Love/Hate Part I - Brian

This is going to be my initial love/hate column regarding the NCAA tournament. Once the brackets come out, some teams may get favorable or unfavorable match-ups, and I may rearrange some teams when that time comes. However, as of now...

Love: Big Ten
What is not to love about the 4 Big Ten teams going? Ohio State (in my humble opinion) has a legit shot at winning it all. If they can keep their top six healthy, they have one of the best shots. Evan Turner is hands down the best player in college right now, and he has the innate ability to carry this team. He knows when to score and when to pass. He is a leader. He can make it happen for this Buckeyes team. Purdue may have lost Hummel, but they are still a formidable squad. I still think they have to potential to make it to the Sweet 16, especially if Johnson catches fire. A Bo Ryan coached team (Wisconsin) always has a chance to make some noise, and don't bet against them in the first or second round. Then there is Michigan State. They didn't play up to expectations (started the season #2), but they have one of the few coaches in the game who can make a team play exponentially better in March. Plus, they have Kailin Lucas, who has the ability to take over games and make game winning shots.

Hate: Big 12
Aside from Kansas, I don't trust the Big 12 teams. I think Kansas State is going in as the most overrated teams in the tournament. Think twice before you put them beyond the Sweet 16. Texas has incredible talent, but can't piece it together. Don't expect it to happen now, especially when the have had all season to do so, and have failed. Missouri, Baylor, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State are all good teams, but not great ones. Don't expect them to go very far, as one or two might not even make it out of the first round.

Love: Atlantic 10
They may not be powerhouse teams, but nobody is expecting anything great for them, which is key. These teams will surprise a few people, with Temple being a great team hidden away in a mid-major conference. Xavier is still on track to make some noise, even after losing their coach to Arizona (how is that going for Sean Miller?). Richmond started slow but has finished strong, making a case for a decent seed, and a chance to be a giant killer. Bubble teams like Rhode Island, Charlotte, and Dayton have the talent to win a game or two if they make it into the field.

Hate: Pac-10
The Pac-10 will probably only get one team into the tournament, and two if they get lucky. What is this showing us? That the conference has had a really down year, and its champion is still going to be a weak team. Conference leader Cal probably won't make it unless it wins the Pac-10 tournament, which is the same for every other team. The only team I might take past round 1 would be Washington, but they definitely need to win the Pac-10 tournament to go dancing. When a power conference doesn't really have any bubble teams, you probably shouldn't bet on them (SEC last year, for example).