NCAA Tournament Scores 2012: Sweet 16 Games Destined to Be Defensive Battles

The NCAA tournament is defined by teams that rise to the challenge and play outstanding defense.

This trend should continue in the Sweet 16, which features three games between teams from the Big Ten and the Big East.

These are the two best defensive conferences in college basketball, so it's not shocking that these three games are destined to be defensive battles.

So, without further ado, let's breakdown these three games and what to watch for defensively.

Michigan State vs. Louisville

This game will feature Tom Izzo's stingy half court defense against Rick Pitino's full court press.

The Spartans are always solid defensively, but it all starts with their offense.

By holding the ball late into the shot clock on almost every possession, the Spartans limit the possessions their opponents get offensively.

On the other hand, Pitino and the Cardinals utilize pressure as a way to get as many turnovers and offensive possessions as possible.

It will be fun to see which strategy ultimately prevails this weekend.

Wisconsin vs. Syracuse

This game features another stingy Big Ten defense going up against a unique Syracuse zone defense.

The Syracuse defense is much worse without Fab Melo clogging things up in the paint, but the Orange can still guard the rim.

As long as Scoop Jardine and company can keep Jordan Taylor in check, they should advance to the Elite Eight.

But, if the Wisconsin half-court defense forces Syracuse into more turnovers than normal, it could be a long day for Jim Boeheim's squad.

Ohio State vs. Cincinnati

Yancy Gates is going to have his hands full in the post trying to stop Jared Sullinger.

Gates is a beast in the post, and has as good a chance of stopping Sullinger as anyone.

If the Bearcats can keep William Buford from taking over the game offensively, they'll be competitive.

Meanwhile, if Aaron Craft can keep Cashmere Wright uncomfortable and make him turn the ball over, this could turn into a very low-scoring game.