TEXAS A&M AGGIES

1. Billy Gillispie Might Have Been A Good Hire. In their first eight seasons in the Big 12, the Aggies won 25 conference games and lost 103. For you math whizzes out there, that equates to 19.5 percent. In the past three years, they've won 31 conference games (64.6 percent). For a perspective of how far things have come in College Station, just two years ago the Aggies got so excited about making the NIT that they had T-shirts made for the occasion. I can't wait to see this year's NIT shirt design for UConn and Oklahoma State.

2. Acie Law Can Use Both of His Hands. Born righthanded, probable All-American point guard Acie Law learned to use his left hand to dribble and shoot after breaking his right arm three times. I'm sure he didn't teach himself how to do anything else left handed. Nope, no way ... not a 15-year-old high school kid. Speaking of Law, it's actually Law IV as you will see on the back of his jersey. You may ask "why would one include that on their jersey?" Well, Acie has an answer for you. "It's my name. I'm Acie Law the fourth. When I first got to A&M I wanted to put my whole name on there, and that's what it is." Well OK then. I guess that clears it up.

3. Biggy Smalls. Junior forward Joe Jones, whose name is oddly enough pronounced similar to rapper Mike Jones, hails from the mighty metropolis of Normangee, Texas, population 719. In fact, Jones happens to be dubbed the "Pride of Normangee." Strangely enough, before the emergence of Mr. Jones, Normangee was only known for one thing: tractors. So now when Jim Nantz busts out with "Who? Joe Jooooones" during the Final Four, you'll know it all started out with 718 other people and some tractors. Billy Gillispie has Jones beat though. His hometown of Graford, Texas has a population of 578, or 141 fewer than Normangee. Bryan-College Station, population 192,603, must be like NYC to these guys. — Mitch Martin

PENNSYLVANIA QUAKERS

FIVE REASONS TO PICK THE PENN QUAKERS AS YOUR SLEEPER

1. Two-time conference player of the year Ibrahim Jaaber led the Ivy League in steals and assists and was second in scoring to teammate Mark Zoller. Jaaber finishes his Penn career as the all-time Ivy League leader in steals, and is the kind of poised, experienced guard to whom commentators love to point at tournament time. He also has a fantastic name.

2. In last year's tournament, 15 seed Penn led 2 seed Texas at the half before coming up short, 60-52. Widely forecast as a 14 seed this year, the Quakers might face an overachieving 3 seed like Southern Illinois or Washington State - good as they are, not teams that put fear into the hearts of small-college players.

3. Surprising as it may be, Penn has a Final Four pedigree; the Quaker team led by Tony Price beat four higher-seeded teams in a Cinderella run to the 1979 Final Four. The Quakers were defeated by Magic Johnson's Michigan State Spartans, the eventual champions.

4. In one of their best games this season, the Quakers defeated Drexel, a tourney hopeful with a 39 RPI and wins against Syracuse, Villanova, and Creighton.

5. As much as people laugh at the team name, the actual Quakers are kind of awesome. Prominent in the abolition and anti-war movements for centuries, the Religious Society of Friends is a religion that's small in number (approximately 350,000 around the world) but hugely respected by those who value stubborn adherence to a moral code. Ironically for a group that opposes violence, Quakers sure do stick to their guns.

FIVE REASONS NOT TO PICK THE PENN QUAKERS AS YOUR SLEEPER

1. Aside from the Drexel win, Penn hasn't beat anyone: they lost to Syracuse, Villanova, UTEP, Seton Hall, and St. Joe's. Most damningly, they lost to UNC - perhaps the exact caliber of team Penn might meet in round one - by a brutal 102-64 score.

2. William Henry Harrison, Penn alumnus, is quite possibly the lamest US President ever: He developed pneumonia shortly after his two-hour Inaugural Address, delivered in the wind and rain and died 30 days into office.

3. While many praise the Ivy League for being the only conference to award its automatic NCAA tournament bid to the regular-season champion rather than a conference tournament winner, it also means that the Ivy League champ is the only team to make it to March Madness with no experience in a one-and-done tourney.

4. Though they're a popular Cinderella pick in office pools nationwide thanks to their...uh... fundamentally sound basketball, the Ivy League hasn't won a tournament game since 1998, when 5 seed Princeton defeated UNLV.

5. This guy:

— Dan Kois

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1. Two-time conference player of the year Ibrahim Jaaber led the Ivy League in steals and assists and was second in scoring to teammate Mark Zoller. Jaaber finishes his Penn career as the all-time Ivy League leader in steals, and is the kind of poised, experienced guard to whom commentators love to point at tournament time. He also has a fantastic name.

2. In last year's tournament, 15 seed Penn led 2 seed Texas at the half before coming up short, 60-52. Widely forecast as a 14 seed this year, the Quakers might face an overachieving 3 seed like Southern Illinois or Washington State - good as they are, not teams that put fear into the hearts of small-college players.

3. Surprising as it may be, Penn has a Final Four pedigree; the Quaker team led by Tony Price beat four higher-seeded teams in a Cinderella run to the 1979 Final Four. The Quakers were defeated by Magic Johnson's Michigan State Spartans, the eventual champions.

4. In one of their best games this season, the Quakers defeated Drexel, a tourney hopeful with a 39 RPI and wins against Syracuse, Villanova, and Creighton.

5. As much as people laugh at the team name, the actual Quakers are kind of awesome. Prominent in the abolition and anti-war movements for centuries, the Religious Society of Friends is a religion that's small in number (approximately 350,000 around the world) but hugely respected by those who value stubborn adherence to a moral code. Ironically for a group that opposes violence, Quakers sure do stick to their guns.

FIVE REASONS NOT TO PICK THE PENN QUAKERS AS YOUR SLEEPER

1. Aside from the Drexel win, Penn hasn't beat anyone: they lost to Syracuse, Villanova, UTEP, Seton Hall, and St. Joe's. Most damningly, they lost to UNC - perhaps the exact caliber of team Penn might meet in round one - by a brutal 102-64 score.

2. William Henry Harrison, Penn alumnus, is quite possibly the lamest US President ever: He developed pneumonia shortly after his two-hour Inaugural Address, delivered in the wind and rain and died 30 days into office.

3. While many praise the Ivy League for being the only conference to award its automatic NCAA tournament bid to the regular-season champion rather than a conference tournament winner, it also means that the Ivy League champ is the only team to make it to March Madness with no experience in a one-and-done tourney.

4. Though they're a popular Cinderella pick in office pools nationwide thanks to their...uh... fundamentally sound basketball, the Ivy League hasn't won a tournament game since 1998, when 5 seed Princeton defeated UNLV.

5. This guy:

— Dan Kois

Oh, those crazy Ivy Leaguers. What won't they do in the name of ribald gridiron revelry?

This video, made by Brown students before their game against Penn, involves the ritualistic torture of the Penn mascot in ways that, if not necessarily likely to make him talk, at the very least will lessen his opportunities at reproduction.

Brown Kidnappers Issue List Of Demands [Ivy Gate Blog]

TEXAS

1. Two Names To Know: Todd Wright And Dr. Randa Ryan. Assistant athletic director (and former swim coach) Ryan had the honor of getting academic failure/star forward PJ Tucker back on the eligible list — despite committing the most retarded shot clock violation in the history of ever with five seconds to go in the A&M game, he rocked a 3.3 this fall. Wright is regarded as one of the country s best strength coaches; his speed room alone at the 44,000 square-foot Denton A. Cooley Pavilion is worth $300,000, which makes him an important employee for the almost absurdly injury-prone Horns. For example, senior forward Brad Buckman s 2005-06 season included but was not limited to the following injuries: hyperextended right knee, two left ankle sprains, bad hip, right calf strain ... Come to think of it, what the hell is Wright even doing?

2. PJ Tucker Is 1 For 1 From 3-Point Range. Ever. And as far as we know he is 0 for 0 in dormroom lipsynching.

3. A Hardly Obscure Fact That Still Bears Re-Mentioning. No team in NCAA history has ever won national championships in football and basketball in the same year. Did we mention Texas also won the 2005 NCAA Baseball championship, too? Oh, and the women s gymnastic team might have won nationals last year. And the women s intramural volleyball team. And rumor has it the golf team looks outstanding. — Whitney Pastorek

PENNSYLVANIA

1. Their Home Court Is Famous, And Not Just For Hoops. The Palestra: Penn's home court, often mentioned in hallowed tones, referred to by some as the most historic fieldhouse in all of college basketball. It's home not only to all of Penn's games, but many of the classic Big Five rivarly games as well. At least three or four hundred years old (that's an approximation), it's a sacred house of hoops. Little known fact: During off-days, it often serves as a recreational court for legendary Philadelphian born and bred entertainers Boyz II Men. One of my good friends was a former player who would often see them clowning around on the court with their young kids either before or after practice.

2. Archibong Fever! Only in the bizarre alternate universe of college basketball could this be possible: Right around the turn of the century (2000, 2001, etc.), Penn and rival Yale somehow each had a player on their roster witht the rather unusual last name of Archibong (no relation). This felicitious coincidence led to what I still consider to this day to be the best sign I've ever seen at a sporting event in my life, if only because it combined two of my great loves. Held up during the student section during the game against Yale, it read: "Our Archibong hits better than yours."

3. As Storied As College Basketball Comes: From The Daily Pennsylvanian: As of mid-January, Penn is the seventh winningest college basketball program of all time, up there with heavyweights like UNC, Kentucky and Kansas. Penn s three wins over that weekend pushed the program total to 1,601 all time (against exactly 900 losses and two ties). That s a .640 win percentage. But: Only Penn is home to a long list of amazingly talented alumni including, but certainly not limited to, the soulful John Legend, the wonderfully versatile Maury Povich and, of course, the ruggedly handsome Mike Madeo. — Michael Madeo

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2. Archibong Fever! Only in the bizarre alternate universe of college basketball could this be possible: Right around the turn of the century (2000, 2001, etc.), Penn and its archrival Princeton somehow each had a player on their roster witht the rather unusual last name of Archibong (no relation). This felicitious coincidence led to what I still consider to this day to be the best sign I've ever seen at a sporting event in my life, if only because it combined two of my great loves. Held up during the student section during the game against Princeton, it read: "Our Archibong hits better than yours."

3. As Storied As College Basketball Comes: From Daily Pennsylvania: As of mid-January, Penn is the seventh winningest college basketball program of all time, up there with heavyweights like UNC, Kentucky and Kansas. Penn s three wins over that weekend pushed the program total to 1,601 all time (against exactly 900 losses and two ties). That s a .640 win percentage. But: Only Penn is home to a long list of amazingly talented alumni including, but certainly not limited to, the soulful John Legend, the wonderfully versatile Maury Povich and, of course, the ruggedly handsome Mike Madeo. — Michael Madeo