South regional

North Carolina

Overall: 28-4 Conf: 13-3 RPI: 3 Last 10: 8-2

Players to watch: Tyler Hansbrough, 6-9 F, 21.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg; Ty Lawson, 5-11 G, 15.9 ppg, 6.5 apg; Wayne Ellington, 6-4 G, 15.2 ppg.

Trouble spot: Allowed average of 84.5 points in its losses. Point guard Lawson missed ACC tournament with an injured toe.

Lowdown: The pick of many, they need a healthy Lawson. Occasional defensive woes puts pressure on offense. Loads of talent, but envision regional final or semifinal loss.

Radford

Overall: 21-11 Conf: 15-3 RPI: 132 Last 10: 9-1

Players to watch: Artisom Parakhouski, 6-11 C, 16.3 ppg, 11.2 rpg; Kenny Thomas, 6-3 G, 14.8 ppg.

Trouble spot: No wins that would indicate a chance for an upset, although Highlanders lost by just two at Virginia.

Lowdown: The Big South champions have won 12 of past 13. The 260-pound Parakhouski played junior college basketball in Idaho. Team's first trip to the NCAA tournament in 11 years. No chance to advance.

Approx. 11:50 a.m. Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.

Oklahoma

Overall: 27-5 Conf: 13-3 RPI: 5 Last 10: 6-4

Players to watch: Blake Griffin, 6-10 F, 21.9 ppg, 14.3 rpg; Willie Warren, 6-4 G, 14.7 ppg.

Trouble spot: What happens to the Sooners if Griffin gets in foul trouble?

Lowdown: Griffin carried the Sooners to an incredible year and it's not unheard of for a freshman superstar to carry his team to a title (think Syracuse and Carmelo Anthony). Not convinced he has enough of a supporting cast. Expecting no more than Sweet 16.

Morgan State

Overall: 23-11 Conf: 13-3 RPI: 130 Last 10: 9-1

Players to watch: Reggie Holmes, 6-4 G, 16.9 ppg; Marquise Kately, 6-4 F, 11.0 ppg.

Trouble spot: Poor shooting (42.2 FG, 65 percent FT).

Lowdown: Coach Todd Bozeman and the Golden Bears played a tough nonleague schedule, winning at DePaul and losing at Washington, Utah, Maryland and Saint Mary's. Winners of 13 of past 14 games, but that momentum will come to abrupt stop for Mid-Eastern champions.

Approx. 6:40 p.m. Thursday in Kansas City

Syracuse

Overall: 26-9 Conf: 11-7 RPI: 12 Last 10: 8-2

Players to watch: Jonny Flynn, 6-0 G, 17.5 ppg, 6.7 apg; Eric Devendorf, 6-4 G, 15.9 ppg.

Trouble spot: Fourteenth in Big East in FT percentage (63.9 percent) and 15th among 16 teams in turnovers (15.3 per game).

Lowdown: Nice run in Big East tournament, but tough times since the national title in 2003. Didn't reach tournament past two years and ousted in the first round in 2005 and 2006. Could be ousted before Sweet 16.

Stephen F. Austin

Overall: 24-7 Conf: 13-3 RPI: 74 Last 10: 9-1.

Players to watch: Matt Kingsley, 6-9 C, 16.3 ppg; Josh Alexander, 6-4 F, 14.6 ppg.

Trouble spot: First tournament appearance, they haven't played any opponent as good as Syracuse.

Lowdown: Southland champions beat tournament entrant North Dakota State 112-111 despite allowing Ben Woodside to score 60 points. Won by two at Drake, but were routed on the road by Texas Tech and Arkansas. Good enough to stay close for a half.

9:15 a.m. Friday in Miami

Gonzaga

Overall: 26-5 Conf: 14-0 RPI: 26 Last 10: 9-1

Players to watch: Josh Heytvelt, 6-11 F, 14.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg; Matt Bouldin, 6-5 G, 13.7 ppg; Austin Daye, 6-10 F, 12.9 ppg, 6.9 ppg;.

Trouble spot: Had trouble late in games while losing four of five heading into conference play. Vulnerable inside.

Lowdown: This might be Gonzaga's most talented team. Zags are capable of an Elite Eight run or better, but just as apt to have an early flameout, which has become the norm for Mark Few's teams.

Akron

Overall: 23-12 Conf: 10-6 RPI: 99 Last 10: 7-3

Players to watch: Brett McKnight, 6-6 F, 11.4 ppg; Nate Linhart, 6-8 F, 10.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg.

Trouble spot: Lack of NCAA tournament experience. Last trip was 23 years ago.

Lowdown: Eleven players average at least 13 minutes. Lost by 21 to Pittsburgh, but only lost by four to Dayton. Zips allowed more than 70 points five times. Expect Mid-American champs to keep it relatively close in a first-round loss.

4:25 p.m. Thursday in Portland

Illinois

Overall: 24-9 Conf: 11-7 RPI: 22 Last 10: 6-4

Players to watch: Demitri McCamey, 6-3 G, 11.5 ppg, 4.6 apg; Mike Davis, 6-9 F, 11.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg; Mike Tisdale, 7-1 C, 10.5 ppg.

Trouble spot: Averaged 34.5 points in losses to Penn State and Minnesota.

Lowdown: Big Ten seems down this season and can't see any team from this conference reaching Elite Eight. Illini averaged just 64.6 points. Top three players are sophomores so next season might be better. Look for a loss in the opener.

W. Kentucky

Overall: 9-1 Conf: 15-3 RPI: 43 Last 10: 9-1

Players to watch: AJ Slaughter, 6-3 G, 15.8 ppg; Orlando Mendes-Valdes, 6-1 G, 14.0 ppg, 4.0 apg.

Trouble spot: Not a lot of depth. Only six players average more than 11.1 minutes.

Lowdown: The Sun Belt champion Hilltoppers made Sweet 16 last season, but lost four starters off that squad. Slaughter and Mendes-Valdes were key reserves last season. The 14-point win over Louisville sure looks nice. Don't take lightly.

Approx. 6:55 p.m. Thursday in Portland

Arizona State

Overall: 24-9 Conf: 11-7 RPI: 31 Last 10: 6-4

Players to watch: James Harden, 6-5 G, 20.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.2 apg; Jeff Pendergraph, 6-9 F, 14.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg.

Trouble spot: Sun Devils haven't been to the tournament since 2003, so you wonder how they might react on the big stage. Harden can't have an off night.

Lowdown: They play good enough defense to stay close against any team. Very-well coached by Herb Sendek, but probably a scorer shy of making a long run.

Temple

Overall: 22-11 Conf: 11-5 RPI: 30 Last 10: 8-2

Players to watch: Dionte Christmas, 6-5 G, 19.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg; Lavoy Allen, 6-9 F, 10.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg.

Trouble spot: One-time power hasn't won an NCAA tournament game since 2001.

Lowdown: Second straight year in tournament after a six-year absence. Some nice wins for Atlantic-10 tournament champions. Christmas is a dynamic player. Owls holding opponents to 40.3 percent shooting. Don't underestimate.

Approx. 11:45 a.m. Friday in Miami

Clemson

Overall: 23-8 Conf: 9-7 RPI: 28 Last 10: 4-6.

Players to watch: Trevor Booker, 6-7 F/C, 15.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg; K.C. Rivers 6-5 G/F, 14.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg; Terrence Oglesby 6-2 G, 13.5 ppg.

Trouble spot: Tigers shaky at the foul line (68.4 percent), and sputtered to the finish.

Lowdown: Tigers beat teams they were supposed to, going 14-0 vs. a soft nonconference slate. Not real competitive against the top teams in ACC. One or two wins at best.

Michigan

Overall: 20-13 Conf: 9-9 RPI: 44 Last 10: 5-5

Players to watch: Manny Harris, 6-5 G, 16.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 4.4 apg; DeShawn Sims, 6-8 F, 15.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg.

Trouble spot: Shooting 42.7 percent from field to opponents' 43.8.

Lowdown: How did they go 9-9 in Big 10 after being outshot, outrebounded and outscored? The Wolverines had a nice nonconference win over UCLA, but were mediocre in a weak conference. Can't see them making it out of the first round.

4:10 p.m. Thursday in Kansas City

LSU

Overall: 26-7 Conf: 13-3 RPI: 37 Last 10: 7-3

Players to watch: Marcus Thornton, 6-4 G, 20.7 ppg; Tasmin Michell, 6-7 F, 16.3 ppg.

Trouble spot: The SEC is not what it was a few years ago. Lost by combined 41 against the two best nonconference foes (Utah and Texas A&M).

Lowdown: So this is why Trent Johnson left Stanford for this coaching job. Seemed odd at the time, with LSU on a downward spiral, but Johnson did a great job with this club. Season likely to end in the first round.

Butler

Overall: 26-5 Conf: 11-5 RPI: 24 Last 10: 5-5

Players to watch: Matt Howard, 6-8 F, 14.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg; Gordon Hayward, 13.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg.

Trouble spot: Team is very young, with three freshman and a sophomore in the starting lineup.

Lowdown: Sixth trip to tournament this decade and Bulldogs have won at least one game the past four trips. Team had to almost completely rebuild after 32-win season in '08. A year away from a prolonged run.

9:20 a.m. Thursday in Greensboro, N.C.