TEAM TO BEAT: Houston. Houston has looked like the best team in the nation at times. They're a tough defensive unit and if Marcus Sasser is healthy then this team certainly can win the entire thing. TEAM THAT WILL WIN THE REGION: Houston. Sure, they've spent the bulk of the last two months playing AAC competition, but they have a fairly open path to the Final Four where ... well, I will get to that later.
TEAM TO WATCH FOR (LESS THAN A NO. 3 SEED): Texas A&M. This team can shoot the basketball, which is typically a recipe for creating an upset. If they can dispose of Penn State, they'll get that old rivalry game against Texas. From there, is there anyone in the bottom of the Midwest bracket that scares them? No.
YOUR CINDERELLA: Drake. This team is filled with seniors, with the lone non-senior at the top of their rotation is the coach's son. Tucker DeVries is that guy that sparks Cinderella runs and the Missouri Valley Conference has had a history of doing well in the NCAA tournament.
WORST SEEDING ERROR: Texas A&M. How does a team that finished second in the SEC regular season and runner-up in the SEC tournament (both to top overall seed Alabama) get a No. 7 seed? Sure, their non-conference schedule was bleh, but look what you've done in one of the top conferences in the nation.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Auburn. In the region, it will be Auburn, and it is a mistake by the Selection Committee. Auburn spends the first weekend in Birmingham, which is a two hour drive from campus. The fact that they are a No. 9 seed and playing essentially a home game against No. 8 seed Iowa is wrong. If the Tigers win, they'll play at home against Houston, the top seed. That's pretty egregious. If Houston advances to the Final Four, they'll get to play at home in Houston, so getting out of this region would be a huge advantage for the Cougars.
MUST WATCH GAME: Iowa vs Auburn. Iowa's offense vs Auburn's defense in front of what should be a partisan crowd in Birmingham. And in typical 8-9 fashion, both teams are so up and down that you have no idea what to expect before or during the game.
MUST WATCH (POTENTIAL) SECOND ROUND GAME: Texas vs Texas A&M. Two longtime rivals who had an acrimonious split when Texas A&M left Texas behind for the SEC. In two years, Texas will also join the SEC and will steal the Aggies thunder. These two met just twice since 2012 and both were at neutral sites, just like Des Moines will be.
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