After every season, most Badger fans longingly wait for next fall. But in doing this, fans are overlooking an important aspect of the season: the spring football game. Although scarcely attended in Madison (last year it looked like the division 4 WIAA playoff game), other Big Ten venues typically draw 50,000 plus fans. It seems that the game lacks appeal to alumni and students alike, yet the game offers many incentives to attend, and I've outlined six reasons to go to Saturday's scrimmage.

1) Great prizes and opportunities to meet with the team

You can win a freaking car. Now, if the attendance is equal to last year, I'd estimate that there's about a 1 in 6,000 chance of winning, and that's assuming everyone at the game is eligible. You're about as likely to get injured shaving http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMRrNY0pxfM. On top of this, students have the unique opportunity to meet the team in the UW Field House for a Qdoba dinner Thursday night. Included in the dinner are a spring game ticket and a burrito bar. Additionally, students can win 2012 season tickets (avoid the iniquitous lottery!) and other prizes from Qdoba.

2) Donate to a good cause

The UW center for non-profits in the UW School of Human Ecology will receive the proceeds from the game. In purchasing a ticket, you are supporting a great cause to help a campus group. You get a lot with this ticket; you're assuring yourself quality entertainment while supporting the football team and the School of Human Ecology.

3) Cuz it's gameday!

The spring game is a great opportunity to get together with friends, grill out and have a couple drinks. Maybe there will even be some parties on Breese Terrace. Nonetheless, students only get a couple Saturdays each year with a gameday atmosphere, so why not extend that with one more event each spring. This event can also indicate relative support for the Badgers. Across the nation, many analysts associate high spring game attendance with feverish support for the team, so don the bibs, eat a good breakfast, accomplish some studying and head out to the game.

4) Preview the team for next season

Last year Russell Wilson wasn't a Badger yet, and this year Danny O'Brien is in Maryland. However, fans can get an excellent look at the young talent on the team. The spring game provides playing time for players deep on the depth chart, so expect to learn a lot about the backups vying for a starting job in the years to come. At the same time, the game showcases various position battles. For instance, inexperienced wide receivers and defensive backs will have to fill in certain roles this season, and the spring game could help reveal the playmakers in these groups.

5) An eighth home game

Supposing the average student spends four years at UW-Madison, that's 28 home games, and who knows where your career will take you after that. Basically, there are limited chances to see the Badgers in person as a student (which we all know is the most exciting viewing option). Go to the game for the festivities and Jump Around; you'll always be a Badger, but not a Badger student. Chris Borland says it best in his hilarious Youtube video: "just go."

6) Bonus: Because we don't like Ohio State University

Ohio State reportedly drew over 80,000 fans to their game last Saturday. Perhaps so many Buckeye faithful attended because they haven't lost to Purdue yet in the 2012 season.

Granted, many students may feel they won't have time to attend the game Saturday because of schoolwork or other commitments. With Mifflin just two weeks away, many students may want to study in anticipation of exams. Yet, I would implore students to attend the game. Stay in Friday night, or wake up early Saturday morning and tackle that six-page paper. The spring game offers enticing opportunities for fans to learn about the team and revel in a gameday atmosphere, all while supporting an excellent cause. Get out your red shirt. Trek down Dayton or Regent. Because on Saturday, it is gameday.

Kentucky freshman and Naismith Award winner Anthony Davis is the clear prize of the draft and will almost certainly hear his name called first by Commissioner Stern on draft night. The 6'11" forward is a nightmare defensively and showed great improvement in his offensive game as the season progressed. Davis and other big names, such as Thomas Robinson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, will be long gone by the time Milwaukee is on the clock, but several impact players will likely be available.

If Milwaukee does indeed decide to select a big man, Illinois' Meyers Leonard and North Carolina's Tyler Zeller are two potential options. Leonard, considered to have the greater upside of the two, has an ideal NBA frame but will need to add some muscle to survive inside against the likes of Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum on a nightly basis. His production in college was nothing spectacular, but at just 20 years old, the athletic Leonard could develop into the center of the future for Milwaukee. Zeller, the 2012 ACC Player of the Year, put up more impressive numbers than Leonard, but lacks the elite athleticism and strength of his younger counterpart. The senior has a very high basketball IQ and work ethic, but his ceiling is rather low and he may even project more as a power forward than a center due to his thin build.

If the Bucks choose to look elsewhere for a quality big man in this year's draft, they may target Mississippi State's Arnett Moultrie or Jared Sullinger of Ohio State. Moultrie's inside-outside offensive game has drawn comparisons to Jermaine O'Neal and his elite athleticism could make him an effective defender at the next level. At 6'10" he is a bit undersized for the center position, but would give Scott Skiles some flexibility, as Moultrie has experience at all three frontcourt positions. Sullinger excelled in his two years at Ohio State, earning all-conference honors both seasons and bullying his way to easy baskets in the paint. The question is whether his game will translate well to the NBA, where every team will have a player bigger than the 6'9" Sullinger. If he performs well in individual workouts and exhibits a more effective mid-range game, Sullinger could be a top-ten pick. If he is available when Milwaukee is on the clock, it would be a tempting pick, but his lack of size and relatively low ceiling may ultimately ward the Bucks off.

Should Milwaukee opt to address its need for a center via free agency or trade, they may simply select the best player available at the time. In such a deep draft, this possibility would almost guarantee the Bucks a player who can contribute immediately. The front office could choose to roll the dice on Baylor sophomore forward Perry Jones, once considered a candidate for the top overall pick. The 6'11" Jones has arguably the highest ceiling of any prospect, but was plagued by inconsistent play throughout his two years at Baylor. He notably disappeared in several big games, but showed flashes of brilliance at times. Jones has the ability to play the two, three and four positions, but will most likely see the most action at the small forward spot. He would offer Milwaukee a versatile option capable of creating mismatches against smaller defenders.

The Bucks could also choose to address the guard positions, especially if Brandon Jennings decides to sign elsewhere this offseason. If Jennings does opt to stay, Milwaukee could look to add a scorer off the bench, such as Syracuse sophomore Dion Waiters. The 6'4" Waiters came off the bench to lead the Orangemen in scoring in 2011-12 and his penetration-focused game should translate well to the NBA. On film he looks like a slightly-smaller Tyreke Evans clone, right down to the unorthodox jumpshot mechanics. Waiters has an NBA-ready frame and excels at getting to the rim, but also boasts deep three-point range. He is a player whose stock steadily rose all season and that trend should continue as individual and group workouts commence in the coming months. Should Jennings decide to sign with another club, Milwaukee may look to trade up in order to grab a point guard for the future. North Carolina's Kendall Marshall and Weber State's Damian Lillard are the two most-coveted floor generals, though neither is thought of as a future superstar. In this scenario, Milwaukee would most likely refrain from trading up and instead try to fill the void via free agency.

With five games remaining in this abbreviated lockout season, Wall's Wizards sit at second to last place in the Eastern Conference with an abysmal 15-46 record that only the Bobcats would envy. Last season, which the Wizards finished with a similar winning percentage (.280), fans were quick to point the blame at the rest of the team and dismiss Wall's miscues as rookie mistakes. While that seemed more than plausible at the time, after a second year of wildly inefficient shooting and careless turnovers, at least some of the responsibility has to be shifted toward the 21-year-old point guard. In his rookie year, Wall struggled mightily in two areas: shooting percentage and turnovers. This season, Wall's 236 turnovers (3.9/game) are tops in the league, an area he has failed to improve upon statistically from a year ago. Though he has slightly improved his field goal percentage to a blistering 42% (up from 40% last year), Wall has yet to prove he has any sort of game outside of the paint.

While his combination of speed and size makes him the most dangerous fast break guard in the league (it's true), Wall's inability to shoot from the outside has virtually eliminated the need to guard him closely outside of eighteen feet. The former top-overall high school prospect is a dreadful 3-40 from behind the arc this season. For a starting point guard who averages nearly 37 minutes per game, THREE made three-pointers is unacceptable. To put this in perspective, consider the following: Pau Gasol, Rajon Rondo (a notoriously awful shooter), and this strange man have all recorded more three point field goals than Wall this season. While Rondo has found success as an ineffective shooter, his passing and efficiency, two areas Wall must improve upon, make up for the void. With a developed deep-range jumper, Wall would force defenders to guard him further out, opening up the lane for penetration - one of his strongest suits.

Offensive struggles aside, Wall's career is still very young and he is far from being written off as yet another number one overall bust. Despite the poor shooting, he finds ways to score (16.5 per game) and by all accounts has provided leadership for an immature Washington squad. Perhaps the success of Derrick Rose (who, remember, had Deng and Noah instead of Blatche and McGee), created unrealistic expectations for fans who expected the former Kentucky star to step in and lead the Wiz to the playoffs immediately. However, the sensational rookie season being put together by this year's top pick, Kyrie Irving, has to create some doubt as to whether Wall may have been a bit overhyped. With 'me-first' teammates Nick Young and Javale McGee (this about says it all) now out of the picture in Washington, next season may be the best chance to evaluate Wall, as his supporting cast will certainly be improved. Whether or not Wall develops into the elite player he is capable of being will depend upon his willingness to work on improving his flaws. He recently told reporters that the numerous charity games he participated in over the summer may have left him ill-prepared for this season, but with a full 82-game schedule on the slate for 2012-13, few obstacles should stand in the way of Wall's improvement. If he can develop a jumpshot and increase his offensive awareness, Wall will have fans around the league doing the "John Wall" a lot more often.

Since making the year's biggest splash at the trade deadline, acquiring star guard Monta Ellis, young forward Ekpe Udoh, and veteran big man Kwame Brown from Golden State in exchange for center Andrew Bogut, the Bucks have gone 10-5, but most of the damage has been done against poor teams. All five of the Bucks' losses have come at the hands of playoff-bound teams, and their only victory over a .500 or above team was against a Joe Johnson-less Hawks team. Ellis has struggled since the trade, shooting poorly from the field and scoring more than twenty points in just three games. His repute as a "me-first" player (Stephen Jackson, anyone?), clashes with Scott Skiles' team-oriented coaching style, but Ellis does not seem discontented with the change. His numbers are down, but the chance to qualify for the playoffs, something he has achieved just once in his six-year NBA career, is certainly a sufficient motivator. The 6'3" guard from Jackson, Mississippi has a reputation as a big-time scorer (he once put up 72 in a high school game), and the Bucks will need him to be just that if they are to sneak into the playoffs.

Milwaukee will play its most important game of the season to date Wednesday as the Knicks come to town, looking to avenge a March 9th loss in which both teams shot extremely well from the floor. The Bucks hold a 2-1 advantage in the season series, splitting the two contests in the Big Apple. On paper, New York appears to hold the advantage, but the Knicks' star-studded roster has greatly underachieved all season. Despite a ridiculous performance in Sunday's overtime victory over Chicago, Carmelo Anthony has struggled, for the most part, through his second season as a Knick. He is shooting a career low 41 percent from the field, and scoring less than three points per game off his career average (24.6). Amare Stoudemire has also experienced a down year in terms of production, seeing his numbers drop in nearly every statistical category, most notably scoring (nearly eight points per game decrease from 2010-'11). He will not play in Wednesday's contest due to a recurring back injury, but is expected to return later this week. With Jeremy Lin injured and Baron Davis looking just about washed up, the Bucks will have a chance to exploit the Knicks' erratic backcourt of Iman Shumpert and JR Smith. Shumpert, though a premier defender with excellent size, has a very limited offensive game and is prone to carelessness. Smith, a veteran sharpshooter back from a lockout-induced stint in China, has been shooting poorly from the field, but has the potential to get hot from behind the arc (he scored 60 points, including FOURTEEN three pointers, in a Chinese playoff game).

Following Wednesday's showdown, Milwaukee will head to Detroit Friday to face a lowly Pistons squad before returning home for a contest against Indiana the following day. It is worth noting that, if the battle for the eighth seed comes down to the final game, Milwaukee is scheduled to play the Celtics, who may opt to rest starters for a playoff run. Philadelphia, however, faces Detroit - a team that would love to play spoiler for a conference rival. New York is scheduled to face Charlotte, arguably the worst team in NBA history (Byron Mullens and Derrick Brown started tonight, just to give you some perspective), which should be an easy victory for a playoff-hungry squad.

At this point, seeds one through six in the East are essentially set, but Philadelphia, New York, and Milwaukee all have great opportunities to grab hold of the final two slots. Milwaukee will need continued stellar play from Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova, along with an increase in production from Ellis, if they hope to return to the playoffs after missing out last season. The race will come down to which teams can take care of their business in games against poor teams. The Bucks have fared well in these situations over the course of the season; but at this point in the season, as KG said it best, anything is possible.

Two teams from the state of Kentucky came out of the South and West regions of the bracket, and a history of bad blood between their two fan bases should provide enough of a spark to keep fans on the edge of their couches the whole way through. The Kentucky Wildcats came in as the number one overall seed and they have not disappointed. After an almost year-long reign as the undisputed best team in the nation, UK came out and whipped their competition, winning each of their first four games by at least 12 points. Last Sunday they jumped out to a commanding 20-point lead during the first half, and kept the pedal to the metal as they held off a "too little, too late" charge from the 3-seed Baylor Bears. Even a (temporarily) scary knee injury to star center Anthony Davis wasn't enough to derail the Wildcats on their route to a second straight Final Four.

Meeting Kentucky in the semifinals is Louisville, a team who is playing copycat to last year's title-winning UConn team. The Cardinals had an unimpressive regular season, but really notched it up as they won the Big East Tournament and rolled through some tough competition so far in the NCAA tourney. Led by diminutive point guard Peyton Siva and cutthroat head coach Rick Pitino, the Cardinals find themselves on an eight game winning streak.

The real juice to the Kentucky-Louisville matchup comes from the close proximity of the two schools. Though they aren't in the same conference (Kentucky plays in the SEC), fans of each team consider this the bitterest of rivalries. Don't believe me? Then ask the two elderly gentlemen, one supporting the Cardinals and the other for the Wildcats, who resorted to fisticuffs at a Kentucky dialysis clinic earlier this week. When the two teams played in December Kentucky won by 7 on their home court. It will be very interesting to see how the Wildcats handle the matchup on a neutral court, and against a completely reinvigorated Cardinals squad.

The other half of the semis provides intrigue as well, as two historically successful 2-seeds do battle. Similarities between the two teams are plentiful: both beat a 1-seed without one of its most important players in the Elite Eight, both are led by coaches who have been here before and both have a long history of producing talented basketball players. But the real interest for this game will be the head-to-head matchups of big men and point guards. It's no secret that OSU's Jared Sullinger and KU's Thomas Robinson were both thought of as candidates for the Naismith Award during the preseason, but only Robinson came through. As Sullinger looks to continue his nice run through the Tournament (and maybe boost his depleted draft stock some more), we as fans get to witness two future NBA studs do battle in the post. The pairing I'm more interested in watching is at point guard, where whoever wins the matchup will win the game. Tyshawn Taylor had a spectacular season for the Jayhawks, posting 17 points and nearly 5 assists per game. His numbers dwarf his counterpart Aaron Craft's 8.6 points and 4.6 assists, but Craft plays some of the best on-ball defense in the country. If Craft can single-handedly shut down Taylor, then the Buckeyes have enough bodies to throw at Robinson to slow him down.

As great as the Louisville-Kentucky and Ohio State-Kansas games are sure to be, the resulting championship game won't have the same amount of moxie. If Kentucky manages to get past rival Louisville (the Wildcats are favored by 8 points), then they will be expected to take down whichever team comes from the other semifinal. The top overall seed hasn't won the championship since Joakim Noah led his Florida Gators to a second straight title in 2007, but there isn't much standing in the way of Kentucky doing it this year. My advice: enjoy the heck out of two fantastic games on Saturday night, and then temper your expectations before watching Kentucky roll to victory on Monday.

1) Albert Pujols, 1B - Los Angeles Angels (from St. Louis)

Prince Albert is looking to establish a new kingdom in sunny California, having signed a monster 10-year, $254 million dollar deal. Pujols was an icon in St. Louis and led the team to a World Series win last year, but money talks. Pujols had an off year for himself, which is usually a career year for anyone else, swatting 37 homers with 99 RBI's and batting .299. He is already considered one of the all-time greats and is only 55 homers away from 500 for his career in only 11 seasons. The Texas Rangers have had a stranglehold on the division and have appeared in the World Series the past two years, but Pujols will surely have a say in who wins the division this year.

2) CJ Wilson, SP - Los Angeles Angels (from Texas)

Wilson, with his flaky surfer-dude persona, has jumped ship over to the division rival Angels to team up with Jered Weaver and Dan Haren to give the Angels an imposing top three in the rotation. Los Angeles gave Wilson a five year, $75 million dollar contract, which some thought to be too much, but Wilson will definitely bring consistency and eat innings in the middle of the rotation. He's never been considered an ace, which makes him a perfect fit in LA, with Weaver firmly entrenched at the top. Wilson went 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA last year, striking out 206 and walking 74.

3) Jose Reyes, SS - Miami Marlins (from New York Mets)

The Miami Marlins are introducing a new name, colors and a gorgeous stadium this year, and wanted Reyes as the face of those changes. Reyes will bring his speed and bat to boost the Marlins lineup and provide a spark at the top of the order. His arrival pushes Hanley Ramirez, himself an All-Star, to third base, but after some initial resistance Ramirez has welcomed the change and should strengthen the infield as a whole. Reyes batted a tremendous .337 and hit 16 triples last year, finishing 11th in MVP voting. Reyes also swiped 39 bases and will be looking to make a home on the base paths in the Marlins new stadium.

4) Yu Darvish, SP - Texas Rangers (from Nippon Ham Fighters (Japan)

Darvish may be the most mysterious player in the majors this year. Questions are swirling around the 6-foot-5-inch, 25-year-old pitcher if he can make the transition from Japan to the majors. The Rangers are gambling $108 million dollars (which included the $51 million paid to the Nippon Ham Fighters just to sign him) that Darvish will not only replace Wilson in the rotation but push them over to the top to their first World Series win, after falling short two years in a row. Darvish went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA with Nippon last year.

5) Prince Fielder, 1B - Detroit Tigers (from Milwaukee)

Fielder comes over to the American League after Detroit handed the rotund slugger $214 million to play first base for the next years for the Tigers. Detroit only jumped into the Fielder sweepstakes once Victor Martinez tore his ACL and was pronounced likely out for the year, and is banking on Fielders prodigious bat to be louder than his stomach for most of the decade. Fielder batted .299 with 38 homers and 120 RBI in leading Milwaukee to the NLCS in 2011.

As we prepare for the second weekend of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, it is quite obvious that Cinderella was not invited to this ball. 14 of the remaining Sweet Sixteen teams are from power conferences, with the Xavier Musketeers and the Ohio Bobcats as the only remaining mid-majors. Xavier, a member of the Atlantic-10 Conference, has reached the Sweet Sixteen in four of the past five years, which partially revokes their "underdog" card. Sure, 11-seed North Carolina State has caught some eyes by upsetting San Diego State and Georgetown, but even they were one of the most popular lower seeds after an impressive performance in the national spotlight of the ACC Tournament.

It's tough to tell whether the chalkiness of this year's bracket is good or bad for college basketball. On one hand, the "big" schools tend to have more followers, so more people are still involved and watching all of the games. The Big Ten, for example, has four representatives remaining, and nearly had a fifth before Purdue choked away a late lead against Kansas.

But on the other hand, we as fans have been robbed of some of the excitement of a true Cinderella story. Last year, the highest ranked team to reach the Final Four was 3-seed UConn. That foursome included Butler from the Horizon League and VCU from the Colonial Athletic Association, two of the most improbable Final Four teams ever. VCU in 2011 and George Mason in 2006 electrified their respective Tournaments, as nearly every fan disregarded their personal brackets and supported the crazy streaks through the field.

The good news is that even without the underdog stories, the second weekend is shaping up for some excellent basketball. Storylines run wild, as "what-if" scenarios dominate the office water cooler talk this week.

What if Syracuse doesn't need Fab Melo?

The Orange looked very shaky in their seven-point, referee-aided victory over UNC Asheville, then settled in and throttled Kansas State. After pundits and fans alike switched them out of the Final Four in the brackets due to Melo's academic ineligibility, 'Cuse now looks like a team that could pick up momentum and sneak out of the East regional.

What if the second of two wrist injuries derails the Midwest region quarterfinals favorite?

UNC was still one of the favorites without forward John Henson, but doom-and-gloom has begun to set in for the Tar Heels now that point guard Kendall Marshall has a broken wrist. Though Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller stole the national attention for most of the year, Marshall was the most important guy on that team. He played the role of facilitator, and he was second in the nation with 9.7 assists per game. Barring a miraculously fast healing process, UNC will have some big shoes to fill this weekend.

What if Indiana has Kentucky's number this year?

The Kentucky Wildcats had one of the most impressive regular season runs in recent memory, dropping only one game all season long. They won each of their six games against ranked opponents, and big man Anthony Davis had a season worthy of the Naismith Award. So what's the problem? The problem is that the one loss came in Bloomington, Indiana as the Hoosiers knocked off the top-ranked Wildcats on Christian Watford's game-winning buzzer-beater. We'll have to wait until Friday night to see if UK comes out for revenge or with their Wildcat tails between their legs. Either way, we're in for a great game between two storied basketball programs.

What if Wisconsin and Ohio State meet up for a rubber match in the Elite Eight?

The paths for both teams have been made easier; first, Wisconsin's toughest opponent in Syracuse lost its best big man. Then, 3-seed Florida State fell to Cincinnati, who OSU will play on Thursday. Of the two Big East rivals, the Badgers face a much tougher opponent, but they also have the perfect offense to win that game. Jim Boeheim has Syracuse playing a 2-3 zone, which has always been susceptible to the three-point shot (a Wisconsin specialty). The Badgers and Buckeyes split their two games earlier this year, and each time the road team won. If both teams can win one more game, then they will meet for a third game, this time at a neutral site with a trip to New Orleans and the Final Four on the line.

Anthony Davis, F, Kentucky

Davis was the top-rated prospect coming into the season and he has, by all accounts, exceeded the massive hype. The Chicago native is averaging fourteen points, ten rebounds, and nearly five blocks per game in just 30 minutes of floor time. He will likely be named National Player of the year, as he has emerged as the best player on the nation's best team - quite a feat considering the Wildcats' star-studded roster. Davis, if he decides to enter this year's draft, is the consensus top pick and has the potential to change the fortunes of a franchise with his defensive prowess and quickly-developing offensive skill set. He has drawn comparisons to another Calipari-coached player, Marcus Camby, who went on to a productive NBA career. While the two are very similar in body style and their ability to protect the rim, Davis already appears to be more of a mid-range/perimeter threat than Camby ever was.

Perry Jones III, F, Baylor

On talent alone, Jones is right up there with Anthony Davis as one of the best pure basketball players at any level in the game today. He is capable of putting up huge scoring and rebounding numbers -- as he did in the Big 12 Tournament -- but is equally capable of disappearing in big games and becoming far too passive for a player with his skill set. As a draft prospect, Jones will hear his name called by Commissioner Stern as a lottery pick whenever he declares, but the question of whether he will develop into the player many scouts think he can be remains unanswered. His wiry frame and potent inside-outside game have drawn comparisons to the Thunder's Kevin Durant, but he appears to lack the competitiveness necessary to achieve superstar status in the NBA.

Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky

Arguably the second-best player on Kentucky's roster, Terrence, like Perry Jones (no relation), has faced questions about his motivation and work ethic. After a strong start to his sophomore campaign, Jones hit a rough patch in which he failed to score in double digits in four consecutive games and appeared uncharacteristically passive and disinterested. However, he has since turned it around and is playing like the Terrence Jones of last season, when he was projected as a lottery pick had he opted to declare. His stock has certainly diminished, but not to the point where he is no longer considered an elite prospect. If he does declare after this season, Jones is projected as a late-lottery/mid-first-round pick. One issue that could potentially impact his stock, however, is his lack of a "true" NBA position. For the Wildcats, he plays a hybrid three/four, but some scouts fear he may not be quick enough to play at small forward in the League, and is not enough of an inside threat to start as a power forward.

Brad Beal, G, Florida

Beal was Billy Donovan's prized recruit entering the season and has put together an impressive freshman season for the Gators, averaging nearly fifteen points per game. He's listed at 6'3", slightly undersized for an NBA two-guard, but possesses exceptional athleticism and is a deadly three-point shooter. He also rebounds well for his size (6.5 per game) and has the potential to be a solid defender. His game has drawn comparisons to that of former UConn, and current Celtics, star Ray Allen - high praise for any prospect. If he decides to come out, Beal looks to be a top-ten pick with all-star potential in the future. He may not be elite to the point where he can carry a franchise, but he certainly appears to be on track for a productive NBA career.

Thomas Robinson, F, Kansas

Robinson represents Anthony Davis' closest competition for National Player of the Year honors, and rightfully so. The junior from DC is averaging eighteen points and twelve boards for the second-seeded Jayhawks and has been their leader all season. While Robinson's ceiling is probably the lowest of all the prospects we've listed thus far, he has the highest floor. With his sturdy, 6'10" 240 pound frame, he can step in and produce for a team immediately. Some projections have him going as high as second overall in the 2012 Draft (for which it is widely assumed he will declare), while others see him as a mid-lottery pick. If Robinson is able to expand his offensive game beyond the paint, he has all-star potential; but with his current limitations he projects as a durable, longtime NBA starting power forward.

Harrison Barnes, G, North Carolina

Harrison Barnes arrived in Chapel Hill last season as the nation's top recruit and endured a very much up-and-down season. Some nights he looked like a future NBA star, while others made scouts scratch their heads. This season, he has been much more consistent and has emerged as a leader for a dinged up North Carolina team that may face Ohio without three of its starters. As a high schooler in Ames, Iowa, Barnes drew comparisons to Kobe Bryant with his smooth jumper and highly-developed offensive game. While the similarities are there, I believe Barnes projects more closely to the Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks - a scorer who will give you 25 points a night, but doesn't quite have that killer instinct to carry a franchise to the promised land.

C.J. Leslie, F, North Carolina State

A high school teammate of John Wall, Leslie has greatly improved from his freshman season and appears to be much more NBA-ready. He is probably the best athlete in the tournament (no offense, Mike Bruesewitz) and is usually good for a couple big-time throwdowns each game (think Hakim Warrick/JJ Hickson). He is slightly undersized for an NBA power forward, but if he develops an outside game and improves his decision making, he has lottery pick written all over him.

Dion Waiters, G, Syracuse

I've had the opportunity to watch Waiters play several times this season and the more I see him the more he reminds me of former Memphis standout Tyreke Evans. Everything about their game is similar, down to the TMac-esque leg kick jumpshot. Waiters is slightly shorter than Evans, but possesses the same slashing capability and uncanny ability to finish in traffic. If he opts to come out after this season, he would probably be a late first round selection, but I believe the potential for a productive NBA career is there. Waiters comes off the bench for the talented Orangemen, but has the confidence and ability necessary to succeed in the League.

Other Prospects to Watch:

John Henson, F, North Carolina

Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

Jae Crowder, F, Marquette

Doron Lamb, G, Kentucky

Jared Sullinger, F, Ohio State

William Buford, G/F, Ohio State

Cody Zeller, C, Indiana

1) Improved frontcourt play

Ryan Evans has displayed a silky smooth jumper from mid-range lately, allowing him to utilize his pump fake to get to the rim and draw fouls. In the past ten games, Evans has averaged 13.9 points and 7.5 rebounds. Additionally, Evans has been getting to the line about four times per game, second only to Jordan Taylor over this span. Plus, Evans rocks a sick flat top that will undoubtedly intimidate opponents.

Jared Berggren, while lacking an intimidating hairdo, has also shown consistent play. Berggren has asserted himself in the post on defense, notching 7 blocks Thursday against Montana. He has gained invaluable experience from defending some of the top post players in the country in Jared Sullinger, Draymond Green and Cody Zeller. Berggren showed the ability to come through in the clutch as he drained a go ahead three against Ohio State to give the Badgers the victory. Berggren's experience in taking shots under pressure makes him a factor down the stretch, an invaluable tool in the tournament.

Clearly, the ghost of Mike Bruesewitz's hair has been haunting his shooting for most of the season. But there's nothing like a trip to New Mexico, the land of enchantment, to reverse this curse. Even if he's unable to contribute large amounts of offense, Bruesewitz gives the Badgers ample energy and is a rebounding presence inside.

Bruesewitz's energy and intensity could be the difference in gaining a key loose ball or rebound. If he can start hitting threes, he adds another factor to this Badgers squad.

2) Legitimate threats off the bench

Rob Wilson scored 30 points against Indiana. No one saw that coming. Wilson had been seeing increasing minutes recently and been producing during those minutes, but his explosion of points -- a myriad of drives, mid-range shots and threes, showcased the breadth of his game and suggests that Wilson can provide an offensive supplement for the Badgers throughout the tournament.

His outburst has me thinking it's part of Bo Ryan's evil plot to give teams another element to plan for during the tourney.

Although the Badgers aren't deep on the bench, Ben Brust offers another legitimate threat from deep. He showed the ability to light it up from 3-point range early in the season, and if he can get into a rhythm, his marksmanship from deep could provide a spark from the bench that lifts UW through scoring droughts. As the Badgers (hopefully) advance through the tournament, key role players with the ability to hit open threes will allow UW to extend defenses and attack the rim.

3) A good draw in the East region

The East region really lacks any real star power or flash. Without Fab Melo, many are doubting Syracuse's chances to advance deep into the tourney -- evidenced by 16-seed UNC-Asheville nearly knocking off the Orange yesterday, albeit without any help from the refs. Vanderbilt's potent combination of guard John Jenkins and forward Jeffery Taylor, and Ohio State's Jared Sullinger bring great individual play, but many of the teams in the East aren't necessarily favorites to make it to the National Championship. Thus, in this wide open region, if the Badgers can string together complete performances within the framework of their particular roles, I think they can make it to New Orleans.

4) This team has proven its mettle

This season the Badgers knocked off a top ten team on the road in Ohio State for the first time since 1980. The Badgers also garnered road wins over Illinois and Purdue and knocked off Indiana in a neutral, but mostly Hoosier supported crowd at the Big Ten Tournament. These road wins provide a solid basis for a deep run into March. Jordan Taylor's senior leadership and experience could help this team overcome adverse situations as the Badgers face different venues and unique challenges.

The Bucks received guard Monta Ellis, forward Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown's expiring contract in exchange for Andrew Bogut and the maligned Stephen Jackson.

Before analyzing the trade - and Milwaukee's future as a whole - here's a breakdown of each player in the trade:

Andrew Bogut

Although many Wisconsinites are content to label Bogut a bust, that simply isn't the case. It's true that mediocrity marred Bogut's tenure with the Bucks - only landing in the playoffs twice in his six years. It's also true that Bogut missed a significant amount of games for the Bucks - missing over 100 games the last four seasons. However, Bogut was by far the best player on the Bucks during his time here. He's certainly better than Marvin Williams, the other player the Bucks were targeting with the number one pick in 2005. People are quick to point out the Bucks could have had Deron Williams or Chris Paul in that draft. My rebuttal is simple - Chris Paul and Deron Williams forced their way out of New Orleans and Utah respectively, and it would have happened sooner in Milwaukee. Not to mention the Bucks already had a promising point guard in T.J. Ford.

If anyone is to blame for the Bucks' lack of success, it is Milwaukee's management for consistently failing to surround Bogut with talented, unselfish and efficient players (i.e. not the carousel of Michael Redd, Mo Williams, Bobby Simmons, Charlie Villanueva, Richard Jefferson, Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson). This year the Bucks were 7-5 when Andrew Bogut played and 12-19 when he did not. To argue the Bucks were and are better without a healthy Andrew Bogut is simply not true. However, you can argue the Bucks are now better without Bogut than with a consistently injured Bogut, which is why the trade was made.

It is not fair to dismiss Bogut's value and talent because of his injuries. Legitimate 7-foot centers are disappearing in the NBA, and just two years ago - before "the injury" (where he slipped from the rim and dislocated his right elbow, broke his hand and sprained his wrist) - Bogut was arguably the best center in the league aside from Dwight Howard. Bogut was averaging 15.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game until his injury in 2010. Last year, while practically playing with one arm, Bogut's blocks and rebounds increased. Unfortunately, his offense never returned to form. His patented righty hook shot was nonexistent after the reconstruction of his elbow. Bogut admits his elbow would never be 100 percent again and his latest ankle injury may deteriorate his talents even further. The Bucks are no longer willing to risk that reality and wait on Bogut's health, but the Warriors clearly are.

Just two seasons ago, the Bucks seemed to have a legitimate core - a young, electrifying point guard and a dual threat center in his prime. Bogut's fall robbed him of his development into a dominant center and robbed the Bucks of their promising future. The Bucks had a clear plan in 2010; it's hard to see a plan in 2012.

Stephen Jackson

There's not much to say about Stephen Jackson's career in Milwaukee. He said a contract extension was mandatory in his introductory press conference, despite the fact his contract ran for two years and nearly $20 million. He's played in 26 games this season and averaged 10.5 points a game while only shooting 36 percent from the field - ranking 387th in the league. Jackson played poorly on the court and acted questionably off the court. He hosted numerous parties in visiting cities on nights before games, according to widespread flyers on the internet. Jackson slept through a pre-game shoot around in New York, which prompted a suspension from the Bucks. A few days later, he was suspended for verbally abusing a referee and failing to leave the court in a timely manner after an ejection during a game. The Bucks wanted desperately to get him off the team - even if it meant devaluing their return on a trade. Milwaukee got their wish by packaging him in this deal.

(Note: The Warriors traded Jackson a day later to the Spurs for Richard Jefferson and a conditional first round pick.)

Monta Ellis

Monta Ellis is a quick, flashy combo guard who has averaged nearly 20 points per game in his career. The Warriors drafted him out of high school in 2005 with the 40th overall pick in the NBA Draft. He captured the Most Improved Player award in his second season after averaging 16 points and 4 assists a game. In 2008, he shot 53% from the floor and averaged over 20 points per game - prompting a 6 year, $67 million extension. He injured his ankle in a moped crash that offseason and lost some of his explosiveness he displayed earlier in his career. Ellis has regained most of his quickness, but his shooting percentage has topped out at 45% since the moped incident. Nonetheless, he's still a high volume scorer - averaging 24.1 points per game last year and 25.5 points per game in 2010.

Ellis will be playing shooting guard next to Brandon Jennings, which makes him a matchup nightmare on offense. However, he's undersized at that position - only 6'3 - so he's known to struggle on defense. The Bucks have been looking for an exciting, dynamic scoring wing for the last few years, and Ellis now fills that void. Ellis' acquisition means Milwaukee will feature a run and gun style of offense, but how that meshes with Scott Skiles's defensive philosophy remains to be seen.

Ekpe Udoh

Udoh was the 6th pick in the 2010 NBA draft by Golden State. He struggled in his first season, only averaging 4 points and 3 rebounds per game. His play has improved this year, and the Warriors recently inserted him into the starting lineup after several impressive performances. At 6'10, his natural position is power forward, but he will be forced to play the center position (also see Drew Gooden and Larry Sanders) for the undersized Bucks. Udoh's rebounding rates are alarmingly low, but his defense and shot blocking abilities make up for that deficiency. Milwaukee is hoping Udoh will be able to clog the lane and develop a legitimate post game, which would lessen the impact of losing Bogut.

Kwame Brown

The former number one overall pick was included in the deal for salary relief. He's likely out for the year because of surgery on a chest muscle, but his expiring contract will save the Bucks $7 million in the offseason. This is important because that money can go towards retaining Ersan Ilyasova or extending Brandon Jennings.

Conclusion

It's too early to speculate on this deal without watching how Ellis and Udoh perform with the Bucks. Ellis and Brandon Jennings could be the most exciting, dynamic backcourts in the NBA. Conversely, they could be the most undersized and inefficient backcourt - they've combined to miss 827 shots this season, the most for any pair of teammates in the NBA.

One thing is clearer than ever: Milwaukee's management is not willing to blow up its team and go for a high draft pick. Historically speaking, this development should not come as a surprise. This trade is similar, in some ways, to the Ray Allen trade in 2003. The Bucks traded Ray Allen, Ronald Murray, Kevin Ollie and a conditional first round pick to Seattle for Gary Payton and Desmond Mason. Gary Payton quickly expressed his displeasure with Milwaukee and left the Bucks in the offseason, while Desmond Mason played several effective years with the Bucks as a role player. Ray Allen, however, would go to the All-Star game seven more times and win an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008. Although the Ray Allen trade failed for the Bucks - sending them into the cycle of mediocrity - it was the classic "win now while we rebuild" trade Bucks fans have become accustomed to seeing. An older Gary Payton was supposed to help them remain a playoff contender and Desmond Mason had some potential. The Andrew Bogut trade follows the pattern of "winning now while rebuilding." Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh will help the Bucks this year in their playoff push for the 8th seed, while Brown's expiring contract - and dumping the contracts of Bogut and Jackson - will give the Bucks plenty of flexibility in the future. The Bucks are also getting younger in this trade, which is another justification they can use in their claim of building for the future. The reasoning behind the Bogut and Allen trades are similar, but Milwaukee is hoping the result will be vastly different.

The Winner of the Deal

There isn't a clear winner of this deal. I'd argue Andrew Bogut is the best all-around player in the trade. There's a reason the Warriors were willing to give up their best scorers and best defender to get an injured Bogut. If, and that's a huge "if," Bogut can return to decent health and regain the form we saw two years ago, the Warriors come out on top in this deal. A quality center is substantially more difficult to find than a high volume scorer is.

The real wildcard in this deal is the Bucks' interior defense. The Bucks have a chance to be a potent team in the Eastern Conference if Udoh, Larry Sanders and Luc Mbah a Moute are able to protect the paint. However, if other teams take advantage of Milwaukee's porous interior defense, the scoring prowess of the new-look Bucks will be largely irrelevant.

Tips for Picking the Perfect Bracket

1. When in doubt, go with the hot team

Last year serves as a perfect example, as we saw Kemba Walker lead his streaking UConn team to a national championship. The Huskies entered the Big East Tournament as the ninth-best team in their own conference, and then rattled off 11 straight victories to win both the Big East and the NCAA Tournaments. People don't remember that two of the other Final Four teams (Kentucky and Butler) won their conference tournaments as well, and the fourth (VCU) lost in their conference championship game. Of this year's conference tournament winners, I like Colorado to advance to the second weekend, VCU to have another Cinderella-style run to at least the Sweet Sixteen, Florida State to reach the Elite Eight and Louisville to make the Final Four.

2. Follow your upset-hunches for Thursday and Friday...to an extent

In three of the past seven Tournaments we've seen a 14-seed upset a 3-seed in the "first" round games (I don't care about the stupid play-ins, we all know the real first round starts on Thursday). Don't be too quick to dismiss No. 14 South Dakota State and their stud guard Nate Wolters (21.3 ppg) as they do battle with a slumping Baylor squad that's lost five of 11. The 5-12 pairings always seem to provide one or more upsets, so take a long, hard look at VCU, Long Beach State and Harvard. It's important not to go overboard with the upsets, however. Don't get too crazy and select a 16-seed over a 1-seed, because that has never happened in the history of the Tournament (and likely never will). And as a side note, don't buy into the "No. 15 Detroit over No. 2 Kansas" hype, as it isn't going to happen. Jayhawks' Player of the Year candidate Thomas Robinson will have a field day, and KU will win by double digits.

3. Don't let your emotions get the best of you

You're trying to pick the perfect bracket, not boost your home team's confidence. Wisconsin has a pretty easy draw up until the Sweet Sixteen, but the Badgers are just too inconsistent on the offensive end to make a deep run into the tourney. It's very possible that they'll lose to Montana in the first round, or to the winner of red-hot Vanderbilt and Harvard (an Ivy League school bounced Wisconsin two years ago, remember). If they squeak past their first two matchups, they almost certainly run into No. 1 Syracuse, a team who can play Badger-basketball even better than the Badgers. The Orange ranks 23^rd in the nation in scoring defense (22 spots behind the top-ranked Badgers), but brings a much more balanced and reliable offense to the table. While I'll be hoping and rooting like everyone else, I just don't see any way the Badgers can make the Elite Eight.

4. Chalk, chalk, chalk and more chalk

People love to brag about picking first-round upsets (I still tell anyone who will listen about my No. 13 Bradley pick in 2006), but bracket pools (if they were legal) are won in the later rounds. If you get all of the Final Four teams correct, no one will care that you missed a 9-8 first round upset, or that you didn't get that one Sweet Sixteen Cinderella team. The first thing you need to do is sift through the 1-seeds, deciding who has a deep run in them and who is looking at an early exit. A 1-seed has reached the Final Four in all but two of the Tournaments since 1985 (when the NCAA adopted a 64-team bracket), so you can be pretty sure that one or two more will make it to New Orleans this year. After you decide which No. 1's you like (Kentucky and Syracuse for me), it's time to examine some of the other higher seeds. Only five teams seeded sixth or worse have reached the Final Four over the past 19 years, so there is a slim chance that will happen again.

5. Experience and head coaching rules all

Just like the rest of John Calipari's teams, Kentucky looks to buck this trend. Outside of Coach Cal, it's no coincidence that Tom Izzo, Roy Williams and Jim Boeheim coached the teams that were awarded the 1-seeds. Each coach already has at least one NCAA Championship under his belt, so don't be surprised if they have their teams ready to play. Izzo, in particular, has a lot of tourney success. In each of the three seasons that his Michigan State teams have earned a 1-seed he's led them to at least the Final Four (winning the championship with Mateen Cleaves running the point in 2000). Other strong, veteran head coaches to look out for: Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, Connecticut's Jim Calhoun, Florida's Billy Donovan and Kansas State's Frank Martin.

6. Get ALL of your schoolwork done by Wednesday night

The first weekend of the March Madness Tournament is devoted entirely to basketball, so make sure that your only obligation is watching the games. Once the first game tips off on Thursday morning (at 11:15 AM Central), the brackets will lock and all the pre-Tournament anxiety should wash right out of you. At that point it's time for you to grab a comfortable spot on the couch, email your professors to let them know that you're sick, and then enjoy roughly 12 straight hours of college basketball (then lather, rinse, repeat for another marathon of college hoops on Friday).