AT SAN DIEGO
* Saint Joseph’s vs. Georgia Tech: Saint Joseph’s has one of the nation’s better guard combinations in freshman Jameer Nelson and junior Marvin O’Connor. Hawk Coach Phil Martelli thinks Nelson might be the best point guard in the nation, while O’Connor averages 21.6 points a game and turned in one of the season’s more incredible performances when he scored 18 of his career-high 37 points in the final minute of a 91-90 loss to La Salle. St. Joseph’s has been vulnerable to big post men and Georgia Tech has a good one in 6-foot-11 senior center Alvin Jones, who averages 13.6 points and 10 rebounds. Georgia Tech surrounds Jones with a cast of perimeter shooters, relying on the team’s 38.5% three-point shooting to win games.
* Stanford vs. North Carolina Greensboro: Stanford senior guard Ryan Mendez says has no right to get cocky. “How can we overlook anyone when we’ve lost the last two years in the second round?” he said. Coach Mike Montgomery is torn on whether to test junior forward Justin Davis’ injured left ankle in this game or hold Davis out until he’s completely ready. Davis’ play has totaled only eight minutes the last four games. Greensboro won the Southern Conference tournament title game against Chattanooga on a last-second basket. The Spartans have a nice point guard in Courtney Eldridge but lack depth at center--bad news when you’re playing Stanford.
* Indiana vs. Kent State: The anti-Bob Knight faction is rooting hard for Indiana Coach Mike Davis to make a deep tournament run to prove the decision to fire Knight was long overdue. Davis has the Hoosiers playing well. Indiana made it to the Big Ten Conference tournament championship, something Knight never did. Center Kirk Haston is playing as well as anyone. Kent State won the Mid-American Conference bid, has three talented guards that can score, plays hard on defense, but probably does not have the talent to match up with the Hoosiers.
* Cincinnati vs. Brigham Young: The Bearcats had some tournament momentum before losing the Conference USA title game to Charlotte. Cincinnati is about guards: Kenny Satterfield and Steve Logan. Satterfield was more touted, but Logan emerged as the conference player of the year, averaging 19 points over his last 15 games. Brigham Young lacks NCAA experience, this being its first trip in six years, but the Cougars have the Mountain West Conference player of the year in center Mekeli Wesley.
