Monday, December 01, 2008

Breaking down the NCAA Tournament from A to Z

last updated: March 17, 2008 02:47:27 AM

The NCAA Tournament from A to Z as we dribble-drive into Dick Vitale Land:

A -- Arizona State twice beats Arizona and knocks off Stanford, USC and Xavier. The Sun Devils then bow out of the Pac-10 tournament on a hideous call that gift-wraps the game for USC. So, of course, Arizona goes dancing while ASU wonders whom it wronged on the committee.

B -- The Butler Bulldogs used to be best known for Hinkle Fieldhouse, their historic home where "Hoosiers" was filmed. Closer to home, we remember Butler for Aaron Hoover, a Modesto Junior College star from the 1980s who later returned home and started for Butler. Today, Butler is 29-3, a certified national power whose coach, Brad Stevens, should be carded if he even walks near a bar. For the record, he's 31.

C -- It's Christmas year-round for the Atlantic-10 champion Temple Owls and their 6-5 swing man Dionte Christmas (20.2 ppg,) whose 3-point shot is sweeter than a Bill Cosby one-liner.

D -- A slap on the back to UC Irvine's Pat Douglass (ex-Manteca, Columbia College), probably the best coach in the country not to have led a team into the tournament. His Anteaters reached the Big West final, only to be turned away by Cal State Fullerton.

E -- Freshman Eric Gordon (21.3 ppg) and his Indiana mates have slumped since the mid-season firing of coach Kelvin Sampson. As for Gordon, he's still Public Enemy No. 1 in Illinois for reneging on his commitment to the Illini.

F -- The only other time Fullerton appeared in the tournament, the year was 1978 and its star was Greg Bunch. The Titans are back, however, after ex-West Valley coach Bob Burton revived the program in only four seasons.

G -- Two teams in the Bay Area can say they've been to the tournament twice in the last four years: the Gaels of Saint Mary's and Stanford. The Gaels are fun, too, with Hayward's Diamon Simpson, Australia's Patrick Mills and San Ramon's Omar Samhan.

H -- Chuck Hayes (Modesto Christian) is too busy role-playing the Houston Rockets to 22 consecutive wins, but he's still beloved at Kentucky. Though his Wildcats twice fell one painful win shy of the Final Four, they still logged a 9-4 record during the tournament with Hayes on board (2002-05).

I -- The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame have been transformed into a basketball school, thanks to Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody (20.8 ppg, 10.2 rebs.), the poor man's Tyler Hansbrough. What do you do when your football team tanks? You qualify for the NCAA for the fifth time in eight years under Mike Brey.

J -- Julian Conyers, a reserve senior forward from Milpitas who averages only 6.7 points a game, is more important than you think. He plays for Coppin State, the first team in NCAA history to qualify with 20 losses. The Eagles from Baltimore must play into the bracket Tuesday night against Mt. St. Mary's.

K -- The Kansas Jayhawks average 81 points a game behind Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush and Sherron Collins. No one in the field is more aesthetically pleasing and, by the way, it can't be 20 years since Danny (Manning) and the Miracles won the title, right?

L -- Kevin Love of Pac-10 champion UCLA, one of the four No. 1 seeds, exceeded all expectations as a 6-10 freshman center. He showed his mettle Jan. 24 at Oregon's McArthur Court when, while Duck fans taunted him for leaving his home state for Westwood, he responded with 26 points and 18 rebounds.

M -- Cal hasn't sniffed the tournament since 2006, when Richard Midgley (Modesto Christian) made his 101st and final career start. Three years before, Midgley's 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left carried Cal over North Carolina State for the Golden Bears' last tournament win.

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