NCAA Bracket 2012: How Double-Digit Seeds Will Fare in Sweet 16

The college basketball universe is but two steps away from the Round Ball, known otherwise as the Final Four, with three double-digit-seed "Cinderellas" hoping to survive and advance past the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

Those three schools—10th-seeded Xavier in the South region and 11th-seeded North Carolina State and 13th-seeded Ohio in the Midwest region—will face third-, second- and first-seeded teams, respectively, in the regional semifinals, but how does each upset hopeful figure to fare on Friday?

Xavier

The Musketeers will be the first of the remaining "Cinderellas" to tip off on Friday, when they face No. 3 seed Baylor.

XU is hardly a stranger to these heights of college hoops, seeing as how this game will mark the school's fourth Sweet 16 berth in the last five years.

The Bears are no slouches themselves, with this as their second Sweet 16 in three seasons and a roster replete with NBA talent.

Then again, Baylor has demonstrated a penchant for playing soft, something of which Xavier will never be accused, not after a December brawl with Cincinnati. The presence of seniors Tu Holloway and Kenny Frease and junior Mark Lyons, gives Chris Mack's club a trio of reliable stars around which to build a successful game plan each and every time out.

That being said, Baylor looked like a re-energized team against Colorado in the round of 32, with too much size and skill up front (not to mention outside shooting courtesy of Brady Heslip) to not advance to the Elite Eight, however slyly.

Ohio

About a half hour into Xavier's game, the Buckeye State will have another opportunity to thump its collective chest when Ohio takes to the court in St. Louis against North Carolina.

The top-seed Tar Heels will likely be without star point guard Kendall Marshall, who had surgery on his broken right wrist after last weekend's win over Creighton.

That leaves UNC vulnerable in the back court, where the 13th-seeded Bobcats just so happen to excel. If you thought the Heels defense was suspect before with Marshall at the point, just wait 'til you see it up against the dynamic duo of juniors D.J. Cooper and Walter Offutt.

Of course, UNC's talent pool extends far beyond Marshall. Having stars like Harrison Barnes, ACC Defensive Player of the Year John Henson and ACC Player of the Year Tyler Zeller (not to mention freshman James Michael McAdoo off the bench), should allow Roy Williams' boys enough leeway to sneak into the Elite Eight.

But not before withstanding a strong challenge from a feisty, hot-shooting Ohio squad.

North Carolina State

Once the 'Cats and the Heels are done dancing, North Carolina State will take the floor at the Edward Jones Dome against Kansas.

The Wolfpack have proven themselves to be heftily under-seeded at No. 11 in the Midwest region, especially with the way they handled San Diego State in their opener before holding off No. 3 seed Georgetown in the round of 32. Mark Gottfried's inside-out duo of C.J. Leslie and Lorenzo Brown is about as good as any you'll find alive in the current field—a field that includes KU's Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor.

Those two will be tough to top, though the Wolfpack might not need to if they're to advance to the Elite Eight. NC State is deeper and more talented overall than KU, a team that overachieved considerably despite turning to a walk-on (Connor Teahen) as the first guy off the bench.

The Jayhawks probably should've fallen to Purdue in Omaha, but were able to overcome an explosive first half by Robbie Hummel and a poor-shooting night of their own thanks to a strong defensive effort down the stretch.

And while KU will have the home support in St. Louis, the 'Hawks will be hard-pressed to paper over their problems against a Wolfpack that looks ready to party on down to the Big Easy.

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