ESPN Men's Basketball

Virginia Commonwealth’s pending move to the Atlantic 10 isn’t necessarily remarkable.

Today, realignment is expected. Transition rarely surprising.

But the rise of VCU’s athletic program -- one that’s inseparable from the Rams’ run to the 2011 Final Four -- in recent years has been dramatic.

Rams head coach Shaka Smart said he hopes the change will position VCU for more postseason success.

In 2011, VCU squeezed into the Big Dance. Last year, the Rams were the CAA’s lone representatives in the NCAA tournament after winning their league’s tournament.

Smart, however, said he anticipates fewer challenges in his pursuit for a bid once VCU joins the Atlantic 10.

“Definitely, I think that was one of the pros, major pros of the Atlantic 10. When you look at the at-large number over the past several seasons and you compare it to the CAA, it’s not even close … 7,8,9 times as many,” Smart said. “From that standpoint, it makes more sense. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to get an at-large. It’s still challenging. And there are a lot of good teams that are battling for that at-large bid.”

He calls the Atlantic 10 a “premier” conference but he said he won’t change his recruiting philosophy.

Smart tends to sign blue-collar players, such as the edgy, veteran athletes who anchored his program’s run to the Final Four last March. They’re typically tough and scrappy but rarely Top 50 as preps.

His program’s new home, however, might help VCU grab higher-caliber players who’d previously chosen to compete for bigger schools.

“I think we’ll still recruit the same type of guys. Maybe with the league affiliation we’ll get hurt a little bit less when we’re going up against the big boys in the BCS leagues,” Smart said. “Most of the guys we lose are to those leagues. … I don’t think the type of guys we recruit is really going to change. We recruit guys to try to beat the teams that we beat in the NCAA tournament.”

With VCU leading the way in recent years, the CAA maintained its post as a midmajor power but a series of recent maneuvers has jeopardized that position.

VCU will leave the league this summer. Old Dominion and Georgia State will depart in 2013.

Smart said rumblings about possible realignment commenced after the 2011-12 season. And although he’s cheered his former league, he said the chatter about CAA disruption contributed to his program’s decision to leave the conference.

“You just have to, in these situations, get the best feel you possibly can for the changing landscape of college sports and where it’s going,” he said. “There was definitely the possibility or maybe even the likelihood that there was going to be major movement within the CAA. And so the obvious question is ‘Are you going to be one of the schools that’s moving or one of the schools that still there when the movement occurs?’”

But’s it’s not all roses and rainbows for VCU.

Now, the Rams must fill the new holes in their 2012-13 schedule.

They intended to play George Washington and Richmond during the nonconference portion of their slate. But both schools are in the Atlantic 10 so they’ll face them in conference play.

The CAA plays 18 conference games and the Atlantic 10 employs a 16-game league schedule. That’s another two-game gap for the Rams. Overall, Smart said VCU has six matchups to secure.

“The biggest challenge is we have a ton of games to schedule now,” he said. “When this announcement came out, we had seven games to go get. That’s a challenge this time of year. A lot of teams are done [with scheduling].”

But the problems don’t outweigh the benefits, Smart said.

With a tougher conference schedule, VCU could avoid the end-of-year jitters that beset the program as Selection Sunday approached the last two years. And they’re leaving a conference sapped with instability and joining a league that recently regained its footing in the national realignment shift after losing Temple and Charlotte.

“We were in a very good league in the CAA. One thing about me, I’m not a grass is always greener on the other side guy,” Smart said. “But when the athletic director and his staff started researching and looking at pros and cons and just weighing the details, it became more and more clear that it was the right thing to do.”

Six weeks after his team finished a somewhat-surprising season with a march to the NCAA title game, Kansas coach Bill Self ducked out of Lawrence last weekend for a vacation with a couple of buddies.

Destination: Cabo San Lucas.

“It wasn’t awful,” Self said of his trip. “I promise you that.”

It was tough for staff members not to be jealous of Self when he returned to work at Allen Fieldhouse Monday, tanned, refreshed and relaxed.

Self is glad he snuck the trip in when he could. The Jayhawks hosted a recruit on Monday and Tuesday, Self’s basketball camps are slated for next month, and most of July will be spent on the road recruiting.

Kansas has won eight straight Big 12 titles and averaged a national-best 33 wins over the past six seasons. As difficult as it’s been to reach that level of excellence, Self knows maintaining it will be even tougher.

“We’ve set the bar pretty high around here,” he said.

Self spent some time Tuesday answering questions from ESPN.com.

What sort of feedback have you received since your march to the NCAA title game?

Bill Self: From recruits, the [response] has been positive. We probably won’t know as much from them until the November signing period, because that’s when we’ll hopefully capitalize on our run to the finals. I think the fans are excited around here. Everyone is disappointed we lost to [Kentucky] but, on the flip side, I think this is a team that really got a lot further than everyone probably anticipated we would have. So with that, everyone thinks it was a great campaign.

You’ve won eight straight Big 12 titles and have been to four Elite Eights and two Final Fours since arriving at Kansas. How confident are you that next season’s team can continue that trend of high-level success?

BS: They told me the other day that we’ve averaged 33 wins over the last six years. So the past teams have set the bar pretty high. I never thought this past year’s team would get to 32 [wins], to be honest -- especially with the way we started. I don’t see how in the world, playing in the Big 12, that next year’s team can get to that level. But players do rise up to the challenge around here. We lost two great players in Thomas [Robinson] and Tyshawn [Taylor]. We’re going to have to have some guys step up and some newcomers step up and be good for us. But I do like our guys. I think we’ll have a chance to be a pretty good team.

Since you mentioned newcomers, Ben McLemore, who redshirted last season, has received a lot of hype of the last 12 months. Is he as good as advertised?

BS: From an athletic standpoint, he’s about as impressive of a kid as we’ve had. He’s got great feet. He could be a good defender. There aren’t too many guys that can score that want to be told they could be a great defender. But he could be. He could be a terrific defender. We think he’s going to be really good. We think Jamari Traylor is going to be really good, too. But these guys don’t know what they’re doing. Even though they’ve been here for a semester practicing with us, it’s still going to be all brand new to them. But they both have a chance to impact this program in a big way, and I would anticipate it being next year.

As good of a season as he had last year, what can center Jeff Withey do to enhance his game even more?

BS: To me, Jeff is a guy that has probably improved about as much during the course of a season as anyone I’ve been around. He goes from being a guy who couldn’t get in the game two years ago to just barely getting in last year to now, he (owns) the all-time record in the NCAA tournament for blocked shots, and there have been some pretty good players in the NCAA tournament. Offensively, he’s got to get stronger. He’s got to get to where he’s the No. 1 option inside, whereas last year he played off of Thomas. I think he’s capable. I just think he’s got to get stronger.

Any early thoughts on the Big 12?

BS: Our league is always going to be good. Adding TCU and West Virginia offsets the loss to Texas A&M and Missouri. It gets us an opportunity to play another game in the [Dallas-Fort Worth] metroplex, and of course we get a personality coming into in the league in Huggs (Bob Huggins). Our league, basketball-wise, will not take a step backward. We’ll take a step sideways because it’s different personnel. But not a step backward. I think we’ll have a great shot to be one of the top three or four leagues in the country, as we have been, for the most part, year in and year out.

Would you like to see the Big 12 add a few more teams, or do you like it at 10?

BS: To be honest with you, I thought nine was the perfect number. Because that way you’re playing 16 league games and, in football, everybody plays eight game. But I understand the reasoning why you’d want to go to 10 or 12. Without question, I understand the reasoning. It gives you more of an appearance of stability and more of a safety net as conference realignment continues to develop. Hopefully the brakes have been put on that, at least for the short term. But I anticipate us expanding. We’ve even heard rumors here recently about a school from the ACC (Florida State) potentially looking to come our way. I think you’ll have more and more of that talk. Because the Big 12, at least from an appearance standpoint, is on the best footing it’s been on in a long time.

The NBA draft is less than two months away. Everyone knows Thomas Robinson will likely be a top five pick, but what about Tyshawn Taylor?

BS: We’ve been in a situation like a lot of schools have, where NBA scouts get a chance to see your guys in practice and in multiple games. There’s no telling how many (NBA) teams watched our last eight or nine games. You come away impressed [with Taylor], but once you see him in person, and in an individual workout, you’ll be even more impressed. He’s a good workout-guy. He’s good technique-wise, he’s got great fundamentals, he’ll show that he can shoot it, because he can. He just didn’t shoot it well in the tournament, but he shot it well for us, for the most part, all season long. He’s definitely a first-round talent. Whether he’s able to get in there ... that remains to be seen because of what certain teams may be looking for. But I’ve had some good players, and he’s definitely a first-round talent.

With the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class set to arrive on campus later this month, most of the offseason buzz about UCLA has centered on the program’s newest players.

But a few of the old ones aren’t bad, either.

Josh Smith -- if he gets his weight and his work ethic in check -- has the potential to be one of the nation’s top centers. Point guard Larry Drew, a North Carolina transfer, practiced with the Bruins all last season and is poised to step into a starting role. And David Wear is back after averaging 10.2 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds in 2011-12.

No returning player, though, was as good on the offensive end last season as Travis Wear, David’s twin brother. Travis Wear averaged 11.5 points and 5.9 rebounds as a sophomore. He also blocked 1.2 shots per game.

Thursday ,he took time to speak with ESPN.com about why he thinks last season’s struggles -- the Bruins went 19-14 and missed the NCAA tournament -- are a thing of the past.

What’s the vibe around campus right now?

Travis Wear: Everyone is really excited. We have a really good class coming in. We’re putting ourselves in really good shape to be a great team next year. Everyone around here is really excited about Pauley (Pavilion) opening back up again so we can have our fan base on campus supporting us again. With the hype around this season, it makes it that much better.

How tough was it to have to play away from campus last season while Pauley went through renovations?

TW: It was definitely difficult having to play off-campus in downtown L.A. It was tough to get fan support. We didn’t have a great season, so that didn’t help, either. We’re definitely looking forward to playing on campus around our students and being in a home atmosphere.

As a current team member, how exciting was it to watch all of these high-profile commitments roll in during the past year?

TW: It was really neat to see all these building blocks being added onto our team and to think about all the depth we’re going to have, all the versatility and all the great players. Our practices should be just as competitive as the games we’re going to play in next year. Everything is coming into place. People are really excited.

How would you find out when certain guys committed, guys like Shabazz Muhammad and Tony Parker?

TW: We knew the dates each one of them were supposed to announce. Most of the time I was off campus, so I’d just keeping checking Twitter.

You mentioned that you struggled at times last season. How convinced are you that those issues are a thing of the past?

TW: We had a big team meeting. We’ve changed up a lot of things around here. This group is tighter right now than it’s ever been, as far as on the court and off the court. Everyone is really handling their business. It feels great. Even when the coaches aren’t there, everyone is always in the gym working out. It feels really good.

What, specifically, has changed?

TW: It’s just mainly our attitude. With the class we have coming in, it’s obvious we have a chance to be really good. Everyone is really embracing that. We’re not just going to go off the hype of, ‘Oh, they have good players, so they’re going to be great.’ Everyone is here, working as hard we can to get to that level instead of just listening to the hype.

What effect did last season’s Sports Illustrated article have on UCLA’s program?

TW: Not much. During the season, it was some adversity that we had to face. We came together a little bit after that. But it didn’t much of an impact as far as motivating us. It might have motivated us a little, but honestly, it didn’t change much.

Everyone knows that center Josh Smith has the talent to be a special player, but he’s underachieved during his first two seasons. What have you seen from him during the offseason that leads you to believe his junior year will be his best?

TW: Josh has been working out every day. He hasn’t missed any workouts. He’s grinding every day with us. It’s nice just to see how hard he’s been working. He has an opportunity to be great. To see him embracing that now is awesome.

Why do you think he’s just now embracing it?

TW: Sometimes, for certain guys, the light just clicks. I guess the light just went on.

What has coach Ben Howland’s demeanor been like?

TW: He’s really excited. He’s very energetic. All of the coaching staff, for that matter, has been great. They go through the workouts with us and they hit us. They’re super-excited. You can just feel the energy from them.

The frontcourt will obviously be crowded with you and your brother and Josh -- plus the new guys coming in such as Tony Parker. How much do you like having that competition?

TW: That’s how you get better. You come and out compete every day for minutes. That’s what makes teams great, being able to compete in practice. Then in the games you execute what you’ve been practicing all along. With Josh and my brother and Tony Parker and (Anthony) Stover ... we’ll have some battles. It should be fun.

You and Larry Drew both started your careers at North Carolina before transferring to UCLA. What about him gives you confidence that he can impact this team as a point guard?

TW: Larry is one of the quickest players I’ve every played with or seen play. His ability to get into the lane and make good decisions is really going to help. It’s really going to help the guys who can step out and shoot, because he’s really good at penetrating, drawing the defense and then kicking it out to the open man. In transition, he’s a great passer. He’s very good at creating for others.

Any thoughts on the Pac-12?

TW: I’m really excited for our conference. Arizona is going to be good. Even USC ... they had so many guys who sat out last year that were transfers or guys that got hurt. I think they’ll have a really good team. The Bay Area schools like Stanford ... they’re returning a lot of guys. Cal is always good. Washington is always good. Our league is going to be very competitive next year, and this new TV contract is going to make it even more exciting. It’s all coming together. Everyone can feel it.

What summer plans do you have besides working out and hanging around the gym?

TW: Not many. I want to spend as much time as I can around the new guys to help them adapt and get used to college life. I want to work out with them and get comfortable with their games. I’ll probably go to the beach a lot, too. That’s definitely something I like to do.

OMAHA, Neb. -- Multiple times Sunday -- including a few occasions in the second half when his team trailed Purdue by double digits -- Bill Self sat in the middle of the Kansas huddle and repeated the same phrase.

“We can win this game!” Self said he told his players. “We can win this game!”

There was only one problem.

“Deep down,” Self admitted later, “I’m not sure I was believing it.”

Any doubts Self might have had were understandable. Fair or not, the coach with an NCAA title on his resume is equally defined by the March meltdowns that have soured otherwise great seasons throughout his Kansas career.

First it was Bucknell and Bradley. Then came Northern Iowa and VCU. On Sunday it looked as if disaster was going to strike again when the sixth-place team from the Big Ten almost pestered the Jayhawks into another epic choke job.

Almost.

This time, instead of wilting down the stretch, Kansas mustered up the inner toughness that’s helped it win eight consecutive Big 12 titles and flourished when it mattered most.

Elijah Johnson and Tyshawn Taylor combined for three breakaway layups in the game’s final minute, turning a 60-57 deficit into a 63-60 victory over Purdue, the No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region.

“If you’re going to be scared, you might as well not be on the floor,” Johnson said. “We practice for those moments. You can’t run from them.”

No. 2 seed Kansas, which trailed for virtually the entire game, advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season. Self’s squad will play No. 11 seed North Carolina State on Friday in St. Louis, with the winner getting either North Carolina or Ohio on Sunday for a trip to the Final Four.

Players such as Johnson and Taylor, though, were hardly looking that far ahead as they danced in the middle of the CenturyLink Center court Sunday. Unlike so many KU teams before them, the Jayhawks never appeared spooked or rattled during a game in which they shot a season-low 33.9 percent.

“That’s unheard of,” Self said. “That was probably more stressful for our guys than the Purdue guys. When you don’t have that momentum and energy, it takes toughness.

“I’m proud of our guys, because a testimony to a team’s toughness is to figure out a way to win when things aren’t going well. How we won is who we are.”

The Jayhawks won by outrebounding Purdue 44-36, including a season-high 21 offensive boards. They won by tightening their defense on Boilermakers star Robbie Hummel, who had 22 points in the first half but only four in the second after KU switched to a triangle-and-two. And they won because a few key players -- mainly Johnson -- welcomed the opportunity to be a hero instead of shying away from it.

“Elijah,” Self said, “has been our best player the last two weeks.”

Kansas trailed 60-57 after Purdue’s Terone Johnson scored on a pull-up jumper with 2:02 remaining. Nearly a minute later, Elijah Johnson grabbed the long rebound on a missed 3-pointer by D.J. Byrd, dribbled up the court and fired an alley-oop pass to a streaking Taylor, who caught the ball above the rim and dunked it.

It was a risky play by Johnson in such a close game, but it didn’t matter. With 59.9 seconds left, Kansas trailed 60-59.

“I was throwing that lob whether I threw it over the backboard or not,” said Johnson, who scored a team-high 18 points. “If I was down there, I would’ve been mad at Ty if he didn’t throw it to me. That’s our game. That’s how we play with each other every day. Why not throw it?”

Johnson was big again moments later, when he came up with a steal after playing menacing defense on Purdue point guard Lewis Jackson, who had committed just one turnover all game. Johnson secured the ball and raced up the court for an uncontested layup that put Kansas up 61-60.

Purdue’s best chance to win came on its ensuing possession, when Hummel came off a screen and went up for a 3-pointer on the right wing. Robinson raced over at the last second to defend the shot, which Hummel took off-balance.

“They set a screen,” Robinson said. “I jumped at him and prayed that he missed.”

The shot was indeed off. Robinson snared the rebound and passed up the court to Taylor, who made it 63-60 with an uncontested layup with 2.5 seconds remaining.

Taylor probably made a mistake by scoring instead of trying to run out the clock, because it gave Purdue one last shot at a game-tying 3-pointer. The Boilermakers got a decent look considering the circumstances, but Ryne Smith’s heave from the right wing hit the backboard and clanged off the front of the rim.

“When the buzzer went off and we saw the red on the backboard, it was a huge relief,” guard Travis Releford said. “We gave it our all in the second half. We had to earn that one.”

Self’s feelings were similar.

“I feel relieved,” Self said, “but I feel some jubilation, too. The kids are excited. If you looked at our team [before the season] and someone said we’d be 29-7 [actually 29-6] and playing in St. Louis in the Sweet 16, everybody would have said, ‘What a great year.’”

Self’s point is certainly hard to argue.

Kansas lost four starters from season’s Elite Eight team and, throughout most of the season, has depended on Robinson, a national-player-of-the-year candidate, and Taylor, who is a finalist for the Cousy Award.

Lately, though, other players have stepped up. Sometimes it’s been 7-foot center Jeff Withey or walk-on Conner Teahan, a 3-point specialist off the bench. Reserve forward Kevin Young came up with some huge offensive rebounds Sunday. And of course there was Johnson, who will always be remembered for his performance against Purdue.

Along with his heroics in the final minute, Johnson had two huge 3-pointers late in the second half -- including one that came from about 5 feet beyond the arc.

Taylor said he looked at Johnson as he squared up to take the shot, which turned a 56-54 deficit into a 57-56 lead.

“He had a smile on his face,” Taylor said.

Johnson was asked what he thought after he released the ball.

“Money!” he said.

Self hopes Johnson and the rest of the Jayhawks carry that same confidence into their Sweet 16 game against NC State. Even though they’re the No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region, the Wolfpack have more than proved their worth with victories over No. 6 seed San Diego State and No. 3 Georgetown.

“Seeds don’t matter anymore,” Releford said. “Everyone can play at this point. That’s the great thing about this tournament. Any team can win it -- and any team can have a bad day and get upset.”

Kansas almost became that team again Sunday.

Almost.

This year, it appears, things are different.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - It didn't take Xavier long to realize center Kenny Frease was the biggest man on the court in Sunday night's South Region third-round game against No. 15-seed Lehigh.

Frease, a 7-foot, 270-pound senior from Massillon, Ohio, was 3 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than any of the Mountain Hawks' post players.

"I'm just a lot bigger than those guys," Frease said.

The Musketeers kept feeding Frease the ball and he kept shooting, scoring 25 points on an 11-for-13 effort to lead No. 10-seed Xavier to a 70-58 victory at Greensboro Coliseum. Xavier advances to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time since 2008 and will play No. 3 seed Baylor in Atlanta's Georgia Dome on Friday.

"When you've got your back against the wall and it could be your last game ever, you get a little fire," Frease said. "I just got in position to score and my teammates did a great job of getting me the ball."

Frease went 6-for-6 from the floor in the first half, but the Musketeers still trailed by as many as 15 points. Xavier closed the half with a 17-8 run and scored the first seven points of the second half to take its first lead.

Over the final 10 minutes, Xavier's backcourt put the clamps on Lehigh guard C.J. McCollum, the Patriot League Player of the Year. After the Mountain Hawks tied the score at 50 on McCollum's jumper with 10:35 to play, Lehigh scored only one basket over the next 9 1/2 minutes.

McCollum, who scored 30 points in Lehigh's 75-70 upset of 2-seed Duke on Friday night, scored 14 points on 5-for-22 shooting.

"It was a team plan," said Xavier guard Tu Holloway, who marked McCollum for most of the night. "I had him one-on-one, but I just wanted the guys to be there when he went around me and came off a ball screen. He's a great player. His shots just didn't fall tonight."

McCollum had several 3-pointers rim out and never seemed to find his rhythm after missing much of the first half with two fouls.

"I'm not one to make excuses," McCollum said. "I just wasn't making shots. I'm not going to blame picking up two fouls with shooting a basketball; it has nothing to do with it. I just missed some shots tonight and offense is going to come and go. We still have to get stops on defense and we didn't do that tonight."

Lehigh was attempting to become the first 15-seed to advance to the Sweet 16. After Norfolk State lost to Florida earlier Sunday, 15-seeds fell to 0-6 when playing in their second games of the NCAA tournament.

"It's a amazing high note to be here," Lehigh guard Mackey McKnight said. "It was an amazing honor to play Duke. It's just basketball and we love it. It's a dream come true to be here. It's a dream come true to even beat Duke and to even to play Xavier and even to lose to them. I think we just enjoyed every single moment of it and we'll always remember this. We'll never forget it."

Xavier, the team college basketball seemed to forget after it was involved in an ugly fight with rival Cincinnati early December, will continue its postseason run in the Sweet 16.

"People forget we were No. 8 in the country and 9-0 (actually 8-0)," Frease said. "We all knew in our hearts that we were capable of doing it."

Call in sick for work. Play hooky from school. Plop onto your favorite sofa or reserve a table at the local sports bar.

You’ve been waiting all year for the next two days.

It’s going to be worth it.

For sports fans, the first weekend of the NCAA tournament is as good as it gets. The Super Bowl may receive more hype, and watching your hometown team play in the World Series or NBA Finals is hard to beat.

But on a national level, no event is as highly anticipated by such a wide range of fans as the NCAA tournament. And no sport can match the excitement that will unfold time and time again during the “round of 64” games that take place Thursday and Friday.

Now that most of you have made your picks and turned in your brackets, here are some things to keep an eye on over the next two days.

Five best round of 64 games

No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 9 Connecticut (South Region) -- After finishing ninth in the Big East last season, the Huskies won their final 11 games en route to a national championship. The chances of that happening again this year appear slim, especially with a potential round of 32 game looming against Kentucky. Still, Jim Calhoun’s squad is loaded with NBA talent (Andre Drummond and Jeremy Lamb) and experience. Its tilt with the Royce White-led Cyclones should be an entertaining one.

No. 8 Creighton vs. No. 9 Alabama (Midwest Region) -- Any little league basketball coach should have his team watch Creighton. Greg McDermott’s squad plays the game the right way. The Bluejays share the ball on offense, take high-percentage shots and genuinely relish each others’ success. They also feature one of the nation’s top players in Doug McDermott (Greg’s son). The 6-foot-7 sophomore will be challenged by an Alabama squad that’s known as one of the top defensive teams in the country.

No. 6 San Diego State vs. No. 11 North Carolina State (Midwest Region) -- Don’t let the Wolfpack’s low seed fool you. With players such as C.J. Leslie and Lorenzo Brown, Mark Gottfried touts the most talented team in the ACC behind North Carolina and Duke. NC State, which is making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2006, has won four of its past five games. San Diego State, though, will be a tough out. The Aztecs had won six in a row before falling to New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference tournament title game.

No. 5 Wichita State vs. No. 12 VCU (South Region) -- VCU became the biggest story of last year’s NCAA tournament when it went all the way from the “First Four” in Dayton to the Final Four in Houston. This year Wichita State hopes to end the Rams’ run before it truly starts. The Shockers are generally regarded as the top mid-major team in America. Gregg Marshall’s squad is a solid seven deep, with underrated point guard Joe Ragland leading the way along with 7-foot center Garrett Stutz. Both players are seniors.

No. 5 New Mexico vs. No. 12 Long Beach State (West Region) -- Steve Alford’s New Mexico squad shared the Mountain West regular-season title with San Diego State before winning the league tournament. In Drew Gordon (13.4 points, 10.9 rebounds) the Lobos feature one of the field’s best-kept secrets. Led by Cousy Award finalist Casper Ware, Long Beach State is a senior-laden team that played nonconference games at Kansas, North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Louisville. The 49ers won’t be intimidated by the big stage.

Best round of 64 coaching matchups

Gonzaga’s Mark Few vs. West Virginia’s Bob Huggins (East Region) -- By their own standards, Few and Huggins have had somewhat “down” years. Gonzaga failed to win at least a piece of the West Coast Conference title for the first time in 11 years. West Virginia squeaked into the tournament despite losing eight of its final 12 games. Still, these are two of the top game tacticians in the country.

Florida’s Billy Donovan vs. Virginia’s Tony Bennett (West Region) -- The Gators have won two NCAA titles under Donovan, who likes to push the tempo. Meanwhile, no coach is as good at controlling the pace of a game as Bennett, whose team averages 63.1 points a game. Only one team in the last month (Maryland) has cracked the 70-point barrier against Virginia, and the Terps needed overtime to do it. The contrast in styles between these two coaches should make the game interesting.

Memphis’ Josh Pastner vs. Saint Louis’ Rick Majerus (West Region) -- Pastner is the 34-year-old wunderkind who is regarded as one of the profession’s rising stars. Majerus has 516 career wins and took Utah to the NCAA title game in 1998. Beating such a highly regarded coach in the NCAA tournament would do wonders for Pastner, whose reputation has already begun to soar. Memphis has won 11 of its past 12 contests and won the Conference USA title by a commanding two games.

Saint Mary’s’ Randy Bennett vs. Purdue’s Matt Painter (Midwest Region) -- Bennett has turned Saint Mary’s into a mid-major power by winning 25 or more games in each of the past five seasons. This season his Gaels became the first team in 11 years other than Gonzaga to win the outright West Coast Conference title. Painter’s Purdue squads are always among the top defensive teams in the country. The Boilermakers aren’t as good as they’ve been in years past, but Painter will have them prepared for Saint Mary’s.

Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall vs. VCU’s Shaka Smart (South Region) -- Both coaches are rumored to be in line for bigger jobs (and bigger paychecks) at the end of the season. Granted, they may not want to leave their current schools. Marshall has the Shockers back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006. Smart took VCU to the Final Four last season and is hoping for another big run this month.

Best Round of 64 Individual Matchups

Florida State’s Bernard James vs. St. Bonaventure’s Andrew Nicholson (East Region) -- The 6-foot-10 James, who averages 2.3 blocks, will have his hands full trying to stop a forward who has averaged more than 16 points in each of the past three seasons. James is fortunate in that he has already faced some of the country’s top big men (Tyler Zeller, John Henson, Mason Plumlee, Mike Scott, etc.) in the ACC.

UNLV’s Mike Moser vs. Colorado’s Andre Roberson (South Region) -- Two of the nation’s top rebounders will go head-to-head when the Runnin’ Rebels meet the Buffaloes. Moser averages 10.6 rebounds per game, while Roberson snares 11.6 per contest.

Gonzaga’s Elias Harris vs. West Virginia’s Kevin Jones -- Jones would’ve likely been the Big East Player of the Year and a first-team All-American had the Mountaineers not floundered so badly down the stretch. With averages of 20.1 points and 11.1 rebounds, the 6-8 260-pounder is one of the most versatile players in the country. His size makes him a tough matchup, but Harris (6-7, 240) is big enough to handle the chore.

Alabama’s JaMychal Green vs. Creighton’s Doug McDermott (Midwest Region) -- Green had better get plenty of sleep before his team takes on Creighton. He’ll need all the energy he can muster to keep up with the 6-7 McDermott, who can score from anywhere on the court. McDermott ranks third in the country with a scoring average of 23.2 points per game.

Baylor’s backcourt vs. South Dakota State’s Nate Wolters (South Region) -- Wolters averages 21.3 points per game and, at 6-4, he’s a tough matchup for opposing guards. The Bears have plenty of backcourt depth, so expect Pierre Jackson, A.J. Walton, Brady Heslip, Deuce Bello and Gary Franklin to take their turns pestering Wolters, who scored 34 points against Washington earlier this season.

Five potential round of 64 upsets

No. 14 Belmont over No. 3 Georgetown (Midwest Region) -- The Hoyas lost their opening game in each of the past two seasons and haven’t made it to the second weekend since 2007. Belmont lost to Duke by one point in its season opener at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Bruins, who have won 14 straight, are a strong No. 14 seed.

No. 12 Long Beach State over No. 5 New Mexico (West Region) -- The 49ers won at Pittsburgh and lost by single digits at Kansas and North Carolina. They’ll have a chance in this one, but only if guard Larry Anderson (knee) is able to play. Long Beach State is led by former Gonzaga and Minnesota head coach Dan Monson.

No. 13 Montana over No. 4 Wisconsin (East Region) -- The Grizzlies have lost just one game since Dec. 10. Wisconsin, which finished fourth in the Big Ten, has had a solid season. The Badgers, however, play a slow style that makes them vulnerable to upsets. Eight of Wisconsin’s last nine wins have been by single digits.

No. 15 Detroit over No. 2 Kansas (Midwest Region) -- Kansas’ history of floundering against mid-major teams (Bucknell, Bradley, Northern Iowa, VCU) makes this game interesting. Detroit touts a McDonald’s All-America point guard in Ray McCallum Jr., and 6-foot-10 center Eli Holman began his career at Indiana before transferring to Detroit. He and 6-foot-11 teammate LaMarcus Lowe could create problems for Thomas Robinson.

No. 13 Davidson over No. 4 Louisville (West Region) -- This isn’t Stephen Curry’s Davidson team, but Bob McKillop’s squad is dangerous, nonetheless. Davidson defeated Kansas 80-74 in Kansas City back on Dec. 19. And the Wildcats went an impressive 16-2 in their conference. Louisville is one of the country’s best defensive teams, but overall, the Cardinals have a small margin for error.

Members of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee made a crucial mistake before allowing its 2012 bracket to be released on national television Sunday.

They didn’t run it by me first.

Given a chance to analyze the 68-team field, I could’ve easily pointed out the flaws and poor decisions that have already caused a stir throughout college basketball circles. Players have coaches, writers have editors, blackjack dealers have pit bosses.

If only the committee would’ve realized it needed someone like me. A supervisor, a don to make sure everything went smoothly.

Here are some things I would’ve changed about this year’s bracket if I were “King of the Committee.”

1. [+] Enlarge
   Jeremy Brevard/US PresswireCould Gregg Marshall lead his Wichita State team to the Sweet 16?
   I hate that Wichita State and Virginia Commonwealth are playing in the opening round. The fifth-seeded Shockers are the best mid-major team in the tournament and VCU is a fan favorite after reaching the Final Four last season. It’s a shame one of these schools will be out after just one game. No offense Shaka Smart and the No. 12 seed Rams, but I’m picking Wichita State in this one. I think Gregg Marshall’s squad will advance all the way to the Sweet 16.
2. Does West Virginia really deserve a No. 10 seed? The Mountaineers have lost eight of their last 12 games, and their only wins during that stretch were against DePaul, Providence, Pittsburgh and South Florida. I’m not saying Bob Huggins’ squad didn’t earn its bid. But this seemed a bit generous.
3. I’ve got to think that a more than a handful of people choked on their cheese puffs when committee chair Jeff Hathaway said during a live interview that Missouri was the fourth No. 2 seed behind Kansas, Duke and Ohio State. Seriously, at what point does the “eyeball factor” come into play? The Tigers are 30-4 and completely dominated a strong Baylor team in the championship game of the Big 12 tournament Saturday. Sure, Missouri’s non-conference strength of schedule was poor. But to imply Frank Haith’s squad would’ve been a No. 3 seed had it lost on Saturday is concerning.
4. Speaking of the eyeball factor, did no one on the committee watch Detroit annihilate Horizon League regular-season champion Valparaiso on its home court last week? This is a team with a McDonald’s All-American at point guard and a center (Eli Holman) who will make a living playing pro ball somewhere. The only reason Detroit has 13 losses is because Holman missed the first semester while on suspension. In terms of pure talent and potential, Detroit could be the best No. 15 seed in the history of the NCAA tournament. If No. 2 seed Kansas plays tight — remember Bucknell, Bradley, Northern Iowa and VCU? — an upset isn’t out of the question. If I’m Bill Self, I’m ticked right now.
5. I’m not sure I agree with the committee’s decisions regarding a few SEC teams. Alabama finished fifth in the league with a 9-7 record and has suspended its second-best player (Tony Mitchell) for the remainder of the season. The Crimson Tide lost all of their marquee conference games against Florida, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. I’m not sure they deserve a No. 9 seed. Florida has lost four of its last five games, but three of them were to Vanderbilt and Kentucky (twice). The Gators played an excellent non-conference schedule that included road games against Ohio State and Syracuse. A No. 7 seed seems too low.
6. Not many teams were as disappointed Sunday as Creighton, which received a No. 8 seed despite going 28-5 and winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. If they get by Alabama in the first round, a matchup with North Carolina awaits. And while it would be neat to see Doug McDermott face off against his former high school teammate (Tar Heels forward Harrison Barnes), Creighton is not athletic enough or good enough defensively to challenge Roy Williams’ squad.
7. I probably would’ve found a way to include Drexel in the field, although I can’t really argue with the committee’s “last four teams in.” Iona is the one that evokes some question marks, but its strength of schedule was much better and, selfishly, I’m looking forward to seeing Michael Glover, Scott Machado and MoMo Jones do their thing on a national stage.
8. The last thing I’d do if I were the “King of the Committee” is clock out early and take my underlings out for an adult beverage or four. Despite a few minor head-scratchers, the group did an excellent job with this season’s bracket. The committee members’ task is never easy, but this season things were likely even more difficult. There was so much parity in college basketball this season, so many teams outside of the top 10 with similar resumes and strengths and weaknesses. Producing a bracket that left little room for debate was a tough chore, but this year, the committee managed to pull it off. Maybe this group didn’t need a king after all.

Thomas Robinson or Anthony Davis.

Anthony Davis or Thomas Robinson

There isn’t a wrong answer, so whoever wins this year’s Wooden Award will be more than deserving.

As an official voter, I’ve thought long and hard about that ballot I’ll be casting in a few weeks. After three months of indecisiveness -- you’ve seen how I’ve waffled from week to week -- I’ve decided on Robinson.

Here’s why: Robinson’s phenomenal season has been achieved under an immense amount of pressure. He enters each game knowing that, if he doesn’t perform well, his team will likely lose. Other than ESPN.com third-team All-American Tyshawn Taylor, Robinson isn’t surrounded by a wealth of standout players. The Jayhawks went 16-2 in the Big 12 with a walk-on (Conner Teahan) as their sixth man and a transfer from Loyola Marymount (Kevin Young) as their seventh man. This is as thin of a team as Bill Self has ever had in Lawrence.

Because of that, teams almost always elected to double-team -- and sometimes triple-team -- Robinson. The 6-foot-9 junior almost always maintained his composure and responded with a double-double. He had 22 of them in Kansas’ 31 games. Along with averaging 18 points, Robinson ranked second in the nation in rebounds with 11.9 per contest. His numbers were achieved against significantly better competition than Davis faced at Kentucky. Kansas played a much tougher nonconference schedule, and let’s be honest, the Big 12 is better than the SEC.

Take Davis off Kentucky’s roster and the Wildcats would’ve still been one of the top five teams in the country. I realize that’s not Davis’ fault and that he shouldn’t be penalized for being surrounded by supreme talent. But it is what it is. Without Robinson, the Jayhawks would’ve struggled to make the NIT. That’s not an exaggeration. The pressure on Robinson to carry one of the nation’s elite programs in what was supposed to be a “down” year was immense. But the junior responded.

Every time.

Here’s how my final Wooden Award ballot will look.

1. Thomas Robinson, Kansas -- In what was likely his final game at Allen Fieldhouse, the junior had 25 points and 14 rebounds in a win against Texas. He ended the regular season averaging 18 points and 11.9 rebounds, a mark that ranks second in the nation. Robinson is projected to be a top-10 pick in this summer’s NBA draft.
2. Anthony Davis, Kentucky -- Two of Kentucky’s last three games were against Florida and Vanderbilt, which are generally regarded as the top two teams in the SEC other than Kentucky. Davis averaged 25.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5.5 blocks in those two games. He ended the regular season averaging team highs in points (14.4), rebounds (9.8) and blocks (4.7).
3. Tyler Zeller, North Carolina -- No other player in the ACC had as good of a season as Zeller, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Tar Heels to an ACC title-clinching win Saturday at Duke. The 7-foot senior averaged 23 points over his final three regular-season games. He’s averaging 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds for the season.
4. Draymond Green, Michigan State -- The most versatile player in college basketball averages 16.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals for a team that shared the Big Ten title with Michigan and Ohio State. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound Green earned conference MVP honors ahead of future NBA lottery pick Jared Sullinger.
5. Doug McDermott, Creighton -- The sophomore had 33 points on 12-of-18 shooting in Sunday’s overtime win against Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament title game. He ranks third in the nation with 23.2 points per game and also averages 8.2 rebounds. Most impressively, McDermott is shooting 61 percent from the field and 49.5 percent from 3-point range.

Here are the other 10 official Wooden Award finalists, as announced Tuesday morning on ESPN.com:

Isaiah Canaan, Murray State -- The point guard is averaging 19.2 points for the Racers, who will take a 30-1 record into the NCAA tournament.

Jae Crowder, Marquette -- Voted Most Valuable Player in the Big East, Crowder is averaging 24.7 points in his last six games.

Marcus Denmon, Missouri -- With an 18-point scoring average, the senior guard is the key reason the Tigers are a top-5 team and a Final Four contender.

Kevin Jones, West Virginia -- The senior forward, who averages 20 points and 11.2 rebounds, would’ve easily been a first-team All-American had his team not struggled so mightily down the stretch.

Kris Joseph, Syracuse -- The versatile forward leads the nation’s second-best team in scoring with 14.1 points per game.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist -- Kentucky’s do-everything freshman averaged 11.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks. He’s vowed to return for his sophomore season. We’ll see.

Damian Lillard, Weber State -- The point guard ranks second in the nation in scoring with 24.5 points per game and also averages 3.9 assists.

Scott Machado, Iona -- Ranks second in the nation in assists with 9.9 per contest. Also averages 13.6 points.

Austin Rivers, Duke -- The freshman leads the Blue Devils with 15.3 points per game. Came on strong during the second half of the season.

Jared Sullinger, Ohio State -- Almost impossible to stop in the paint, the sophomore led Ohio State in points (16.9) and rebounds (9.3).

Five others who were strongly considered: Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas), Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette), Harrison Barnes (North Carolina), Will Barton (Memphis), Cody Zeller (Indiana)

ST. LOUIS — Before Saturday it was assumed that two teams from the Missouri Valley Conference would receive NCAA tournament bids.

Now there may be three.

Tyler Brown swished a pair of free throws with 6.4 seconds remaining to catapult Illinois State to a 65-64 victory over 14th-ranked Wichita State — the regular-season league champion — in the semifinals of the MVC tournament at the Scottrade Center.

The Redbirds can earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament by defeating the winner of Evansville-Creighton in Sunday’s championship. Even if Creighton doesn’t win, the Bluejays are expected to receive an at-large berth along with Wichita State.

“Most of the people watching the game probably turned off their TVs when we were down by 10,” Brown said. “But we’re not that kind of team.”

Illinois actually trailed by 13 points late in the first half before shaving the deficit to eight, 36-28, at intermission.

A free throw by Wichita State’s Toure Murry gave the Shockers a 64-63 advantage with 2 minutes, 51 seconds remaining. Neither team scored again until Brown’s free throw with 6.4 seconds left.

“I blocked out everything,” Brown said. “It was just me and the rim.”

Wichita State still had two more chances to win, but a 17-foot jumper from Murry and a 10-footer by Garrett Stutz were both off line. Illinois State players and fans went wild as the final horn sounded.

The win snapped Illinois State’s string of 24 straight losses against ranked teams, a streak that dated back to 1987.

The Redbirds — who don’t feature a single senior in their rotation — haven’t been to the NCAA tournament since 1998. They went 9-9 in the MVC this season and are 20-12 overall.

“This was one of the toughest, hardest-fought performances by any team I’ve ever been around,” fifth-year Illinois State coach Tim Jankovich said.

Illinois State won Saturday despite shooting just 33.9 percent from the field and getting outrebounded 40-34. Jankovich credited his team’s defense for the victory. The Redbirds held Wichita State to 34.9 percent shooting.

“I never ever would’ve thought we would’ve shot 33 percent and beat this team,” said Jankovich, whose team lost to the Shockers twice this season. “I don’t care how you slice it ... that was grit and toughness and all the things that are dear to a coach.”

Illinois State will have to step up its game even more if it hopes to win on Sunday, especially if the Redbirds face Creighton. They lost their two regular-season meetings with Creighton by an average of 18.5 points. They’ll certainly enter the contest with plenty of momentum.

“I’ve never felt something like this before,” Brown said. “Even though we have another game to win, I’ve never been a part of something this big. This game meant so much to so many people.”

Including the Shockers.

Most bracketologists had pegged Wichita State as a No. 4 or a No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament. Now it could experience a significant drop.

Shockers coach Greg Marshall scoffed when asked how he planned to “fix” his team’s problems before its next game.

“I don’t think we’re going to do much fixing,” Marshall said. “We’re 27-5 going [into] the NCAA tournament. I’m looking forward to [playing on a] neutral floor. I feel like we’ll have just as good of a shot, if not better, than we had today.”

Granted, Saturday’s game was on a “neutral floor,” too. But it was obvious Marshall wasn’t happy with a handful of calls that went against his team. Marshall said the Shockers “didn’t play well enough to overcome everything we needed to overcome.”

“I saw some strange things out there today,” he said. “It’s pretty tough to win when you see some strange things like I saw today.”

Brown scored 25 points for Illinois State while Jackie Carmichael added 12 points and 11 boards. Joe Ragland led Wichita State with 17 points. Ben Smith had 14 points and 13 rebounds.

“We’ve got to learn from this loss,” Stutz said. “Every other loss, we’ve learned from and recovered well.”

Wichita State had won nine in a row before Saturday.

“How can you learn from a loss?” Marshall said. “Well, you let it sit in the pit of your stomach until it makes you violently ill. Then you expel that feeling and then you go back to work. That’s all you can do.”

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Selection Sunday is always filled with tension and angst for a handful of the nation’s “bubble” teams. It doesn’t have to be that way for Northwestern. Not this year.

The Wildcats -- who have never made the NCAA tournament -- can end the drama surrounding their potential bid by defeating Ohio State tonight in Evanston, Ill. Beating the No. 11 Buckeyes is certainly a tall task -- especially considering Jared Sullinger & Co. whipped Northwestern by 33 points earlier this season.

Still, if the Wildcats want to make the 68-team field, they need to turn some heads, especially after squandering an excellent opportunity in last week’s home loss against Michigan in overtime.

Ohio State certainly isn’t playing as well as it was when these two teams faced off in Columbus on Dec. 28. The Buckeyes have lost three of their last five games, although all three of those setbacks were against ranked teams (Michigan State, Michigan and Wisconsin). And Northwestern did beat Michigan State earlier this season, so it’s not as if it isn’t capable of knocking off a top-10-caliber team.

Throw in the fact that it’s Senior Night in Evanston, and it would seem the Wildcats and John Shurna, who averages 20.1 points, would at least have a chance.

A victory would give Northwestern an 8-9 record in the Big Ten. Even if the Bill Carmody’s squad were to lose its regular-season finale at Iowa and finish below .500, there’s a strong chance it could make the field with victories over Michigan State and Ohio State.

Could be a good game tonight. Don’t expect another blowout.

Prediction: Ohio State 75-67

Other Wednesday games:

Maryland at North Carolina - With the Duke matchup looming Saturday, this would seem like the classic “look-ahead” game. But don’t expect the Tar Heels to get caught off-guard here. It’s Tyler Zeller’s Senior Night -- and, frankly, the Terrapins simply aren’t good enough to beat North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Prediction: North Carolina 82-68

Marquette at Cincinnati - Normally I’d be worried about the Bearcats’ psyche coming off of a 46-45 loss at South Florida. Eesshh! But it’s Senior Night for Dion Dixon and Yancy Gates, so Cincinnati should be in the right frame of mind. The problem for Mick Cronin’s team is that it’s playing one of the country’s hottest programs in Marquette. The Golden Eagles have won 12 of their last 13 games. And Jae Crowder is averaging 26.3 points in his last four contests.

Prediction: Marquette 80-72

Iowa State at Missouri - Marcus Denmon, Kim English, Ricardo Ratliffe, Steve Moore and Matt Pressey will be playing their final home game for the Tigers, who have lost two in a row. Missouri defeated Iowa State 76-69 in Ames on Jan. 11.

Prediction: Missouri 84-72

UNLV at Colorado State - This is a huge game for the Rams, who are among Joe Lunardi’s “First Four Out” in the NCAA tournament watch. Colorado State lost to UNLV by 19 points last month in Las Vegas. And it failed to capitalize on an excellent chance to enhance its résumé by losing at San Diego State on Saturday. With two games remaining, UNLV is in a three-way tie for first place in the Mountain West Conference standings.

Prediction: UNLV 72-69

South Florida at Louisville - South Florida has held its last six opponents to 56 points or less and is 5-1 in those games. But the Bulls have lost their last four road games against upper-tier Big East teams, and three of those setbacks were by double digits. A victory over the No. 18 Cardinals would greatly enhance USF's chances for an NCAA tournament berth. Louisville has won eight of its last 10 games, and the two losses were by a combined five points.

Prediction: Louisville 54-47

Massachusetts at Temple - The Owls could clinch at least a share of the Atlantic 10 title with a win tonight. They’re catching Massachusetts at just the right time, as the Minutemen have lost three of their last four games.

Prediction: Temple 80-68

Oklahoma at Texas - The Longhorns probably need to finish with a 9-9 conference record to earn an NCAA tournament berth. Right now they’re 8-8, and they’ve got no shot at beating Kansas on Senior Night Saturday in Lawrence. So they’ve got to beat Oklahoma tonight in Austin. They will.

Prediction: Texas 72-61

Editor’s Note: We took a poll of 59 actual national POY voters. Who are they picking? Click here to find out.

On Saturday I watched Anthony Davis score 28 points, grab 11 rebounds and block six shots in a win over Vanderbilt and was convinced he should win the Wooden Award.

Within hours, I had changed my mind.

In what was easily one of the most pressure-packed games in the history of Allen Fieldhouse, Kansas forward Thomas Robinson turned in a performance that should end any doubt that he is the player most deserving of this award. Robinson’s 28 points and 12 rebounds helped the Jayhawks rally from a 19-point deficit to beat then-No. 3 ranked Missouri in a win that clinched an eighth straight Big 12 title for the Jayhawks.

Robinson converted a traditional three-point play to tie the score with 16 seconds remaining in regulation. Moments later he blocked a game-winning lay-up attempt by Tigers guard Phil Pressey to send the game into overtime. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. Robinson did that Saturday -- just like he has all season.

1. Thomas Robinson, Kansas: The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 17.8 points and 11.8 rebounds -- both team-highs -- in what will almost certainly be his final college season. His 28 points against Missouri were two shy of his season-high. Robinson’s numbers are even more impressive considering he consistently faces double and triple teams.
2. Anthony Davis, Kentucky: Davis’ season-high 28 points against Vanderbilt came on a day when he missed just one of his 11 field goal attempts. Davis continues to improve offensively but, on the defensive end, he is one of the top players the college game has seen in quite some time.
3. Draymond Green, Michigan State: Can somebody give the big fella a little help? Green scored more than half (29) of his team’s points in Tuesday’s 70-55 loss at Indiana. And he made 10 of the Spartans’ 20 field goals. The senior won’t be able to get past Robinson or Davis in the Wooden Award race, but he’s the leading candidate to be the player of the year in the nation’s top conference.
4. Tyler Zeller, North Carolina: The Tar Heels’ 7-footer took a huge step toward claiming ACC Player of the Year honors with a dominating performance in Saturday’s win over Virginia. Zeller scored 20 points while holding Cavaliers standout Mike Scott to six points on 3-of-13 shooting. Something tells me Zeller will be motivated for Saturday’s rematch against Duke.
5. Jae Crowder, Marquette: A week ago Crowder’s teammate, Darius Johnson-Odom, occupied the No. 5 slot. Crowder, though, has been Marquette’s best player down the stretch. He’s averaging 26.3 points in the Golden Eagles’ last four games and 17.4 points on the season. Crowder leads Marquette in rebounds with 7.6 per game.

On the cusp:

Will Barton, Memphis: Not many players have flown under the radar this season quite like Barton, a 6-foot-6 guard who leads the Tigers in points (18.3) and rebounds (8.1). He’s the main reason Memphis is one win away from the outright Conference USA title.

Isaiah Canaan, Murray State: The senior All-American candidate averaged 21 points in his final two regular-season games, both victories. The Racers will take a 28-1 record into the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament thanks to Canaan.

Marcus Denmon, Missouri: The shooting guard put on one of the best performances of his career when he scored 28 points against Kansas Saturday. The senior is a second-team All-American at worst.

John Henson, North Carolina: It seems as if a different Tar Heel finds his way onto this list every week. This time the honor goes to Henson, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds against Virginia Saturday. He’s the top defensive presence in the country not named Anthony Davis.

Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette: The senior sat out the first half of Friday’s win at West Virginia for violating team rules, but he returned after intermission and scored nine points in the Golden Eagles’ 61-60 come-from-behind victory. He averages a team-high 18.4 points.

Kevin Jones, West Virginia: Jones would be on his way to earning first-team All-American honors if not for the Mountaineers’ recent slide. West Virginia has lost seven of its last 10 games and is in danger of missing the NCAA tournament. Jones, however, is averaging 20 points and 11.2 rebounds.

Kris Joseph, Syracuse: With 21 points, Joseph was the main reason Syracuse was able to eke out a 71-69 win at Connecticut Saturday. He leads the nation’s second-ranked team in scoring with 14.2 points per game.

Doug McDermott, Creighton: After a brief semi-slump, the Bluejays forward is back to his old self on the offensive end. He’s averaging 24.3 points during Creighton’s current four-game winning streak.

Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas: No major-college point guard in the country has been as good as Taylor since the start of conference play. He’s averaging a team-high 18.4 points and shooting 50.4 percent from the field against Big 12 opponents.

Cody Zeller, Indiana: The Hoosiers tout wins against three top-five teams (Kentucky, Ohio State and Michigan State). Zeller is the main reason. The freshman averages 15.5 points. He had 18 in Tuesday’s victory over the Spartans.

For Jeff Withey, the only thing worse than going scoreless in Kansas’ loss to Missouri earlier this month was what happened a few days later.

Fed up with the junior’s passive play, Jayhawks coach Bill Self became irate when Withey failed to dive for a loose ball during practice. Self screamed at Withey and then made the 7-foot center climb every aisle at Allen Fieldhouse.

The catch: Withey had to bend down and touch each step on his way to the top.

“It took a while,” said Withey, chuckling half-heartedly. “But he was right. I wasn’t playing well. Coach Self is a great motivator. He knows how to fire people up. Ever since then, I feel like I’ve been a different ballplayer.”

The statistics are hard to ignore.

Kansas is 5-0 since losing at Missouri on Feb. 4, and Withey is one of the main reasons. The San Diego native is averaging 16.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 5.4 blocks during that span and is shooting 76.6 percent (33 of 43) from the foul stripe.

Withey, a junior who averaged just 1.3 and 2.3 points in his first two college seasons, is hopeful his strong play will continue in Saturday’s rematch with Missouri at Allen Fieldhouse. A victory would give the Jayhawks a two-game lead over the Tigers in the Big 12 standings and inch them one step closer to an eighth straight conference title.

I spoke with Withey by phone after Kansas’ victory at Texas A&M Wednesday.

What do you remember the most about the loss to Missouri earlier this month?

Jeff Withey: It wasn’t one of my better games. Looking back, I see so many things I could’ve done personally to help the team out a lot, things I’ll need to do this time. If Kim English is on me again, he’s a smaller guy, so I’ll need to post up stronger and try to take advantage of that match-up so that Thomas [Robinson] can go one-on-one with his man. Defensively, I need to try to make sure they can’t drive into the lane as much, maybe block a lot of shots so they won’t even try to come in there very much. I guess just be more aggressive. The first game I definitely wasn’t as aggressive as I should’ve been.

How has this team responded?

JW: We had the game won. To be up by 10 and lose that game, a lot of things had to go wrong. I think the whole team has tried to build off the loss. Sometimes when you lose a game like that you’ll break down (mentally) to the point where it’s hard to come out of it. We’ve done a good job of putting that in the backs of our minds. Instead of dwelling on it, we’ve focused on the games ahead and played pretty well. But I’m not going to lie. We’ve had Saturday’s game circled on our calendar. We can’t wait to play them again. Practices leading up to the game are going to rough and intense. We’re going to get after it and get ready for this game.

What can you do differently this time?

JW: What I didn’t do at Missouri, I’ve tried to make an effort to correct. When I have a lot of energy, I play a lot better. The last game against MU, I didn’t have much energy. Since then I’ve made an effort to bring a lot more energy and be a lot more aggressive.

How much have the last five games done for your confidence?

JW: It’s snowballed. I’m getting more and more comfortable. It’s easy playing with Tyshawn [Taylor] and Thomas [Robinson]. It takes so much pressure off of me because they’re two of the best players in the nation. Everyone is looking to stop them and Elijah [Johnson] and Travis [Releford], so I get a lot of open shots. Once I hit one of them, I get more confidence and it keeps on going.

How tough was it for you the last two years playing behind Cole Aldrich and the Morris twins? How frustrated did you get about your lack of playing time?

JW: It was definitely hard. But I saw it as an opportunity to get better as a basketball player. When I transferred I knew I’d be behind Cole. Playing against him, I got better every day. Practices are a lot tougher than games. Those practices the last two years were a battle every day. They definitely helped prepare me for what I’m going through now. Coach [Danny] Manning has helped me a ton, too. I may not have the court experience I wish I had, but I’ve played against some great players, and that’s going to help in the long run.

What did those players do to help you the most?

JW: They were scoring on me all the time. It humbled me a little bit and then it made me more aggressive. My shot blocking got a lot better as far as timing. Banging with them every day ... they’re really strong guys, so they got me physically ready to play against anybody.

How has your body changed within the last year?

JW: Over the summer I gained a ton of weight. Unfortunately, it’s gone down a lot while we’ve been playing so much during the season. I gained 20 pounds and was up to 237 at the end of the summer. Now I’m about 225. When I first came to school here I was at 205. Andrea Hudy, our strength coach ... she’s helped so much. There are a lot muscles that you specifically use for basketball. She’s helped me strengthen those. She knows what she’s doing. It’s been a lot of fun.

Even though you didn’t grow up in Kansas or Missouri, you’ve certainly learned a lot about the rivalry between these two schools. What stands out the most?

JW: It’s really important for our state and our university. People are really passionate about it. It goes back to Civil War times. Everyone is talking about it on campus. That’s all they care about, us beating Mizzou. It’s a lot of pressure. It’s a fun game, though. I’m glad it means that much to so many people. It definitely makes the game more fun for us, more exciting.

So many teams enter seasons talking about winning national titles, but at Kansas, you don’t look that far ahead. How impressive is it that your team is on the cusp of an eighth straight Big 12 title?

JW: That’s our goal every year, to win the Big 12 title. After that it’s the conference tournament title and after that the national championship. It goes in that order. We know how important this game coming up is. We’ve got a one-game lead right now. If we don’t care of business this weekend, it means nothing. We’re focused right now. We know what’s at stake.

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Despite a 6-21 record and a 1-13 mark in conference play, it appears Kevin O’Neill’s job is safe at USC.

O’Neill told ESPN.com on Tuesday that he’s “extremely confident” he’ll return for the 2012-13 season. He certainly appears to have the support of his players, who blamed USC’s dismal season on an unfathomable list of injuries.

And not the head coach.

Forward Ari Stewart said any criticism of O’Neill is “100 percent unfair.” His teammates agreed. Four of the five players who started the opening game in last summer’s exhibition tour of Brazil have been lost to season-ending surgeries.

“You could have brought the Zen Master, Phil Jackson, in here, and it wouldn’t have been too much of a difference,” guard Jio Fontan told the Orange County Register.

Fontan’s injury was the biggest. USC was already short on experience after losing three players from its 2011 NCAA tournament team. Nikola Vucevic left school early for the NBA draft and Alex Stepheson and Donte Smith graduated.

The only experienced returnees were point guard Maurice Jones and Fontan, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the overseas tour in August. Fontan had closed out his junior season by averaging 13.3 points in his last four games.

“When Jio went down, I knew we were in trouble,” O’Neill said.

He just didn’t realize to what extent.

Within the next five months USC had lost four more players -- including three starters -- to season-ending surgeries: center Dewayne Dedmon and forwards Curtis Washington, Evan Smith and Aaron Fuller. The Trojans' luck has been so bad that O’Neill joked he half-expected a van to fall on his head when he walked through USC’s parking garage.

In all of his stops -- Tennessee, Marquette, Northwestern, Arizona and the NBA -- O’Neill said he’s never coached a team this snakebitten, much less seen one.

“When you have five season-ending surgeries on top of an already depleted roster ... it’s hard to fight that,” O’Neill said. “I’ve been through almost every situation in my career, because I coach uphill a lot. But this year has been hard.

“I feel bad for the players.”

USC is just two losses away from setting the single-season school record. Luckily, it appears the Trojans’ administration sees the bigger picture. All of USC’s injured players will return next season, and the team will add a trio of talented transfers in Stewart (Wake Forest), Eric Wise (UC-Irvine) and J.T. Terrell, who began his career at Wake Forest before transferring to Peninsula (Fla.) Junior College, where he’s averaging 25.3 points.

Mix in Jones, a seasoned point guard who averages 13.7 points in 37 minutes per game, and emerging freshman Byron Wesley and it's easy to understand why O’Neill is so optimistic about the future. USC could go from being the worst team in the Pac-12 to one of the league’s upper-half teams.

“I think we could be really good,” O’Neill said.

This isn’t the first time O’Neill has encountered adversity since arriving in Los Angeles. USC’s program was surrounded by a cloud of turmoil when O’Neill took over in the summer of 2009. The NCAA was investigating former coach Tim Floyd and standout O.J. Mayo for their alleged involvement with an agent. The players in Floyd’s recruiting class were released from their national letters of intent. The names included Derrick Williams, Lamont “Momo” Jones, Kevin Parrom and Solomon Hill, all of whom ended up at Arizona.

Somehow, O’Neill managed to lead the Trojans to a 16-14 record in his first season -- when they were banned from the postseason -- before going 19-15 last year, when USC lost to eventual Final Four participant VCU in the NCAA tournament.

O’Neill’s success in his first two seasons may be making USC’s recent struggles harder to take for fans, many of whom have voiced their displeasure with the coach. The Trojans said the reaction has been ridiculous.

“It’s disappointing people feel that way,” Stewart told The Register. “They want to win. We understand that. It’s a business. When you’re not getting wins, you’re gong to get bashed. But the thing is, you have to look at our situation.”

It’s a situation O’Neill feels confident will improve dramatically by next season.

“I’m looking forward to coming back and coaching our group,” he said. “The group that’s playing right now ... who knows how many of those guys will be starting or playing next year? In the long run some of these struggles may help us. But right now this ins’t fun for anybody. It’s been especially frustrating for the players and fans.”

None of them, though, are blaming O’Neill.

"The guys who want to be at 'SC and really care about the program and want to move forward with the program don't want to play for anybody else," Fontan told The Register. “We all feel like K.O.'s the right guy to be here. We see the future. We've had a couple bumps in the road. You look at any team, you take away what we had taken away, everyone’s going to have the same outcome.”