Buzz of March Madness already begins, 5 Teams to Look At

With the 2012 Division I college basketball season well on it's way, although we haven't seen the level of talent that we're used to, including last year and so forth, there are several teams that have risen above the level of their competitors. Conferences including the BigTen, the Big12, and SEC are putting in another good résumé as we head towards what's really important in every college hoops season: the NCAA tournament, better known as (and for a good reason), March Madness. Teams continue to cross off games on their schedule determined to write a "W" next to each respective team, as opposed to an "L," ultimately with the hopes that when the games are finished, their season is not.

As the season continues, the studying begins as the road to march narrows and I would like to start my hoops publications by writing about a few teams, five to be exact, that have caught my eye this season, and I think are likely to remain standing towards the latter part of the NCAA tournament.

1. Kentucky Wildcats: Ever since John Calipari has taken the helm for the Kentucky men's basketball program, the Wildcats have risen to a prominent force throughout the nation. With great recruiting classes and his ability to coach and bring a group of guys together, Calipari has his third-straight year of a team who looks to be a national contender come March. After losing the star freshman Brandon Knight, as well as the DeAndre Liggins, the Wildcats weren't really expected to be as big of a force until the acquisitions of Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Davis, the 6'10 freshman puts up a huge 13.2 points per contest, and that's not even his biggest stat. Already breaking the single-season record in Kentucky history for blocks, he's averaging a whopping 4.7 blocks per game, and his presence is felt and forces intimidation among every team the Wildcats face. The 6'7 Kidd-Gilchrist is also a big factor adding another 13.2 ppg and creates a tough match-up problem for any defense.

2. Missouri Tigers: Although the recent loss to the conference rival Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Tigers are playing at an all-time high level under new head coach Frank Haith. Lead by senior guard Marcus Denmon, the Tigers don't have a necessarily big team, however their strength lies in their agility and ability to get rebounds both on the offensive and the defensive end. This was shown in their battle against the Baylor Bears sport a much taller team than Missouri, but the tiger's defensive ability allowed them to pound the glass and get turnovers against the slower Bears team. The team's defensive effort is lead by the Pressey brothers, Matt and Phil, who are both more than capable of collecting rebounds as well as deadly from beyond the arch. Ratliffe is another asset of the team, shooting at an unbelievably high percentage, and filling the necessary spot in the paint against the opponent bigs.

3. Baylor Bears: The Bears have found their way somewhat this season, with a school record 17-0 start to the beginning of the season. With Quincy Acy and Perry Jones III in the post, and Pierre Jackson running the point, Baylor plays a tall, and very athletic style. Their quickness gives them the ability to beat teams off the dribble while also dominating on the boards. They have five guys averaging double figures per game and don't have too much trouble scoring. As they're 18-2, and third in the Big12, the Bears' only two losses on the season are against two teams in the top 5: the Missouri Tigers, and the Kansas Jayhawks (@ Kansas). Their athleticism and height will prove a large asset come march when all of this talk truly matters.

4. Syracuse Orange: Jim Boeheim, amidst sex scandal allegations, has his orangemen playing at a unbelievable level this season. Senior Kris Joseph, not among the starting five for the orange, leads the team in scoring with 13.7 ppg, and Boeheim strategically takes him off the bench a ways into the first half to give his team a spark, and an edge against their opponents picking up the pace of the game. Joseph comes to the aid of Scoop Jardine, Dion Waiters, and Brandon Triche, all of whom handle the ball for Syracuse. Boeheim's squad became dethroned of their undefeated season against a tough Notre Dame who wanted nothing more than to rain on the parade of the perfect season for the Orange, however, Syracuse still has things to accomplish this season, possess a ton of talent, and will play tough down the stretch into the Big East tournament as well as the NCAA tournament.

5. Kansas Jayhawks: One of the best (if not the best) players in the nation, and front-runner for the Naismith Player of the Year Award, Thomas Robinson has been an incredible force for Bill Self's Jayhawks, who really didn't have too many expectations going into this season after the loss of a couple key players last year. Robinson is averaging a ridiculous 17.8 points per game along with a dominant 12 rebounds, and he's become the best down low player of any team in the NCAA, continuing to dominate the boards and points in the paint against any team he faces. However, Robinson's not the only one who's contributed to the Kansas success this season. Tyshawn Taylor, the senior guard, and Travis Releford, the junior guard are both shotmakers, and possess the ability to take anyone off the dribble, draw the double-team, and set up Thomas Robinson in the paint. We saw this against the Baylor Bears, when the Jayhawks hosted the Big12 match-up in their home court (and ended the Bears' hopes of going on to 18-0). Coach Self always has a way of motivating his team to play at a high level towards the end of the season and on into March, and even though the Jayhawks have buckled under pressure in recent years, they're determined to hold that chip on their shoulders this year so we'll see what happens.