Everybody expects Kentucky to come out of this region.

Yeah, shocking.

This is the best team college basketball has seen in years, and there’s really only one other blue-blood program – Kansas – in the region with them. So just grab the ladder and have them cut down the nets, right?

We won’t go that far. First off, it’s no fun, and it would ruin office brackets everywhere. So let’s just play the games. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a team in the Midwest that can slay Kentucky and end the undefeated season. Whether UK loses or not, the Midwest will be filled with a lot of talent and plenty of storylines.

Best second-round game

We’re looking at a lot of great matchups in the Midwest for the round of 64, not the least of which is Wichita State vs. Indiana. The Hoosiers were thought to be on the bubble on Selection Sunday, but they grabbed a No. 10 seed and earned the right to play the No. 7 Shockers. It’s Wichita’s experience vs. IU’s youth. It’s IU’s offense vs. Wichita’s defense. It’s Shockers point guard Fred VanVleet vs. Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell. This one should be a battle from the opening tip.

Upset Special

Hello, Buffalo. The Bulls are making their first trip to the NCAA Tournament ever, and they’re a team that plays with nothing to lose but not with a lack of discipline. Head coach Bobby Hurley won’t be rattled by the tourney atmosphere, and that’s a problem for West Virginia. It isn’t that the Mountaineers are lacking talent. It’s that they’ve been looking tired of late, and the Bulls love to play uptempo. They’ll run West Virginia out of the Dance.

Best Player

This is a tough, tough bracket to pick just one guy, but before you just look for someone on the Big Blue roster, check out the boys from South Bend. Namely, we’re talking about Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant. Grant is a do-everything slashing guard who can take over games anytime he wants, and he’s a fantastic passer to boot. Don’t miss this kid in action.

Storybook

If both teams get into the round of 32, watch the battle between Wichita State and Kansas. The Shockers have been itching to get at the Jayhawks for years, and they feel like KU has been ducking them. Don’t for a second think the Selection Committee wasn’t well aware of that fact when it put together the brackets, and it will be the biggest game in the state of Kansas in decades as long as everyone cooperates.

Size Matters

Guards rule the NCAA Tournament, but the Midwest is going to be decided by the bigs. UK’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein and Trey Lyles are men among boys. Purdue’s A.J. Hammons can be a special player when he actually shows up. Kansas’ Perry Ellis is a game-changer. Maryland’s Jake Layman can be a matchup nightmare. Who’s the best of the bunch? Depends on the day, but don’t blink on Cauley-Stein, who is hungry after missing time in last year’s Dance with an injury.

Take It to the Bank (Unless We’re Totally Wrong)

Notre Dame is going to give Kentucky all kinds of trouble if they meet in the Elite Eight, and the Fighting Irish could be one of just a handful of teams with a shot at knocking off the Wildcats. ND won’t be intimidated by anyone, and Mike Brey’s team won’t get nervous if it gets UK down. This is the dream matchup of the bracket.

Winner-to-Be

Could it be anyone else? Kentucky has been rolling all season, and the ‘Cats aren’t showing signs of slowing down. They’ve been playing for this moment all season, and they aren’t going to stop until they get to Indy.