North Carolina

It's stated all the time this season. Guard play makes all the difference in the NCAA tournament, and to be honest it's hard to argue with that statement. So who are some of the top guard groups in this year's field? Here are 12 below along with a few superlatives. Not all of the usual suspects make the list, but try not to automatically dismiss the less heralded names either. 

South Region 

.pdf bracket

How the Midwest Region shakes out will ultimately be determined by the John Henson's left wrist, which he injured on a hard fall in their quarterfinal win over Maryland on Friday. North Carolina has said that the junior big man is ready to go this week, and to be fair it was better to give Henson the two days to heal as opposed to put him at risk to reinjury.

Who will make the deepest runs in the 2012 NCAA Tournament? Who will flop early? Which players will shine? Alongside of CollegeHoops.net's Official Prediction, our crack staff of college basketball gurus presents their March Madness picks.

 

Duke

Kansas

Kentucky

Michigan St

Missouri

North Carolina

Ohio St

Syracuse

3 Seed (Baylor, Florida St, Georgetown, Marquette)

4 Seed Or Below

Player of the Year Anthony Davis, only a freshman, highlights CollegeHoops.net's 2012 All-America Team. Davis, the nation's leading shot-blocker, led Kentucky to a 30-1 regular season record. Davis is joined on the First Team by Thomas Robinson of Kansas, Draymond Green of Michigan State, Doug McDermott of Creighton, and Isaiah Canaan of Murray State.

 

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for CollegeHoops.net's weekly awards by Greg Mengelt.

 

Last week CHN writer Jon Teitel unvelied part one of his CollegeHoops.net All-Conference selections, featuring the fourteen conferences that begain conference tournament play at that time. The final seventeen teams are here, with the Player of the Year in each league in italics.