NCAA BK PREVIEWS Thursday, Mar 17

[CNOTES]

Preview: Seahawks (25-7) at Blue Devils (23-10)
Date: March 17, 2016 12:15 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) UNC Wilmington sits in an enviable place - on college basketball's biggest stage against the defending national champion.


The upstart Seahawks (24-7), who press at every turn, are relishing the challenge of facing Duke (23-10), the fourth seed in the West Regional, on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. 'My guys are excited,' UNCW coach Kevin Keatts said Wednesday. 'We've had a tremendous year. When you talk about winning the (Colonial Athletic Association) regular-season championship and then ... to be able to make it to this point, we're excited as a program. I think our guys are up for the challenge, and we're excited about the opportunity.'


UNC Wilmington reached the NCAA Tournament four times in seven years from 2000-06, but the Seahawks had struggled through eight sub-.500 years before Keatts took over two years ago. The former Louisville assistant has gone 43-21 in his two seasons at the helm, rebuilding the roster with more than a handful of transfers. Among them are top scorer Chris Flemmings (16.1), who came over from Division II Barton, and Denzel Ingram (12.1), who played two years for Charlotte before transferring and redshirting last season.


'They've won a lot of games this year,' Duke guard Grayson Allen said. 'They're a team that's going to get after you for 40 minutes, and that's something we have to be ready for. It's not going to be an easy task because they play a lot of guys, and the pressure is going to be on the whole game, and it's going to be the whole length of the court. So for us, we have to be sharp. We can't get into a rush. We can't play tired and make mistakes.'


Despite Duke's stellar postseason reputation - the Blue Devils have a .755 winning percentage in the NCAA Tournament and are third all-time with 105 victories after winning their fifth title last year - coach Mike Krzyzewski doesn't view this matchup as David vs. Goliath.


Rather, just another champion to contend with.


'We (have) advanced a lot more than we haven't. It's pretty obvious,' Krzyzewski said. 'But can they beat us? They can definitely beat us. We prepare for them with that level of respect and preparation. I mean, I've watched maybe six games of theirs, and in every one they have a good verve. They play to win, and they have a style that fits their personnel really well. They're right there.'


Other things to know when Duke plays UNC Wilmington:


SHORT BENCH: Since losing senior forward Amile Jefferson to a broken right foot in December - he averaged 11.4 points and 10.3 rebounds in the nine games he played before the injury - Duke has pretty much gone with a six-man rotation. And that can be a good thing.


'They've done it since Amile has been out, so they're accustomed to it,' Krzyzewski said. 'I think one of the very best things that can happen to a player is that he knows he's going to play, and he knows when he's going to play and how he's going to be used and who he'll be on the court with. Our guys have had that opportunity. Our starters know that they could play 40 minutes, and they like that.'


JUST COMPETE: Duke and North Carolina have ruled Tobacco Road. UNC Wilmington would like nothing better than to carve its own niche in the region, and a win over the Blue Devils sure wouldn't hurt.


'Honestly, we don't really try to feed into that - whether we're the little brother or the step-cousin or anything like that, whatever is going on,' said Seahawks guard Denzel Ingram, a native of Chapel Hill who grew up a fan of North Carolina State. 'We just want to come here and win games and compete.'


GOOD LOSS?: Duke was knocked out of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament six days ago by Notre Dame, 84-79 in overtime. Call it a blessing of sorts.


'In some respects, it's good to come into the tournament losing a game that you should have won, where it's a tough loss,' Krzyzewski said. 'Even though you're excited about the tournament, you're not giddy. You're not like, `We just won' - no, no, `We just lost, and we lost a game that we feel we should have won.' I think you grow up doing that. The extra rest is good for us. We didn't try to lose the Notre Dame game to get it. Notre Dame beat us.'


ELUSIVE POSTSEASON WINS: UNCW has one victory in the NCAA Tournament. The Seahawks upset fifth-seeded Southern California 93-89 in overtime in Sacramento, California, on March 14, 2002.


THE INGRAM EFFECT: Duke's Brandon Ingram led ACC freshmen in scoring (16.8), 3-point percentage (41.3), rebounding (6.8), and double-doubles (8), and ranked second in blocks (1.4).

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Bulldogs (21-10) at Red Raiders (19-12)
Date: March 17, 2016 12:40 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith has been around college basketball long enough to realize that teams should savor the opportunity of playing in the NCAA Tournament.


Few coaches would know better.


The well-traveled veteran is one of two coaches to take five schools to the NCAAs now that the Red Raiders - in for the first time in nine years - are facing Butler in Thursday's first round of the Midwest Region.


'I would like to be able to stay in one place,' Smith said Wednesday. 'But every job we took, it was a step in the right direction. We've certainly moved our family quite a bit. ... They're not going to hire you unless you were successful at the prior university, so I'm really pleased about that.'


Smith, with 557 career wins in 25 seasons, has led Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota and now eighth-seeded Texas Tech (19-12). Oklahoma's Lon Kruger is the only other coach to take five schools to the NCAAs.


'I just think you can't help but be incredibly impressed by what he's done,' Butler coach Chris Holtmann said. 'Winning's not easy and when you do it as much as he's done it and as many places as he's done it, there's a reason: He does it the right way.'


Smith led Kentucky to the 1998 NCAA title to highlight his 10 years there. Next came a six-year stay at Minnesota, where Smith went 124-81 and reached the NCAAs three times before he was fired in 2013 and landed at Texas Tech.


The Red Raiders hadn't played in the NCAAs since 2007 under Bob Knight, going 81-112 over the six seasons before Smith's arrival. His first two teams had losing records, but this group - featuring four double-figure scorers - went 9-9 in the tough Big 12 and upset Oklahoma.


'He's changed the whole program and he teaches us life lessons,' fifth-year senior Toddrick Gotcher said. 'It's amazing to see a legend come to Texas Tech and corral us up and get the right guys in and change the program around.'


Getting here is nothing new for the ninth-seeded Bulldogs (21-10), who have been in the NCAAs in eight of the past 10 years and has won at least one game in seven of its last eight trips.


'I think there's somewhat of an advantage,' fifth-year senior Roosevelt Jones said. 'I remember my sophomore year and the first time playing in the NCAA Tournament. I was very nervous. I didn't know what to expect. ... But it's not going to affect the outcome. You have to come out ready to play.'


---


Here are things to know about the Butler-Texas Tech matchup:


HIGH-SCORING WAYS: Butler's Kellen Dunham (16.3 points), Kelan Martin (16.1) and Jones (14.0) headline an offense averaging 80.6 points and shooting 47 percent. And Butler is 18-0 in two seasons under Holtmann when shooting at least 50 percent.


CASHING IN: Both teams want to get to the foul line. Texas Tech led the Big 12 by making 74.6 percent of free throws, while Butler was third in the Big East at 73.1 percent.


LEWIS' RETURN: Butler junior guard Tyler Lewis gets a homecoming of sorts. He played two seasons at North Carolina State, which plays home games here in PNC Arena, and was an instate McDonald's All-American in 2012. 'It's amazing,' he said. 'I grew up loving N.C. State and I get to play in their gym again.'


BUTLER'S DEFENSE: Butler can't afford a repeat of its defensive showing from a 74-60 loss to Providence in the Big East Tournament, where the Friars shot 61 percent after halftime and 55 percent for the game. 'Our defense has to be considerably better than what it was the other night,' Holtmann said.


ADDED FAMILIARITY? Texas Tech and Butler both played in the Puerto Rico Tipoff in November, though not against each other. 'We got to the arena early when they were playing,' Texas Tech's Justin Gray said. 'So we got to see them a little bit. Other than that we haven't really seen what they have until we watched film (Tuesday) for sure.'

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Huskies (24-10) at Buffaloes (22-11)
Date: March 17, 2016 1:30 PM EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Two years ago, a Connecticut team with an afterthought seed toughed its way through the NCAA Tournament to win the national title.


This edition of the Huskies, hungry for its own taste of that elation following a rare absence from the field last season, has set itself up for a potential sequel.


Beware of these dogs, South Region.


'You can go back through the history of UConn teams: This is where we peak at, and this team is no different,' coach Kevin Ollie said. 'I'm not saying that's going to guarantee a national championship, but our team is playing their best basketball now because they're understanding their roles and understanding how to play hard and understanding what the game demands of them each and every day.'


The Huskies (24-10), who drew the No. 9 seed, play Colorado in the first round on Thursday in Des Moines.


'It means a lot just to be here. I think it just shows how we came together as a team and started clicking at the right time,' guard Sterling Gibbs said. 'At the same time, we know we're not done yet.'


Seven losses and a sixth-place finish in the American Athletic Conference diluted UConn's resume, similar to 2014. That was Ollie's first NCAA Tournament experience as the head coach, after several trips as a player for Jim Calhoun and later as his assistant. The Huskies, then the No. 7 seed, compiled four consecutive victories over teams seeded one through four before beating Kentucky for the championship.


Only forward Phillip Nolan and center Amida Brimah on the current team were contributors on that 2014 squad, so there aren't many memories lingering in the UConn locker room from the net-cutting in North Texas two years ago. The way this team has developed sure seems familiar, though.


'We saturate their heart with that from the preseason and it takes time for a team to gel like that,' Ollie said. 'It takes time for a player to understand what's best for the group might not be what's best for me. You know, it takes a time for young kids to realize that.'


The well-balanced Huskies, who have two fifth-year senior transfers in Gibbs and Shonn Miller among their four players averaging between 12 and 13 points per game, cooked up a tantalizing appetizer last week to this main course of March madness.


Their AAC tournament quarterfinal win over Cincinnati lasted four overtimes, fueled by a banked 3-pointer at the third-overtime buzzer by freshman Jalen Adams from well beyond half court. The Huskies went on to win the conference championship last weekend and earn the automatic bid.


The Buffaloes (22-11) lost in their conference tournament quarterfinals. They finished 2-7 on the road in Pac-12 play, too, but the league was as deep as ever as evidenced by the seven teams invited to the NCAA Tournament. Josh Scott is one of the country's best big men who can make the afternoon difficult for Brimah, and despite the program's lesser pedigree in comparison to UConn this is the third NCAA Tournament appearance for Scott and his fellow seniors.


'We have had chippy, crisp practices for the most part, which is a good thing,' Scott said Wednesday. 'I think it just shows that the guys care and they don't want to go out after just making it to the tournament. They want to win games. I think that's important, and I think that would be the biggest difference I would say between the other two times we were here before.'


The Buffaloes are fourth in the nation with an average of 42.4 rebounds per game, a skill and an attitude that could hurt the Huskies if Adams, Gibbs and Miller aren't hitting their shots from the outside.


'I tell our players, `I do not want you to be selfish when it comes to assists, when it comes to shots. I don't want you to be selfish in any area other than rebounding,'' coach Tad Boyle said. 'I want you to be a selfish rebounder, and we really try to get some internal battles going on our team.'

 

[CNOTES]

B]Preview: Gaels (22-10) at Cyclones (21-11)[/B]
Date: March 17, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

DENVER (AP) The Monmouth bench mob was all set to break out some new moves for the NCAA tournament before Iona went and spoiled the party.


With a 79-76 win over the Hawks in the MAAC tournament finale, the Gaels punched their ticket to the NCAA tourney and sent the Hawks skittering into the NIT.


The 13th-seeded Gaels (22-10) have their own flash and dash to unleash Thursday when they play fourth-seeded Iowa State (21-11) in the Midwest Regional in a game that promises to be high-scoring.


The Gaels are led by senior point guard A.J. English, the only player in Division I who is averaging more than 20 points, five rebounds and five assists.


'He's a really good teammate. He looks to get his teammates first before he gets going,' fellow senior Isaiah Williams said. 'Sometimes, me, personally, I don't like that. I like to see him get going first. Our team follows behind him.'


English said the key to the Gaels winning their first NCAA tournament game - the school's 84-78 win over Holy Cross in 1980 was vacated by rules violations - is just continuing to play 'Iona basketball.'


And what exactly is that?


'Just up-and-down pace of game,' English said. 'What people might think of as bad shots are good shots for us.'


Allow his coach to explain.


'I have a little different coaching philosophy: If you can make the shot, take the shot. If you don't take the shot, I want you on my bench,' Tim Cluess said. 'It's not about as much as you missing, it's taking the right shot. If you're guarded, share the ball. If you're not guarded, shoot the ball.'


His players earn their range in practice. If they want the green light from farther out, they have to get into the gym more.


'I'm good with our guys getting the shots they put up,' Cluess said, 'because most of the time they get very good looks.'


The engineer of this high-octane offense is English, and Cyclones coach Steve Prohm knows that avoiding an upset starts with stopping the versatile 6-foot-4 guard who's averaging 22.4 points, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds.


'A.J. is great in transition. His range is terrific,' Prohm said. 'Two, three steps behind the 3, you have to get to him. You have to make him uncomfortable at all times. If you're off him a step or two, he's going to shoot it.


'Tim does a great job of giving them a lot of freedom, confidence, to take big shots, tough shots, to where those guys don't have to think.'


The Cyclones, who average 82 points a game, are more than happy to run with the Gaels.


After losing guard Naz Long to a hip injury, the Cyclones only go seven deep. But all seven average in double figures, led by senior forward Georges Niang, the school's first two-time All-American.


Other things to keep an eye on in this up-tempo showdown:


LUNG BURNS: The only thing that could slow down these teams is the thin air in the Mile High City.


'There's always concern when you put two teams that run in this altitude,' Cluess said.


English has been sick, but he's not sure that puts him at any disadvantage.


'Altitude affects everybody,' he said. 'I'm fine. I don't feel sick anymore.'

MORRIS' HEALTH: Cyclones point guard Monte Morris, the school's all-time leader in assist-to-turnover ratio, injured his right shoulder in the season finale against Kansas and was limited in Iowa State's loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 tournament.


'My health is at an all-time high right now,' Morris said Wednesday, noting that he took a lot of shots at practice and 'I'm back smiling.'


'With kids, it's a mind-set,' Prohm said. 'If his mind-set is that he's 100 percent, that's terrific. When he plays well, we're really, really good, we're really tough to beat.'


UPSET SPECIAL: Cluess also took Iona to the NCAA tournament in 2012 and `13, when his teams lost to BYU and Ohio State.


'When you're a mid-major, low-junior, playing the top teams in the country you have to have that special day to beat them,' Cluess said. 'They may be better than us 364 days of the year, we just have to be better than them one day, and we're hoping that day is tomorrow.'

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Bulldogs (22-6) at Bears (22-11)
Date: March 17, 2016 2:45 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) For Baylor, going to the NCAA Tournament is beginning to become the expectation.


Yale will be getting reacquainted with it for the first time in more than 50 years.


The West Region's fifth seed, the Bears (22-11) enter their first-round matchup with the 12th-seeded Bulldogs (22-6) Thursday battered, but unbowed by a brutal Big 12 schedule that included seven tournament teams.


Baylor is making its third straight appearance in the NCAA field - the first time in school history that's happened.


But there is also the still very raw wound of how it exited last year via a last-second 3-pointer by Georgia State's R.J. Hunter that literally knocked his father and coach out of his seat in one of 2015's most memorable tournament moments.


'Everything that we played for this season was fueled ... from that moment when we got bounced last year,' senior forward Rico Gathers said. 'Just being back in that moment once again, it just motivates us to not let that happen again.'


Seven of the nine players from Baylor's team are back, and it has one of the most balanced scoring attacks in the country with five players averaging at least nine points per game.


Baylor coach Scott Drew said he knows the returning players want to turn the page.


'They were motivated to have an opportunity to get back to the NCAA Tournament and have a different memory,' Drew said. 'It doesn't guarantee any success this year...but definitely I think it played a part in their motivation this year, and they've done a great job, our upperclassmen with leadership all year long, and that's why we're here.'


Yale is making its first appearance in the tournament since 1962, which is also the last time it went through the Ivy League with only one loss.


The run hasn't been without its distractions, though. Yale went 7-1 in its final eight regular season games without former team captain Jack Montague, who was expelled from the university last month stemming of a sexual assault allegation from 2014.


Bulldogs senior forward and Ivy League player of the year Justin Sears said he doesn't think the incident has been a distraction for the team.


'Not at all,' Sears said. 'Like I've said before basketball is a sanctuary. We go to one of the hardest academic schools in the country, and when we step on the court all the outside distractions are gone.


'This is the game we love to play. And when I step on the court, I'm not thinking about anything except putting the ball in the basket and helping my team win.'


OWNING THE BOARDS: Yale is relatively small in the front court, with the 6-foot-8 Sears as its tallest starter. But the Bulldogs haven't been pushed around on the glass, ranking second in the nation by outrebounding opponents by 11.1 rebounds per game. Baylor ranks 15th in the country in that category, with a 7.9 per game margin.


NEW YEAR: Along with the three consecutive tournament appearances, Baylor has gone 95-47 during Gathers and senior forward Taurean Prince's four years, averaging 24 wins per season. But Prince said even with all the success Baylor has had during their tenure, they aren't looking past anyone. 'I'm really not going to bank on what we've done in the past,' he said. 'This is basically our first appearance this year, even though what we've done in the past had nothing to do with what's going to happen tomorrow.


SING ALONG: Bulldogs leading scorer Brandon Sherrod sat out last season to spend a year singing with Yale's famed Whiffenpoofs, the world-renowned a cappella group. He returned this season to start all 28 games and is the team's leading scorer. He said it is an easy choice of whether he'd rather be singing in Carnegie Hall or playing in March.


'I think I'll go with playing in the NCAA Tournament,' Sherrod said. 'It's been a long time coming for the school and something I've dreamed about since I was a pre-freshman coming into Yale, watching Selection Sunday, and seeing guys be a part of media day here has always been a dream of mine. And it's nice to see those dreams coming true.'

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Pirates (21-10) at Cavaliers (26-7)
Date: March 17, 2016 3:10 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Virginia has been here before, traveling down to Tobacco Road to play its NCAA Tournament games as a No. 1 seed.


And there's something else awfully familiar about the Cavaliers' bracket - looming once again in a later round is Michigan State.


But they can't afford to worry about the Spartans yet. They insist their focus is on 16th-seeded Hampton in their first-round matchup Thursday in the Midwest Regional.


'We know not to overlook anybody, especially in the NCAA Tournament,' center Mike Tobey said Wednesday. 'This is the NCAA Tournament so anything can happen, so we're just focused on playing the game at hand.'


This marks the last chance at a national championship for Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Gill and the rest of the seniors who helped establish the program a perennial power in the ACC.


Virginia (26-7) earned a No. 1 seed for the second time in three years, winning two games in Raleigh as a top seed in 2014 before falling to Michigan State in Sweet 16. The Spartans also sent the Cavaliers home in the round of 32 last year.


If the seeds hold, Virginia and Michigan State - the No. 2 seed in the Midwest - will meet once again in the regional final next weekend in Chicago.


But the Cavaliers know that won't happen if they don't take care of Hampton first.


The Pirates are making their second straight tournament appearance, winning a play-in game last year before falling to then-unbeaten Kentucky as a No. 16 seed.


'We can't take any team lightly,' forward Anthony Gill said. 'That team is just as hungry as we are to try to win the national championship.'


While the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Pirates (21-10) haven't played Virginia since 2013, they're plenty familiar with the ACC power about a 2-hour drive away.


'Being Virginia, it has its good parts and its bad parts,' Hampton coach Edward Joyner Jr. said. 'You've got to deal with a great team, but at the same time, how great is this for the state?'


---


Some things to know about the Hampton-Virginia game:


STAT SHEET: Both teams hold their opponents to 42 percent shooting, with the Pirates allowing them to hit just 33 percent from 3-point range to 35 percent for Virginia's opponents. But while the Cavaliers rank second nationally in Ken Pomeroy's overall efficiency ratings, Hampton is at No. 220 - third-worst among NCAA Tournament teams.


HISTORY FOR HAMPTON? The Pirates are 1-14 against ACC schools and are winless in seven tries against their instate opponent while Virginia is 25-0 against MEAC teams. And while no No. 16 seed has ever beaten a No. 1, Hampton does have one of the biggest tournament upsets to its credit - it knocked off second-seeded Iowa State as a No. 15 seed 15 years ago. 'I feel like this year, anybody can be upset, honestly,' Hampton forward Quinton Chievous said.


KEEP AN EYE ON ...: Teams that pull huge upsets usually have a player who emerges from anonymity to put up big numbers. The top candidate for Hampton might be Reginald Johnson Jr., a senior transfer from Miami of Ohio who has scored in double figures in 13 straight games and averages a team-best 18.3 points despite taking over at point guard this season. He had 15 points in a play-in game victory last year against Manhattan.


REUNITED: A pair of former teammates at Tennessee find themselves on opposite sides of this one, with Chievous - the son of former Missouri and NBA player Derrick Chievous - at Hampton and Darius Thompson at Virginia. Both left UT after the 2013-14 season, with Thompson hitting the shot of the year for the Cavaliers - a banked-in 3-pointer at the horn that capped a frantic last-minute rally and beat Wake Forest. Said Chievous: 'Darius was like my brother.'


DOWN TO THE WIRE: The ACC's unbalanced schedule meant Virginia played only two games in the state of North Carolina this season. Both were decided by buzzer-beaters: In addition to Thompson's prayer to beat Wake Forest, the Cavaliers lost at Duke on Grayson Allen's extra-step jumper in the lane.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Governors (18-17) at Jayhawks (30-4)
Date: March 17, 2016 4:00 PM EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Kansas might never have a better shot at its second national title under coach Bill Self than this year.


The Jayhawks (30-4) won the Big 12 Conference's regular season and tournament titles and were the best team in arguably the best league in America. They open NCAA Tournament play Thursday against Austin Peay (18-17) as the No. 1 seed in the South Region.


But after second-round losses in its last two tournaments as a No. 2 seed, Kansas is more focused on the first weekend than the Final Four.


'It motivates us a lot,' said senior Perry Ellis. 'We've experienced what it feels like to lose and we just don't want that. I feel like we're a really focused team and we're ready to get after it.'


The Jayhawks last reached the Final Four in 2012, losing to Anthony Davis and Kentucky in the title game.


Unlike the past two years, when Kansas had youngsters like Kelly Oubre and Andrew Wiggins, this season's roster is full of experienced players who have proven themselves over the past four months.


The Jayhawks start four upperclassmen, led by Ellis. He was a first-team All-Big 12 pick after averaging 16.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, and he scored 58 points in three games as the Jayhawks rolled to the conference tournament title.


Juniors Frank Mason III and Wayne Selden were among the best guards in the Big 12 this winter, and Devonte Graham came into his own as a sophomore.


'It's great to have older guys. They know what to expect from coach (Self) and from each other,' Mason said. 'We've been through a lot of different scenarios.'


Kansas is on a 14-game winning streak, but it did have its ups and downs, at one point losing three straight league road games by double digits. But Self said an overtime home win in late January over Kentucky help snap Kansas out of its funk.


'They played at a high level that night, and I think it probably did give us confidence knowing that we could play one of the nation's best on a night when they were still pretty good and have a victory,' Self said.


Austin Peay was 12-17 as recently as mid-February before a stunning run through the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.


Austin Peay needed a loss by Eastern Kentucky on the last day of the season to even make its league tournament, where it became the first No. 8 seed to reach the final. It then hit a school-record 16 3s to beat UT-Martin to clinch its first NCAA bid in eight years.


Still, it's hard to imagine the Governors becoming the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1.


They've got some pop on offense with senior Chris Horton (18.9 points, 12 rebounds per game) and sophomore Josh Robinson (16.7 ppg), but the Governors are among the worst defensive teams in the country.


That could be a problem against the Jayhawks, which average 81.6 points per game.


'The right mentality is, first of all, make sure you soak this up and you enjoy this,' said coach Dave Loos, who has led Austin Peay for 26 years. 'I want them to go for it. We've really got nothing to lose.'

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Trojans (29-4) at Boilermakers (26-8)
Date: March 17, 2016 4:30 PM EDT

DENVER (AP) The splint on his right hand should've been the first clue.


There's a new limb of the Bob Knight coaching tree in this year's NCAA Tournament.


The man with the freshly broken hand is Chris Beard. He was an assistant to Knight for eight years. This season, he's a first-year coach at Little Rock, where he immediately imposed his will on the program, engineered a 16-win improvement and led the Trojans (29-4) to the tournament for the first time since 2011. They face fifth-seeded Purdue on Thursday.


Meanwhile, back in a locker room in New Orleans, there's a dry erase board that will never be the same. Little Rock was no sure thing to make March Madness despite its 28 victories heading into Sunday's final of the Sun Belt Conference tournament. In that game, the Trojans trailed by five at halftime.


'I made a bad decision in the locker room trying to get the guys a little fired up,' Beard explained. 'There was a chair there. I thought briefly about maybe using the chair, but Coach Knight told me never to do that, never use a chair in any situation.'


Or, as the old saying goes - do as I say, not as I do.


So, after losing to the grease board but pulling out the game, Beard takes the next step on a long journey that has led through junior college, Division II, the D-League and more assistant-coaching stints than he cares to mention, including the one with Knight at Texas Tech.


'I wake up every day with an edge,' Beard said. 'Guys like me get one chance. I wasn't a great player. I don't have a famous grandfather. I get up every day, surround myself with winners. Every day I feel like I'm an underdog. Our players are the same thing.'


Beard looked at Little Rock - a big city in a state that loves basketball - and decided that was the place he'd take his one chance. So far, he's built structure and accountability into a program that had lost its bearings. The rewards followed quickly. Beard says his mentor, Knight, is no small part of this success.


'I learned a lot from coach,' Beard said. 'I'm proud to be associated with him and proud to be taking a team to the NCAA tournament that I believe plays the right way.'


Things to watch when Little Rock plays Purdue:


BIG MEN, SLOW PACE: With 7-footer A.J. Hammons starting and 7-2 Isaac Haas coming off the bench, Purdue is one of the tallest teams in the country. How that will work against Little Rock, which plays at a deliberate pace and boasts the nation's second-best defense (59.6 points per game), will decide this game. One key for Purdue will be limiting turnovers. The Boilermakers had double-digit turnovers in five of six games before the Big Ten final against Michigan State. 'If you don't take care of the basketball, you take poor shots, it's hard in transition with size,' Purdue coach Matt Painter said.


HAMMONS MOTOR: Painter was successful in keeping Hammons at Purdue for his senior year. A bigger challenge has been getting the best every game out of the senior, who averages nearly 15 points and 2.5 blocks per game. Hammons said he heard the criticism and responded, with some prodding from his teammates. 'It's just something I had to keep picking up every year,' he said.


BIG TEN DISSED: Painter thought top teams from the Big Ten got pushed down one seeding line when the brackets came out Sunday. 'Michigan State not being a 1 seed, that makes no sense to me. Indiana being a 5 seed, that makes no sense to me,' the coach said. His own team's seeding? Not quite as unjust, he said, and pretty much beside the point by now. 'You can move down to the 4 line, and not get a better matchup than staying at the five,' he said.


THE FIRST BIG WIN: Beard said he had a feeling things could go well only four games into the season, when the Trojans went to San Diego State and came out with a 49-43 victory. Little Rock's other big nonconference victories came at Tulsa and DePaul. 'I vividly remember that San Diego State locker room, with the look in our guys' eyes - this process works,' Beard said. 'That celebration, I didn't have to punch a chalkboard, so it was even a better deal on that one.'


BIG-TIME BENCH: There's no single go-to guy for the Trojans, and only two players, Josh Hagins (12.8) and Marcus Johnson Jr. (12.7), average in double figures. But Little Rock's bench has matched or outscored the other team's reserves in all but four games this season.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Bulls (20-14) at Hurricanes (25-7)
Date: March 17, 2016 6:50 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Whatever happens this week, the one thing Miami is vowing not to do is take being back in this year's NCAA Tournament for granted.


The South Region's third seed, the Hurricanes (25-7) return to the tournament for the first time since 2013, and are coming off a humbling trip to the NIT after late-season losses evaporated their NCAA hopes.


It makes their first-round matchup with 14th seed Buffalo (20-14) a chance to show how much they've grown since then.


'I think it's a great feeling for me and my teammates,' senior center Tonye Jekiri said. 'I mean, being here my freshman year, it was really exciting, being around with the great seniors we had. And these tournaments are so amazing, and being with these guys and me being a senior and enjoying this moment together, it's a blessing to us.'


The Bulls, fresh off their second straight Mid-American Conference title, come in equally motivated after surviving a string off the court adversity this season.


It started in October when coach Nate Oats' wife, Crystal Oats, was diagnosed with cancer. Assistant coach Jim Whitesell's brother passed away in December, and freshman forward Nikola Rakicevic's mother died last month.


It's made making their second consecutive tournament appearance count a priority in a game Oats acknowledged they are a heavy underdog.


'We're definitely underdogs,' he said. 'If you come into a game like this tight, that doesn't help anything. Kind of playing with house money right now.


'We're going to give it our best effort. If we hit some shots like we did in the MAC tournament, we're going to have a shot at it.'


Here are some more things to watch in Thursday's matchup between Buffalo and Miami


PLAYING FAST: Buffalo has played some of its best basketball this season in fast-paced, up-and-down games. The Bulls have also utilized the 3-pointer well, connecting on 35 in their three MAC tournament games. Oats said his team likely could not win a slowdown game, and he wants his team to continue to play loose offensively.


'We want to play up-tempo,' junior swingman Blake Hamilton said. 'We want to create turnovers. We want to play at a fast pace. We feel like we're better when we're in transition, and if it's an up-tempo game, I really like our chances.'


MR. MOTIVATION: Miami coach Jim Larranaga has a reputation of utilizing different methods to motivate his teams. After its selection was announced for this year's tournament he called on friend and sports psychologist Bob Rotella to speak with them.


Larranaga also had Rotella speak to his 2006 George Mason prior to it making a Cinderella run to the Final Four.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Moccasins (29-5) at Hoosiers (25-7)
Date: March 17, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Indiana's 15 wins in Big Ten play for the conference regular-season title didn't bring much of a reward.


The Hoosiers had to face a determined Michigan team in their first Big Ten tournament game, losing on a last-second 3-pointer. They learned two days later their seed for the NCAA Tournament was a No. 5, in the same part of the East Region bracket with No. 1 seed North Carolina and No. 4 seed Kentucky.


Only six of Indiana's conference victories came against fellow NCAA Tournament qualifiers, but the seeds of this surprisingly low seed were sewn the week of Thanksgiving in the Maui Invitational when the Hoosiers (25-7) lost to Wake Forest and UNLV. That's also when the backbone of the Big Ten champions began to form.


'We've always been together. I think those moments that happened in Maui and things brought us closer,' forward Troy Williams said. 'Since the summer we first came together, we always rallied with each other.'


Intrinsic motivation was the key to the rebound.


'Since then I feel like we're basically a player-driven program,' point guard Yogi Ferrell said. 'We hold guys accountable. We're out on the court critiquing each other, complimenting each other, and that's when we're at our best when we are listening to our teammates.'


Indiana is pitted against No. 12 seed Chattanooga in a first-round game in Des Moines on Thursday. By Monday, the day after the pairings were revealed, the Hoosiers were already peppering coach Tom Crean and his staff with questions in the film room. That's the kind of self-propelled leadership Ferrell was referring to.


'This is a team that has never jumped out ahead and started looking down the road, and this was a great example of it again the other day,' Crean said, referring to the looming matchup with Kentucky. 'They've totally stayed immersed in what their next opponent was, and they have stayed immersed in getting better.'


The Mocs (29-5) are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 and haven't won a game in it since 1997. They've won as many games as any team in the field except No. 1 overall seed Kansas, though, behind a deep rotation and a rangy, athletic group of players including the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in forward Justin Tuoyo that puts on a formidable full-court press.


The Mocs lost Southern Conference Preseason Player of the Year Casey Jones to an ankle injury in December and still set a school record for victories.


'Pressing is what's gotten us to this point, but we're going to do whatever we have to do in the game to be successful,' first-year coach Matt McCall said, wary of Ferrell's skills and experience. 'We're not bound to it. We're not doing it just because we're set in our ways.'


The last time the Big Ten's outright regular-season champion was slotted this low for the NCAA Tournament was 2004 with No. 5 seed Illinois. The only other time in that 12-year span that a conference regular-season title didn't yield a No. 1 or a No. 2 seed for the Big Ten 2008 when Wisconsin drew a No. 3.


What's worse was the Hoosiers were stuck with that dreaded No. 5 seed, which has been among the most infamously vulnerable of the top draws. Since the tournament expanded to the 64-team field in 1985, the No. 12 seed has won 44 of 124 games, a frightening 35.5 percent for a favorite like the Hoosiers. The average margin of victory in the 5-12 games is a mere 4.1 points.


Chattanooga coach Matt McCall can relate. He was an assistant on Florida's team in 2004 that lost to Manhattan in a 5-12 first-round matchup.


'I think there is just terrific parity in college basketball, top to bottom,' McCall said. 'No matter what the seedings are.'


That's the typical theme for this time of year.


'If we don't play an outstanding game there is no next game for us,' Crean said, 'and it's not just because it's one and done. It's not just because it's March madness. It's because Chattanooga is really good.'

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Eagles (21-13) at Tar Heels (28-6)
Date: March 17, 2016 7:20 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina coach Roy Williams spent most of two seasons pushing - even begging - his team to play with more defensive intensity before the Tar Heels finally provided it in an impressive conference-title run.


The trick now is getting the East Region's No. 1 seed to maintain that intensity in the NCAA Tournament, starting with Thursday's first-round matchup with Florida Gulf Coast.


'We've always had a chance and we've always had the talent since I've been here but we're really starting to put it together and become a complete team,' senior Marcus Paige said Wednesday. 'This year, especially in the past couple of weeks, we don't have to talk about `Well, if we had just defended better' because we are starting to defend at a really high level.'


The Tar Heels (28-6) won their first Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title since 2008 thanks to their stepped-up play on defense. They chased passes on the perimeter. They contested shots. They worked hard to stay in front of ballhandlers.


Most impressively, they locked down on two teams - Notre Dame and eventual No. 1 NCAA seed Virginia - ranked in the top 10 of KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency ratings. UNC held its three opponents in the ACC Tournament to 37.1 percent shooting.


Now the Tar Heels are starting their push for the Final Four against the 16-seed Eagles (21-13) knowing they have to sustain that level of play.


'We wanted to win it so bad that we were willing to do anything,' sophomore Justin Jackson said. 'That has to be every single game that we play.'


Florida Gulf Coast, the Atlantic Sun champion, is coming off an impressive 31-point romp against Fairleigh Dickinson in Tuesday's First Four in Dayton, Ohio. Coach Joe Dooley said players had 25 minutes to pack when they got back to their hotel after the game, then flew out of Ohio and will take on UNC roughly 30 minutes from its Chapel Hill campus.


Dooley said his Eagles are 'pretty loose' in trying to become the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1, which would trump that 'Dunk City' run to the Sweet 16 as a 15-seed in 2013.


'When you get into games with the elite programs like Carolina, the athleticism, the level of quickness, the height - you're not used to seeing 6-8 wings,' Dooley said. 'That's a 4 or a 5 in our league. Now all of a sudden he's out on the perimeter. ... There's not a way to prepare for it because you haven't seen it before.'


---


Some things to know about the Florida Gulf Coast-North Carolina matchup:


HOME COMFORT: The Tar Heels should be right at home in a building they play in every year against rival North Carolina State. The Tar Heels are 13-2 in PNC Arena under Williams, including a pair of NCAA wins in 2008 on the way to the Final Four.


BERRY'S ROLL: UNC sophomore Joel Berry II was sharp at the ACC Tournament to earn MVP honors, making 17 of 24 shots (71 percent) and 7 of 10 3-pointers while averaging 17 points in the three games.


SLOWING JOHNSON: The Eagles will have their hands full trying to slow Brice Johnson, who led the ACC with 20 double-doubles. The 6-foot-10 senior is averaging 16.6 points and 10.6 rebounds while shooting 61.4 percent and qualifying to have his jersey honored (not retired) in the Smith Center rafters.


REBOUNDING: Florida Gulf Coast has been dominant on the glass in its recent run. The Eagles outrebounded their three Atlantic Sun Tournament opponents by an average of nearly 15 per game, then finished with a 52-33 rebounding advantage on Fairleigh Dickinson. 'I actually tell the guards to come down low because we know we'll have our hands full with the bigs down there,' said junior forward Marc-Eddy Norelia, the team's top rebounder (9.2).


PAIGE'S SHOT: Paige has been wrestling with his shot for months, though he showed signs of shaking free of those struggles last week. He's had success in this building, scoring a career-high 35 points two years ago and 23 points last season.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Bulldogs (25-9) at Utes (26-8)
Date: March 17, 2016 7:27 PM EDT

DENVER (AP) The snowcapped Rockies aren't the only mountains in Colorado this week.


Some of the biggest big men in college basketball are gathered in Denver for the NCAA's Midwest Regional at the Pepsi Center.


Gonzaga's Domantas Sabonis, Purdue's A.J. Hammons and his backup, Isaac Haas are here. So is Utah sophomore Jakob Poeltl, the one with potentially the highest ceiling.


The Pac-12 player of the year who averages 17.6 points and 9.1 rebounds and is viewed as a surefire NBA lottery pick this summer.


Poeltl insisted Wednesday that he hadn't noticed all the big men around him because his head is down. He said he's focused squarely on Fresno State, Utah's opponent Thursday when the Utes (26-8) return to the NCAA Tournament after reaching the Sweet 16 a year ago.


'To be honest, I haven't even noticed that,' said Poeltl, a 7-footer from Vienna, Austria. 'I guess there are a number of talented big men on this side of the bracket. But right now we are worried about Fresno State. If it ever comes to a matchup against one of those, I'll be happy to take the challenge.'


And while he may sky over the 14th-seeded Bulldogs, he won't overlook them.


Poeltl said he expects plenty of double teams Thursday just like he's seen from so many opponents that don't have a big man who can match up with him.


'We're going to defend him by committee,' confirmed Fresno State coach Rodney Terry, who hopes to 'do a great job on his supporting cast.'


Bulldogs guard Julien Lewis thinks the best solution is to run him ragged.


'I think we should just run. Just run, get out in transition to make them keep pace with the fast pace of play we play,' Lewis offered.


Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak had to go old school in teaching a traditional center when he landed Poeltl from Austria.


'You know, it's a lost art. There are fewer and fewer throwback centers,' Krystkowiak said. 'With that, we're losing some of the skill. We're throwing the ball into the post. Just the simple skill of feeding the post. A lot of kids grow up and they've never had to throw it to anybody in the post: `What do you mean throw it to the big guy?''


Poeltl's improvement from a year ago is probably most evident at the foul line, where he's improved from 44 percent to 66 percent.


'It's been huge,' Krystkowiak said. 'I know I feel good about it, but I think Jakob feels good about it.


'A lot of his post moves a year ago were fast, off-balance. I think he's always been such an agile big guy, regardless who has been behind him, he's always tried to out-quick them. I think subconsciously could be because he wasn't a very good free-throw shooter.'


Now, he's slowed down, gotten stronger and is a bigger threat in the post and at the line, where he has confidence he can knock down his shots.


'We shot a ton of free throws today in practice,' Krystkowiak said. 'These games will come down to some little things. As silly as it sounds, the free throw is going to be a big part of it. It's comforting to know he can make three out of four.'


Other things to keep an eye on Thursday:


MIRROR IMAGE: The Utes are comparing the Bulldogs to the Oregon Ducks, who walloped them 88-57 in the Pac-12 tournament title game.


'They have a lot of athletes. They have a lot of good players,' senior guard Brandon Taylor said. 'They try to run you. They try to speed you up, a lot like Oregon's pace.'


Fresno State hung tough with the Ducks back in November, losing at Oregon 78-73.


TEAM EFFORT: The Bulldogs feature the Mountain West's player of the year in senior guard Marvelle Harris, who averaged 20.6 points and is the leading scorer in Fresno State history.


'We have to guard him as a team,' Poeltl said.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Shockers (25-8) at Wildcats (25-8)
Date: March 17, 2016 9:20 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) No rest for the weary. Wichita State wouldn't want it any other way.


Less than three hours after a convincing 70-50 victory over Vanderbilt in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio, the Shockers (25-8) landed in New England around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, grabbed about six hours of sleep, then turned their attention to their next foe in the NCAA Tournament, sixth-seeded Arizona (25-8) in a first-round South Regional game on Thursday night.


'I mean, this time of year I could stay up all day. It doesn't matter,' senior guard Fred VanVleet said Wednesday. 'I mean, we could have walked to Providence, for all I care. We're ready to play. We could have played this morning. Not that we would have been very good, but I think our energy would have been up.'


Entering tournament play, Wichita State had the nation's top adjusted efficiency defense, and it showed against Vandy, whose trio of 7-footers sputtered against the Shockers. VanVleet and backcourt mate Ron Baker combined for a triple double - 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists - as Wichita State pulled away in the second half and held Vandy to its lowest point total of the season.


The Wildcats watched it unfold on television, then held a meeting.


'When you have two senior guards who embody those types of qualities as defenders, it makes life tough for their opponent,' Arizona coach Sean Miller said. 'We're in for one heck of a battle. I don't really care the seed, what we are, what they are. You come to this tournament expecting to play against some terrific teams, and we know Wichita State is that. And Fred, I think, is the heart and soul of their team because of how he has the ability to make the game easier for his teammates.'


Call this matchup a contrast in style. The Shockers thrive on defense and the Wildcats are averaging 81.2 points a game. The last team to score more than 70 in regulation against Wichita State was Iowa (84) in late November.


'It's going to be a tough challenge for us, I think,' said Ryan Anderson, Arizona's leading scorer (15.5). 'When guards are that good, you can't guard them just with one player. We have to play good team defense tomorrow, and they're a good rebounding team, as well. We've got to keep them off the glass. I think those are the two keys.'


During its dominance of the Pac-12 that brought three regular-season championships, the Wildcats under Miller have fallen short of the Final Four. This is the last go-round for senior starters Anderson, Gabe York, and Kaleb Tarczewski.


'It's a game of experience for sure, and hopefully our seniors are ready to play and lead,' Miller said. 'Because like I said, I think we expect an incredibly tough game.'


Other things to know when 11th-seeded Wichita State plays No. 6 Arizona in a first-round game in the South Regional:


DEFENSE RULES: Last year's Sweet 16 team was the first Wichita State squad in 65 years to allow fewer than 60 points per game (57.4, eighth nationally). Despite NCAA rules changes that have increased offense this year, the Shockers are allowing just 59 points to lead the nation and rank fifth in field goal percentage defense (38.2) and second in turnover margin (plus-5.5).


FAMILIAR FOES: Arizona's Tarczewski knows all about Wichita State's dynamic duo. He played with both Baker and VanVleet at the Pan-American games and roomed with VanVleet.


'Those two individuals are the ultimate competitors. They love to win,' Tarczewski said. 'Obviously, they've proven that with their time at Wichita. Seeing the game last night, we know they're a great team, really, really good on defense. Fred and Ron really run their team, so it's going to be a huge game tomorrow. They're a great team, and we really respect what they do.'


EVEN STEPHEN: Wichita State and Arizona have played twice before and each team won on its home court. The Wildcats won 73-61 in December 1951 and the Shockers 87-64 in December 1954.


GRIZZLED VETERANS: Arizona's Tarczewski (11) and Gabe York (nine) have combined to play in 20 NCAA Tournament games. The Wildcats' twosome entered this year's tournament tied with Wichita State's Baker and VanVleet (10 games each) as the most experienced duos in the postseason.


LONG ROAD 2: Arizona's 2,600-mile journey to Rhode Island ranks No. 1 in distance traveled by the school for an NCAA Tournament game.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Seawolves (26-6) at Wildcats (26-8)
Date: March 17, 2016 9:40 PM EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Kentucky coach John Calipari wasn't too happy when he found out his team was a No. 4 seed in the East Region.


If the Wildcats play up to their potential, it might not matter where the NCAA Tournament selection committee put them.


It was just two years ago that Kentucky, as an eighth seed, rolled all the way to the national title game before losing to Connecticut. The Wildcats (26-8, No. 10 AP) looked like a serious contender last weekend as well, beating Texas A&M in overtime 82-77 in the SEC Tournament title game.


Though Calipari said he's moved past his team's seeding, he couldn't help getting in one last dig in after watching Stony Brook rally from double digits to beat Vermont 80-74 last weekend from his hotel room in Nashville.


Kentucky opens its quest for a third straight Final Four against the Seawolves (26-6), in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, on Thursday.


'I said, `Whew. Hope we don't play them.' Did not know that my room was bugged by the NCAA. When they heard that, they said `That's who they're playing. We'll work the field around them,'' Calipari said.


This year's Wildcats have been fueled by two of the best guards in the country; freshman Jamal Murray and sophomore Tyler Ulis.


Murray has already set a school freshman record with 18 20-plus point games, a remarkable feat for a program known for its one-and-done stars.


But Ulis is the key for Kentucky.


Ullis has turned in a remarkable sophomore season, averaging 24 points a game against ranked opponents while winning SEC player of the year, defensive player of the year and tournament MVP honors.


Murray and Ulis's performances have even overshadowed a strong freshman season from Isaiah Briscoe, whose versatility has been huge for the Wildcats.


'I really don't feel pressure. I feel like it's something I have to do for this team - and leading is something I've done my whole life,' Ulis said.


What makes Thursday's matchup so intriguing is that there might not be two more disparate programs in all of college basketball.


Kentucky leads the nation with 120 NCAA Tournament wins. Stony Brook hasn't reached a tournament of any kind since losing to Rochester in the second round of the Division III East Regional 25 years ago.


But the Seawolves, winners of the America East, don't look or act like pushovers.


'The difference between rookies and veterans, when you get to a stage like this, you know when to turn it on,' guard Rayshaun McGrew said. 'We enjoyed the moment of making history at our school. But now we know it's business time.'


Forward Jameel Warney, a bruiser at 6-foot-8 and 260 pounds, is the biggest reason Stony Brook is so confident.


Warney averaged an astounding 30 points and 15 rebounds in his conference tournament, highlighted by a 43-point performance in the title game that included 18 made baskets on just 22 shots.


'He's going to take 40 shots,' said Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell. 'We've got other guys who can score too.'


Kentucky will likely use its frontcourt depth, led by Alex Poythress, Marcus Lee and freshman Skal Labissiere, in an effort to stop Warney. But the Seawolves also have an experienced backcourt led by senior Carson Puriefoy, who averages 15 points and three assists per game.


'The teams get better as you advance. But the first one is the hard one, especially when you guys like we do,' said Calipari, referencing a starting lineup yet again dominated by freshmen.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Friars (23-10) at Trojans (21-12)
Date: March 17, 2016 9:50 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Southern California is finally back in the NCAA Tournament. Providence wants to stick around for a change.


The eighth-seeded Trojans (21-12) play their first tournament game since 2011 on Thursday night when they face the ninth-seeded Friars (23-10) in the first round of the East Regional.


'This was our goal, ultimately, coming into the season,' guard Julian Jacobs said. 'A lot of other spectators thought that we were maybe a year away, but we knew we had the talent. It was just a matter of executing and winning games.'


Over the last 18 years, the Friars have had more coaches (four) than NCAA Tournament victories (zero), and they've gone one-and-done in each of the last two seasons.


'Being a young kid last year, it was an eye-opening experience for me,' sophomore Kyron Cartwright said. 'It's been on my mind since that day, that I wanted to be back in this position.'


Coach Andy Enfield followed 20-loss seasons in his first two years by winning 20 games, the program's first 20-win season since 2008-09. That's also the last time they won a tournament game; they lost their opener in 2011, and haven't been back until now.


'Honestly, it was miserable the first two years,' Jacobs said. 'I'd never been a part of a team that was the laughingstock of a conference like we were our first two years. But I think the coaching staff as a whole did a really good job of reiterating that it's not always going to be like this.'


Both teams endured stretches of six losses in eight games that knocked them out of the national rankings.


Providence fell from 8th in the country to a No. 9 seed, while Southern California had two one-week stints in the Top 25 before going cold in February.


Ben Bentil led the Big East with a 21.2-point scoring average while do-it-all conference player of the year Kris Dunn averages 16 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists from his spot at point guard.


'We've just got to feed off of them,' guard Junior Lomomba said of the Friars' supporting cast.


The Trojans take a more balanced approach, with six players averaging 9.8 or more points and seven scoring at least 19 in a game. They rank 20th in Division I at nearly 81 points per game.


'It's our system, it's our identity as far as sharing the basketball,' Enfield said. 'To do that, you have to defend. ... That's the reason we're able to get out and run against certain teams.'


---


Some things to know about the Providence-Southern California game:


DUNK CITY REUNION: Let's hope Enfield doesn't make a turn into the wrong locker room: The Southern Cal and Florida Gulf Coast locker rooms are right next to each other at PNC Arena. Enfield led Florida Gulf Coast to the Sweet 16 in 2013 before he was hired by Southern Cal. The 16th-seeded Eagles play top-seeded North Carolina earlier Thursday night.


CLARK'S IMPACT: Forward Darion Clark figures to be a major factor on the glass for Southern Cal. He missed seven games in February with a shoulder injury, and the Trojans went 2-5 in them while failing to outrebound any of those opponents. He had 10 rebounds in 20 total minutes in two games at the Pac-12 Tournament.


COMMON OPPONENT: The Friars and Trojans both beat Arizona once this season but combined to lose three times to Xavier - two by Providence in league play, once by Southern Cal in a Thanksgiving tournament in Orlando, Florida.

LONG TWO DECADES: Providence's last NCAA Tournament win came in 1997, when God Shammgod and Austin Croshere led the Friars to a regional final loss in overtime to eventual national champion Arizona. That started a streak of five straight tournament losses.

 

[CNOTES]

good luck all and hope this helps your capping......


Friday's games will be up later..........

 

[varkeyboy]

Nice read. Thanks for taking the time to post. Best of luck this NCAA Tourney & I hope all is well my BRADDAH C!

 

[indiana]

C/note..........BOL with all your action during the playoffs..............indy

 

[CNOTES]

Thanks Varkey and Indy.................good luck to both of you..........Thankyou)(&

 

[CNOTES]

NCAA BK PREVIEWS
Friday, Mar 18


Preview: Bulldogs (22-11) at Wildcats (29-5)
Date: March 18, 2016 12:40 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) Everything Villanova has accomplished this season, all the victories and the No. 1 ranking, and all the success coach Jay Wright's program has had in recent years, it all comes with a `Yeah, but ...'


The Wildcats haven't reached the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2009, when they went to the Final Four. Those early departures include three times Villanova lost its second NCAA game as either a one or two seed.


So now the Wildcats (29-5) are back, a No. 2 seed in the South Region facing 15th-seeded UNC Asheville on Friday. Regardless of whether it is fair, the next few days at Barclays Center in Brooklyn will define their season and their program - at least to those outside of the program.


'As soon as we lost to N.C. State last year, it became a big issue, even in the offseason,' Wright said Thursday. 'And when we started this season, it was the first thing everybody talked about. So we had to talk to the team about it and just say, `OK, this is just something we're going to have to deal with.''


Wright's message to his players has been to own those postseason failures but do not consider yourselves failures.


'So we spent a lot of time trying to teach our guys that this season does matter to you,' Wright said. 'And I'm really proud of how our guys handled it, to win a Big East regular season championship, win 29 games, with everyone still saying this doesn't matter.'


Villanova was No. 1 in the country for three weeks this season.


Ryan Arcidiacono has been through all the many ups and few downs, helping the Wildcats win 91 games over the last three seasons. The senior said there is no reason to treat this NCAA Tournament different from the previous ones.


'Just try to do the same thing we've been doing all year and try to just play harder than the other team, play more together, and try to outrebound them,' he said.


The Big South champion UNC Asheville (22-11) is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. The Bulldogs don't have a starter over 6-foot-5, but the Wildcats aren't particularly tall either.


'I think every team here is beatable, but we also know they're a great team,' Bulldogs guard Dwayne Sutton, one of two freshmen starters.


Seven No. 15 seeds have won first-round games since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.


'If we didn't have a good season, we wouldn't even be in the NCAA Tournament,' Wright said. 'So we wouldn't have a chance to get past the first weekend. So now we're finally at the point where we can do something about it. '


DEFENDING THE 3: Statistically, the Bulldogs defend the 3-point shot better than any team in the country. Opponents are shooting 28.4 percent from 3 against UNC Asheville and defending the arc was key in victories against Georgetown and Tennessee.


FEELING GOOD: A sprained right ankle kept 6-foot-11 center Daniel Ochefu out of the starting lineup for Villanova's last two games in the Big East tournament and he did not play more than 19 minutes in any of the Wildcats' three games. Wright gave him three days off and said Ochefu was 100 percent when the team practiced Thursday.


Ochefu averages 9.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.


EXPERIENCE: While none of UNC Asheville's players have been to the NCAA Tournament, coach Nick McDevitt was the associate coach four years ago when the Bulldogs led top-seeded Syracuse with six minutes remaining before falling 72-65.


'We talked about this week that one of the reasons we felt like we were in that game was because of the preparation leading up to the game,' McDevitt said. 'Our team wasn't ... just happy to be here. They wanted to win and felt like they could win.'


NEXT: The winner faces either No. 7 Iowa or No. 10 Temple.