Midwest Region preview: Michigan State, Virginia poised to meet for 3rd straight tournament

The Favorite

Michigan State

It's not often that the No. 2 seed in the bracket is favored over the No. 1 seed to win the region, but Tom Izzo makes his own rules in March, so Michigan State is an exception. To the surprise of most prognosticators, the Spartans were denied a No. 1 seed despite entering the tournament having won 13 of their last 14 games.

In the college basketball world, there's Wooden Award favorite Denzel Valentine, and then there's everyone else. The senior standout averages a ridiculous 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists per game, and as he goes, so do the Spartans. With Matt Costello providing an annoying low-post presence and Bryn Forbes dropping triples at an absurd 49-percent clip, don't be shocked to see Izzo once again on the final weekend of the tournament.

The Contenders

Virginia

In almost any other region, Virginia would be the clear favorite to advance. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, they're in the Midwest with Michigan State in March. For the third year in a row, Tony Bennett's program is poised for a head-to-head matchup with their nemesis from the north. The Spartans have eliminated Virginia from the NCAA tournament the last two years, and if both teams win out, a third matchup will happen in an Elite Eight contest in Chicago. The recipe yet again is a stifling defense, ranked third in the country.

Utah

Getting waxed by 31 points in the conference tournament final is probably not the best way to prepare for the Big Dance, but despite that collapse Utah is still a top contender in the region. The Utes ripped off nine straight wins prior to the beatdown at the hands of Oregon, and will hope to ride 7-foot center Jakob Poeltl to glory.

The Sleepers

Purdue

Purdue sports a front line that would be large by NBA standards. In the college game, it's downright massive. Senior 7-footer A.J. Hammons leads the charge with 15 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, while 6-foot-9 Caleb Swanigan chips in with 10 and eight. For good measure, the Boilermakers also have 7-foot-2 Isaac Haas averaging 10 points in just 14 minutes of action per game. If Purdue can stick some outside jumpers to complement the forward production, it can be a tough out for anybody.

Gonzaga

An 11-seed is certainly a sleeper, but Gonzaga has some experience as a double-digit seed in the NCAA tournament.

The first-round matchup isn't overly kind to the Bulldogs, with a red hot Seton Hall coming off the Big East tournament championship, but if the high-octane Gonzaga offense can use the altitude in Denver to its advantage, they could pull the upset off. The Zags match up well with Utah for a potential second-round game, and given Mark Few's experience in March, it would be no shock to see Gonzaga back in the Sweet Sixteen.

Player to Watch

Michigan State G Denzel Valentine

The Midwest is absolutely stacked with high-end talent, but the best of the bunch is undoubtedly Valentine. His wide-ranging skills are unmatched, and when you add the senior standout's leadership, it's clear why he's the Wooden Award favorite.

His absurd stat line speaks for itself, and the Michigan State team will go as far as the 6-foot-5 guard takes them. The Lansing native has registered at least a double-double in five of his last 10 games, and definitely has a flair for the dramatic.

Upset Special

No. 13 Iona over No. 4 Iowa State

The scoreboard operator is going to earn his paycheck in the Iona-Iowa State contest. Both teams rank in the top 30 in the country for points per game, and with the thin air in Denver, whichever team is best conditioned for this track meet will emerge victorious. A.J. English will need an all-world performance for the Gaels to stand a chance, but the senior already has one 46-point and one 45-point performance to his name this season.