Part IV of a multi-part series breaking down this year’s Madness.
Part I | Part II (East) | Part III (Midwest) | Part IV (West) 
WEST REGIONAL | Team | Record | Conference | Team | Record | Conference | | #1 UCLA | 31-3 | Pac 10 | #16 Mississippi State | 17-15 | SWAC | | #8 BYU | 27-7 | Mountain West | #9 Texas A&M | 24-10 | Big 12 | | #5 Drake | 28-4 | Missouri Valley | #12 Western Kentucky | 27-6 | Sun Belt | | #4 Connecticut | 24-7 | Big East | #13 San Diego | 21-13 | West Coast | | #6 Purdue | 24-8 | Big Ten | #11 Baylor | 21-10 | Big 12 | | #3 Xavier | 27-6 | Atlantic 10 | #14 Georgia | 17-16 | SEC | | #7 West Virginia | 24-10 | Big East | #10 Arizona | 19-14 | Pac 10 | | #2 Duke | 27-5 | ACC | #15 Belmont | 25-8 | Atlantic Sun | Representing the league in the West Regional we have one of the biggest surprises and youngest teams in the Big Ten. The Purdue Boilermakers far exceeded expectations being led by freshman forward sensation Robbie Hummel. Of the starting five, four are underclassmen with forward Nemanja Calasan the only junior exception. The Baylor Bears are led by junior guard Curtis Jerrells who pace the high scoring offense. The Bears have an advantage over the Boilermakers in depth with 3 point-threat guard LaceDarius Dunn and 7-foot shot-blocking center Mamadou Diene on reserve. But both these teams are balanced and able to put together a sweet 16 run. Unfortunately for the Bears, this is their first tournament appearance since 1988.
|
|  |  | | Record | overall | 24-8 | 20-10 |
| conference | 15-4 | 9-8 |
| against
tournament
teams | 4-3 | 5-8 | | Resume | RPI | 46 | 43 |
| SOS | 114 | 49 |
| Quality Wins | 5 | 7 | Team Stats
per game | Points | 68.7 | 81.4 |
| Turnovers | 12.9 | 12.6 |
| Rebounds | 35.8 | 40.9 |
| Free throw % | 0.706 | 0.742 |
| 3pt % | 0.37 | 0.382 |
| Blocks | 4.3 | 4.4 | Unfortunately for the Bears, they come limping into this contest having lost 6 of their last 10. Their last game prior to Selection Sunday? A loss to last place Colorado in the Big 12 tournament. Not exactly a hot streak to be playing upstart Purdue in their first round matchup. Baylor is one of those teams that literally live and die by the 3. The last team this reliant on the long range shots? Think Illinois the year they lost to North Carolina in the Championship game. So a cold spell could easily doom Baylor and turn their first round game into a nightmare. But this also gives them a good chance at an upset if the 3s begin falling. Look for a close contest between the Boilers and Bears but with Purdue prevailing in the last few minutes. 
|