Understanding March Madness comes down to the Bottom Line

The NCAA basketball tournament gets under way Thursday, so many of you college hoop fans are filling brackets or picking teams for office pools.

For people who need a little more information to complete that quest, here's a breakdown of each region. Hopefully this will enhance your enjoyment of March Madness.

South Regional

Winner - Florida. Cinderella - Louisiana State. First-round upset possibilities - Sand Diego over Stanford; Colorado over Michigan State.

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Players to watch - Roman Sato (Xavier): David West is Xavier's star, but Sato can play. Matt Bonner (Florida): He doesn't get much national attention and he's not flashy, but he can score at will. Ben Gordon (Connecticut): Gordon reminds me of Golden State's Gilbert Arena. They both can light it up. T.J. Ford (Texas): He's an obvious choice. Ford is fun to watch.

Midwest Regional

Winner - Kentucky. Cinderella - Missouri. First-round upset possibilities - Tulsa over Dayton; Weber State over Wisconsin.

Players to watch - Marquis Estill (Kentucky): The Wildcats guards get all the publicity, but this guy can take over games. Luke Ridhour (Oregon): He may go out in round two, but it won't be from lack of effort. Ridhour is terrific. Dwayne Wade (Marquette): I love his quickness and athleticism. He's streaky, but when he's on, look out. Jeff Newton (Indiana): If the Hoosiers make a run, this Georgia native will be leading the way.

West Regional

Winner - Kansas. Cinderella - Creighton. First-round upset possibilities - Gonzaga over Cincinnati; Wisconsin-Milwaukee over Notre Dame.

Players to watch - Kirk Hinrich/Nick Collison (Kansas): These two seniors represent what college athletics are all about. They aren't showboats. They just beat you. Chris Massie (Memphis): Massie's size makes him hard to handle. Channing Frye (Arizona): Luke Walton and Jason Gardner are in the spotlight, but if the Wildcats go far, Frye will play a big role. Dee Brown (Illinois): The Illini's big man Brian Cook is good, but this freshman could emerge as a star in the NCAAs.

East Regional

Winner - Syracuse. Cinderella - Butler. First-round upset possibilities - North Carolina State over California; Butler over Mississippi State.

Players to watch - Hollis Price (Oklahoma): He may not be a great NBA prospect, but don't tell that to coaches in the Big 12. Fransisco Garcia/Reece Gaines (Louisville): Garcia is a dangerous shooter, while Gaines is the team leader. Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse): Freshman aren't supposed to average 22 points and 10 rebounds per game. Jameer Nelson (St. Joseph's): He's only 5-foot-9, but he can play on my team any day.