March Madness 2012: Separating Contenders from Pretenders at Top of Rankings

Is North Carolina as good as they appeared after blowing out Duke on Saturday night? Will Kentucky's length, athleticism and domination of the paint translate into success during the NCAA Tournament? Can teams like Duke win with explosive offense and mediocre defense?

Questions, so many questions.

Luckily for you, I've decided to answer these questions for you and determine whether the top teams in the nation are truly championship contenders or simply very talented pretenders.

It's truth time.

Kentucky Wildcats

There are stretches of games where Kentucky appears to be operating on a level drastically higher than their opponents.

Their length and athleticism makes them an incredibly stout defensive unit. They have quick enough hands to disrupt passing lanes, contest shots on the perimeter and dominate the paint, blocking the most shots in the nation (9.0 blocks per game) and generally winning the rebounding battle.

They have two of the most talented players in the country: The consensus top pick in next year's NBA Draft, Anthony Davis, and the versatile Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (also thought to be a Top Five pick).

And they are unselfish offensively, spreading the ball and generally making the smart pass. When Kentucky is clicking, I firmly believe they are unbeatable.

Verdict: Contender (and in my opinion, the favorite)

Syracuse Orange

The Orange are a nightmare for teams reliant on perimeter shooting. Playing their famous extended 2-3 zone, 'Cuse is 27th in scoring defense (60.6 points allowed per game), 14th in the nation in shooting percentage defense (38.6 percent), and hold opponents to 31.1 percent from three.

Syracuse may not be the sexiest team around, but their depth and strong defense will serve them well in the tournament. Their ability to keep games close and hit their open looks (47.1 field goal percentage on the season) makes them a contender.

Verdict: Contender

Kansas Jayhawks

Thomas Robinson (18.0 points and 11.9 rebounds per game) and Tyshawn Taylor (17.2 points and 4.9 assists per game) make Kansas contenders.

Yes, it really is that simple.

Verdict: Contender

North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina scores the second most points per game (82.1), leads the nation in rebounds per game (45.1) and are fourth in assists per game (17.5). They boast studs like Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller and John Henson.

When they dictate the pace and play focused, they are nearly unstoppable.

Verdict: Contender

Duke Blue Devils

For a longer dissertation on why I don't think Duke is a title contender this year, click here.

The abridged version?

Duke is too reliant on their perimeter game and won't survive against an elite opponent if they shoot poorly.

Verdict: Pretender

Missouri Tigers

See Blue Devils, Duke.

Verdict: Pretender

Michigan State Spartans

I'm not entirely sold on Michigan State one way or another yet. On one hand, they play solid defense (58.2 points per game allowed, tied for 12th in the nation) and can ride Draymond Green (16.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game).

On the other hand, they lost a game to Illinois this year, 42-41. That's just ugly, and Michigan State disappointed out of conference earlier in the year, losing to North Carolina and Duke.

After losing a tight one to Ohio State on Sunday afternoon, if the Spartans can advance deep into the Big 10 Tournament, I'll consider them contenders. If they can't, I think they'll have proven to be pretenders.

Verdict: Pending

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