1997 Southeast (PG Mike Bibby, G Jason Terry, G/SF Cuttino Mobley, F Paul Pierce, C Brad Miller, Anthony Johnson, Brian Cardinal, Raef LaFrentz)
vs.
2005 Syracuse (PG Raymond Felton, SG Randy Foye, SF Danny Granger, PF Charlie Villanueva, C David Lee, Kyle Lowry, Rashad McCants, Sean May)

An interesting matchup. Because the ’97 squad is eight years older, they’ve had more time to establish their NBA careers, so a budding star like Granger and the rest of a very solid ’05 roster is downgraded a little which is unfortunate, but that’s how the cookie crumbles. Therefore, even though they have a slightly worse bench, the ’97 team moves on thanks to three perennial All-Stars in Bibby, Miller, and Pierce. 

2001 Midwest (PG Kirk Hinrich, SG Gilbert Arenas, SF Josh Howard, F Richard Jefferson, F David West, Troy Murphy, Luke Walton, Brian Cook)
vs.
2000 East (PG Speedy Claxton, SG Mike Miller, F Shane Battier, PF Carlos Boozer, C Sam Dalembert, Quentin Richardson, Desmond Mason, Mike Dunleavy)

2001 has an extra ballhandler which might help them out, but this is a very even matchup. 2000 is much stronger in the paint with Boozer on offense and Dalembert on defense, and they have two great open shooters in Miller and Battier. 2000 also has one of the two best benches left in the tournament. I think they pull out a close one because Battier can lock down Arenas and the rest of the guys have a little trouble creating their own shot, but I’m willing to listen to the counter-argument.

1999 South (PG Baron Davis, G Steve Francis, G/F Michael Redd, F Ron Artest, C Etan Thomas, Earl Watson, Matt Barnes, Juan Dixon)
vs.
2002 East (PG Steve Blake, SG Ben Gordon, SF Caron Butler, PF Tayshaun Prince, C Emeka Okafor, Travis Diener, Jarvis Hayes, Chris Wilcox)

I like the 2002 team because they have the lineup most resembling a real team with a guy at each position, and the bench has one ballhandler, one wing, and one big guy. That being said, I’m actually leaning toward the ’99 team on the strength of the explosiveness of the two guards, who should also be able to create good looks for a dead-eye like Michael Redd. Although they’re a little undersized, Artest and Thomas should be able to neutralize the 2002 team on the boards, and I think they can get away with playing Redd on Prince without too much damage. 

2006 Washington D.C. (PG Rajon Rondo, SG Brandon Roy, SF Rudy Gay, PF Josh Boone, C Hilton Armstrong, Dee Brown, Shannon Brown, Paul Davis)
vs.
1998 East (PG Earl Boykins, SG Vince Carter, SF Richard Hamilton, PF Antawn Jamison, C Brendan Haywood, James Posey, Morris Peterson, Eduardo Najera)

After sneaking by Dwyane Wade in the last round, it looks like the ride ends here for Washington DC. This is another case of the teams relative youth costing it in terms of career success – even though Brandon Roy is as good a player now as Vince Carter was in his prime, he hasn’t done it for as long. The only significant advantage the DC has is at the point, but I think the East team has enough bodies to disrupt Rondo, as they also have the best bench in the tournament with Posey, Peterson, and Najera. They move on to the Final Four.