Let's get this out of the way first. Duke is good. Jason Williams is the best player in the country. The Blue Devils' superiority just took a half-game lead over taxes and is closing the gap on death.

As I watch the Dukies ascend the ladder to cut down the nets here at the First Union center -- the walk-ons appear very uncomfortable in the foreign air space above the rim -- I stifle a yawn and decide to take a rain check on this particular shining moment.

I head over to the USC side of things. Don't worry, I'm not going to bring you some tear-stained memoir of what might have been for the tournament-darling Trojans. Because when you've just finished one of the best seasons in school history, the old eyes dry pretty quickly.

When I first get there, the mood is moderately funereal. The only sound comes from one of the reserves crunching on Ruffles from the post-game box lunch. Point guard Brandon Granville, coming off a miserable one-point outing, answers question after question about how good Jason Williams was. But once the team leaders return from the obligatory press conference, the mood turns into celebration of a solid season. Laughs -- albeit muted -- are heard. One player whispers clandestinely about curfews -- both the one set for the team and the one he intends to abide by. Brian Scalabrine gets advice from a female media member on what type of perfume to buy his girlfriend. Jarvis Turner plans dinner with his boys from the Philadelphia Eagles, Dameane Douglas and Rashard Cook. Although Turner is probably going out for cheesesteaks, he does not hesitate to expand on the performance-enhancing capabilities (take that as you will) of broccoli, his favorite food.

Seeing the Trojans in good spirits, I'm out to have a few of my own before I go back to the hotel. Incidentally, I'm at the same place where the Duke cheerleaders are staying. Unlike Matt Doherty, I'm not saying anything...