V-MAIL: March 20

Q: Missouri is the sixth-place team from the Big 12. If you were to have only five from each conference in the tourney, as you have proposed, the Tigers would be at home. Do you really believe Missouri should have been left out? -- Dan Russell, Fort Worth, Texas

	Missouri had a lot to celebrate on its way to San Jose.

VITALE: This year, the system would have had the best teams available, and obviously they're one of the best teams. I've said that in the future, I would love to see more berths opened up for the mid-major teams, and cutting down to five bids as a maximum per conference would make conference play that much more important. Every year, there will be teams that can make a case for an NCAA bid. I can name teams right now -- like Syracuse, Temple and Georgetown -- that may have been good enough to make the Sweet 16. The bottom line is that someone will always be left out. I feel if you limit it to five, you get more deserving teams like Butler and Bowling Green getting an opportunity.

Q: Hey Dukie V! I find it humorous that you call the recent first- and second-round games at the United Center the Illini Classic. The reason is that in the past 10 years, Duke has played in its own backyard five times in the first and second rounds: Greensboro (1992), Charlotte (1997), Charlotte (1999), Winston-Salem (2000) and Greensboro (2001). I just wonder why you never labeled these games the Blue Devils Classic? -- Greg Tongate, LeRoy, Ill.

VITALE: I agree with you. I feel that in those situations, there should have been a different scenario as well.

Q: Southern Illinois did a great job against Jared Jeffries this season, a player who I think is very similar to Caron Butler of UConn. I think the Salukis' swarming defense will give the Huskies trouble Friday. Besides controlling Butler, what else does SIU need to do to beat UConn? -- Pasquale De Marco, Algonquin, Ill.

VITALE: Southern Illinois has to limit turnovers against Connecticut's defense. The Salukis have to score from the wings and the perimeter because it's very difficult to score inside against Emeka Okafor, who is a dynamite shot blocker.

Q: Now that the Sweet 16 is set, I think it's strange how everybody at ESPN said the Big East was competitive but basically down this year and the SEC was the best conference in America. Now there are two Big East teams left and only one SEC team ... what happened? -- Aaron Mathieu, Tacoma, Wash.

VITALE: The SEC had a great regular season. Sometimes we get too carried away in evaluating the strength of a conference by simply looking at play on a given night in the NCAA Tournament. You have to look at the long haul. Sometimes teams with the right matchups can advance. But don't put too much emphasis on the success of a player, coach or conference based simply on tournament play.

Q: I'm still stunned you picked Wake Forest to beat the Oregon Ducks. Are you a believer in the Quack Attack yet? We've got Luke Ridnour (a John Stockton clone who will be better than Dan Dickau); Frederick Jones is NBA material; and Cool Hand Luke Jackson is as deadly as Mike Dunleavy, another Oregon product. How about them Quackers? -- Brent "Duck Man" De La Paz, Goldendale, Wash.

VITALE: I've been singing the praises of the Ducks all season long. I had to make a pick and I gave the edge to Wake Forest, but I was wrong. Remember this, when Craig Dawson went out of the game with a shoulder injury with seven minutes left, the Demon Deacons were up five points. He had knocked down five trifectas. That's not to take anything away from Oregon. Ernie Kent's club has enjoyed a phenomenal year, winning the Pac-10 regular-season title. The Ducks can flat-out play.

	Jason Williams has been a driving force for Duke.

Q: What's up with you thinking Duke will win the Big Dance? They struggled in the second round and haven't played Kansas or Oklahoma or any key teams yet. How about Kansas or Maryland? -- Kyle, Greenfield, Kansas

VITALE: Kansas and Maryland are better teams on paper, with better personnel, but Duke would only have to play one of them since the Jayhawks and Terps would meet in the national semifinal. Given one shot, I like the Big Three of Jason Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mike Dunleavy.

Q: I know Chris Wilcox of Maryland was not considered a super-soph at the beginning of the year, and he certainly had limited opportunities to play his freshman year. Where do you think this incredibly athletic player stands at the end of his sophomore year, and is he a potential candidate for player of the year in 2002-2003? -- Jerod Buckel, Seattle

VITALE: Wilcox has tremendous upside and great potential. He just has to be much more consistent. The thing about super sophs Caron Butler of Connecticut and Jared Jeffries of Indiana is that they get it done day in and day out. Wilcox shows flashes of brilliance.

Q: I love listening to you on the Mike and Mike show, but why haven't you said much positive about the Pitt Panthers' run in the NCAAs? The only time you mentioned the team was when you were criticizing the home-court advantage. Pitt was picked to finish last in their division this year, and it's truly remarkable what they've been able to accomplish. -- Lori Murawski, Bridgeville, Pa.

VITALE: Coach Ben Howland has done a fantastic job, and he gets the maximum out of his people. Pittsburgh defends really well and is in a great situation; if you told the Panthers earlier this year they would be in the Sweet 16 and play Kent State for the right to go to the Elite Eight, they would have been dancing with joy.

Q: Do you think coaches, teams and future NCAA selection committees will respect the MAC in light of what Kent State is doing in the tournament? I would also like to hear some of your thoughts on Kent State. Thanks. -- Colin Dafler, Kent, Ohio

VITALE: I hope they do. The Mid-American is certainly one of the underrated conferences in America. Year in and year out, you see quality play from that conference. Think about what the MAC has done in the tournament in the past with Eastern Michigan, Ball State and now Kent State in the Sweet 16. There was Miami-Ohio's success. Think about the players the conference has produced, like Dan Majerle, Bonzi Wells, Wally Szczerbiak and Ron Harper. There is no doubt in my mind the conference deserved two bids this season.

Q: Why can't the NCAA have a play-in game for all four regions? That would take care of some bubble teams and add great interest to the games on Tuesday before the field of 64 gets started. -- Guy Wilkins, Northumberland

VITALE: I like the way it is currently. If you start adding more teams, it takes away from the postseason conference tournaments.

Q: With the excellent showing of the mid-majors in the tourney, do you think ESPN and the networks will televise more of the mid-majors' games next year? Or will it be the same old teams we see each year? -- Preston Malcom, McDonough, Georgia

VITALE: One thing I am proud of being associated with ESPN is that we have a smorgasbord of college basketball games. You can see almost every conference and quality action.