Youthful Jayhawks can rock chalk all the way to Indy

	Mountain West Player of the Year Brandon Heath leads 11th-seeded San Diego State in scoring, averaging 18.5 ppg. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
	RELATED • MANDEL: Atlanta Region Breakdown • DAVIS: Minneapolis Region Breakdown • WINN: Washington, D.C. Region Breakdown • MANDEL: Bracket Overview • WINN: The Tourney Blog

By Julia Morrill, SI.com

Underrated: Alabama
Anyone who thinks the Tide can't win without Chuck Davis should think again. Just ask Ronald Steele. When Davis, Alabama's best big man, was lost for the season in January after tearing his ACL, Steele, an All-SEC sophomore point guard, stepped up and carried Alabama all the way to the Big Dance. Steele and junior forward Jermareo Davidson, the team's leading scorer (14 ppg), combine to make an athletic and versatile one-two punch. Alabama is the only squad in the SEC to have beaten all three of the top conference teams (LSU, Tennessee and Florida). You think they'll roll over and lose to the higher-seeded Marquette? Not a chance.

Overrated: Pittsburgh
Pitt has suddenly become the media darling after making a run to the Big East final. Everyone's raving about how balanced the Panthers' offense is, but the truth is, when Carl Krauser is cold, Pitt is easily beatable. Case in point: Five of the Panthers' six losses came when Krauser did not lead the team in scoring (and 7-foot center Aaron Gray did). Pitt may beat Kent State as a payback for the loss in Lexington in 2002, but its luck will run out against Kansas.

Bracket Buster: San Diego State
With uncertainty looming at Indiana, no one knows how the Hoosiers will keep their composure on the big stage. The Aztecs, meanwhile, are on a six-game winning streak -- if the momentum carries them past Indiana, they'll have a strong chance to once again dash Gonzaga's dream (assuming the Zags beat Xavier) of making the Sweet 16.

Home Cooking: UCLA
During the tournament, any intangible can be the difference between winning and losing. California's most storied college basketball program, UCLA, will hope that playing in its home state gives the Bruins a home-court-like advantage.

Best Player You've Never Heard Of: Brandon Heath, San Diego State
A Los Angeles native, the junior guard was the Mountain West's top player. He averages 18.5 points and shoots 41.1 percent from three-point range.

Best Matchup: Arkansas-Bucknell
The Bison stunned the college hoops world last year by knocking out third-seeded Kansas in the first round. They're a year older and accustomed to winning, so it won't be nearly as big a surprise if their methodical style disrupts Arkansas. The Razorbacks, who used to dominate the Southwest Conference before going to the SEC in the early '90s, will have a throng of fans in Dallas. They've won six of their last seven games and nearly defeated Florida in the SEC tournament. Once again, the Bison are up against a formidable foe -- all eyes will be watching to see if this mid-major can hang with the big boys.

The Pick: Kansas
The Jayhawks are all grown up since starting the season 3-4. Going into the tournament, they've won 15 of their last 16. Kansas couldn't have asked for a better draw. Judging by the way the Jayhawks shut down Texas big man LaMarcus Aldridge in the Big 12 title game, they can handle the likes of Pitt's Aaron Gray. Also, they're far more athletic than overrated Memphis and they've played a tougher schedule than UCLA and Gonzaga. Forget about their youth and inexperience -- the Jayhawks are primed to make a run all the way to Indy.