Sweet 16 Preview: (2) Duke vs. (3) Villanova

(2) Duke Blue Devils:

Their Tournament so far: The Blue Devils won their first game over (15) Binghamton by 24 points. Duke had a balanced attack in which six players managed to get into double figures. Their second round game against (7) Texas was a bit closer, with Duke winning 74-69. Texas battled Duke all game and was within one point in the games final minute but couldn't come away with the upset. Junior guard Gerald Henderson led the Blue Devils with 24 points.

Hot Hand: Henderson has 37 points in two games and has been the catalyst for Duke. Sophomore forward Kyle Singler has added 27 points and led the Blue Devils in rebounding each game.

How they match-up with Villanova: The Blue Devils match-up well against the Wildcats of Villanova. They both play very similar style of offenses based around perimeter shooting and one big man in the middle. Villanova is a bit more physical and athletic than Duke which could give the Blue Devils some problems. Duke on the other hand play solid defense and have good shot selection.

X-Factor: Getting Gerald Henderson involved early. Henderson is the one player on Duke's roster who is as quick and strong as Villanova's starters. His inside-outside scoring ability makes him the Blue Devils top threat. Henderson presents a big match-up problem for the Wildcats. If he can get going early should be enough to send the Blue Devils to the next round.

(3) Villanova Wildcats:

Their Tournament so far: The Wildcats struggled out of the gate in their first game, going into halftime with a 10 point deficit to (15) American. They came out in the second half with a vengence and outscored American by 23. Villanova had two 25 point performances that night by senior forwards Dante Cunningham and Dwayne Anderson. In their second game against (6) UCLA the Wildcats exploded for a 89-69 win. Villanova had six players in double figures and out rebounded the Bruins by 13.

Hot Hand: Cunningham has had 43 points so far in the tourney and is a big match-up problem for opposing teams. Anderson has been a good second option for the Wildcats with a combined 35 points. He has scored double figures in both of the games despite averaging only about 8.5 points per game during the season.

How they match-up against Duke: Villanova is actually the better shooting team, despite the fact that the Blue Devils were a higher scoring team this year. The Wildcats have a better inside presence than the Blue Devils and showed that this season with their tough Big East schedule. While not the most physical team, the Wildcats front court should have the advantage against the Blue Devils. Villanova is also a more athletic team which should help them on defense and to create room for open shots.

X-Factor: Working Dante Cunningham inside against Duke's Kyle Singler. Cunningham should have the advantage against Singler and the Wildcats need to exploit that. Let Cunningham go to the basket early and put Singler in a position where he has to foul. Duke doesn't have much depth with their big men and will be in big trouble if Singler sits a portion of the game with foul trouble.

March Madness: East Region Part 2

No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils:

Why they will win it all: The Blue Devils won the ACC tournament and were a top team all year. They have three players that can score any time they touch the ball, in sophomore forward Kyle Singler, junior guard Gerald Henderson and junior guard Jon Scheyer. All three players are shooting at least 36% from behind the arc. All three players averaged at least 15 points per game as well. While not a great defensive team they play very fundamental basketball and force a number of turnovers. Henderson is an athletic guard who can shoot the jump shot or go to the basket with equal skill. He has created problems all season for teams trying to guard him one-on-one.

Why they won't win it all: Duke is not a physical team they lack a true inside presence and are frequently out rebounded. They rely on the open 3 point shots and struggle when they are forced to score inside. The Blue Devils lack a true point guard to set up their shooters on perimeter and will struggle against teams with top guards. They lack the overall athleticism and physicality to play with a number of teams in the nation. While they have three good shooters they were a very poor shooting team overall averaging under 45% from the field. They are also not a very deep team and will struggle if any of their players get into foul trouble.

Player to watch: Gerald Henderson. Henderson is the one player on Duke's roster who presents a match-up problem for any team the Blue Devils play. He averaged 16.6 points per game this season and led the Blue Devils by shooting 47% from the field. He is a good defender and his quickness and streghth allow him to man up on just about anyone.

Prediction: The Blue Devils are vastly outgunned in this region and I believe will be upset in the second round by Texas. The Longhorns played below their talent level all year, but have the size and quickness that Duke can't compete with. If the Blue Devils manage to get by Texas they will have to face major obsectals in Villanova and Pittsburgh if they hope to make it to the Final Four.

Other teams to watch: The 3rd seed Villanova Wildcats are one of the best teams nobody is talking about. They got beat up some in Big East play this year but are a dangerous team. They won their only meeting against Pittsburgh and lost their regular season games to Louisville and Conneticut by a combined 7 points. Junior guard Scottie Reynolds and senior forward Dante Cunningham each averaged over 15 points per game this year. The 7th seed Texas Longhorns can be another dangerous team. They are led senior guard A.J. Abrams and junior forward Damion James. Each player has the ablity to take over a game and will present major match-up problems for any team they face. They have the talent they just need to harness it.