NCAA Tournament 2012: Breaking Down the Performances of No. 1 Seeds

The 2012 NCAA tournament has had a healthy amount of upsets, but the No. 1 seeds have gone unscathed. It's been a hybrid of upsets and ultimate chalk and most of our brackets have been blown to smithereens. 

Why most of us ponder whose to blame for our failing picks, those that played it safe are still in a good place.

Let's evaluate the performances of the top four teams in the country through two games in the NCAA tournament.

Starting with the most impressive:

North Carolina

This is bitter sweet for Heels' fans. As good as UNC looked against Vermont and Creighton, it all could be for not as they face uncertainty at PG. Kendall Marshall fractured his right wrist in the win over Creighton.

They were already thin at the point, but now with Marshall's status in doubt for the rest of the tournament, the Heels could be in trouble.

With Marshall, UNC blew out Vermont by 19 and defeated a solid Creighton team with a combination of size and three-point shooting. They looked like a national championship team, but it all changes without Marshall to run the show.

He had 18 points and 11 assists against Creighton, and the team needs that type of play from the lead guard if they are to win it all.

Kentucky

The Wildcats have been impressive. I don't have them first because they let down a bit in the second half against lowly Western Kentucky. The starters played over 30 minutes, but the Hilltoppers outscored Kentucky 40-36 in the second half.

It's true, the game was well in hand. But compared to what the Heels have done through two games, there is no way that game should have ended with less than 20 points between the teams.

The Wildcats were better through the game against Iowa State, defeating them 87-71. But they must be wary of playing down to the level of their competition.

Michigan State

State was sound in the opening round against LIU Brooklyn, but they definitely had some problems with Saint Louis. Rick Majerus' Billikens took the Spartans to the wire in a 65-61 win for Michigan State.

The Spartans have played the toughest schedule in the nation this year, and this could be another example of a tough draw. They also are the most underwhelming of the top seeds in regard to physical talent. 

They are the only top seed that can't fall back on physical superiority to beat teams, and that is why Saint Louis nearly upended them.

Either way, they gutted it out, but the round of 32 game was far from dominant.

Syracuse

The Orange could have been saved from a nasty bit of history by the officials in their second round game with UNC Asheville. They were ever so close to becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16.

A handful of calls that left most of us scratching our heads aided the Orange in advancing. Ultimately they prevailed with a 72-65 decision that was much closer than the final score.

They righted the ship to take down Kansas State to reach the Sweet 16 with a 75-59 victory. But they entered the tournament as the shakiest No. 1 in my opinion, and their performance so far has done nothing to change that.