Then again, I don't mean to suggest that West Virginia, Xavier and Western Kentucky have no chance here. These are all great teams. As Coach Howland put it, "All that stuff about us having an easy road? That's a bunch of baloney. There's no easy road when you get to this point in the post-season. Anybody can beat anybody. That's all there is to it."

Yep, there is a reason this is called March Madness.

Here's how the field for Phoenix stacks up this weekend:

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- West Virginia, 26-10
No. 7 seed.

The Good News:
A couple of things jump out at you.
1- Most everybody in the college basketball world is loving WVU right about now because the 'Neers are the ones that eliminated Duke. So they'll have most of America behind them.
2- Coach Bob Huggins. He's got the post-season pedigree and will have his boys ready to play at their best. Plus, Hug or no Hug, this is the third time in the last four years that the Mountaineers are in the Sweet 16. Strong work boys.
3- The Mountaineers are playing their best ball of the season. WVU has won 10 of 13 and to say their on an uptick after beating Duke is an understatement. Out-rebounding the Devils by an absurd 47-27 margin? Gah! Confidence abounds.
4- Joe Alexander has become Mr. March, averaging 25 points per game in his last eight games.

The Bad News:
As Josh Herwitt said on the Lazer Show, WVU has beaten two teams that didn't have much in the inside presence department. Xavier may not have a lot either, but there's little to no chance of avoiding UCLA's inside guys. So if that matchup comes about, look for some frayed nerves on the Mountaineer inside game. Also, WV is so-so from the charity stripe, hitting just 67%. Other than Alexander (82%) and Alex Ruoff (83%), the rest of the team hits 70% or less.

Key Player:
Joe Alexander.
He's been on a hot streak down the stretch, including a double-double (24 and 11) against Duke and a 34-point performance against UConn in the Big East tournament. He's the reason this team has been on such a hot streak as well. If XU doesn't contain him right from the get-go, his hot hand and energy can easily push the Mountaineers to the finals on Saturday.

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- Xavier, 29-6
No. 3 seed.

The Good News:
Balance. Balance. Balance. That's the best news of all for the X-men. Consider that for a team that is ranked in the top 10, not one of their players averaged over 12 points a game nor did any of them make first team All A-10. Their senior guard play of Drew Lavender (5'8" in heels) and Stanley Burrell (tenacious defense) is a huge reason they're making a Final Four run. Those two, along with forwards Josh Duncan and C.J. Anderson provide the senior experience that coach Shawn Miller loves. The X led the A-10 in free throw percentage at 75%, which is always huge this time of year. has won 20 or more games in 20 of the last 25 years, so they aren't going to be intimidated.

The Bad News:
The defense doesn't apply enough pressure to please coach Miller, getting less steals than their opponents do. Still, the Musketeers are more about making you run up and down the court. Like a lot of mid-majors, the inside game isn't as strong as it needs to be. A point of concern going up against Alexander of WVU or Love of UCLA. Lavender has a knack of playing quiet at times, so he must continue his A-game like he has in the wins over Georgia and Purdue.

Key Player:
C.J. Anderson.
Coach Sean Miller called Anderson the "toughest, most physical, most fearless player on the team." He is also the best rebounder on both ends of the floor, which will come in handy against taller lineups. How he plays to compliment Derrick Brown in the blocks will be a tell-tale sign of XU's success.

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- Western Kentucky, 29-6
No. 12 seed

The Good News:
So who here thinks Tyrone Brazelton and Ty Rogers are clutch players? I see a lot of hands because we are all believers now. Brazelton has been described as the fastest player in the country, which could give the Bruin guards a run for their money. With that speed, the Hilltoppers like to press and pressure to force turnovers, usually to good results. Swingman Courtney Lee is an NBA type that will get his points no matter what. Three senior starters give them an experience advantage against most teams. Four of their regulars hit 40% or better from three-point land. So, if WKU continues in hitting their threes, it will make UCLA sweat it out to the end... again.

The Bad News:
C'mon, they've beaten Drake and San Diego, a pair of mid-majors. Should UCLA be that scared? The big question is whether the Bruin big men - okay, Kevin Love - will feast on the 'Toppers in the paint. D.J. Magley will need to play beyond his years to provide an inside presence, especially on defense. Jeremy Evans is a little on the wispy side and will need to do more than just block shots on defense. And by all means, Brazelton must stay out of foul trouble.

Key Player:
Courtney Lee.
He can dominate a game with his athleticism and will hold his own against the Bruins. If he gets hot and helps WKU control tempo, the UCLA game could be another one that goes down to the wire. If he shows nerves against the big-wig Bruins early on, it's going to be a Bruin-style blowout.

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- UCLA, 33-3
No. 1 seed

The Good News:
There is so much NCAA tournament experience here, it's ridiculous. After the last two seasons, you KNEW the Bruins would be back in this position again this year. And can we talk about the defense? I mean, 78 stinkin' points in two NCAA tournament games? It seemed like the Bruins had seven guys on the defensive end down the stretch against the Aggies. It just looked like there were too many arms and legs for A&M to go through. Big props to the addition of Kevin Love too, who coach Howland claims it was his defense that really won the game vs. A&M. Because of that emphasis on defense, and the shooting, athleticism and post-season savvy, these guys could be favorites the rest of the way until net-cutting time in San Antonio.

The Bad News:
This team has had more great escapes than Steve McQueen. Have you been seeing them nudge out wins over Texas A&M, USC, Cal and Stanford here in the last three weeks? Bruin fans are on heart failure alert. Don't you figure you can only push your luck in that department for so long before it bites you in the hind-quarters? The Bruins certainly seem to be playing down to the level of their competition lately. And in March, that's not a good thing.

Key Player:
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.
Even with key ingredients like Darren Collison, Russell Westbrook, Josh Shipp and Kevin Love, it's still the nursing of Luc's sore ankle that is most important. His availability/effectiveness will be a huge difference in how deep the Bruins can go. He's also not normally one to turn the ball over eight times like he did against the Aggies. The big key will be rebounding and ball movement this weekend.