By Alex Trickett

Kentucky are deserved favourites to win the national title

US college basketball's NCAA Tournament has tipped off under the cloud of war in Iraq, which has caused television networks to shift their coverage from network to cable.

The season-ending showdown, better known as March Madness, culminates in New Orleans on 7 April and means far more to the average American than a bunch of oversized students shooting hoops.

It features the top 64 basketball colleges in the country and has become a betting institution, as millions have a flutter on their Alma Mater.

MARCH MADNESS Teams: 64 Defending champ: Maryland Top seeds: Kentucky, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma When: 20 March-7 April Where: Regional finals - New York, Texas, Minnesota and California. Final - Louisiana What is March Madness?

This year's cast is headed by national number one Kentucky, one of the top seeds in four mini-tournaments played across the USA.

The winners of each regional event converge in the Final Four to determine an overall champion.

One of the most appealing aspects of March Madness is its unpredictability, with even the surest of favourites vulnerable in one-game eliminators.

And 2003 will likely be no different...

Kentucky are strong favourites to progress, and their path to the regional final - the Elite Eight - looks assured.

But they may face a tough challenge in Minneapolis against whichever team come out of the bottom half of the bracket, with Marquette and Pittsburgh looking dangerous.

Top-seeded Arizona are a gifted team, but they have been given the toughest region and highly-rated Illinois block their route to the Elite Eight.

Should the Wild Cats make it to the Anaheim final, they are likely to take on Duke, Kansas or Memphis, any of which could pull off an upset.

Texas are the number one seeds, but they may struggle to get past in-form LSU and explosive Connecticut en route to the final in San Antonio.

In the bottom half, Florida's form is faltering and defending NCAA champions Maryland may be the best bet to make their winning experience tell.

Another wide-open group is topped by Oklahoma, but they must initially shake off the challenges of Mississippi State and Louisville to progress.

In the final in Albany, New York, they may have to play Wake Forest or local team Syracuse, who can call on the talents of future NBA star Carmelo Anthony.

It is almost impossible to predict that far, but look for Kentucky, Kansas, Maryland and Syracuse to contest the national semi-finals in New Orleans.