1 seed because I think UConn is the most overrated team in the tournament. They are not the same team without Dyson, they are not a true 1 seed, and if they weren’t in such a shitty bracket, I’d have them out in the second round.

Midwest- Conversely, I think this is the best of the four regions, as there are several teams with more talent than their seeding would indicate. I’m tentative to say this only because I have a ton of respect for their coach, but I’m going to go with Michigan State as my most overrated. I honestly believe that Robert Morris could give them some trouble in the first round, and even if they do get by that game, I think they fall to my most underrated team in Round 2.

Most Underrated: West- I was tempted to go with Memphis because they’re by far the best team in their region and they’re not the 1 seed, but instead I’ll go with Purdue. With Hummel seeming to be as healthy as he’s been all year, they are a very dangerous team especially in the very weak west region. The one problem I have with this team is that if their shooters go cold,  they could lose in the First Round.

Midwest- While I think Wake and WVU are both legitimate Final Four contenders and much more talented than their seeds would indicate, neither is my most underrated team here. The reason being the most dangerous low seed in the tournament is, in my opinion, USC. With Demar Derozan starting to play up to his potential and a team brimming with confidence after a Pac 10 title, I think the Trojans have  a shot at making a run to the Sweet 16 or even Elite 8.

Potential First Round Upsets: West- Mississippi State certainly has a shot to beat Washington, as their interior defense may be able to contain the Huskie scoring punch, but I think they fall short. I’m not a big Utah State guy either, and I don’t count the 8/9 game as a true upset, so I guess I’ll go with Maryland as my best bet. I like Cal as a team, but I think the Terps could have been right at the top of the Pac-10 this year, and thus certainly have a decent shot at getting by the Bears.

Midwest- Arizona definitely has a good chance to beat Utah, but they’re the type of team that could also lose by 25 points. Obviously, I already told you I like USC to get by BC, so that leaves me with two longshots that I think could make noise: Robert Morris and North Dakota State. I think one of these two, at the very least, gives their opponent a huge scare. In fact, in every bracket I’ve filled out so far, I’ve had one of them winning their game. NDSU is the better team, but I think Michigan State is more capable of completely shitting the bed, so I’m a bit torn on which team I like better.

“Who gives a shit?”: West- Cal/Maryland, Midwest- Utah/Arizona

“Holy Fuck. That guy’s good.”: West- Jerel McNeal. One of the better guards in this tournament, and a guy who I really think can keep Marquette around for a little while if he plays well. They miss Dominic James, but there’s a misconception that he was their best player.

Midwest- James Johnson. He got lost in the shuffle a bit by playing poorly early in the year while a teammate (Jeff Teague) played like an All-American, but this guy has one of the best all around games in the country. He can guard 3 positions, he can take the ball up, he’s a solid shooter, and he’s a ferocious rebounder when he wants to be. I always see him going in the 20’s in mock drafts, which I think is insanity. I think he’s one of the best 7 pros playing in this tournament.

“Holy Fuck. That guy sucks.”: West- This one is too easy. Hasheem Thabeet. He’ll impress at times defensively when he’s either helping on shorter guys or someone tries to shoot it directly over him. And certainly I’m not suggesting he’s not paramount to UConn’s defensive success, but when his man tries to back him down or gets physical with him underneath, he can’t handle it. Dajaun Blair made him look like a tall but gauky 7th grader playing against a Senior in high school. He also has no offensive game to speak of, other than dunking it when he gets open underneath. I don’t see how this guy’s a top 3 pick. Although I’d love to see him try to deal with guys like Dwight Howard and Amare Stoudemire in the coming years.

Midwest- There’s really not a guy who sticks out for me here, at least in terms of the key players on the big teams, so I’ll reluctantly go with Edgar Sosa. I say reluctantly because he doesn’t start and his coach told him he should transfer earlier in the year, so I don’ t think anyone’s going to be expecting too much from him. That said, he has a tendency to do a lot of dumb shit and I could see him being a problem for Louisville at some point in the next few weeks.