Ty Lawson's toe -- it will be the most watched toe in the tournament.
Hobbled by a swollen big toe, Carolina's junior point guard sat out the ACC Tournament and watched his Tar Heels fall to Florida State in the semifinals. Lawson's ability to play big minutes could determine how far the South's No. 1 seed can go.
Will Ben Woodside and North Dakota State be the next Davidson?
In their first season of Division I basketball, North Dakota State stormed into the NCAA Tournament on the momentum of Ben Woodside's first ever game-winning shot. Can they ride that momentum deep into the Dance?
Can Tyreke Evans lead Memphis back to the Final Four?
With Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts (the '08 tournament's leading scorer) both in the NBA, the Tigers are relying on Tyreke Evans to carry them back to the championship game. With UConn in its region, Memphis has a tough road to the Final Four.
How many teams can the Big East get into the Final Four?
With the No. 1 seed in three of the four regions, the Big East is in position to assert that it's the strongest conference ever. Add No. 3 seeded Syracuse in the South to that picture, and the question is: can the Big East get four teams to the Final Four?
Will this finally be the year for North Carolina?
One of the ACC's top performers for four seasons, Tyler Hansbrough came back for his senior season determined to win a championship. With Ty Lawson hobbled, Hansbrough and UNC could face an uphill climb.
Can Pitt break its Sweet 16 curse?
Despite building a perennial powerhouse at Pitt, Jamie Dixon has yet to lead his team past the Sweet 16. With two big wins over UConn already, the team is big game-tested. Can it finally get over the hump?
Will Marquette and Illinois be able to move on without their glue guys?
Hobbled by the loss of their leaders (Marquette's Dominic James and Illinois' Chester Frazier), can the Golden Eagles and Illini fill the holes?
Can Missouri finish off its redemption story?
Picked by the Big 12 coaches to finish seventh in the league, Missouri just capped a 28-6 season with a win over Baylor in the conference championship game. Can the Tigers continue their improbable winning ways?
Is Michigan the real deal?
A year after losing a school-record 22 games, John Beilein's Wolverines are tournament-bound for the first time since 1998. They have wins over Duke, Purdue and UCLA this season, but is Michigan for real?
The downfall of the SEC
The SEC reeled in just three bids this year (its fewest since 1990), and the number would have been lower were it not for Mississippi State's surprising league tournament win. Can the conference restore some of its luster with March victories?