NCAA Tournament 2012: 50 Lessons We've Learned After Third Round

After four days of the most intense basketball on the planet, college hoops fans finally have a chance to breathe.

The third round of the NCAA tournament is behind us, and while it's unfortunate that the wild weekend has already passed, we still have some great basketball ahead of us.

Brackets have been busted all over the country, but 16 teams still stand among the wreckage. And with some salivating matchups this week, the tournament's best basketball is on the horizon.

Before we can move on to the Sweet 16, however, it's imperative to understand the lessons that the Round of 32 taught us. Here's what we have learned so far.

Syracuse Doesn't Need Fab Melo

When it was announced that Fab Melo was ineligible for the tournament, many were quick to count out the Orange.

However, through two games, Syracuse has emphatically proven that they are as dangerous as any team in the country, with or without Melo.

Led by the tough-as-nails duo of Dion Waiters and Scoop Jardine, the Orange throttled a quality Kansas State team in the Round of 32. The two combined for 34 points on 10-of-18 shooting.

Syracuse has a tough game against Wisconsin in the Sweet 16, but if Waiters and Jardine maintain their high level of play, they will lead the Orange into the Elite Eight.

Aaron Craft Is the Best Point Guard in the Tourney

With all due respect to Jordan Taylor and Kendall Marshall, Craft has established himself as the best point guard in the tournament.

The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year frustrated Gonzaga's Kevin Pangos in the Round of 32, holding the dynamic freshman to 3-of-13 shooting. More impressive, however, was his effort at the offensive end.

Craft accounted for 44 of the Buckeye's 73 points on Saturday. He scored 17 of his own and dished out 10 assists, seven of which resulted in made three-pointers.

Jared Sullinger gets the headlines, but Craft is the heart of Ohio State. Don't be surprised if he leads them all the way to the national title.

Marquette Is a Legit Championship Contender

Through the first two rounds, Marquette has been the most impressive team in the tournament.

First, they spanked a quality BYU team by 20. Then, they outlasted the 30-win Murray State Racers in the best game of the tournament thus far.

The Golden Eagles duo of Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom has been lethal all year long. Against Murray State, the two combined for 34 points despite shooting just 2-for-11 from behind the arc.

They play a red-hot Florida team in the Sweet 16, but I'm expecting the Golden Eagles to ride Crowder and Johnson-Odom to victory.

Jae Crowder Is an Animal

Speaking of Crowder, I just had to give the dude his own slide.

As of now, he's got a stranglehold on the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.

He kicked off the tournament by dropping 25 points and 16 rebounds on the overwhelmed BYU Cougars. For an encore, he went for 17 and 13 against Murray State, while also providing the hustle plays that you don't always see from a star player.

Crowder has already won the Big East Player of the Year award this season. If Marquette continues their run, he'll add some more personal hardware to his trophy case.

We Need More Afros in College Basketball

As Murray State's Ed Daniel proved this season, the loss of the Afro is one of the biggest travesties in the history of college basketball.

Whatever happened to the Doctor Js? The Ben Wallaces? Hell, even the Josh Childresses?

Multiple 'fros on the court could get a little excessive, but is a few more in the tournament too much to ask?

I picked Murray State to go to the Final Four, and Daniel's Afro accounted for 50 percent of my reasoning. It's a shame he and the Racers were sent packing early.

Wisconsin Plays the Best D in the Country

Bo Ryan's crew plays some of the most suffocating defense I've ever seen.

In the Round of 64, they laughed at the notion of an upset, holding my Montana Grizzlies to just 49 points on 38.3 percent shooting.

The next game, they pulled off an even more impressive feat by shutting down the two best scorers in the SEC. Jeffery Taylor and John Jenkins were only able to muster 22 points on 7-of-25 shooting against the Badgers intense defense. 

Next up for Wisconsin is Syracuse, and the duo of Waiters and Jardine. If they can contain those two, they will have a great shot at advancing.

Kentucky Is Really, Really Good

Alright, so we knew this before the tournament. Still, I felt like it had to be said.

The top-ranked Wildcats have yet to be tested thus far, winning their first two games by an average of 15.5 points. Their length, athleticism and talent is simply too much for most teams in this tournament to handle.

Indiana is awaiting them in the Sweet 16, and the Wildcats have revenge on their mind. With a strong performance, Kentucky can avenge one of their two losses on the season while advancing to the Elite Eight.

Brady Heslip Is the Best Shooter in the Tourney

Brady Heslip looks out of place on the Baylor basketball team, but there's no denying the kid can ball.

He single-handedly buried Colorado in the Round of 32, connecting on 9-of-12 threes for 27 points. Before that, he hit 5-of-10 threes to help put away the scrappy South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

Of course, this shooting outburst shouldn't come as a major surprise if you followed Heslip throughout the year. So far this season, he's drained 98 threes on 45.5 percent shooting from behind the arc.

If he maintains his hot shooting, Baylor can hang with any team in the tournament.

Indiana Is a Serious Title Contender

The Indiana Hoosiers are far from perfect, but they're as dangerous as any team in the tournament.

After disposing of New Mexico State by 13 in the second round, they survived a tough battle with the VCU Rams. They handled the Rams pressure defense, becoming just the second team to beat VCU in their last eight tournament games.

The Hoosiers have already proven they can take out Kentucky, the best team in the field. If they pull off another victory against the Wildcats, Indiana will have to be regarded as one of the favorites to win it all.

VCU Isn't Going Anywhere

As I alluded to in the previous slide, the VCU Rams have won six NCAA tournament games over the last two years. That's absolutely ridiculous for a mid-major team.

And if you're getting sick of VCU making noise around tournament time, I've got some bad news for you: they're not going anywhere.

Shaka Smart is building a mid-major powerhouse at Virginia Commonwealth.

They will lose leading scorer Bradford Burgess to graduation this season, but many of their key players will be back. Look for the Rams to be dangerous for years to come.

Louisville's Zone D Is Filthy

I said Wisconsin has the best defense in the country, but Louisville isn't far behind.

The Cardinals play a suffocating zone, which has been the kryptonite of outside shooters so far in the tourney. Through two games, Louisville's opponents are shooting just 7-of-35 (20 percent) on threes when the Cardinals go zone.

Next, they'll face their biggest test of the season against Michigan State. If Rick Pitino's zone works its magic, the Cardinals could advance to the Elite Eight and beyond.

Royce White Is the Real Deal

Iowa State's big man couldn't carry the Cyclones past Kentucky, but he put up one hell of a fight.

Against the Wildcats' menacing front line, White went for 23 points and nine rebounds, while shooting 75 percent from the field. This was following his performance against defending champion UConn, when he put up 15 points and 13 boards.

White is an incredible talent, and as a 20-year-old sophomore, he's only going to get better.

Reality Hurts

Norfolk State became the darling of the tournament when they slayed No. 2 Missouri in the Round of 64.

Led by charismatic big man Kyle O'Quinn, the Spartans captured the heart of the nation. Unfortunately, it took just 48 hours for the harsh reality to set in, as the Florida Gators ran them off the court in the Round of 32.

The Gators had five players score in double figures on their way to an 84-50 victory. At one point in the first half, Florida strung together a 25-0 run that was just painful to watch.

Norfolk State was a great story while it lasted, and those kids should be incredibly proud of what they accomplished. Unfortunately, everything good comes to an end eventually.

Gonzaga Has a Bright Future

The Bulldogs gave Ohio State everything they could handle on Saturday, but Aaron Craft and the Buckeyes were just the better team.

Fortunately, this is more of a beginning than an end for the Zags. Of the nine Bulldogs who played at least 13 minutes a game, only two will be gone next year.

Look for Gonzaga to come back strong next season.

The Big East Is Still Legit

Many people were knocking the Big East this year, but the conference still managed to put four teams through to the Sweet 16.

Syracuse and Marquette should be considered among the favorites to win the national title, while Louisville and Cincinnati are dangerous as well.

It may have been a down year for the Big East, but when it comes to tournament time, their still the rest of the nation's daddy. It's a shame they're blowing up the conference for football money.

Rebounding Does Not Equal Always Success

Contrary to popular belief, winning the rebounding battle doesn't always lead to success.

During Saturday's Round of 32 action, five teams advanced despite being out-rebounded including Louisville, who had a negative 11 rebound differential against New Mexico (34-23).

Logic was restored on Sunday, when seven of eight victorious teams also won the rebounding war.

Still, nearly 40 percent of the Sweet 16 got there despite being out-rebounded in the Round of 32. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like that's kind of cool.

North Carolina State Could Be This Year's VCU

Last year, the VCU Rams romped their way to the Final Four as an 11 seed. This season, the NC State Wolfpack are looking to follow in their footsteps.

After challenging UNC in the ACC tournament, the Wolfpack proved that they could hang with any team in the country. And after being the last team announced on Selection Sunday, Mark Gottfried's crew is making the most of their opportunity. 

The Wolfpack easily handled sixth-seeded San Diego State in the Round of 64, winning by 13 points. On Sunday, they turned their positive momentum into a three point victory over Georgetown, the third seed in the Midwest.

I'm not expecting the Wolfpack to contend for the title, but crazier things have happened before.

Rick Majerus Can Flat out Coach

St. Louis got bounced by Michigan State in the Round of 32, but I still marveled at Majerus' ability to run his team.

The Billikens relentlessly fought the Spartans before eventually falling by four points. It wasn't a magical run, but I consider one victory and a close loss to a No.1 seed a pretty solid tournament for a mid-major team.

Props to the Billikens and Majerus, who once again proved he's one of the best coaches in the country.

Ditto for Tom Izzo

No disrespect to Coach K, John Calipari and all the other great coaches in college basketball, but I think Izzo is unquestionably the best.

In what was supposed to be a down year for the Spartans, Izzo ran from no one early on, playing UNC and Duke in the first two games of the season. That tough early schedule has paid off for the Spartans, who look primed to reach their ninth Final Four in school history.

They face a tough test against Rick Pitino's Cardinals in the Sweet 16, but I'm expecting Izzo, Draymond Green and the Spartans to prevail.

Draymond Green Is the Tourney's Most Entertaining Player

Draymond Green has become one of my favorite college basketball players of all time.

When he's not dropping triple-doubles, burying back-breaking threes, or taking clutch charges, he'll gladly grab a mop and clean up the court in the waning minutes of a tight game.

Who does that?

He's seems like the kind of guy you'd love to play with, especially gauging by how his teammates react when the Barkley-sized point-forward connects on a deep three.

I'm hoping Michigan State makes a Final Four run, if only because I want to see more Draymond Green antics.

John Henson's Wrist Is Not an Issue

Henson's wrist was definitely sore in his first game back, but he didn't let it hurt his production.

He put up his season averages of 13 points and 10 rebounds, while also swatting four shots.

The best moment of his night, though, was when he freaked out on Grant Gibbs for swiping at his injured wrist. He got T'd up for it, but the Tar Heels responded by going on a 9-0 run immediately after.

I think it's clear that Henson's wrist won't be a problem for the Tar Heels.

Kendall Marshall's Will Be Though

In a sick twist of fate, Kendall Marshall broke his wrist in the same game that Henson returned from his own wrist injury.

The irony of the situation is that the Tar Heels still could've contended for the national title without Henson. It wouldn't have been easy, but Tyler Zeller and James Michael McAdoo were holding down the fort just fine while he was out.

Marshall, on the other hand, is irreplaceable. He's the heart of North Carolina's offense, the orchestrator that makes the whole thing work. Without him, it could get ugly. 

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out for UNC. 

Doug McDermott Will Tear It Up Next Season

McDermott's scoring dropped off in the tournament, but he still put up a solid 20 points and nine rebounds against UNC on Sunday.

He's only a sophomore and has a notorious work ethic, so I'm expecting him to put on a show in the tournament next season.

Brawling Builds Togetherness?

Somehow, the two teams that spent a December afternoon bashing each others faces in advanced to the Sweet 16 on Sunday.

How did they do it? With general toughness and togetherness.

I'm not advocating brawling, but I feel like there's a connection here. Xavier and Cincinnati are the only two teams in the tournament with hard evidence that when something goes down, they've got each other's backs.

Does that knowledge play a role in building team unity? Maybe, maybe not. But it's an interesting thought regardless.

Ohio Can Shoot the Three

The 13th seed Bobcats advanced to the Sweet 16 by burying South Florida from beyond the arc.

Walter Offutt hit all four of his threes, while D.J. Cooper, Nick Kellogg and T.J. Hall combined to hit 5-of-12 from deep.

I'm not picking Ohio to upset UNC, but if their threes are falling, the could give the Tar Heels some trouble.

Baylor Is Kentucky's Biggest Threat in the South

Although Indiana presents Kentucky with a tough challenge, I'm expecting the Wildcats to exact revenge with a double digit win.

The Baylor Bears, however, will give Kentucky fits.

They are perhaps the only team in the country that can match the size, length and athleticism of the Wildcats. They've also got the X-factor in Brady Heslip, who can catch fire at any moment.

I'm still taking Kentucky to reach the Final Four, but if anybody is taking them down before then, it's going to be Baylor.

Peyton Siva Is the Key to Louisville's Success

The Cardinals are one one of the deepest teams in the country, with Russ Smith, Kyle Kuric, Chane Behanan and Gorgui Dieng all capable of going off on a given night.

The engine that drives Louisville, however, is gritty point guard Peyton Siva. The junior is lightning quick, often dominating games with his ability to penetrate the defense. 

He'll be a matchup nightmare for the Spartans in the Sweet 16. If he can leave his mark on the game, Louisville has a great shot at advancing.

Wisconsin Needs Jordan Taylor to Dominate Offensively

Wisconsin can upset No.1 Syracuse next week, but they will need a big performance from Jordan Taylor.

The All-American is the only consistent scoring threat on the Badgers, and while they play stifling defense, they need Taylor to go off if they're going to advance.

He struggled with his shot against Vanderbilt, connecting on just 5-of-15 field goal attempts. He'll need to be more efficient if he wants to lead his team to the Elite Eight.

Ohio State Will Be on Upset Alert Against Cincy

I picked the Buckeyes to win the national title this year, but Cincinnati poses some major problems.

They've got great guards in Cashmere Wright and Sean Kilpatrick, and they can throw the bruising Yancy Gates at Jared Sullinger.

Sullinger is often dominant in the paint, but he can be a little soft at times. If the physicality of Gates gets inside his head, the Buckeyes will be in trouble.

Xavier's Backcourt Must Carry Them Past Baylor

Xavier got a huge game from Kenny Frease on Sunday, when the big man went for 25 and 12 against Lehigh.

However, there's no way he's going to have that kind of success against the size and length of Baylor.

That means Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons need to put the Musketeers on their shoulders. Holloway has been doing his part, scoring 23 points per game in the tournament.

Lyons is struggling though, putting up just 15 total points on 5-of-17 shooting through two games. He'll need to step up for Xavier to have a shot at advancing.

Florida Is the Hottest Team in the Country

The Gators have dominated their first two opponents, beating Virginia by 26 and Norfolk State by 34.

Now, they're matched up with Marquette in what should be the most entertaining game of the Sweet 16.

The Gators won't have an answer for Jae Crowder on the inside, but they can bombard the Golden Eagles from deep.

Florida has five players (Bradley Beal, Kenny Boynton, Erving Walker, Mike Rosario, Erick Murphy) who are capable of heating up from the outside. If one or more of them catches fire, Marquette will be in trouble.

NC State's Balanced Scoring Will Bother Kansas

North Carolina State is so dangerous because they have multiple guys who can hurt you.

C.J Leslie, C.J. Williams, and Scott Wood scored 14 points apiece against Georgetown. Guard Lorenzo Brown also chipped in 12.

The Wolfpack's balanced scoring output will create problems for the Jayhawks, who weren't overly impressive in their victory over Purdue. If Kansas isn't careful, they could be the next team to fall to the 11th seed.

Thomas Robinson Must Dominate NC State

If the Jayhawks don't want to get upset, they'll need a heavy dose of Thomas Robinson.

The Player of the Year candidate put up 16 and 13 against Detroit in the second round, but he struggled to find his shot against Purdue. Robinson made just two of his 12 field goal attempts on the night.

Against NC State, Kansas won't be able to survive another bad shooting night from Robinson. He will need to set the tone against the Wolfpack this week.

Isaiah Canaan Will Be a Monster Next Year

The electric guard struggled against Marquette, hitting just 4-of-17 field goals.

However, he still had a phenomenal junior season, in which he averaged over 19 points per game. If he doesn't go to the NBA, Canaan will be a Player of the Year candidate next season.

Murray State Will Be Dangerous Again

Murray State is losing a couple seniors, but with Ed Daniel and Canaan eligible for one more year, expect the Racers to put together another strong season.

They may not hit the 30-win plateau again, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a deep run in the tournament.

Cody Zeller Will Be Better Than His Brother

North Carolina's Tyler Zeller is exceptionally talented, but his younger brother Cody will be even better.

The freshman was dominant against VCU's pressure defense, putting up 16 points and 14 rebounds.

If he can get the best of Anthony Davis this week, the Hoosiers will have a great chance at advancing to the Elite Eight.

Harrison Barnes Must Take His Game to the Next Level

With Kendall Marshall's broken wrist, and John Henson recovering from his own issues, Harrison Barnes needs to enter beast mode for North Carolina.

He's one of the best pure scorers in the country, but he's always lacked that killer instinct. If he can find it in the coming days, UNC will have no problem getting past Ohio.

Georgetown Should Be Happy Despite Loss

The Hoyas suffered a tough loss against NC State, but John Thompson III and Co. still exceeded expectations this year.

Despite losing Jason Clark and Henry Sims to graduation, Georgetown will be dangerous again next season.

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Same for South Florida

Stan Heath's group suffered a disheartening loss to No. 13 Ohio, but they still had a solid run in the tournament.

South Florida beat down Cal in the play-in game, then took out Temple in the first round. The Bulls should be very happy with their tournament performance.

Lehigh's Lack of Transition Points Was Their Demise

Lehigh couldn't handle Kenny Freese, but the main reason they lost to Xavier was their lack of transition buckets.

After scoring 19 fast-break points against Duke, Lehigh mustered just seven against Xavier. Without those easy baskets, the Mountain Hawks were doomed to lose.

Look for Lehigh to learn from this experience and come back strong next season.

Florida State Will Be a Final Four Contender Next Year

Florida State was a major disappointment this year, failing to reach the Sweet 16 when many had them going to the Final Four.

However, the future is still bright for the Seminoles.

Leading scorers Michael Snaer and Ian Miller will be back next year, and I'm expecting them to lead FSU on a deep tournament run.

Marquis Teague Has Finally Figured It out

Kentucky's talented point guard isn't John Wall or Derrick Rose, but he's finally figuring out how to run John Calipari's offense.

He was the best player on the floor against Iowa State, going for 24 points, seven assists and four rebounds. If he can play close to that level for the rest of the tournament, no one will touch Kentucky.

North Carolina's Length Will Be Key Against Ohio

Even though Kendall Marshall may not play, I still like UNC to beat Ohio because of their length.

John Henson and James Michael McAdoo combined to block seven shots against Creighton, and Tyler Zeller is always a force around the rim.

If Ohio's going to keep playing Cinderella, they're going to have to get it done from outside, because North Carolina has installed a no-fly zone in the paint.

Baylor's Zone Defense Was the Key on Saturday

Although Brady Heslip got the headlines for his phenomenal shooting, the true catalyst behind Baylor's Round of 32 win was their switch to a zone defense.

The Bears went zone with just 11:21 remaining in the second half, and the move worked perfectly. Baylor outscored Colorado by 19 after that point, with the Buffaloes shooting just 3-of-15 for the rest of the game.

It's uncertain if Baylor will bust out the zone again, but it could be their secret to a Final Four run.

Colorado Has Nothing to Hang Their Heads About

The Buffaloes got blown out by Baylor on Saturday, but they still have plenty to be proud of.

They beat a tough UNLV team in the Round of 64, and trailed Baylor by just two at halftime. If not for a barrage of threes by Brady Heslip, and some cold shooting late, Colorado could still be dancing.

Andre Roberson Is a Man

Speaking of those Buffaloes, sophomore Andre Roberson is the real deal.

In the regular season, the lanky forward averaged 11.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. In the tournament, he stepped up his production by dropping 12 and 16 on UNLV.

Baylor held him to eight rebounds, but he still was able to score 13 points. Look for the young sophomore to become a dominant force next year.

Lehigh Might Have Been the Best 15 Seed Ever

The Mountain Hawks of Lehigh may have had the best tournament ever for a 15-seed.

After beating mighty Duke in the Round of 64, they had a legitimate shot of taking down Xavier to advance to the Sweet 16.

Unfortunately, Kenny Frease and a lack of easy buckets prevented Lehigh from becoming the first 15-seed to move past the Round of 32.

They Could Cause Damage Next Year as Well

With C.J. McCollum, the nation's fourth-leading scorer, returning next season, don't be surprised if Lehigh makes some noise in next year's tournament.

McCollum averaged 21.9 points per game this season, and after struggling against Xavier, he'll be hungry to redeem himself next year.

Keep the Mountain Hawks on your radar.

Robbie Hummel Will Be Missed

Hummel, a 23-year-old senior, endured some major setbacks in his career, but he didn't let that stop him from performing at a high level.

After suffering through two torn ACL's, the talented forward came back with a vengeance in his final campaign.

He couldn't lead his team past No. 2 Kansas, but his 26 point, nine-rebound performance wasn't a bad way to go out. He will be sorely missed in the college basketball world.

The National Title Is Up for Grabs

Although a few teams (Kentucky, Florida, UNC) have dominated throughout the tournament, every team has at least one fatal weakness.

And in the Sweet 16, where the pretenders have been separated from the contenders, no one is safe.

Right now, Kentucky is still the favorite to win the national title, but they'll have their hands full with Indiana. Florida has a date with third-seeded Marquette, who won't roll over like Virginia and Norfolk State. And although John Henson is back, Kendall Marshall's injury basically dooms UNC's title chances.

With two weeks of basketball left to play, there's still 16 teams in the Dance, all of whom are capable of making a magical run to the title.

You gotta love March Madness.