Followers (3 & 4 Seeds)

Villanova: The Wildcats of Villanova have lost 6 games this year. Besides Temple, each foe is formidable. Not many would fret about losses at Notre Dame, at Boston College, at Connecticut, against Syracuse, and a tough Georgetown team. Considering 4 of those losses were by a combined 14 points, 'Nova looks pretty tough. Led by Allen Ray and Curtis Sumpter (17 and 16 ppg respectively), they've won their last 6, including bouts against Pitt, BC, and Georgetown. The Wildcats are not to be ignored, and are actually better than most think. Nova could sneak out a pretty high seed with a good Big East Tourney showing.
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Syracuse: Getting swept by the Pitt Panthers hasn't done wonders for the 'Cuse. Their ranking is the lowest it's been in quite some time, and they have a tough match up with the rising boys of UConn this Saturday. On the other hand there isn't a disappointing loss on their record. Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh twice, UConn, and Boston College. They've won at 'Nova and Notre Dame, more than many teams can attest. They are 4-4 in their last 8 games, which is a seed killer at the end of the season. A big win against UConn would look really good, but even without that, there is no reason the Orangemen shouldn't be a top 4 seed. Warrick and McNamera give Jim Boheim a chance to get back to the Final Four.
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Arizona: The Wildcats shouldn't be looked down upon after a loss to the Huskies in Washington. The Huskies won't lose a regular season home game this year. That's guaranteed after last Saturday. Arizona still looks pretty solid as a number 3 seed, though they might slide to a 4. They've lost to some second tear teams; Virginia, Stanford, and Washington State. Besides beating the Huskies in Arizona, they haven't beaten anyone special. That's what makes me worry about the Wildcats. They've got loads of talent and a coach who just wins. Their second biggest win is against Utah. The Selection committee has to notice that.
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Oklahoma: Oklahoma is a pretty good ball club. They've beaten UConn, Texas (when they were good), Oklahoma State, and Kansas. They are also 22-6. They've played a tough schedule. Oklahoma doesn't get enough credit, which could make them a tough 5 seed to play in the second game. They might get up in the 3 seed range if they can make big things happen in their conference tourney. They've won their last 5, and Kevin Bookout and Taj Gray have been putting in work on the glass. The Sooners can be real tough, making them a possible contender in late March.
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Oklahoma State: Kansas ended their 3 game winning streak against OK State. That's not much to be ashamed of. The Loss to Nebraska 5 days before that is. Nebraska is feisty, but a team at the level of Oklahoma State can't let teams like Nebraska play with them. That game might have moved the Cowboys out of the top two. These kids know how to win ball games, though. The Tourney is kind to winners. John Lucas and Joey Graham have been as good as advertised. Winning the Big 12 Tourney and getting back into top seed position isn't out of the question.
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Gonzaga: The Zags could very well be in the list above, except it's not right to get their hopes up. They won't get a 2 seed. They just don't get any love from the selection committee. They never have and never will. Adam Morrison is incredible, and I wouldn't be surprised to see big things from him during the Dance. He's a scorer and a flat out good player. Gonzaga has 2 seed game with a 4 seed schedule, and the latter is going to have the final say. Ronny Turiaf will set out to prove to the world how good he can be. If he does that, he'll still be playing hoops with his teammates in late March.
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