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Here’s a look at my predictions across the tournament, followed by in-depth analysis from every first and second round matchup.

Round of 64 winners:

• Gonzaga
• Wichita State
• Ole Miss
• Kansas State
• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Iowa State
• Ohio State

Round of 32 winners:

• Gonzaga
• Kansas State
• Arizona
• Ohio State

Sweet 16 winners:

• Gonzaga
• Ohio State

Region winner:

• Ohio State

Play-in games

No. 13 La Salle Explorers (21-9, 11-5 Atlantic 10) vs. No. 13 Boise State Broncos (21-10, 9-7 Mountain West)
Wednesday, March 20
6:10 p.m. PT
TruTV
Dayton, Ohio

Distance traveled:
LSU: 539.3 mi.
BSU: 1,955.8 mi.

Last five games:
LSU: L-L-W-W-W
BSU: L-W-L-W-W

Players to watch out for:
LSU: G, Ramon Galloway (17.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.8 apg)
BSU: G, Derrick Marks (16.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.9 apg)

Synopsis: An evenly-scaled matchup pits La Salle of the Atlantic 10 conference against a Boise State team making its first tournament appearance since 2008. Meanwhile for La Salle, it will its first appearance since 1992.

Can the Broncos pick up their first NCAA tournament win?

Their resume says so, which includes victories over Creighton and UNLV, while just falling to Michigan State and New Mexico.

The Broncos can score, but they struggle to clean-up on the boards, averaging just 33.9 per game (205th in the nation).

But La Salle struggles even more, grabbing a little over two less per contest at 31.7 (292nd).

What the Explorers have on their side is two marquee wins in back-to-back games over Butler and VCU.

Look for a tightly-contested game here with Boise State narrowly escaping for a date with Kansas State Friday.

Pick: Boise State

Tournament action

No. 16 Southern Jaguars (23-9, 15-3 SWAC) vs. No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (31-2, 16-0 WCC)
Thursday, March 21
1:10 p.m. PT
TBS
Salt Lake City, Utah

Distance traveled:
SU: 1,669.1 mi.
GON: 720.9 mi.

Last five games:
SU: W-W-W-L-W
GON: W-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out for:
SU: G, Derek Beltran (14.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.5 apg)
GON: F, Kelly Olynyk (17.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.7 apg)

Synopsis: It seems like just yesterday the Bulldogs of Gonzaga were the darlings of the NCAA tournament. Now, they control their destiny en route to its potential first Final Four appearance.

First on that path are the Southern Jaguars, who would like to think they have a chance to upset the top-seeded Zags.

Not so fast though.

This Gonzaga team is very good — perhaps one of the best all-time hailing from Spokane.

Southern’s lone game against a tournament team came against Iowa State, an 82-59 defeat.

Meanwhile the Bulldogs are 8-2 against tournament teams, losing by one to Butler and then falling apart in the second half at home against Illinois.

Cruise control may be necessary in this one as Gonzaga walks away from this one unscathed.

Pick: Gonzaga

No. 9 Wichita State Shockers (26-8, 12-6 MVC) vs. No. 8 Pittsburgh Panthers (24-8, 12-6 Big East)
Thursday, March 21
10:40 a.m. PT
TBS
Salt Lake City, Utah

Distance traveled:
WSU: 1,025.4 mi.
PIT: 1,841.4 mi.

Last five games:
WSU: L-W-W-L-L
PIT: L-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out for:
WSU: F, Carl Hall (12.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 0.7 apg)
PIT: G, Tray Woodall (11.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 5.2 apg)

Synopsis: Fits may be in order for the Wichita State Shockers, who await a selfless Pitt Panthers team that plays a stingy defensive game led by coach Jamie Dixon.

Pitt has been quite streak in 2013 and don’t rebound particularly well, which doesn’t bode well for them given that Wichita State is one of the nation’s best rebounding teams, grabbing 38.4 per game (27th).

Aside from Creighton, Wichita State has not been challenged by a tournament team.

But with both teams liking to play defense, how about we give the benefit of the doubt to the Shockers here, who will make it difficult for the Panthers to score, grabbing away opportunities, and then eventually the ballgame.

Pick: Wichita State

No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels (26-8, 12-6 SEC) vs. No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers (23-11, 12-6 Big Ten)
Friday, March 22
9:40 a.m. PT
TruTV
Kansas City, Missouri

Distance traveled:
MIS: 1,605.1 mi.
WIS: 1,354.8 mi.

Last five games:
MIS: W-W-W-W-W
WIS: L-W-W-W-L

Players to watch out for:
MIS: F, Murphy Holloway (14.6 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.3 apg)
WIS: F, Ryan Evans (10.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.0 apg)

Synopsis: With a record of 9-8 against tournament teams, the Wisconsin Badgers are clearly tested for March. Meanwhile, Ole Miss is peaking at the right time, taking the SEC championship.

The Rebels can score and rebound, two qualities that make them a prime candidate for an upset.

Still, Wisconsin is a special team, one that knows how to make things happen, such as defeating Indiana not once, but twice. The same can be said about Michigan.

However, Ole Miss just took down a Florida team that is arguably the best defensive team in the tournament, giving substance to its 16-2 start.

When a matchup is as close as this one, it’s best to look at the trends, which favor the Rebels. As much as I like Wisconsin, it just doesn’t seem to have any advantages in this matchup other than being a Big Ten team.

Pick: Ole Miss

No. 13 Boise State Broncos* (22-10, 9-7 MWC) vs. No. 4 Kansas State Wildcats (27-7, 14-4 Big 12)
Friday, March 22
12:10 p.m. PT
TruTV
Kansas City, Missouri

Distance traveled:
BSU: 1,374.2 mi.
KSU: 121.5 mi.

Last five games:
BSU: W-L-W-L-W
KSU: L-W-W-L-W

Players to watch out for:
BSU: G, Derrick Marks (16.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.9 apg)
KSU: G, Rodney McGruder (15.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.0 apg)

Synopsis: The Kansas State Wildcats were exposed against Kansas in the Big 12 championship, giving further proof that they were the second-best team in the state of Kansas (presumably ahead of Wichita State).

Now a challenge against Boise State presents itself prior to the Wildcats’ attempt to progress in the tournament.

Unfortunately I think the Wildcats are ripe for the picking, and could be victimized in round two.

However, the athleticism will be evident here, and near home-court advantage will aid Kansas State as it escapes this one, but just barely.

Pick: Kansas State

No. 11 Belmont Bruins (26-6, 14-2 OVC) vs. No. 6 Arizona Wildcats (25-7, 12-6 Pac 12)
Thursday, March 21
4:20 p.m. PT
TNT
Salt Lake City, Utah

Distance traveled:
BU: 1,625.8 mi.
UA: 828.2 mi.

Last five games:
BU: W-W-W-W-W
UA: L-W-W-L-L

Players to watch out for:
BU: G, Ian Clark (18.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.5 apg)
UA: F, Solomon Hill (13.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.8 apg)

Synopsis: Each year Belmont makes the NCAA tournament it appears ready to take down a tournament-giant. Ask Duke from a few years back.

Now Arizona is up to the plate, and it couldn’t have picked a better time to try and knock off the Wildcats, who were once a top-five team in the NCAA.

Fortunately for Arizona, they are much better than what their record shows. But the numbers don’t lie, and it’s simply because this time likes to quit when it’s down.

Rest assured, if they quit, Belmont will make them pay.

The teams share a common opponent in Stanford of the Pac 12. Where Arizona defeated the Cardinal by seven at home, Belmont was victorious by eight in Palo Alto.

Look for Belmont to be a tough out, but expect Sean Miller to fully prepare his Wildcats for the challenge, as Arizona rises to the test, and moves on to the third round.

Pick: Arizona

 No. 14 Harvard Crimson (19-9, 11-3 Ivy) vs. No. 3 New Mexico Lobos (29-5, 13-3 MWC)
Thursday, March 21
6:50 p.m. PT
TNT
Salt Lake City, Utah

Distance traveled:
HAR: 2,360.4 mi.
UNM: 596.7 mi.

Last five games:
HAR: W-W-L-L-W
UNM: W-W-W-L-W

Players to watch out for:
HAR: G, Siyani Chambers (12.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.8 apg)
UNM: G, Kendall Williams (13.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.0 apg)

Synopsis: A young (and smart) Harvard team can (and will) learn a lot from its matchup against the New Mexico Lobos.

Not only does the Crimson have to travel to the other side of the country, but it has to do so against just the fourth tournament team it will face this season. It is 1-2 this season, defeating just California in December.

On the other end, New Mexico is battle tested through and through again, going 12-4, priming itself as the darkhorse candidate out in the West region.

Harvard will use a 48.2 shooting percentage (12th in the nation) to try and topple the defensively-sound Lobos, but will find that youthful mistakes will cost it dearly.

Look for New Mexico to win this one comfortably.

Pick: New Mexico

 No. 10 Iowa State Cyclones (22-11, 11-7 Big 12) vs. No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (27-7, 13-5 MVC)
Friday, March 22
6:45 p.m. PT
CBS
Dayton, Ohio

Distance traveled:
ISU: 612.2 mi.
ND: 255.1 mi.

Last five games:
ISU: L-W-W-W-L
ND: L-W-W-L-W

Players to watch out for:
ISU: G, Will Clyburn (15.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.1 apg)
ND: G, Jerian Grant (13.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 5.6 apg)

Synopsis: The best matchup of the West region’s second round is Iowa State against Notre Dame. These are two teams that are very excitable, and capable of making a run as the tournament’s Cinderella.

Iowa State scores 79.6 points per game (4th in the nation), and is ranked in the top-25 in rebounds and assists too.

While the Irish can’t match those numbers, it’s because they play a different ballgame, one that is synonymous with the rugged conference that is the Big East.

Place them together and you get an exciting game, one which is going to play out in Iowa State’s favor, as the Irish continue to struggle. They’re 6-4 in their last 10 games.

But so are the Cyclones. Take the scoring numbers here and have faith in Iowa State as it advances.

Pick: Iowa State

 No. 15 Iona Gaels (20-13, 11-7 MAAC) vs. No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (26-7, 13-5 Big Ten)
Friday, March 22
4:15 p.m. PT
CBS
Dayton, Ohio

Distance traveled:
ION: 626.8 mi.
OSU: 71.7 mi.

Last five games:
ION: W-W-W-W-W
OSU: W-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out for:
ION: G, Lamont “Momo” Jones (23.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.5 apg)
OSU: F, Deshaun Thomas (19.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.3 apg)

Synopsis: Iona is no stranger to the NCAA tournament, nor does it have a hard time scoring (ranked second in the nation at 80.7/game). But its upcoming matchup against Ohio State is no joke.

Iona won its last five games of the season to capture the MAAC championship after losing six of seven. It went 1-1 against tournament teams, dropping a contest against La Salle by 14 points.

La Salle is no Ohio State, and playing just over 70 miles away from Columbus, the Buckeyes will be ready and pumped.

Each of the Buckeyes’ losses came against top-20 teams, stymieing its competition on its path throughout the season.

Expect a blowout in this one. Really, Iona’s only hope is for Momo Jones to go lights-out the entire game. But the crowd will silence the Gaels.

Pick: Ohio State

In the first of the bracket analyses, let’s take a look at the Midwest region.

Join the i, Jonathan Garza.com ESPN challenge today!

Here’s a look at my predictions across the tournament, followed by in-depth analysis from every first and second round matchup.

Round of 64 winners:

• Louisville
• Missouri
• Oregon
• Saint Louis
• Saint Mary’s
• Michigan State
• Cincinnati
• Duke

Round of 32 winners:

• Louisville
• Oregon
• Michigan State
• Duke

Sweet 16 winners:

• Louisville
• Michigan State

Region winner:

• Michigan State

Play-in games

No. 16 North Carolina A&T Aggies (19-16, 8-8 MEAC) vs. No. 16 Liberty Flames (15-20, 6-10 Big South)
Tuesday, March 19
3:40 p.m. PT
TruTV
Dayton, Ohio

Distance traveled:
NCAT: 437.0 mi.LIB: 420.6 mi.

Last five games:
NCAT: L-W-W-W-W
LIB: W-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out for:
NCAT: F, Adrian Powell (12.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.9 apg)
LIB: G, John Caleb Sanders (14.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.5 apg)

Synopsis: One team struggled to score this season, while the other began the season 1-10.

The Aggies of North Carolina A&T are making their first appearance since 1995, winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament, despite scoring a pedestrian 62.2 points per game this season (290th in the nation).

Meanwhile, the Liberty Flames have caught fire at the right time, winning six of its last seven games to finish the season at 15-20, and securing an NCAA berth for the first time since 2004.

While the trendy pick would be to go in favor of the Aggies, don’t sleep on the Flames, who defeated MEAC tournament favorite, Charleston Southern, 87-76 to secure its berth. This despite Charleston Southern being ranked highly in both points scored and rebounds in the nation.

Pick: Liberty

No. 11 Saint Mary’s Gaels (27-6, 14-2 WCC) vs. No. 11 Mid Tennessee Blue Raiders (28-5, 19-1 Sun Belt)
Tuesday, March 19
6:10 p.m. PT
TruTV
Dayton, Ohio

Distance traveled:
SMC: 2,378.1 mi.
MTU: 355.9 mi.

Last five games:
SMC: W-W-W-W-L
MTU: W-W-W-W-L

Players to watch out for:
SMC: G, Matthew Dellavedova (15.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.4 apg)
MTU: G, Marcos Knight (12.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.4 apg)

Synopsis: Two teams that on paper form one of the best matchups in the tournament couldn’t be more mismatched.

The Gaels of Saint Mary’s played an easy schedule, playing a ranked opponent just three times, all being Gonzaga, and suffering defeat each time.

However, Saint Mary’s was able to beat tournament teams Pacific and Harvard, albeit dropping a separate matchup with the Tigers. They were the lone team that stood tall as the competition to Gonzaga, but again, fell thrice.

For Middle Tennessee it was a tale of domination throughout the Sun Belt until the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament, where it unexpectedly fell to Florida International, dropping them to the play-in game.

The Blue Raiders are 3-3 against tournament teams this season, albeit, two of those wins came against conference champion, Western Kentucky.

Expect the Blue Raiders to hang competitive with the Gaels for at least the first half. But, the tournament experience of Dellavedova and Saint Mary’s will be too much to handle.

Pick: Saint Mary’s

Tournament action

No. 16 Liberty Flames* (15-20, 6-10 Big South) vs. No. 1 Louisville Cardinals (29-5, 14-4 Big East)
Thursday, March 21
3:40 p.m. PT
TBS
Lexington, Kentucky

Distance traveled:
LIB: 402.4 mi.
LOU: 77.8 mi.

Last five games:
LIB: W-W-W-W-W
LOU: W-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out for:
LIB: G, John Caleb Sanders (14.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.5 apg)
LOU: G, Peyton Siva (10.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 5.9 apg)

Synopsis: The juggernauts from the Big East, the Louisville Cardinals, rightfully earned the top-overall seed in the NCAA tournament. Luckily for them, history will continue to favor the No. 1 seed, at least in this matchup.

While the Flames will press hard against the Aggies in their play-in matchup, Liberty cannot match up with the athleticism of the Cardinals, who flipped a switch after a five-overtime defeat against Notre Dame on Feb. 9 in South Bend.

In fact, Louisville went on to defeat Notre Dame by 12 points in the Big East semifinals.

The Cardinals have won 10 straight games, with a 58-53 victory over then-No. 12 Syracuse on March 2 being its closest matchup. A rematch with the Orange in the Big East finals saw the Cardinals outscore Syracuse by 30 points in the second half.

Expect the bench to play throughout the second half in this game.

Pick: Louisville
*denotes alleged winner of play-in game

No. 9 Missouri Tigers (23-10, 11-7 SEC) vs. No. 8 Colorado State Rams (25-8, 11-5 Mountain West)
Thursday, March 21
6:20 p.m. PT
TBS
Lexington, Kentucky

Distance traveled:
MIS: 455.5 mi.
MSU: 395.7 mi.

Last five games:
MIS: L-W-L-W-W
CSU: L-W-W-W-L

Players to watch out for:
MIS: F, Alex Oriakhi (11.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.4 apg)
CSU: F/C, Colton Iverson (14.7 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.3 apg)

Synopsis: Two of the nation’s best rebounding teams will square-off in one of the most underrated matchups of the tournament Thursday.

Last season Missouri was one of the teams favored to win the tournament, but fell victim to an upset-minded Norfolk State team that added to a brief history of No. 15-seeded teams to outpoint a No. 2 seed.

Now boasting a team that is just a shell of its former self, the Tigers are looking to redeem themselves against a Colorado State team that got off to a 13-2 start this season, but one that could fool fans as it included teams such as: Division-II Chadron State, Northern Colorado and Evansville. It also includes a loss to 17-15 Illinois-Chicago.

The case is a Tigers team that will blitz past an over-matched Rams squad that was 0-3 against Top 25 teams this season. Meanwhile Missouri’s last two losses (Tennessee and Ole Miss) were both by two points apiece.

Look for Missouri to redeem itself for its defeat of a year ago, taking down the Rams, and charging on toward a matchup with Louisville.

Pick: Missouri

No. 12 Oregon Ducks (26-8, 12-6 Pac-12) vs. No. 5 Oklahoma State Cowboys (24-8, 13-5 Big 12)
Thursday, March 21
1:40 p.m. PT
TNT
San Jose, California

Distance traveled:
ORE: 562.8 mi.
OSU: 1,648.4 mi.

Last five games:
ORE: L-L-W-W-W
OSU: W-L-W-W-L

Players to watch out for:
ORE: F, E.J. Singler (11.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.9 apg)
OSU: G, Marcus Smart (15.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.2 apg)

Synopsis: A travesty by the NCAA tournament selection committee seeded the Pac-12 champions against a squad in the eyes of many to be quite overrated.

Fortunate scheduling helped the Oregon Ducks, who played the two preseason juggernauts of the Pac-12, UCLA and Arizona, just once during the season, defeating them both.

If not for some questionable losses to Colorado (twice) and Utah, the Ducks would have been seeded much higher.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys were a double-overtime defeat to Kansas away from an 11-game winning streak, and finished their season 12-3, but 2-2 in their last four game, including two double-digit losses to Iowa State and Kansas State.

Every year there is typically a 5/12 upset, and this is one where I tend to favor the underdog Ducks, who will be playing about 565 miles away from Eugene.

Pick: Oregon

No. 13 New Mexico State Aggies (24-10, 14-4 WAC) vs. No. 4 Saint Louis Billikens (27-6, 13-3 Atlantic 10)
Thursday, March 21
11:10 a.m. PT
TNT
San Jose, California

Distance traveled:
NMS: 1,097.9 mi.
SLU: 2,081.9 mi.

Last five games:
NMS: W-W-W-W-W
SLU: L-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out for:
NMS: C, Sim Bhullar (10.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 0.8 apg)
SLU: F, Dwayne Evans (13.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.1 apg)

Synopsis: The weak Western Athletic Conference’s representative in the March Madness tournament goes head-to-head against one of America’s hottest teams.

While conference-mates Virginia Commonwealth and Butler have been the darlings of past NCAA tournaments, Saint Louis has surpassed them and then some this season.

The Billikens are led by interim coach Jim Crews, who took over for the late Rick Majerus following his retirement and impending death. His product has built a team that is 5-1 against AP Top 25 teams, including one of New Mexico’s five losses.

All the while, the Aggies played New Mexico as well, twice in fact, falling on both occasions.

New Mexico State shoots the ball well, at 46 percent, in fact, good enough to be ranked 46th in the nation.

But when push comes to shove, the Billikens may wind up becoming the dark horse of the tournament, and will make a statement beginning with the Aggies.

Pick: Saint Louis

No. 11 Saint Mary’s Gaels* (28-6, 14-2 WCC) vs. No. 6 Memphis Tigers (30-4, 16-0 C-USA)
Thursday, March 21
11:45 a.m. PT
CBS
Auburn Hills, Michigan

Distance traveled:
SMC: 2,399.0 mi.
MEM: 774.1 mi.

Last five games:
SMC: W-L-W-W-W
MEM: W-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out for:
SMC: G, Matthew Dellavedova (15.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.4 apg)
MEM: G, Joe Jackson (13.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.8 apg)

Synopsis: In a matchup the Memphis Tigers probably wouldn’t want to see, the Gaels are a good candidate for an upset here.

However, don’t count out Memphis — this is as athletic a team as any in the NCAA tournament, one that is fully capable of running with the best.

Both teams are veterans of the tournament, and know how to win.

My gripe on Memphis is its tendency to play down to the level of its competition, losing to Xavier, and narrowly defeating Marshall and UTEP.

It’ll show against a well-disciplined Gaels team as Saint Mary’s finds itself upsetting Memphis in the second round.

Pick: Saint Mary’s

No. 14 Valparaiso Crusaders (26-7, 13-3 Horizon) vs. No. 3 Michigan State Spartans (25-8, 13-5 Big Ten)
Thursday, March 21
9:15 a.m. PT
CBS
Auburn Hills, Michigan

Distance traveled:
VAL: 257.7mi.
MSU: 80.8 mi.

Last five games:
VAL: W-W-W-W-W
MSU: L-W-W-W-L

Players to watch out for:
VAL: F, Kevin Van Wijk (12.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.6 apg)
MSU: G, Keith Appling (13.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 apg)

Synopsis: A year full of upsets might culminate in many more in the NCAA tournament. But surely the Spartans of Michigan State couldn’t be the victims of another, right?

Would you believe that Michigan State is 5-7 against AP Top 25 teams? Add a loss to then-unranked Miami (FL) and suddenly the Spartans don’t look so impressive.

But this is Valparaiso here, who used an 18-4 run to close out Wright State in the Horizon championship.

The Spartans will have their hands full against the 6th-ranked shooting team in the nation (.489 pct.), but can thank the NCAA selection committee for giving them essentially a home game, as Auburn Hills sits just 80 miles away from East Lansing.

Also a big factor here is the tournament experience of Coach Tom Izzo, which will help guide his team far.

Pick: Michigan State

 No. 10 Cincinnati Bearcats (22-11, 9-9 Big East) vs. No. 7 Creighton Bluejays (27-7, 13-5 MVC)
Friday, March 22
11:45 a.m. PT
CBS
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Distance traveled:
CIN: 572.2 mi.
CRE: 1,214.5 mi.

Last five games:
CIN: L-W-W-L-W
CRE: W-W-W-W-W

Players to watch out for:
CIN: G, Sean Kilpatrick (16.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.8 apg)
CRE: F, Doug McDermott (23.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.6 apg)

Synopsis: The best-shooting team in the nation awaits stiff competition from a Big East conference member that is no stranger to tournament success.

Being a member of the Big East can be daunting, and for the Cincinnati Bearcats it hasn’t been any different this season, boasting a 9-9 record in conference, and 13-2 outside of it.

The Big East tournament of course does not count when factoring in records. Cincinnati’s only loss came to No. 3-seeded New Mexico, who outpointed the Bearcats by a point.

Of course the task at hand is not easy: Doug McDermott and the Bluejays of Creighton, who are shooting a nation-best 50.8 percent this season, and pass the ball extremely well, averaging 17.2 per game, fifth-best in the country.

But is Creighton tournament-tested?

Expect them to be victims of an upset here. Cincinnati will be too much for the Jays to handle.

Pick: Cincinnati

 No. 15 Albany Great Danes (24-10, 9-7 America East) vs. No. 2 Duke Blue Devils (27-5, 14-4 ACC)
Friday, March 22
9:15 a.m. PT
CBS
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Distance traveled:
ALB: 235.4 mi.
DUK: 397.2 mi.

Last five games:
ALB: W-W-W-L-W
DUK: L-W-W-W-L

Players to watch out for:
ALB: G, Mike Black (14.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.5 apg)
DUK: F, Mason Plumlee (17.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 2.0 apg)

Synopsis: Last year the Lehigh Mountain Hawks solidified the second 2/15 upset of the tournament, taking out a heavily-favored Duke team playing in North Carolina, in its home state.

In 2006, Albany went to halftime against top-ranked Connecticut trailing by just one point. Even that team was better than this one though, which is saying a lot given that it went into Vermont and defeated the home squad to win the conference tournament.

Duke at many points of this season has looked like the team to beat in college basketball, outpointing Louisville and Ohio State in back-to-back games, but dropping two games to Maryland.

Expect Coach K to deliver an unforgettable sermon to his Blue Devils, which will help the squad learn from its blunders of a year ago as they blister past the Great Danes en route to the second round.

Pick: Duke

Cesar Perez, a nursing major, talked about the risks of testicular cancer, and how it could be prevented.

“It is one of the most common forms of cancer in men in the age range of 15-35,” Perez said.

It is very fast acting and could kill a person unexpectedly.

“There was a case where an 18-year-old guy had testicular cancer and later passed away at 21, he said.

“Causes of testicular cancer include family history and excess x-chromosomes.”

For prevention of testicular cancer, Perez recommends an hour of exercise per day.

Wikipedia defines Dengue Fever as an infectious disease also known as breakbone fever. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and a skin rash similar to the measles.

The fever is transmitted by several species of mosquitoes, and will prevent Alfonzo from flying, the club said.

Upon his expected return in a week from Venezuela he will report to Minor League camp.

Taking Alfonzo’s place in camp is catcher Matt Wallach, the son of third-base coach Tim Wallach.

Has it really been 10 years since Jordan walked away from basketball?

Crazily it has been, and yet he’s still capable of beating a 19-year-old at one-on-one, defeating No. 2 draft pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

With no clear advantage against the 6-foot-7, 232 pound rookie, Jordan exemplified why for decades he has been referred to as the best to ever step foot on a basketball court.

So if Kidd-Gilchrist is averaging 9.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest, the question begs: What could Michael Jordan do today?

In 2003, his final season, Jordan averaged 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists with the Washington Wizards at age 39.

Could 15.0 points and 3.0 rebounds be out of the question?

At 50 years old exactly, he would easily become the oldest player to ever play in the NBA, breaking Nat Hickey’s record set in 1948, by just over four years.

More recently there was Kevin Willis of the Hawks, who played until about age 44.5.

After a career scoring average of 12.1 points per game and 8.4 rebounds, Willis found himself scoring 2.4 points per contest and grabbing 1.6 boards for the Mavericks, his eighth team.

But we’re talking about the greatest player ever here.

It’s absurd to think that Jordan would back-up Ramon Sessions in a comeback attempt.

Sessions is averaging 15.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists at age 26. Michael Jordan could laugh at that in his sleep, perhaps even at 50 years old.

Wait, Jordan’s coming back?

No, although he is trying to get back down to his playing weight, which might spark curiosity among fans.

At 12-40 the Charlotte Bobcats could use more than just the No. 1 draft pick they’re primed to receive, but also could stand to benefit from one more season of Air Jordan.

After all, Kidd-Gilchrist wouldn’t be surprised to see Jordan stage a comeback, especially with his competitive nature.

But why?

He has nothing left to prove, and would just be doing so to say he’s the only player in NBA history to play at 50 years old.

As nostalgic as it would make fans feel, his place is on the sidelines with the Bobcats, who need to find a way to win now.

But MJ, enjoy your birthday. Good days are ahead for the franchise, and even for you.

You received the best gift of all, knowing that you still can beat the best players coming out of college.

Earlier today Kershaw was named the team’s Opening Day starter for its regular season opener against the Giants on April 1.

While the rest of the rotation is yet to be determined, there is a good chance that this is it here.

Greinke will begin the first season of a 6-year/$159 million contract this season. Last season with the Brewers and Angels, he went 15-5 with a 3.48 ERA, numbers that have fans excited to see him backing up team-ace Clayton Kershaw.

Meanwhile Ryu will begin his own six-year pact, but at a much reduced rate of $36 million.

Last year while pitching for the Hanwha Eagles of the Korean Baseball Organization, he went 9-9 with a 2.66 ERA.

Speculation has surrounded Ryu because of his shape during Spring Training. But he feels he’s fine, stating that he’s in “throwing shape”.

Kershaw will lead the Dodgers play in their first Spring Training game against the White Sox next Saturday. That game is followed by a rematch with the Dodgers’ spring neighbors, with Greinke taking the mound. Finally, the Dodgers will oppose the other Chicago team, the Cubs, on Monday with Ryu starting.

All three games will begin at 12:05 p.m.

Kershaw becomes the first Dodgers pitcher to throw three consecutive openers since Derek Lowe did it from 2005-07.

A season ago, the Pirates were kept in check for 7.0 innings as Kershaw allowed a run on four hits, striking out seven batters in a no-decision.

He would wait to collect his first victory of the season until his fourth start on April 21 in Houston against the Astros. A 14-9 record and a 2.53 ERA was the end result of his campaign.

The Giants are no stranger to opposing Kershaw on Opening Day. In 2011, he shut them out across 7.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits, walking one and striking out nine batters.

His effort resulted in the first of 21 victories that year, with which he coupled a 2.28 ERA to win the NL Cy Young award.

In 17 appearances (16 starts), Kershaw is 8-4 with an unbelievable 1.37 ERA against the Giants, with a K:BB ratio of 4.70.

The Dodgers signed reliever Mark Lowe to a minor-league contract last Friday, but it isn’t stopping him from fighting hard toward gaining a spot on the team’s major league roster.

Lowe, 29, is looking to join a stacked bullpen that includes the likes of Brandon League, Kenley Jansen and Ronald Belisario. It’s sort of a who’s who of the best relievers in baseball.

In his arsenal are a mid-90s fastball, a slider and a circle change, which have helped Lowe to a 3.94 career ERA in seven seasons with the Mariners and Rangers.

Winning teams are made up on winning players, and Lowe has been to two World Series while with the Rangers in 2010 and 2011.

Should he not make the big-league roster, Lowe can opt out of his contract on March 31, which is certain to happen if he gets an opportunity to pitch elsewhere.

Hanley Aiming to Play Shortstop

When Hanley Ramirez moved back to shortstop last season, he had no intentions of leaving his natural position, although he would be open to it now.

With the ability to move Ramirez to third base at any given moment, the Dodgers could be tempted to return Dee Gordon as the team’s shortstop.

While Ramirez feels the challenge of returning to shortstop from third base, but he says his range is coming back to him.

Instead of continuing his workout regimen in the Dominican Republic during winter ball, Ramirez bruised his shoulder in a plate collision. It held him to only two games played.

He is expected to share third base duties with Adrian Beltre during the upcoming World Baseball Classic, with former teammate Jose Reyes playing shortstop once again.

If it means winning a championship, Ramirez will do whatever it takes, even if it’s returning to play third base for the Dodgers.

Kemp: Team’s Chemistry Will Be Good

Matt Kemp responded to a comment made by Giants first baseman Brandon Belt, who says the Dodgers can not buy team chemistry.

“Exactly,” Kemp said to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com about Belt’s tweet. “If I was the World Series champ, I don’t have to say anything about somebody else’s team. I’m not worried about our chemistry. I keep hearing we don’t have any. I can tell our chemistry will be good. We built it at the end of the year, so I don’t care what people say or how they feel.

Kemp says that chemistry is about playing with his teammates. If everybody wants to win, what’s the problem?

He enters camp 12 pounds lighter than he was a year ago, stating that the extra weight might help him to slug more home runs. Obviously it wasn’t the case.

He’s still two pounds lighter at 208 than he was in 2011 when he hit 39 home runs and stole 40 bases. But don’t expect a prediction from Matt, he’s keeping quiet on that front.

The one thing he is saying though, he will remain as physical as ever on the field.

Freeney, 33 on Tuesday, comes off of a season that him record the fewest sacks (5.0) since 2007 (3.5), and complete a career-worst 10 tackles.

After 11 years with the Colts, Freeney was very open about his intentions to retire with Indianapolis.

But he has no place in the 3-4 scheme the Colts run, and is in no position to sign a contract for the league minimum.

Instead, he will be looking into teams like the Seahawks that will allow him to play in a more familiar 4-3 defense.

Was it skill that led to Freeney’s downfall this season, or simply just the scheme?

Fans will find out when he is donning a new uniform next season.

What about Dwight though?

He’s still every bit of a game-changer that he has been over his career.

Whichever team signs him will get a player that is always capable of plunging through any lineman en route to punishing the opposing quarterback.

Freeney’s teammate Austin Collie was a fellow victim of the Colts’ new plan.

Could both players be recruited by ex-teammate and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning?

He coached three seasons for the Cardinals, the team which helped him to cement his legacy (or downfall if you want to look in that direction) as a player, and begin his ascent as one of baseball’s best young coaches.

McGwire, 49, had a roster of players containing Albert Pujols (for two seasons), Lance Berkman (also two) and Matt Holliday. But he also had Allen Craig, Jon Jay and David Freese, players that would never have any cling to glory if not for a 2011 World Series victory.

They would nearly get to the Fall Classic a second year in a row in 2012, but fell just short against the Giants, this after the departure of the face of the Cardinals himself, Pujols.

Was it Tony La Russa? Perhaps. How about rookie manager Mike Matheny? Not likely.

In 2009 the Cardinals ranked 12th in the Majors with a .263 batting average, and 18th in runs scored with 730.

Then came McGwire in 2010, and helped increase the numbers to:

• 2010: .263 (9th) and 736 R (14th)
• 2011: .273 (5th) and 762 R (5th)
• 2012: .271 (4th) and 765 R (5th)

Where Does This Leave the Dodgers and McGwire?

The Dodgers scored an unimpressive 637 runs (26th) with a .252 batting average (16th) last season, giving McGwire a little more of a challenge, in many ways.

Where I challenge McGwire is to see how he will handle the chemistry of a team loaded with star players.

He did fine with Pujols, Berkman and Holliday, but now has the talents of Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Adrian Gonzalez to work out.

Role players like Craig, Jay and Freese are additional superstars with the Dodgers, in the likes of Hanley Ramirez and Carl Crawford.

Then there’s Mark Ellis, Luis Cruz and A.J. Ellis, players that McGwire will be counted on to produce in an effort to cash in more runs.

The Cardinals scored 132 runs more than the Dodgers with a very similar team.

With the pitching the Dodgers present themselves with, a stout offense led by profound coach could leap the Dodgers in to much more than just October baseball.

What’s his secret?

His composure. Mark McGwire is such a reserved guy with a mental vision for pounding baseballs.

When he was smacking home runs at the old Busch Stadium, he also was said to have visualized it several times before making it reality.

It could mean that Kemp and Gonzalez are capable of much better.

If he teaches Gonzalez to be more patient at the plate and take swings at better pitches, expect him to be in the conversation with the RBI leaders of the league, and perhaps even the MVP talks.

Then there’s Kemp who can lay off the filthy stuff down low. With patience he can draw more walks and force pitchers to really give him something to hit.

Although in my eyes, the biggest project is Ethier, who with knowledge to hit lefties could become one of baseball’s most clutch hitters.

OK, OK, OK, So Are We Really Going to Be This Good?

It’s very possible given that the NL West is still a fairly weak division in the eyes of most.

The Diamondbacks, Rockies and Padres are all teams looking to build on lackluster seasons, but actually seem to have decreased rather than increase their hopes of doing so.

While the Giants are still lurking around, the Dodgers boast a roster of players that on paper are miles better.

No team is going to go 162-0, and to win 100 games is pretty difficult (nobody did it in 2012), but at this point of the Spring, you’d have to think that if there is one team that can do it, it’s the Dodgers.

Game on, Mark McGwire. Let’s see what you’re made of in Los Angeles.