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ESPN analyst and former Duke Standout Jay Bilas has three Big East teams in his Final Four.

Bilas has seen a lot of basketball this season as an on-air color commentator for ESPN all season long. He has had the opportunity to see the major of the big name teams up close and personal.

His predictions have a certain Big East theme to them. He has Pittsburgh, Syracuse and UCONN all going to Atlanta in addition to Kansas.

Rarely do two teams from the same league make the Final Four, let alone three.

Here is his take on 'Cuse:

"Even though Ohio State is the better team, the Orange play a style that can give this bracket fits. If Syracuse gets good guard play and takes care of the ball, I like Jim Boeheim's chances. The Orange have veterans, but the underclassmen have to play well."

I like the Orangemen, but I don't love them. They don't do anything particularly well and star Kris Joseph is turnover prone.

I'm a big Scoop Jardine fan but he is a poor shooter. Shooting 41 percent from the floor and 66 percent from the line isn't going to get the job done in the final two minutes in the NCAA Tournament.

Look for Xavier with Tu Holloway and company to upset 'Cuse in round two.

He loves Kemba Walker and the three seeded Huskies to make it out of the West region:

"It is uncharted territory to play after winning five games in five days. Physically, UConn will be fine. Mentally, bouncing back and bringing the energy and concentration needed to knock out a team like Bucknell will be a challenge. If UConn gets past the first weekend, I like them to make it to Houston."

So he is worried about them beating Bucknell but thinks they can make it to Atlanta?

That's quite bizarre. I do agree that the amazing five game run of the Big East Tournament has to be extremely draining mentally. It's hard to tell if a five day lay-off will be enough time to recharge the mental batteries.

I think Walker throws the team on his back until a Sweet Sixteen match-up against San Diego St.

The size of the Aztecs will be the difference.

His big sleeper team also resides in the Big East. It's the Louisville Cardinals:

"The Cardinals play fast, defend in a unique way and shoot a lot of 3-pointers. Coach Rick Pitino really likes his team, and if Peyton Siva and Preston Knowles play well, Louisville can crash the party in Houston."

I think people don't realize the serve lack of talent on the Cardinals. Pitino and his perfect hair mesmerize people into thinking they are a dangerous team.

In realty, they are going to be lucky if they get by Vanderbilt in the Sweet Sixteen.

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Mandel believes a four seed wins the East region in Newark.

We finally found someone that has a unique pick  nobody else has. SI columnist Stewart Madel has gone out on the limb and picked the No. 4 seeded Kentucky Wildcats to make the Final Four.

Here's his thought process:

"In any other region, Ohio State would be my Final Four pick, but the Buckeyes will have the misfortune of running into a No. 4 seed that happens to be more talented, albeit young. The Wildcats' Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight are both possible lottery picks this spring, and Doron Lamb could be a first-rounder next year. It took most of the season for Calipari's team to gel, but now they're playing like a team poised for a Carmelo Anthony/Gerry McNamara-like run to Houston."

Those are some lofty comparisons for the young Wildcats.

Sure they have a ton of talent, but they are all freshman and sophomores. Last year's squad had a much better season in route to a No. 1 seed. They had the hands down best player in John Wall and another top five pick in DeMarcus Cousins.

That team failed to reach the Final Four.

So why would a team with less talent and similar experience go further?

I'm not buying the Wildcats for anything more than a Sweet Sixteen appearance.

Mandel has Washington as his sleeper team in the region:

"After winning the Pac-10 Tournament on star Isaiah Thomas' buzzer-beating jump shot, the Huskies are a dangerous No. 7 seed. Washington has been inconsistent, losing to the likes of Oregon and Stanford, yet it ranks 15th nationally in Ken Pomeroy's rankings, just one spot behind the region's No. 2 seed (North Carolina), four behind its No. 3 seed (Syracuse). When the Huskies get their transition offense going they're tough to stop."

Can't say I disagree. Isaiah Thomas is an absolute stud and will be a NBA star someday. For now, watch him direct a fast paced offense that is more than capable of upsetting North Carolina in the second round.

Don't forget they shocked many experts by making the Sweet Sixteen a year ago.

West Virginia is coming off a Final Four appearance as they enter the tournament with a No. 5 seed and title of Mandel's . Mandel has little faith in the Mountaineers because of their lack of scoring options. A Bob Huggins team will always play rugged defense, but the lack of offense makes them an easy out. Luckily for them, they get the play-in winner of the UAB and Clemson game.

Expect WVU to win one game...but nothing more.

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Staples expects Duke to make it to Atlanta, possibly with Kyrie Irving...he also thinks West Region will have plenty of upsets.

Senior writer Andy Staples of SI.com has released his guide to the West Region.

From Staples:

"Irving, who hasn't played since suffering ligament and bone damage in his right big toe against Butler on Dec. 4, told reporters he might come back during the NCAA tournament. "I can't really put a percentage on it," Irving told The Charlotte Observer. "It all depends on how I feel, and if the medical staff feels good about it.

So your saying there's a chance?

"Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said the Blue Devils are "far away" from making a decision on Irving, but the idea of a return certainly adds intrigue."

It's certainly a situation to keep an eye on right up until noon on Thursday.

He believes that with or without Irving, the Dukies will be dancing to Houston.

It's hard to deny the vast amount of tournament experience the Blue Devils own, but it is incredibly hard to make back-to-back Final Fours.

They are  going to possibly play an extremely athletic Tennessee team in their second game. Then it's two dangerous teams in either Texas or Arizona.

The West region is a tough one to figure out and any of the top five seeds are capable of reaching Atlanta, but I agree with Staples...so  much experience is always a good thing.

No. 11 Missouri is his "bracketbuster". He cites the frenetic pace of the Tigers as reason for the No. 6 seeded to be concerned.

Can't argue that.

The Bearcats offense is slow and they win "ugly". I doubt they can keep up with the fast pace of Missouri.

Staples warns people about Texas. They finished the season 4-and-4 while key player Jordan Hamilton shot the ball horribly. Yet he also says that they are dangerous enough to give Duke a giant scare.

It seems as if Texas is one of the most polarizing teams in the tournament. They truly could lose in the first round or go to Atlanta and I wouldn't be surprised.

Be careful with the Longhorns, but I think they have some serious sleeper potential. If they play Duke...upset city baby!

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All four Yahoo experts have Ohio St. in the Final Four...one has a No. 4 seed joining them.

It's becoming clear that the Ohio St. Buckeyes are the darling of the tournament. I guess that will happen when you win the Big 10 regular season championship, the Big 10 Conference Tournament and fail to lose a single game out of conference.

Yahoo sports has four writers that are fully immersed in anything and everything college basketball. They released their picks and a couple of them have some intriguing selections.

Dan Wetzel has some great investigative pieces over the last year, with the Ohio St/Jim Tressel scandal just being the latest. He is the premier analyst for Yahoo when it comes to college sports.

All this means that you should take his picks very seriously.

He has a OSU, Kansas, Pittsburgh and UCONN scenario.

Three of those picks are No. 1 seeds and seem run-of-the-mill for most people's brackets.

But UCONN?

Wetzel must of been watching the entire Big East Tournament and not the regular season. Did he forget that the Huskies had a pedestrian 9-9 record in conference play?

To be fair, every single team they lost to is dancing this week, but it's hard to have a ton of faith in a team that lost four-of-seven towards the end of the season.

A troubling sign for the Huskies is their huge dependency on Player of the Year Kemba Walker. He averages over 23 points and over five rebounds and four assists per game. He has hit multiple game winners and has proven to be a terrific leader.

But get him in foul trouble and it's over. No way the Huskies can overcome losing him for more than a two minute span. He averages north of 37 minutes a game.

Factor that with the fatigue that sets in after playing five straight hard fought affairs and this team has to be tired. After a grueling regular season in the best conference ever and another five in the Big East Tournament...that's very taxing on the body.

I can't see the Huskies getting past San Diego St, let alone Duke and Texas.

Gerry Ahern and Jason King went the safe route and picked all No. 1 seeds.

Mike Huguenin has three No. 1's and a No. 4 seed.

He thinks the Texas Longhorns are going to be making the trip to Houston.

They are fourth in the nation, averaging 40.5 rebounds a game. They are a physical bunch that can beat you with the outstanding shooting of Jordan Hamilton, whom averages over 18 a game, or they can pound you inside with the 6'8, 225 pound Tristan Thompson. He scores over 13 points a game on a crisp 55 percent from the field.

I think the biggest challange to Duke in the West Region is the Longhorns. They can push the Blue Devils out of the paint and force them to relay on the three-pointer. As one of the best rebounding teams in the land, they can secure all of the misfires from Dukes long range attack.

I love this pick and think that Texas could in fact make it all the way to the Final Four.

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ESPN's Andy Katz thinks San Diego St. will be Final Four-bound.

When one of the best in the business goes out on the limb with one of his picks...you better investigate further.

Katz posted his Final Four picks on ESPN.com and he thinks the Aztecs have what it takes to reach Houston.

The rest of his picks are very traditional. He has Ohio St, Kansas and Pittsburgh cutting down the nets en route to the Final Four. All are No. 1 seeds and all are popular picks.

But San Diego St.?

Kawhi Leonard is their top player. The 6'7" forward scores over 15 points a night while grabbing just under 11 boards. The sophomore has vaulted the Aztecs from just happy to be in the tournament to legit contender. He has big hands and massive shoulders, making him extremely hard to box out for rebounds. A very handy trait for this time of year.

They also have senior center Malcom Thomas to bang in the paint. He averaged 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds, and has a great knack for blocking shots. He finished as the MWC's second-best shot blocker at 2.2 per game.

D.J. Gay is the point guard and leader of the team. The senior almost never turns the ball over and always keeps his team cool, calm and collected.

San Diego State loves to play a fast-paced, up-tempo style of play that capitalizes on the athleticism of its frontcourt studs Leonard and Thomas.

Maybe Katz is on to something...

BUT...a team with a good zone defense can be very effective against the Aztecs. They have a tendency to become too jump-shot oriented and that can work for a stretch, but for four straight games? Sooner or later the shots are going to stop falling.

On top of that, Temple is a potential second-round matchup. The Owls are known for their tenacious zone and that could spell an early exit for San Diego St.

If they can get by them, they still have to deal with the champs in Duke, a physical Texas squad and a red-hot UConn club.

Sorry Katz...I don't see it.

No way SDSU makes the Final Four.

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The self-proclaimed "bracketologist" thinks all four No. 1 seeds will meet in Atlanta.

One of the premier college basketball analysts for ESPN is the king of bracketology, Joe Lunardi.

Lunardi had a rough season projecting the field this season. He nailed 65-of-68...but that is not up to the standards he has set for himself.

He posted his Final Four on ESPN.com and he has absolutely no surprises.

Yep that's right...Lunardi has Kansas playing Pittsburgh and Ohio St. playing Duke in the two Final Four matchups in Houston.

Way to go out on the limb, Lunardi.

While I certainly agree with his Ohio St. pick (like seemingly everybody), there is no way all four No. 1's win four games.

Notre Dame was quite possibly robbed of a No. 1 seed and is certainly the strongest No. 2. This is a team that beat Pittsburgh on its home court for the first time in a year. It won 11 of its final 12 regular-season games.

The Fighting Irish are going to give Kansas all it can handle.

Pittsburgh has to get by the defending national runner-ups in the Butler Bulldogs. They are more than tournament-tested and are a disciplined and cohesive team that can limit the possessions of Pitt and make them play their game.

That's just the second-round game!

Pitt still has to get by the likes of Wisconsin, Kansas St, BYU and Florida.

Too deep of a region for a historically bad tournament team. I expect BYU to make the Final Four out of the Southeast region.

Then we have the Duke Blue Devils. The defending champs returned everyone but Jon Scheyer as they had yet another top-notch regular season. This year they need to beat teams like San Diego St, UConn and Texas to reach their second straight Final Four.

Duke lucks out as I believe they reside in the easiest region. Every team has fatal flaws: SDSU, experinece in the tournament; UConn, fatigue; and Texas, a lack of a go-to scorer in the clutch.

Duke makes the Final Four based off the easy road ahead.

So overall I'm with Lunardi on two of his four picks...but c'mon...make a bold pick or two!

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CBSSports.com experts almost universally love a Kansas-Ohio St. championship game.

Our friends over at cbssports.com must all have filled out their brackets together. They are almost universally in agreement that Kansas and Ohio St. will be hooking up in the National Championship game.

The site has eight experts that have already filled out their brackets for the world to see.

Five of the eight think that Kansas will play Ohio St. in Houston with a championship trophy on the line.

It seems as if the Jayhawks and Buckeyes are universally considered the top two teams in the field. The incredible freshman Jared Sullinger and the senior leadership of Ohio St. are appealing to the masses...so is their 29-2 record.

People forget that senior Jon Diebler shoot a ridiculous 51 percent from three-point range. That is absolutely incredible. "Three-bler" has made more three-point shots than anyone in the history of the Big Ten.

Wow.

Kansas has the best frontcourt in the nation with the Morris brothers. Marcus was named Big 12 player of the year en route to averaging 17 points and seven rebounds a game. He can play with his back to the basket and can square up his opponent.

Brother Markieff is an excellent rebounder that pulls down 8.3 a game. He is incredibly efficient from the field as well—shooting just under 60 percent.

CBSSports.com columnist Garry Parrish may have the popular OSU/KU final...but he also has two bold Final Four picks: San Diego St. and Wisconsin.

Fellow columinst Greg Doyel has a very non-traditonal Final Four outside of picking OSU to win it all. He also has No. 7 seed Temple making it out of the West, No. 2 Notre Dame coming out of the Southwest and No. 10 Michigan St somehow winning the Southeast Region.

That's a bold pick.

I applaud the effort to pick a 10 seed to go so far...but MSU?

No way will a team with 14 losses sniff the Sweet 16, let alone the Final Four.

He also has the No. 14-seeded Sycamores of Indiana St. shocking No. 3 Syracuse.

Columnist Dennis Dodd loves the Big East. He has three of them making the Final Four: Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Louisville to go along with eventual national champs Duke.

He also has the saucy upset of No. 13 Belmont over No. 4 Wisconsin.

Overall, the CBSSports.com crew have an interesting mix of early-round upsets and safe Final Four picks. If you're trying to win your office bracket pool...this is not the worst way to go.

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March Madness 2011: Which teams are the early popular picks at the Worldwide Leader?

The ESPN experts have already shared their Final Four picks with the world and a few trends have emerged.

There are 13 "experts" on ESPN's panel and all of them have different Final Four combinations.

The most popular pick in the Southeast is the No. 1-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers. A whopping seven of 13 are on the same page with this pick.

It's easy to see why—they won the hardest conference (Big East) of all time. They are battle-tested and have experience in the tournament.

The problem is...they do have a history of disappointments in the tournament of late. They have reached the tournament 10 years in a row, yet haven't been able to get pass the Elite Eight.

Will history repeat itself? Yes.

The experts think No. 4 seed Texas will make the Final Four over top seed Duke.

I like the creativity, but boy is this a risky pick.

They have a great defense. One of Texas' biggest assets is its ability to defend every position. The Longhorns are not going to get hurt by a mismatch.

I like the experts going out on the limb...but not with Texas. Duke and Arizona have better chances due to their superior talent on the perimeter.

Kansas is a very popular pick. They have one of the best and most versatile offenses in the country. The Morris brothers are a outstanding in the paint and form quite possibly the best low-post combination in the tournament.

It's easy to see why over 60 percent of the ESPN experts think Kansas will be one of the last four teams standing. It's a relatively safe pick that likely wont wreck your bracket early on.

The most popular pick?

No. 1 overall, the Ohio St. Buckeyes are by far the most popular pick to make the Final Four. Having 10 of 13 experts pick them is incredible...that's a 77 percent rate.

The Buckeyes boost the best player in the nation in freshman Jared Sullinger. He averages 17 points and 10 boards a game for a 29-2 team.

He has senior leadership all around him as well.

Dallas Lauderdale, Jon Diebler and David Lighty are all seniors that play pivotal roles on the team. Each one knows their specific role and the familiarity with each other is incredible.

OSU is the favorite for safest pick to make the Final Four.

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Dick Vitale doesn't pick Duke to win championship...shocking!!

Over the course of the last 32 years, Dicke-V has become the personality when it comes to college basketball. He is universally known and his enthusiastic personality is great for the sport.

He actually knows what he's talking about, too. He has been consumed in this world for practically his whole life and it shows in his track record.

So people do pay attention to his picks more than most analysts. Who does he have this year?

"My Final Four is Ohio State, Duke, Pittsburgh and Louisville. And when it’s all said and done on April 4, my choice to cut the nets down and celebrate as the 2011 national champs will be the Ohio State Buckeyes."

He has three No. 1 seeds and a No. 4 seed advancing to the final weekend.

It's no surprise that Dickie-V thinks Duke will make the Final Four. But if you look at the rest of the West Region...well, I think he is right.

No. 2 San Diego St. is a great story but they won't knock off the defending champions. No. 3 UConn just ripped off one of the most incredible five-day stretches in the history of the game. They are going to be running on fumes come tourney time.

The No. 4-seeded Texas Longhorns may be the biggest test for the Blue Devils. Certainly Arizona, Cincinnati, Temple and Michigan won't be.

So, yes, I agree with the Duke pick.

He has the Pittsburgh Panthers fulfilling their No. 1 seed and making the Final Four out of the Southeast Region. They have to get by Florida, BYU, Wisconsin, Kansas St, St. John's, UCLA and Butler first.

Considering they are one of the best rebounding teams in the country and have a stud in Brad Wanamaker who has scored over 1,000 points in his career, he may be on to something. 

I like the Pitt pick.

Almost everybody has Ohio St. so that isn't exactly breaking news.

The crazy pick is having Louisville win the Southwest Region over the likes of top seeds Kansas, Notre Dame, Purdue and Vanderbilt.

I am a big fan of the well balanced Kansas offensive attack and the incredible resilience and three-point shooting of Notre Dame.

Considering the lack of depth of the Louisville frontcourt...no way they make it all the way to the Final Four.

The notorious ACC/Duke homer sets his bias aside and goes with the Buckeyes of Ohio St. to win the NCAA tournament.

While OSU is the most popular pick, I have to agree with the bald-headed legend. Solid work baby!

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