Gonzaga's Sam Dower (35) dunks against Pepperdine in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Jed Conklin) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Go West, young men

Five former Minnesota high school standouts will play important roles for their teams in the West Region:

Sam Dower (Osseo), Gonzaga: The 6-9 junior has been a key off the bench for the nation's top-ranked team, hitting 56 percent of his shots and averaging 7.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 16.6 minutes.

Siyani Chambers (Hopkins) and Jonah Travis (DeLaSalle), Harvard: Chambers leads Crimson in minutes (37.8 per game) and assists (5.8) while averaging 12.9 ppg; Travis averages 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds.

Jared Berggren (Princeton) and Mike Bruesewitz (Henry Sibley), Wisconsin: The seniors are key inside players who both have the ability to step out and hit jumpers. Berggren averages 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds, Bruesewitz 6.5 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Other key Minnesotans:

Nate Wolters (St. Cloud Tech), South Dakota State: The 6-4 senior guard led the Jackrabbits in scoring (22.7 ppg) and assists (5.8 apg) and shot 49.3 percent.

Mike Muscala (Roseville), Bucknell: The 6-11 senior had 21 points and 14 rebounds in a 64-56 victory over Lafayette in the Patriot Conference championship game. Typical game — he's averaging 19 points and 11.2 rebounds.

Ethan Wragge (Eden Prairie), Creighton: The 6-7 junior averages 7.7 points and 2.7 rebounds. Playing 16.2 minutes a game, he shares the team lead in three-pointers made, hitting 74 of 170 (43.5 percent).

Jordair Jett (St. Bernard's), St. Louis: His steady guard play off the bench — 9.3 ppg, 51.9 percent shooting and team-leading 3.2 apg — has been a key for the 27-6 Billikens.

Trent Lockett (Hopkins), Marquette: The Arizona State transfer averaged 7.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists for the Golden Eagles, a No. 3 East seed.

Jake White (Chaska), Wichita State: A key reserve for the Shockers, the 6-8 forward averaged 3.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.8 minutes.

Carlos Emory (Eastview), Oregon: The 6-5 senior scored 20 in the Pac-12 title game victory over UCLA, and averages 11.0 points and 4.2 rebounds

Ex-Gophers

Colton Iverson, Colorado State: The Rams (25-8) are the No. 8 Midwest seed, thanks largely to Iverson, who leads his team in scoring (14.7 ppg) and rebounding (9.8 rpg) while shooting 59.9 percent from the field.

Justin Cobbs, California: The 6-3 junior is back in the tournament for a second consecutive year since leaving Minnesota; he's averaging 15.5 points, 4.8 assists and 35.7 minutes.

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Dennis Brackin