2. Kirstie Alley Approves. The Toreros play in Jenny Craig Pavilion, named for the weight-loss magnate who donated $7 million to build the facility in 1996. It was dedicated in Oct., 2000, and is known to students as the Slim Gym. Jenny Craig Inc. is based in nearby La Jolla, CA. Ironically, the university is also home to the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, named for the wife of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc, who has foiled many diets.

3. Seeing Red. No one is going to be able to push around the Toreros; they have one of the heaviest rosters in the tournament. They have six players who weigh in excess of 220 pounds, including freshmen Rob Jones and Josh Miller (both 230), junior forward Gyno Pomare (240) and 6-foot-10 freshman center Nathan Lozeau (280) ... Jones played at Archbishop Riordan in San Francisco, whose league nemesis is Serra High, which produced Tom Brady, Lynn Swann and Barry Bonds ... a Torero is a bullfighter; not exactly a politically correct nickname for a university these days. — Rick Chandler

2. First Half Good, Second Half Not So Much. Few teams have had the rollercoaster season that A&M has. The first half of the season couldn't have gone better, as a 15-1 start took them to the edge of
the Top 10. Then came a three-game losing streak and a 7-8 record over final two months. Even within that stretch, the Aggies decided to to things in a big way, including a pair of 27-point losses and a
44-point win.

3. Not Exactly "Win One For The Gipper.. Aggies Coach Mark Turgeon may have gotten an early sense that his team was headed for trouble down the stretch. After two straight losses in January and just prior to the five-overtime bonk to Baylor, Turgeon let it fly: "I know what I'm doing. Have I gotten the most out of my team the last two games? No. But I know no matter what I do, if we win, (former coach Billy)
Gillispie's getting the credit, and if we lose, it's my fault. I'm in a no-flippin-win situation this year, and that puts me in a bad mood." The result? Seven more wins from January to March, and losing five of
its final seven. — Jeff Beckham

2. Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels). Whereas most college athletic programs are content to limit their scandals to recruiting violations and date rape, Villanova's athletes strive to achieve a more genteel form of notoriety. And so, enter the phone cards. On two separate occasions, in 1996 and 2002, Villanova students were busted for unauthorized use of calling cards (a violation of an NCAA rule prohibiting extra benefits to student athletes), the latter incident resulting in a suspension of twelve players on the active roster which carried over into the 2003-04 season.

3. New York's Not My Home. Jay Wright's first coaching gig was at Hofstra University, which offered him a rich recruiting environment among the private schools and public playgrounds of New York City and Northern New Jersey. He continued to scout for players in that area even after landing the head coaching position at Villanova. In 2004 Wright recruited Kyle Lowry, a scrappy guard from Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philly. While a significant portion of the current underclassmen still hail from Brooklyn, the Bronx and North Jersey, local players such as Reggie Redding and Shane Clark show that Wright is now willing to seek talent further south along the Northeast Corridor. — Chamomiles Davis

2. Coach Ron Arrow... This is Coach Arrow's second stint at the USA helm. He lead the Jags from 1987 through 1995, bringing home two conference titles and two NCAA berths; he also took Texas A&M - Corpus Christi last year. Arrow returns this year to add another Sun Belt title, and NCAA birth at USA. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to Coach Arrow, as his team is gearing up for the tournament. (Really... I did.) He describes the Jags as "an up tempo team" that's "fun to watch." He also noted the work ethic of his kids and thinks it's a team that "the public will like," especially those who haven't seen them play. Arrow is a good coach that stresses fundamentals and hard work with his kids. There was once another solid NCAA (football) coach by the name of Arrow. Coach Ed "Straight Arrow" Genero. This guy left his analyst job to take over a program guilty of NCAA violations that would make Kelvin Sampson blush. He may have only won 1 game, but come on, he suited up a team made of 20 kids (all walk-ons). The kicker from that team did go on to have a somewhat fruitful career.

3. Who to watch for... Guard Demetric Bennett is the best player on the team, and in the conference. This year, he's averaging 19.5 point, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game. At 6"4'205, Bennett is big enough to take it hard to the basket, but he's also a high percentage shooter (48% from the floor, 83% from the line, and 40% from beyond the arc.) Arrow described him as "a go to guy" and a complete package that has the talent to play at the next level. I agree. Paired with their other guard, Daon Merritt (11.3/2.8/5.5), the have possibly one of the most explosive back courts in the country. Third guard, Domonic Tilford (13.3/2.5/2.1), adds speed and flexibility to the mix.

Why will they go far? We've already covered the backcourt, and they will be dangerous. Let's talk about size. This team may be the biggest team that makes the tournament. They've got two kids at 6"9', two at 6'7" and Bennett at 6'4". They most definitely have the size to go up against any other team in the country. However, they are very fast and well conditioned. USA runs very well, won't get run out of the gym, and won't be doggin' in it the fourth quarter. They're size and speed gives them a huge rebounding advantage (they average almost 40 rebounds a game.) Yeah, they may not have UNC, Duke, or Memphis on their schedule, but they did have Vandy. Anyone been watching Vandy lately? I'm pretty sure they can play some ball. So, how did USA stack up against Vandy you ask? Although they went down 91 - 88, they did so in two overtimes, IN Nashville. No one else has done that this year. They can play with the big boys. Arrow noted that they let Vandy "get away," and they know they can play with anyone. He added that the Vandy game "got us ready for the rest of this year."

The coach has experience in the tournament, the team is big and fast, and they have shown they can play with teams from the bigger conferences. Look, they're going to come in probably ranked as an 8 or 9 seed. I guarantee they win their opening game, hands down. Depending who they draw from there on, who knows what can happen. When you see USA in your office poll, give them a look, even though you may have never heard of them. The Jags may end up being this year's George Washington, and if they do, remember where you heard it.... — Michael Cunius

2. What are you, a freshman? With the exception of Deron Washington, A.D. Vassallo, and bench players Lewis Witcher, and Cheick "Recheickted" Diakite, freshmen have received most of the minutes this season. Seth Greenberg brought in his best recruiting class since becoming coach at Virginia Tech, and it has shown. Jeff Allen, at 6'7" and 258 pounds, has been a force down low this season averaging 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.14 steals per game to earn a spot on the ACC All-Rookie team. Allen has been huge for the Hokies this season, when he's not off bumping officials and getting suspended (URL#2). Though more of a shooting guard, Malcolm Delaney has been the starting point guard for most of the season and has had some success. He has a sweet stroke from beyond the arch and though he has struggled some against older, stronger guards, has shown flashes of greatness so far this season. Backing him up is the surprise of the season, 5'9" (on a phone book), 140 pound freshman Hank Thorns. The smallest player in the ACC playing significant minutes (22.1), Thorns has been huge coming off the bench, bringing in 104 assists on the season, good for ninth in the league and the most among ACC freshmen. Not to be forgotten, J.T. Thompson has emerged as a legitimate low post threat in ACC play and Terrell Bell has played well in limited minutes behind senior Deron Washington. Lastly, shooting guard Dorenzo Hudson joined the team in December, and he made sure everyone knew he was here by vomiting on the court against Maryland (URL#3). The Terps make me sick too, Dorenzo.

Eric Gordon has nothing on this guy. Speaking of Terps making me sick, let me tell you about Gus Gilchrist. In November 2006, Gus Gilchrist was a small time PF/C recruit who had committed to Virginia Tech. Prior to his senior season, he was largely under the radar to most ACC coaches and was not highly sought after. Seth Greenberg found him, and he believed he could be great for the Hokies. Seth was right, and his greatness began to show during his senior season. His numbers skyrocketed, he became the MVP of the Capital Classic, and his status as a major basketball recruit was flying up the charts. Fortunately for the Hokies, he was all locked up when he signed his letter of intent, right? Wrong. April 16 came for Virginia Tech, and to add insult to injury, Gus used the incident to get out of his letter of intent. He and his scumbag trainer, Terrelle Woody, looked at offers from other schools and eventually decided on Maryland. By doing this, Gus had to sit out this season, will sit the first half of next season, and has lost a year of eligibility. I don't know if you noticed, Gus, but we swept Maryland this year, you lowlife.The Hokie Nation is going to unleash hell on you next season in Cassell Coliseum. Good riddance. — Joe Crandley

2. How's That Working Out For You? Are you a fan of the Idaho Stampede? By gum, you ought to be! They're having a great season, leading their division in the NBA's D-League over such luminaries as the Los Angeles D-Fenders and the Bakersfield Jam. They've got Brent "Air Georgia" Petway. Their dance team has, I have to assume, some of the hottest girls in The Gem State (this is my only point of comparison). Most important, they've provided former McDonald's All-American POTY and current stiff Josh McRoberts with more playing time than he's had on his nominal NBA team, the Portland Trail Blazers. (I found this fact listed under the "Charitable Works" portion of their webpage.) Josh got his $400K salary, the Blazers got a valuable 2 points per game (lookin' good, J-Mac!), and Duke's leaps and bounds better than it was last year, when it spent most of the season slowly collapsing, like a flan in the cupboard. (Not my joke.) I believe a true teacher, a coach, a leader who just happens to be a manager, calls that a "win-win-win."

3. Running With The... You Know. The last couple years I've avoided citing actual "basketball" "facts," partially because my knowledge of hoops theory is lacking (I think turnovers are first and foremost a tasty dessert) but mostly because most Duke teams of the Coach K Era have been struck from the same mold: saunter casually up the court, swing a couple of cursory passes, then get it in to Brand/Boozer/Williams or out to Laettner/Dunleavy/Redick. You might be surprised to hear that they're actually running this year. A lot. Over 75 possessions a game (thanks KenPom) puts them in the top 10 for tempo nationwide. Frosh Kyle Singler is effective anywhere on the court, Henderson and DeMarcus Nelson are providing blow-by speed inside, and most importantly, Greg Paulus has reduced his TOs from 3.2 a game his first two seasons to 1.7 this year. All of these numbers likely won't change your frothing hatred (especially if you're from Chapel Hill, College Park, Lexington or, uh, anywhere that's not Durham) but it's worth noting as you fill your bracket: even though Duke's a donut this year, it's one of those high-class fancy donuts. A cruller, maybe. That likes to play up-tempo. See why I don't do analysis?

EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS FACT BROUGHT TO YOU BY MIKE PATRICK: Did you know Greg Paulus was a high school quarterback? It's true! A quarterback! In high school! How wild is that? I hear he threw for like, four hundred thousand yards. Player of the decade. Crazy! Quarterback quarterback quarterback quarterback quarterback. — Matt DeTura

2. Blue and Grey. The Tigers' colors were established as a gesture of national unity to commemorate the opposing armies in the Civil War. Aside from the clichéd images of Elvis and Graceland, Tiger blue is emblematic of Memphis's long tradition of blues and soul music, made famous by artists like B.B. King, Furry Lewis, Booker T. and the MG's, Otis Redding, the Bar-Kays and Isaac Hayes. Famous alumni of the Memphis Tigers basketball program include Anfernee Hardaway, Keith Lee, Elliot Perry, Dajuan Wagner, Rodney Carney, Lorenzen Wright, Shawne Williams and 1998 Name-of-the-Year finalist, Paris London.

3. Style of Play. Calipari describes the Memphis offense as "Princeton on Steroids." Based on the dribble-drive system pioneered by Pepperdine coach Vance Walberg, Memphis's offense utilizes the Tigers' superior athleticism and ability to exploit one-on-one mismatches to beat teams off the dribble for easy lay-ups. Most teams employ zone defenses to slow the pace of the game and force the Tigers to rely on their average outside shooting. Freshman phenom Derrick Rose has drawn comparisons to Jason Kidd given his speed and strength and is a potential top-5 draft pick, should he decide to go. Junior swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts is the top scorer and veteran leader of the team. CDR, a Detroit native, is primarily known as a slasher, but he has developed his outside shot in the past year (45 percent from behind the arc). When at his best, Joey Dorsey resembles a young Ben Wallace, a tenacious defender and shot blocker who averages 10.4 rebounds per game. Though he has the size and talent to dominate, Dorsey is prone to mental lapses and foul trouble. Memphis's superior defense and athleticism could carry them to the final four and the title, but success in the tournament will largely depend on role players like Antonio Anderson, Willie Kemp and Donneal Mack getting hot from behind the arc. Memphis's Achilles heel is their team 58% free throw shooting, but if you remove Dorsey's 33% rate from the mix, the team shoots a more respectable 62%. Rose (68% FT) will likely receive the inbounds passes toward the end of games, so the Tigers' hopes may hinge on whether the freshman has the mental toughness to hit free throws with the game on the line. — Jay Lewis

That 36-game streak over two seasons encompasses the collegiate career of Stephen Curry. Stephen Curry is good. He was fifth in the nation with 25.1 points a game. He is the son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry. He already is the 10th-leading all-time scorer in Davidson history. He is only a sophomore. This is not insignificant as Davidson had some big-time studs back in the day - like the 1960s and 70s.

Point guard Jason Richards led the nation in assists at 8.0 a game during the regular season. Richards also was the team's second-leading scorer, which is a little unusual. Coach Bob McKillop loves intelligent, feisty point guards who are virtual coaches on the floor. He finds a guy he likes and lets him start for three or four years and really take command of the team. But these point guards pass first, defend second, direct the team third and, if they have any energy left over, try to score. This will become a bigger deal for the Wildcats next season when Richards graduates and they move Curry over to point guard. Curry is a pure scorer and whether he can handle the additional demands of point guard could determine how his final two seasons go. But that is next year's problem.

2. Excitement. Back in my day there, Davidson was a small school in a quaint, sleepy little town of the same name about a half-hour north of Charlotte, a city not quite ready for prime time. And Belk Arena was a nice small-college gym. You could cram about 6,000 people in there if you had to, but there never was any reason to.

Charlotte's urban sprawl has enveloped Davidson, and that gym was packed most of the season. Sections of seats were sold out. People camped out (yes, really) to get tickets. The Wildcats took on top 10 teams North Carolina, Duke and UCLA. They led each of them and lost those three games by a total of 22 points. Early- and late-season top 25 rankings mean this has not been the typical under-the-radar season for this mid-major program. People are noticing, and people are caring. Our long-standing refraining about not getting respect does not ring so true this year.

3. The time. I am an unabashed Davidson fan and have been ever since I enrolled in 1992. The school has had its share of athletic success in other sports, but nothing compares to the potential of the men's basketball team doing well, making an impact in the NCAA tournament. My most heartbreaking collegiate sports memory is of the Wildcats losing to a far inferior Western Carolina team during my senior year in 1996. I will carry this memory with me forever because, as I have written before and will write again, I went through school with that senior-laden team and that conference tournament, and the NCAA tournament to follow, was supposed to be our moment.

That moment was denied. Subsequent potential moments have been denied. Davidson lost to Michigan in the NCAA tournament in 1998, to Ohio State in 2002 and 2006 and to Maryland last year. The Wildcats have not won an NCAA tournament game since Lefty Driesell left as coach in 1969. (In 1964, Davidson was Sports Illustrated's preseason No. 1 team.) This week is the moment now for this team, and we long-waiting fans, students and alumni would dread having another such moment denied.

I have two friends from college who both had their first children born on December 28. And Davidson has not lost since. One said, "Coincidence? I think not." I have no idea what that has to do with anything. Those kids do not realize their fathers' school has not lost in their short lifetime. So, I guess, it's win one for the kids? — Matt Pitzer

2. No Fun Allowed At Purdue! The student ticket situation changed recently, and if you were a member of the "Paint Crew" your seating was on a first-come, first-served basis. If you were there early enough, you could be down low in the Paint Crew section. So students started showing actual school spirit and began camping out in tents outside Mackey Arena for hours before games ... then for days... then for MANY days. Everybody loved it. The John Purdue Club (rich alumni) sent them hot chocolate, Coach Painter bought them doughnuts and chicken wings, students traded off "holding" their spots in line so they could go to class, ESPN showed it when they were in town to do games. It was all good fun — until the University decided this was simply too much fun and halted it entirely. First the inflatable penis appearances are dramatically reduced - now this. What's next? Will Purdue Pete's hammer be deemed too barbaric or something?

3. Nicknames We Want To Hear Brent Musburger Say. Musburger, Steve Lavin and sultry Erin Andrews have done a number of Boiler games this year. As the Boilers improved, Musburger got into this weird habit of calling Coach Matt Painter "Matty." We know Musburger is all lovey-dovey with everyone (and like 300 years older than Painter), but we seriously doubt he'd call Coach K "Mikey." Anyway, we eventually discovered that Robbie Hummel was known as "Ostrich" in high school and, even better, E'Twaun Moore was known as "Smooge." Looking up Smooge, we find it's "funk from a dog's ass." Go on, Musburger, you 68-year-old coot. We dare you. — Boiled Sports

2. Lucky or Good? Rick Pitino on the Hoyas this year: "They've been lucky." Have they? The Hoyas needed a three by Roy Hibbert (!) to edge UConn at home by 2 with seconds left on the clock, 72-70; a 64-62 overtime win over 'Cuse on Big Monday where a young and tired well-defended Orange squad didn't score in the last 2 minutes of regulation despite being up five points; a last second shot by WVU at the buzzer was goal tended blocked by Patrick Ewing, Jr. to preserve a 55-54 Hoya win; a bullshit controversial blocking foul with 6 seconds left allowed the Hoyas to escape overtime against Villanova with two Jonathan Wallace free throws and a 55-53 win; and finally, down three at Marquette with 3 seconds left, an idiotic amazing foul call on a Jonathan Wallace three point attempt by Marquette allows the Hoyas to force OT after three made free throws. The Hoyas went on to win, 70-68, where the winning margin was simply a banked three made by Wallace during the overtime. All of the Hoyas losses have been on the road this year and all by 7+ or more points (to Memphis, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Louisville). While there is some truth to Pitino's comments, I'd also like to think that Branch Rickey said it best.

3. Well Guarded Home. The Hoyas 15-0 home record this year could not have come with the support of a strong home court advantage. Not only has the student body rallied around the team, but with the protection of an actual bulldog patrolling the sidelines it has clearly inspired the team to new heights. Clearly, security is important to prevent road teams from stealing our wins. Jack the Bulldog, led by handlers who don "Team Jack" t-shirts for the game, are fan favorites as they patrol the concourses at games, allowing Hoyas large and small to pet and photograph Jack. However, it's not just photos and pampering for the pint-sized pooch. At the 8 minute timeout in the second half of every home game, Jack runs onto the floor and chases (while attempting to bite) a package wrapped with the opposing teams' colors and logos. Naturally, the witty Hoyas in the student section cheer him along with chants of, "Eat that box!"**

** The administration of the Georgetown University would like to take the time to remind you that a marriage certificate, signed by the controlling Catholic diocese, is needed first before said activities can be performed. Thank you. — Christopher Klejdys

2. Road Woes. The Razorbacks squad can't seem to find their groove away from Fayetteville this season. They are 4-9 when playing outside of Fayetteville. But when at Bud Walton Arena the team is 16-1. These stats include a loss in Little Rock to Appalachian St. at Alltel Arena.

3. A Tumultuous Year. In the span of 12 months the University of Arkansas pretty much turned over the entire leadership of the Athletic Department. Frank Broyles, Athletic Director retired after 50 years in Fayetteville. He was replaced with former Pittsburgh AD Jeff Long. Broyles fired Basketball Coach Stan Heath in March of last year and hired John Pelphrey. Then in December, football coach Houston Nutt left and Long replaced him with Bobby Petrino. — Hawg Blog

2. But do they have Buzz Beer on tap? Before he was Bob Barker's Price is Right replacement - and using his status as hero of the everyman to date every stripper in LA - Drew Carey was a student at Kent State University. And the beer-guzzling comic never forgot his roots. When the Golden Flashes made their shocking run to the Elite Eight in 2002, Drew watched every game with KSU students in Kent's version of the Warsaw Tavern. It's called Ray's Place, and after every win, he celebrated by buying a round for everyone in the bar. You can bet KSU students will be lining up at Ray's again this year, hoping to rub elbows with Carey, and maybe get a chance to join him in a game of Plinko.

3. And you are? Mid-American Conference Player of the Year Al Fisher came to Kent State after being recruited by... well, no one on the KSU staff actually saw Fisher play in person. In fact, no one really knew what he looked like until he stepped foot on campus. Fisher, who previously played at Siena and Redlands Community College, was offered a scholarship late in the summer based on videotape and conversations with his former coaches. Of course, he could have received one of genetics alone. His cousin is Niagara's Charron Fisher, the nation's leading scorer.

Quick Flashes ... Kent State is making its fifth tournament appearance since 1999, and second in the last three years... KSU has won at least 20 games in each of the past 10 seasons. The only other schools with such a streak include Duke, Creighton, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas and Kentucky [Arizona gets there with one win in the PAC-10 tourney]... eccentric forward and MAC Defensive Player of the Year Haminn Quaintance, aka "Q", is the only player in NCAA Division I history with over 1,200 points, 850 rebounds, 250 blocks, 250 assists and 200 steals in his career... MAC Coach of the Year Jim Christian is the winningest coach in MAC history with a .703 winning percentage (135-57)... other notable alumni include Batman (actor Michael Keaton), NFL Hall of Famer Jack Lambert, talk-show host Arsenio Hall, and national championship winning coaches Nick Saban and Lou Holtz. Come to think of it, if the Flashes need a pep talk before the big game...

— Jason Tirotta

2. Ain't No Party Like A Block Party. Thanks to Thabeet (as well as Adrien and mercurial 6'9" forward Stanley Robinson), UConn leads the nation in blocks per game (8.8), which the team has now done for seven consecutive seasons. UConn's shot-blocking prowess began with the arrival of Okafor in 2001. In Okafor's three seasons as a Husky, UConn averaged 6.9 blocks in 2001-02, 7.5 in 2002-03, and 8.1 in 2003-04. With an increased emphasis on shot-blocking, the team actually swatted more shots without Okafor, averaging 8.9 blocks in 2004-05 (led by Boone, Gay, Villanueva and Armstrong) and 8.8 in 2005-06 (same crew minus Villanueva). Last season, Thabeet's first as a Husky, UConn averaged 8.6 blocks per game. Due in no small part to its shot-blocking, UConn is holding opponents to 38 percent shooting.

3. You're not the run-of-the-mill kind of asshole, are you, Jimmy? You're a special kind of asshole. UConn's Hall-of-Fame coach Jim Calhoun speaks with a Masshole accent thicker than clam chowder, swears like Bunk Moreland after a long night at Kavanaugh's and has a quicker hook with his players than the clown at the Apollo on Amateur Night. A Lady Byng Trophy winner he's not. But there's one thing he does better than any other college coach in America: develop NBA players. Indeed, UConn has thirteen graduates...er...former players in the NBA — more than any other college program. It's an impressive list: Ray Allen (Celtics), Hilton Armstrong (Hornets), Josh Boone (Nets), Caron Butler (Wizards), Rudy Gay (Grizzlies), Ben Gordon (Bulls), Richard Hamilton (Pistons), Donyell Marshall (Sonics), Emeka Okafor (Bobcats), Kevin Ollie (Sixers), Charlie Villanueva (Bucks), Jake Voskuhl (Bucks), and Marcus Williams (Nets). Calhoun also happens to be a perfect 4-0 in Final Four games and, by virtue of out-coaching Mike Krzyzewski twice in those four games and thus denying Duke two additional national titles, on his deathbed will receive total consciousness. So he's got that going for him, which is nice. — Josh Blosveren

2. The Triforce. The team is built around seniors Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver and Robbie Cowgill. All three have been deemed to have a "intramural" look to them, but don't be fooled, they're all skilled ballers. Weaver is a sinewy 6-6 athlete who can play any position from the 1 to the 3. He leads the team in no offensive category, but contributes with feints through the lane, creating shots for teammates. But where Weaver gets his accolades is as a shutdown perimeter defender. Second in the Pac-10 in steals, he's become a Jay Bilas favorite, who rendered this wondrous nugget "he's not a shooter, but he's a winner." Talk on Jay: talk on. Low, the team's leading scorer and 3-time Hawaii High School Player of the Year, committed to WSU without ever seeing the campus. I could see this happening going from Pullman to Hawaii, but Hawaii to Pullman? That's how much Low trusted the Bennett's coaching philosophy. And last but not least fan favorite and Pac 10 Scholar athlete of the year, Robbie Cowgill. The laid-back Cowgill has been called a "glue-guy" and is always around the ball, creating opportunities with hustle. When WSU has a fever, it's usually cured by more Cowgill. Explore that space Robbie!

3. Basket-wha!? The Pullman sports landscape has been dominated over the years by the whiz of footballs flying through the air, as well as irrational thoughts of a Mike Price return. Due to this dominance of football, basketball has traditionally been the oft forgotten runt of men's revenue sports. In some respects it still is; currently the Cougars play their games in the "Beasley Performance Arts Coliseum" (which has banners to honor NIT appearances). To avoid being lumped in with trade shows and productions of Oklahoma, the Cougar basketball team plays its games on "Friel Court." Confusing. It's also hurts your reputation as a basketball school when your three most famous former players are a Gatorade commercial staple/MJ poster boy (Craig Ehlo), a mediocre rapper/former G-Unit member who got kicked out before ever playing a minute (The Game, who might in fact be working me into a diss track right now), and Florida Marlins lefty Mark Hendrickson, who was drafted into the NBA with the 76ers in the late 90's, and is now working as a human testament to the benefits of being able to throw a baseball left handed. But with every win against traditional Pac-10 powerhouses, and every report of Tony Bennett going to a bigger school for a much bigger salary, the student body seems to sense exactly how special this team is. — Brian Tesch

2. He Can't Run For President. Over the last six games of the season, junior forward Joe Alexander torched opponents for 26.8 points per game. He was also named First Team All Big East. Alexander, despite having American parents, was born in Taiwan and lived eight years abroad while his father worked for Nestle. After some research, it seems Alexander is already the most successful Taiwanese basketball player in history, just besting Yulon veteran Chen Hsin-an.

2. Jerry Glanville is here. The school just moved to D-I in 1996, but hiring Glanville got our football team some serious press earlier this season. But this doesn't mean Portland State gets any respect, even from the local press. I ran into Portland's premier sports columnist en route to a game a few years ago and even he had no idea where the gym the Vikings play in was. This is a gym so small most high school's couldn't even hold assembly there and so outdated that bomb shelters would take offense if you compared the two. Amazingly, the Vikings can't even fill it. When the team won the right to hold the conference tournament by rolling through the regular season with a 14-2 conference record, the conference made them find a larger venue. Even with a surplus of local media coverage that would make Paris Hilton blush, the Vikings barely filled a fifth of the Rose Garden arena.

3. We are good because our coach hated it here. Why would a head coach leave a year after winning the regular season championship to become a glorified assistant coach? Would Jack Bauer hand the reins over to Chloe so he could kick it in CTU? I think not. But that's exactly what former PSU coach Heath Schroyer did three years ago though. Dude had just had enough. His departure opened the door for current head coach Ken Bone. Bone, who kinda looks like Ichabod Crane, has overcome local high schoolers' refusal to even consider PSU by luring some impressive transfers and his rapid success already has Viking fans fretting about his imminent departure to a bigger program. The two transfers who've led the team to the best season in school history are point guard Jeremiah Dominguez and forward Deonte Huff. Combining the best of Mighty Mouse and Astro Boy into a 5-foot-6 frame, Dominguez became the first player in Big Sky history to win Newcomer and Player of the Year honors this season after sitting out last year as a transfer. Huff is the Vikings high-flyer who does a little bit of everything while sporting a refined version of Chris Partlow's haircut from The Wire. — Ian Ruder

2. Jesus Had a Twin Who Knew Nothing About Sin. I implore you to analyze a Marquette game four minutes at a time. After one TV timeout, evaluate the data and make your necessary conclusions. After the second TV timeout, you realize that the first conclusions no longer make sense. Marquette is the college version of the Golden State Warriors. They want to run the court to achieve easy layups and wide-open three pointers. When this does not occur, Marquette must run a half court offense, which alternates between Daydream Nation and NYC Ghosts & Flowers.

3. It's Revolutionary to Maginot. Jay Bilas pulls out a set of facts for every Big East team on Monday night. Tom Crean's fact: He has over 1,000 offensive plays. Jay, what are you watching? I've seen some cute out of bounds plays that result in an easy lay-up for the Golden Eagles after a TV timeout, but 1,000? How many variations of on-ball screen, pass, on-ball screen, pass, on-ball screen, contested jump shot are there? — James Virtel

2. Doin' It For The Coach. As you'd probably expect when your team loses 10 of 12 to finish the season, Georgia fans weren't exactly doing backflips over keeping coach Dennis Felton around. Brought in to clean the program up after Jim Harrick did what Jim Harrick does, Felton was wearing on fans' patience with no tourney appearances in five years. And then this happened. Needless to say, you have to like his odds to return next year.

3. Georgia Is All Concerned About Academics All Of A Sudden. Even more impressive about this run? Georgia lost two of its best players from last year, Takais Brown and Mike Mercer, because they didn't qualify academically, and the team now has only eight scholarship players. They very well might have been the least likely team on earth to have pulled off two wins in one day, and four in four. Our favorite player, just edging doofy tall white guy Dave Bliss (who is far clunkier than a man with the name "Bliss" should be), is leader Sundiata Gaines, whose first name means "African warrior." We'll be honest: With the Illini finally petering out in the Big Ten final, we're cheering for Georgia to win this whole thing. If they play all six games in one day, they have to be the favorite. — Will Leitch

2. On Any Given Sunday. As far as the NCAA is concerned, BYU is rather high maintenance. They refuse to let their athletic teams play on Sunday; which would have been a conflict in the NCAA basketball tournament in 2003, had the Cougars reached the Elite Eight. Fortunately, they never made it. Also, the university gets special dispensation from the NCAA due to their athletes' service on LDS missions (typically two years), which do not count against the maximum four years of college eligibility. As a result, BYU players tend to be older than average, and many are already married with families.

3. Black Power! Sophomore guard Jonathan Tavernari got his start playing basketball from his mom, who is a basketball coach in Brazil ... 6-foot-11 sophomore center Chris Miles, who recently returned from an LDS mission, was recruited out of high school by Texas Tech. But for some reason he thought he might be uncomfortable playing for Bobby Knight ... according to his bio, junior guard Lamont Morgan Jr. "is active in the Black Student Union." Who knew? ... senior guard Ben Murdock served his LDS mission in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Who do you have to know to get that gig? — Rick Chandler

2. In Frank We Trust. How Frank Haith wasn't named ACC Coach of the Year remains a mystery. Picked to finish dead last in the ACC preseason poll, Haith officially stamped his mark on the program with a 96-95 won victory over Duke on February 20. Haith, a well traveled coach with previous assistant gigs at Wake Forest, Texas, Texas A&M and Penn State, has done a remarkable job in rebuilding the Canes while competing in the best conference in America. Don't be surprised to hear his name swirling when big name vacancies start popping up in few weeks.

3. Jack in the Box. Jack McClinton's shooting range begins once he crosses mid-court. The leading scorer for the Canes (17.0 ppg) has the sweetest shot in college basketball that no one knows about. The first team All-ACC selection struggled throughout the conference tournament (just 24 points in two games) and Miami will need him to heat up soon if they are to have any shot of winning a game in the Dance. — Storming The Floor

2. Christmas Time in March. For those of you who still have the Christmas lights up, you're in luck! It's Christmas time in March this year! The Owls are lead by one of the nation's best one-two combos in Mark Tyndale and Dionte Christmas. Tyndale is the versatile senior leader who does all of the little things (leads team in assists and rebounds), while Christmas can light up the scoreboard (20.2 ppg). The one-two punch of Tyndale and Christmas often creates match-up nightmares for most teams; it has been nearly impossible to stop both all season.

3. Ole Ole Ole. The Owls transformation from NIT squad to tournament team may be the result of Spanish center Sergio Olmos progressing from "project" to "valuable big man." The 7'2" Spaniard has improved leaps and bounds from the start of the season, creating a post presence for the Owls that has been missing for years. Also, it's always fun to join the student section singing "Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole..." every time he scores a bucket. — Storming The Floor

2. This Retriever Will Bite Your Face Off. UMBC first caught our attention when they beat defending A-10 champs George Washington back in November, and they haven't let up since. UMBC defeated fellow tournament newbie American and A-10 teams Richmond and La Salle in the preseason, then dominated the America East with a 13-3 mark. They rolled over Hartford 82-65 (not as close as the score appears) to earn their first trip to the Dance in school history.

3. Balanced Dogs. The Retrievers have four players averaging at least 13 ppg, and that doesn't even include one of the most valuable players in 5'8 Jay Greene. Ray Barbosa is the leading scorer for the Retrievers, averaging 16.9 ppg and drilling 84 threes on the season. Not far behind him are big man Carvell Johnson (13.2) and guard Brian Hodges (14.1). A veteran squad with a balanced scoring attack is exactly the kind of team I wouldn't want to face if I'm a fading top seed. — Storming The Floor

2. The Phil Knight Dome. McArthur Court has been around for 80ish years and is falling apart. Beyond the clear structural issues, it's apparently partially overrun with insects and features what are probably the least appealing locker rooms and press areas in the country. Will Phil Knight stand for that any longer? No, no he won't. Plans are now all but finalized, thanks in part to Uncle Phil donating, you know, like a hundred million dollars to the Duck Athletic Fund. Scheduled to open in 2010ish, the new arena, which will be built on land now occupied by a bread factory next to campus, will be the most expensive ($200m) college arena ever built. There's talk of it housing two playing areas, one regular 12,500 seater and a smaller gym for volleyball and other miscellaneous activities. As far as anyone can tell what $200 million buys you arena-wise, the mockup looks like some sort of cross between the Death Star and a Brita Water Filter.

3. Fun Duck Facts. Ray Schafer, an Alaskan 7-footer, is married and has his wife rebound for him when he practices alone in the arena at night ... Freshman PG Kamryn Brown hurt himself playing in a pick-up game at the Rec Center in the middle of the season ... Aaron Brooks was really good last year, and they're not as good without him ... Oregon got new uniforms midway through the season (blacks, yellows, greens, and whites) and the names are on the backs are printed in same color as the jerseys themselves ... Since growing a beard for the season, Maarty Leunen has been the best and most consistent player for the Ducks ... Freshman SF Drew Viney looks like he's 14 years old ... Senior PF Mitch Platt looks really funny and pale in one of those skin-tight Nike under-jersey shirts. — Dan Rubenstein

2. Shame, shame, shame! We know your name! Despite what you might see when you go into the Mullins Center, UMass technically did NOT make the Final Four in 1996. So because then All-American Marcus Camby accepted money from an agent, the record books have put a Barry Bonds-esque asterisk next to the school's name. UMass fans hope that Travis Ford can lead this year's team all the way to the promised land, sans NCAA violations.

3. That's what I call a 1-2-3 punch! Gary Forbes and Ricky Harris are the No. 1 and No. 6 leading scorers in the Atlantic 10. Tack on Chris Lowe as the league leader in assists and you have the most potent offense in the Atlantic 10. If UMass is to have any chance at pulling off some upsets, Forbes and Harris need to put some points on the board. — Scott DeMange

2. But That Win over Stetson Was Huge. How did the Gators' RPI get so low, you might ask? Well, Florida's nonconference strength of schedule was ranked 281st in the nation, just below those of Maine and Southeast Louisiana. The Gators feasted on opponents like North Carolina Central and the Fightin' Hatters of Stetson early in the year, and their signature nonconference win was over ... Temple? Conference play has shown the Gators to be a wildly inconsistent bunch (such is youth), with impressive wins over Vanderbilt and Kentucky but big losses to Arkansas and LSU.

3. She's So Hot, She's Making Me Sexist. Erin Andrews, our Deadspin Collective Imaginary Girlfriend, was famously once a member of the Dazzlers, Florida's dance team/eye candy, causing Dickie V to have a Super Scintillating Sensational feeling in his pants. But how does this year's crop look? I know I'd certainly trust Lizzie as my financial adviser. And I think that Kasey has a bit of an early-2001 Stephanie McMahon look to her. If the Dazzlers aren't your cup of tea, remember that Florida boasts an ample amount of talent among their general coed population. It almost makes you forgive Emmitt Smith for being a little distracted in his classes, especially those that were supposed to teach him how to properly use words. — Ben Zani

2. The Shooting Korvers Kinda like the Flying Wallendas or the Catching Molinas. Drake senior Klayton Korver is the younger brother of the Utah Jazz's Kyle. Third brother Kaleb is a freshman on the Creighton Blue Jays (as was Kyle). Youngest brother Kirk is still in high school, and as usual the youngest is supposed to be the best one of the group. That is, if you don't count their mother, Laine Korver, who scored 74 points in a high school game.

3. A Bit of a Dry Spell In 1969, Drake lost bythree3 points in the Final Four to a UCLA team led by Lew Alcindor that went on to beat UNC in the Consolation Game. After making the Elite Eight each of the next two years, Drake has been a bit of a stranger to the postseason. Those three years are the only times in school history that the Bulldogs have appeared in the NCAA Tournament. Elsewhere in the world of sports the last time Drake went dancing? Super Bowl V, Frazier-Ali I, and Pete Sampras was born. — Andrew McGuire

2. Lutey Patooty. Lute Olson isn't coaching this year because he's traveling through the big D and doesn't mean Dallas. Olson has brought the Wildcats to the big dance 23 straight years, the longest active streak in the NCAA, but won't be on hand to see them shuffling their feet this year. His divorce from Christine has sidelined the 73-year-old coach for the season, with interim Kevin O'Neill taking over for those Silver Locks. The strangest part about it all - when his wife Bobbi died in 2001 Olson only missed six games, coming back to lead the Wildcats to his fourth Final Four.

3. Freshman Phenom. If you didn't know, Jerryd Bayless is good. He's Eric Gordon with the ability to finish. He's D.J. Augustin with a tremendous amount of confidence. He's Tyler Hansborough but shorter and not as much a center. The Phoenix native is averaging 21 points a game at 47 percent shooting. Bayless is a one-and-done candidate, already making waves in pre-draft boards that have him as high as the fifth pick to the New York Knicks (stay another year Jerryd!). The Wildcats are 11-4 when Bayless scores 20 or more points and struggled to a 1-3 record when Bayless was injured in the middle of the season. —Shane Bacon.

2. Seniors Rule. In a stark contrast to the youthfully exuberant Kansas teams of the past couple years, this year's team features six seniors, four of whom see significant minutes somewhere outside of practice. Much has already been written about Sasha Kaun, Russell Robinson and Darnell Jackson. Brad Witherspoon, Jeremy Case, and Rod Stewart, on the other hand, toil in obscurity. Why? Because they're not as good as the other guys. Witherspoon is a gritty walk-on from Humboldt, KS who I am sure plays the game The Right Way and probably pulls more tail in a week than I did in all my many years of college. Jeremy Case is the last remaining link to the Roy Williams Era. I hear he's been lighting it up in practice. I have, however, been hearing that for five years. Rod Stewart takes the downtown train (didn't see that one coming, did you?) and has finally found a place in the rotation as a defensive specialist, several seasons after transferring from USC.

3. 20 years. It was 20 years ago that Kansas, led by Danny Manning and coached by Larry Brown, won the 1988 NCAA Championship just down I-70 in Kansas City. The team was feted at halftime of the Colorado game several weeks ago. In a delicious bit of coincidence, the broadcaster assigned to the team was none other than former Oklahoma star (and former Rockford Lightning head coach) Stacey King, whose heavily-favored Sooners team lost to Danny and the Miracles in the aforementioned championship game.

Bonus tidbit: Which former coaching stops of naturally coiffed Bill Self will not be joining KU in the NCAA tournament? Tulsa and Illinois. Suck it, Illini! — Pete Gaines

2. The Badgers' leaders. Leading scorer Brian Butch (whose elbow has not been grotesquely inverted yet this season), has two favorite TV shows: Ice Road Truckers and Deadliest Catch. Hopefully those trucks on Ice Road Truckers don't run over any polar bears. Butch also receives text messages from Erin Andrews after hitting game winning shots, so he has that going for him, which is nice. Butch is also the leading rebounder so we will give you a tidbit on second leading rebounder, Joe Krabbenhoft, who Seth Davis said he was going to name his dog after. Krabbenhoft, who played for a team called the Rough Riders in South Dakota in high school, has had more than 35 separate "stitch events" to his face over the years, according to his mom. This will serve him well if he ever tries out to be Mr. Met. Krabbenhoft is also the team's leader in assists, so we will move along to the No. 2 assist man, Trevon Hughes, a promising sophomore from Queens. Two things about Trevon stand out to me. The first is that his favorite Madison restaurant is Qdoba. Outstanding. You can't go wrong with Qdoba on State Street at 2:30 in the morning. Also, his favorite Halloween costume is a skeleton. I can only hope Trevon's friends also dressed up as skeletons and chased around someone dressed like Daniel LaRusso while yelling such lines as "Sweep the leg!" and "Get him a body bag Johnny, Yah!" while singing "You're the Best Around."

3. Bucky Badger, Available for your wedding. Mr. Buckingham U. Badger, Bucky to his close friends, has been patrolling the sidelines at University of Wisconsin sporting events since 1949. Bucky's name stems from a line in the school's fight song, "On, Wisconsin," where the football team is inspired to "buck right through that line." A live badger was first brought to a football game in 1940 but proved to be too rambunctious and hostile towards people, surprisingly, and was retired to a local zoo. Its offspring went on to star in the Badger, Badger, Badger video and recent Toyota ads. Bucky has become a fan favorite throughout the nation and in 2006 was inducted in to the Mascot Hall of Fame as a charter member of the College Division, along with Aubie from Auburn and YoUDee from Delaware. Along with attending various sporting events and campus activities, Bucky is available for a host of other events where Bucky, from personal experience, stands on his head, polkas, does the Worm, and mingles with the attractive ladies in attendance. No uglies for Bucky! — Ben Goldsworthy

2. 57 North - 10 East. UCLA has a pretty simple path this year to our 12th banner. Just like the last two years, we will again have ridiculous home court advantage in the Anaheim and Phoenix regionals. And ever since the Kingdome blew up, San Antonio is as West as it gets for the final 4. Bruin fans have been booking their flights to SAT ever since Kevin Love picked up his UCLA hat in July 2006.

3. K Love and Russell Youtube. All of UCLA's players are awesome. That being said, these two guys have just been ridiculous this year. Love's All-American low post domination and Westbrook's consistent teabagging of opposing defenders have earned them a special place in the hearts of every UCLA fan. — Trevor Gribble

2. Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home. South Park fans will be surprised to see the name Trey Parker on the UTA roster. Considering that this guy is black, 19 years younger and has more manageable hair, we're thinking he's no relation to the co-creator of Eric Cartman. The redshirt freshman doesn't play much right now, so we're looking forward to his second season.

3. Also Known As. Since its inception as Arlington College in 1895, the school has had eight different names. It has been a military academy three time, and once went by the name Grubbs Vocational College. UTA was actually part of the Texas A&M system from 1917-1967, but balked when asked to change their name to Texas A&M-Arlington. Maybe they just don't like ampersands. — Storming The Floor

2. Mate! A big part of the Gaels' success and media recognition this year can be accredited to the country that has given us Mel Gibson, Marion Jones' Olympic platform, Andrew Bogut and Corey Delany Washington. That's right, the Land Down Under continues to impact the American landscape. Patrick Mills, a freshman Aussie Aboriginal point guard has attracted a lot of attention this year, not only for being second native Australian (after his uncle) to play for his country's Olympic team but for ROASTING Oregon for 37 points early in the year. He was named All-Conference, All-Freshman, All-Around popular kid. He's been supplemented by big impact from backup point, Carlin Hughes, and athletic forward Lucas Walker, both Aussie transfers from Montana St. Billings. Redshirting is Indiana transfer Ben Allen. Next year the Gaels will run 4 Aussies at once at times. (Be afraid Gonzaga, be very afraid.) And true to stereotype, they are a people that like to have fun. (Be afraid Campus Police, be very afraid.) Regardless of what you may have heard (in the previous paragraph), they have more than Men from the Land DownUnder. Local talent Diamon Simpson, a junior, was named first team All-Conference this week. He's only 6-7 but is so long...7 footer's wingspan. He works extremely hard on the glass, blocks shots, and usually can out-quick his matchup on the block. Omar Samhan, 6-10 center and Honorable Mention All-Conference, is another local product; he has a great touch around the rim and also works extremely hard underneath. What he doesn't have is athleticism so if the Gaels face a team with some athleticism and size to match, he's pretty ineffective.

3. Problems Around. For those you looking here for insider bracket help — you're better off picking based on mascots if you're turning here for insider analysis — a few criticisms that might be helpful: St. Mary's really prefers a faster paced game where they can spread the floor and get early shots, they really struggle when the game slows down (76.3 pts/game average yet scoring 61.2 pts/game in loses). Also, no statistics to back it up, but teams that bang on the perimeter are terrible match-ups for Gaels (i.e. Southern Illinois, Kent State losses). Lastly, and not to be a dick, but they don't make in-game adjustments. — Matt O'Leary

2. Drew Neitzel is Ambidextrous! Bet you didn't know that! Oh wait, everyone knows that because the story of how Drew's loving high school hoops coach father bequeathed his son grit and determination by forcing him to brush his teeth left-handed is a weary color commentator's best friend. Unfortunately, if Drew does not become a NBA late-first-rounder, but instead becomes, say ... a liquor store holdup man, that exact same story will be used by Court TV reporters to demonstrate how his cruel and abusive father crushed a young boy's spirit in an effort to vicariously reclaim his broken athletic dreams through his son. Ain't sports grand?

3. Matt Steigenga, Kris Weshinskey, Jaime Feick. Tom Izzo spent 12 years as an assistant coach under Jud Heathcote, patiently waiting for his chance to take over the program. In the 13 years since then, the Spartans have far surpassed what fans could have ever hoped for in that previous dozen. Every four-year player since Izzo became head coach has played in at least one Final Four. These three former Spartans are not among them, because as much as I adore these fine gentlemen and their contributions to my personal sports memories, I'm not sure if they could crack the starting five of this current squad. (Also because Kenny Anderson is a lying cheater, but that's another story.) The point is this - I am old and grumpy, and even though I was in the student section the day Coach Izzo took over the reigns, I never got to see a Big Ten title won from those seats and I am still bitter about that. The more relevant point is that despite the underachievements noted above, this 2008 team is loaded with talent and few coaches prepare their players better than Izzo, so no untested middle-to-high seed should ever want to face them. Thanks to their beloved coach, Michigan State fans no longer hope ... we expect. He's not so much with the comedy, but the guy knows his basketball.

Oh, and 3a ... Of all the schools in the 65-team field, only one has had its bikini-clad co-eds prominently featured on a hardcore porn blog. You're welcome . — Dashiell Bennett

2. Why do we need Big Red? Because our nickname is the Hilltoppers. People associated with WKU take great pride in the fact that we have an original nickname. We are the only Hilltoppers in Division I NCAA Athletics. Interestingly, there is nothing remotely intimidating about our nickname or mascot. We're lovers, not fighters! So, what does a Hilltopper look like? Well, we couldn't figure it out, so an ingenious student named Ralph Carey created Big Red in 1979. I guess we could have gone the route of the West Virginia Mountaineer, but we have enough crazy dudes with beards and rifles around these parts. We don't want one representing our school.

3. Let's meet the Toppers. One player stands firmly above the rest ... Courtney Lee. His name might sound feminine, but he's a MANBABY! He's been our all-everything man for a couple of seasons now, currently sitting at No. 2 on the all-time scoring list. He has a real shot at reaching No. 1, especially if we can pull a George Mason (we made the Final Four in 1971). Mr. Lee's backcourt mate Tyrone Brazleton is the catalyst, jump-starting our offense whenever possible. These two will score the majority of our points. Well, they better or we have issues. Let's see; we have a senior-laden team with strong backcourt play ... sounds like a recipe for an upset tome. We relish the underdog role; after all, we did try to sue the former Italian Prime Minister remember. — Drew Hensley

2. My two moms. Junior forward Joe Darger has shown a knack for making the big shot late in games. However, last year's tournament appearance brought the rather unique story angle of his religious background. Darger is a devout Mormon from Utah who happens to have two mothers and 17 siblings ranging in age from 2 to 40. If he were to ever make it to the NBA, he'd probably go broke on complimentary tickets for his family.

3. The UNLV Tiny-Tots. Early in the season UNLV coach Lon Kruger dismissed 6-10 center Emmanuel Adeife after he complained about playing time. While it's commendable of Kruger to draw a line in the sand, it also left the Rebels with Joe Darger, a 6-7 forward, and Matt Shaw, a 6-8 forward, splitting the majority of minutes at center. Suffice it to say, there are many high school teams with larger front lines than UNLV's less than traditional "4 guard - 1 forward" offense. — David Fucillo