NCAA Tournament Preview: Midwest Region

If you were to use one word to describe this year's March Madness tournament, the most appropriate would probably be, parity. For the first year in quite some time, there is no real favorite that is head and shoulders above everyone else in the field. You could realistically make a case for 20 teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the whole thing, and it should make for a great tournament. You're going to see brackets busted more than ever before after the opening weekend, and predicting who's going to come out on top will seem impossible when you're making your picks.

Virginia and Michigan State are the top two seeds in the Midwest, and they'll certainly be the two most popular teams to come out of the region in most people's brackets. There are multiple other teams, however, that are very intriguing, which should make for some great opening-round matchups.

THE FAVORITES

No. 1 Virginia - The Cavaliers went 24-6 in the regular season and advanced to the ACC tournament championship where they eventually lost to North Carolina by four. Virginia has been battle tested all year, earning wins over West Virginia, Villanova, California, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Louisville and Miami. They play pack-line defense and grind out possessions, which can be mentally and physically draining for opponents to handle. Coach Tony Bennet gets maximum effort out of his guys each and every night, and they make it very difficult for other teams to score. Virginia is led by ACC Player of the Year Malcolm Brogdon who is usually the best all-around player in the game, on both ends of the floor. He averages 18.7 points per game and 4.1 rebounds per game across a team-high 34 minutes per game.

No. 2 Michigan State - The Spartans are coming off a Big Ten tournament championship and as usual, they seem to be peaking at the right time as they head into the Big Dance. During the regular season Michigan State beat teams like Kansas (No. 1 overall seed), Providence, Louisville, Florida, Maryland, Indiana and Wisconsin. They are led by a Wooden Award finalist in Denzel Valentine, who can do it all on the basketball floor. He's averaging a ridiculous line of 19.6 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game and 7.6 assist per game, and he simply makes everyone around him better. Legendary coach Tom Izzo has yet another team that's fully capable of winning it all, and there is a good chance that we'll be watching them play during multiple weekends throughout the tournament.

No. 3 Utah - Utah is one of the higher-seeded teams in this regional that many are still unfamiliar with. Part of that is because they play out west when people on the east coast are typically sound asleep. The Utes have nine players who average double-digit minutes, led by Jakob Poeltl, a 7-foot Austrian center who averages 17.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He's a dominant force in the middle and an absolute matchup nightmare for opponents to handle. Utah beat teams like Temple, Duke, Arizona and California this season and will be a very tough out.

No. 4 Iowa State - Iowa State has had a rough go at the tournament the last couple years and has yet to live up to high expectations. The Cyclones were battle tested in arguably the best conference in college basketball and earned wins over teams like Iowa, Cincinnati, Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. They're led by senior forward Georges Niang, one of the most versatile players in the country who makes everyone around him better. He averages 19.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and will be important in determining how far the Cyclones will go. Iowa State has the talent to go all the way but has yet to prove that it can consistently win big games when it matters most.

CINDERELLA WATCH

No. 11 Gonzaga - Gonzaga entered this year having made 17 consecutive tournaments which was good for the fifth longest active streak in the country. Typically, they'd get an at large bid no matter what, but this year they needed to win their conference tournament if they wanted to make it 18 in a row. The Bulldogs did just that, as they beat Saint Mary's in the tournament championship after getting swept in the regular season. The Zags took a big hit early when they lost Przemek Karnowski with a season-ending injury, but they were able to overcome it. They're led by senior forward Kyle Wiltjer, who averages 20.7 points per game, and can absolutely make it rain from 3-point land. Domantas Sabonis is an up-and-coming forward who averages 17.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Gonzaga gets a very tough opening-round matchup against Seton Hall, which should be one of the best matchups in the first round, but has the talent to not only win that game, but multiple games thereafter. The No. 1 question with Gonzaga is whether it get enough solid play out of its guards.

No. 13 Iona - Iona knocked off Monmouth in the conference tournament championship to earn its first tournament bid since 2013. This team is built to score points and does it in bunches, averaging 79.6 points per game, 30th in the country. They play a fast-paced style and get shots up early and often to pressure the opponent. The Gaels are led by senior guard A.J. English, who is one of the top players in the country. English averages 22.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game, and not only does he score, but he distributes and creates shots for others. Iona is certainly capable of making a run, but whether it can defend at a high enough level will be the question. Iona's first-round foe is Iowa State, which plays the same style of basketball as the Gaels. It should be a fast-paced, high-scoring affair and that's exactly the way that Iona wants it.

BIGGEST BUST

No. 3 Utah - I was tempted to take Iowa State in this spot based on recent history the last couple years, and I do think Iona can give the Cyclones a run for their money, but I'm going with Utah instead. The Utes first-round matchup against Fresno State won't be a walk in the park, as the Bulldogs enter the tournament on a nine-game winning streak after knocking off San Diego State in the Mountain West tournament championship. If Utah gets by Fresno State, they'll be looking at the winner of the Seton Hall-Gonzaga matchup, both of which are certainly capable of beating the Utes. I think Utah could be the first No. 3 seed to go down in this year's tournament, and it could be as early as the first round.

FIRST-ROUND UPSET

No. 14 Fresno State vs. No. 3 Utah - This is one of the most intriguing matchups in the Midwest regional. The Bulldogs enter the tournament on a nine-game winning streak, which included the conference tournament championship against San Diego State. This team is extremely deep, as 10 players average double-digit minutes and seven score more than seven points per game. Fresno State is led by senior guard Marvelle Harris who enters the tournament averaging 20.6 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game and 4.4 assists per game. Guard play is very important come tournament time, and Harris will be the X-Factor in this game. Utah's front court could create some problems for the Bulldogs, but the lack of solid depth will ultimately decide the outcome. Fresno State in a close one.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Denzel Valentine, Guard, Michigan State - Valentine emerged this year as one of the top three players in the country and is the heart and soul of this year's Big Ten champs. He breaks down defenses off the bounce and distributes the ball to his teammates better than anyone in college basketball. The senior guard averages 19.6 points per game and has topped 25 points seven times this season. Valentine shoots 44.5 percent from beyond the arc and 85.3 percent from the foul stripe and is capable of scoring in bunches. Tune into the Michigan State games and be sure to watch Valentine on both ends of the floor. He rarely disappoints.

SWEET 16 PICKS

No. 1 Virginia - Virginia is one of the most complete teams in the country and is led by veterans who've played in big games throughout their careers. The Cavaliers will take care of Hampton with ease in the first round, and they'll be way too much to handle for either Texas Tech or Butler in the second round. Pencil Virginia in for two wins, and look forward to watching them compete in the Sweet 16.

No. 5 Purdue - Many have Purdue losing the first-round game simply because it'd be the always popular 12-5 upset. That's not going to happen. The Boilermakers have one of the biggest frontcourts in college basketball in A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas, both of whom are talented on both ends of the floor. Purdue is one of the deepest teams in the country as 10 players average double-digit minutes, and five score eight points or better. They beat teams like Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin and Michigan State during the regular season and their size and physicality will be too much for Iowa State to handle in the second round, assuming the Cyclones get past Iona.

No. 6 Seton Hall - This four-team section of the regional was the toughest to determine, and any of the four teams could advance to the Sweet 16. The Pirates have a tough matchup in game one against Gonzaga, but they're playing great basketball and could make a deep run. Seton Hall has won eight of its last nine games, which included beating Xavier in the Big East semifinal and Villanova in the championship. Teams that do well in the tournament are led by great guards, and the Pirates have just that in Isaiah Whitehead and Khadeen Carrington who average 18.4 and 14.3 points per game, respectively. Whitehead has scored 20-plus points in seven consecutive games and this team will go as he goes. The only concern with this team is its lack of depth, as just seven players average double-digit minutes.

No. 2 Michigan State - Michigan State is a popular to go all the way, and you could certainly make the argument that they're the best team in the country. Tom Izzo was born to coach in March and gets the most out of his guys night in and night out. The Spartans will wipe out Middle Tennessee State in the first round, and it won't be close. Although they'll get a tough second-round matchup in either Dayton or Syracuse, I don't see them losing in the first weekend.

FINAL FOUR PICK

No. 1 Virginia - It was tough to pick against Michigan State, and they'll certainly be the most popular pick to come out of the Midwest. I don't think they will, however, because this could be Virginia's year. The last few seasons this team entered the tournament with high expectations, much like this year. The problem is that they continue to fall short and people doubt them. Could they lose to Michigan State? Yes, but their veteran leadership and defense should get them through to the Final Four and possibly beyond. Tony Bennett is a great coach, and Malcolm Brogdon is a Superstar. London Perrantes shoots 48.1 percent from three-point land and Anthony Gill is a force down low. Don't doubt this team, it is really, really good. This is the year it breaks through.