Repeat MEAC Champion Morgan State enters the tournament having won 19 of 21 games and looking to pull off an improbable win as a 15-seed. They played tough with Louisville and Minnesota early in the year, and they've got the conference hardware to boot. The MEAC Player of the Year, Defense Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year are all Bears. Here's a few kernels of wisdom on Morgan State:

1. You could really put a team named 'Morgan State' anywhere in the US and it would never make any logical sense, but this school is located in Baltimore, MD

2. They are just another tournament team whose nickname has something to do with a bear (Baylor, California, Cornell, Montana, Oakland, Sam Houston State) are the others.
3. The 10th leading scorer in the nation, Reggie Holmes, is arguably Morgan State's 2nd-best pro prospect.

The Bears plowed through the conference almost untouched this year thanks to an offense that averages 77 points per contest, and rebounding ability that rivals some of the nation's top teams. But remember fans, it's still the MEAC.

• Top Player: Reggie Holmes (21.8 PPG).
• Need to Know Stat: PF Kevin Thompson shows up against top competition, averaging 13 PPG and 14.5 RPG v. (Louisville, Arkansas, Minnesota, Baylor).
• Projected Performance: Who do they think they are, the 2001 Hampton Pirates? Like Dr. Stu eloquently said in "The Hangover," West Virginia says, "byeeEEE". 

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It's already starting. Just one day after being paired with top-seeded Kansas, local reporters and journalists in the valley region are already making note that in 2005, Patriot League champion Bucknell offed the mighty Jayhwaks in dramatic fashion. Yes, both the 2010 Mountain Hawks and 2005 Bison hail from the same small conference, but by no means can you draw parallels between their personnel. The Jayhawks will win...although these seven nuggets of info are like, really, really weird.

Lehigh, in short, is just happy to be here. Their trip to the Big Dance should be viewed as a reward for setting a program record with 22. We should take note of freshman C.J. McCollum. As the league's POY and top scorer among all newcomers in the country, McCollum will have the green light the entire game, and should offer a peek of what he capable of doing for the following three season. He is deadly from long range, and averaged 25 points a game during the team's final nine contests.

• Top Player: C.J. McCollum (19 points/game; 46.6 FG percentage)
• Need-to-know Stat: Guard Marquis Hall average nearly six assists a game and boasts a 2.6/1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
  
• Projected Performance: Something that their parents will be proud of, nothing more.

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For all you conference tournament haters out there, I guess this is just more ammo for your argument. If you're one of those haters though, Coach John Groce and his Ohio Bobcats don't care about you because they are in the 'Big Dance'.  After finishing the regular season in ninth place, Ohio became the 'Cinderella' story of the MAC beating the first seed Kent State, Miami (Ohio), and then topping the two seed AK-Rowdy in overtime for a trip to their 12th NCAA tournament.

What people don't know is that Ohio had their own version of the Tennessee saga to contend with this year when two of their top six leading scorers, Steven Coleman and Jay Kinney were suspended indefinitely midway through the year. The Bobcats finally recovered and hit their stride when it mattered most. They boast four players who average double figures in scoring and they've got decent size on their front line 6'8''/6'10''.

With several scoring options, one would think that balance is what led Ohio to their surprise tournament birth. Not the case. Lately, for the Bobcats, it's been give the ball to Armon Basset, get the heck out of the way, and let him pour in 25+ every night.  They'll need an all-around effort to keep it close, and Basset (the former Indiana University recruit guard who bolted following the Kelvin Sampson saga) might need to go all Steph Curry on us for them to have any shot at a first-round win.

• Top Player: Armon Basset (17 points/game 3.5 assists/game)
• Need to Know Stat: It's either hit or miss for the Bobcats- Of their 21 wins, only three of them were decided by five points or fewer, and in only six of the wins was the spread less than ten. The other eleven were complete blowouts.
• Projected Performance: Thanks for playing Ohio, go back to doing what you're good at.

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This is not Pat Forde's uni-watch, but typical gaucho game-wear can be seen here. UCSB will be making their first tourney appearance since 2002, and this is team has been on a roll winning nine of their last ten. The win that punched their ticket? A five point victory over Long Beach State, a team who beat UCSB by twenty in January.

Their leader is unquestionably Orlando Johnson. The 6'5'' red shirt sophomore has notched double figures scoring in every game this season shooting nearly 40% from deep. With starters ranging from 6'2'' to 6'7'', this is not a vertically blessed Gauchos squad. They were second to last in the Big West Conference in rebounds per game. While they lost the rebounding battle in the semifinals and finals of the tournament, it clearly didn't affect the outcome. This UCSB Team can be sure that the rebounding must be shored up against their first round opponent Ohio State.

One thing the Gauchos have that many small conference teams don't is a second legitimate scorer. James Nunnally has been that all year long for Santa Barbara, and came up big over the weekend averaging over 19 PPG in the Big West conference tournament. 

• Top Player: Orlando Johnson:(17.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG), Big West Conference Player of the Year, 'nuff said.
• Need to Know Stat:  In 12 of their first 13 games, UCSB was a second half team, but in their last 16 games, they scored more points in the second half only seven times. 
• Projected Performance: 'The Villian' will send them back to So. Cal by halftime.

Information like this and much more on the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos can be found at StatSheet.com.

With a convincing 16-point win over Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State advanced to just their second NCAA tournament ever. The Bearkats don't have any non-conference wins to show for, however a 102-92 loss to Kentucky in their third game of the season shows that they can shoot it out with anybody. 

You fellow history buffs out there know Sam Houston as the 6'6'' 'Tall Texan" and founding father of the 'country' of Texas. Well, the college affectionally named after the great 19th century politicion plays home to another 6'6'' somebody: Gilberto Clavell. For those of you watching on TV, Clavell can be distinguished by his athletic goggles that make him look like David Ortiz during a playoff celebration. The junior Clavell is joined by seniors Corey Allmond and Ashton Mitchell to form a potent offensive trio. Unselfishness is the best word to describe this Bearkat (no typo, bro) bunch- they average over 20 assists per game.

For some schools in the Lonestar state (Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor), stars come, the stars go, and the coach reloads with more stars. For Sam Houston State, a team led by two seniors and a junior, this is their defining moment and a chance to put a small Southland Conference school 'on the map'. 

• Top Player: Gilberto Clavell (17 PPG, 6 RPG)
• Need to Know Stat: All three scorers are capable of monster games. Here is the season high for- Clavell: 35 Allmond: 37, Mitchell: 28.
• Projected Performance: Baylor doesn't mind if Sam Houston State can run with them, the Bears will simply jump over the Bearkats.

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Winners of their last 17, Utah State was just straight chillin, minding their business and playing under the assumption they would be your 2010 WAC winners and earn an automatic berth to the dance. Then New Mexico State showed up in the finals, trailed for most of the game, but went on a 14-4 run late in the second half to steal the automatic bid. It was laudable not only because they came back, but also because they (the Aggies of New Mexico State) were able to play to the pace of their opponent (the Aggies of Utah State) getting only 60 possessions in the game. Gutty way to eek out an upset victory.

They're both named the "Aggies" but only one may be in the field of 65, as Utah State waits with baited breath this afternoon. But that's not our problem.

• Top Player: Jahmar Young (20.5 points/game; 73 3-pts made)
  
• Need-to-know Stat: Ever read the book "Seven Seconds or Less"? The Aggies sort of play like that, as they have taken the 10th most three-pointers in the country, but also get 72 possessions per game.
  
• Projected Seed: #13

This was a fairly abbreviated take on the New Mexico Aggies. Learn much more at StatSheet.com.

To the casual college basketball fan, Aubrey Coleman is an unknown commodity. To dorks like me, he was the mysterious guard who led the country in scoring, on a team who I was unable to watch play because Conference USA basketball is not valued by the big wigs at sports TV networks. Fair enough.

Coleman may have struggled mightily yesterday (13 points on 4-20 from the field) but the Cougars shocked UTEP to steal a bid, and we all get to take a look at this guy who scored in double figures in every game this season, including nine 30+ point performances.

Do keep in mind that Tom Penders' club was unable to post an above .500 record in C-USA, so they really are nothing ore than an opportunistic team; one who caught fire right when they needed to.

This will be the Cougars first tourney berth since 1992. That tournament, they downed Texas to advance to the second round. The Longhorns coach at the time? Ironically, it was Mr. Penders.

• Top player: Already been stated
• Need-to-know stat: This is an inefficient offensive team. Only one of their rotation players, Maurice McNeil, shoots at or above 45 percent from the floor.
  
• Projected Seed: #14

There's plenty more on the Houston Cougars at StatSheet.com.

One of the more likable teams in college basketball returns to the field of 65, as Vermont is your America East rep. for the first time since 2005. You remember they had some fun during that go around.

The Catamonunts were expected to run through conference play this season, but with four losses they ended up finshing second in the regular season to Stony Brook. They're a good team for sure, but played a fairly weak schedule (# 303 SOS), as their toughest non-conference game was a loss to Cornell. They also took an "L" to Providence but - if you care - did steal a victory against Rutgers at The RAC back in November.

What should we expect out of this club in the tournament? A healthy dose of Marqus Blakely. The 6'5" senior forward is an athletic freak of nature by America East standards, and can matchup with the most versatible players in the country. This team is also playing with a heavy heart, as junior Evan Fjeld (who has started all 34 games this season) tragically lost his mother to cancer on Tuesday.

• Top Player: Marqus Blakely (17.4 points/game; 54 FG %)
• Need-to-know Stat: If Vermont is going to keep it close against their first round opponent, it will be a slow paced game. The Catamounts get 26 percent of their points from the charity stripe.
  
• Projected Seed: #14

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