Midwest Region

No. 1 Louisville Cardinals

vs.

No. 12 Arizona Wildcats

6:07 p.m. in Indianapolis, IN

About Louisville: This edition of the Cardinals has coach Rick Pitino’s fingerprints all over it. As they work their way to a Big East Championship in the regular season and in the tournament, and toward securing the top overall seed for this tournament, Louisville is lacking a star player. However, they more than make up for it with defensive pressure that forces nine steals per game and is allowing less than 62 points per game in the guard-filled Big East. Earl Clark is listed as a 6-foot-9 guard/forward on the roster — and his NBA-built frame and shooting ability could cause problems to an inside-out Arizona squad.

About Arizona: To call this 12-seed a “Cinderella” would be a disservice to 25 straight tournament bids and a National Title, but their road to advance just got a whole lot tougher. The Wildcats are led by forwards Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger, each averaging 18 points per game this season, but have been held back by young and erratic depth. This is definitely a star-led team, with guard Nic Wise complementing Hill and Budinger, but going up against Louisville — the most balanced attack in the country — will be a gauntlet of a test for the young Cats.

Matchup to Watch:

Rick Pitino (UL) 551 Career Wins, 14 NCAA Tournament Appearances, 5 Final Four’s

vs.

Russ Pennell (UA) 21 Career Wins, “Born into a basketball family”

The mafioso-dressed full-court genius against the former radio analyst turned interim court should prove to be the key to Friday night’s game.

Pitino could get a fat-camp basketball team to force turnovers and wear down opponents. Pennell has gone from Arizona State talking head, to Arizona assistant, to the penthouse, to taking over Lute Olson’s squad of NBA-ready self-minded players.

No. 2 Michigan State Spartans

vs.

No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks

8:37 p.m. in Indianapolis, IN

About Michigan State: The Big Ten’s regular season champions put down Robert Morris and Southern Cal on their journey to the Sweet 16, but their no-name roster will be tested against the defending National Champions. Sophomore guard Kalin Lucas led the team with 14 points per game, and only one other player adding more than ten on the squad. The Spartans won both contests against Big 12 foes Texas and Oklahoma State this season, but Tom Izzo will need to get almost everything out of his players to advance.

About Kansas: Guard Sherron Collins has put the team on his back over the last two months of the year, surprising the nation by leading the defending National Champions’ depleted roster to a Big 12 title. Averaging 19 points and five assists per game, and a growing penchant for clutch shots, coach Bill Self has put big men and three point shooting around him in order to succeed. No one is questioning the team’s ability to reload with team-minded winners, but the Sweet 16 is a good time to test whether Self’s practices can make winners out of last year’s reserves.

Matchup to Watch:

Kalin Lucas (MSU) 14.6 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.2 a/t ratio

vs.

Sherron Collins (KU) 18.9 ppg, 5 apg, 35 mpg

Lucas has improved in every category from last year for the Spartans, but the lightning-quick point guard will need to be at his best to beat Collins to the basket and open up things in the paint for teammates.

Collins definitely has the edge in body mass and situational experience, but these two guards should be flying all over at Conseco Fieldhouse.

South Region

No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners

vs.

No. 3 Syracuse Orange

6:27 p.m. in Nashville, TN

About Oklahoma: If readers don’t know who Blake Griffin is by now, then his 28 point-13 rebound and 33 point-17 rebound efforts in the first two games of the tournament won’t impress you. The Sooners started the season 25-1, and have now gone 4-4 during the late-season run that crowns true winners. The whole team is back healthy and super-frosh Willie Warren has stopped forcing shots — but at times this team looks lost out on the court, even with all the talent wearing crimson and cream.

About Syracuse: The Orange has been as manic as a college basketball team can be, losing six out of eight in January and February, but responding with an 8-1 record in the month of March, including overtime Big East tournament wins over UConn and West Virginia. Jim Boeheim’s club has great three-point shooting, size in the middle, an Energizer Bunny in Jonny Flynn running the point, and enough swagger in their orange uniforms to make T.I. blush. Their late season drive put them in this position, and the Orange is ready to give it the best run they can.

Matchup to Watch:

Blake Griffin (OU) 22.5 ppg, 14.4 rpg, 1.2 bpg

vs.

2-3 Zone Defense (SU) 71.4 points allowed, 40.7% opposing FG, 5.2 team bpg

Can anyone stop, or even slow down Blake Griffin? Syracuse hopes the solution to that problem is their zone defense, and length down in the post.

Oklahoma guards will need to bring their shooting-stroke to the arena,s Griffin will likely be facing double-teams all night. The Orange has the help of 6-foot-9, 275 pound Arinze Onuaku in the paint, who is averaging half of Griffin’s stats this season, but if a he gets in foul trouble and Griffin can stay out of it — this could get ugly.

No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels (30-4)

vs.

No. 4 Gonzaga Bulldogs (28-5)

8:57 p.m. in Nashville, TN

About North Carolina: The Tar Heels haven’t yet been tested in this tournament, and with point guard Ty Lawson’s return in the second round game, they looked like the team they were supposed to be when the pre-season predictions were made. Scoring a ridiculous 90 points per game, the Heels have shown they are vulnerable when their opponent gets hot and has some length coming off the bench, both of which Gonzaga is capable of doing. When they’re at full-strength, it looks like the only team that can beat UNC is UNC, but with Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green giving it one last go, the Heels shouldn’t go down without a war.

About Gonzaga: It took a last second lay-up to secure a second round victory for the Zags, but America’s everlasting underdogs haven’t surprised anyone with their solid play this season. While losses to UConn, Memphis and Arizona suggest that the Bulldogs can’t keep up with driven teams that are just as athletic as the West Coast Conference bullies, coach Mark Few has been holding the clipboard for more than a couple upsets. With three-point shooting and big, experienced guard-play, the Zags will look to provide a challenge on both ends of the court for the top-seeded Tar Heels.

Matchup to Watch:

Tyler Hansbrough (UNC) 21.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 85% FT

vs.

Josh Heytvelt (GU) 14.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 41% 3PT FG

Psycho-T will have his hands full with Gonzaga’s Heytvelt, a 6-foot-11 senior that can spread the floor and hit pull-up jumpers that will test Hansbrough’s length and limited athleticism.

On a court filled with athletic long guards and experienced tournament players, the two power forwards may be the ones that lead their teams to victory.