Butler, St. Mary’s and Northern Iowa entered the Sweet 16 as the only mid-majors remaining. But after St. Mary’s destruction at the hands of the Baylor Bears, and UNI’s inability to beat a Michigan State team that was missing its best player, only the Butler Bulldogs still stand.

Watching Friday night’s action it struck me how often it seems that the so-called “Cinderellas” that reach the Sweet 16 fail to perform well in the regional semifinal. Is it because these teams have had a few days to reflect on their success or is it because their opponents — usually power conference programs — have had an opportunity to study plenty of video and were able to better break down their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses? In the end, it’s probably some combination of the two.

Duke’s win in a slugfest against Purdue and Baylor’s trouncing of a well-oiled St. Mary’s team were both impressive. The Blue Devils struggled in the first half but still lead at the break due to a big edge on the boards. For the game, Duke outrebounded Purdue, 45-22. Jon Scheyer finally found his shot in the second half, and when he did, the Blue Devils cruised…or cruised as much as they could against a tough defense like the Boilermakers.

Those lamenting how “easy” of a bracket Duke drew should consider the fact that Duke has to play a very good Baylor team in Houston, which is just a few hours drive from the Bears’ campus in Waco. Baylor is both athletic and balanced, and has the tools to give Duke fits.

Tennessee’s tight win over Ohio State hurt my bracket a little bit, but right now it all comes down to Kentucky and West Virginia. Most people have Kentucky going to the Final Four, so if the Mountaineers can pull off the upset, I’ll have a real shot to win my pool. After losing my overall winner (Kansas) last weekend, I’m a little surprised to be able to say that. Kentucky is playing very well, but the Mountaineers should be able to keep it close by slowing the game down and forcing the Wildcats to attack their zone defense.

In the other game, how much gas will K-State have in the tank after its double-OT thriller against Xavier? The Wildcats are much more athletic inside, but keep an eye on how the K-State wings get through Butler’s screens in the second half. If the Wildcats start to fade, Butler should be able to capitalize.

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