King Kaufman's Sports Daily

NCAA Tournament preview, Part 2: The right side of the bracket. In which childhood hatreds come into play.

Editor's note: For this column's East and Midwest brackets, see Part 1 of the Tournament preview.

Read more: Sports, Basketball, College Basketball, NCAA Tournament, King Kaufman, Sports Daily

March 19, 2008 | Having brought Kansas and Tennessee to the Final Four in Part 1 of the NCAA Tournament preview Tuesday, let's turn to the right side of the bracket and see who'll be there with them.

The suspense is killing me. You?

Note: All times p.m., EDT

SOUTH

Little Rock, Friday

(1) Memphis vs. (16) UT-Arlington, 9:55 p.m.
Memphis spent a good part of the season undefeated and ranked No. 1 before losing to Tennessee at home on Feb. 23. That's still their only loss, but a lot of people who think about this sort of thing think the Tigers' poor free-throw shooting will do them in. Maybe, but I think having to play Texas in Houston in the Elite 8, if the top two seeds avoid upset, is what'll do it. First Tournament appearance for the Mavericks.
Second round: Win over Oregon

(8) Mississippi State vs. (9) Oregon, 7:25
If the threes are falling for 5-6 Oregon guard Tajuan Porter, look out. Otherwise, the Ducks will go down quickly. Mississippi State is a good defensive club, but Porter doesn't care. He hoists 'em from 30 feet. I'll go with Porter's jumper for one game. What the heck.
Second round: Loss to Memphis

Denver, Thursday

(5) Michigan State vs. (12) Temple, 12:30
You can never really write off Michigan State, even when the Spartans aren't an obvious Final Four team. Drew Neitzel, a freshman starter on the 2005 Final Four team, is the leader now. They'll go as far as he can take them, which is probably two wins at the most. Temple got hot at the end of the year and won the Atlantic 10 tournament, giving the Owls a post-John Chaney return to the Tournament a little quicker than expected. An upset win here -- insert obligatory comment about how some 12 always beats a 5 -- would likely set up a cool second-round game for Temple.
Second round: Loss to Pittsburgh

(4) Pittsburgh vs. (13) Oral Roberts, 3:00
Pittsburgh struggled with injuries this year and wasn't able to play the tough man-to-man defense that's the Panthers' trademark. But they've gotten healthy and come into the Tournament off a win in the Big East tournament. Junior guard Levance Fields, whose injury knocked Pitt off-stride, is back, and while the Panthers have gotten hot again, they don't look as good as they were looking just before Christmas when they beat Duke.
Second round: Win over Michigan State

Next page: St. Mary's is the new Gonzaga. Plus: The return of Baylor. And: Final Four picks