The top four seeds
No. 1 North Carolina (29-5): The Tar Heels fell short of the ACC title without injured star forward John Henson (left wrist), but he is expected to be fine for the opener. The combination of sterling point guard (Kendall Marshall) and dominating big men (Tyler Zeller and Henson) is difficult to match.
No. 2 Kansas (27-6): The Jayhawks won their eighth consecutive Big 12 title and have a seasoned point guard in Tyshawn Taylor. However, Kansas coach Bill Self's track record -- one Final Four in eight seasons despite four No. 1 seedings -- is hard to ignore.
No. 3 Georgetown (23-8): A fierce defense probably means the Hoyas can stay in any game. Since reaching the 2007 Final Four though, Georgetown has lost as a No. 2 seed to a No. 10, as a No. 3 to a No. 14 and as a No. 6 to a No. 11.
No. 4 Michigan (24-9): The Wolverines tied for the regular-season title in the Big Ten, arguably the toughest league in the country, with their hybrid Princeton offense. However, they lack size, which doesn't bode well for a possible matchup with UNC.
Four players to watch
Kendall Marshall, guard, North Carolina: The nation's leader in assist-turnover ratio (3.51 to 1) has vision and passing skills that make him a delight to watch. Marshall (6-foot-4, 195 pounds) has also scored in double figures in the past four games.
Thomas Robinson, forward, Kansas: The national player-of-the-year candidate averages a double-double for the Jayhawks. NBA scouts are anticipating a matchup between Robinson (6-10, 237) and UNC's Zeller and Henson.
Matthew Dellavedova, guard, St. Mary's: The West Coast Conference player of the year from Maryborough, Australia, will give Purdue a challenge with his ability to score and dish. Dellavedova (6-4, 190) averages 15.6 points to go with 6.4 assists.
JaMychal Green, forward, Alabama: The Crimson Tide rely heavily on Green (6-8, 240) for scoring and rebounding. He led Alabama to the NIT finals last season.
Top three storylines
Worth the hype? With a roster loaded with potential lottery picks, North Carolina was picked No. 1 in the preseason and earned a No. 1 seed. Can the Tar Heels bear that pressure?
Roy and the Jayhawks: Should the seeds hold, UNC coach Roy Williams will face former employer Kansas and his replacement, Bill Self, for a Final Four berth. Forecast calls for tears.
Point guards aplenty: Marshall, Taylor and Dellavedova are three of the best point guards in the tournament. Temple's Juan Fernandez and N.C. State's Lorenzo Brown are two more.
Most intriguing first-round matchup
Belmont has won 14 games in a row and won't be afraid of Georgetown. The Bruins lost to Duke by one point at Cameron Indoor Stadium in November.
Best potential second-round matchup
North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes and Creighton forward Doug McDermott played on the same high school team in Ames, Iowa. McDermott (23.2 points per game) is having an All-American-caliber season.
Bracket buster
N.C. State has length, balance, a solid point guard and a terrific player in power forward C.J. Leslie, who got hot at the ACC tournament. Worth noting: The Wolfpack will play San Diego State Friday at 9:40 a.m. PDT.
Sound bite
"Creighton was underseeded. They're way better than an 8, but they're going to be out early unless something remarkable takes place against North Carolina. Ohio is good enough to beat Michigan. They shoot a lot of 3's, they force a lot of turnovers and they're well-coached by a guy named John Groce."
-- ESPN analysis Jay Bilas
The numbers game
5 The number of teams in the region in the NCAA's top 11 in assist-turnover ratio – Purdue, North Carolina, Creighton, Belmont and St. Mary's.
50.9 Belmont's field-goal percentage, first in the country.
7 The number of years that a team from the Horizon League has won at least one tournament game. Detroit is from the Horizon.
Now you know
Detroit point guard Ray McCallum was a McDonald's All-American in 2010, turning down offers from Kansas and UCLA. How did he end up at Detroit? His dad Ray Sr. is the Titans' coach.
Bound for the Sweet 16
North Carolina, Michigan, Georgetown and Kansas, "But if Michigan gets beat by Ohio and Georgetown gets beat by Belmont, it could be anybody. It could be San Diego State, it could be N.C. State."
-- Bilas
Bound for the Final Four
North Carolina: "If they're healthy, they're the best team."
-- Bilas
-- Ken Sugiura
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