NCAA Tournament 2013: Favorites with Nothing to Worry About on Sunday

With the round of 32 here, Ohio State leads the list of favorites with nothing to worry about on Sunday.

A trip to the Sweet 16 is on the line, and the favorites are looking to avoid being upset. This tournament has seen its fair share of upsets and close calls. Unlike those games, these teams have nothing to worry about this weekend.

Whether or not the underdogs are playing well, they stand very little chance of pulling the upset.

Not only are these favorites in great position to make the Sweet 16, they are also legitimate title contenders. Once they get past the round of 32, the real games will begin for these teams.

Here are the teams that have nothing to worry about on Sunday.

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (West)

The Buckeyes caught a huge break by being placed in Gonzaga's region, and they have seen their region have plenty of upsets.

In Sunday's first game, the Buckeyes will play Iowa State. The Cyclones put a beating on Notre Dame on Friday (game recap via ESPN.com). They are one of the nation's highest-scoring teams, but they have struggled to point up 70 points against top teams not named Kansas.

Ohio State couldn't miss against Iona on Friday (game recap via ESPN.com). The Buckeyes shot nearly 48 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the line. Their defense forced 19 turnovers, and Aaron Craft led the way with six steals.

It's a contrast of styles. The Buckeyes like to shut teams down with great defense, and the Cyclones like to put up points in a hurry. Ohio State can put up points as well and can adapt on the fly. However, Iowa State has not shown that they can win a low-scoring game.

Craft and Deshaun Thomas are ready to lead this team to Atlanta. They will play Iowa State in Dayton, which is just over an hour from Columbus. The Buckeye fans will be ready to make some noise, and the team will cruise to a win.

No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers (East)

Another Big Ten team means another team with nothing to worry about on Sunday. 

The Hoosiers coasted past James Madison on Friday (game recap via ESPN.com). Their opponent, Temple, squeaked one out against North Carolina State (game recap via ESPN.com).

Temple has lost to Duke, Kansas and Butler this season, but they also upset Syracuse. The Owls have played a lot of close games. Since the beginning of 2013, they have played in only three games decided by more than 10 points.

The Atlantic 10 is a good conference, but the Big Ten is better. Indiana is the better team, and it will be obvious on Sunday. With Cody Zeller down by the hoop, the Owls will have their hands full.

Indiana will also play in Dayton, which is only a few hours from Bloomington. The Hoosiers will benefit from playing close to home and having an easy victory on Friday. 

No. 2 Miami Hurricanes (East)

Of all the teams on this list, Miami faces the toughest test. Illinois has knocked off both Ohio State and Indiana this season, but they have been too inconsistent.

Coach John Groce took the Ohio Bobcats to the Sweet 16 last season, but it will take a much bigger upset this year to get there with his new team. 

The Hurricanes won the ACC regular season title and the conference championship. They have destroyed both UNC and Duke this year and are extremely balanced. Sophomore point guard Shane Larkin has turned into a star this season, but he is the youngest of the bunch.

Miami's roster is loaded with seniors. Durand Scott, Trey McKinney Jones, Kenny Kadji, Reggie Johnson and Julian Gamble are all seniors and are vital to the team's success. They have been tested with close games in conference play, and they have learned to win even when things don't go their way.

Larkin and McKinney Jones average about 40 percent from three-point range, and Kadji and Scott aren't far behind. The Hurricanes can hurt teams down low with Kadji, Johnson and Gamble, so it's tough to beat them even if teams can take one player out of the game.

Miami is as balanced as it gets this season, and they will have no problem handling the Fighting Illini. 

*All stats are from ESPN.com

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