Beyond the Arc : March Madness

ESPN wants to bid for March Madness?

Mike Miller — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:31:00 GMT

File this one under unlikely, but interesting enough to talk about.

ESPN says it’d be open in bidding for the rights to March Madness if the NCAA opts out of its 11-year, $6 billion contract with CBS this July.

"We do 1,100 college basketball games a year and they all lead to one thing and that's the NCAA tournament," Burke Magnus, the network’s senior vice president of college sports programming told USA TODAY. "If it were to become available, and fit the definition of a business decision for us, I'm quite certain we'd be interested."

So that’s out there. But it seems unlikely for this reason: Money.

CBS’ contract runs through 2013. By opting out, the NCAA would forego about $2.2 billion. That’s a lotta dimp. And I’m not business expert, but leaving that much money on the table in a recession is risky. I’m sure CBS and ESPN would offer good packages, but would it be in the $2.2 billion range?

(whistles)

Seems smarter to wait until 2013 when the economy is whistling along again and the price tag would be even higher. Hell, the tourney may up to 124 teams by then. Think what the NCAA could charge for that number of games…

Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.

Take a college hoops trip down memory lane

Mike Miller — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:11:00 GMT

It seems wrong to borrow a baseball metaphor for college basketball, but it can’t be helped: Just read five “where are they now?” stories that knocked it out of the park.

Guess it shouldn’t be a surprise since ESPN’s Dana O’Neil wrote ‘em…

Anyway, there’s something for everyone in this batch of former NCAA tournament heroes:

Pete Leabo/AP

U.S. Reed, left, leaves the court with Darrell Walker after Reed's shot.

After a career in Europe, Georgia Tech’s James Forrest – whose turnaround shot stunned USC in the 1992 tourney – now runs a sports academy for kids in Atlanta. He hopes to eventually build a hoops facility.
U.S. Reed – the Razorback who put up the dribbling, weaving, 49-foot heave that KO’d defending champ Louisville in 1981 – no longer plays basketball, but says people everywhere still ask him about the shot. (Who wouldn’t?)
Do Steve Goodrich and Gabe Lewullis ring a bell? Must not be a UCLA fan. Goodrich made the pass to Lewullis during the 1996 first-round game that capped Princeton’s amazing upset of defending champion UCLA. Lewullis is now the chief resident in orthopedic surgery in a Philadelphia hospital. Goodrich works for 1^st Century, a bank he helped start in California.
Harold “The Show” Arceneaux is still one of my favorites from March. Watching him score 36 for Weber State during a first-round upset of North Carolina in 1999 was sheer joy. He may have sunk my bracket that year, but the show was worth it. Needless t say, the nickname stuck, and Arceneaux took the show on the road.

Bu the best one (personal bias showing) is the last one: Catching up with Wyoming’s Fennis Dembo. You know, the “Dazzling Dude,” who graced the cover of the 1987-88 Sports Illustrated college hoops preview?

A week before my 10^th birthday, I watched Fennis drop 41 points and lead my home-state Pokes past UCLA in the second-round of the tourney. It was the kind of thing that sticks with a kid his whole life, and even shapes his adult life. That was me and my friends.

Like Marty, who used to have a framed copy hanging on his wall. Or Joe, who uses a signed copy of that SI cover as his Facebook profile photo. Or Eli, who lives all things Cowboys despite working on the East Coast.

Oops. The hoops nostalgia’s getting a little thick in here…

Talent or experience? Do minutes matter?

Mike Miller — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:09:00 GMT

Talent vs. experience. That’s the eternal question. Do you want a roster of experienced players or a team full of talented, young ballers?

OK, you want both. That’s easy. And if you can’t have experienced, talented players, you want a mix.

But when it’s crunch time in late March, what kind of player is on the floor? The most talented bunch or a group you can trust to make the right decision because they’ve been there before?

(And yes, keep it simple. Myriad factors such as coach also apply. Let’s just focus on the players.)

Take Kansas for example.

The Jayhawks return all five starters and nearly every key reserve from last year’s 27-8 squad. They’ll likely be the No. 1 team when the season starts. But, according to a column from the Lawrence Journal-World’s Tom Keegan, they’re not as experienced as you’d think. They lack minutes.

Robert Galbraith/Reuters

Why's Robbie Hummel so happy? Because Purdue enters this season with more experienced players than nearly any other team.

KU will enter the season with only 3 players who have logged more than 1,000 career minutes: Sherron Collins (2,884), Cole Aldrich (1,367) and Brady Morningstar (1,153). Collins and Aldrich are among the nation’s best players. But the supporting cast, comprised mostly of freshmen and sophomores, is still learning.

As a team, Kansas has 8,906 total minutes on the roster. The 2008 champs entered their title season with 11,871 minutes. North Carolina’s 2009 title team had 14,265 to enter the season. Were those minutes the difference between a Final Four season and a title season? Possibly. Couldn’t hurt (nor did the NBA talent. Both teams featured at least 4 NBA players).

Keegan also has totals for some other title contenders.

Purdue (11,990 minutes) ranks highest among popular top-five picks, Bob Huggins’ West Virginia team (10,311) led by Da’Sean Butler (3,131) is worth watching, and Michigan State checks in just ahead of KU with 9,082 minutes.

Kentucky, with its incoming freshmen talent, actually boasts a decent minutes total (7,086), with two players over 2,000 minutes in Patrick Patterson and Perry Stevenson. But the Wildcats’ key players will be those freshmen. How John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins et al fare is the biggest question mark.

The last few champs – UNC, Kansas, Florida – all had experienced rosters and rarely relied on freshmen. Kentucky’s talented freshmen are working against a recent trend to cut down the nets.

Talent? Experience? Better have both.

LeBron's shot spurs buzzer-beater dreams

Mike Miller — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:00:00 GMT

LeBron James’ magnificent game-winner against the Magic (and because I’m at work on a long weekend) just makes me want to watch more buzzer-beaters.

That’s normal, right? One good buzzer-beater deserves another – even if it isn’t March…

Top 10 lists for college hoops buzzer-beaters circulate every year, even on sites that don’t … condone … college hoops, to say nothing of the usual suspects.

Charles Arbogast/AP

Christian Laettner vs. Kentucky, 1992

For starters, they’re a blast. Seeing it happen live – the few of us who were in the newsroom Friday night all yelled when LeBron sunk his shot – is marvelous, and just makes you (Read: me) want to talk about it all night and into the next day. (My wife rarely feels the same way, unless it’s about Kansas, but even she has her limits with the Jayhawks.)

But the post-shot discussion is my favorite. Where does each shot rank? How hard was it? Did he or she get lucky? And do you remember when … well, you get the idea.

So come with me and take a trip down memory lane for some of the best buzzer-beaters in college hoops history.

Start with the non-NCAA tournament shots. ESPN did a fun highlight package last year when Cleveland State beat Syracuse that featured nothing but half-court shots, and some that were even farther. (The full-court heave after the missed free throw is astounding.)

But they don’t have to be half-courters to be dramatic. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen Jeff Capel’s buzzer-beater against UNC in ’95 replayed.

Still, most of the memorable buzzer-beaters happen during the NCAA tourney. The event’s tailor-made for drama because of what’s at stake and the number of games (more chances for drama!).

This list is a pretty good rundown of the ones we all know, but there’s no video involved. And here’s a ranking of the Top 5.

But what good are buzzer-beaters if you can’t watch ‘em? Here’s another ESPN highlights package of 10 good ones, including Christian Laettner sinking Kentucky, Lorenzo Charles saving N.C. State and Valpo’s play for Bryce Drew.

So what’s missing? I always liked this Drew Nicholas shot against UNC Wilmington in 2003. Sure, the Terps were the defending champs and it would’ve been a nice upset, but there’s just something about Nicholas dribbling all around the court and hitting an off-balance shot. Clutch.

Ty Rogers’ shot to sink Drake in 2008 was pure.

Laettner vs. Kentucky is usually hailed as the greatest college hoops shot of all time, but is it strange that his jumper two years earlier against UConn in the East Regional finals is rarely mentioned? Sure, it’s a little shorter, but it also sent the Devils to a Final Four. Great shot.

I suppose if Kentucky would’ve eventually beaten Michigan State in 2005 Austin Regional finals, Patrick Sparks’ shot from the top of the key would be talked about more often. As is, it’s just a dramatic moment in part of a game.

Then again, sometimes a person’s favorite shot isn’t a buzzer-beater, just a last-second shot. I know I can’t watch this shot enough.

How long until March again?

UNC bench warmer steals show at White House

Mike Miller — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:10:00 GMT

Jack Wooten, take a bow.

The North Carolina senior spent the last two seasons as a little-known reserve on the men’s roster. In 37 career games, he played 70 minutes, scored a total of 15 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished five assists. The Burlington, N.C. senior got his championship ring like the rest of the squad when the Heels beat Michigan State in April.

Yet, it was his role during a scrimmage last spring that will forever immortalize Wooten’s playing career. (OK, that build up’s a little much. Just go with it.)

Wooten decided to guard Barack Obama. And I mean guard.

In April 2008, Obama, then a democratic candidate for president, stopped by the UNC campus, got a tour of the Heels’ facility and got in a quick game.

Most players were smart enough to give the future president a wide berth – except Wooten.

The 6-2 guard wasn’t about to get burned on defense. From Robbi Pickeral’s season recap story:

“I subbed in, and everyone was matched up, and the only guy left unguarded was Sen. Obama,” Wooten said. “So I was like, ‘Well, I guess I've got this guy.' I scouted him the first game, and he only went left. So I forced him right ... didn't let him have any room and blocked a couple of them.

“But then I got some dirty looks from the coaches and some of the guys sitting, like, ‘What are you doing?' so I kind of relaxed the defense a little bit.”

More than a year later, Obama welcomed the champion Heels to the White House. He was presented a jersey by coach Roy Williams, joked a bit (“If somebody could please present me a jump shot, I need one of those!”) and thanked UNC for for “salvaging my bracket and vindicating me before the entire nation.”

Then, he told the crowd what he remembered from the scrimmage. Like Wooten’s defense.

“He stole the ball from me, he blocked me shot, he fouled me once,” Obama said. “Coach Williams had to remind him there were guys with guns around.”

Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and the rest can have their NBA careers. Wooten got name dropped by the president. Not bad for a bench warmer.

How Kentucky job rumors help coaches

Mike Miller — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:01:00 GMT

Michigan State’s impressive win against Louisville gives Tom Izzo a chance at the ultimate prize: Coaching at Kentucky.

OK, there’s a little sarcasm in there.

Izzo’s going to be focused beating Connecticut and trying to win a second NCA tournament title. But rest assured you’ll hear Izzo’s name mentioned as possibly the next coach in Lexington more than once this week.

Billy Gillispie’s ouster in Lexington has the rumor mill in full swing. Nearly every big-name coach – except for Billy Donovan – seems to be a candidate. Izzo, Villanova’s Jay Wright, Pitt’s Jamie Dixon, Texas’ Rick Barnes and Memphis’ John Calipari are chief among them.

It makes sense. If you’re a hoops coach, few jobs are better than Kentucky. In terms of tradition, fan base and resources, it’s tough to match the ‘Cats. North Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, Duke, maybe Indiana. That’s the short list.

Any time one of those positions opens up, the game’s best coaches are going to be floated as possible replacements.

It even affects coaches like Rick Pitino. He’s re-built Louisville into a powerhouse, yet his name is being floated as the next possible coach at Arizona. If you’re thinking that Arizona is a lateral move for Pitino, you’re probably right. But it doesn’t prevent all the chatter (though Pitino is a master at not addressing rumors; others could take tips).

If it seems disingenuous to be talking about Izzo or Wright in Kentucky – two coaches who are still vying for a title – too bad. College hoops has been all about business for some time. If a coach can’t prepare his team and cope with rumors at the same time, he’s probably not gonna make it in Lexington.

Besides, Izzo hasn’t exactly shot down any Kentucky rumors. Check out this quote:

"I don't think there's a guy on this planet that would ever say he's not going anywhere, not doing anything,'' Izzo said during a Midwest Regional press conference. "I don't think there's anybody on this planet that would ever say, 'I'm here to stay. I'm this. I'm that.' I don't think me, you or anyone else. So I would never do that because I think it would be insulting to you and me.''

Izzo’s already being touted as the ideal Kentucky hire. Rick Pitino said last week that “there’s no one better than Tom Izzo in our game.”

Spartans fans are a little miffed right now. Why would Izzo leave a program he’s taken to five Final Fours since 1999? Well, he probably wouldn’t, but it’s complicated.

This story from Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press is a good example. Izzo isn’t likely to leave East Lansing, but he’d like potential recruits to know he’s good enough to be Kentucky’s prime candidate. And if there’s ever a time when not denying rumors can help recruiting, this is it.

Izzo’s never lacked for top talent, but it sounds like he’s never had an easy time convincing them to come to East Lansing. Rosenberg uses two local players as an example:

[Izzo] recruited Detroit's DeShawn Sims hard. Sims went to Michigan, which had not been relevant on the national scene for years. Izzo recruited Cleveland's Delvon Roe like crazy, and Roe clearly loved Michigan State more than any other school, and he ultimately signed with the Spartans -- but I think Izzo felt that landing Roe should have been easier.

Fair enough. Roy Williams usually had the same complaint while at Kansas, and doesn’t have any trouble stocking North Carolina with McDonald’s All-Americans. The Heels have nine on their roster. (Bill Self has plenty of NBA-caliber players at Kansas, so read into that what you will.)

Bottom line: Coaches like Izzo and Wright – who says he’s happy at Villanova – will never get to fully enjoy a Final Four week when a prime program like Kentucky has an opening.

But don’t feel sorry for them. They’re smart enough to turn rumors to their advantage, whether it’s added exposure to recruits or more money from their current school. It’s all part of the game.

'Nova-Pitt goes down as an instant classic

Mike Miller — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:57:00 GMT

If you could design the perfect finish to an NCAA tournament game, it’d probably feature Tyus Edney – or Danny Ainge, depending on your generation – making a mad dash the length of the floor, or Bryce Drew and Valparaiso, winning off an in-bounds play that had a little trickery.

Or, it could have a little of both. Just like Villanova’s classic 78-76 victory against No. 1 Pittsburgh in the East Regional final.

Brian Snyder/Reuters

Villanova celebrates Scottie Reynolds' game-winning basket.

It’s only fair that a game with 15 lead changes – six in the last six minutes – would end with a dramatic flair. To recap:

Pitt’s Levance Fields hit two free throws, tying the game at 76-76 with 5.5 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Villanova’s Reggie Redding inbounded the ball to Dante Cunningham, who immediately dished it to Scottie Reynolds, coming around Cunningham’s side, much like Drew did against Ole Miss in 1998. Reynolds, a la Edney, then dribbled through the Pitt defense and into the lane where he put up an off-balance shot just in front of Pitt’s Gilbert Brown that rattled home just before time expired).

Just like that (well, actually after the officials determined there was half a second left, which allowed Fields to launch a 70-foot heave that missed), a great game became a classic because of the finish and the stakes involved.

"It's an instinct play. You've got to know how much time is on the clock," Reynolds said. “In that situation, you have four dribbles and a shot. That’s five seconds. All that goes in your head. That’s why we practice that every day in practice so we can make an instinct play. We did that,” Reynolds said. “It worked tonight. Only has to work once.”

Once was enough. Now, the Wildcats (30-7) are headed to their first Final Four since winning it all in 1985. The Panthers (31-5), after a season in which they were perhaps the NCAA’s most consistently good team and reached No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in school history, are headed home.

"A moment where it felt like we had it done," Pitt's DeJuan Blair said. "And then it was anybody's ball game."

It was like most of the great moments in NCAA tournament history - steadfast thinking with a little bit of luck. No doubt it'll get replayed again and again, every March.

The regional finals have featured good games the last few years, like Georgetown’s rally against UNC in 2007 and in 2006 when George Mason stunned UConn.

The 2005 Elite Eight also comes to mind. Michigan State beat Kentucky in double OT and Louisville’s rally against West Virginia were both great to watch.

But Illinois’ remarkable OT comeback against Arizona – down 15 with four minutes to play – was the best NCAA tournament game of the decade. It featured two dominant teams, both of which were worthy of the Final Four, playing superb basketball.

Sounds a lot like Saturday. Great teams, great finish, great game. Maybe even the best this decade.

Missouri makes Memphis' D look rec-league

Mike Miller — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:30:00 GMT

By nearly any measure, Memphis had one of the nation’s top defenses.

Key word: had. Missouri ran by that defense, and then some.

The Tigers led the country in defensive field goal percentage (.366), eFG % (41.4) and overall defensive efficiency, according to kenpom.com. They rack up steals and blocks at a rate only a handful of teams surpasses and win by an average of 17.1 points per game.

Ronald Martinez/Getty

DeMarre Carroll

But perhaps the best illustration of how much Missouri torched the Tigers on Thursday night is this: Memphis allows about 57 points a game, yet lost 102-91. It doesn’t matter if you prefer tempo-free stats or rely on the traditional ones, that score is worth a double take.

Nobody had put up more than 79 points on Memphis all season – and that was an overtime loss. No team had broken 90 since 2007.

“We kind of got punched in the mouth right from the beginning of the game,” Memphis coach John Calipari said. “They broke us down defensively like we break people down. They beat us at our own game.”

The loss in itself wasn’t a huge surprise. Vegas tabbed the No. 2 Tigers 4.5-point favorites before the game, with an over/under of 141.

Even if Missouri (31-6) doesn’t beat Connecticut on Saturday in the West Regional final, it should relish the fact that it posted the most impressive offensive performance of the tournament – against perhaps the best defensive team. No small feat.

The Tigers – Missouri, that is – hit 53 percent of their shots (eFG% 58.1) and had just 12 turnovers on 83 possessions (TO% of 14.5). That’s a ridiculous number against a rec-league defense, let alone Memphis.

For comparison’s sake, the average number of possessions in a D-I game is 66.5. The D-I average for turnover percentage is 20.4. Missouri had 16 more possessions than average, yet had far fewer turnovers than you’d expect. Fewer turnovers than any Missouri fan should dare to hope for.

“I thought our defense was really good,” Missouri coach Mike Anderson said. “It was disruptive. It’s not necessarily taking the basketball. It’s not feast or famine.”

Missouri led 49-36 at half. At one point, the lead was 24 points. Sure, it shrunk to six with 2:14 left to play, but that was to be expected. What wasn't expected was the triple-digit result.

Beating Missouri – as UConn is about to find out – is easier said than done. Stopping the Tigers from running their way into the Final Four will be a formidable task.

Vegas vs. the computer, Year 2

Mike Miller — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:21:00 GMT

Time to start a tradition. Isn't that what March is about?

Instead of me tossing more predictions out there for the Sweet 16, I'll turn to two tried and tested prognosticators: Las Vegas and Ken Pomeroy's computer.

Did this same thing last year; both outlets finished 7-1 (neither would bite on Davidson beating Wisconsin). This year, there isn't much difference between the two again. The point spreads are a little different, but they agree on six of the eight games, including all the No. 1 seeds (which makes sense -- every top seed has made it to the Elite Eight the last three years).

THURSDAY'S GAMES

No. 1 Connecticut vs. No. 5 Purdue
kenpom.com: UConn wins 68-63 (73 percent certainty).
Vegas odds: UConn by 7 points, over/under 134.5.

No. 1 Pitt vs. No. 4 Xavier
kenpom.com: Pitt wins 72-67 (68 percent certainty).
Vegas odds: Pitt by 7 points, over/under 139.

No. 2 Memphis vs. No. 3 Missouri
kenpom.com: Memphis wins 70-66 (68 percent certainty).
Vegas odds: Memphis by 4.5, over/under 141.

None of these are a surprise. The Huskies won their first two games by an average of 41 points, but Purdue should be able to keep things closer.

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 3 Villanova
kenpom.com: Duke wins 75-72 (59 percent certainty).
Vegas odds: Duke by 2, over/under 148.

Here's one where I'll disagree with both (though I know one reader will think I'm crazy). Villanova looked fabulous against UCLA last week, and has the guards to disrupt Duke's offense. Sure, the Wildcats will let teams hang around, but I just like their style. Plus, they're in my Final Four.

FRIDAY'S GAMES

No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 12 Arizona
kenpom.com: Louisville wins 74-66 (78 percent certainty).
Vegas odds: Louisville by 9, over/under 136.

This is the biggest line of the 8 games, and the one kenpom.com computer is most certain about. I'll say this: Arizona has too many future NBA players on the roster to be that certain.

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Gonzaga
kenpom.com: UNC wins 83-82 (56 percent certainty).
Vegas odds: UNC by 8.5, over/under 163.

Why the difference? The Zags are among the most efficient offensive and defensive teams remaining on kenpom's ratings. Essentially, the defense doesn't get enough credit. Vegas doesn't think much of the Zags, but they do think it'll be a track meet (163 total points?!)

No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Syracuse
kenpom.com: Syracuse wins 78-77 (52 percent certainty).
Vegas odds: Oklahoma by 1, over/under 153.

You may as well flip a coin if a team's only favored by 1 point, which is what kenpom's done. Will anyone really be surprised if the Orange stop Blake Griffin's Sooners?

No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Kansas
kenpom.com: Kansas wins 70-69 (55 percent certainty).
Vegas odds: Michigan State by 2, over/under 138.

Another disagreement. Kenpom rates the Jayhawks as more efficient on offense and defense, and doesn't seem concerned that the Spartans already beat KU once this season. Really, it's a coin flip.

Happy watching.

Stellar Sweet 16 also applies to the coaches

Mike Miller — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:53:00 GMT

When Tom Izzo’s in the Sweet 16, he’s usually the most accomplished coach in the field.

Michigan State’s won an NCAA tournament title, been to four Final Fours and won 74 percent of its tournament games in Izzo’s 14-year career, to say nothing of the five Big Ten titles and 333 overall wins in that span.

Michael Conroy/AP

Tom Izzo

Yet Izzo’s gaudy 28-10 record in the big dance ranks fourth among coaches whose teams are in the Sweet 16.

Let that sink in.

A coach who wins nearly 3 of every 4 NCAA tournament games ranks behind three other guys who are in this year’s second week. As if the field – which has all four 1, 2 and 3 seeds still playing for the first time – wasn’t loaded enough, it also has perhaps the game’s most accomplished coaches still in it.

Pick a game, any game. It’ll have an elite coach on the sidelines.

Seven of the 16 have already won NCAA tournament titles. Six have been to multiple Final Fours. Ten are among the winningest active coaches. Four are already in the basketball Hall of Fame. All but three have been to the Sweet 16 before.

Check out their tournament résumés and regular-season records below. The first eight have all been to at least one Final Four. The next eight haven’t.

Coach, school Tourney win % Record Titles/FFs Overall

Mike Krzyzewski, Duke      .772         71-21     3/10       833-273
Rick Pitino, Louisville        .755         37-12     1/5         551-196
Roy Williams, UNC            .739         51-18     1/6         590-138
Tom Izzo, MSU                 .737         28-10     1/4        333-136
Bill Self, Kansas               .727          24-9       1/1        376-144
John Calipari, Memphis    . 706          24-10     0/2        445-139
Jim Calhoun, UConn         .705          43-18     2/2        803-341
Jim Boeheim, Syracuse     .627          42-25     1/3        799-287

Coach, school Tourney win % Record Best finish Overall

Sean Miller, Xavier          .666             6-3     Elite Eight       120-46
Mike Anderson, Mizzou    .625             5-3     Sweet 16       153-75
Jamie Dixon, Pitt             .615            8-5      Sweet 16      162-44
Jay Wright, Villanova        .600            9-6     Elite Eight      298-175
Jeff Capel, Oklahoma       .600            3-2     Sweet 16      147-73
Matt Painter, Purdue         .570            4-3     Sweet 16      108-54
Mark Few, Gonzaga          .550          11-9    Sweet 16       264-65
Russ Pennell, Arizona       1.000          2-0     Sweet 16       21-13

Pennell’s listed at the bottom here for two reasons: His poor overall record and that he’s in his first season as a head coach, and an interim at that. That’s usually enough to overmatch any coach (unless you’re Steve Fisher).

Even more daunting for Pennell is that he’s the only coach in the Midwest Region who hasn’t won a title. If his Wildcats get past Pitino’s Cardinals next, they’ll face either Izzo’s Spartans or Self’s Jayhawks. To his credit, he doesn’t sound intimidated.

"That's kinda neat," Pennell told the Arizona Daily Star. "That's a good story, isn't it? … Wow, they can coach and their teams are good."

That goes for every region, really. Consider the North Carolina-Gonzaga matchup.

It features the game’s two most winningest active coaches, Williams and Few. Both have won over 80 percent of their career games, something only John Wooden, Clair Bee and Adolph Rupp have done among coaches with at least seasons of experience.

When Gonzaga prepped for UNC before a 2006 preseason NIT game, the two traded compliments, both about coaching styles and character.

"A lot of things we emulate at Gonzaga is what Roy Williams did at Kansas and is doing at Carolina," Few said then. "He's the best — he's a great recruiter, he's a great game coach and he does a great job because he does it ethically. He does it the right way."

The same kind of mutual respect is found in just about every matchup.

Jay Wright’s Villanova team looks awfully similar to Krzyzewski’s Duke squad. Both are guard-heavy and rely on perimeter scoring and tough on-ball defense.

But at this point, Wright can only hope to one day match Coach K’s accomplishments.

"It’s an honor to coach against him, it really is," Wright told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He’s one of the all-time greats. He’s a guy who really respects our profession. He’s very, very respectful of other coaches. As great as he is, he treats all the younger coaches — treats everybody — with respect."

Of course, some of the compliments could disappear after the Sweet 16 games.

Memphis’ Calipari and UConn’s Calhoun have traded barbs for years, dating back to when Calipari was at Massachusetts. If Memphis plays Louisville in the Final Four, don’t expect Calipari and Pitino to exchange a hug at halfcourt, either. A Duke-UNC Final Four would dredge up the recent Coach K-Williams feud.

That’s part of what drives these coaches to succeed and it’s probably part of the reasons their teams are still playing. They’ve set themselves up to be successful, which shows in their NCAA tournament records and overall results.

And the guy whose team ends up winning a loaded tourney this year’s? He’ll be the toast of his peers.