You could build a convincing case for any of the No. 1 seeds to win the national championship.

UCLA is in the West, with games in Anaheim and Phoenix. The Bruins have come up short the past two years at the Final Four and the third time is supposed to be a charm. That charm might be freshman center Kevin Love. North Carolina is playing as well as any team and has the Raleigh-to-Charlotte rout all mapped out on the way to San Antonio. Oh yeah, the Tar Heels also have Tyler Hansbrough. Memphis is on a mission to prove everyone wrong, but missed free throws could keep the Tigers from the second weekend of action.

North Carolina was rewarded with the No. 1 seed overall, but the Tar Heels have many possible obstacles in their path — Indiana, Notre Dame, Washington State, Louisville, Butler and Tennessee. UCLA’s season could end against Xavier, Duke, Drake or UConn.

The general consensus is that Kansas is playing in the softest region. It looks that way, but who knows for sure? Kent State, Clemson, USC, Davidson, or Georgetown could all end the dream for the Jayhawks. Last year, Self and the Jayhawks fell one step shy of the Final Four, losing to UCLA in the Elite Eight.

That raised the bar for this season. If Kansas reaches the Final Four for the 13th time, Self will be reminded of something he said to ESPN.com last October.

Said Self: “The only thing last year's team didn't have was seniors. A team is only as good as its seniors allow it to be. This year, we've got five studs. We've got to get the big prize. We've got to cut down the nets in April.”

Twenty years after Manning cut down the nets, maybe it’s time again for Kansas.

Here’s the way we see the regional finals and the Final Four:

East: North Carolina over Louisville

Midwest: Kansas over USC

South: Pittsburgh over Texas

West: UCLA over Xavier

National semifinals: Kansas over North Carolina; Pitt over UCLA

Championship game: Kansas over Pitt

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