Pizza Parlor Madness: Kent State

Nickname: Golden Flashes
Colors: Blue and Gold
Location: Kent, OH
Enrollment: 35,458
Conference: Mid-American Conference
Distinguished Alumni: Antonio Gates, Jack Lambert, Lou Holtz, Arsenio Hall, Thurman Munson

Head Coach: Jim Christian
Record (Conference Record): 25-8 (15-3)
Advanced by: Beat Toledo 71-66 to win Mid-American Conference Tournament
RPI: 54
SOS: 104
Best Performance: Beat Butler 80-76 (Home)
Best Player: G Jay Youngblood
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 4 (1)
Likely Seed: 12

The Golden Flashes went to the Elite Eight in 2002 and the MAC has traditionally done quite well in the NCAA Tournament. What this team lacks in a marquee win they make up for in experience, defense, and focus. This may be the 12 seed to pick if one is to upset a 5 this year.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Xavier

Nickname: Musketeers
Colors: Blue and Silver
Location: Cincinnati
Enrollment: 6,500
Conference: Atlantic 10
Distinguished Alumni: NBA Players Brian Grant and Tyrone Hill

Head Coach: Sean Miller
Record (Conference Record): 21-10 (8-8)
Advanced by: Beat St. Joseph’s to win Atlantic 10 Tournament
RPI: 85
SOS: 121
Best Performance: G Brian Thornton
Best Player: Beat Cincinnati 73-71 (Home)
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 20 (3)
Likely Seed: 13 or 14

This is the consequence to George Washington's hiccup on Wednesday. The Musketeers steal a bid from somebody by winning four games in four days. Where they'll be seeded will be interesting as the Atlantic 10 (which now has 14 teams, most of them not on states bordering the Atlantic Ocean) was a worse league than the Colonial this year and they only went 8-8 in the conference.

Pizza Parlor Madness: UCLA

Nickname: Bruins
Colors: Light Blue and Gold
Location: Los Angeles
Enrollment: 38,000
Conference: Pacific Ten
Distinguished Alumni: Sean Astin, Elizabeth Berkley, Jack Black, Lloyd Bridges, Francis Ford Coppola, James Dean, Danica McKeller, Jim Morrison, Rob Reiner, Tim Robbins, George Takai, Gabrielle Union, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Troy Aikman, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Reggie Miller, Freddie Mitchell, Jackie Robinson, Bill Walton, Johnnie Cochran, Robert Shapiro, Brooke Burke, Tom Anderson- Creator of MySpace

Head Coach: Ben Howland
Record (Conference Record): 27-6 (14-4)
Advanced by: Beat California to win Pac Ten Tournament
RPI: 13
SOS: 29
Best Performance: Beat Arizona 85-79 (Road)
Best Player: G Jordan Farmar
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 39 (2)
Likely Seed: 3

These Bruins are an All-Name Team by themselves. My favorite is forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute from Cameroon and nicknamed “The Prince”. I’ve seen about as much of UCLA as I have of Belmont but I know the Pac Ten was extremely down this year and UCLA hasn’t beaten a ranked team since January 5 and that was Arizona. They are susceptible to an upset, if not in the first round then definitely to a better tested No. 6 seed.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Memphis

Nickname: Tigers
Colors: Blue and Silver
Location: Memphis, TN
Enrollment: 20,668
Conference: Conference USA
Distinguished Alumni: Actress Dixie Carter, former NAACP President Benjamin Hooks, NBA Player Penny Hardaway

Head Coach: John Calipari
Record (Conference Record): 30-3 (13-1)
Advanced by: Beat UAB 57-46 to win Conference USA Tournament
RPI: 4
SOS: 32
Best Performance: Beat Gonzaga 91-81 (Home)
Best Player: F Rodney Carney
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 19 (3)
Likely Seed: 1

Memphis has always been a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents; the constant changing from Memphis to Memphis State has truly been on cosmetic whim and has nothing to do with the state’s funding of the school. Sophomore guard Darius Washington Jr. is my mom’s favorite non-Syracuse player because she still feels bad for him after seeing him cry after missing those foul shots against Louisville that would have put the Tigers in the NCAA Tournament. No tears this year, the Tigers should be named a No. 1 seed even if Texas or Ohio State win on Sunday. Texas will probably get the 2 in the same region and they have a win over Memphis to have confidence going into a possible Elite Eight matchup.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Albany

Nickname: Great Danes
Colors: Gold and Purple
Location: Albany, NY
Enrollment: 11,819
Conference: America East
Distinguished Alumni: Former Republican Congresswoman from New York Susan Molinari, Steve Guttenberg

Head Coach: Will Brown
Record (Conference Record): 21-10 (13-3)
Advanced by: Beat Vermont 80-67 to win America East Tournament
RPI: 126
SOS: 244
Best Performance: Lost to UCLA 73-65 (Road)
Best Player: G Jamar Wilson
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 1 (1)
Likely Seed: 16

Almost as happy as Scott Isaacs and the Great Danes’ players and fans is the administration of SUNY Albany hopeful that the school would become famous for something other than drinking. Its too bad they closed The Big House as I’m sure it would be an even easier place to find loose college girls from the Capital District tonight. It will also be an easy place to console a distraught Albany Co-Ed after UConn or Villanova trounces them in the first round.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Bucknell

Nickname: Bison
Colors: Orange and Blue
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Enrollment: 3,400
Conference: Patriot League
Distinguished Alumni: Villanova Coach Jay Wright, CEO of CBS Television, Pat Moonves, and Bertucci’s Corporation Controller and my boss Dan Shea

Head Coach: Pat Flannery
Record (Conference Record): 26-4 (14-0)
Advanced by: Beat Holy Cross 74-59 to win Patriot League Tournament
RPI: 44
SOS: 192
Best Performance: Beat Syracuse 74-69 (Road)
Best Player: G Kevin Bettencourt
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 3 (2)
Likely Seed: 9

After upsetting No. 2 overall RPI Kansas in the first round of last year’s tournament, the Bison are a trendy pick to win their first round game again. The Bison played high profile teams Syracuse, Villanova, Duke, and St. Joseph’s but the dismal Patriot League dropped their Strength of Schedule to 192. I like them to make a deeper run as a 11 or 12 seed than a 8 or 9 where they are more likely to face a 1 seed sooner but there’s no reason why the Bison can’t duplicate their 2005 performance.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Montana

Nickname: Grizzlies
Colors: Maroon, Silver
Location: Missoula, MT
Enrollment: 11,018
Conference: Big Sky
Distinguished Alumni: None Found

Head Coach: Larry Krystowiak
Record (Conference Record): 23-6 (10-4)
Advanced by: Beating Northern Arizona 73-60 to win Big Sky Conference Tournament
RPI: 68
SOS: 203
Best Performance: Beat Stanford 88-69 (Home)
Best Player: F-C Andrew Strait
No. of Seniors: 2
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 6 (2)
Likely Seed: 14

Freshman Jordan Hasquet had a double-double in a 13 point win over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in Flagstaff that wasn’t that close. One Lumberjack fan was so mad about the loss he pulled a fire alarm causing the PA announcer to ask everyone to leave the building. The Grizz stayed to receive their trophy but that is classic sportsmanship and something I’m surprised nobody has thought of before. I’m not sure if the Grizz have enough experience to cause a UCLA or Gonzaga fan to pull any alarms.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Monmouth

Nickname: Hawks
Colors: Blue
Location: West Long Branch, NJ
Enrollment: 4,000
Conference: Northeast
Distinguished Alumni: Stephanie LaGrossa and Katie Gallagher, contestants on Survivor: Palau

Head Coach: Dave Calloway
Record (Conference Record): 18-14 (12-6)
Advanced by: Beat Farleigh Dickinson to win Northeast Conference Tournament
RPI: 145
SOS: 188
Best Performance: Beat Southern Illinois 80-68 (Home)
Best Player: F Marques Alston
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 4 (2)
Likely Seed: 16

An impressive defensive team held Princeton to 21 points FOR A WHOLE GAME. The Northeast Champion however is almost always a 16 seed. And that 145 RPI could send them to the play-in game. Thanks for playing. And while I have your attention can we do better than Hawks?? I almost had nothing to write about this team. North Jersey team with the Sopranos such a part of the culture up there could they change their name to the Swimming Fishes, would be appropriate after playing Duke, UConn, or Villanova.

Pizza Parlor Madness: South Alabama

Nickname: Jaguars
Colors: Blue, Red
Location: Mobile, AL
Enrollment: 13,000
Conference: Sun Belt
Distinguished Alumni: Luis Gonzalez, OF Arizona Diamondbacks

Head Coach: John Pelphrey
Record (Conference Record): 24-6 (12-3)
Advanced by: Beat Western Kentucky 95-70 to win Sun Belt Conference Tournament
RPI: 66
SOS: 204
Best Performance: Beat Western Kentucky 95-70 to win Sun Belt Conference Tournament
Best Player: F Richard Law
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 7 (1)
Likely Seed: 14

Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s favorite school (USA! USA! USA!) dominated highly favored Western Kentucky in the Sun Belt Championship game sending the Hilltoppers to the wrong side of “the bubble”. If USA is peaking at the right time, then great but nothing they have done during the regular season has prepared them for the NCAA Tournament. Stay away.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Nickname: Panthers
Colors: Black and Gold
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Enrollment: 23,900
Conference: Horizon Conference
Distinguished Alumni: Alberto Fujimori, former President of Peru; Golda Meir former Prime Minster of Israel, Frank Caliendo from MAD TV and Fox NFL Sunday

Head Coach: Rob Jeter
Record (Conference Record): 20-8 (12-4)
Advanced by: Beating Butler to win Horizon Conference Tournament
RPI: 53
SOS: 95
Best Performance: Loss to Wisconsin 74-68 (Road)
Best Player: G Boo Davis
No. of Seniors: 7
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 3 (3)
Likely Seed: 12

The Panthers are looking to duplicate their Sweet Sixteen run of last year and while their out of conference resume isn’t that impressive, They have four returning starters from last year’s team and should put a scare into higher seeded teams in the early rounds this year. Not returning from last year’s team is Head Coach Bruce Pearl who is performing similar magic at Tennessee. Rob Jeter should have this Panther’s team focused on what they have to do and they are likely to win their first round game, no matter who they play.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Oral Roberts

Nickname: Golden Eagles
Colors: Navy, Silver
Location: Tulsa, OK
Enrollment: 5,000
Conference: Mid-Continent
Distinguished Alumni: Richard Roberts, Oral Roberts’ son- The first student and current President of the University

Head Coach: Scott Sutton
Record (Conference Record): 20-11 (13-3)
Advanced by: Beat Chicago State to win Mid-Continent Tournament
RPI: 129
SOS: 234
Best Performance: Beat USC 68-48 (Home)
Best Player: F Caleb Green
No. of Seniors: 6
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 3 (1)
Likely Seed: 16 (maybe 15)

The country's largest "Charismatic Christian" university was founded by Oral Roberts through ordinance by God. The University has a strict honor code and just recently allowed for their students to wear jeans, sweatshirts, and sneakers on its picturesque campus. Their Golden Eagles were beaten by a buzzer-beating shot by Oakland, Michigan last year despite being the Mid-Continent's #1 seed. They are coached by Eddie Sutton's youngest son Scott. They have played high-profile schools Marquette, USC, Oklahoma, and Missouri State beating only Oklahoma. Six seniors will lead the Golden Eagles to a game effort in the first round but they do not have the talent to compete with a top 2 seed.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Gonzaga

Nickname: Bulldogs or Zags
Colors: Blue and Red
Location: Spokane, WA
Enrollment: 3,945
Conference: West Coast Conference
Distinguished Alumni: Former House Speaker Tom Foley, Bing Crosby, John Stockton, Jason Bay

Head Coach: Mark Few
Record (Conference Record): 27-3 (15-0)
Advanced by: Beat Loyola Marymount 68-67 to win West Coast Conference Tournament
RPI: 10
SOS: 93
Best Performance: Beat Michigan State in 3OT 104-101 (Maui)
Best Player: F Adam Morrison (like you needed to be told that)
No. of Seniors: 5
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 8 (4)
Likely Seed: 2

Founded by Aloyisus Gonzaga, the Jesuit Patron Saint of Youth, Gonzaga has been synonymous with small conference hope in college basketball. Lately however they have been just as known for early round disappointment. The problem has been that shutting down Gonzaga means shutting down two players whether its Rony Turiaf and Blake Stepp or Morrison and F/C J.P Batista. Morrison is the best player to come out of Gonzaga, the real deal can score from anywhere. He should take the Zags at least to the Sweet 16, getting them beyond that will require some magic and another player stepping up that previous Gonzaga teams haven’t had.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Iona

Nickname: Gaels
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Enrollment: 3,000
Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Distinguished Alumni: Jeff Ruland

Head Coach: Jeff Ruland
Record (Conference Record): 23-7 (14-8)
Advanced by: Beat St. Peter’s 80-61 to win the MAAC Tournament
RPI: 68
SOS: 164
Best Performance: Loss to Kentucky 73-67 (Road)
Best Player: G Steve Burtt
No. of Seniors: 5
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 9 (2)
Likely Seed: 14

New Rochelle is nowhere you want to pull over to if you’re low on gas on your way to New York City but Iona may be a good place to pull your “Upset Special”. Steve Burtt is a player and one of many contributing Seniors who went to the tournament just last year. Plus how can you not root for Jeff Ruland? He could kill all of us with his bare hands.

Pizza Parlor Madness: UNC-Wilmington

Nickname: Seahawks
Colors: Green, Gold, Navy Blue
Location: Wilmington, NC
Enrollment: 10,353
Conference: Colonial Athletic Association
Distinguished Alumni: Brett Blizzard (led their upset of USC three years ago now playing in Italy, never forget a name with the name Blizzard)

Head Coach: Brad Brownell
Record (Conference Record): 25-7 (16-3)
Advanced by: Beat Hofstra 78-67 to win Colonial Tournament
RPI: 36
SOS: 126
Best Performance: Beat George Mason 69-63 (Home)
Best Player: G John Goldsberry
No. of Seniors: 4
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 5 (3)
Likely Seed: 11

Wilmington made a splash in the NCAA Tournament three years ago but their non-conference resume isn’t up to snuff and it could be argued that they needed their win over Hofstra to get in the tournament in the first place. Still Brad Brownell can convince his guys that they can win a game in this tournament especially against an underachieving 6 seed.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Southern Illinois

Nickname: Salukis
Colors: Maroon, Black
Location: Carbondale, Illinois
Enrollment: 21,500
Conference: Missouri Valley Conference
Distinguished Alumni: Jim Belushi, Jenny McCarthy, Dennis Franz, Richard Roundtree (Shaft)

Head Coach: Chris Lowery
Record (Conference Record): 22-10 (12-6)
Advanced by: Beating Bradley 59-46 to win Missouri Valley Conference Tournament
RPI: 38
SOS: 64
Best Performance: Wins over Wichita State, Northern Iowa, Creighton, Missouri State, and Bradley
Best Player: G Jamal Tatum
No. of Seniors: 2
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 12 (4)
Likely Seed: 7

What is a Saluki? Apparently it is a dog that the Mesopotamians and Egyptians used to help hunt. I do know Southern Illinois is full of basketball players with dreadlocks and hot cheerleaders, I didn't see one below an 8 during the CBS broadcast of their Bradley game. Many people are curious to see how many teams the Missouri Valley Conference gets into the tournament. Why is it so many this year? Basically The Valley has a huge disparity between the top six teams in the conference and the bottom four. So to best get the top six teams into the NCAA Tournament, The Valley had one team (Northern Iowa) schedule high-profile non conference teams, and the rest of the top six schedule lesser tier teams but play on the road. Northern Iowa has beaten LSU, Iowa and Bucknell this season, and almost every team in the top six has beaten Northern Iowa and beaten each other. So you have six teams getting RPI rub from Northern Iowa's wins over LSU, Iowa, and Bucknell and gotten credit for playing teams on the road which enhances strength of schedule. That is why you have all six of these teams in the top 42 RPI. I don't expect all to get in, but give the Commissioner of the Missouri Valley Conference a lot of credit for playing the system beautifully. Southern Illinois actually has the worst non-conference resume of the group and while MVC teams are trendy picks to win first round games, I would look elsewhere like Northern Iowa, Wichita State, and Missouri State for upset candidates.

Pizza Parlor Madness: Davidson

Nickname: Wildcats
Colors: Red, Black
Location: Davidson, NC
Enrollment: 1,600
Conference: Southern Conference (SoCon)
Distinguished Alumni: Woodrow Wilson

Head Coach: Bob McKillop
Record (Conference Record): 20-10 (10-5)
Advanced by: Beating Tennessee-Chattanooga 80-55 to win Southern Conference Tournament
RPI: 108
SOS: 162
Best Performance: Beat St. Joseph’s 100-94 (Home)
Best Player: G Brendan Winters
No. of Seniors: 7
NCAA Tournament Appearances (in four years): 6 (1)
Likely Seed: 15 or 16

Davidson should be the smallest school in the NCAA Tournament. They have however played a number of big time schools. Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse, Charlotte, St. Joseph’s, UMass, Missouri and have wins over the last three schools mentioned. Winters is the son of former NBA player Mike Winters. Even with seven seniors, this team played nowhere near the level of last year’s team which went undefeated in the SoCon regular season but lost in the conference tournament and was denied an at-large bid. They may be a mild upset threat, but their seeding will likely pair them against a top 10 team.