March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Despite a tough non-conference schedule, Florida is calling tonight’s game against UCLA its “toughest test yet.”
• Florida coach Billy Donovan is a proven commodity, and with no real pressure to succeed, he is “enjoying the ride.” However, after those comments, Donovan was sure to offer the disclaimer that he hasn’t lost his drive. Donovan added, “But I think, as I’ve gotten older — we all want to win. But for me, there’s a lot I’ve learned as it relates to life and as it relates to the drama of the NCAA tournament. What are these guys going to take from this experience, and how equipped are these guys to take the next step in their life?”
• With Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams sharing the backcourt, Norman Powell often flies under the radar. Will that mean Florida won’t be ready for the high-flying, high-intensity guard?
• Despite futile history in the NCAA Tournament, UCLA coach Steve Alford is “all business” this year, barely allowing himself to celebrate his team’s berth in the Sweet Sixteen.
• Stanford’s Dwight Powell considered testing the NBA waters last summer, but stayed to fulfill his promise of graduating to his late mother. Stanford now finds itself just one game from the Elite Eight, and Powell has certainly played a significant part in that run.
• Tonight’s match-up between Stanford and Dayton will be tight, but can the Cardinal gain a huge advantage over the Flyers with all of its size?
• Dayton has accomplished a great deal to be playing in the Sweet Sixteen, but with #10 seed Stanford on deck, the Flyers have a legitimate chance to extend their Cinderella story.
• Dayton had the most wins  in college basketball during the 1950s and 1960s, and the Flyers look to create even more history for themselves tonight.

West Region

• Arizona is hoping big man Kaleb Tarczewski returns to school next season, but he wouldn’t budge when asked. “Zeus,” as they call him in Tucson, commented, “If [they] think I’m ready to go, I’ll go and if not, I’ll come back. Doesn’t matter now.”
• Without Brandon Ashley, Arizona has had to play a bit smaller. However, this has played to its advantage sometimes, particularly when it comes to getting out in transition.
• San Diego State was waiting to see whether it would play Arizona or Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen. Upon finding out its next game would be a rematch against Arizona, Aztecs guard Winston Shephard responded, “Gonzaga’s a great team, and no disrespect to them, but we would have much rather played Arizona.”
• San Diego State’s Aqueel Quinn took a huge risk trying to transfer and then walk-on to the team, but it has paid off through his hard work.
• Despite dominating its competition so far, Baylor isn’t getting the respect it deserves. As Dennis Dodd puts it, the Bears are “the best kept secret left in the tournament.”
• Baylor point guard Kenny Chery has been outstanding in his first season with the program, but could his lack of Division I experience end up hurting the Bears as the Tournament moves forward?
• If things get tight on Friday, know that Wisconsin point guard Traevon Jackson is going to want the ball, especially at the free throw line.
• Bo Ryan has coached Wisconsin into one of the most consistent basketball programs in the country; however, what his resume still lacks is a trip to the Final Four.

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March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Florida’s offense did anything but impress in its first two games, but senior point guard Scottie Wilbekin kept them afloat.
• Florida is as versatile of a team as there is left in the Tourney. With no one averaging more the 14 points per game, anyone can pick up the slack offensively, and defense is rarely a question.
• UCLA may be one of the toughest teams to defend in the country, but the Bruins’ defense is the reason they’re still playing.
• Air Force veteran and UCLA assistant coach David Grace did not go the traditional route, but he still will find himself on the bench in the Sweet Sixteen.
• For Dayton, the “continuity” of its coaching staff has been paramount to its success.
• Brothers Sean and Dayton coach Archie Miller are excited to both be in the Sweet Sixteen. However, the two find themselves in very different positions. Sean has Arizona looking like a title contender, and had this to say about his brother’s team: “With Dayton right now, it’s like icing on the cake every time he wins one. It’s really fun, and the program is just exploding right now.”
• Stanford has a good shot to make the Elite Eight and maybe the Final Four, but coach Johnny Dawkins needs the Cardinal to keep its head down. “We have to ignore the noise,” Dawkins said. “Everyone around us is going to be happy that we’ve had some success and we’re still moving on, but we can’t focus on that. We have to focus on the task at hand.”
• With programs like Kentucky and Kansas — which Stanford beat in the round of 32 — riding “1-and-dones,” the Cardinal has done it the old fashioned way, with five juniors and five seniors on its roster.

West Region

• Is Arizona already getting ahead of itself? The school’s bookstore is already selling Elite Eight shirts.
• To quote Greg Hansen, Arizona looked “national championship good” this weekend.
• He’s been their leader all season, and Xavier Thames’ big time play is the reason San Diego State has advanced through two tough games thus far.
  
• Aztecs coach Steve Fisher has had success at each of his stops as a coach, and has built San Diego State’s program from the ground up. On Thursday, he’ll have a chance to lead the Aztecs to their first Elite Eight appearance in school history.
• Very few people knew before two months ago, but Baylor center Isaiah Austin has been blind in his right eye since middle school. He has overcome this injury, and has gone from being unsure about his basketball future to playing in the Sweet Sixteen.
• Though you probably wouldn’t think so from general perception of the program, Baylor has actually been one of the best NCAA Tournament teams in terms of record since 2008.
• After really thinking about it, Wisconsin sophomore Sam Dekker realized how great of an accomplishment the Sweet Sixteen is. “You kind of throw around the term ‘Sweet Sixteen’ as just a cliché term,” Dekker said. “When you really think about it, only 16 teams are actually left. That’s not a big number in comparison to the 68 and then however many hundred are in regular D-I basketball.” The Badgers hope to reach the Elite Eight as they take on Baylor on Thursday.
• With a three-point specialist, athletic big men who can stretch the floor and a suffocating zone defense, Baylor plays like a team Wisconsin just hasn’t faced this year.

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March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Florida coach Billy Donovan and UCLA coach Steve Alford had a couple NCAA Tournament battles in the 90s, and they’ll meet again on Thursday.
• “Complete the Climb” is Florida’s motto as it looks to win its first national championship since they repeated in 2007. The Gators have reached three straight Elite Eights, but have been unable to “reach the summit” in all three opportunities.
• Florida big man Will Yeguete is the type of player every really good team has on the roster. He doesn’t necessarily fill up the box score or make flashy plays, but he’s what coach Billy Donovan calls a “dirty work guy.”
• The Gators present a recent adversary for UCLA. The Bruins have lost to Florida in three out of the last eight NCAA Tournaments, but the Bruains feel it’s time to get over the hump.
• UCLA guard Jordan Adams likes to keep things simple. One of the ways he does so is not letting his mind take control of him, even in big moments . “I don’t believe in pressure,” he says.
• After leading Dayton to a Sweet Sixteen, coach Archie Miller landed an extension that will keep him as head coach of the Flyers until 2019.
• The city of Dayton already hosts play-in games every year, so the university hopes that the Flyers’ success can put Dayton basketball even more on the map.
• The emergence of Stanford junior Stefan Nastic has done wonders for the Cardinal, giving it a legitimate post presence inside.
• Behind leading scorer Chasson Randle, the Cardinal is proving that it “belongs” among the Sweet Sixteen.
• Stanford may be an afterthought to advance out of the South Region, but head coach Johnny Dawkins is maintaining high hopes. “I think we all have a chance to compete for a national championship,” Dawkins said. “We have to believe that.”

West Region

• Arizona already defeated San Diego State this season, but this time, the Wildcats will have to prevent the Aztecs from making history. The Aztecs have never made an Elite Eight.
• Arizona’s leading scorer Nick Johnson was named a Naismith Player of the Year Finalist over the weekend.
• San Diego State has suffered a tough loss to Arizona in each of the past two regular seasons. They still hurt, but the Aztecs will at least have an idea of what to expect on Thursday evening.
• Looking to gain an advantage against an Arizona team that defeated the Aztecs in November, Aztecs coach Steve Fisher is “hiding a secret weapon” to unleash on Thursday.
• San Diego State junior Dwayne Polee II didn’t even register a minute in the Aztecs’ meeting with Arizona in November, but Polee has since worked his way into the rotation and has proved to be a big contributor to the Aztecs.
• Baylor was dead set for the NIT after starting 2-8 in Big 12 play, but the Bears finally “connected the dots” and now find themselves in the Sweet Sixteen.
• Read why Rick Gosselin thinks Baylor can make a Final Four run.
• Offensively, Wisconsin is trying to figure out how to score against Baylor’s long, athletic 1-3-1 zone.
• Wisconsin knows it has an athletic Baylor team ahead of it, but the Badgers hope to overcome that through their toughness. As forward Nigel Hayes notes, “Especially here, at Wisconsin, they pride themselves on being tougher than the opponent.”
• The Badgers know how dangerous Baylor is, so coach Bo Ryan has his team figuring out how to attack the more “skilled, athletic squad.”

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March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Shooting will fluctuate, but Florida has ridden defense to the Sweet Sixteen and hopefully beyond.
• Florida senior Scottie Wilbekin has had a troubled past in Gainesville, but he was willing to adhere to coach Billy Donovan’s strict rules in order to remain a member of the team. He now finds himself, nearly a year later, willing the Gators to the Sweet Sixteen in the midst of his teammates’ struggles.
• Though he has a shaky history in the NCAA Tournament, UCLA’s first year coach Steve Alford is already beginning to prove his doubters wrong as he led the Bruins to their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2008.
• UCLA ended Stephen F. Austin’s Cinderella run last night thanks in large part to the Bruins’ ability to get out and run. “They annihilated us in transition,” coach Brad Underwood added.
• Dayton’s run to the Sweet Sixteen was so thrilling that even the University’s president took part in the postgame celebration.
• Archie Miller was the first Miller to make the Sweet Sixteen after he led Dayton over Syracuse on Saturday, but even CBS’s Greg Gumble got him confused with his older brother, Sean, in an interview yesterday.
• Stanford wasn’t exactly a closely followed team by much of the country until yesterday’s upset over Kansas. However, the Cardinal showed those who were unsure that it was worthy of a Sweet Sixteen appearance.
• Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins used some experience from his playing days at Duke to get his players to fight for their Tournament lives. In recalling a story about a devastated teammate after losing his final game in a Duke uniform, Dawkins urged his players to play like they were all seniors.
• Notably absent from Kansas’s shocking third round defeat, freshman center Joel Embiid has yet to make a decision about his future in Lawrence. Embiid is a sure-fire top-five pick and could even go #1.

West Region

• Arizona blew by Gonzaga yesterday with an impressive array flashy plays, but what many fail to realize is that many those flashy plays are sparked by the Wildcats’ suffocating defense.
• Gonzaga is obviously disappointed about going down to Arizona, but coach Mark Few suggests that there really wasn’t much the Zags could do.
• With the West Regional being hosted in Anaheim, will  San Diego State get a bit of a home court advantage?
• San Diego State played Arizona tight earlier this season, but can the Aztecs hang with the Wildcats we saw last night?
• Baylor ended Creighton All-American Doug McDermott’s illustrious college career last night. Considering his father, Greg, was also his coach, it made for a quite emotional exit from college hoops.
• Baylor routed Creighton behind a barrage of three pointers. We know the Bears are long and athletic, but if they’re shooting the ball like they did last night (11/18, good for 61%), they’re going to be a handful for anyone in their path.
• Without many options out of high school, Baylor guard Kenny Chery resorted to junior college. After struggling through those two years, Chery now finds himself leading Baylor’s charge to the Sweet Sixteen.
• Heading into the Sweet Sixteen, Wisconsin has proven through its first two games that it can get the job done “at any speed.”
• Wisconsin overcame a tough Oregon team thanks to its grit, and the Badgers are going to need more of it if they want to get by a surging Baylor team.

Read the rest of this entry »

March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Naturally, the experienced Florida Gators were led by their seniors to a Sweet Sixteen berth.
• After a tough loss to Florida, Pittsburgh now must say goodbye to senior leaders Talib Zanna and Lamar Patterson.
  
• Dayton coach Archie Miller knows his team deserved to win, but even he knows that the Flyers were fortunate to catch Syracuse on an off night.
• In its third round loss to Dayton, Syracuse had a historically awful three-point shooting night.
• Stephen F. Austin’s Desmond Haymon is from a small town in Massachusetts, but made national headlines this week with “the play of the NCAA Tournament.”
• UCLA won a tight game in its second round match-up, and their road isn’t getting any easier with a tough Stephen F. Austin team on the horizon.
• Kansas will once again be without freshman big man Joel Embiid in their game today against Stanford.
• For a team that struggled to get into the NCAA Tournament, Stanford has a chance to make program history if it can score a win over #2 seed Kansas.

West Region

• Today, Gonzaga and #1 seed Arizona will relive a 2003 instant classic.
• Though they’re usually the cream of the mid-major crop, Gonzaga has little pressure on it going into its game against Arizona.
• North Dakota State coach Saul Phillips went as far as crying during his postgame press conference as the Bison’s NCAA journey ended yesterday.
• San Diego State’s Xavier Thames led the Aztecs with 30 points as they took down cinderella North Dakote State.
• Baylor point guard Kenny Chery hopes to lead the Bears past Doug McDermott and Creighton.
• Creighton will have to successfully deal with Baylor’s zone if it wants to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
• Two-seed Wisconsin needed a furious second half rally to come out on top of Oregon yesterday.
• After blowing a big second half lead, Wisconsin arguably taught Oregon “an NCAA lesson.”

Read the rest of this entry »

March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Florida coach Billy Donovan has built an outstanding program, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t interested in the NBA.
• Florida is the number one overall seed, but one thing Pittsburgh will not be today is intimidated.
• Coach Shaka Smart was pleased with the effort, but ultimately VCU fell to Stephen F. Austin in the bizarre final moments.
• With a reputation for not getting it done in the NCAA Tournament, UCLA coach Steve Alford has gained some relief after pulling away from the near upset by Tulsa.
• VCU seemingly pulled away, but a four point play from Dezmond Haymon resurrected underdog Stephen F. Austin and brought them to victory.
• Syracuse’s defense is suffocating in the half court, so Dayton will be looking to make today’s game a track meet.
• Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim isn’t convinced that Dayton will be able to get up and down against the Orange. “The pace of the game,” Boeheim said, “is dictated by whoever has the basketball.”
• After scoring a huge win yesterday over New Mexico, Stanford is ready to pull off the upset against a most likely Embiid-less Kansas.
• For the second straight season, New Mexico’s season has ended in disappointing fashion. The Lobos were down 20-4 early, but couldn’t quite come all the way back.
• Kansas did not look good in their opening matchup, but eventually pulled away from Eastern Kentucky behind 19 from freshman sensation Andrew Wiggins.

West Region

• Weber State was with them for a while, but Arizona came to its senses and took down the other Wildcats.
• Potentially bound for the NBA, Oklahoma State sophomore Marcus Smart had his NCAA Tournament hopes crushed by Gonzaga yesterday. In particular, Smart was seemingly “frustrated” by the officials.
• Despite going up against a trendy “upset” pick, Gonzaga never trailed in its victory over Oklahoma State.
• Baylor nearly gave it up late, but the Bears ultimately held tough and took down Nebraska.
• Nebraska was frustrated by Baylor all day, and their struggles carried over to coach Tim Miles as he was ejected midway through the second half.
• Late three point shooting helped Doug McDermott and Creighton survive a scare against UL-Lafayette.
• As an underdog that pulled a huge upset, is North Dakota State “America’s team?”
• Even though San Diego State beat New Mexico State, coach Steve Fisher was angry at the NCAA for its policy of making the losing team fly home after a late-night loss.
• Oregon has reaped major benefits from transfers, but is this model sustainable?
• Wisconsin certainly comes into today’s game as the favorite, but Oregon’s athleticism could give the Badgers problems.

Read the rest of this entry »

March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Due to success on the hardwood and struggles on the gridiron, Florida is becoming more and more of a basketball school. The Gators advanced to the third round yesterday with a win over Albany.
• Colorado could have used their leading scorer Spencer Dinwiddie yesterday, as the Buffs were run out of the gym by Pittsburgh.
• Pittsburgh forward Talib Zanna dominated yesterday en route to a 77-48 rout of Colorado.
• It looks like Dayton now “owns Ohio college basketball” after a nail-biting win over its in-state rival Ohio State.
• Syracuse guard Trevor Cooney was able to find his stroke as the Orange rolled into the third round.
• VCU begins tournament play against Stephen F. Austin today. However, no matter how the Rams do, they’ll always have to live up to 2011 Final Four team.
• UCLA big men David and Travis Wear resemble a former UCLA forward who had great success in the NCAA Tournament: Ryan Hollins.
• Tulsa was only 4-9 going into January, but the Golden Hurricane battled back and now looks to pull off an upset over UCLA.
• New Mexico will have a chance for redemption after last year’s loss to Harvard, and don’t think the Lobos have forgotten about it.
• Without Joel Embiid, Kansas is coming into the tournament with an underdog mentality.

Read the rest of this entry »

March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Even though the SEC had an awful year, Florida has emerged as the NCAA Tournament favorite.
• Both Colorado and Pittsburgh have had to overcome injuries to key contributors to find themselves back in the Tournament.
• In just his first season, Stephen F. Austin coach Brad Underwood has taken the Lumberjacks to “new heights.”
• After Coach K criticized the A-10, VCU coach Shaka Smart fired back saying that Krzyzewski’s were “low level.”
• UCLA is known for its outstanding guard play, but watch out if they’re bigs get going.
• Ohio State’s opening game against Dayton has brought attention to the Buckeyes’ non-conference scheduling, particularly against other teams from the state of Ohio. According to Bill Livingston, the Buckeyes have no excuse to “duck” their in-state rivals.
• Syracuse dominated during non-conference play, but struggled to five losses in the ACC. However, coach Jim Boeheim isn’t all that concerned. “I don’t think we played any differently at the end of the year than we played all year,” Boeheim commented on Wednesday.
• Instead of Selection Sunday festivities at The Pit, New Mexico decided to take an easier, more business-like approach to the NCAA Tournament.
• Stanford reserve Robbie Lemons is temporarily stepping away from his academic pursuits after the season in hopes that international basketball can take him on an incredible experience throughout the world.
• He’s not the first option on his team. Or the second or the third and maybe even not the fourth, but forward Perry Ellis is developing into a key, consistent player for Kansas.

West Region

• The Arizona Wildcats can make a deep run into the NCAA Tournament, and their road begins with taking care of the Wildcats of Weber State.
• Oklahoma State has Marcus Smart, Markel Brown, and Le’Bryan Nash, but could the Cowboys’ X-factor prove to be their little 5’11” guard Phil Forte?
• He reached the 1994 Final Four at Florida, but Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger hasn’t come close since. Kruger looks to project his experience on his players in hopes that they can win their first Tournament game since 2009.
• According to the experts’ predictions, North Dakota State is looking like the overwhelming favorite to be the trendy 5/12 upset this year.
• New Mexico State has a tough test ahead of them in San Diego State, but 7’5” giant Sim Bhullar could give the Aztecs some trouble.
• Baylor point guard Kenny Chery has been paramount to the Bears’ success, especially with the loss of Pierre Jackson to graduation.
• For Creighton guard Grant Gibbs‘ relationship with superstar Doug McDermott goes beyond their chemistry on the court. McDermott gave Gibbs his scholarship after Gibbs was given a surprising sixth year of eligibility.
• You may not believe it, given their history as a football school, but Oregon actually won the first ever national championship in basketball in 1939.
• Junior point guard Matt Carlino needs to step up if BYU is going to have a shot at Oregon.
• Wisconsin has a reputation for early exits from the Big Dance. For the Badgers, 2014 is the year that they change their reputation.

Read the rest of this entry »

March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• Florida has made three straight Elite Eights, but that’s not going to cut it this year. The Gators are taking an “all or nothing” approach to the NCAA Tournament.
• Coming into its first round game, Colorado is focused on breaking down Pittsburgh’s post defense and double-teams.
• Talib Zanna, Pittsburgh’s much improved senior big man, and his leadership will be “vital” to his team’s postseason success.
• On Selection Sunday, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks gathered at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. On Friday, they will begin their quest to go from Fuzzy’s to Cinderella against a similar VCU team.
• VCU’s Melvin Johnson is looking doubtful for Friday’s first round match-up against Stephen F. Austin. Johnson is averaging 10.6 points per game and shoots 39 percent from three-point range.
• Nicknamed “Slo-Mo,” 6’9” UCLA point guard Kyle Anderson is a “nightmare” match-up for opposing guards.
• Dayton head coach Archie Miller and Ohio State coach Thad Matta go way back, and even after asking Matta for desperate advice earlier this season, Miller finds his team going up against his “mentor’s” on Thursday.
• Syracuse fans may be tempted to predict a deep NCAA Tournament run, but advanced metrics only give the Orange “between a 1 and 2 percent chance” of going the distance.
• Stanford must stop New Mexico’s offensive firepower if it is going to have a chance on Friday.
• Joel Embiid won’t be suiting up for at least the first weekend, but Kansas’ small lineup could present other problems for opponents.

West Region

• Losing Brandon Ashley was tough, but Arizona has moved past his injury and looks poised to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
• Gonzaga may be the #8 seed, but seemingly no one is giving the Bulldogs a chance against Oklahoma State. Star Canadian guard Kevin Pangos is embracing the Zags’ “underdog status.”
• The Sooners began the season somewhat up and down, but it was a come-from-behind victory against rival Oklahoma State that sparked Oklahoma’s run to a #5 seed.
• North Dakota State’s senior leader Taylor Braun was rejected by Pac-12 schools, but he has since used it motivation to lead the Bison into the NCAA Tournament. Braun has the last laugh, as he will fulfill his dream of competing in the NCAAs while “Oregon State is sitting home.”
• Nebraska is returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998, but the Cornhuskers hope to remove their label as one of the two Power Six Conference schools without an NCAA Tournament victory.
• Creighton’s Canadian guard Jaheens Manigat is living his dream of playing for the Bluejays with a potential NBA star.
• The BYU Cougars look to “reinvent themselves” as second-leading scorer Kyle Collinsworth is injured. However, behind their leader Tyler Haws, it may not be as difficult as some think.
• Oregon is certainly looking forward to the NCAA Tournament, but its players have just as tough of a task looming ahead of them. Time to hit the books, it’s finals week in Eugene!
• Wisconsin has a lot of productive guys, but freshman Nigel Hayes is looking to give the Badgers a spark off the bench.

Read the rest of this entry »

March Madness is finally upon us, and we here at RTC are here to make everything a little bit easier for you. From the First Four until One Shining Moment, we’ll be dropping daily tidbits of knowledge regarding the teams in each region.

South Region

• While Michigan State is a trendy pick to win it all, Florida, as the number one overall seed, remains the favorite at 4-1 odds.
• While Colorado coach Tad Boyle always gives his players credit, his players credit their “superstar” coach for this season’s success.
• Pittsburgh has had some tumultuous results in past NCAA Tournaments, but this year they’re looking to change history.
• Though VCU lost in the A-10 Tournament final, they still did well with the viewers at home.
• The NCAA Tournament is their prime focus right now, but UCLA standouts Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams, and Zach LaVine all have NBA decisions lurking on the horizon.
• The other Ohio schools have a severe bias against Ohio State. Here is Benjamin Lanka’s plea for Dayton to dethrone the Buckeyes.
• Though a ticket in Buffalo is a tough get with Syracuse coming to town, spectators will be able to watch each team practice this Wednesday. 
• Excited about benefiting from extra rest, New Mexico coach Craig Neal and the Lobos are looking  to take care of some “unfinished business.“
• Stanford, in the words of coach Johnny Dawkins, are “relieved, but not vindicated” about finally reaching the NCAA Tournament. Even though his job was at stake, Dawkins never mentioned his job security to the team, and simply tried to put on the “blinders” to focus on basketball.
• Against a potentially dangerous Eastern Kentucky team, Kansas coach Bill Self has the Jayhawks focused on defending the three-point line, college basketball’s great equalizer.

West Region

• Arizona is coming into the NCAA Tournament with high expectations, but coach Sean Miller just wants the Wildcats to “focus on what’s in front of them.“
• Did sophomore superstar Marcus Smart’s suspension cost Oklahoma State a better seed? The unfortunate truth is that we’ll never know.
• Even though the Sooners made the Tournament last year, Oklahoma is ready to win at least one game this season. The road begins against a “really good” North Dakota State team.
• For San Diego State leader Xavier Thames, a move from Washington State to SDSU proved to be an opportunity to continue his knack for stepping up in clutch moments. As the Aztecs reach yet another NCAA Tournament, the message of his father rings ever true: “Do not be afraid of the moment.”
• They were dead in the water earlier this season, but could Baylor be the NCAA Tournament’s “most dangerous sleeper?” Brad Evans certainly thinks so.
• Even though Creighton is eyeing a deep run, it isn’t going to overlook its first round opponent, Louisiana-Lafayette. With Elfrid Payton’s 19 points per game, no one in Omaha is taking the Ragin’ Cajuns lightly.
• Even though March Madness is known for upsets and Cinderellas, BYU is getting disrespected with a rematch against Oregon in sight. 
• Oregon, unlike BYU, is getting love to win the rematch. However, sophomore Damyean Dotson is calling the Tournament a “new season.”
• Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan is in the NCAAs yet again, but this time his whole coaching tree – including Virginia’s Tony Bennett, North Dakota State’s Saul Phillips, and UW-Milwaukee’s Rob Jeter – is here with him.

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