Is this the year Levance Fields and the Pitt Panthers win it all?

(1) Pittsburgh
The Panthers possess probably the most balanced team in America. Levance Fields is one of the best point guard playmakers in all of college basketball and it makes his job easier with forwards DeJuan Blair and Sam Young down low. If Blair and Young stay out of foul trouble and on the court, the opposing team is most likely going down.

The committee got the seeding in this bracket mostly right.

The committee got the seeding in this bracket mostly right.

Xavier Musketeers have a good chance of being the darkhorse of the tourney

(4) Xavier/(5) Florida State
Yeah, I know, I took the easy way out ... but I wouldn't be surprised if the Xavier/FSU winner would give Pittsburgh fits in the Sweet 16. Xavier has one of the best dunkers and athletes in the world of college hoops in Derrick Brown, but the Musketeers lack a true point guard (an area they have been strong in recent years). FSU has Toney Douglas, who is one of the best guards in the country, but the team doesn't have tournament experience.

(11) VCU over (11) UCLA
VCU has one of the best inside-outside combinations - not just in mid major land - but in all of college basketball. Forward Larry Sanders and guard Eric Maynor are a solid 1-2 punch and they cause opposing teams plenty of problems. UCLA has been a major disappointment this year, especially in recent weeks, they've fallen off the map and I can't see the Bruins matching VCU's intensity in this one.

(11) VCU over (11) UCLA
See above.

(13) Portland State over (4) Xavier
I understand Portland State upset Gonzaga earlier this season, but that was back in December. The Vikings have lost four games against teams with an RPI over 200 and they don't have an inside presence to stop Xavier's Brown and Jason Love.

(5) Florida State vs. (12) Wisconsin
This isn't the first time FSU and Wisconsin have met in postseason, the schools football teams played each other in the Citrus Bowl this past offseason. Keep an eye on FSU's Douglas and Wisconsin's Marcus Landry in this not so traditional 5 vs. 12 game.

(2) Duke vs. (7) Texas
It all depends on which Texas team shows up, but if it's the good one, then Duke should expect a tight one. Longhorns A.J. Abrams and Damion James plus Blue Devils Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson could combine for 80 of the game's points. Plus, it brings back a match-up of ACC Coaches - Rick Barnes and Coach K.

(14) American
Before once upon a time UVA head coach Jeff Jones arrived at American, the Eagles had never been to the NCAA tournament. Now American is becoming a March Madness fixture. The Eagles are making their second straight appearance in the Big Dance and should give Villanova good ballgame.

(1) Pittsburgh vs. (2) Duke
The only region where I have the 1 vs. 2 meeting up in the regional final. Out of all my projected Elite 8 match-ups, this would be the one to watch. I would love to see this match-up, but in recent tournaments Pitt and Duke have bowed out earlier than expected. While, Pittsburgh has had Duke's number recently, this game would come down to the wire again.