San Francisco, cracking the 20-win plateau five of the last six seasons, has made significant strides striving to keep up with gaudy Gonzaga in the WCC. But USF, with the Dons' previous appearance occurring in 1998 after winning their first 11 playoff assignments in the 1950s, was the only one of total of 35 different current NCAA DI schools capturing a national championship never to appear in the playoffs in the 21st Century until securing an at-large bid this year. Twenty of the ex-NCAA titlists were absent from the NCAA playoffs at least 15 consecutive campaigns when institutions were down in their doldrums.

Villanova is one of five different NCAA titlists never to be out of the playoffs at least 10 consecutive campaigns. The longest champ-to-chump stint was endured by Stanford, which captured the 1942 crown before missing the next 46 tournaments. Oklahoma, which has never won an NCAA title, boasts the most tourney losses this century in the tourney against national champion (six; 2003-07-09-13-16-19). The Sooners aren't on the following gory-years list of the longest tourney famines (shortest to longest) for former champions since the inaugural event in 1939:

NOTE: UTEP moved up to major-college status in 1951 and UNLV moved up to major-college status in 1970.

Unless you're busy hoarding toilet paper, siphoning gas or cowering in fetal position from college basketball version of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds "dark winter" waiting for Plagiarist Bidumb to finally do something incisive, it's your opportunity to start taking online tests for 23 quarantined days symbolic of normal time frame from Selection Sunday to Monday evening championship contest.

Well, is that your final answer? Do you have the wit, guile and endurance to be a "Survivor" answering 10 daily questions about "The Amazing Race" otherwise known as the NCAA Tournament?

Standardized testing is controversial, but it's time to put your NCAA playoff knowledge on the line and attempt a free shot at CollegeHoopedia.com's challenging tourney-time questions. Your "scoring ability" on these one-of-a-kind trivia quizzes will reflect retention of critical knowledge, jogging your memory, exhibiting your lack of attention to detail or revealing once and for all you didn't major in "Hoopology" or take an advanced course in Basketball History.

As you're aware, many participants in the NCAA playoffs believe it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Similarly, more and more all-around sports fans probably would pick the Final Four over the World Series and Super Bowl if they were forced to choose one of the prestigious events they could attend.

In accordance with that "one-and-only" theme, following are a treasure-trove of tantalizing NCAA Tournament trivia questions by CollegeHoopedia.com dealing with the only coach, conference, player or school to be linked to a distinguished or dubious achievement (click here for answers or conduct PhD degree-like research digesting historical morsels in CollegeHoopedia's year-by-year highlights):

1. Name the only NCAA champion to have three players eventually score more than 15,000 points apiece in the NBA. Hint: Each of the trio was named an All-American at least two seasons and helped the school compete in 27 consecutive NCAA playoffs.

2. Name the only NBA team to have two teammates go on to coach teams in the Final Four. Hint: They were among the top three scorers for their team the first three seasons in NBA history. Their team posted the best regular-season record in the league's inaugural campaign and participated in the 1949 NBA Finals.

3. Name the only state currently with at least 10 Division I schools never to send a team to the Final Four. Hint: Just one school from the state won any NCAA playoff games from 1974 through 1996.

4. Who is the only individual to play and coach in both the NCAA and NBA playoffs? Hint: He played for a 28-5 Oregon State playoff team and on the frontline of an NBA champion with Dolph Schayes and Red Kerr. The leading scorer for his NBA playoff team was Gene Shue and the leading scorer for his NCAA tourney team was Bob Nash.

5. Who is the only coach to direct teams to Final Fours in four different decades in the 20th Century? Hint: He is the only coach to lose more than seven Final Four games and his first three NCAA Tournament championship games. His Final Four defeats were by an average of 15 points.

6. Name the only school to lose against UCLA as many as four times during the Bruins' 38-game winning streak in the NCAA playoffs from 1964 to 1974. Hint: The subject school is one of six other than UCLA to successfully defend a national championship.

7. Name the only All-American to go winless in more than five NCAA Tournament games. Hint: He played for a school winning the NCAA championship earlier in the decade he appeared in the playoffs.

8. Name the only school to reach the Final Four despite compiling a losing record in conference competition and being eliminated in the first round of its league tournament. Hint: The school's leading scorer that year had the lowest team-leading scoring average of any Final Four team since Kansas '74 had five players average from 11.3 to 12.4 points per game. Moreover, it's the only school to have as many as four at-large bids to the tournament despite compiling losing records in league play.

9. Name the only school to be top-ranked entering back-to-back tournaments but lose both opening playoff games. Hint: Two of the team's starters played more than 10 years in the NBA and one of them was on a third team for the school that lost its opening playoff game as a No. 1 seed. One of the two starters was a consensus national player of the year.

10. Name the only top-ranked team to decline a berth in the NCAA playoffs since the AP started conducting polls in 1949. Hint: The school was unbeaten the year it rejected a bid, defeated the national champion-to-be by 13 points and had only two games closer than a 12-point decision.

Day 1 answers.

Unrealistic expectations spread like a virus across the country when a young pup such as Brad Stevens becomes a big dawg by winning 11 NCAA Tournament games in his first four seasons coaching mid-major Butler before departing for the NBA's Boston Celtics at the conclusion of the 2012-13 campaign. But many school administrations and boosters, unaware that UCLA legend John Wooden notched only one tourney triumph in his first 13 years with the Bruins, need to exercise a little patience in this era of instant gratification.

As a misguided media surveys landscape seeking another overnight success (such as first-year head coaches Hubert Davis, Tommy Lloyd, Drew Valentine and Mike Woodson), they need to take a cue from ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg, who is deemed an expert after winning a grand total of one NCAA playoff game in 22 years as a DI head coach. While ESPN canonizes coaches to secure exclusive interviews and extensive foundation donations, it should be pointed out power-league luminaries John Beilein (formerly West Virginia and Michigan), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Mike Brey (Notre Dame), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Lon Kruger (formerly Kansas State, Florida, Illinois and Oklahoma), Mike Krzyzsewski, (Duke), Bill Self (Kansas) and Jay Wright (Villanova) combined to lose in the NCAA playoffs this century against mid-majors Bucknell, Bradley, George Mason, Lehigh, Mercer, Middle Tennessee State, Nevada, North Dakota State, Ohio University, Old Dominion, Rhode Island, Saint Mary's, Vermont, VCU, Wichita State and Winthrop.

Starter-kit supporters for some schools should take a chill pill if their coach remains winless in NCAA Tournament competition. Krzyzewski was frustrated by the tourney long before losing against Mercer. Impatient supporters should take a long look at how long it took for the following alphabetical list of high-profile coaches, including all-time leader Krzyzewski, to secure their first NCAA playoff victory.

NOTE: The victories for retired Greer, McCarthy and Newton were the only one they posted in NCAA playoff participation.

"It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumphs of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

For those who eat, sleep and breathe the NCAA Tournament although it came after Teddy Roosevelt's presidency, the sensory overload of the playoffs is a banquet and every year is a feast. Nourishing your appetite for assessing postseason play, the following questions linger although the 82nd event was cancelled two years ago: Who were the most pristine postseason players in the nation's premier multiple-week sports spectacle? Who always seemed hot and who was not? Who was a stud instead of a dud?

It's a cop-out to simply accept the instant visibility of one-name icons such as Magic, Bird and Michael and cite them among the greatest players in tourney history. The prolific pro careers of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, a trio combining to win nine consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player awards from 1983-84 through 1991-92 (three apiece), somewhat distorts their impact in college postseason play. Notwithstanding the TV appeal of the Bird/Magic championship game match-up in 1979 and Jordan's game-winning basket as a freshman in the 1982 national final against Georgetown, a closer examination of the facts than what was exhibited in 75th-anniversary polls several years ago by ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Sporting News shows that other collegians were more efficient more often in the NCAA Tournament. Consider the following tourney trauma for Johnson (ESPN 5/SN 7/SI 8), Bird (SI 5/ESPN 15/SN 24) and Jordan (SN 32/ESPN 57/SI 70) before accepting as gospel they were among the premier performers in NCAA playoff play:

• Johnson shot a meager 27.8% from the floor (10-of-36) in three 1978 tourney games as a freshman for Michigan State before leading the Spartans to the NCAA title the next year. He had more turnovers (six) than assists (five) in the over-hyped 1979 final, a mediocre contest paling in comparison to the last eight finals of the 1980s when seven of them were decided by an average of two points. Johnson outscored and outrebounded teammate Greg Kelser in just one of eight playoff games they played together. Kelser simply contributed more than Magic to the Spartans' cause in NCAA tourney competition.

• Bird boosted Indiana State to the 1979 final in his lone NCAA tourney, but put the 'oops' in hoops by committing a Final Four-record 17 turnovers. He hit just 7-of-21 field-goal attempts and had three times as many turnovers (six) as assists (two) against Michigan State in the championship game, which was essentially the equivalent of a boring Super Bowl failing to live up to hype.

• Jordan's NBA playoff scoring average with the Chicago Bulls more than doubled the NCAA Tournament scoring average he compiled for North Carolina. Jordan averaged 16.5 points per NCAA playoff game with the Tar Heels, scoring 20 or more in just two of 10 postseason games from 1982 through 1984. His Airness scored fewer than 18 points in two of the four playoff contests he led Carolina in scoring. Most people don't remember his inauspicious playoff debut when he collected six points, one rebound, no assists and no steals in 37 minutes of a 52-50 opening-round victory against James Madison in the East Regional. And Jordan's final NCAA Tournament appearance before he left school early for the NBA was nothing to write home about, either. The college player of the year was restricted to six points in the first 35 minutes of his collegiate swan song in the East Regional semifinals against Indiana, finishing with 13 points, one rebound, one assist and one steal in 26 foul-plagued minutes when the top-ranked Tar Heels were eliminated (72-68). He's atop Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison, but a total of 25 different Carolina players - including Ranzino Smith with modest career average of 6.5 ppg - posted NCAA playoff scoring highs matching or greater than Jordan's best of 27.

Generally, sizzling scorers have learned it's not a day at the beach in postseason play. For instance, former NBA sensation Clyde Drexler averaged more than 17 points per game each of his last 13 NBA seasons, but he scored more than 17 points in just one of 11 NCAA Tournament games for the University of Houston from 1981 through 1983. Premier playmaker Steve Nash managed only one field goal in three of five playoff contests in the mid-1990s, shooting a paltry 29.2% from the floor. Two-time NBA slam-dunk champion Jason Richardson (5th pick overall in 2001) was grounded by the NCAA playoffs, going scoreless in three consecutive contests as a Michigan State freshman in 2000. All-Americans Thomas Robinson (Kansas) and Tyler Zeller (North Carolina) each went scoreless in two NCAA playoff games. Eventual All-Americans Marcus Denmon (Missouri), Danny Ferry (Duke), Ben Gordon (Connecticut), Marcus Morris (Kansas), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State) and Terrence Williams (Louisville) also went scoreless in a tourney game. Ferry scored fewer than 10 points in six straight tourney tilts before averaging 20 ppg in his last 11 playoff outings and Syracuse All-American Kris Joseph never scored more than 12 points in 11 NCAA playoff contests from 2009 through 2012.

Duke's Christian Laettner, the all-time playoff scoring leader with 407 points from 1989 through 1992, tallied fewer than 15 points in six of his first seven tournament games. Just four of the top 20 in career scoring in the NCAA playoffs accumulated more than 10 points in every tourney game they participated - UCLA's Lew Alcindor (1967-68-69), Princeton's Bill Bradley (1963-64-65), Arizona's Sean Elliott (1986-87-88-89) and Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson (1958-59-60).

Is an Amber Alert necessary for Len Chappell, Adrian Dantley, Tom Gola, Alex Groza, David "Big Daddy" Lattin, Jim McDaniels, Jeff Mullins, Cazzie Russell, Dennis Scott, Rony Seikaly, etc., etc., etc.? How could anyone forget the footprint (size-22) Bob Lanier left on postseason play? The NCAA, exhibiting all the expertise of voters claiming they can't provide identification, unveiled a stunning error-prone list several years ago of foremost NCAA Tournament players over the first 75 years. Were relatives of guards Shelvin Mack and Keith Smart on the nominating panel for such amateurish choices? Do backcourters B.J. Armstrong, Terry Dehere, Allen Iverson, Wally Jones, Brevin Knight, Bo Lamar, Mark Macon, Lawrence Moten, Anthony Peeler and Mitch Richmond mean anything to the misinformed? The NCAA, apparently incapable of discerning what comprises a "moment" rather than numerous playoff-pressure games or putting too much stock in input from self-serving media, probably needs to go back to focusing on event cancellation insurance premiums and vital task of shedding Indian nicknames from as many schools as possible.

In former POTUS Obama's State of the Union addresses, the basketball buff probably should have cared more about mental inequality in hoopdom rather than income inequality in his "I-have-a-phone-and-pen" and willing-accomplices-in-the-media kingdom. An NCAA probe similar to IRS targeting needs to be conducted stemming from the most glaring omission among impact players failing to be acknowledged. Incredibly, the shunned included Bob Pettit, who averaged 30.5 points in six outings with LSU in 1953 and 1954. Pettit is perhaps the most consistent big scorer in NCAA playoff annals with a single-digit differential between his high game (36 points) and low contest (27).

The Chris Webber Award for playoff competition brain lock goes to SN for fanciful assertion citing Tom Thacker, a nice versatile player for Cincinnati teams participating in three consecutive NCAA championship contests, as #15 on its all-time list. Thacker committed a toxic total of 13 turnovers (with only four assists) in two Final Four games in 1963 after scoring only two points in 1962 national semifinals and shooting a paltry 8-of-28 from the floor at 1961 Final Four. UCLA by itself has had at least 15 more influential tourney players than Thacker, who was unranked by ESPN and SI. The only logical answer for this absurdity is a Cincinnati connection of some sort among the voting delegation or the fishy selection is a byproduct for why SN's print edition went belly up.

Michigan State All-American Draymond Green posted back-to-back triple doubles in 2011 and 2012 but still doesn't rank among the all-time best 83 players in tourney history 83 years after the inaugural event. If some of these historical facts aroused your curiosity, here is additional tournament insight that should fuel debates concerning who should be on college basketball's Mount Rushmore after excelling the most as NCAA playoff performers (minimum of six tourney games):

1. Lew Alcindor, C, UCLA
The only individual selected the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player three times averaged 25.7 points and 18.8 rebounds and shot 64.1% from the floor in six Final Four games from 1967 through 1969. Alcindor, who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, is the only player to couple three unanimous first-team All-American seasons with three NCAA titles. Of the 10 different individuals to average more than 23 points per game for a national champion a total of 12 times, Alcindor achieved the feat all three of his seasons with the Bruins. He is also the only player to hit better than 70% of his field-goal attempts in two NCAA title games. UCLA '67, the first varsity season for Alcindor, set the record for largest average margin of victory for a champion when the Bruins started a dazzling streak of 10 consecutive Final Four appearances. They won their 12 NCAA playoff games with Alcindor manning the middle by an average margin of 21.5 points. The three Alcindor-led UCLA teams rank among the seven NCAA champions with average margins of victory in a tournament of more than 19 points per game. He led the Bruins in scoring in 10 of 12 playoff contests. It's no wonder a perceptive scribe wrote that the acronym NCAA took on a new meaning during the Alcindor Era - "No Chance Against Alcindor."
2. Bill Walton, C, UCLA
Averaged 28.8 points and 17.8 rebounds per game at the Final Four in 1972 and 1973. His championship game-record 44 points against Memphis State in 1973 when he hit 21-of-22 field-goal attempts will probably never be duplicated. On the other hand, he had one playoff game of fewer than 10 points each of the three seasons he was national player of the year.
3. Jerry West, G-F, West Virginia
He is the only player to score at least 25 points in eight consecutive tournament games (all of which he led in scoring). West is also the only player to rank among the top five in scoring average in both the NCAA Tournament (30.6 points per game) and NBA playoffs (29.1 ppg). He was denied a championship ring with West Virginia in his only Final Four appearance in 1959 when Cal center Darral Imhoff, a player who would become an Olympic and NBA teammate, tipped in a decisive basket in the closing seconds.
4. Elvin Hayes, F, Houston
He is the only player to lead a tournament in scoring by more than 60 points. Lew Alcindor and his UCLA teammates helped hold Hayes to 10 points in 1968 national semifinals, but the Big E finished with 167 points in five games with Houston that year in finishing with the highest-ever scoring average for a Final Four player (36.8 ppg). Alcindor was runner-up with 103 points in four contests. Hayes became the only player in tournament history to collect more than 40 points and 25 rebounds in the same game when he amassed 49 points and 27 rebounds in a 94-76 decision over Loyola of Chicago in first round of 1968 Midwest Regional. He holds the records for most rebounds in a playoff series (97 in five games as a senior in 1968) and career (222 in 13 games). Hayes had five games with at least 24 rebounds, including the first three playoff games in 1968, before being held to five in a 101-69 national semifinal loss against UCLA. He also holds the record for most playoff field goals in a career with 152.
5. Gail Goodrich, G, UCLA
Despite standing at least three inches shorter than both standout opponents, the 6-1 lefthander outscored consensus second-team All-American Jeff Mullins of Duke, 27-22, in 1964 final and unanimous first-team All-American Cazzie Russell of Michigan, 42-28, in 1965 final. Goodrich, the only guard to score more than 35 points in an NCAA final, averaged 35 points per game for UCLA in 1965 tourney. He was also the Bruins' leading scorer the previous year (21.5-point average as a junior) when he became the shortest undergraduate to average more than 20 points per game for an NCAA titlist. Goodrich and Walt Hazzard (18.6 ppg) represent the only backcourt duo to be the top two scorers on the season for an NCAA championship team. Of the eight times a school successfully defended its major college championship, Goodrich is the only guard to be the team's leading scorer in back-to-back years. The Bruins won 58 of 60 games in those two championship seasons although they didn't have a regular taller than 6-7.
6. Bill Bradley, F, Princeton
The former U.S. Senator (D-N.J.) and 2000 presidential candidate holds the record for most points in a single Final Four game (58 against Wichita State in 1965 national third-place game). He scored 39 points in the second half of the consolation game. The Rhodes Scholar was the only player to have a double-digit season scoring average (30.5 points per game) for Princeton's Final Four team. Bradley also holds the career playoff record for highest free-throw percentage (minimum of 50 attempts). He was 89 of 96 from the foul line (90.6%) from 1963 through 1965. In five of his nine playoff games, Bradley made at least 10 free throws while missing no more than one attempt from the charity stripe. He made 16 of 16 free throws against St. Joseph's in first round of 1963 East Regional and 13 of 13 foul shots against Providence in 1965 East Regional final to become the only player to twice convert more than 12 free throws without a miss in playoff games. He was the game-high scorer in eight of nine tourney contests.
7. Bill Russell, C, San Francisco
Grabbed an incredible 50 rebounds for USF at 1956 Final Four (23 against SMU in semifinals and 27 against Iowa in championship game). No other player has retrieved more than 41 missed shots in two Final Four games or more than 21 in the final. Averaged 23.2 points in winning all nine NCAA tourney contests.
8. Oscar Robertson, G-F, Cincinnati
Averaged at least 29 points and 10 rebounds per game each of his three years in the tourney with the Bearcats. The Big O isn't picked higher because California restricted him to a total of 37 points in two Final Four games (1959 and 1960). He hit just nine of 32 from the floor against the Bears. Robertson, the nation's leading scorer all three of his varsity seasons with averages of more than 32 points per game, is the only team-leading scorer to twice go more than 13 points below his season scoring average when his school lost in the national semifinals or final. He is the only Final Four participant to twice register a season scoring average in excess of 30 ppg (32.6 in 1958-59 and 33.7 in 1959-60).
9. Sean Elliott, F, Arizona
Of the more than 60 different players to score at least 2,500 points and/or rank among the top 25 in career scoring average, Elliott is the only one to have a winning NCAA playoff record in his career plus post higher scoring, rebounding and field-goal shooting playoff averages than he compiled in the regular season. Elliott scored at least 17 points in all 10 of his NCAA playoff games with the Wildcats from 1986 through 1989.
10. Christian Laettner, F, Duke
Only player to start in four Final Fours became the tourney's all-time leading scorer (407 points) in helping the Blue Devils compile a 21-2 playoff mark in his career. Laettner's highest-scoring game was 31 against Kentucky in a 104-103 victory in 1992 East Regional final. Laettner capped a flawless offensive performance, hitting all 10 of his field-goal attempts and all 10 of his free throws against the Wildcats, by scoring Duke's last eight points in overtime, including a stunning 18-foot turnaround jumper at the buzzer after catching a pass from the baseline on the opposite end of the court. He also hit what probably was an even more difficult off-balance, last-second shot to give Duke a 79-78 win against Connecticut in 1990 East Regional final. Tallied fewer than 15 points in six of his first seven playoff contests.
11. Bob Pettit, F-C, Louisiana State
Of the more than 40 different players to score more than 225 points in the NCAA playoffs and/or average over 25 points per tournament game (minimum of six games), he is the only one to score more than 22 points in every postseason contest (six games with LSU in 1953 and 1954). He was perhaps the most consistent big scorer in NCAA Tournament history with a single-digit differential between his high game (36 points) and his low game (27). Pettit wasn't named to the 1953 All-Tournament team despite leading the Tigers to the Final Four and averaging 30.5 points per game in four NCAA playoff contests. He averaged the same number of points in two tourney games the next year.
12. Bobby Hurley, G, Duke
The 6-0 guard was selected Most Outstanding Player at the 1992 Final Four. He was the shortest player to earn the award since 5-11 Hal Lear helped Temple to a national third-place finish in 1956. The only Final Four Most Outstanding Player shorter than Hurley from a championship team was 5-11 Kenny Sailors of Wyoming in 1943. Hurley shot a mediocre 41% from the floor in his college career, but he was the Blue Devils' linchpin with his playmaking and intangible contributions. He holds the career record for most playoff assists (145) and three-pointers (42) although his bid to become the first player to start four consecutive NCAA finals was thwarted when California upset Duke in the second round of 1993 Midwest Regional despite Hurley's career-high 32 points. After averaging just 5.4 points per game in his first eight NCAA Tournament contests, he averaged 22.8 in his last five playoff outings.
13. Steve Alford, G, Indiana
Averaged 21.3 points in 10 NCAA Tournament games in 1984, 1986 and 1987 (8-2 record). He led the Hoosiers in scoring in seven of the contests.
14. Larry Johnson, F, UNLV
Juco jewel averaged 20.2 points and 11.5 rebounds in 11 games in 1990 and 1991 (10-1 record).
15. Miles Simon, G, Arizona
Averaged 18.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 14 games from 1995 through 1998 (11-3 record). He was game-high scorer in his last three playoff contests.
16. Patrick Ewing, C, Georgetown
The Hoyas compiled a glittering 15-3 playoff record from 1982 through 1985 during his four-year reign of terror although he never scored as many as 25 points in a tournament game.
17. David "Big Daddy" Lattin, C, Texas Western
Averaged 19.4 ppg and 10.6 rpg in eight games in 1966 and 1967 (7-1 record). He averaged 21 points and 13 rebounds in first three games of 1966 playoffs, powering champion-to-be Miners to Final Four. Playoff scoring average was five points higher than his regular-season mark.
18. Clyde Lovellette, C, Kansas
The only individual to lead the nation in scoring average in the same season he played for a team reaching the NCAA Tournament championship game. Averaging 35.3 points per game in the 1952 tourney, he was the first player to score more than 30 points in a Final Four contest and the only player to crack the 30-point plateau in the national semifinals and final in the same season.
19. Dennis Scott, G-F, Georgia Tech
Averaged 25.9 ppg and 5.9 rpg in eight playoff games from 1988 through 1990 (5-3 record). He was game-high scorer in four of five contests in 1990 when the Yellow Jackets reached the Final Four.
20. David Thompson, F, North Carolina State
The last player to score the most points in a single game of a tournament and play for a championship team (40 against Providence in 1974 East Regional semifinals). He is the only undergraduate non-center to average more than 23 ppg for a national champion.
21. Austin Carr, G, Notre Dame
After scoring only six points in his first tournament game as a sophomore (re-injured against Miami of Ohio in 1969), Carr averaged 47.2 points in his last six playoff contests to finish with a tourney record 41.3-point mark. However, the Irish won only two of the seven games.
22. David Robinson, C, Navy
Averaged 28.6 points and 12.3 rebounds in seven games from 1985 through 1987 (4-3 record). He was game-high scorer in four playoff contests, including a school-record 50 points against Michigan in his final appearance.
23. Bob Kurland, C, Oklahoma A&M
Only player to score more than half of a championship team's points in a single NCAA Tournament (total of 72 accounted for 51.8% of the Aggies' output in three playoff games in 1946).
24. Jerry Lucas, C, Ohio State
Two-time NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player averaged 22.8 ppg and 12 rpg at the Final Four in 1960 and 1961. But he was limited to nine points in both of his tourney openers when earning national player of the year awards in 1961 and 1962.
25. Sean May, F-C, North Carolina
Final Four Most Outstanding Player for 2005 champion averaged 19.9 points and 9.9 rebounds in eight NCAA Tournament games in 2004 and 2005 (7-1 record).
26. Alex Groza, C, Kentucky
Two-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player is only individual appearing at a minimum of two Final Fours (1948 and 1949) and be the game-high scorer in every Final Four contest he participated.
27. Len Chappell, F-C, Wake Forest
Averaged 27.6 ppg and 17.1 rpg in eight games in 1961 and 1962 (6-2 record). He was the Demon Deacons' leading scorer in all eight contests.
28. Bob Lanier, C, St. Bonaventure
Averaged 25.2 points and 14.2 rebounds in six games in 1968 and 1970 (4-2 record; missed 1970 Final Four after tearing a knee ligament in East Regional final).
29. Corliss Williamson, F, Arkansas
Two-time All-NCAA Tournament selection averaged 20.2 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 59.4% from the floor in 15 games from 1993 through 1995 (13-2 record).
30. Al Wood, F, North Carolina
Averaged 20.1 points and 8.3 rebounds in eight games from 1978 through 1981 (4-4 record). He was the Tar Heels' leading scorer in six of those playoff contests.
31. Tim Duncan, C, Wake Forest
Averaged 17.6 points, 15 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots in 11 games from 1994 through 1997 (7-4 record).
32. Glen Rice, F, Michigan
Averaged 23.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 13 games from 1986 through 1989 (10-3 record). As a senior, he was the Wolverines' leading scorer in all six contests during their championship run when setting a single-tourney record with 184 points.
33. Danny Manning, F, Kansas
The only player to score more than 62% of his team's points in an NCAA Tournament game (42 in the Jayhawks' 67-63 victory against Southwest Missouri State in second round of 1987 Southeast Regional). He was the game-high scorer in all six of their contests en route to the 1988 national title as a senior. Averaged 20.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in 16 playoff games (13-3 record).
34. Bob Houbregs, F-C, Washington
Averaged 27.4 ppg in seven games in 1951 and 1953 (5-2 record). He averaged nearly nine more points per contest in postseason play than during the regular season.
35. Tom Gola, F, La Salle
The only individual to earn NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and NIT Most Valuable Player awards in his career. He averaged 22 ppg in 10 NCAA playoff games in 1954 and 1955 (9-1 record).
36. Rumeal Robinson, G, Michigan
Averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 assists in 11 games from 1988 through 1990 (9-2 record).
37. Lawrence Moten, G, Syracuse
Averaged 23.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in seven games in 1992, 1994 and 1995 (4-3 record).
38. Ray Allen, G, Connecticut
Averaged 19.5 points and 7 rebounds in 10 playoff games from 1994 through 1996 (7-3 record).
39. Isiah Thomas, G, Indiana
Averaged 19.7 points and 7.9 assists in seven games in 1980 and 1981 (6-1 record).
40. Greg "Bo" Kimble, F-G, Loyola Marymount
Averaged 29.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 steals in seven games from 1988 through 1990 (4-3 record). Scored at least 37 points for LMU in three of his last four playoff outings.
41. Randy Foye, G, Villanova
Averaged 22.1 points and 6.4 rebounds in seven games in 2005 and 2006 (5-2 record). He scored at least 24 points in four contests en route to posting 7.5 ppg more in tourney competition than regular-season play.
42. B.J. Armstrong, G, Iowa
Averaged 19.8 points and 4.9 assists in nine games from 1987 through 1989 (6-3 record; did not play in 1986 playoffs). He averaged seven more points per contest in postseason than during the regular season.
43. Jim McDaniels, C, Western Kentucky
Averaged 29.3 points and 12.2 rebounds in six games in 1970 and 1971 (4-2 record). He was WKU's leading scorer in five of the six playoff contests.
44. Brevin Knight, G, Stanford
Averaged 20 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists in seven games from 1995 through 1997 (4-3 record).
45. Rony Seikaly, C, Syracuse
Averaged 18.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 2.8 bpg in 12 games from 1985 through 1988 (8-4 record). He averaged nearly seven more points per contest in postseason play than during the regular season.
46. Jeff Mullins, F, Duke
Averaged 25 ppg and 7.9 rpg in the playoffs for two Final Four teams in 1963 and 1964 (6-2 record). He scored more than 20 points in seven of eight tourney contests.
47. Mark Macon, G, Temple
Averaged 23.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in nine games in 1988, 1990 and 1991 (6-3 record.)
48. Mike Maloy, C, Davidson
Averaged 22.3 ppg and 12.4 rpg in seven games from 1968 through 1970 (4-3 record).
49. Adrian Dantley, F, Notre Dame
Averaged 25.4 points and 8.3 rebounds in eight games from 1974 through 1976 (4-4 record). Averaged 29.8 points in his last six playoff contests.
50. Dan Issel, C, Kentucky
Averaged 29.3 ppg and 11.3 rpg in splitting six contests from 1968 through 1970. He had at least 36 points in half of the tourney games.
51. Allen Iverson, G, Georgetown
Averaged 23.9 points and 4 rebounds in seven games in 1995 and 1996 (5-2 record). He was the Hoyas' leading scorer in all seven contests.
52. Ollie Johnson, C, San Francisco
Averaged 25.8 points and 16.2 rebounds in six games from 1963 through 1965 (3-3 record). Averaged six points per game higher in playoffs than regular season.
53. Paul Hogue, C, Cincinnati
Averaged 19 points and 16 rebounds in six Final Four games from 1960 through 1962. Posted higher averages (18.4 ppg and 13.3 rpg) in 12 NCAA Tournament contests (11-1 record) than his respective career marks.
54. Jameer Nelson, G, St. Joseph's
Averaged 22.4 points, 6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.3 steals in seven games in 2001, 2003 and 2004 (4-3 record). He scored at least 24 points in four of his last five playoff contests.
55. Richard Hamilton, G-F, Connecticut
Averaged 23.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 10 games in 1998 and 1999 (9-1 record). He led UConn in scoring in nine of the 10 contests.
56. Chuck Person, F, Auburn
Averaged 20.3 points and 9 rebounds in eight games from 1984 through 1986 (5-3 record). Scored at least 20 points in six of his last seven playoff contests.
57. Don Schlundt, C, Indiana
Averaged 27 points in six games in 1953 and 1954 (5-1 record). He was the Hoosiers' leading scorer in five of the playoff contests.
58. Cazzie Russell, G, Michigan
Averaged at least 24 ppg each of his three years in the tourney (5-3 record). Leading scorer for third-place team in 1964 NCAA playoffs and 1965 national runner-up.
59. Jamal Mashburn, F, Kentucky
Averaged 21.4 points and 8 rebounds in nine games in 1992 and 1993 (7-2 record). He was the Wildcats' leading scorer in five consecutive playoff contests.
60. Les Hunter, C, Loyola of Chicago
Averaged 18.9 points and 13.3 rebounds in eight games in 1963 and 1964 (7-1 record).
61. Henry Finkel, C, Dayton
Averaged 27.8 points and 13.8 rebounds in six games in 1965 and 1966 (3-3 record). He was game-high scorer in five of the six contests.
62. Johnny Green, F-C, Michigan State
Averaged 16.2 points and 19.7 rebounds in six games in 1957 and 1959 (3-3 record). He was the leading rebounder in all four contests as a sophomore in 1957 when the Spartans reached the Final Four.
63. Anthony Peeler, G, Missouri
Averaged 24.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in six games in 1989, 1990 and 1992 (3-3 record). His scoring average was almost eight points higher in the postseason than regular season.
64. Dwight "Bo" Lamar, G, Southwestern Louisiana
Averaged 29.2 points in six Division I Tournament games in 1972 and 1973 (3-3 record). Supplied game-high point total in all six contests, including 35 plus a tourney-high 11 assists in a 112-101 victory against Marshall as the Ragin' Cajuns scored the most points in tourney history for a school in its playoff debut.
65. Greg Kelser, F, Michigan State
Leading scorer and rebounder as a senior for 1979 NCAA titlist averaged 24 ppg and 11.3 rpg in eight playoff contests (7-1 record). His scoring average was almost seven points higher in the postseason than regular season. Celebrated teammate Magic Johnson outscored and outrebounded Kelser only once in their eight postseason outings together.
66. Barry Kramer, F, New York University
Averaged 25.2 points and 9.3 rebounds in six games in 1962 and 1963 (3-3 record).
67. Nick Collison, F, Kansas
Leading scorer and rebounder as senior for 2003 NCAA Tournament runner-up (30-8 record) and second-leading scorer and rebounder for 2002 Final Four team (33-4). Averaged 16.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in 16 games (12-4 record).
68. Juan Dixon, G, Maryland
After struggling as a redshirt freshman, Dixon averaged 21.2 points in his last 13 games from 2000 through 2002. The Terrapins won 10 of the last 11 of those playoff contests when he was the leading scorer for back-to-back Final Four teams.
69. Mitch Richmond, G-F, Kansas State
J.C. recruit averaged 23.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists in six games in 1987 and 1988 (4-2 record).
70. George Thompson, F, Marquette
Averaged 23.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in six games in 1968 and 1969 (4-2 record). He was the Warriors' leading scorer in five of the six playoff contests.
71. John Wallace, F, Syracuse
Averaged 20.3 points and 8.8 rebounds in 11 games from 1994 through 1996 (8-3 record). Leading scorer and rebounder for Syracuse's national runner-up as a senior was the top point producer for the Orangemen in his last eight playoff contests.
72. Jimmy Collins, G, New Mexico State
Averaged 19.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 11 games from 1968 through 1970 (7-4 record). He at least shared the Aggies' team-high scoring output in all 11 contests.
73. Tony Price, F, Penn
Averaged 21.9 ppg and 9 rpg in eight games in 1978 and 1979 (5-3 record). He was the Quakers' leading scorer in all six contests when they finished fourth in the nation in 1979. Price's playoff scoring average was 6.5 points higher than his regular-season mark.
74. Wally Jones, G, Villanova
Two-time All-East Regional selection averaged 22.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg in six games in 1962 and 1964 (4-2 record). He scored a game-high 25 points as a sophomore in a regional final loss against Wake Forest and a game-high 34 points as a senior in a 74-62 victory over Bill Bradley-led Princeton in a third-place contest. It was the only time in Bradley's nine playoff games that he wasn't the leading scorer. Jones outscored All-American Len Chappell in the Wake Forest contest.
75. Mel Counts, C, Oregon State
Averaged 23.2 points and 14.1 rebounds in nine games from 1962 through 1964 (5-4 record), averaging 25 points and 15 rebounds in two West Regional finals.
76. Terry Dehere, G, Seton Hall
Averaged 23.2 points in nine games from 1991 through 1993 (6-3 record). He paced the Pirates in scoring in all nine outings.
77. Kenny Anderson, G, Georgia Tech
The only freshman to score more than 20 points in four playoff games averaged 27 ppg in his first four outings. Averaged 25.7 points and 5 assists in seven NCAA tourney games in 1990 and 1991 (5-2 record).
78. Acie Earl, C, Iowa
Averaged 19.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shots in six games from 1991 through 1993 (3-3 record). Eight of his rejections came against NCAA champion-to-be Duke in 1992. His scoring average in the playoffs was more than four ppg higher than his mark during the regular season.
79. Kevin Pittsnogle, F, West Virginia
Averaged 17.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in seven games in 2005 and 2006 (5-2 record). In six of the contests, he scored more than his career average of 13.3 ppg.
80. Don May, F, Dayton
Averaged 20.1 points and 12.9 rebounds in eight games in 1966 and 1967 (5-3 record).
81. Rex Walters, G, Kansas
Averaged 18.6 ppg and 5.1 apg in seven contests in 1992 and 1993 (5-2 record). He was game-high scorer in the Jayhawks' first three playoff outings as a senior.
82. Stacey King, C, Oklahoma
Averaged 20.5 points 7.8 rebounds in 12 games from 1987 through 1989 (9-3 record).
83. Howard Porter, F, Villanova
Final Four Most Outstanding Player as a senior averaged 24.1 ppg and 12.4 rpg in nine playoff games from 1969 through 1971 (6-3 record.)

When it came to major league pitchers succeeding as batters, there haven't been too many Babe Ruths and Shohei Ohtanis. Facing the cold hard facts, it was textbook futility for nearly 50 years as N.L. pitchers tried to hit MLB hurlers. The gap between pitchers' hitting and remainder of MLB players grew exponentially over the years. In the aftermath of N.L. joining the designated-hitter fold as part of MLB's new CBA (A.L. embraced DH since 1973), it turns out that 2021 was final trip around the bases for N.L. hurlers.

Versatile former college basketball players were among the minority of big-league pitchers who knew how to handle a bat (only a few of them since the 1950s). Now that a universal DH has been adopted, it is a good time to remember the following alphabetical list of best-hitting MLB pitchers previously playing college basketball:

Participating in pools for major sporting events, whether for money or not, has become as American as apple pie. Everyone who has ever visited a water cooler or copy room knows that no office pool spawns emotional involvement more than the invigorating NCAA Tournament. The allure of the office anarchy can be attributed to the futility of the exercise. Still, a little sophisticated guidance is better than none at all as you strive to meet the deadline for submitting your final NCAA playoff bracket.

If you're among the ardent fans who adore the Final Four and are starving for a handicapping guide to answer vital questions, here is a sane approach for surviving March Madness. Sixty-eight is a magic number for the incisive tips because that is the number of teams in the original NCAA field. If you want to merrily maneuver through mine field to Minneapolis when pool results are posted on the bulletin board, pay close attention to these time-honored 68 dos and don'ts on how to fill out your bracket. In deference to the number of entrants, they might not all be applicable this year but these handy-dandy points to ponder should help steer you away from potholes on the Road to the Final Four.

SEEDING CLEARLY
* Pick all No. 1 seeds to win their first-round games. This one's a gimme: Top-seeded teams have lost only one opening-round game since the field was expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985.
* Pick two teams seeded 13th or worse to defeat teams seeded one through four.
* Pick one No. 3 seed to lose in the first round.
* Pick at least one No. 2 seed to lose in the first two rounds.
* Don't pick a No. 1 seed to reach the Final Four, let alone win the national tournament, if the school wasn't in the NCAA playoffs the previous year.
* Don't automatically pick a perennial power to defeat an opponent with a double-digit seeding.
* Pick a team seeded No. 1 or No. 2 to win the national title.
* Don't pick more than two of the four regional No. 1 seeds to reach the Final Four.
* Pick the better-seeded team to win any second-round game pitting two double-digit seeds against each other.
* Pick one team with a double-digit seed to reach a regional semifinal.
* Don't pick more than one regional to have its top four seeds reach the regional semifinals.
* If two members of the same conference earn No. 1 seeds, don't pick both teams to reach the Final Four. Only once has two #1 seeds from the same league advanced to the national semifinals (Georgetown and St. John's from the Big East in 1985).
* Don't pick all four No. 1 seeds to reach regional finals.

CONFERENCE CALL
* Pick at least one Big East team to lose in the opening round.
* Pick at least two teams from the Big Ten and/or SEC to incur opening-round defeats.
* Don't pick a team from the Big South to win a first-round game.
* Don't pick an at-large team with a losing conference record to get beyond the second round.
* Pick at least two ACC teams to reach a regional semifinal and at least one to reach the Final Four.
* If an ACC school wins both the league's regular-season and tournament titles, pick the team to reach the Final Four.
* Don't be swayed by a postseason conference tournament title or a poor performance in an elite league tourney. Disregard the "hot team" factor because a defeat in a league tournament is often a better motivational tool than a complacency-inducing victory. * Double your pleasure by picking two teams from the same conference to reach the Final Four.
* Don't choose a different member from the same league as the previous year's champion (Duke in the ACC) to capture the crown. There has been just seven times in NCAA playoff history for two different schools from the same conference to win the title in back-to-back years - Big Ten (Indiana '40 and Wisconsin '41); ACC (North Carolina '82 and N.C. State '83); Big East (Georgetown '84 and Villanova '85), ACC (Duke '92 and North Carolina '93); ACC (Duke '01 and Maryland '02); Big East (Syracuse '03 and Connecticut '04) and ACC (North Carolina '09 and Duke '10). Three different members from the same alliance capturing the crown over a three-year span has never happened.
* Don't pick an undisputed Big Ten champion (Wisconsin this year) to reach the Final Four.
* The Big Ten occasionally is the nation's premier conference but don't get carried away with that credential when picking a national titlist. Only one Big Ten member (Michigan State in 2000) captured an NCAA crown in the previous 25 years.
* Two of your Final Four picks should be teams that didn't finish atop their regular-season conference standings.
* Burnout has a tendency to set in. Remember that the odds are against a conference tournament champion reaching the NCAA Tournament final.
* Don't pick a team to reach the Final Four if it lost in the first round of a postseason conference tournament.
* Don't be too concerned about a regular-season defeat against a conference rival with a losing league record.
* Don't get carried away with the Pac-12 Conference. A Pac-12 team regularly loses an opening-round game to an opponent seeded 12th or worse.
* Don't pick a conference tournament champion winning four games in four nights to reach a regional semifinal.
* Pick one league to have four members reach the regional semifinals. It happened a total of 13 times in a 15-year span from 1989 through 2003.
* Don't be overwhelmed by quantity because six or seven bids for a league is not a recipe for success. Less than half conferences in this category finished with cumulative playoff records better than two games above .500.
* Don't pick a MEAC or SWAC representative to reach the Sweet 16. It has never happened.

NUMBERS GAME
* Enjoy the "mid-major" Cinderella stories but know that the clock eventually strikes midnight. Gonzaga faces a challenge because no "mid-major" since San Francisco in 1956 won the NCAA title after entering the tourney ranked atop the national polls.
* If there are as many as four first-time entrants, pick one of the novices to win its opening-round game.
* Don't pick a team with 30 or more victories entering the tournament to win the national title.
* Don't develop an aversion for coaches with impoverished playoff records. Remember: Legendary John Wooden lost his first five playoff games as coach at UCLA by an average of 11.4 points and compiled an anemic 3-9 record from 1950 through 1963 before the Bruins won an unprecedented 10 national titles in 12 years from 1964 through 1975.
* Don't be obsessed with comparing regular-season scores. Two-thirds of the NCAA champions weren't exactly invincible as they combined to lose more than 50 games by double-digit margins.
* Pick a team with at least 25 victories entering the tournament to win the championship. Villanova, entering the 1985 playoffs with 19 triumphs, was the only national champion in more than 35 years to enter the tourney with fewer than 20 wins until Arizona won it all in 1997 after also entering with 19 victories.
* Don't pick the nation's top-ranked team entering the tournament to reach the national championship game, let alone capture the crown. Also, Gonzaga has never reached the Final Four.
* The best place to start selecting the Final Four is in the previous year's round of 16. More than half of the teams reaching the national semifinals since 1988 advanced to a regional semifinal the previous season.
* Don't tamper with a "curse" by picking a team with the nation's leading scorer on its roster to reach the Final Four. No national champion has had a player average as many as 30 points per game.
* Make certain your Final Four picks include at least one 30-game winner and one team with a minimum of six defeats.
* After choosing your Final Four schools, don't automatically select the winningest remaining team to go ahead and capture the title.
* Don't pick a team to win the championship if an underclassman guard is leading the squad in scoring.
* Don't pick a team to win the championship if its top two scorers are Caucasians.
* Don't pick a team with as many as 12 defeats entering the tourney to reach a regional semifinal.
* Don't pick a team entering the tournament undefeated to go ahead and win the title. Of the first 17 teams to enter the playoffs with unblemished records, just seven were on to capture the national championship. Excluding UCLA's dominance under coach John Wooden, the only other unbeaten NCAA champion since North Carolina in 1957 is Indiana in 1976.
* Don't overdose on senior leadership. A senior-laden lineup is not a prerequisite for capturing a national championship. An average of only two seniors were among the top seven scorers for NCAA Tournament titlists since the playoff field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985. Half of the NCAA champions since the early 1990s had only one senior among their top seven scorers.

PICKS AND PANS
* Pick any team defeating North Carolina or Duke in the bracket to already be in or on its way to the Final Four.
* Pick Duke to advance in the bracket if they oppose members of the Big East and Big Ten. Despite Indiana's success against the Blue Devils in the 2002 South Regional and Connecticut's victory over them in the 2004 Final Four, the Dynasty in Durham rarely loses a playoff game against Big East and Big Ten competition.
* Don't pick a member of the MAC or former member of the SWC to reach the Final Four. No Mid-American member has ever reached the national semifinals and the SWC Final Four teams all failed to come home with the national championship trophy.
* Don't pick a Conference USA member to reach a regional final.
* Pick Kansas to win a regional final if the Jayhawks advance that far. KU went to the Final Four six straight times the Jayhawks reached a regional championship game (1971-74-86-88-91-93) until they were upset by Syracuse in the 1996 West Regional. Kansas has continued regional final success much of 21st Century.
* Don't pick a team to win the national title if its coach is in his first season at the school.
* Make certain the coach of your championship team has at least five years of head coaching experience.
* Don't pick a team to capture the title if it is coached by a graduate of the school.
* Pick at least one Final Four team with a coach who will be making his debut at the national semifinals. Just four Final Fours (1951, 1968, 1984 and 1993) had all four coaches arrive there with previous Final Four experience.
* Don't pick the defending champion to repeat as national titlist.
* Don't pick the defending national runner-up to win the championship the next season. The only teams ever to finish national runner-up one year and then capture the title the next season were North Carolina (1981 and 1982) and Duke (1990 and 1991).
* Don't put any stock into justifying a preseason No. 1 ranking. The runner-up won each of the four times the preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams met on the hallowed ground of the NCAA final.
* Pick one team not ranked among the national top 10 entering the tournament to reach the championship game.
* Pick at least a couple of teams coached by African Americans to advance a minimum of two rounds in the tournament.
* Don't pick a school to reach the Final Four if you think a vital undergraduate defector from last season will become a pro star. Of the 10 individuals to score more than 20,000 points in the NBA or be named to at least five All-NBA teams after participating in the NCAA Division I playoffs and then leaving college with eligibility remaining, none of their schools reached the Final Four the year or years they could have still been in college - Auburn (Charles Barkley departed early), Houston (Hakeem Olajuwon), Indiana (Isiah Thomas), Kansas (Wilt Chamberlain), Louisiana Tech (Karl Malone), Michigan State (Magic Johnson), North Carolina (Bob McAdoo and Michael Jordan), Notre Dame (Adrian Dantley) and Seattle (Elgin Baylor).
* Don't be infatuated by a Final Four newbie. Before UConn in 1999, the last team to win a championship in its initial national semifinal appearance was Texas Western (now Texas-El Paso) in 1966.
* Pick at least one of your Final Four teams to have a transfer starter but don't choose a squad in that category to win the title.
* Don't be infatuated with first-team All-Americans when deciding Final Four teams because a majority of NCAA consensus first-team All-Americans failed to reach the national semifinals since seeding was introduced.
* Your star search should focus more on pro prospects. Select Final Four teams that each have a minimum of one player who'll eventually become a No. 1 NBA draft choice with one of the squads reaching the championship game to have at least three players who'll become a No. 1 NBA draft pick.

TIME-TESTED TIEBREAKERS
* The vast majority of NCAA Tournament office pools have a tiebreaker category or two. One of them might be designating a player for most points in a single game of the tournament. If so, avoid selecting a player from the championship team because the highest output normally is achieved by a member of a non-titlist.
* Another possible tiebreaker is projecting the total number of points in the championship game. To get your bearings, you should know the average point total is more than 150 since the inception nationwide of both the shot clock and three-point field goal.

Some fans think things have been bad over the decades with conference championships, but just remember there are fools out there who actually care about the gender of a plastic toy potato and want a grade school kid to be able to choose his or her gender while not allowing an individual's parents to select what school he or she attends.

By any measure, the pandemic-punctuated 2021-22 season has been unusual. But it shouldn't be any surprise that Kansas and Princeton became titlists as they are accustomed to capturing conference crowns. The Jayhawks lead for most championships, collecting 63 regular-season conference titles in their illustrious history despite having a streak of 14 straight Big 12 titles come to a halt three years ago. KU and Kentucky are atop the following list of schools with more than 25 regular-season major-college league championships:

• Kansas - 63 (13 of the 21 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles from 1908 through 1928, 30 in Big Eight and 20 in Big 12)
• Kentucky - 54 in SEC
• Pennsylvania - 40 in EIBL/Ivy League
• North Carolina - 39 (7 in Southern and 32 in ACC)
• Princeton - 38 in EIBL/Ivy League
• UCLA - 35 in Pacific-12
• Connecticut - 29 (19 in Yankee and 10 in Big East)
• Western Kentucky* - 28 (19 in Ohio Valley and 9 in Sun Belt)
• Arkansas - 26 (22 in SWC and 4 in SEC)
• Texas - 26 (22 in SWC and 4 in Big 12)

*WKU's total is 42 if include 14 titles won in the KIAC/SIAA in the 1930s and 1940s. All current members of the SEC (except for Arkansas) previously were in the SIAA and six ACC members comprised a portion of the former alliance.

For quality teams in upper-echelon leagues, conference tournament action is only the beginning of what they hope will be a long postseason experience culminating with memorable success in the NCAA playoffs. Because of their season-long excellence, quality power-league members are virtually immune to exclusion from the NCAA Tournament. So along with trying to win the league tournament title, the squads are tuning up for the main event by jockeying for position in the NCAA bracket.

Purdue's Matt Painter has struggled the most in league tournament play among a total of 16 active coaches appearing in at least 12 NCAA tourneys. Following is a look at how these prominent mentors have fared in conference tournament competition before attending the Big Dance majority of the time:

"No, you never get any fun out of the things you haven't done." - Ogden Nash

To freedom loving red-white-and-blue-blooded Americans, Never Never Land is prospect of possible detainment in re-education camps promoted by press pestilence Katie Couric and Eugene Robinson. But nobody other than smug DC swamp cancel-culture creatures said it was going to be easy. The preceding quote definitely rang true for Providence until the Friars left Never Never Land behind this season by posting its first-ever Big East Conference regular-season championship after 42 years of futility since formation of the league. PC left list, but following is a list of college basketball's noteworthy virgin territory:

85: Seasons for The Citadel failing to win Southern Conference championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since the Bulldogs joined league in 1936-37.
83: Seasons for Big Ten Conference member Northwestern plus Ivy League members Harvard and Yale failing to participate in NCAA Tournament quarterfinals.
68: Years for Clemson failing to win ACC Tournament title since formation of league in 1953-54.
52: Mountain West Conference entrants without any of them reaching an NCAA playoff regional final. . . . Years for Northwestern as only power-league member failing to lose undergraduate as high draft selection by the NBA or ABA since 1971.
44: Seasons for Duquesne failing to win Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season championship since its formation (Dukes out of league in 1992-93).
43: Seasons for no Big East Conference member to go unbeaten in league competition since its formation. . . . Seasons for Arizona State failing to win Pac-12 Conference championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since the Sun Devils joined league in 1978-79 (league tourney commenced in 1987). . . . Seasons for Cliff Ellis as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final.
42: Seasons for Bowling Green failing to win Mid-American Conference Tournament championship since inception of event in 1980. . . . Seasons for Florida A&M failing to win MEAC regular-season championship since joining the league in 1979-80. . . . Seasons for Grambling failing to appear in NCAA Tournament since SWAC moved up to Division I status in 1979-80.
41: Seasons for MEAC and SWAC members never reaching Sweet 16 since number of automatic qualifiers was increased to at least 26 in 1981. . . . Seasons for no Northeast Conference member to go unbeaten in league competition since its formation.
40: Seasons without an undefeated team in Summit League competition since formation of conference when it was known as Mid-Continent. . . . Seasons for Saint Francis (N.Y.) failing to win Northeast Conference Tournament championship since formation of conference in 1981-82.
39: Seasons for William & Mary failing to win CAA Tournament championship since the Tribe joined conference in 1982-83. . . . Seasons for Maryland-Eastern Shore failing to win MEAC championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since the Hawks rejoined league at Division I level in 1982-83.
36: NCAA Tournament appearances for Notre Dame without the Fighting Irish reaching national championship contest. . . . Seasons for Hartford failing to win America East Conference championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since the Hawks joined league in 1985-86.
35: NCAA Tournament appearances for Texas without the Longhorns winning a national championship. . . . Seasons for Stetson failing to win TAAC/Atlantic Sun Conference championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since the Hatters joined league in 1986-87.
33: NCAA Tournament appearances for Oklahoma and Temple without the schools winning a national championship. . . . Seasons for Leonard Hamilton as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Final Four.
32: NCAA Tournament appearances for Purdue without winning a national championship.
31: NCAA Tournament appearances for Illinois and Kansas State without winning a national championship. . . . Seasons for Army failing to win Patriot League championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since formation of conference in 1990-91.
30: NCAA Tournament appearances for Brigham Young without the Cougars reaching a Final Four. . . . NCAA Tournament appearances for St. John's and West Virginia without the schools winning national title.
29: Seasons for Penn State failing to win Big Ten Conference championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since the Nittany Lions joined league in 1992-93. . . . Seasons for Jeff Jones as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Final Four.
28: NCAA Tournament appearances for Missouri and Xavier without the schools reaching a Final Four.
27: Seasons for Herb Sendek as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final.
26: Seasons for Fordham and La Salle failing to win Atlantic 10 Conference championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since both schools joined league in 1995-96. . . . Seasons for Steve Alford as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final. . . . Seasons for Fran O'Hanlon as Division I coach without posting an NCAA Tournament victory.
25: NCAA Tournament appearances for Princeton without the Tigers reaching a national final. . . . Seasons for Eastern Illinois failing to win Ohio Valley Conference regular-season championship since the Panthers joined league in 1996-97. . . . Seasons for Cal Poly failing to win Big West Conference regular-season championship since the Mustangs joined league in 1996-97. . . . Seasons for Cal State Sacramento failing to finish among top two in Big Sky Conference standings or reach postseason tournament title game since joining league in 1996-97. . . . Seasons for Tommy Amaker as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final. . . . Seasons for Fran McCaffery as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
24: Seasons for Northwestern failing to reach Big Ten Conference Tournament championship contest since inception of event in 1997-98. . . . Seasons for Marist and Rider failing to win Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship since they joined the league in 1997-98. Marist never has reached MAAC tourney final. . . . Seasons for Dan Monson as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Final Four.
23: NCAA Tournament appearances for Tennessee without the Volunteers reaching a Final Four. . . . Seasons for Lorenzo Romar and Mark Turgeon as Division I coaches without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final. . . . Seasons for Ron Hunter as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. . . . Seasons for Greg Kampe and Bob Marlin as Division I coaches without posting an NCAA Tournament victory.
22: NCAA Tournament appearances for Alabama and Creighton without either school reaching a Final Four. . . . Coaches for The Citadel (including Norm Sloan and Les Robinson) failing to reach NCAA playoffs with Bulldogs since inaugural event in 1939. . . . Seasons for Gonzaga coach Mark Few without finishing lower than top two in West Coast Conference standings. . . . Seasons for Colorado State failing to win Mountain West Conference regular-season championship and Air Force failing to reach MWC Tournament title game since formation of league in 1999-00. . . . Seasons for Rod Barnes and Kermit Davis as Division I coaches without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final. . . . Seasons for Mike McConathy as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
21: Coaches for Army-West Point (including Bob Knight and Mike Krzyzewski) failing to reach NCAA playoffs with Cadets since inaugural event in 1939. . . . Seasons for Travis Ford as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
20: Seasons for Steve Donahue as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final. . . . Seasons for Mark Schmidt as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. . . . Seasons for Johnny Jones as Division I coach without posting an NCAA Tournament victory. . . . Seasons for Keith Richard as Division I coach without earning an NCAA Tournament berth.
19: Coaches for William & Mary (including Bruce Parkhill and Charlie Woollum) failing to reach NCAA playoffs with Tribe since inaugural event in 1939. . . . NCAA Tournament appearances for Boston College without the Eagles reaching a regional final. . . . Seasons for Mike Anderson as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Final Four. . . . Seasons for Brad Brownell as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final. . . . Seasons for Ritchie McKay and Rick Stansbury as Division I coaches without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. . . . Seasons for Tod Kowalczyk as Division I coach without appearing in NCAA Tournament.
18: Seasons for Jamie Dixon as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Final Four.
17: NCAA playoff appearances for Miami (Ohio) without school reaching a regional final. . . . NCAA playoff appearances for Murray State without the Racers reaching a Sweet 16. . . . Seasons for former Big East Conference members Boston College, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia Tech failing to win ACC championship (regular season or postseason tournament) since VT joined league in 2004-05. . . . Seasons for Matt Painter as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Final Four. . . . Seasons for Brian Gregory and Frank Haith as Division I coaches without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. . . . Seasons for George "Tic" Price as Division I coach without posting an NCAA Tournament victory.
16: NCAA playoff appearances for Arizona State and Weber State without reaching a regional final. . . . Seasons for Mark Fox as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
15: Seasons for coach Ed Cooley without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
14: NCAA Tournament appearances for Texas A&M without the Aggies reaching a regional final. . . . NCAA Tournament appearances for Mike Brey without reaching a Final Four (most among active coaches). . . . Seasons for Buzz Williams as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Final Four. . . . Seasons for Kevin Willard as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. . . . Seasons for Tim Jankovich as Division I coach without posting an NCAA Tournament victory.
13: NCAA Tournament appearances for Clemson without the Tigers reaching a Final Four. . . . Seasons for Cuonzo Martin as Division I coach without reaching an NCAA Tournament regional final.
12: Coaches for St. Francis NY (including Lou Rossini and Bob Valvano) failing to reach NCAA playoffs with Terriers since inaugural event in 1939.
11: NCAA Tournament appearances for coach Sean Miller without reaching a Final Four.
9: Seasons for Missouri failing to win SEC regular-season title or reach league tournament semifinals since joining conference in 2012-13.
8: NCAA Tournament defeats for Eastern Kentucky without a victory (most by any school winless in playoffs).
7: NCAA playoff appearances for Nebraska and Boise State without either school posting a victory.

BOTTOM OF THE BARREL

A striking number of universities haven't even received a participation trophy. Following is an alphabetical list of 17 NCAA playoff wannabees failing to appear in the national tournament despite being classified at DI level more than 25 years (first season classified as major college in parentheses): Army (1948), Bethune-Cookman (1981), Cal State Northridge (1992), Cal State Sacramento (1992), Chicago State (1985), The Citadel (1948), Grambling State (1978), Maine (1962), Maryland-Eastern Shore (1982), New Hampshire (1962), Saint Francis NY (1948), Stetson (1972), Tennessee-Martin (1993), Texas-Rio Grande Valley (1969), UMKC (1990), Western Illinois (1982), William & Mary (1948) and Youngstown State (1982).

Do you know the individual boasting highest-scoring game in history in an NCAA Division I conference postseason tournament is a genuine gamebreaker-turned-lawbreaker? You can find him in prison serving a life sentence without parole after facing felony charges stemming from automobile hijacking, kidnapping the driver by holding a gun to his head and robbing a convenience store following a 3 1/2-year stint in prison for a probation violation. Well, it's Marshall guard Skip Henderson, who erupted for 55 points in the 1988 Southern Conference quarterfinals against The Citadel. Marshall (also C-USA) and Texas Tech (Big 12 and SWC) are the only schools to have two players hold existing league tourney scoring marks in two different NCAA Division I alliances.

Three mid-major leagues - America East (twice after three-time MVP Jameel Warney's 18-of-22 field-goal shooting six years ago for Stony Brook), Ivy League (Harvard's Bryce Aiken three years ago) and Horizon League (Detroit's Antoine Davis last year) - provide the only players setting existing NCAA DI conference tournament scoring marks in a tourney final. All-Americans Lennie Rosenbluth (North Carolina) and Cliff Hagan (Kentucky) accounted for the two of following DI league tourney scoring standards (ACC and SEC) standing since the 1950s:

NOTE: Scoring outbursts by Fredette (Mountain West), Garrick (Atlantic 10), Gibbs (Atlantic Sun), Harper (Mid-American), Henderson (Southern), Houston (Metro Atlantic Athletic), Lyons (Southland) and Piatkowski (Big Eight) are also existing school single-game standards. Warney's output is highest for Stony Brook at DI level.

Existing single-game rebounding records for San Francisco (Bill Russell) and Santa Clara (Ken Sears) were set on the same day (March 4) in West Coast Conference competition in 1955. Two Philly Big 5 institutions - Penn (37 points by Keven McDonald) and La Salle (35 by Michael Brooks) - had players establish school NCAA Tournament single-game scoring marks in the same regional (East) on same day (12th in 1978). Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (44 points) and Auburn's Chris Morris (36) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards in the same contest in 1988 (March 17). Two years apart in the late 1980s, Reggie Williams and Charles Smith set and tied Georgetown's single-game scoring mark in NCAA tourney competition on the same day (March 19). Sixty-five years apart, Bill Logan and Luka Garza set and tied Iowa's standard on the same day (March 22). In another oddity, Yale's single-game scoring and rebounding marks against a major-college opponent were established in the same game against Harvard in 1956. Following is a day-by-day calendar citing memorable moments in March major-college basketball history:

MARCH

1 - Kentucky's Cliff Hagan (42 points vs. Georgia in 1952 semifinals) set SEC Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . New Hampshire's Matt Alosa (39 vs. Hartford in opening round of 1996 North Atlantic Conference Tournament at Newark, DE/tied school mark), Saint Louis' Anthony Bonner (45 at Loyola of Chicago in overtime in 1990), Southern Illinois' Dick Garrett (46 vs. Centenary in 1968) and Southern Utah's Davor Marcelic (43 at Cal State Northridge in 1991/subsequently tied) set school Division I single-game scoring records. . . . Larry Jeffries (40 vs. Abilene Christian in 1969) had highest-scoring game for Trinity TX in season when school made its lone NCAA DI Tournament appearance. . . . In 1952, Penn State and Pittsburgh combined for only nine field-goal attempts (fewest in a game since 1938). . . . North Carolina State ended South Carolina's school-record 32-game winning streak (43-24 in 1934) and Southern Methodist's school-record 44-game homecourt winning streak was snapped by Texas A&M (43-42 in 1958). . . . East Tennessee State's Tommy Woods (38 vs. Middle Tennessee State in 1965) and Holy Cross' Tom Heinsohn (42 vs. Boston College in 1956) set school single-game rebounding records. Heinsohn also scored 51 points against BC to become the only player in NCAA history to collect more than 50 points and 40 rebounds in single contest against major-college opponent. . . . Chris Collier (23 vs. Centenary in 1990) set Georgia State's single-game rebounding record against a DI opponent.
2 - Junior forward Ralph Jukkola became the only Louisiana State teammate to outscore NCAA all-time leading scorer Pete Maravich in a regular-season game (22-17 in 74-71 loss at Tennessee in 1968) when Pistol was limited to fewer than 20 points for the lone time in college. Jukkola averaged 9.1 ppg in his three-year varsity career compared to Maravich's lofty mark of 44.2 ppg. . . . Campbell's Chris Clemons (51 points vs. UNC Asheville in 2017 Big South quarterfinals) and San Francisco's Tim Owens (45 vs. Loyola Marymount in 1991 WCC quarterfinals) set conference tournament single-game scoring records. . . . Colgate's Jonathan Stone (52 vs. Brooklyn in 1992), McNeese State's Michael Cutright (51 at Stephen F. Austin in double overtime in 1989), New Mexico's Marvin Johnson (50 vs. Colorado State in 1978) and Southern Methodist's Gene Phillips (51 at Texas in 1971) set school Division I single-game scoring records. Johnson's output is also a Western Athletic Conference record in league competition. . . . Oklahoma tied an NCAA single-game record by converting all 34 of its free-throw attempts (against Iowa State in 2013). . . . Penn State's school-record 45-game homecourt winning streak was snapped by Penn (85-79 in 1955). . . . Jameel Warney (23 vs. UMBC in 2016 America East Conference Tournament quarterfinals) set Stony Brook's single-game rebounding record against a DI opponent.
3 - Jacksonville's Dee Brown (41 points vs. Old Dominion in 1990 quarterfinals) set Sun Belt Conference Tournament single-game scoring record and Monmouth's Rahsaan Johnson (40 vs. St. Francis NY in 2000 quarterfinals) set Northeast Conference Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . Drake's Philip "Red" Murrell (51 vs. Houston in overtime in 1958), Lafayette's Bobby Mantz (47 vs. Wilkes College PA in 1958), Maine's Jim Stephenson (54 vs. Colby in 1969), St. John's Bob Zawoluk (65 vs. St. Peter's in 1950), Santa Clara's Carlos "Bud" Ogden (55 at Pepperdine in 1967), Temple's Bill Mlkvy (73 at Wilkes College PA in 1951), Tulsa's Willie Biles (48 vs. Wichita State in 1973/subsequently tied his own mark), UNLV's Trevor Diggs (49 vs. Wyoming in 2001) and Weber State's Jerrick Harding (46 vs. Montana State in overtime in 2018) set school single-game scoring records. Mlkvy scored an incredible 54 unanswered points for the Owls. Diggs' output is also a Mountain West Conference record in league competition. . . . Florida State's Al Thornton (45 vs. Miami in 2007) and Tennessee-Martin's Lester Hudson (42 vs. Tennessee Tech in 2009) set school single-game scoring records against a Division I opponent. . . . Kentucky's Adolph Rupp became the coach to compile 800 victories the fastest with a 90-86 win at Auburn in 1969 (974 games in 37th season). . . . Army's Todd Mattson (24 vs. Holy Cross in 1990), Iowa's Chuck Darling (30 vs. Wisconsin in 1952) and Minnesota's Larry Mikan (28 vs. Michigan in 1970) set school single-game rebounding records.
4 - Marshall's Skip Henderson (55 points vs. The Citadel in 1988 Southern Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Asheville, NC) and Montana State's Tom Storm (44 vs. Portland State in 1967) set school single-game scoring records against an NCAA Division I opponent. Henderson's output is also highest-scoring contest in NCAA history for a DI league postseason tourney. . . . Lehigh's Joe Knight (45 vs. Colgate in 2005 quarterfinals) set Patriot League Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . Villanova's school-record 72-game homecourt winning streak was snapped by St. Francis PA (70-64 in 1958). . . . San Francisco's Bill Russell (35 vs. Loyola Marymount) and Santa Clara's Ken Sears (30 vs. Pacific) set school single-game rebounding records in WCAC contests in 1955. . . . Chattanooga's Mindaugas Katelynas (21 at Appalachian State in 2005 Southern Conference Tournament semifinals) and Notre Dame's Collis Jones (25 vs. Western Michigan in 1971) set school single-game rebounding records against a Division I opponent. . . . One of the most tragic moments in college basketball history occurred in semifinals of 1990 West Coast Conference Tournament at Loyola Marymount when Hank Gathers, the league's all-time scoring leader and a two-time tourney MVP, collapsed and died on his homecourt during the Lions' game with Portland.
5 - Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (41 points vs. Indiana State in 1988 Missouri Valley quarterfinals) and Texas Tech's Rick Bullock (44 vs. Arkansas in 1976 SWC semifinals) set conference tournament single-game scoring records. . . . Cal State Northridge's Mike O'Quinn (39 vs. Eastern Washington in overtime in 1998 Big Sky Tournament quarterfinals at Northern Arizona/subsequently tied), Cornell's George Farley (47 at Princeton in 1960), Houston Baptist's Darius Lee (52 vs. McNeese State in quadruple overtime in 2022), Michigan's Cazzie Russell (48 vs. Northwestern in 1966/subsequently tied by Rudy Tomjanovich), Minnesota's Eric Magdanz (42 at Michigan in 1962/subsequently tied), Southeastern Louisiana's Cedric Jenkins (39 at New Orleans in 2015/tied) and Wichita State's Antoine Carr (47 vs. Southern Illinois in 1983) set school Division I single-game scoring records. Lee's output tied HBU's all-time scoring mark. . . . Carnegie Tech's Melvin Cratsley set Eastern Intercollegiate Conference single-game scoring record with 34 points vs. West Virginia in 1938. . . . Boston University's Kevin Thomas (34 vs. Boston College in 1958), Delaware State's Kendall Gray (30 vs. Coppin State in 2015), Pacific's Keith Swagerty (39 vs. UC Santa Barbara in 1965) and Saint Louis' Jerry Koch (38 vs. Bradley in 1954) set school single-game rebounding records. . . . Baylor's Jerome Lambert (26 vs. Southern Methodist in 1994) and Wyoming's Leon Clark (24 vs. Arizona in 1966) set school single-game rebounding records against a DI opponent.
6 - Texas Christian's Mike Jones (44 points vs. Fresno State in 1997 quarterfinals) set WAC Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . Duquesne's Ron Guziak (50 vs. St. Francis PA at Altoona in 1968), Minnesota's Ollie Shannon (42 vs. Wisconsin in 1971/tied), Missouri's Joe Scott (46 vs. Nebraska in 1961) and Sam Houston State's Senecca Wall (45 vs. Texas-Arlington in double overtime in 2001 Southland Conference Tournament quarterfinals) set school Division I single-game scoring records. . . . Ohio State set an NCAA single-game record by making 14 consecutive three-point field-goal attempts (against Wisconsin in 2011).
7 - Houston Baptist's Reggie Gibbs (43 points vs. Georgia Southern in 1989 TAAC quarterfinals), North Carolina's Lennie Rosenbluth (45 vs. Clemson in 1957 ACC quarterfinals) and Southern Utah's Randy Onwuasor (43 vs. Montana State in triple overtime in 2017 Big Sky first round) set conference tournament single-game scoring records. . . . Lehigh's Daren Queenan (49 vs. Bucknell in double overtime in 1987 ECC Tournament semifinals at Towson State), Notre Dame's Austin Carr (61 vs. Ohio University in first round of 1970 NCAA Tournament Mideast Regional), Rhode Island's Tom Garrick (50 vs. Rutgers in 1988 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament quarterfinals at West Virginia/tied mark) and Saint Mary's Jordan Ford (42 vs. Pepperdine in double overtime in 2020 WCC Tournament quarterfinals) set school Division I single-game scoring records. Carr's output is also an NCAA playoff single-game record and output by Garrick is are single-game mark in league tourney. . . . Oklahoma State center Arlen Clark established an NCAA standard for most successful free throws in single game without a miss by converting all 24 of his foul shots against Colorado in 1959. . . . In 1928, Butler beat Notre Dame, 21-13, in inaugural game at legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse, which was the largest basketball arena in the U.S. at the time and retained that distinction until 1950. . . . Jacksonville's Artis Gilmore (30 vs. Western Kentucky in 1970 first round) and Southern California's John Rudometkin (31 vs. Utah in 1960 first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records.
8 - Wright State's Bill Edwards (38 vs. Illinois-Chicago in 1993 Summit League final) set conference tournament single-game scoring record and Kentucky's Melvin Turpin (42 vs. Georgia in 1984 quarterfinals) tied Cliff Hagan's SEC Tournament single-game scoring standard. . . . Harvard's Brady Merchant (45 vs. Brown in 2003), Miami of Ohio's Ron Harper (45 vs. Ball State in 1985 Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals) and Vanderbilt's Tom Hagan (44 at Mississippi State in 1969) set school single-game scoring records. Harper's output is also a MAC tourney single-game scoring mark. . . . Brown's Gerry Alaimo (26 vs. Rhode Island in 1958) and Georgia's Bob Lienhard (29 vs. Louisiana State in 1969) set school single-game rebounding records against a Division I opponent.
9 - Greg Ballard (43 points at Oral Roberts in 1977 NIT first round) set Oregon's single-game scoring record. . . . Marcus Mann (28 vs. Jackson State in 1996) set Mississippi Valley State's single-game rebounding record against a Division I opponent. . . . Houston's Elvin Hayes (49 vs. Loyola of Chicago in 1968 Midwest Regional first round), Marquette's Terry Rand (37 vs. Miami of Ohio in 1955 East Regional first round) and Texas-El Paso's Jim "Bad News" Barnes (42 vs. Texas A&M in 1964 Midwest Regional first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Bill Butler (34 vs. Boston College in 1968 East Regional first round) tied St. Bonaventure's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
10 - North Texas State's Kenneth Lyons (47 points vs. Louisiana Tech in 1983 Southland quarterfinals), Northwestern's Michael Thompson (35 vs. Minnesota in 2011 Big Ten opening round) and Washington State's Klay Thompson (43 vs. Washington in 2011 Pac-12 quarterfinals) set single-game scoring records in their respective conference tournaments. Lyons' output is also a school single-game scoring record. . . . Paul Williams (45 at Southern California in 1983) set Arizona State's single-game scoring record. . . . John Lee (41 vs. Harvard in 1956) set Yale's single-game scoring record against a Division I opponent. . . . Lamar's school-record 80-game homecourt winning streak was snapped by Louisiana Tech (68-65 in 1984 Southland Conference Tournament championship contest). . . . Ed Robinson (32 vs. Harvard in 1956) set Yale's single-game rebounding record. . . . Johnny O'Brien (42 points vs. Idaho State in 1953 West Regional first round) set Seattle's NCAA playoff single-game scoring record.
11 - Connecticut's Donyell Marshall (42 points vs. St. John's in 1994 Big East quarterfinals), Texas Tech's Mike Singletary (43 vs. Texas A&M in 2009 Big 12 opening round), Hofstra's Justin Wright-Foreman (42 vs. Delaware in 2019 CAA semifinals), Old Dominion's Trey Freeman (42 vs. Western Kentucky in 2016 C-USA semifinals), Cal State Fullerton's Josh Akognon (37 vs. UC Riverside in 2009 Big West opening round) and Bethune-Cookman's Richard Toussaint (49 vs. Morgan State in 2003 MEAC first round) set single-game scoring records in their respective conference tournaments. . . . Brigham Young's Jimmer Fredette (52 vs. New Mexico in 2011 Mountain West Tournament semifinals at Las Vegas), Montana's Anthony Johnson (42 at Weber State in 2010 Big Sky Tournament final) and Nebraska's Eric Piatkowski (42 vs. Oklahoma in 1994 Big Eight Tournament quarterfinals at Kansas City) set school single-game scoring records. Outputs for Fredette and Piatkowski are also single-game scoring records in their respective conference tourneys. . . . Indiana (95) and Michigan (57) combined for an NCAA single-game record of 152 rebounds in 1961. Walt Bellamy (33) set IU's individual rebounding record in the contest. . . . Ohio State's Jerry Lucas (36 vs. Western Kentucky in 1960 Mideast Regional semifinal) and Utah's Jerry Chambers (40 vs. Pacific in 1966 West Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records.
12 - Bradley's Bob Carney set NCAA Tournament single-game record by converting 23 free-throw attempts (against Colorado in 1954 West Regional semifinals). . . . Stony Brook's Jameel Warney (43 points vs. Vermont in 2016 America East final) tied conference tournament single-game scoring mark. Warney's output is also a school standard since moving up to NCAA Division I level. . . . DePaul's George Mikan (53 vs. Rhode Island State in 1945 NIT semifinals), Fairleigh Dickinson's Elijah Allen (43 vs. Connecticut in 1998 NCAA Tournament East Regional first round) and Navy's David Robinson (50 vs. Michigan in 1987 NCAA Tournament East Regional first round) set school Division I single-game scoring records. Allen's output also set a Northeast Conference NCAA playoff scoring standard and Robinson's output established a Colonial Athletic Association NCAA playoff scoring mark. . . . Syracuse outlasted Connecticut, 127-117, in six overtimes in 2009 Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinals in longest postseason game in NCAA history. . . . Georgia's Willie Anderson (35 vs. Kansas State in overtime in 1987 West Regional first round), Kentucky's Dan Issel (44 vs. Notre Dame in 1970 Mideast Regional semifinal), La Salle's Michael Brooks (35 vs. Villanova in 1978 East Regional first round) and Penn's Keven McDonald (37 vs. St. Bonaventure in 1978 East Regional first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Jacksonville's Artis Gilmore (30 vs. Iowa in 1970 Mideast Regional semifinal) and Penn State's Jesse Arnelle (25 vs. Kentucky in 1955 East Regional third-place game) tied their own school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks. . . . Morehead State's Dan Swartz (39 vs. Marshall in 1956 Midwest Regional first round) set Ohio Valley Conference NCAA playoff single-game scoring record. . . . Miami of Ohio's Wally Szczerbiak (43 vs. Washington in 1999 Midwest Regional first round) set Mid-American Conference NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard in a 59-58 win. Never before has a player exhibited such dominant solo act in NCAA tourney history as Szczerbiak accounted for an incredible 72.9% of Miami's offensive output.
13 - Vermont's Taylor Coppenrath (43 points vs. Maine in 2004 final) set America East Conference Tournament single-game scoring record. . . . Charlotte's Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell (32 vs. Central Michigan in 1977 Mideast Regional first round), Colorado's Cliff Meely (32 vs. Colorado State in 1969 Midwest Regional semifinal), Duke's Jeff Mullins (43 vs. Villanova in 1964 East Regional semifinal), Holy Cross' Togo Palazzi (32 vs. Wake Forest in 1953 East Regional semifinal), Oklahoma State's Bob Mattick (35 vs. Texas Christian in 1953 West Regional semifinal), San Francisco's Ollie Johnson (37 vs. UCLA in 1965 West Regional final), Tennessee's Ernie Grunfeld (36 vs. Virginia Military in 1976 East Regional first round), Texas Christian's Lee Nailon (32 vs. Florida State in 1998 Midwest Regional first round) and Washington's Bob Houbregs (45 vs. Seattle in 1953 West Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. . . . Brigham Young made the largest comeback in NCAA playoff history, erasing a 25-point deficit to beat Iona (78-72 in 2012 First Four). Iona scored 55 points in first 16 minutes before collecting only three field goals and seven points over the next 16 1/2 minutes.
14 - Louisville's Russ Smith (42 points vs. Houston in 2014 semifinals) set American Athletic Conference Tournament single-game scoring record. Smith's output also set a school mark for most points against a major-college opponent. . . . Indiana's Don Schlundt (41 vs. Notre Dame in 1953 East Regional final), North Carolina State's David Thompson (40 vs. Providence in 1974 East Regional semifinal/subsequently tied), Providence's Austin Croshere (39 vs. Marquette in 1997 South Regional first round), St. Bonaventure's Fred Crawford (34 vs. Rhode Island in 1961 East Regional first round/subsequently tied), Santa Clara's Dennis Awtrey (37 vs. Long Beach State in 1970 West Regional third-place contest) and Wichita State's Dave Stallworth (37 vs. Kansas State in 1964 Midwest Regional final) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Billy Knight (34 vs. Furman in 1974 East Regional semifinal) tied Pittsburgh's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard. . . . Wyoming's Fennis Dembo (41 vs. UCLA in 1987 West Regional second round) set Western Athletic Conference's NCAA playoff single-game scoring mark.
15 - Arizona State's Byron Scott (32 vs. Kansas in 1981 Midwest Regional second round), Boston College's John Bagley (35 vs. Wake Forest in 1981 Mideast Regional second round), Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson (56 vs. Arkansas in 1958 Midwest Regional third-place contest), George Mason's George Evans (27 vs. Maryland in 2001 West Regional first round), Louisville's Junior Bridgeman (36 vs. Rutgers in 1975 Midwest Regional first round), North Carolina's Lennie Rosenbluth (39 vs. Canisius in 1957 East Regional semifinal/subsequently tied), Rutgers' Phil Sellers (29 vs. Louisville in 1975 Midwest Regional first round), Virginia Commonwealth's Rolando Lamb (30 vs. Marshall in 1985 West Regional first round/subsequently tied) and West Virginia's Rod Thorn (44 vs. St. Joseph's in 1963 East Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. . . . Houston's Rob Gray (39 vs. San Diego State in 2018 West Regional first round) set American Athletic Conference's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
16 - Kentucky's Kenny Walker (11-of-11 vs. Western Kentucky in 1986 Southeast Regional second round) became only player in NCAA Tournament history to make all of more than 10 field-goal attempts in a single playoff game. . . . Temple's Fred Cohen (34 vs. Connecticut in 1956 NCAA Tournament East Regional semifinals) set school and NCAA Tournament single-game rebounding records. . . . Nate Thurmond (31 vs. Mississippi State in 1963 Mideast Regional third-place game) set Bowling Green's single-game rebounding record against a Division I opponent. . . . Alabama's Antonio McDyess (39 points vs. Penn in 1995 East Regional first round), Arkansas' Mario Credit (34 vs. Loyola Marymount in 1989 Midwest Regional first round), Loyola of Chicago's Jerry Harkness (33 vs. Illinois in 1963 Mideast Regional final), Northwestern's Bryant McIntosh (25 vs. Vanderbilt in 2017 West Regional first round), Pittsburgh's John Riser (34 vs. Notre Dame in 1957 Mideast Regional third-place contest), Southern Methodist's Jim Krebs (33 vs. St. Louis in 1957 Midwest Regional third-place contest), Virginia's Richard Morgan (33 vs. Providence in 1989 Southeast Regional first round/tied by him two days later) and Wake Forest's Len Chappell (34 vs. St. Joseph's in overtime in 1962 East Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. McIntosh's output occurred in Northwestern's first-ever tourney contest. JeQuan Lewis (30 vs. Saint Mary's in 2017 West Regional first round) tied Virginia Commonwealth's NCAA playoff single-game scoring mark. . . . Loyola Marymount's Bo Kimble (45 vs. New Mexico State in 1990 West Regional first round) set West Coast Conference's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
17 - Texas' Travis Mays (23-of-27 vs. Georgia in 1990 Midwest Regional first round) tied NCAA Tournament single-game record for most free-throws made. Mays (44 points), Auburn's Chris Morris (36 vs. Bradley in 1988 Southeast Regional first round), Baylor's Taurean Prince (28 vs. Yale in 2016 West Regional first round), Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (44 vs. Auburn in 1988 Southeast Regional first round), Dayton's Roosevelt Chapman (41 vs. Oklahoma in 1984 West Regional second round), DePaul's Dave Corzine (46 vs. Louisville in double overtime in 1978 Midwest Regional semifinal), Mississippi's Stefan Moody (26 vs. Brigham Young in 2015 First Four), New Mexico State's Teddy Allen (37 vs. Connecticut in 2022 West Regional first round), Oregon State's Gary Payton Sr. (31 vs. Evansville in 1989 West Regional first round), Texas A&M's Acie Law IV (26 vs. Louisville in 2007 South Regional second round/subsequently tied) and Virginia Tech's Glen Combs (29 vs. Indiana in 1967 Mideast Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards. Mays' point production is the highest in tourney history for an individual never named an All-American. Hawkins' output is also Missouri Valley Conference's NCAA playoff record. . . . Harvard's Bryce Aiken (38 vs. Yale in 2019 final) set Ivy League Tournament single-game scoring mark. . . . Maurice Stokes (43 vs. Dayton in 1955 NIT semifinals) set Saint Francis (PA) single-game scoring record against a Division I opponent. . . . In 1939, Villanova defeated Brown, 42-30, in the first NCAA Tournament game ever played. . . . Al Inniss (37 vs. Lafayette in 1956 NIT first round) set St. Francis NY single-game rebounding record.
18 - Loyola Marymount's Jeff Fryer (11 three-pointers vs. Michigan in 1990 West Regional second round) became the only player in NCAA playoff history to make more than 10 three-point field-goals in a single playoff game. . . . Arizona's Khalid Reeves (32 points vs. Loyola MD in 1994 West Regional first round/subsequently tied), Iowa State's Lafester Rhodes (34 vs. Georgia Tech in 1988 East Regional first round), Louisiana State's Bob Pettit (36 vs. Washington in 1953 national third-place contest/subsequently tied), Minnesota's Willie Burton (36 vs. Northern Iowa in 1990 Southeast Regional second round/subsequently tied) and Syracuse's Gerry McNamara (43 vs. Brigham Young in 2004 Phoenix Regional first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Richard Morgan (33 vs. Middle Tennessee in 1989 Southeast Regional second round) tied his own Virginia NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
19 - Louisiana State's Shaquille O'Neal (11 rejections vs. Brigham Young in 1992 West Regional first round) set NCAA Tournament single-game record for most blocked shots. . . . Texas Southern's Aaric Murray (38 points vs. Cal Poly in 2014 First Four) became only HBCU player to score more than 30 in a single NCAA Division I Tournament game. . . . Butler's Shelvin Mack (30 vs. Pittsburgh in 2011 Southeast Regional second round), Georgetown's Reggie Williams (34 vs. Kansas in 1987 Southeast Regional semifinal/subsequently tied), Kansas State's Jacob Pullen (38 vs. Wisconsin in 2011 Southeast Regional second round), Massachusetts' Marcus Camby (32 vs. Maryland in 1994 Midwest Regional second round), Memphis' Roburt Sallie (35 vs. Cal State Northridge in 2009 West Regional first round), Michigan's Glen Rice (39 vs. Florida in 1988 West Regional second round), Nebraska's Eric Piatkowski (29 vs. New Mexico State in 1993 East Regional first round), Oklahoma's Stacey King (37 vs. Auburn in 1988 Southeast Regional second round/subsequently tied) and Wisconsin's Michael Finley (36 vs. Missouri in 1994 West Regional second round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards. Georgetown's Charles Smith (34 vs. Notre Dame in 1989 East Regional second round) and North Carolina State's Rodney Monroe (40 vs. Iowa in 1989 East Regional second round) tied school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks.
20 - Duke's Mike Krzyzewski passed North Carolina's Dean Smith (65 victories) for the most coaching wins in NCAA Tournament history with a 63-55 second-round triumph against Mississippi State in 2005 Austin Regional. . . . Michigan State's Adrien Payne (17-for-17 from free-throw line vs. Delaware in 2014 East Regional opener) set NCAA Tournament single-game record for most successful foul shots without a miss. Payne (41 points), California's Lamond Murray (28 vs. Duke in 1993 Midwest Regional second round), Florida State's Sam Cassell (31 vs. Tulane in 1993 Southeast Regional second round), Missouri's Willie Smith (43 vs. Michigan in 1976 Midwest Regional final), Penn State's Jesse Arnelle (25 vs. Southern California in 1954 national third-place contest/tied his mark next season), South Carolina's Tom Riker (39 vs. Fordham in 1971 East Regional third-place contest) and Villanova's Howard Porter (35 vs. Penn in 1971 East Regional final) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards. Iowa State's Dedric Willoughby (34 vs. UCLA in 1997 Midwest Regional semifinal), Minnesota's Bobby Jackson (36 vs. Clemson in 1997 Midwest Regional semifinal) and Texas A&M's Josh Carter (26 vs. Brigham Young in 2008 first round) tied school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks. . . . Princeton's Bill Bradley (58 vs. Wichita in 1965 national third-place contest) and UNLV's Armon Gilliam (38 vs. Wyoming in 1987 West Regional semifinal/tied eight days later by teammate Freddie Banks) set NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards for the Ivy League and Big West Conference, respectively. Bradley's output is the highest in any Final Four contest. . . . UCLA's Gail Goodrich (18 vs. Michigan in 1965 championship contest) established Final Four single-game record for most free throws made.
21 - UNC Wilmington's John Goldsberry became only player in NCAA Tournament history to make as many as eight three-pointers without a miss in single playoff game (against Maryland in 2003 South Regional first round). . . . Creighton's Doug McDermott (30 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette in 2014 West Regional first round), Drake's Jonathan Cox (29 vs. Western Kentucky in overtime in 2008 West Regional first round), Illinois' Deron Williams (31 vs. Cincinnati in 2004 Atlanta Regional second round), Miami's Jack McClinton (38 vs. Saint Mary's in 2008 South Regional first round), Mississippi State's Charles Rhodes (34 vs. Oregon in 2008 South Regional first round), Vanderbilt's Matt Freije (31 vs. North Carolina State in 2004 Phoenix Regional second round) and Washington State's Paul Lindemann (26 vs. Creighton in 1941 Western Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Shaquille O'Neal (36 vs. Indiana in 1992 West Regional second round) tied Louisiana State's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard. . . . Davidson's Stephen Curry (40 vs. Gonzaga in 2008 Midwest Regional first round) and North Carolina Central's Jeremy Ingram (28 vs. Iowa State in 2014 East Regional first round) established NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks for the Southern Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, respectively.
22 - The only time in major-college history two undefeated teams met in a national postseason tournament was 1939 NIT final between Loyola of Chicago and Long Island University (LIU won, 44-32). . . . University of Chicago ended Penn's school-record 31-game winning streak (28-24 in 1920) and LIU ended Seton Hall's school-record 41-game winning streak (49-26 in 1941 NIT semifinals). . . . Duquesne's Jim Tucker (29 points vs. Illinois in 1952 East Regional final), Iowa's Bill Logan (36 vs. Temple in 1956 national semifinal/subsequently tied), Kansas' Clyde Lovellette (44 vs. St. Louis in 1952 West Regional final), St. John's Bob Zawoluk (32 vs. Kentucky in 1952 East Regional final), Stanford's Brook Lopez (30 vs. Marquette in 2008 South Regional second round) and Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver (29 vs. Northern Kentucky in 2019 West Regional first round) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. In 2021, Luka Garza (36 vs. Oregon in West Regional second round) tied Iowa's standard.
23 - Hal Lear (48 points vs. Southern Methodist in 1956 NCAA Tournament national third-place contest) set Temple's single-game scoring record against a Division I opponent. In addition to Lear, Clemson's Gabe DeVoe (31 vs. Kansas in 2018 Midwest Regional semifinal), Gonzaga's Brandon Clarke (36 vs. Baylor in 2019 West Regional second round) and Oregon's Tajuan Porter (33 vs. UNLV in 2007 Midwest Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standards. . . . San Francisco's Bill Russell (27 vs. Iowa in 1956 championship contest) established Final Four single-game mark for most rebounds.
24 - Askia Jones (62 points vs. Fresno State in 1994 NIT quarterfinals) set Kansas State's single-game scoring record. . . . Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox (39 vs. UCLA in 2017 South Regional semifinal) set NCAA Tournament single-game scoring standard by a freshman. . . . Florida's KeVaughn Allen (35 vs. Wisconsin in overtime in 2017 East Regional semifinal), Indiana State's Larry Bird (35 vs. DePaul in 1979 national semifinal) and Purdue's Glenn Robinson Jr. (44 vs. Kansas in 1994 Southeast Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records. Arizona's Derrick Williams (32 vs. Duke in 2011 West Regional semifinal) and Connecticut's Kemba Walker (36 vs. San Diego State in 2011 West Regional semifinal) tied school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks.
25 - Eventual 10-year N.L. OF Frankie Baumholtz scored a team-high 19 points for Ohio University in 1941 NIT final defeat against LIU. . . . Connecticut's Ray Allen (36 points vs. UCLA in 1995 West Regional final/subsequently tied), Dartmouth's Audley Brindley (28 vs. Ohio State in 1944 Eastern Regional final), Georgia Tech's Dennis Scott (40 vs. Minnesota in 1990 Southeast Regional final), St. Joseph's Jack Egan (42 vs. Utah in 1961 national third-place contest) and Xavier's Jordan Crawford (32 vs. Kansas State in 2010 West Regional semifinal) set school NCAA playoff single-game scoring records.
26 - UCLA's Bill Walton (44 points vs. Memphis State in 1973) set NCAA Tournament championship game scoring record by sinking a Final Four standard 21-of-22 field-goal attempts (95.5%). Walton's output remains a school NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard. . . . DePaul's Mark Aguirre (34 vs. Penn in 1979 national third-place game) set Final Four single-game scoring mark by a freshman. . . . Buddy Hield (37 vs. Oregon in 2016 West Regional final) tied Oklahoma's NCAA playoff single-game scoring record.
27 - Jim McDaniels (36 points vs. Kansas in 1971 national third-place contest) set Western Kentucky's NCAA playoff single-game scoring record and Ben Gordon (36 vs. Alabama in 2004 Phoenix Regional final) tied Connecticut's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard. . . . Garrison Mathews (44 at North Carolina State in 2019 NIT) established Lipscomb's single-game scoring mark at Division I level.
28 - UNLV's Mark Wade (18 vs. Indiana in 1987 national semifinal) set NCAA Tournament single-game record for most assists. Teammate Freddie Banks established Final Four mark for most three-point field goals with 10. Banks established the Big West Conference mark and tied the Rebels' NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard with 38 points against IU. Also tying school NCAA playoff single-game scoring marks were Iowa State's Dustin Hogue (34 vs. Connecticut in 2014 East Regional semifinal) and North Carolina's Al Wood (39 vs. Virginia in 1981 national semifinal). Wood's output set scoring record for NCAA Tournament national semifinal game.
30 - Doremus Bennerman (51 points vs. Kansas State in 1994 NIT third-place game at Madison Square Garden) set Siena's single-game scoring record. . . . Juan Dixon (34 vs. Kansas in 2002 national semifinal) established Maryland's NCAA playoff single-game scoring standard.
31 - Villanova made Final Four-record 18 three-pointers (2018 national semifinal vs. Kansas). . . . Kansas' Jeff Withey (7 rejections vs. Ohio State in 2012 national semifinal) set record for most blocked shots in a Final Four game since they became an official statistic. . . . Duke made the largest comeback in Final Four history, erasing a 22-point deficit to defeat Maryland (95-84 in 2001 national semifinal).

APRIL

3 - John Morton (35 points vs. Michigan in 1989 national final) set Seton Hall's existing NCAA playoff single-game scoring record.

Memorable Moments in February College Basketball History
Memorable Moments in January College Basketball History
Memorable Moments in December College Basketball History
Memorable Moments in November College Basketball History

Naturally, coast-to-coast parental pride displayed during Senior Night or Day the end of February and early March doesn't necessarily need to stem from athletics. Amid proper priorities (including not always being offended by characters in Dr. Seuss books), your child didn't have to be the best but he had to try his level best even amid a disruptive coronavirus.

A parent knows life goes on after the anticipation of a senior salute. But how can a mom and dad express appreciation for all of the memories shared together?

Adding sports as a factor for authentic student-athletes makes the lessons-learned equation more complex. Culminating at bittersweet senior celebration, it takes a significant amount of resilience to endure withdrawal from all of the devotion and emotion, last-second decisive shots, motivational talks coping with occasional slump, chance to dance in postseason competition, title dream dashed in close contest, team awards banquet, etc., etc., etc.

Who would have thought the first time he picked up a ball that he would make such a difference and stand so tall? Reflecting on all they've experienced, the parent is fortunate to still have a pulse whether their offspring is a walk-on or walks to center court as team standout.

It's easy enough to substitute girl for boy in the following poem portraying a parent trying to come to terms with an impending spread-their-wings departure; whether it be from high school to college or from college to the "real world." These reflections might be therapeutic if you went through a similar range of emotions amid whatever success your own flesh and blood enjoyed along the way.

Lord, there's a little thing I need to know
Where in the world did my little boy go?
Perplexed from time to time but one thing I know today
I'm a proud parent beyond words; what more can I say
Kids go through stages but not with this sort of speed
It was only yesterday he was unable to read
Wasn't it just months ago he went from crawl to walk
Hard-headed as a mule; certainly knew how to balk
Took one day at a time raising him the very best we could
Now inspires those around him just like we believed he would
High achiever turning a corner in his life
He has got what it takes to cope with any strife
Can't carry a tune but set school shooting star records
Now, the game-of-life clock dwindles from minutes to seconds
So angels above please watch over him daily
Although some of his antics may drive you crazy
He represents everything that I value the most
For that very reason, I'm offering a toast
But if he feels sorry for himself and about to give up
Do not hesitate to give him a gentle kick in the rump
Remembering what I did wrong but at least a couple things right
Always said you could do it; just try with all your might
I just yearn to see all of his grandest plans come true
God, it's my turn to have a great commission for You
Be with him, bless him and give him nothing but success
Aid his climb up that mountain; settle for nothing less
Guide his steps in the dark and rain
Pick up the pieces and ease any pain
Time to share our best with the remainder of the world
It is much like having a family flag unfurled
How can a once infant son make grown man cry
Groping for right words trying to say goodbye
To me, he'll always be a pure and spotless lamb
Cradled in our arms or holding his little hand
If I was Elton John, I'd tell everyone this is "Your Poem"
Simply sing how wonderful life was with you in our home
My soul swells with pride at any mention of you
How long gone are you going to be; wish I knew
Sure don't believe it is at all out of line
To seek to rebound for you just one more time
Although you're going to be many miles away
I will see you in my heart each and every day
So go down that windy path; don't you dare look back
You've found faith; it will keep you on the right track
He's headed for real world and all it offers
But first, here are your final marching orders
Always do the very best you possibly can
Refuse to lose even when you don't understand
There's no telling the goals you will be able to reach
By giving proper respect to instructors who teach
Aspire each and every day you wake
Not to waste a single breath you take
Might as well let all of your ability show
Because those gifts turn to dust whenever you "go"
Don't bury your talents in the ground
Lend helping hand to those you're around
I'll never forget the times when you were all you could be
Rose to the occasion and sent playoff game to OT
Cherish all the moments - the hugs and tears
For all your passion play through these years
My little guy is bound far beyond a Final Four
Poised for more success; prosperity at his door
All things are possible; he has found out
How much I love him is what I'm thinking about
Wherever you go, you'll be best from beginning to end
To that most truthful statement, I say Amen and Amen
After Senior Night, I'll stroll into your off-limits room
Try to keep my composure when it seems like doom and gloom
You will always be on my mind
But nothing like gut-wrenching time
When I ask the Lord a big thing I need to know
Where in His big world will His maturing man go?