John Walters

Thanks, March Madness, I will have another round.

Second-round action of the NCAA tourney begins today as we whittle the field to the Sweet Sixteen. Here's our tipsheet:

Best Game: No. 7 West Virginia vs No. 2 Duke
The Blue Devils nearly went into full meltdown mode against Belmont — seriously, if that game didn't give Coach K his first gray hair, nothing will — while the Mountaineers were poised and shot as well from the outside as anyone in the first round. Will West Virginia be the West's first team to advance to Phoenix or might Duke rediscover its mojo in time?

In many ways these two teams are similar. Both prefer the perimeter game and both lack speed in the backcourt. If Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer are hitting from the outside, this contest will go down to the last minute.

Biggest mismatch: No. 6 Marquette vs No. 3 Stanford
The Cardinal start a pair of seven-footers, the Lopez twins. The Golden Eagles start a sub-six-footer, Dominic James, and have two key reserves who measure right near there, David Cubillan and Maurice Acker.

Bring your shoulder pads: No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh
The Spartans are among the nation's top rebounding teams (and all four top seeds in this tourney are in the top 12 in that stat), while Pitt plays every possession as if it's 3rd-and-1. Ronald Ramon and Levance Fields, the Panther backcourt, are playing with as much confidence as anyone.

Best big man matchup: Aron Baynes, Washington State vs Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
The Big East Player of the Year, Harangody is a guaranteed double-double every time he takes the floor. But Baynes also has a soft touch, having shot 9-9 from the field in the Cougars' first-round victory. If the 6-10 Baynes puts Harangody in early foul trouble, the Irish will be on the ropes.

Talent or Experience? No. 11 Kansas State vs No. 3 Wisconsin
The Wildcats play five freshman, chief among them superstud Michael Beasley. The Badgers start four upperclassmen, chief among them 6-11 Brian Butch. Both players lead their teams in baskets and boards.

Rock Chalk … Chalk?
Which No. 1 has a better chance of being upset, Kansas or UCLA? Both are playing veritable home games (in Omaha and Anaheim, respectively), but UNLV, the Jayhawks' opponent, is the looser unit right now. And the Runnin' Rebs can shoot.

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