March Madness 2012 Predictions: Freshman Phenoms Who Will Come Up Big

There's a reason college basketball analysts love picking teams with experience to do well in the NCAA tournament—because you never know how teenagers will react to playing in the pressure cooker of a one-and-done competition of this magnitude.

For every Carmelo Anthony or Derrick Rose, there are countless more kids who can't quite overcome the gravity of the moment.

Not that a kid who's fresh out of high school shouldn't be expected to have a few butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

Just don't expect these three "Diaper Dandies" to be mentioned among those who allowed a lack of experience to overshadow their considerable talent in the Big Dance.

Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Surprise, surprise...Anthony Davis will play well for Kentucky come tourney time.

I guess that shouldn't come across as news to anyone, considering the likely National Player of the Year has been producing for the Wildcats all year while under the microscope of NBA scouts, rabid Big Blue fans and anyone else who pegged the team to bring Championship No. 8 to Lexington.

Still, it's easy to forget how young Davis is at times, considering that he led UK in scoring and rebounding and the entire nation in blocks per game.

John Calipari will need Davis to continue his stellar play as the 'Cats embark upon treacherous run to the title, during which he'll be tested by terrific big men like UConn's Andre Drummond, Indiana's Cody Zeller and Baylor's Perry Jones III.

Austin Rivers, Duke

In the bottom half of the South Region, Duke will pin its hopes to its three-point shooters on the perimeter, led by none other than Austin Rivers.

Or, as Grantland's Mark Titus prefers to call him, Austin Rivers' Punchable Face (ARPF, for short).

Whatever your opinion of Rivers or how punchable his face actually is, there's no doubting this kid's considerable moxie. For those of you with poor memory, here's a quick reminder as to what I'm talking about:

Rivers is the rare freshman who not only plays significant minutes for Mike Krzyzewski, but also dominates the ball and leads the Blue Devils in scoring. Coach K certainly wouldn't mind if Rivers decided to (I don't know) pass the ball on a whim, but given Duke's apparent allergy toward sharing (198th in the NCAA in assists), the team might actually be better served having Rivers take shots and make plays.

So long as they're not completely boneheaded ones, of course.

Bradley Beal, Florida

Florida caught a huge break from the Selection Committee on Sunday, earning a No. 7 seed in a West Region filled with teams that, like the Gators, prefer to play "small ball" and push the pace.

Teams like Missouri, Murray State and Marquette.

That being said, Billy Donovan's boys would be hard-pressed to keep up with those guard-oriented squads unless Bradley Beal can continue to shine for them as he has all season. The freshman from St. Louis is a phenomenal all-around player—as his 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists would suggest—with the athleticism to slash to the rim and serve as a lock-down defender from the perimeter.

So long as the backcourt trio of Beal, Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker is in fine form, Florida will be tough to beat come tourney time.

For your printable NCAA Bracket, click here

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