The NCAA's Sour 16- Ain't Nothing Sweet About It: WEST

WEST Region:

Syracuse: The Orange are a tough bunch to figure out. Their biggest and best low post presence, Arinze Onuaku, could be out for the rest of the tournament, or, he could be back for the Elite Eight. But Jim Boeheim is preparing his boys for the worst. And Wes Johnson, Andy Rautins, and Scoop Jardine are going to bring their A-game regardless of whether or not their premier big man suits up. Johnson took over Cuse’s round two game against Gonzaga, going off for 31 points, 14 rebounds, and zero turnovers. In round one against Vermont, the balanced attack of the Orange put away the Catamounts early. Nonetheless, If Syracuse wants Onuaku to play again this season, they first have to take care of a pesky mid major Butler team. But if the big man comes back strong, look for the Orange to make a serious run at the National Championship.

Butler: In his third season as head coach of the Bulldogs, 33 year old Brad Stevens has already left his mark on the college game. Over a three year young coaching career, Stevens has achieved a record of 84-14, a .86 winning percentage. The two-time Horizon league tournament champ has taken his dog and pony show to the big stage, and with star forward Gordon Hayward leading the way, Stevens has his sights set on Indianapolis. But first the Bulldogs have to get by Syracuse, and despite a convincing win over UTEP in round one, unknown Murray State gave Butler a run for its money before losing by two. Assuming Arinze Onuaku does not play, Stevens’s squad has a shot. But they are going to have to penetrate Cuse’s zone defense to perfection to have a chance at the Elite Eight, let alone the Final Four.

Xavier: This will be Xavier’s third consecutive trip to the round of sixteen, and after a convincing win versus Minnesota and a strong showing against Big East beast Pittsburgh, they showed they belong. 27 points from Jordan Crawford (who is best known for dunking over LeBron James this summer), along with the 14 points and 8 rebounds from center Jason Love proved the underwhelming power of the Atlantic 10 Conference and propelled the Musketeers to the Sweet 16 once again. The question remains, is Xavier ready to show that they can match up with the nation’s elite teams?

Kansas State: The chinstrap is back my friends, thanks to Wildcats Junior point guard Jacob Pullen. K-State’s scoring leader at almost 19 a game, Pullen is an extension of Coach Frank Martin on the court, as a true floor leader. Along with fellow guard Denis Clemente, the Wildcats have a very talented backcourt to go along with powerful forward and Bronx native Curtis Kelly. If Pullen and Clemente’s shots are falling, Kansas State is an extremely dangerous opponent. They have a very good chance of reaching Indianapolis if they can get by the Musketeers first.