Our editor-in-chief has come down with the flu, which means he's all caught up on Homeland and How I Met Your Mother. It also means he's ready to unveil his first bracket, complete with every sleeper, cinderella and superstar in the making.


East Region (Washington, DC)


Philadelphia, PA Pod

1 - Duke
vs.
16 - Virginia Military/North Carolina Central

DU - With Ryan Kelly in the line-up this team could run the table, but currently there is no timetable for his return.  

VMI/NCCU - The Keydets feature a great small school star in Stan Okoye (21.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg). NCCU gave Marquette a game on the road earlier this year, and if Jeremy Ingram is burying threes they could play a very competitive first half against a 1-seed.

8 - Temple
vs.
9 - Georgetown

TU - Temple has played a murderous non-conference schedule and bagged themselves a major upset against 'Cuse at MSG. If Khalif Wyatt gets hot, this team has Elite Eight potential.

GU - Otto Porter is a legitimate Big East POY candidate, but he'll need some help from Markel Starks and the return of Greg Whittington to make a run in the tournament.


Dayton, OH Pod

5 - Miami (FL)
vs.
12 - Belmont/Iowa State

The U - The Hurricanes have rallied after losing Reggie Johnson (should return in time for the NCAAs), guided by Jim Larranaga and the surprising play of Julian Gamble.

BU/ISU - The Bruins have been knocking on the door for years and with excellent backcourt production from Ian Clark and Kerron Johnson, this may be the year Rick Byrd gets that first W in the Big Dance. All five Cyclone starters average double digits with Will Clyburn leading the way at 14.3 ppg.

4 - Butler
vs.
13 - Akron

BU - Roteni Clarke has been the super transfer he was built up to be, leading the Bulldogs in scoring and canning threes at a 44% clip. 

AKR - Defensive stopper Zeke Marshall needs to channel his inner Kyle O'Quinn to spur an upset.



Dayton, OH Pod

6 - Illinois
vs.
11 - Memphis

Ill. - After a hot start, including wins over Butler, Gonzaga and Ohio State, the Illini have hit a wall and need Brandon Paul to find his shooting stroke.

Mem - Per usual, Josh Pastner has a young and talented team trying to find it's identity. If they peak at the right time they could be a Sweet 16 darling.

3 - Ohio State
vs.
14 - Iona

OSU - The Buckeyes lost to Duke and Illinois on the road and Kansas at home. All of those losses are forgivable after watching them shut down the Wolverines in Columbus on Sunday.

Iona - The last time a MAAC team took on Ohio State in Dayton? 2009, when Siena dropped the Buckeyes 74-72 in double OT. Momo Jones and Sean Armand have the game to pull an upset.


Philadelphia, PA Pod

7 - UCLA
vs.
10 - Kentucky

UCLA - Winners of nine straight, the Bruins just cracked the top-25. They're finally settling into their roles with Shabazz Muhammad as the focal point of their attack, pouring in 18.2 ppg.

UK - Defensively, potential is becoming reality with Noel transforming into a game changer on that end. Wiltjer can't have nights like he did against A&M (0 pts) if they want to make a run this year.

2 - Syracuse
vs.
15 - Northeastern

Cuse - The Orange have great offensive versatility thanks to the play of Michael Carter-Williams. His consistency (2.64 AST/TO) makes them a safe bet for a deep run.

NE - The Huskies have played in a lot of close games this year, posting a 5-2 record in games decided by five points or less.


Midwest Region (Indianapolis, IN)


Lexington, KY Pod

1 - Michigan
vs.
16 - Southern/Bryant

UM - The Wolverines are loaded with perimeter playmakers and if Mitch McGary can give them quality minutes on the block, they could head into the Big Dance as the prohibitive favorite.

SU/BU - Southern's freshman shooting guard, Malcolm Miller (17.1ppg, 50% from 3), is a hidden treasure. Bryant is the class of the feisty NEC and feature three players who average more than 14 ppg.

8 - Oklahoma State
vs.
9 - Boise State

OKSt - The Cowboys may have the best freshman in the country with Marcus Smart stuffing stats sheets all over the Midwest. If Le'Bryan Nash can improve they may be able to put a scare in a top seed.

BSU - Welcome back Derrick Marks! Fresh off suspension, the Broncos leading scorer now has the opportunity to give the BCS busters their first NCAA tournament victory.


Austin, TX Pod

5 - Missouri
vs.
12 - BYU

Mizz - When Mizzou ups the tempo and has Flip Pressey wheeling and dealing, this team is nearly unstoppable offensively.

BYU - The combo of Haws and Davies isn't as flashy as the Jimmer Show from a few years back, but they are capable of teaming up for 40 points and 15 rebounds any night.

4 - New Mexico
vs.
13 - Stephen F. Austin

NM - The Lobos are boasting three top-25 wins and Alex Kirk, their sophomore seven footer, is looking like a difference maker at the five.

SFA - The Lumberjacks have a phenomenal power forward named Taylor Smith who went for 14 points, 7 rips and 4 blocks during an upset of Oklahoma. He's a poor man's Kenneth Faried.


Kansas City, MO Pod

6 - Cincinnati
vs.
11 - Baylor

UC - This team is solid with quality guard play from Kilpatrick and Wright, but are they good or great? We'll find out with back-to-back games against ranked opponents on the horizon (#25 Marq, #6 Cuse).

BU - This team has the talent at every position to make the second weekend, but they need Pierre Jackson to take over like he did in their early season win over BC (31 pts, 7 asts).

3 - Creighton
vs.
14 - Princeton

CU - Doug McDermott is making a strong push for the Naismith, scoring 70 points during their last two wins.

PU - Like their predecessors, this Princeton team shares the basketball well (15 apg). Ian Hummer is the kind of tweener the Ivy loves.


Auburn Hills, MI Pod

7 - Colorado
vs.
10 - Pittsburgh

CU - The bad break against Arizona hurt, but that won't keep them from the tournament this year. They're really good on the glass, thanks to André Robinson's 11.8 rebounds per game.

Pitt - This Pitt team seems like it could grind out a win or two in March, having nearly upset Michigan on a neutral floor earlier this year. Tray Woodall is the key with the slowly improving New Zealand import, Steven Adams, as the wildcard.

2 - Indiana
vs.
15 - Detroit Mercy

IU - Zeller has been too passive during their two losses, taking only 24 shots combined in those defeats. He's a star, he needs to demand the ball.

DM - Former McDonald's All-American Ray McCallum is leading a team that nearly clipped St. John's and Syracuse on the road. They have the firepower to put a scare into a high seed.

West Region (Los Angeles, CA)


Salt Lake City, UT Pod

1- Kansas
vs.
16 - Florida Gulf Coast

KU - The Ben McLemore ankle scare goes to show just how reliant this team is on a kid who has only played 16 college games. Luckily they can shred the Big XII with or without him.

FGCU - The Eagles knocked off a solid Miami (FL) team and were tied with St. John's at the half in Queens back in November.

8 - Wisconsin
vs.
9 - Oklahoma

UW - Bo Ryan knows exactly how to slow the tempo and if this last week has been any indication he can dictate tempo to the top teams.

OU - The Sooners can hold a lead, shooting 75% from the charity stripe as a team.


San Jose, CA Pod

5 - San Diego State
vs.
12 - Saint Louis

SDSU - Jamaal Franklin is such a good passer, he can throw himself alley-oops. He's must watch TV. 

STL - Kwamain Mitchell is slowly getting his legs back after fracturing his foot in the preseason, but he's the lynchpin of this Billikens squad and will determine how far they go in the postseason.

4 - NC State
vs.
13 - Louisiana Tech

NCSt - This is the best shooting team in the country (53% FG) and they haven't lost since they dropped a tight one with Michigan back in November. Watch out for the Pack.

LT - A Downy soft schedule makes it difficult to evaluate the Bulldogs. One thing is clear, they can force turnovers, with 9 steals per game to their credit.


San Jose, CA Pod

3 - Gonzaga
vs.
14 - South Dakota State

Zaga - This may be Mark Few's deepest team with ten players averaging double digit minutes per night. They can light it up with anyone, scoring over 80 points per game.

SDSU - Nate Wolters is one upset away from legendary status. The senior from St. Cloud, MN, is exactly why the NCAA tournament is the most exciting event in sports, he could drop 40 and ruin brackets coast-to-coast. 

6 - UNLV
vs.
11 - Texas A&M

LV - The Rebs treaded water with Mike Moser out of the line-up. Now that he's back this team could make a deep run. Anthony Bennett is a lottery pick in the making.

A&M - Elston Turner went berserk against UK last week, dropping 40 on the defending champs. If he plays like that in the tourney, they can beat anyone.


Lexington, KY Pod

7 - Michigan State
vs.
10 - Wyoming

MSU - Picking against Izzo isn't wise. This team has shown what they're capable of already, with an early season victory over Kansas.

WYO - The Cowboys, behind a salty defense (54 ppg), have come from the back of the pack to threaten SDSU, UNLV and New Mexico for the MW regular season crown.

2 - Arizona
vs.
15 - Weber State

AZ - Mark Lyons has embraced a leadership role since the calendar flipped to 2013. He's averaging 18 pts and 4 asts per game in the new year.

WB - Scott Bamforth is one of the best three point shooters in the country, nailing 43% of his long range heaves.


South Region (Arlington, TX)


Kansas City, MO Pod

1 - Louisville
vs.
16 - Cal State Fullerton

UL - If Gorgui Dieng can return to pre-injury form, this team has the goods. The Siva-Smith backcourt is reminiscent of the 2002 Maryland backcourt that featured Steve Blake and Juan Dixon.

CSF - They have the backcourt punch, providing by D.J. Seeley and Kwame Vaughn, to hang around in a shootout. They're third nationally in scoring and are deadly from long range, draining nine 3-pointers a game.

8 - Marquette
vs.
9 - Ole Miss

MU - Buzz Williams hasn't found a replacement for all-world forward Jae Crowder, but he has a talented backcourt that can score in bunches.

Miss - Murphy Holloway has gone bananas since SEC play began, averaging 16 pts, 9 rebounds and nearly 3 steals per game. No coincidence Ole Miss is off to a 3-0 start in conference play.


Salt Lake City, UT Pod

5 - Notre Dame
vs.
12 - Bucknell/Colorado State

ND - Between Jack Cooley delivering rebounds and Eric Atkins dishing out assists, this is one of the most consistent teams in the field.

BU/CSU - Bucknell's Mike Muscala is the fantasy player of the year averaging nearly 20-and-11 a game. A showdown with CSU's big, Colton Iverson, would be a great way to start the tournament.

4 - Virginia Commonwealth
vs.
13 - Middle Tennessee State

VCU - The "havoc" defense. Shaka Smart. A vaunted defensive strategy that strikes full court fear into opponents' hearts. Sounds like one of Pitino's Kentucky teams.

MT - The underrated Blue Raiders knocked off two SEC teams in non-conference play, besting Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.


Austin, TX Pod

6 - Kansas State
vs.
11 - North Carolina

KSU - They've gone big game hunting with a Gator head on their wall already. Rodney McGruder isn't their whole team, but when he elevates his game, the whole team follows his lead.

UNC - The Tarheels don't have the talent to simply roll the balls out and expect victory. They'll need to gel in the next two months if they want to make any noise in the tournament.

3 - Minnesota
vs.
14 - Davidson

MN - This is the best Gopher team in a decade and Tubby Smith's best team since he was coaching in Lexington. They can score, defend and rebound well enough to start dreaming of a Final Four.

DU - An experienced front court is the Wildcats' strength. Just don't expect any Steph Curry miracles from this bunch.


Auburn Hills, MI Pod

7 - Wichita State
vs.
10 - Oregon

WSU - Cleanthony Early and Carl Hall have the size and skill to bully any front court come March. They team up for nearly 30 pts and 13 rebs a game.

OU - The Ducks not only knocked off Arizona at home, they even came to play three days later and held off a pesky ASU team. Arsalan Kazemi has been the tough-as-nails glue guy that they've been missing.

2 - Florida
vs.
15 - Stony Brook

UF - This is a classic Billy Donovan team. They're deep, eight players average 15 minutes or more a game. They spread around the scoring, four players average double digits. And they can shoot from distance, 38% from three as a team.

SB - Jameel Warney is one of the nation's best freshman, leading the Seawolves in points and blocked shots.