EAST REGIONAL
At Syracuse, N.Y.
No. 2 West Virginia vs. No. 11 Washington, 5:27 p.m.
The line: West Virginia by 5 1/2.
Records: West Virginia, 28-6. Washington, 26-9.
The buzz: This one is all about tempo. Washington must have a fast pace or the Huskies have no chance. They will struggle to score in half-court sets against a physical and aggressive WVU defense, whether the Mountaineers are playing zone or man. WVU must play without starting point guard Darryl Bryant, who has a broken foot, so that helps Washington. Bryant was inconsistent offensively, but he was a good ball handler and solid defender. Washington’s pressure defense can be tough to deal with and without Bryant, WVU is going to need Joe Mazzulla to handle the bulk of the ball-handling duties. Watch Washington’s point total for an idea of the outcome; if it gets above 75, the Huskies have a great shot at pulling an upset.
The key individual: Washington senior forward Quincy Pondexter didn’t get enough national attention during the regular season, but he can force people to notice him with a big game against WVU’s deep frontcourt. Pondexter must be active in the paint and hit some long-range shots.
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 12 Cornell, 7:57 p.m.
The line: Kentucky by 9.
Records: Kentucky, 34-2. Cornell, 29-4.
The buzz: Cornell easily handled the tough defenses of Temple and Wisconsin. Frankly, Kentucky doesn’t put as much emphasis on defense as those two. Conversely, those two don’t have nearly the offensive firepower Kentucky possesses. Cornell’s Jeff Foote is adept at finding the open man out of the low post. Cornell is going to have problems keeping Kentucky guards John Wall and Eric Bledsoe out of the lane. Wall and Bledsoe are good passers and both also can finish at the rim. Cornell should have some offensive success, but it’s hard to see the Big Red holding Kentucky under 75 points — bad news for Cornell.
The key individual: Keep an eye on Foote, a 7-footer. He can’t allow himself to be overwhelmed by Kentucky’s size. Foote has to at least provide a semblance of offense, which would give Cornell’s strong perimeter shooters some space. Defensively, he must avoid fouls. His size is an impediment to opposing offenses.
WEST REGIONAL
At Salt Lake City
No. 1 Syracuse vs. No. 5 Butler, 5:07 p.m.
The line: Syracuse by 6 1/2.
Records: Syracuse, 30-4. Butler, 30-4.
The buzz: Syracuse likely will play without starting center Arinze Onuaku (quadriceps), but the Orange didn’t have any issues defensively against high-powered Gonzaga without him. Butler presents some different concerns, though. Unlike Gonzaga, Butler will try to force a slow pace. There’s no way the Bulldogs can run with Syracuse and survive. Syracuse was held under 70 points just three times this season and the Orange lost twice (to Louisville both times). The other game was a 59-57 win at DePaul when the Blue Demons gagged down the stretch. Conversely, if Syracuse controls the pace, Butler is in trouble. The Bulldogs allowed 70 points just three times this season and lost all three (Minnesota, Clemson and Georgetown).
The key individual: Butler swingman Gordon Hayward has NBA- type talent and it must come to the fore against Syracuse, a powerhouse program. Hayward is 6-9 but weighs only 207 pounds. He has 3-point range and a solid midrange game and also is a top-notch passer.
No. 2 Kansas State vs. No. 6 Xavier, 7:37 p.m.
The line: Kansas State by 5.
Records: Kansas State, 28-7. Xavier, 26-8.
The buzz: Both have good backcourts and inconsistent frontcourts. Xavier is the better offensive team, but Kansas State is much tougher defensively. While K-State’s guards take good care of the ball, the Wildcats’ big men are sloppy. The Musketeers will take advantage of turnovers and score in transition. K-State averages almost 80 points, but in some respects the Wildcats would be better-served to slow it down a bit and try to get Xavier into a half- court game — where the Musketeers can bog down. Both teams enjoy nice rebounding advantages over their opponents, so board work is going to be important.
The key individual: Xavier point guard Terrell Holloway is playing a big role for the Musketeers. He struggled last season as a freshman but has grown into the job this season. He has 3-point range, but he’s much more effective when he’s driving to the basket. He’s adept at drawing contact and is money at the free-throw line (an 85 percent shooter).
Mike Huguenin, Rivals.com
