Midwest Bracket Breakdown: Sweet 16

Now only 4 teams remain in the Midwest region, so who are the best players and coaches find out below. Also, what is hot and cold about each team? Later in the week I will give you my picks for these games.

10 Players

1. Thomas Robinson (Kansas) – Robinson is the most dominant low post scorer in the country. He is also probably the strongest too. He would have my vote for Player of the Year

2.Tyler Zeller (North Carolina) –After a slow start Zeller picked it up during conference play and was named the ACC Player of the Year. Zeller has the best jump hook in college basketball.

3.John Henson (North Carolina)- If he is healthy he is the 2nd best defender in college basketball. Henson improved his all-around offensive game. Led the ACC in blocks and rebounds.

4.Harrison Barnes (North Carolina) -Barnes has been more aggressive this season attacking the rim, and he is shooting the three better. Need a shot late to win, put money on Barnes to make it.

5.Kendall Marshall (North Carolina) -Marshall is one of the best passing point guards to play in college basketball in a long time. Marshall set the record for most assists in the ACC for one season. However, Marshall has a broken right wrist; his status for the rest of the tournament is uncertain.

6. Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas) -Taylor is averaging about 17 points and 5 assists per game not bad. He is also shooting a lot better from three.

7.D.J. Cooper (Ohio)- Cooper is one of best guards in the country that no one has heard about.

8. C.J. Leslie (NC State) – Leslie might have the most talent of any player on this list. He is just now starting to put it all together. He has great athleticism.

9. Lorenzo Brown (NC State)- One of the most versatile point guards in the country. For the season he is averaging about 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.

10. Walter Offutt (Ohio) – Is the Bobcats second leading scorer.

Ranking the Coaches

1.Roy Williams (North Carolina)-Since leaving Kansas Williams has won two national championships at UNC in 8 years.

2. Bill Self (Kansas)- This year has to be Self’s best coaching job, because not a lot of people expected Kansas to have the success they did this season. Self will be looking for his second NCAA title.

3. Mark Gottfried (NC State)- He is winning with the same players Sidney Lowe couldn’t win with.

4. John Groce (Ohio) – Groce has a 13th seed in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006 in Bradley.

What’s hot and cold?

North Carolina

Hot: James Michael McAdoo is averaging 13 points per game in the NCAA tournament compared to 5 points in the regular season. Point guard Kendall Marshall is playing his best basketball now because he is scoring. In the first two games Marshall is averaging 14.5 points and 10.5 assists. However, as you see below there is some bad news with Marshall. Tyler Zeller is also averaging 14 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two tournament games.

Cold: Injuries, just right after John Henson returned from wrist injury star point guard Kendall Marshall breaks his right wrist against Creighton. Marshal’sl playing status is still up in the air. Besides injuries nothing is wrong with the Heels. Harrison Barnes is only shooting 12 of 31 from the field.

Kansas

Hot: During the regular season Elijah Johnson was averaging about 9 points per game in two tournament games he is averaging 16.5 points. He has made 3 three’s in each game. Defense, the Jayhawks have held opponents to 36 % shooting so far in the tournament. Despite struggling from the field last game Thomas Robinson is still averaging 13.5 points and 13 rebounds.

Cold: Shooting in their last game against Purdue they shot 34 % from the field and were just 6 of 24 from three. Jeff Withey is just averaging 5.5 points per game in the tournament. The Jawhawks still need one more player to step their game up.

NC State

Hot: The Wolfpack might be the hottest team in the country. Lorenzo Brown, for the tournament he is averaging 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. C.J. Leslie is averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds. Scott Wood shot 4 of 5 from three last game. Richard Howell is also playing his best basketball of the season, and he is averaging 15.5 points in the tournament.

Cold: Bench play, if NC State is to make a run they will need more off their bench. In two games their bench has a combined 12 points. Also NC State is shooting very poorly from the free throw line. So far in the tournament they are shooting 63 % from the line.

Ohio

Hot: Ohio guards Walter Offutt and D.J. Cooper are on fire right now. In two tournament games Offutt is averaging 15 points per game while Cooper is averaging 20 points per game. In their win over South Florida Cooper finished the game with 19 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.

Cold: Rebouning, if Ohio wants to advance they will have to rebound a lot better. So far in the tournament they are a minus 9 in rebounding margin. While Cooper and Offutt are great scorers the Bobcats lack depth scoring. They need someone else to step up especially inside.

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