Midwest Regional

Live, from Room 226 at Milton High School, the Midwest Regional. FIRST ROUND 1. Kansas over 16. Portland State 9. Kent State over 8. UNLV 5. Clemson over 12. Villanova 4. Vanderbilt over 13. Siena 11. Kansas State over 6. USC 3. Wisconsin over 14. CS-Fullerton 10. Davidson over 7. Gonzaga 2. Georgetown over 15. UM-Baltimore County SECOND ROUND 1. Kansas over 9. Kent State 5. Clemson over 4. Vanderbilt 11. Kansas State over 3. Wisconsin 10. Davidson over 2. Georgetown SWEET SIXTEEN 1. Kansas over 5. Clemson 11. Kansas State over 10. Davidson REGIONAL FINAL 1. Kansas over 11. Kansas State Is this the year that Kansas finally rids itself of the "Ghost of Danny Manning" to win its first national championship since 1988? Bill Self hopes so, as does TheBostonInsider. The Jayhawks, in my opinion, get the easiest draw of all the top seeds. Georgetown is solid but are vulnerable in the face of a guard who can light up the scoreboard, which is why I see Stephen Curry and Davidson ending Roy Hibbert's career. Wisconsin is a very solid team and are well coached by Bo Ryan but the Big 10 to me was the weakest of the so-called "BCS" conferences (ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, Pac-10). No. 4 seed Vanderbilt is also solid -- they defeated Tennessee -- but they don't jump out at me as a potential Sweet Sixteen team. The two most serious threats to the Jayhawks play in the first round, USC and Kansas State. I have Michael Beasley and K-State advancing past OJ Mayo and the Trojans but whoever wins this game is facing Kansas for the right to go to San Antonio for the Final Four. Best Opening Round Game: Kansas State and USC Best Player You Haven't Heard of Yet: Stephen Curry, Davidson First and Last NCAA Tournament: Beasley and Mayo Midwest Regional MVP: Mario Chalmers, Kansas