NCAA Tournament 2012: 3 Teams the Duke Blue Devils Cannot Overlook

With March Madness finally here, the Duke Blue Devils enter the NCAA Tournament with high hopes and even higher expectations. The backcourt trio of Austin Rivers, Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins has been brewing up a storm as bracket after bracket writes the Blue Devils deep into the tournament. With the Plumlee brothers manning the front court, the optimism grows even larger.

In order for the Blue Devils to make such a run, they must make sure to stay cautious. Specifically, they must not overlook their three potential opponents in the Round of 64 and 32.

While Duke fans may scoff at the idea of such an early exit, there is cause for concern; between the match-ups and the potential stars, the Duke Blue Devils are poised for trouble.

Find out why.

No. 3 Seed: Lehigh Mountain Hawks

The X-Factor: Lehigh's C.J. McCollum

C.J. McCollum was sixth in the nation with 21.9 points per game, as well as fifth in the nation with 2.6 steals. If the Blue Devils think he'll fail to produce at such a level on the big stage, they've got another thing coming to them.

In games against Iowa State and Michigan State, McCollum averaged 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.0 steals. While Lehigh came up short in both games, both were single-digit defeats.

Watch out for a possible Cinderella.

How Duke Could Lose:

C.J. McCollum's ability to light up the scoreboard is only a piece of Lehigh's puzzle. Gabe Knutson and Holden Greiner are both capable of putting up points and crashing the glass in a monster way. If Duke lets either of those two gain an advantage inside, the Tournament could be short and sweet.

Why Duke Will Win: 

Between the talent on the court and the great coaching on the bench, there's no way the Blue Devils go down. The infamous trio of guards will set the pace, while the Plumlee brothers will utilize their size and ability to score around the rim to pull away.

A tough one early on, but the Blue Devils can handle it.

No. 7 Seed: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Matchup to Watch: Jack Cooley vs. Mason Plumlee

Notre Dame's Jack Cooley is a bruising big man currently averaging 12.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. In the Fighting Irish's final game of the regular season, Cooley proved how dominant he could be with a 27 point, 17 rebound and three block performance against Providence.

Duke's Mason Plumlee, meanwhile, is averaging 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. While he's not as powerful inside, Plumlee has a wide array of post moves that his height help him execute to perfection.

The X-Factor: Notre Dame's Eric Atkins

Eric Atkins is a big-time three-point shooter who knows how to drain the momentum-shifting buckets. If Duke allows Atkins to find any type of a rhythm in the second half, it could be over before they know it as Cooley and Grant execute to perfection.

How Duke Could Lose:

They may come with a seventh seed in the South, but the Fighting Irish are as good as any No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the tournament.

Notre Dame own upset victories over No. 1 Syracuse, No. 3 Marquette and Big East Champion Louisville. They also own victories over two other tournament teams, West Virginia and Connecticut.

If the Blue Devils overlook Jerian Grant, who averaged 13.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in the Fighting Irish's three upsets, they could find themselves in good company.

Why Duke Will Win: 

Coach K will have the Blue Devils fully prepared for this potential upset. With tough matchups across the board, though, it won't be on Coach K or the starters; it will be on the bench.

Look for sophomore Tyler Thornton to step up in a big way as the Blue Devils squeak one out.

No. 10 Seed: Xavier Musketeers

Matchup to Watch: The backcourt matchup

Xavier's junior Mark Lyons can score with the best of them and freshman Dezmine Wells can score both inside and out. Meanwhile, Tu Holloway is one of the best players in the nation due to his ability to do just about anything. He's also a senior looking to make a deep tournament run in his final year of eligibility.

On Duke's end, freshman Austin Rivers leads a three-headed monster including juniors Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry. All three can shoot, penetrate and facilitate, making each a threat at any given moment. They'll have their hands full with Holloway, Lyons and Wells though, calling for a higher level of defense than offense.

The X-Factor: Xavier's Andre Walker

We know that at least one of the Plumlee brothers will bring it on the offensive end. We also know that Xavier's Kenny Frease is a consistent producer who can dominate the glass and score with efficiency. If Xavier wants any chance at victory, however, it's Andre Walker who must shine in the frontcourt.

Walker is a talented rebounder and defender, but the 6'8" forward will face an uphill battle against the huge frontcourt of the Blue Devils. If the Musketeers are to win, however, he must overcome the odds.

How Duke Could Lose:

While Tu Holloway is Mr. Consistency, Mark Lyons is a streaky shooter who can go on a tear at any given moment. If the Blue Devils allow Lyons to score early, Holloway will pace Xavier to a consistent game. Combined with the contributions of Kenny Frease, that may just be enough to pull off the upset.

Why Duke Will Win: 

While each team's backcourt will play a major role, the frontcourt production of Mason and Miles Plumlee will be too much for Kenny Frease and the Musketeers. Mason will force the Musketeers into big men, convert his free throws at a high rate and dominate the glass.

After all, Plumlee's 53 percent free-throw shooting isn't so bad when you consider the fact that he's shooting 80 percent over the past five games.