NCAA Tournament Bracket 2013: Projecting Fates of No. 1 Seeds

The Louisville Cardinals, Gonzaga Bulldogs, Indiana Hoosiers and Kansas Jayhawks round out the 2013 crop of No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament.

Receiving that distinction from the selection committee far from guarantees a trip to the Final Four, though. Those squads reigning atop the bracket's four separate regions have varying roads to Atlanta, with some being more difficult than others.

Here is a breakdown of each top seed, and a prediction on when the music will stop for them in the Big Dance.

Midwest: Louisville Cardinals

One of last year's Final Four squads is always dangerous with Rick Pitino as head coach. The constantly pressing defense and halfcourt execution that characterizes his teams' ability to a make deep run in the NCAA tournament a legitimate possibility whenever Louisville is involved.

A stirring comeback in the Big East Conference Championship game in which the Cardinals outscored the Syracuse Orange by 30 in the second half has this team in outstanding form for March Madness.

Another encouraging trend from that contest was the contribution from talented freshman forward Montrezl Harrell. He poured in 20 points, snatched seven rebounds (four offensive) and displayed outstanding hustle.

Harrell should be the x-factor for the Cardinals, who also have C Gorgui Dieng on the inside as a paint enforcer. The junior averages 2.5 blocks and will stymie guards whose game relies on getting into the lane.

Speaking of guard play, it's very important in March, and senior PG Peyton Siva is the catalyst for the Louisville offense, leading the way with 5.9 assists per contest.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, their road to the Final Four is as tough as any of the highest four seeds. A matchup with the impressive Atlantic 10 champion Saint Louis potentially awaits in the Sweet 16, followed by an Elite Eight encounter with either Michigan State or Duke.

The Billikens are a very deliberate and resilient team, and it would likely be a mighty defensive struggle. Meanwhile, the Spartans are always a tough out, and the same goes for the Blue Devils, who have improved since the return of Ryan Kelly.

One of those should prove to be too much for the Cardinals to get to the national semifinals for a second consecutive year.

Prediction: Loss in Elite Eight to Duke, 75-66

West: Gonzaga Bulldogs

It remains to be seen how the mid-major staple will handle the weight of expectations. However, the Zags did manage to post an exceptional 34-2 record and wind up as the regular season No. 1 team in the AP rankings.

The Bulldogs backed up a strong 2012-13 campaign by cruising through the West Coast Conference tournament, crushing Saint Mary's by 14 in the final.

Wooden Player of the Year award finalist Kelly Olynyk is the key to Gonzaga's success. The seven-footer puts up 17.5 points and averages over seven rebounds per game while sporting strong range for his size.

A Sweet 16 encounter with Wisconsin or Kansas State might provide some problems, but if this team wants to justify its No. 1 ranking, it will win either of those matchups.

Gonzaga's journey to Atlanta doesn't appear to be a very arduous one, but this fact from ESPN Stats & Info is worth taking into account.

Beyond that, the Zags likely await the winner of Ohio State and New Mexico, and that is where their run likely ends. OSU should advance, spurred by its momentum from winning the Big Ten tournament.

That means Gonzaga's Olynyk and Elias Harris will be met by the Buckeyes' athletic, big lineup that has transformed into an elite defensive team down the stretch.

The superiority of the Big Ten should shine through in this prospective showdown, although the Bulldogs' efficiency and sharpshooting from sophomore guards Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell, Jr. will keep it close.

Prediction: Loss in Elite Eight to Ohio State, 74-70

East: Indiana Hoosiers

A surprisingly favorable draw for the Hoosiers should result in a Final Four trip. The massive turnaround to the IU program by head coach Tom Crean has culminated in owning a No. 1 seed.

The Hoosiers will reap the benefits of their status in the bracket. The top seeds Indiana could face in the Round of 16 include Syracuse and UNLV, which should be cake for this talented squad.

From there, the biggest threat to derailing the Hoosiers' official return to prominence would be the winner of the bottom half of the East region. That would either be the Marquette Golden Eagles or the second-seeded Miami Hurricanes.

Miami's size and exceptional backcourt led by Shane Larkin and Durant Scott would pose problems, but it's nothing the Hoosiers couldn't overcome.

In the extremely physical Big Ten—definitely the nation's best conference—Indiana was able to emerge as regular season champions. Incredibly efficient guard Victor Oladipo and premier big man Cody Zeller give the Hoosiers so much versatility on offense, as does the Hoosiers' ability to drain the three-pointer at an astonishing 41.1 percent clip.

Nothing should stop Indiana from reaching Atlanta. Unfortunately for the Hoosier faithful, the Kansas Jayhawks will await. More on that in a moment, but it will result in a loss for Indiana.

Prediction: Loss to Kansas in the Final Four, 70-64

South: Kansas Jayhawks

So many prolific programs embody this region, which is bad news for the Jayhawks. Although they dominated Kansas State to win the Big 12 championship game, there are plenty of pitfalls for what has been an inconsistent team at times this year.

However, the senior leadership of sensational defenders Jeff Withey and Travis Releford combined with the explosive scoring from freshman phenom Ben McLemore should get Kansas deep.

Emerging first-year forward Perry Ellis came off the bench to put up 23 points in the Big 12 semis against Iowa State and hit several big shots in the Wildcats game, including a back-breaking three-pointer late.

The returning Jayhawks no doubt still have a bitter taste in their mouths from the 2012 loss to Kentucky in the final. That should drive Kansas to rise above its tough path to college basketball's promised land.

The winner of Villanova and North Carolina awaits in Round 3, which has all the makings of this year's stunner.

In all likelihood, either the Michigan Wolverines or Shaka Smart's relentless VCU Rams loom in the Sweet 16.

Kansas matches up well with the Wolverines, but the Rams are always extremely dangerous. If the Jayhawks get past them—and they ultimately should—either Florida or Georgetown should be there in the Elite Eight.

This team has the look of a champion. They endured heavy adversity in an early February three-game losing streak, and seem to be finally putting it together at the right time. That should result in a Final Four appearance, likely against Indiana

The Jayhawks seem to be the most balanced team in terms of offensive efficiency and defensive prowess to win it all.

Their physical play on Zeller and Teleford's defense on Oladipo should be enough to get them to the title game.

They will face Ohio State, and it will be a Final Four rematch of last year's thriller that the Jayhawks pulled out, 64-62. An early-season epic saw Kansas emerge victorious again 74-66, largely thanks to McLemore's 22 points.

In the third encounter in roughly a year, the result will be similar. No one holds opponents to a lower field goal percentage than the Jayhawks, and if Deshaun Thomas is shut down for the Buckeyes, they're in big trouble.

Prediction: Win vs. Ohio State in National Championship, 85-78

For a printable PDF version of the bracket, click here.

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