Tell Asmussen what he's missing here

Bob Asmussen's West Region breakdown

Team to beat: Kansas State

First, you have to like the pairings. An easy first-round game against North Texas and a pair of teams (BYU and Florida) that aren't exactly rolling into the tournament for the second-rounder. Both the games will be in Oklahoma City, which isn't Manhattan, but close enough. Fiery Frank Martin (that's his real name) doesn't hide his feelings. The players feel comfortable enough with their coach to mock his tirades. It's clear that Martin has his guys on his side. He's got a pair of stars, Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente, to lead the way. And talented role players who happily fill in the gaps. Don't forget, three of the seven losses came against Kansas. They won't meet again until the semifinal.

Team in trouble: Syracuse

The selection committee put the Orange fourth overall, sticking it on the same side of the bracket as Kansas. Thanks for nothing. And Syracuse likely will be without center Arinze Onuaku, who suffered a leg injury during the Big East tournament. Coach Jim Boeheim couldn't have been happy to see Vermont as his first opponent. The Catamounts knocked Syracuse out of the 2005 NCAA tournament. The rest of the draw doesn't get better, with underseeded Gonzaga awaiting in the second round and dangerous Butler and Vandy in the third. The Bulldogs and Commodores are the wrong kind of matchup against Syracuse's zone defense. They will be patient and won't make a bunch of dumb mistakes.

Dark horse: BYU

Show us a guy named Jimmer, and we'll show you a guy who knows how to shoot. But of all the basketball-playing Jimmers, none has been as effective as BYU's Jimmer Fredette. The junior guard is hitting a ridiculous 45 percent of his three-pointers and is a 90 percent free throw shooter. He scored 45 in the Mountain West quarterfinal against TCU and had another 30 against UNLV. If he is on, the Cougars can scare anybody. Three other BYU players average in double figures. BYU hits 79 percent of its free throws, the best in the country. Somewhere, Rick Barry is smiling. And putting BYU deep into his bracket.

Sentimental favorite: Oakland

You think you've got it rough? Well, it isn't anything close to what the Golden Grizzlies went through last season. First, they lost their star player to a foot injury. Then, they blew a 12-point lead in the Summit tournament final, which cost them an NCAA tournament berth. Finally, they got knocked out of the Collegeinsiders.com Tournament when Bradley nailed a 75-footer at the buzzer. No such drama this season for Greg Kampe's team, which dominated the Summit and ripped through the conference tournament. First-round opponent Pitt better be prepared.

Best first-round matchup: Gonzaga vs. Florida State

You've got a top-30 offense (Gonzaga) against a top-20 defense (Florida State). You've got a pair of coaches, Mark Few and Leonard Hamilton, who know their way around the tournament. When we think of the Bulldogs, Matt Bouldin is the first name that comes to mind. But Gonzaga has scorers beyond the senior guard. Florida State has six players averaging between 8.2 and 11.6 points. Good luck to Gonzaga trying to figure that out.

Worst first-round matchup: Kansas State vs. North Texas

We told you earlier about Martin and his tantrums. How do you think he will be this week in practice after a third loss to Kansas? See "Charles Jefferson" in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." The Wildcats are going to be ready to put a foot down on somebody. And that somebody is the Mean Green.

Local connection: Kevin Feeney, Xavier

The walk-on from Monticello has played in eight games this season. And loved every minute of it. And every second on the bench. To put it bluntly, he really is just happy to be there. Feeney has five rebounds, three points and enough memories to last a lifetime. Now, he gets to go to the NCAA tournament. Here's hoping he sees the court.

National reaction

n "I was very nervous. It's been my dream since I was young to play in the NCAA tournament. Once I seen our name come up, I was super happy. Same feeling as last year, but maybe better this time." – Minnesota point guard DEVOE JOSEPH.

n "I didn't really know what to expect, but I'm happy we got a 2 seed. We have a chance to make a deep run. I think the players that were here my freshman year understand the venue and everything that's there. But it's a great opportunity. We get a chance to go into the tournament, face some teams that are good." – Kansas State guard Pullen.

n "This team has worked extremely hard, been consistent all year. Obviously, the tournament is always going to be challenging. It'll be challenging right off the bat." – Syracuse coach Boeheim on drawing Vermont in the first round.

n "I really feel very confident in this team and our abilities. Just finishing near the top of the Big East proves we're capable of doing anything. We've got a favorable draw and we've just got to make the best of it." – Pitt forward GILBERT BROWN.