How and why A&M wins the west
Regardless of the seeding, it is hard not to feel like the favorite against BYU. I have been reading Under the Banner of Heaven , and if there is one thing to be taken from this book it is that Brigham Young was not to be messed with. Taking that lesson, I am hoping that the Ags do not take BYU lightly. No doubt it will be a dog fight, but I just can't see A&M losing to BYU.

So, I realize that A&M will be incredibly overmatched against UCLA in the second round. However, let me present some facts that have helped me sleep a little easier at night. Last season, A&M faced a number one rated UCLA team in Aneheim. Enjoy the boxscore here. A&M fell short by three points. I realize that A&M is a much different team now, but there are several major contributors remaining that made this trip and will know what to expect in regards to a similar UCLA team and environment. Hopefully, A&M can look to those players for leadership and guidance and parley that experience into a win.

Farfetched? Sure.

But it could happen. Here are Ben Howland's thoughts about A&M's chances against UCLA:

I will not go into any further rounds today. But let's just say that if A&M knocks off UCLA, they will ride that momentum to San Antonio. If A&M is still standing after this weekend, we will get into more in depth details of what lies ahead.

Frontrunners
Clearly, it is UCLA and Duke. They have great players up and down their rosters. They have two legendary coaches. They have a great legacy of tournament success.

Other Contenders
Xavier is a salty team led by Aggie killer Drew Lavender. UConn is a team that could cause a lot of damage. Purdue has looked great at times, and has several big wins.

Darkhorses
My darkhorse has to be Georgia. Sure they are a 14 seed, but after their weekend in Atlanta, nobody has as much momentum as they do.

Hildy's pick
Duke