ESPN Men's Basketball

1. Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said there was no decision yet on whether seniors Scott Martin and Tim Abromaitis will receive a sixth season of eligibility. Martin and Abromaitis each have had knee injuries. Martin played in three total seasons -- the first one at Purdue and the last two at Notre Dame with a redshirt season and an injury season in between. Abromaitis played in only two games this past season. This was his fifth season in college due to an injured second season with the Irish. Clearly, getting one or both back would be a major deal for the Irish in the Big East next season.

2. Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus spent the early part of the week working on his non-conference schedule. He said scheduling has become one of the toughest parts of the job, especially in dealing with the amount of money teams are getting for guaranteed games. But SLU is once again working on a stellar slate of games that should help the power rating. SLU does get New Mexico in a return game and may end up playing Murray State in St. Louis. SLU is one of the anchor teams in the CBE Classic in Kansas City with Kansas, Texas A&M and Washington State. A potential Kansas-SLU matchup in a final would be quite a show in KC.

3. The Sun Belt adds Georgia State. The WCC adds Pacific. But the biggest winners outside the power six in this conference alignment in 2012 will likely be the Big West adding San Diego State. The Atlantic 10 may also win if it can finalize a deal to get Butler. The team that may have the most trepidation now could be Boise State. The Broncos went to the WAC for the fall of 2013 but the WAC could look drastically different if the MWC-CUSA merger poaches a few members. Or, more likely, the Sun Belt under former WAC commissioner Karl Benson gets regional teams out of the WAC in Texas and Louisiana to bolt. Don’t put Boise in the WAC in cement just yet.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Before he wiped the floor -- he actually grabbed the sweeper from a ball boy in the final minutes of Michigan State’s 65-61 victory over Saint Louis on Sunday at Nationwide Arena to erase a wet spot -- Draymond Green cleaned up the locker room.

Since the Spartans reached Nationwide Arena last week, they’d hinted at past distress. They were even instructed not to discuss the 2010-11 season. Senior guard Austin Thornton admitted, however, that “guys had minds elsewhere,” during one news conference.

The cause behind that fall from back-to-back Final Fours to a one-and-done program in the 2011 NCAA tournament wasn’t as simple as injuries and a bad night. The Spartans had issues.

But Green’s leadership eliminated yesteryear’s drama and fueled the team’s run to the Sweet 16.

In one crucial play against the Billikens, this squad illustrated its renewed bond and his role in it.

With three minutes to go, Tom Izzo gave Green the ball. He’d struggled to get comfortable in the paint in the second half -- proof that Rick Majerus still has it -- so Izzo told his 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward (everything?) to run point.

“I did go up to him and I said, 'Look, I’m going to put the ball in your hands the last three minutes because we can’t get it to you down low, but you’ve got to make good decisions,'" Izzo said.

Green scored 16 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and recorded 2 steals.

But his greatest moment came after Izzo turned him into a point guard. The Billikens had cut Michigan State’s 11-point lead midway through the second half to two with 3:18 to go on Kwamain Mitchell’s layup.

Green nailed a 15-footer. Then, he blocked Cory Remekun’s shot on the other end. And on his team’s next possession, he channeled Magic Johnson.

He drove toward the rim in traffic. And as a national-player-of-the-year candidate and the best player on the floor, he had every right to take that shot.

But Green is a star who doesn’t care about that status. He had a greater goal in mind.

Instead, he moved toward the bucket, drew Billikens and found Keith Appling wide open in the corner.

Appling connected on the 3-pointer and put the Spartans ahead 58-51 with 1:37 remaining on the game clock, one of his six assists on Sunday.

Prior to that play, Green had encouraged Appling to get loose.

“We got in the huddle in one of our timeouts, Draymond instilled some confidence in me, told me I was a 41 percent 3-point shooter last year, so shoot the ball,” Appling said.

Green was actually the first option on that critical sequence, but deferred to his teammate.

“All night, I was begging him to shoot, too,” he said.

Late free throws sealed Michigan State’s trip to the Sweet 16, where it will face Louisville in Phoenix. But Green’s continued emphasis on unity ensured that this program would not unravel in the clutch moments it navigated against Saint Louis.

On Twitter, some commented that Green’s decision to wipe up the floor late in the game was an example of the senior “trying too hard” to show off his leadership and selflessness.

An entire locker room of young men who call him a brother would disagree.

Travis Trice said he admires Green because he invites the team’s freshmen over to his house in East Lansing, Mich. It’s not a random occurrence but a consistent effort by Green to include everyone in the program.

One staffer said Green just “gets it.” He shows up early for meetings. He treats the trainers -- not just his teammates and coaches -- with respect.

Derrick Nix said Green's dish to Appling showcased that humility. His teammate makes those plays often, Nix said, because he’s interested in the success of the entire program, not his own numbers.

“Draymond’s one of those pass-first guys. Little do a lot of people know, he’s going to pass it before he takes a shot because he’s so unselfish when he should be selfish at times,” Nix said.

The same man who’s helped the Spartans connect on and off the floor with his personality is the same person who will jump on a player if he’s out of order.

“Barking,” players called it during the NCAA tournament.

At halftime Sunday, players argued over the effort level in the first half. Green was vocal during the exchange.

“He is our head on this team, him and Keith," Nix said. "If it’s something going on, they’re going to know about it and address it."

Players accept Green’s praise and criticism because they respect him.

It’s easy to see why.

As much as he oozes confidence, Green admitted that he’s prone to mistakes. He’s not the perfect player/kid/friend/son/teammate he appears to be.

He said the pressures of garnishing attention for earning Big Ten player-of-the-year honors and being mentioned as a candidate for national honors were tough to handle.

“I still have times where I struggle and I go in to Coach behind closed doors and talk to him," Green said. "Nobody may know about it. My teammates may not know about it."

It’s that genuine persona and vulnerability that have anchored Michigan State’s undeniable chemistry.

Yes, Green is one of the best players in America. But according to those around him, his leadership is equally significant for the program and its potential to reach New Orleans.

“If he wanted to he could go off and say, 'Screw you guys, I’m going to get my numbers. I’m going to do what I can to get my numbers,'” Thornton said. “He sacrifices to make the team better.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Taking a look at Sunday's games in Columbus.

No. 11 NC State (23-12) vs. No. 3 Georgetown (24-8), 12:15 p.m. ET

NC State is an 11-seed and Georgetown is a 3-seed. But Sunday’s matchup at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, doesn’t feel like a 3/11 game.

The Wolfpack have the length and athleticism to challenge a Georgetown team that enjoys the same tools and uses them to its advantage, too.

C.J. Leslie and Richard Howell just attacked and attacked against undersized San Diego State as NC State scored the “upset” against the Aztecs on Friday. Lorenzo Brown shot well from outside with SDSU’s bigs trying to close up the lane.

The Wolfpack were dominant. But they also had a clear size advantage in that matchup.

That won’t be the case against Georgetown, a team that utilizes 6-foot-10 Henry Sims and 6-8 Otto Porter in the frontcourt. The Hoyas have the top 3-point defense in America. Jason Clark is a versatile guard who carved up Belmont.

Georgetown showcased its versatility in its win over Belmont. The Hoyas went to a zone that frustrated one of the top 3-point shooting teams in America.

They can throw multiple defensive looks at the Wolfpack. They can go man-to-man because they have the size, or they can revert to that tough zone.

Georgetown beat NC State 82-67 last season, when the Hoyas separated from a young Wolfpack team with a 15-0 run in the second half. The Wolfpack made just 23.5 percent of their 3-point attempts in that game.

This season, the Wolfpack are ranked 82^nd in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted tempo ratings. Georgetown is 299^th. NC State’s players said Georgetown’s ability to control the speed of the game affected the outcome last year.

“I know the one thing I can remember, it was very frustrating playing them, because they’re the type of team who doesn’t want to score 80 or 90 points,” Howell said. “They don’t want to get up and down the floor. They just want to play a very slow, a very slow-paced game. That’s something we don’t want to do. We want to get up and down.”

The Hoyas resent the notion that they can’t run, but they also recognize the role that tempo could play in Sunday’s game.

“They have pretty much the same players on the team. They’re a very athletic team,” Clark said. “They like to get out and score in transition. They’re a very good team.”

No. 9 Saint Louis (26-7) vs. No. 1 Michigan State (28-7), 30 minutes after Game 1

You don’t need the actual scouting reports to know Saint Louis’ game plan against Michigan State. The Billikens, ranked 304^th in Pomeroy’s tempo ratings, want to make the Spartans play slower than their norm.

But it’s more complicated than that, which is why the matchup between the two guys on the sidelines takes precedence.

This is Saint Louis vs. Michigan State, but it’s also Rick Majerus vs. Tom Izzo.

Majerus has amassed a 517-215 record and made 12 NCAA tourney appearances. He led Utah to the NCAA title game in 1998, the highlight of a head-coaching career that started at Marquette during the 1983-84 season.

Izzo was a longtime assistant under Jud Heathcote before taking over the program during the 1995-96 campaign. He has a 384-161 record. He won the national title in 2000 and he’s reached the Final Four six times.

This is a matchup of two of the top coaches in the game. Both Izzo and Majerus showcased their acumen during round of 64 victories in Columbus.

The Spartans didn’t impose their will in the first half against LIU-Brooklyn the way they could have and led by just five points at the break.

Izzo said he was disappointed the Spartans didn’t take great shots early in that game. He scolded his squad for not sticking to the game plan and attacking inside. The Spartans responded with an impressive effort after halftime.

Izzo has molded this program into one of the most focused and connected teams in the country, one that’s capable of reaching New Orleans.

But Majerus is a master game-planner, too.

By Saturday afternoon, less than 24 hours after his team’s win over Memphis in the second round, Majerus seemed capable of writing a thesis about Green and his teammates.

“I can beat Rick. I can get him up and down the court for sure,” Izzo joked. “The job he does with his team, his teams are always tough, well-disciplined. They don’t make a lot of mistakes. They don’t beat themselves. They’re very solid and fundamental. And the post players are as fundamental as anybody in the country.”

Memphis, the Billikens' first-round opponent on Friday, was supposed to have the same advantages in size and athleticism that Michigan State appears to have entering Sunday’s game. That didn’t matter when Saint Louis and Memphis took the floor, though. Saint Louis slowed the game down and didn’t panic when the Tigers took an eight-point lead midway through the second half.

Kwamain Mitchell hit big shots. Brian Conklin proved that a 6-6, 235-pound forward can hold his own in the paint against a more athletic, longer opponent.

But Michigan State has beef in the post that Memphis lacked. Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne have stepped up in the postseason.

Majerus, however, faced similar circumstances Friday and came out on top.

The former Utah coach’s experience will play a role in Sunday’s matchup. He’s one of the best in the business at breaking down opponents and finding their weaknesses.

He’ll try to do it again against a coach that he respects.

“I respect Izzo because he’s a self-made coach. He was with Heathcote all those years. He’s demanding. He’s fair,” Majerus said. “His players really like him. And he loves the game. He’s a guy that you could get together with and talk ball.”

On a day in which lower-seeded teams played even with higher-seeded teams, the biggest story in college basketball was 15th-seeded Lehigh’s stunning win over No. 2 seed Duke.

This was the second 15-versus-2 win of the day. It marked the first season in which a pair of 15 seeds won an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game.

The Blue Devils lost for only the fourth time in the round of 64 under Mike Krzyzewski. They entered the day 28-0 all-time against teams seeded 12th through 16th, but could not handle C.J. McCollum and his Mountain Hawks teammates.

McCollum scored 30 points and drew 13 fouls, the second-most by a player in a game in the last three tournaments (Jimmer Fredette drew 14 last season against Wofford).

Lehigh outscored Duke 19-4 in transition Friday during the Mountain Hawks' second-round win. Lehigh entered the championship tournament with the 16th-best transition defense in the nation. The Blue Devils, on the other hand, had been outscored by 1.9 transition points per game this season, the second-worst differential in the ACC.

Lehigh also attempted 37 free throws, the most by a Duke opponent in a tournament game since 1955, when Villanova attempted 42.

This was the first loss for current ACC members against a 15 or 16 seed in the Round of 64. It wasn’t the only big upset of the evening.

Here’s a snapshot look of the rest of the games from Friday night.

Midwest Region
(2) Kansas 65, (15) Detroit 50
Thomas Robinson had his nation-leading 24th double-double this season. It is the first time that a Horizon League team hasn't won a Men's Basketball Championship game since 2004.

(10) Purdue 72, (7) Saint Mary's 69
Purdue has won 14 straight Round of 64 games, including one in each of the last six seasons.

(12) South Florida 58, (5) Temple 44
South Florida gets the win in its first Round of 64 appearance since 1992. Temple has lost in the Round of 64 in four of its last five Men's Basketball Championship appearances. The Owls scored at least 64 points in every other game this season.

(13)Ohio 65, (4) Michigan 60
The Bobcats became the sixth team to win a tournament game as both a 13 and 14 seed (they beat Georgetown as a 14 seed two seasons ago).

Ohio scored 63 of its 65 points in the half court, shooting nearly 16 percentage points higher than Michigan in half-court sets. In their last tournament victory over Georgetown in the 2010 Men's Basketball Championship, the Bobcats shot 57 percent and outscored the Hoyas by 18 points in the half court.

Since 2004, Ohio is 2-2 in tournament play. All other MAC teams are a combined 0-6.

Michigan is now 10-1 all-time versus teams seeded No. 12 or worse.

West Region
(1) Michigan State 89, (16) LIU Brooklyn 67
Draymond Green had 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead the Spartans, his second consecutive triple-double in the Men's Basketball Championship (he had a triple double in Round of 64 loss to UCLA last season).

Green joins Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only players with multiple triple-doubles in Men's Basketball Championship history (Robertson had four, Johnson two).

(9) St Louis 61, (8) Memphis 54
Saint Louis wins a Men's Basketball Championship game for the first time since 1998. Head coach Rick Majerus is now 11-1 in round of 64 games. It is only Saint Louis' fourth tournament victory in program history.

South Region
(10) Xavier 67, (7) Notre Dame 63
Xavier wins in the Round of 64 for the fifth time in six seasons. Tu Holloway moved past Jamie Gladden for 7th on Xavier's all-time scoring list (1,790) and led all scorers with 25 points.

Notre Dame assisted on 76 percent of its field goals Friday against Xavier. It was the first time this season that Notre Dame has lost when assisting on at least 60 percent of its field goals (previously 19-0).

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The fun continues at Nationwide Arena on Friday night with an appearance by a 1-seed and an 8-9 matchup featuring two squads that play opposing styles. Memphis is fast. St. Louis is slow. Which style will dictate the tempo? Michigan State is relying on its new chemistry as it enters a game against Long Island.

No. 9 Saint Louis (25-7) vs. No. 8 Memphis (26-8), 6:50 p.m. ET

If Rick Majerus’ demeanor was any reflection of his team’s mood entering its Friday matchup against Memphis, the Billikens will be in good shape. He drew laughs for the bulk of his news conference and appeared to be quite relaxed.

Majerus cracked jokes about Twitter: “I can’t see this Twitter thing … you know, 'Just went to the beach, the water was wet.' You know, I mean, it’s like what is that?”

Majerus also talked about a recent health situation in which he mixed up his medication and missed a game as a result: “And so I’m sitting there, and of course they want you to go to the hospital. And they’re saying, ‘Well, what pills did you mix up?’ I said I wasn’t trying to, you know ... the team hadn’t been playing that bad that I wanted to go south, you know.”

His players seemed just as serene as they talked about their tough matchup against the Tigers, a team that’s ranked 19th in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings and 11th in adjusted defensive efficiency.

They’re one of the fastest teams in the country and can run with anyone.

And that’s what the Billikens want to stop. St. Louis is one of slowest teams in the country (No. 303 in adjusted tempo). It hopes to use its rugged style to its advantage when it faces Memphis.

“It’s definitely going to be getting more guys back and getting kind of packed in the lane and then building out from there,” said St. Louis standout Brian Conklin (13.9 points per game). “So definitely going to stop their early transition and make sure they use all 35 seconds of the shot clock, and we have to box out.”

The Billikens have one of the top defenses in the country (No. 10 in Pomeroy’s ratings). Their slow tempo didn’t stop them from finishing second in the Atlantic 10.

But the Tigers are a special group with elite athleticism. They have weapons in every spot. Will Barton, Joe Jackson and Tarik Black anchor a team that’s shooting 49.4 percent from the field, fifth in the nation.

And now they’ve reached a point where players have accepted their roles, which has led a new level of chemistry for this talented group that says it’s ready for the Billikens.

“They’re a solid team. They play as one. They’re not a team that’s going to shoot themselves in the foot. They don’t turn the ball over much,” Black said. “They have good players.”

No. 1 Michigan State (27-7) v. No. 16 LIU Brooklyn (25-8), 9:20 p.m. ET

They all laughed at the question.

During their press conference Thursday, Michigan State’s Draymond Green, Austin Thornton and Keith Appling snickered when asked about the changes from last year’s team.

“Well, it was funny. We did all kind of laugh because we were instructed not to talk about last year,” Thornton admitted.

Last year was an abrupt change from the program’s two previous seasons.

The 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons ended with Final Four appearances. Last year’s campaign ended with a second-round loss to UCLA.

The summer before the 2010-11 season saw various team members undergo six major surgeries. But Thornton suggested that the problems extended beyond injuries.

“So a lot of things in the last couple years, especially even last year, just guys had minds elsewhere. It wasn’t entirely focused on the success of this program, and that’s what is different and what’s special about this year’s team,” he said. “Everyone bought in and understands what’s best for them is what’s best for this program and is what’s led to the success we had this year.”

The Spartans will need that bond to help them get through a region that features a variety of athletic teams. Missouri, Florida, Memphis, Marquette and Murray State make the West region one of the most competitive in the field.

“I think the advantage is everything’s almost similar," said All-America candidate Green. "So where some nights in the NCAA tournament you may go from playing against somebody who just may run a Princeton-style offense and then the next night to maybe playing someone who hardly runs any offense or just run all motion or they really run and gun for the most part.”

First, however, the Spartans have to take care of LIU Brooklyn, a team that won the Northeast Conference tournament.

The Blackbirds have some skill inside with Julian Boyd (a 6-foot-7 forward averaging 17.4 points, 9.5 rebounds) and Jamal Olasewere (a 6-7 forward averaging 16.8 points, 7.5 rebounds).

That duo has to avoid foul trouble for the Blackbirds to have a chance at the upset.

“I feel like every game this year, if me and Julian [are] on the bench, it will hurt this team,” Olasewere said. “So going into this one, with I guess, the style of play … physical, we have to just play with our hands straight up and try hard not to foul.”

The Spartans are one of the most physical teams in the country. They average 38 rebounds per game. Green, Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix will defend the glass and attack in the post.

But they also have talented perimeter players such as Appling and Brandon Wood.

In the tournament, however, anything is possible.

On Thursday, UNC Asheville came close to becoming the first-ever 16-seed to beat a 1-seed when it pushed Syracuse for 40 minutes. But Blackbirds coach Jim Ferry doesn’t think UNC Asheville’s effort did his team any favors.

“That’s not very good for the Blackbirds, because if Michigan State was looking away a little bit that might have woken them up a little bit,” he said.

CINCINNATI -- Rick Majerus didn’t make much out of his team’s 73-68 win over Xavier, passing if off as nothing more than a good night in a very long season.

The truth is, the Billikens’ win is nothing less than the latest tectonic shift in an Atlantic 10 that is undergoing serious seismic shakes.

In the A-10, there were always a few guarantees: Fran Dunphy’s mustache, Xavier winning at home and X marking the spot at the top of the conference.

The first disappeared in October, the result of a lost bet between the Temple coach and Dionte Christmas.

Saint Louis erased the second on Wednesday night, ending Xavier’s six-year home win streak against Atlantic 10 opponents, a run that extended across 43 games.

Could the third be far away?

That’s the question that most everyone is asking these days in one way or another: what’s wrong with Xavier? Can the Musketeers, a team that has won or shared five consecutive league titles, regroup?

The answer is once again TBD, now that a team that looked like it had righted itself just a week ago has lost back-to-back games.

Asked if he knew what was ailing his team, Tu Holloway shook his head.

“Not really,’’ he said. “I really can’t say. We’re all looking for answers.’’

So is Chris Mack.

The coach looks like he’s trying to plug 57 holes in the dam, fixing one only to find another one blow open.

He benched starters Kenny Frease and Mark Lyons to start the game. Mack thought his team lacked toughness in a loss at rival Dayton on Saturday and so decided instead to reward players who ‘go at it’ in practice.

It worked to a point. The Musketeers didn’t get outmuscled against the Billinkens. In fact they showed some serious resolve, clawing back into a game they looked completely out of for 20 minutes.

Only problem, with the toughness riddle solved, Mack was handed a new one: an inattention to detail, evidenced by 17 turnovers.

“We have to become a better basketball team,’’ Mack said. “No one is going to feel sorry for us. Just the opposite. There’s not going to be a lot of nice things said about us and that’s OK, as long as we stay together and we are.’’

The catch is, it’s not as easy to fix an ailing team in the A-10 as it used to be. The middle and the bottom are gaining ground this season and a five-minute brain cramp against anyone can easily turn into a loss.

Certainly, at least part of what was ailing Xavier on this night was Saint Louis. Since Majerus was hired five years ago, folks have been waiting for the Billikens to make some noise. Last season looked like the arrival date, but the year spiraled out of control under the weight of off-court suspensions.

Now it looks like Saint Louis is arriving, just a little later than expected. Theirs has not been a smooth ride. The Billikens jumped out to a hot nonconference start, beating Washington, Villanova and Oklahoma, but have struggled since the A-10 season started. Saint Louis exchanged losses and wins in the first four games.

Now on a three-game ride, the Billikens stand tied atop the murky conference standings with Dayton, UMass, LaSalle and St. Bonaventure (whoever had those teams on the leader board for late January ought to head to Vegas immediately).

This is your typical Majerus team, about as much fun to play against as a double root canal. Saint Louis does not make mistakes, plays incredibly hard defense and can beat you in all sorts of ways thanks to a wily coach who has an answer for every riddle.

Against Xavier, the Billikens started out by winning behind the arc, sinking 7 of 14 3-pointers in the first half to roll to a 41-29 lead. When Xavier adjusted, as Majerus knew it would, they pounded the ball inside to Brian Conklin. After X tied the game at 50, Conklin either scored or was fouled on five of Saint Louis’ next seven possessions.

“He’s pretty good in the low post,’’ Majerus said. “He’s been playing better and he’s a confident scorer. We had been shooting the three-ball early but when they took that away, we were able to spread them out and went to Conklin.’’

Conklin delivered to the tune of 19 points, enough to help the Billikens’ hold off a late push by the Musketeers and end a run of dominance that Majerus said he didn’t know about but his players surely did.

“It’s just a jumping board for us,’’ Conklin said. “It feels great. That 43-game streak, with me being a senior, my last year, we’ve been so close so many years and not been able to get it done, so to come in here and hit free throws, it’s great. We’re first in the conference right now. It’s ours to win or ours to lose. We definitely want it to be ours to win.’’

It certainly could be the case.

Disorder is the new order of the day in the Atlantic 10.

Down is up, X is down and Fran Dunphy is clean shaven.

Before we begin a new week of games, here are five thoughts from the past seven days:

1. Kentucky should be able to grow from its loss to Indiana on Saturday. It might not seem that way to upset UK fans, but the Wildcats needed to see how to handle a tough environment and late-game situations. They couldn’t convert at the free-throw line to ice the game and then didn’t do what coach John Calipari and his staff instructed in the final possession -- foul a Hoosier, any Hoosier. (Kentucky still had a foul to give and using it would have forced Indiana to take a shot against a set defense.) If the Cats watch those final two possessions and learn what to do in the future, this team will be fine. There's still title-winning talent on Big Blue.

2. Seton Hall’s Herb Pope continues to have an amazing recovery from collapsing last year in a life-or-death scare. As of right now, he's the comeback player of the year with his play. He led the Pirates with 26 points and 14 boards in a 14-point win over Wake Forest this weekend and is averaging 21.9 points and 11.3 rebounds for the surprising 8-1 Pirates.

3. Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus picked up his 500th win on Saturday. Majerus has gone through quite a bit in his career with multiple health concerns. He was a doting son to his ailing mother, who passed away earlier this year. So Majerus deserves all the credit that comes his way after notching No. 500. And it is even sweeter that he’s coaching a potential NCAA team with the Billikens now 9-1.

4. Northern Iowa is back to being relevant just two years after that stunning defeat of Kansas in the NCAA tournament. The Panthers have lost just once and that was a late-night game at Saint Mary's after an arduous travel schedule to begin the season. UNI has won eight in a row since, including an easy sweep of Iowa and Iowa State and a blowout of previously 8-1 Milwaukee on Saturday. Ben Jacobson's group looks like a strong contender with Creighton, Wichita State and Indiana State for the Missouri Valley Conference title.

5. First-year coach Larry Shyatt is making Wyoming play defense and as a result has the Cowboys surging in the Mountain West in his second stint as head coach in Laramie. Wyoming has played a relatively soft slate so far, but the Pokes are 9-1 with a solid 11-point road win over rival Colorado during the weekend. There’s no reason to think Wyoming can’t put itself into postseason contention with this strong start.

1. The Mountain West Conference and Conference USA are getting closer to a full-scale merger for all sports in light of defections to the Big East from both conferences. If it happens, then expect a strong basketball conference to emerge from this potential crisis for both leagues. A league that is highlighted by UNLV, New Mexico, Memphis, Tulsa, Marshall, Southern Miss, UTEP, Nevada, Fresno State and UAB would be highly competitive and compete for multiple NCAA bids. Fan bases, interest and funds in Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Memphis, Tulsa and El Paso would make this a strong league. This is actually the right thing to do based on this current climate.

2. Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus goes for his 500th win when the Billikens host Illinois-Springfield Saturday. I’m not sure there is a coach who has worked as hard for his 500 as Majerus. Had he not taken a leave from coaching he’d be in rare company. Majerus is as great a basketball mind as there is. He is a tireless worker and has gone through health scares and personal struggles to get to this point. And now he has a potential A-10 title challenger to Xavier.

3. Vanderbilt’s Festus Ezeli played in his first game of the season on Wednesday, following a six-game NCAA suspension for extra benefits and a knee injury. He scored 15 points in 21 minutes in the Commodores road win at Davidson. Vandy has had some tough luck recently. It was unable to close out a home game against Xavier and a road game at Louisville. The Commodores looked like they had solved their past issues with late wins over NC State and Oregon State in New Jersey last month. But the ‘Dores problems re-emerged last week. Now that Ezeli has returned Vandy has no more excuses. Winning at Davidson was a strong indication that the ‘Dores could be moving forward. Another barometer road game against Marquette still looms before the SEC season begins.

Andy Katz catches up with Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus at Atlantic 10 Media Day.

1. Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus told ESPN.com that he has hired former Army and Evansville coach Jim Crews to replace Alex Jensen as his top assistant. Jensen abruptly left Majerus and the Billikens earlier in the week to work with the D-League team of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The move stunned Majerus, who had been close to Jensen since coaching him at Utah. Majerus was livid with the Cavs for hiring away Jensen now, right before the start of the season. Crews agreed to help him and lend his veteran coaching skills. A one-time Indiana player and assistant under Bob Knight, Crews said he would commit to SLU for the season.

2. Atlantic 10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade is legitimately concerned about what Temple will do and whether the Owls will get an invitation from the Big East for all sports. McGlade said she won’t rush if the Owls were to leave the A-10 and isn’t against staying put at 13 members for the immediate future. With Saint Joseph’s and La Salle, at least the league knows it won't be out of the Philly market if the Owls leave. Still, McGlade knows that a Temple departure would be a hit to the basketball stature of the league. But no one knows if and when the Big East will move on the Owls, with Central Florida likely first up on the expansion ladder if the Big East decides to add to its football membership. UCF, like Temple, would be an all-sports addition if it gets on the expansion list.

3. Get ready for quite a rivalry between the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and Madison Square Garden in Manhattan for college basketball’s hot properties. The A-10 and Barclays Center appeared quite chummy during Thursday’s media day at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott. And Barclays spokesperson Barry Baum was quick to say that the arena will be active in pursuing college basketball games/tournaments. MSG has cornered the market on getting big-time college games into the city, from early-season tournaments to Duke games to the annual Big East tournament. Barclays, which opens next fall, will host the A-10 tournament and the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in 2012-13. Don’t be surprised to see the new-look ACC and Big East in competition for games and conference tournaments in these two buildings for years to come as both try to stake the New York City-area turf.

Saint Louis guard Kwamain Mitchell's 2010-11 season was a lost one. Legal issues landed him in hot water with the school, and after being readmitted and serving a suspension, it became so late in the year that he simply redshirted. The Billikens went on to win only 12 games without their leading scorer.

So it was with a sigh of relief that the back injury Mitchell suffered on Friday did not appear to be a serious one after he fell backward into metal bleachers. He spent Friday night in a hospital in Ottawa and the exhibition game against Carleton University was called off with 3:13 left. Doctors found no structural or bone damage on Mitchell, who was scheduled to fly back from the preseason tour of Canada with the team on Sunday.

Mitchell, who as a sophomore led the Billikens by averaging 15.9 points, figures to be an important part of a team that hopes to improve on its tied-for-10th finish in the A-10.

Saint Louis will have a chance to make some noise in the 76 Classic, going up against Boston College in the first round. The Billikens will also play at New Mexico to start a home-and-home series, giving coach Rick Majerus an opportunity to go back to The Pit.

Majerus also had his own health issue before the trip when he underwent a heart procedure, but seemed to be having a good time in Canada.

"I love Canadians," he told Western Ontario's team website. "They're so friendly. Since I've been here, I've always been asked 'what can we do for you? Can I get you anything?' That's why I always love coming to Canada."

Aside from the injury, Mitchell enjoyed himself, along with the rest of the team as can been seen after he was handed a flip cam to document the trip.

OK, so anecdotal evidence suggests that Mike Garrett was no basketball expert.

And for of all his success as USC athletic director, like the construction of the Galen Center, there were big mistakes, like the handling of the O.J. Mayo recruitment and the decision to hire Rick Majerus.

But Kevin O'Neill, who Garrett hired in one of his final major decisions for USC, has worked out nicely so far and already gotten a show of support from Garrett's successor.

Pat Haden officially replaced Garrett on Tuesday as athletic director, and he wrote a letter to the Trojan family on Day 1 of the new era that mentioned the "continued improvement of our basketball program."

Continued improvement means that there currently is improvement, right? The Trojans in O'Neill's first season went 16-14, and anyone who watched them saw a good amount of spirited play from the team despite it getting word midseason that self-imposed sanctions would cost them any dreams of postseason play.

That spoke volumes about O'Neill's ability to weather the storm and will serve him well going forward as the program faces NCAA probation and recruiting restrictions.

And getting off on the right foot with Haden sure doesn't hurt.

Jim Saia technically served two terms as USC interim head coach after Henry Bibby was fired and again after new hire Rick Majerus resigned five days into the job. He was also Steve Lavin's longtime assistant at UCLA.

Saia's career took another detour yesterday as he was named the first head coach at Cal State San Marcos (near San Diego), which doesn't yet have a team or a place to play while it applies for Division II membership.

The team won't be ready to play until the 2011-12 season, but according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, a 4,000-seat arena is being proposed.

"With the location, the possibility of building an arena, and the resources the University has committed to the program, I truly believe that within the next four to five years this will be the best NCAA Division II job in the country," Saia said in a statement.

Winners from Saturday

Notre Dame: The Irish gave the selection committee another reason to put them in the dance with yet another road win, this time with Luke Harangody and at Marquette -- a team in the tournament field. The Irish are earning their way into the field.

Duke: The Blue Devils likely earned the fourth No. 1 seed with a hammering of North Carolina on Saturday night. Duke also clinched a share of the ACC regular-season title. The Blue Devils passed the eye test of a team that could get to Indy.

Saint Louis: The Billikens won at Dayton, completing a season sweep of the Flyers and finishing in fourth place in the Atlantic 10. Rick Majerus has done an outstanding job with a club that is void of upperclassmen. The Billikens could be a sleeper to win the A-10 in Atlantic City next week.

Baylor: If you’re looking for a sleeper in the Big 12 tournament, it could be Baylor. The Bears ran away from Texas and looked like a team ready to get busy in the postseason.

Kansas: The Jayhawks may have locked up the No. 1 overall seed after winning at Missouri on Saturday. Kansas got inspired play from its key contributors and once again heads into the conference tournament on a high.

Louisville: The Cardinals had to win two of there games this week and did. Louisville beat Connecticut, then lost at Marquette before beating Syracuse on Saturday. That gave the Cardinals a sweep of Syracuse and a likely bid to the Dance in the final game at Freedom Hall.

Tennessee: The Vols did something Lane Kiffin couldn’t do, taking a 17-0 lead on the road in the SEC. Tennessee lit up Mississippi State and had the look of a team that could be a major factor in an SEC tournament that they'll play in their home state just a few hours away in Nashville.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies didn’t have their second-leading scorer in Dorenzo Hudson, survived a nasty moving screen by Gani Lawal on Malcolm Delaney and gutted out a win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Hokies dismissed any doubt about their candidacy with a win.

Washington: The Huskies kept alive their chances of an at-large berth by winning at Oregon State. That win doesn’t get them in the dance, but a loss would have been crushing.

Arizona State: The Sun Devils are in Joe Lunardi’s bracket and they had to beat UCLA to stay in the field. They did, sweeping the L.A. schools this week. But here’s the deal: ASU and Washington are heading for a showdown in the semifinals of the Pac-10 tourney. Loser is out, winner has a pulse.

Memphis: The Tigers had a great week, winning at UAB and crushing Tulsa at home. The Tigers get the sweep of the Blazers. If you’re looking for a second C-USA team to go along with league champ UTEP, it could be the Tigers. They may get a third shot at UAB in the semifinals.

Maryland: The Terps won at Virginia. Yes, UVA was playing without Sylven Landesberg, who has been suspended for the season due to academics, but the Terps still won a road game. That means Maryland gets a share of the ACC title. That’s an outstanding accomplishment for this squad.

Pitt: The Panthers lost to Indiana early in the year without Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown. Pitt could have lost to Providence at home, but when it mattered most the Panthers have come up huge. They beat Rutgers as expected Saturday but that meant Pitt got the No. 2 seed after beating West Virginia and Villanova at home in February. Jamie Dixon has done a phenomenal job with the Panthers. There is no reason Pitt should be No. 2 in the Big East with what it lost.

Losers from Saturday

Rhode Island: Had a shot to convince the selection committee that it was worthy, but lost at UMass a week after losing at St. Bonaventure. The Rams didn’t beat the top three teams in the A-10 (Xavier, Temple or Richmond). URI must win the conference tournament.

Mississippi State: The Bulldogs started a must-win game down 17-0. Mississippi State has blown two chances to win a key home game – to Kentucky and now Tennessee. The Bulldogs didn’t do anything Saturday to convince the selection committee.

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets may still get into the field. But they gave the selection committee a reason to pause after losing at home to Virginia Tech, sans Dorenzo Hudson, who was hurt. The Yellow Jackets finished seventh in the ACC and had only one conference road win.

Connecticut: The Huskies had an awful week, losing at Notre Dame and then losing at South Florida on Saturday. The Huskies now probably have to get to the Big East semifinals to crawl back into the conversation.

Dayton: The Flyers were teetering on the bubble before the Billikens bulldozed the Flyers late and stole a win. Dayton now probably has to win the A-10 tournament to get a bid.

Villanova: The ‘Cats may have played themselves out of a No. 2 seed by losing at home to West Virginia. Villanova also fell to the No. 4 seed in the Big East tournament. ‘Nova can still make a magnificent run, but it made the journey more difficult.

Kansas State: The Wildcats lost their third home game in the Big 12 by falling to lower-level Iowa State (also lost to Kansas and Oklahoma State). The Wildcats blew a No. 2 seed with the home loss Saturday.

LaSalle: The Explorers were supposed to be a sleeper in the A-10. They won’t even make the tournament in Atlantic City. The Explorers will join winless Fordham in sitting out the conference tourney.

Oklahoma: The disaster season came to a conclusion with a sad effort against Texas A&M. The atmosphere was awful and the Sooners sunk.

North Carolina: The Tar Heels were handed the second-worst loss under Roy Williams. The Tar Heels were embarrassed by Duke and limp into the ACC tournament. It was just awful.

UAB: The Blazers had a huge week with games against UTEP and Memphis. They lost them both and pushed themselves onto the wrong side of the bubble.

Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane got hammered by Memphis and limp into hosting the conference tournament next week. Tulsa was the preseason favorite to win Conference USA.

A few nuggets:

• Georgetown coach John Thompson III said late Saturday night that Austin Freeman felt fine after the game, his first since being diagnosed with diabetes. Freeman scored 24 points in the win over Cincinnati. Freeman missed the West Virginia game last Monday. Thompson told me that the Hoyas will continue to monitor Freeman’s blood-sugar level and don’t anticipate any problems going forward this season.

• Notre Dame got Luke Harangody back for the win at Marquette. Harangody played 11 minutes off the bench. Irish coach Mike Brey told me late Saturday night that Harangody will continue to come off the bench this season. He said ‘Gody told him to use him however he wants to ensure the team wins. Brey said the Irish have become mentally tougher in the past few weeks. The Irish were 4-2 without Harangody, beating Pitt and Connecticut at home and winning at Georgetown.

• KVAL-TV reported that Oregon coach Ernie Kent has been fired and that he was told on Feb. 22 by Oregon athletic director Mike Bellotti. No one will be surprised if this does occur, but Kent told me in a text late Saturday night that this is the same story he has heard the past four years. Meanwhile, Bellottti sent this statement out late Saturday night after Oregon’s win over Washington State: "Ernie and I have talked, and we will continue to talk through the Pac-10 Tournament."

Rick Majerus has made it clear he's not very happy with St. Louis' decision to join the Atlantic 10. He thinks the travel requirements -- SLU has to fly to the east coast for most of its away games -- are costing his players valuable academic time. It might also have something to do with Majerus not liking to travel, or at least disliking the idea of traveling commercial.

Still, though, the man has a point, and he's not backing down. Quite the contrary. Majerus is going for broke:

"The answer is, first, get the hell out of the league," a calm but clearly annoyed Majerus said afterward. "Most successful people in life make mistakes and say, 'You know what, I made a mistake and I'm not going to let that happen again.' So, the school is afraid to say they made a mistake, that's all."

Majerus' contention isn't with the A-10, which he called a "good league, with great venues and really great players," rather with SLU's place in it. His beef is that the Billikens (15-8, 6-3 A-10), in their fifth season in the A-10, are missing too much class time. And, with the second major snowstorm in four days hitting Philadelphia on Tuesday night, SLU's long trip probably will continue. St. Louis didn't expect to depart this morning for home as scheduled and might not leave until Friday.

"I would rather have lost both games," said Majerus, who earlier this season said the Missouri Valley Conference would be a better fit for SLU. "Nothing means more to me than the academic success of our players. We have compromised our players' academic success and we have put them behind a big 8-ball. Even if it was the best of weather, we're missing an entire week of school."

So, yeah, in case you were wondering, Majerus isn't budging. He'd like to be out of the A-10 and in the Missouri Valley, and he's not afraid to tell the SLU powers that be. Again. And again. And again. Whether they're listening -- and whether they'll actually consider the move a viable option -- is another matter entirely.