WEST REGIONAL : WHAT TO LOOK FOR

* Western Carolina’s Anquell McCollum is the nation’s No. 5 scorer (25.8 points a game), but Purdue has a habit of shutting down big scorers. The Boilermakers will need all of their defensive savvy to justify that No. 1 regional seeding.

* Clemson starts four freshmen and will miss the leadership of injured junior point guard Merl Code in the tournament. Georgia has a veteran cast of five senior starters that need only to shoot free throws better (66%) to make a run.

* Drexel’s Malik Rose (20.5 points, 13.1 rebounds a game) is one of the nation’s best-kept secrets. The rest of the Dragons should remain anonymous. Memphis could return to the Sweet 16 if mad bombers Mingo Johnson and Rodney Newsom can pick up their 38% shooting.

* Montana State forwards Nico Harrison and Quadre Lollis both shoot better than 60% but haven’t faced a player with NBA skills like Syracuse’s John Wallace or the nastiness of his 6-8, 255-pound sidekick, Otis Hill. The Orangemen shot free throws better than their opponents this season (70.8% to 62.1%).