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1. Butler coach Brad Stevens said that the Bulldogs will have to get out of the four years left on its scheduling agreement with Xavier since the two schools will be league members beginning in 2013-14. He also stated that there are no tournament conflicts ahead of the Bulldogs with another A-10 school. Stevens is excited about the move. So are Xavier’s Chris Mack and Dayton’s Archie Miller. Mack said it’s a major coup for the A-10 and moves the conference a bit more West. Miller lauded Butler’s ability to attract major non-conference opponents and how that would take the conference to another level.

2. Old Dominion is still considering a move to Conference USA and according to one school source there is still indecision. The move for the Monarchs for football would make sense if it’s going to upgrade. But for hoops? ODU needs to be with VCU and George Mason. The Monarchs don’t need to move to another one-bid league that is losing its best team in Memphis. If ODU were going to the A-10 then that would be worth endorsing. But a move to CUSA is not.

3. NC State didn’t prohibit Tyler Harris from transferring. The Wolfpack gave him a full release. But shouldn’t Harris have some accountability in this decision? Scholarships are renewable on June 30 each year. Harris made up his mind to transfer on May 2, instead of soon after the Wolfpack season ended in March. NC State took a pass on a junior college transfer and as a result is now caught short handed with nine scholarship players. Coaches and schools have been wrong to block players from transferring but players need to also make decisions in a timely fashion for all parties involved. That’s the right thing to do.

From a sheer NBA draft perspective, it's hard to imagine there being a better time for Lehigh junior guard C.J. McCollum to leave school and enter his name in the professional ranks. McCollum just had his best year in an already stellar career -- he averaged 21.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals per game in 2012 -- a year he capped by running roughshod over No. 2 seed Duke's vaunted backcourt and an upset win for his No. 15-seeded Mountain Hawks. (Lest we forget, McCollum went for 30 points, six rebounds and six assists against Duke. He was so good.)

Besides, it's a notoriously weak draft for potential NBA guards, and McCollum's chances of getting drafted in the first round -- Chad Ford ranks him as the No. 7 shooting guard, but at 6-foot-3, McCollum might have as good a chance of proving himself as a point guard in a draft that lacks them -- would only be boosted accordingly.

And yet, McCollum has decided to return to school. He announced as much Monday morning via this column in the Sporting News, and his reasoning is both kind of cool and very sound:

My family and I believe another year in college will be more beneficial for me on and off court. If I were in a situation where I needed money, I would definitely consider taking my career to the next level. But both of my parents work hard to ensure my brother and I can live comfortably, which takes away any added pressure to pursue a professional career at this time. The fact that my brother plays professionally over in Israel doesn’t hurt, either.

I believe that finishing up my degree at Lehigh University is an essential and pivotal step in the right direction for my future career in Journalism and Sports Broadcasting. Growing up, I promised my mother I would complete my degree and although there is no time limit, I feel like the time is now.

McCollum also cites his teammates and coaches as a reason for his return, and given his unique importance to his program -- players like McCollum simply don't come along all that often at programs like Lehigh -- the selfless aspect of his decision is admirable, too.

But more than anything, McCollum's decision lends even more credence to the argument in re: Kentucky earlier this afternoon in this space. McCollum's financial situation is sound. His parents have made it possible for him to return to school without worrying about where the next new computer will come from, let alone the next meal. Other young athletes don't have the same chances, the same buffer zone. Other young athletes' internal NBA clocks -- I've got to get to the league, because I've got to make money, because I've got to get my mom/dad/family/guardians out of this as soon as possible -- begin from the moment they turn, like, 15. McCollum doesn't have that sort of pressure. Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger and North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes didn't, either. They could afford to wait a year, for various reasons.

In other words, there are varying reasons behind every draft decision. Even now, we're a little too quick to praise those who come back, a little too quick to criticize those who don't. See, say, Josh Selby. Until you walk a mile in a man's Nike-approved team sneakers, well ... you know the rest.

Anyway, the non-philosophical portion of this post goes as follows: With McCollum back, Lehigh is destined to be a force in the Patriot League yet again. This is good news not only for Mountain Hawks fans, but also those of us looking forward to seeing McCollum dominate his league again, not to mention those of us who like watching great mid-major guards topple the nation's marquee programs in March. If all goes well, this time next year, we'll be celebrating another McCollum-led upset, and (unless you're a Duke fan) there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

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."

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Breaking down No. 10-seed Xavier's 70-58 victory over No. 15-seed Lehigh in a South Region third-round game at Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday night:

Overview: A No. 15 seed has never advanced to the Sweet 16 since the NCAA tournament field was expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Lehigh, which stunned No. 2 Duke on Friday night, won't become the first.

The Musketeers ended the upstart Mountain Hawks' run on Sunday night, after trailing for the entire first half and by as many as 15 points. Xavier advances to the round of 16 for the fourth time since 2008.

After cutting Lehigh's lead to 37-33 at the half, Xavier scored the first seven points of the second half to take its first lead of the game. The Mountain Hawks tied the score at 50 on guard C.J. McCollum's jumper with 10:35 to go, but then they made only one field goal in the next 9 1/2 minutes. Xavier took a 60-52 lead on forward Andre Walker's bankshot with 3:02 left.

Guard Mackey McKnight's 3-pointer pulled the Mountain Hawks to within 60-55, but the Musketeers made six foul shots in the final minute to secure the win.

Turning point: The Mountain Hawks had a 29-16 lead when McCollum, the Patriot League Player of the Year, picked up his second personal foul with 7:00 to play in the first half. He went to the bench, and the Musketeers quickly chipped away at Lehigh's lead. Xavier closed the half with a 17-8 run and then carried its momentum into the second half.

Player of the game: Lehigh had absolutely no answer for Xavier center Kenny Frease, a 7-foot, 275-pound senior from Massillon, Ohio. Frease made his first eight shots and finished with 25 points on 11-for-13 shooting. Frease also grabbed 12 rebounds and man-handled Lehigh's smaller post players on defense.

Stat of the game: 3-for-22 -- That's what the Mountain Hawks shot on 3-pointers, after making 6-of-18 in their 75-70 upset of Duke on Friday night.

Miscellaneous: Xavier guards Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons harassed McCollum for much of the night. After scoring 30 points against the Blue Devils, McCollum had 14 points on 5-for-22 shooting against the Musketeers, including 0-for-6 on 3-pointers. ... After Florida routed Norfolk State and Xavier beat Lehigh, No. 15-seeds are now 0-6 in their second games of the NCAA tournament. ... Xavier freshman guard Dezmine Wells, from Raleigh, N.C., sprained his ankle after playing eight minutes in the first half and never came back.

What's next: The Musketeers advance to play No. 3-seed Baylor in the semifinals of the South Region in Atlanta's Georgia Dome on Friday.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Previewing the round of 32 games at Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday:

No. 10 seed Xavier (22-12) vs. No. 15 seed Lehigh (27-7), 7:45 p.m. ET

Point guard Mackey McKnight seems to be Lehigh’s unofficial spokesman, or at least the Mountain Hawks’ master motivator.

McKnight, a sophomore from New Orleans, wrote Lehigh’s team motto -- “One team. One dream.” -- on the outside of his left sneaker.

He also helped coin another Lehigh motto: “Built to Last.”

“We’re trying to build something that has redemptive value over time,” said Lehigh coach Brett Reed, one of only three NCAA Division I coaches to have earned a doctorate degree.

McKnight’s biggest motivation comes from the worst tragedy of his life. His best friend, Joseph McMillan II, was killed on a Los Angeles County Metro bus in Inglewood, Calif., on Oct. 13, 2010. Police said the bus stopped at a red light and a gunman walked up and fired multiple shots, killing McMillan, who was 18. Police said the crime was gang-related, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“He was just a big-time influence on me,” McKnight said.

McKnight will carry McMillan’s memory into Sunday’s South Region third-round game against 10th-seeded Xavier. With one more victory, the No. 15-seeded Mountain Hawks will become the NCAA tournament’s latest unlikely Sweet 16 participant.

“We just believed in each other,” McKnight said. “You feel confident with your family. We knew every man was going to have everyone’s back. It’s just a beautiful thing playing as one. There are no selfish players in this family. We can rise together as a family.”

Mackey cried after the Mountain Hawks’ 75-70 upset of No. 2 seed Duke in Friday night’s second round. McMillan was a native of Holly, N.C., and McKnight knew his friend would have cherished his team’s upset of the Blue Devils. McKnight said he and McMillan grew up together in New Orleans, where they often played one-on-one games in the driveway of his family’s home.

“He used to pretend he was North Carolina, and I always had to pretend I was Duke,” McKnight said. “I just miss him so much and I’m so grateful he blessed us with this win and is watching over us."

McKnight’s steady play helped the Mountain Hawks get hot at the right time. He has 88 assists in his past 21 games and had only one turnover against Duke. McKnight scored 11 points on 3-for-7 shooting against the Blue Devils, but knows his primary role is to put Patriot League Player of the Year C.J. McCollum in positions to score. McCollum scored 30 points against the Blue Devils.

“Our young guys like Mackey are getting used to the bright lights, and we think we can play with anybody in the country,” McCollum said.

McKnight and McCollum will have to slow down Xavier’s backcourt of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons, who register a combined 32.5 points and 7.8 assists per game. The Mountain Hawks were able to limit Duke guards Seth Curry and Austin Rivers to only 6-for-23 shooting.

“I think their backcourt is absolutely terrific, to be honest with you,” Reed said. “They have guards that seem to live in the paint. They’re aggressive, they have a tough mentality, they go to where they want to go on the floor. And one of our primary responsibilities is going to be containing dribble penetration.”

McKnight won’t have to look far for motivation.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Breaking down No. 15 seed Lehigh's 75-70 upset of No. 2 seed Duke in a South Region second-round game Friday night at Greensboro Coliseum.

Overview: We waited 11 years to see a No. 15 seed upset a No. 2 seed again in the NCAA tournament.

It happened twice Friday.

Only hours after No. 15 seed Norfolk State stunned No. 2 seed Missouri 86-84 in a West Regional game in Omaha, Neb., Lehigh pulled off an equally impressive upset, surprising No. 2 seed Duke 75-70 in Greensboro Coliseum.

Before Friday, a No. 15 seed hadn't defeated a No. 2 seed since Hampton upset Iowa State in 2001. It was Lehigh's first victory in the NCAA tournament and a Patriot League team's third in 24 NCAA tournament games since 1991.

The Mountain Hawks gave Duke early notice that they weren't going to simply bow down to its blue-blood tradition. Duke led only 30-28 at the half, and it didn't take Lehigh very long to grab control in the second half. Lehigh took a 55-51 lead on guard C.J. McCollum's brilliant wrap-around pass to Gabe Knutson for an easy layup with 5:05 to play. The Mountain Hawks led by as many as seven points in the final two minutes.

Turning point: Duke guard Seth Curry picked up his fourth foul with 17:49 to go in the second half. He didn't go back into the game for more than eight minutes, after Lehigh had grabbed the lead. With Curry and injured starting forward Ryan Kelly on the bench, the Blue Devils didn't have many offensive options on the floor, and Lehigh knew it.

Key player: McCollum, a junior from Canton, Ohio, certainly looked like the best player on the floor, scoring 30 points on 9-for-22 shooting with seven rebounds and six assists. Duke's guards struggled to guard him all night. His highlight came on a nasty crossover move against Tyler Thornton in the first half, which should become a YouTube sensation.

Key stat: Duke's recent cold perimeter shooting continued, as the Blue Devils made only six of 26 3-pointers.

Miscellaneous: It was Duke's first loss in an NCAA opening-round game since falling to No. 11 seed VCU 79-77 in 2007. ... Kelly, who injured his foot in practice before last week's ACC tournament, dressed out for the game but didn't participate in warm-ups.

What’s next: Lehigh will play No. 10 seed Xavier in Sunday's third-round action in the South Region.

You’ve kept up with his projections for the past few months, but Joe Lunardi doesn’t go into hibernation once the real bracket comes out. Our resident Bracketologist is a hardcore basketball fan who knows his stuff. Here are his picks for the Big Dance:

SOUTH

Second round
1 Kentucky over 16 Western Kentucky
9 Connecticut over 8 Iowa State
5 Wichita State over 12 VCU
13 New Mexico State over 4 Indiana
6 UNLV over 11 Colorado
3 Baylor over 14 South Dakota State
7 Notre Dame over 10 Xavier
2 Duke over 15 Lehigh

Third round
1 Kentucky over 9 Connecticut
5 Wichita State over 13 New Mexico State
3 Baylor over 6 UNLV
2 Duke over 7 Notre Dame

Sweet 16
1 Kentucky over 5 Wichita State
3 Baylor over 2 Duke

Elite Eight
1 Kentucky over 3 Baylor

WEST

Second round
1 Michigan State over 16 LIU Brooklyn
9 Saint Louis over 8 Memphis
5 New Mexico over 12 Long Beach State
4 Louisville over 13 Davidson
6 Murray State over 11 Colorado State
3 Marquette over 14 BYU
7 Florida over 10 Virginia
2 Missouri over 15 Norfolk State

Third round
1 Michigan State over 9 Saint Louis
5 New Mexico over 4 Louisville
3 Marquette over 6 Murray State
2 Missouri over 7 Florida

Sweet 16
1 Michigan State over 5 New Mexico
2 Missouri over 3 Marquette

Elite Eight
2 Missouri over 1 Michigan State

EAST

Second round
1 Syracuse over 16 UNC Asheville
8 Kansas State over 9 Southern Miss
5 Vanderbilt over 12 Harvard
4 Wisconsin over 13 Montana
6 Cincinnati over 11 Texas
3 Florida State over 14 St. Bonaventure
10 West Virginia over 7 Gonzaga
2 Ohio State over 15 Loyola (Md.)

Third round
1 Syracuse over 8 Kansas State
4 Wisconsin over 5 Vanderbilt
3 Florida State over 6 Cincinnati
2 Ohio State over 10 West Virginia

Sweet 16
4 Wisconsin over 1 Syracuse
2 Ohio State over 3 Florida State

Elite Eight
4 Wisconsin over 2 Ohio State

MIDWEST

Second round
1 North Carolina over 16 Lamar
9 Alabama over 8 Creighton
5 Temple over 12 California
4 Michigan over 13 Ohio
11 NC State over 6 San Diego State
3 Georgetown over 14 Belmont
7 Saint Mary's over 10 Purdue
2 Kansas over 15 Detroit

Third round
1 North Carolina over 9 Alabama
4 Michigan over 5 Temple
11 NC State over 3 Georgetown
2 Kansas over 7 Saint Mary's

Sweet 16
1 North Carolina over 4 Michigan
2 Kansas over 11 NC State

Elite Eight
1 North Carolina over 2 Kansas

NATIONAL SEMIFINALS
Kentucky over Missouri
North Carolina over Wisconsin

NATIONAL TITLE GAME
Kentucky over North Carolina

Check back Friday morning for Joe Lunardi's full bracket, but here are his basic projections through Thursday night's action.

SINCE THE LAST UPDATE

• Texas moves above “Last Four In” (No. 47 overall) with its victory over Iowa State.
• Mississippi State drops to “Last Four In” with its loss to Georgia.
• South Florida stays in the field (No. 46 overall) despite its loss to Notre Dame.
• Oregon moves from "First Four Out" to the last spot on "Next Four Out."

LAST FOUR IN

Washington
Mississippi State
Drexel
Seton Hall

FIRST FOUR OUT

Tennessee
Northwestern
NC State
Miami (Fla.)

NEXT FOUR OUT

Iona
Arizona
Saint Joseph's
Oregon

Also considered: Dayton, Marshall, Ole Miss

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN

Big East (10)
Big Ten (6)
Big 12 (6)
SEC (5)
ACC (4)
Mountain West (4)
Atlantic 10 (3)
West Coast (3)
Colonial (2)
Conference USA (2)
Missouri Valley (2)
Pac-12 (2)

AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS

Belmont (Atlantic Sun)
Creighton (Missouri Valley)
Davidson (Southern)
Detroit (Horizon)
Harvard (Ivy)
Lehigh (Patriot)
LIU Brooklyn (Northeast)
Loyola-Md. (MAAC)
Montana (Big Sky)
Murray State (OVC)
Saint Mary's (West Coast)
South Dakota State (Summit)
UNC Asheville (Big South)
VCU (Colonial)
Western Kentucky (Sun Belt)

Andy Katz with five things he took away from Wednesday's action, including momentum from Connecticut and UCLA, Seton Hall's lost opportunity, Montana's big night, and a mid-major star to know while filling out your brackets.

Editor’s note: This update does not include BYU-Gonzaga in the WCC tournament.

NOTABLE

• North Carolina moves up to top line as projected No. 1 seed.
• Belmont (Atlantic Sun) clinches fifth NCAA bid in seven years.
• Texas falls out of field, replaced by Xavier (“Last Team In”).

Last Four In
Xavier
Northwestern
South Florida
Colorado State

First Four Out
Texas
VCU
Oregon
NC State

Next Four Out
Miami
Tennessee
Saint Joseph’s
Dayton

BRACKET MATH

Take the “solid” at-large candidates (current Tournament Odds at 90% or better) and there are now 34 teams in the field. Add in the remaining automatic qualifiers and that’s another 20 spots. All told there are 54 of the 68 spots accounted for, with 14 still up for grabs among current “Bubble” teams.

S-CURVE PROJECTIONS

1-KENTUCKY 2-SYRACUSE 3-KANSAS 4-NO. CAROLINA
8-Ohio State 7-Missouri 6-Duke 5-Michigan State*
9-Marquette 10-Georgetown 11-Baylor 12-Michigan
16-UNLV 15-Florida 14-Indiana 13-Wisconsin
17-Louisville 18-Wichita State 19-Florida State 20-TEMPLE
24-CREIGHTON 23-Notre Dame 22-Murray State 21-Vanderbilt
25-Gonzaga 26-New Mexico 27- San Diego State* 28-MEMPHIS
32-Purdue 31-Kansas State 30-Iowa State 29-SAINT MARY’S
33-Alabama 34-Cincinnati 35-Virginia 36-Southern Miss
40-Connecticut 39-Washington* 38-California 37-Saint Louis
41-West Virginia 42-Seton Hall 43-Harvard* 44-LONG BEACH STATE
48-Colorado State 47-Mississippi State 46-Brigham Young 45-Arizona
49-South Florida 50-Northwestern 51-Xavier 52-IONA
56-NEVADA 55-ORAL ROBERTS 54-DREXEL 53-MIDDLE TENNNESSEE
57-Belmont 58-DAVIDSON 59-AKRON 60-VALPARAISO
64-UNC Asheville 63-UT ARLINGTON 62-MONTANA 61-BUCKNELL
65-LONG ISLAND 66-STONY BROOK 67-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY 68-SAVANNAH STATE
72-NC State 71-Oregon 70-VCU 69-Texas
73-Miami (Fla.) 74-Saint Joseph’s 75-Dayton 76-Tennessee

Bold - automatic qualifier; * - current conference leader.
ALL CAPS: Regular-season champion (NIT auto-bid if needed)

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN

Big East (10)
Big Ten (7)
Big 12 (5)
SEC (5)
ACC (4)
Mountain West (4)
Atlantic 10 (3)
Pac-12 (3)
West Coast (3)
Conference USA (2)
Missouri Valley (2)

NCAA AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS

UNC Asheville (Big South)
Murray State (Ohio Valley Conference)
Belmont (Atlantic Sun)

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In the moments that followed a 79-59 road loss to Clemson on Jan. 7, Florida State’s coaching staff accosted players in the locker room about the multiple gaffes that had led to the lopsided score.

The Seminoles’ stubborn defense had failed them as the Tigers shot 49 percent from the field. They committed 16 turnovers. And their 24 fouls led to Clemson’s 28-for-33 mark from the charity stripe.

But as Leonard Hamilton and his staff pointed out the team’s flaws, Bernard James stirred in his seat, especially when coaches questioned players’ collective effort.

James, who scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in that game, felt a need to speak. With a declarative tone, he told everyone in the room that he had played hard. And he asked his teammates, who’d just suffered their sixth loss in 10 games, if they’d done the same.

“I just kind of snapped right there. I kind of defended myself,” James told ESPN.com. “I felt like I played hard that game. I placed the blame on certain individuals. It wasn’t to tear anybody down. I just felt like somebody needed to take responsibility for the loss.”

That moment broke the ice for a Florida State squad that turned a postgame discussion into an intervention. James said the Seminoles expressed their frustrations with one another. They talked about the missed assignments that had led to their poor start. They vowed to implement more accountability.

“We pretty much had to let the frustration out to start off on a new foot,” said junior Michael Snaer.

They’ve won 10 of their past 11 games, a mark punctuated by wins over North Carolina and Duke. Tickets for Thursday night’s home game against Duke sold out in 15 minutes.

The Seminoles’ evolution was evident on the final play of their 76-73 road win at Duke on Jan. 21. After Austin Rivers tied the game on a late drive, the Seminoles didn’t panic. They just executed.

James said he “knocked the snot out of” Seth Curry on a screen as Luke Loucks drove up the floor and found Snaer in the corner for the winning 3-pointer.

“Something would have went wrong [if that had happened before the Clemson loss]. Something would have been out of place,” James said. “The reason why that play worked was because everything happened the way it was supposed to.”

Hamilton could see the surge coming. Even after the Clemson loss, the coach said he believed his team was struggling because it hadn’t jelled yet. Xavier Gibson had switched positions. Loucks was still getting comfortable as the starting point guard. Ian Miller was unavailable at the start of the season, but he’s averaged 10.5 points per game since his Dec. 22 return.

But Hamilton agrees that the Clemson loss jolted a team that needed a midseason wake-up call.

“That game just brought us back to reality,” he said. “It kind of refocused us.”

Here’s a list of the other squads that have managed to turn things around this year:

Drexel -- The Dragons lost four of their first six games. But they’ve lost just one game since Dec. 3 and are riding a 14-game winning streak. They’re on top of the CAA with a 15-2 record.

George Mason -- Paul Hewitt endured some early struggles in his first season at George Mason. Nonconference losses to Florida Atlantic and Florida International seemed to spell trouble for the Patriots. But the Patriots found some poise as the season progressed. At 14-3 in the CAA, they’re tied with VCU for second place.

Iowa State -- The Cyclones suffered from the chemistry issues that come with being a team that relies on transfers. Despite possessing talented players such as Royce White and Chris Allen, the Cyclones lost at Drake, to Northern Iowa at home and at Michigan in their nonconference season. Would they find a way to click and extract the full potential from their roster? Yep. The Cyclones are fourth in the Big 12 with a 10-5 record, and they’re probably headed back to the NCAA tournament.

LIU Brooklyn -- The Blackbirds own the Northeast Conference right now (15-1). But they lost six of their first 11 games.

Notre Dame -- It all started with Tim Abromaitis suffering a season-ending injury in November. The Fighting Irish’s 65-58 road loss to Rutgers on Jan. 16 was their eight defeat of the year. But that’s the past. The new Fighting Irish have won nine games in a row.

South Florida -- The Bulls are on the bubble with a 10-5 record in the Big East. In late December, that would have appeared to be a misguided forecast. From Nov. 19 through Dec. 28, the Bulls lost seven of 11 games.

UNC Greensboro -- The Spartans are on top of the Southern Conference’s North division with a 10-7 record. Somehow, this team recovered from a 2-14 start to its 2011-12 campaign. Now that’s a turnaround.

VCU -- Shaka Smart’s Rams look dangerous again. After losing most of the starters from last season’s Final Four team, the Rams lost three of their first six games. But Bradford Burgess (12.9 ppg) has embraced his role as a leader on and off the floor. They’re tied with George Mason for second place in the CAA at 14-3.

Washington -- There’s a lot of bad in the Pac-12. But the Huskies are one of the struggling league’s success stories. They lost to South Dakota State 92-73 at home Dec. 18. It was their fifth loss in seven games. But the Huskies have lost just three games since that disaster. They’re 12-3 in the Pac-12 and making a legitimate push for an at-large berth.

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