You know every team in the NCAA Tournament. You know their strengths and you know their weaknesses. You've listened all week to basketball analysts who broke down each game and region.

But no matter how much you know, you can never be ready for what March Madness will offer. The buzzer beaters, the bracket busters and the unknown players who make names for themselves are all things that make the NCAA Tournament magical.

In 2003, it was freshman Carmelo Anthony leading Syracuse to a national championship. In 2005, fifth-seeded MSU ran through top-seeded Duke and second-seeded Kentucky on its way to the Final Four. Last season, George Mason made an improbable run to the Final Four as an 11th-seeded team.

What's in store for this year? We're going back to the basics with an A-to-Z look at what will put the madness in this March.

Compiled by Matt Bishop, Ethan Conley and Tom Keller

A

He's the clutch Texas A&M point guard who's hit enough dagger shots this season to open his own artillery store. In a game that's close and late, you better have somebody like Law to take control.

B

They're the ones who snuck into the last spots in the bracket. Some (George Mason last season) use that as a launching board to big success. Others (Stanford this season) quickly prove why many thought they shouldn't be in the field.

C

It's the most overused motivation in the tournament. No matter who wins it all, we guarantee their postgame celebration will include some quote like, "Nobody believed we could do this!" or "We just shocked the world!" Hey, whatever works.

D

It's the greatest predictor of a team's tournament success. In the last three seasons, no team outside the top 25 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency has made it to the Final Four.

E

It's the hardest region by far. North Carolina is a favorite to win it all, Georgetown has the nation's best frontcourt, Washington State's the best team nobody's heard of and Texas is everyone's sleeper pick. If you're looking for a Cinderella, don't look to this side of the bracket.

F

They'll likely make as big an impact on this tournament as they ever have. Ohio State's Greg Oden, Texas' Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin, North Carolina's Brandan Wright and Ty Lawson. ? Don't be surprised if one of these kids is cutting down the nets in a few weeks (well before they can take a legal celebratory sip of champagne).

G

You're allowed to do it for months if you win your office pool. Who cares if your prediction criteria was which school had hotter people on Facebook.com? You earned it.

H

It comes in many shapes and styles come tournament time. Check out Florida's Joakim Noah (ponytail) and Billy Donovan (widow's peak), Maryland's Bambale Osby (afro), Wisconsin's Greg Stiemsma (mohawk) and, of course, MSU's Drew Neitzel (Mr. Clean).

I

The MSU coach is 23-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, having led the team to Final Four appearances in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2005.

J

K

The coach has struggled this season, but he has his Blue Devils in the tournament as a six seed — a seeding that many found to be too high. Can his team find itself in the tournament and prove the doubters wrong?

L

By the time we finish this thing up in Atlanta (for the men) and Cleveland (for the women), 127 teams will go home wondering what could have been. Only two will remain to call themselves champions.

M

How many in-state teams have made NCAA Tournament appearances since the Wolverines last did in 1998? Five! MSU (2007), Oakland (2005), Western Michigan (2004), Central Michigan (2003) and Detroit (1999). But don't forget, U-M won the NIT in 2004.

N

The Mean Green are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance in history, but they have a tough task ahead with No. 2-seed Memphis.

O

It's an easy way to describe many of the plays and actions that go down during the few weeks of fun known as the NCAA Tournament. Like Adam Morrison crying before time ran out on his final collegiate game last season, or George Mason toppling college basketball's elite on its way to the Final Four last season.

P

She is on the national coaching radar after leading the Spartans women's team to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances. Will she bolt if her team puts together another good postseason?

Q

As in the Penn Quakers. The Ivy League champs gave Texas A&M quite a scare Thursday — they led by two midway through the second half— before finally bowing out.

R

The best analyst in all of college basketball.

"And they start out … in the mantaman!"

"With the kiss!"

"Onions!"

S

Forget Adam Morrison and J.J. Redick (both of whom were completely unlikable for 90 percent of the hoops-watching population). This is the most talent-rich tournament in years. You know about Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, but also keep an eye on Mike Conley Jr., Acie Law IV, Arron Afflalo, Brandan Wright, Ty Lawson, Florida's starting five, Oregon's freshmen, Julian Wright, Chase Budinger and Jared Dudley.

T

The Lone Star State brings a wealth of dangerous teams to this year's tourney — Texas A&M and Texas are two big guns.

And if you like rooting for the underdog, two Texas teams — Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and North Texas — are No. 15 seeds.

U

The Bruins fell to Florida in last year's championship game, but have returned strong this season. With a No. 2 seed in the West Regional, they could end up in the Final Four for the second straight year.

V,

Or a lack thereof — at least during game broadcasts. No slobbering over Duke. No "Awesome, baby!" It's all CBS from here on out, which means plenty of whining from Billy Packer, and plenty of cheesy lines from Jim Nance. What a moment.

W

As in everyone's favorite pick for a first-round upset. The 11th-seeded Eagles face Notre Dame in round one.

X

Can Tyler Hansbrough be productive with his protective mask? Can MSU's big men bring anything to the table? Will pools of sweat left by Bruce Pearl and Gary Williams cause any significant injuries? Will Nevada, behind Nick Fazekas, emerge as a threat in the South Regional?

Y

Lots of it. From CBS play-by-play man Gus Johnson. He's only calling games in the first two rounds, so make sure to tune in early.

Z

Will the referees let the kids play? Here's hoping we get some ACC or Big 12-style hoops, rather than the molasses-in-January basketball of the Big Ten. How painful would it be to see the zebras dictate the pace of a Texas-North Carolina matchup in the Sweet 16? With competent officiating, the score would be in the 80s or 90s. With a Big Ten crew, it'd be in the 60s.