NCAA Bracket 2012: Louisville and Teams Entering Tourney Red Hot

One of the most important factors to consider when filling out your bracket has to be the state the team is in heading into the dance.

There are some teams that did their heavy lifting before the new year and have been coasting ever since. Then there are the teams that struggled to establish an identity early in the season, and are now clicking on all cylinders peaking at the perfect time.

These are the types of teams that do the most damage come March. The improbable run of UConn last year reminds us of as much.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three teams that are stepping on the court this week with a boatload of confidence, primed to do some serious damage in the tournament.

No. 4 Louisville Cardinals

Beating three NCAA tournament teams and another that was close is mighty impressive for a month’s work. Doing it in four days makes it outstanding.

While you will never confuse this team for an offensive juggernaut, their defense has been remarkable, holding opponents to under 55 points in three of four games last week, and that is going to be vital once again. Teams that aren’t disciplined and don’t have guards capable of breaking the full-court press are going to be in big trouble.

With No. 13 Davidson followed potentially by No. 5 New Mexico and No. 1 Michigan State, don’t be shocked to watch Louisville make a strong push for the Final Four.

No. 12 Long Beach State

The 49ers have won 18 of their last 20 games and enter the tournament as a team nobody wants to play. That’s bad news for No. 5 New Mexico, who will struggle to keep senior T.J. Robinson (10.1 rebounds per game) off the boards.

Long Beach State are highly efficient on offense, connecting on 47 percent of their field goals. They don’t take bad shots, and that bodes well for a team that has the potential to reach the Sweet 16.

No. 3 Florida State

Nobody is giving the Seminoles much credit, but this team is capable of making the Final Four. Behind the spectacular play of Michael Snaer and Ian Miller, the Seminoles went 8-2 down the stretch, including an impressive run in the ACC tournament that resulted in a win over North Carolina in the title game.

They are a sound team defensively and are terrific at limiting an offense to one shot per possession. With the experience of reaching the Sweet 16 last year, this team is tourney tested and ready to make some serious noise over the next two weeks.

For your printable NCAA bracket, click here.

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