Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Prospects for OSU & Michigan Three upset picks

Three tourney players to watchThree tourney players to watchThree tourney players to watchThree potential champs

Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Prospects for OSU & Michigan

Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Let the games begin!Prospects for OSU & Michigan

Three tourney players to watchThree tourney players to watchThree tourney players to watchThree tourney players to watch

Ohio State’sJae’Sean Tate

Duke’sMarvin Bagley III

Michigan State’sMiles Bridges

Michigan’sMuhammad-AliAbdur-Rahkman

1. Virginia: The Cavaliers have the country’s best defense, and it isn’t close. Arizona could be looming in the Sweet 16, but this is Virginia’s clearest path to � nally making the Final Four under coach Tony Bennett.

2. Purdue: The Boilermakers are very well-rounded, boasting veterans, shoot-ers, ball-handling, and two capable 7-footers. Purdue has a rough road to San Antonio, but this team is built for the tournament.

3. Duke: The Blue Devils are one of two teams in the top 10 in both adjusted offensive and defensive ef� ciency. The other, Michigan State, might be their Sweet 16 opponent. The winner just might be the overall champion.

A potentially tricky second-round matchup with underseeded No. 6 Houston aside, the Wolverines’ end-of-season run did wonders. The West Region has the worst defensive 2 seed in North Carolina and the weakest No. 1 seed in Xavier. If Michigan plays as it did in the Big Ten tournament, it’s a legitimate Final Four team.

Fifth-seeded Ohio State has an uphill climb to survive the � rst week-end. No. 12 South Dakota State is dangerous — the Jackrabbits shot 40 percent from 3 and led the country in defensive rebounding — and so is No. 4 Gonzaga, which dismantled OSU earlier this season. There certainly have been easier roads to the Sweet 16.

1. Loyola Chicago (11) over Miami (6): The Ramblers have the sec-ond-best defense of any midmajor team, and they’re one spot behind Miami in RPI. Loyola very well could be the double-digit seed who makes the Sweet 16.

2. Marshall (13) over Wichita State (4): The Thundering Herd play fast, and they’re meeting a Shockers team with a mediocre defense. This will be a fun, high-scoring game, which is right up Marshall’s alley.

3. West Virginia (5) over Villanova (1): Only a handful of teams can guard Villanova. West Virginia, with Jevon Carter at point guard, is one of them. And the Mountaineers’ 14th-ranked offense can keep pace with anyone — if the team survives a dreaded 5-12 game � rst.

1. Trevon Bluiett, Xavier: The Musketeers’ guard is one of the top shooters in America, and Xavier will lean on him in every big moment. No contending team relies on its star like Xavier does with Bluiett.

2. Miles Bridges, Michigan State: Bridges is the type of player who can win the tourney’s most outstanding player award. When Bridges is scoring in different ways, MSU is a title contender.

3. Mike Daum, South Dakota State: Ohio State’s � rst-round opponent averages 23.8 points and 10.4 rebounds. He’s a 30-point game — and a cult hero — waiting to happen.

TEXT BY NICHOLAS PIOTROWICZ

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