Every year the tournament has its Cinderella stories, and every year, there are the let-downs: those teams that are hyped by the media, when in fact, they do not have a fighting chance to win it all. Four teams rise to the surface when discussing the latter--St. Joseph's, Stanford, Texas, and Gonzaga.
The Bulldogs understand the role of the underdog all too well, but have now found themselves a favorite. It was only five years ago that Gonzaga had a Cinderella story of its own, when the No. 10 seed advanced to the Elite Eight. Since then, Gonzaga has made a name for itself, and this year's No. 2 seed has stepped into a new role. With this second seed, the highest Gonzaga has received, the team will come under pressure to live up to the expectations of a powerhouse.
This year's Bulldogs just may not have the qualities to beat the more experienced and more talented ball clubs in the nation. While Gonzaga has the depth that many other teams lack, the Bulldogs have just not been put through the fire this season. With a strength of schedule rating of 82 and a 1-2 record against teams in the top-25, losing to Stanford and St. Joseph's, Gonzaga has proven that it can win games against mediocre teams in its conference but not against the caliber of opponent it will face in the tournament. Although this team has been dubbed the best Gonzaga team ever, it does not look like it will be good enough.
Unlike the Bulldogs, Texas has made its plenty of tournament appearances. With 14 appearances in since 1985, the No. 3 seeded Longhorns have attracted some media attention because of their excellent end of the season. However, Texas is up against the likes of North Carolina, Mississippi State and Duke in the Atlanta region, considered by many the toughest of the four. While the Longhorns are also deep and talented, the team's lack of pressure defense and its impatience may allow a good team that is more aggressive on the boards to take Texas out early.
The two most talked-about teams this year were definitely St. Joe's and Stanford. With almost perfect seasons, both teams surprised everyone, winning game-in and game-out. While the Cardinal and the Hawks make a strong argument for winning the championship in San Antonio, there are a number of factors that work hard against them.
St. Joe's Jameer Nelson, a National Player of the Year candidate, is the backbone of this team and averages 20 points and shoots 39 percent from behind the arc. The team's perimeter shooting is its greatest asset, but if those shots are not falling, the Hawks will find themselves in trouble when they face a team with strength in the post.
Finally, the Cardinal, like St. Joe's, have shown that they are a good team. However, with a strength of schedule rating of 104, Stanford will need to get used to playing great teams so often. Unlike St. Joe's, who had the strongest non-conference schedule, Stanford's out of conference slate ranks 164th. The Cardinal, who have only played against a top-25 team twice this season, have their weaknesses. Though Josh Childress and Matt Lottich will undoubtedly put up a great fight, with UConn and Okafor in their bracket, the Cardinal have a hard road ahead of them.
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