March Madness 2012: Most Appetizing Matchups in Round of 64

The one thing you can count on every year in the NCAA Tournament is numerous nail-biters, whether it be an underdog giving a top seed a scare or two comparable teams trying to distance themselves from one another.

After the 68-team field was announced on Sunday, March Madness is just around the corner.

Here's a look at three of the most appetizing matchups in the Round of 64, beginning March 15.

East Region: No. 6 Cincinnati vs. No. 11 Texas

Rick Barnes has now led the Longhorns to 14 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

But this season, he's been frustrated with his team and he's made it known on the court and off it.

That's what 13 losses will do to you.

Texas is coming off a 81-67 loss to Missouri on Friday and they face a formidable team in Cincinnati, but something tells me Barnes' Longhorns won't go down without a fight in the Round of 64.

Midwest Region: No. 8 Creighton vs. No. 9 Alabama

The Alabama basketball team doesn't get as much attention as its football counterpart, but the Crimson Tide have had a good season, going 21-11 and playing some ranked teams close.

Creighton, on the other hand, has won its last seven games and ranks first, second and seventh in field goal percentage, assists per game and scoring, respectively.

Creighton may be the higher seed, but they've also played in a poorer conference and Alabama has experience against some top teams.

This should be a fun one to watch between two teams trying to prove themselves.

West Region: No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 13 Davidson

Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals are certainly dangerous, especially when March Madness comes around. They've also recently beaten Marquette and Notre Dame.

But Davidson scores at a high clip, averaging 78.4 points per game and also ranks 19th in the nation in rebounding. The Wildcats have won their last five games and beat then-No. 11 Kansas on December 19.

Davidson is a potential Cinderella team this year, and Louisville cannot take this team lightly.

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