For players who will be selected in tonight's NBA Draft, it's almost like a graduation.

The athletes are ending one act in their lives (college) and embarking on another (the NBA).

Prior to most graduation's there's usually a list, compiled by classmates, of who they think is most likely to do what.

You could also do that with tonight's draft picks.

2010 NBA Rookie Most Likely To...

Win Rookie of the Year: John Wall
Win an MVP Award: Evan Turner
Lead a team to a title: Turner
Make the Hall of Fame: Turner
Become a coach: Greivis Vasquez
Contribute right away: Ekpe Udoh
Be unfairly compared to an all-time great: Gordon Hayward
Be out of the league in three years: Cole Aldrich
Have an ESPN "40 for 40" focus on him: Wall/DeMarcus Cousins
Beat up a teammate/coach: Cousins/Jordan Crawford
Become a major player on "Basketball Wives": Wesley Johnson
Take a Dave Chappelle-esque trip to Africa: Cousins
Eat his way out of the league: Cousins

In the end, Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo opted to stay with the girl who has been so good to him for a number of years, and who he's had more highs than lows with instead of leaving for the new girl with the fake ... you know.

Izzo tonight said he'll be a Spartan for life. And with that, Spartan Nation breathed a big sigh of relief. Myself included.

A number of MSU alums and fans said they wouldn't be mad if Izzo, the winningest coach in the history of the school, did decide to take his coaching acumen to the NBA, but I wouldn't have believed any of them had they told me they wouldn't shed a tear.

But he didn't. Now, instead of putting his future in the hands of some grown men who may or may not take his coaching lessons to heart, Izzo will return to a lockerroom full of kids who know what listening to his lessons can lead to.

But what made Izzo, who has spent nearly enough time in East Lansing that he could earn a pension, decide to stay with the Green & White? Why didn't the fiery coach leave for "greener pastures."

What went through in mind during this process?

Was it the recruiting trips? One of which led him to a player he would name his first son after.

Was it the thought of leaving everything he's built in East Lansing, including the Berkowitz Basketball Complex?

Was it the desire to remain an institution in a city and state vs. becoming just a coach in a league?

Was it knowing that, by staying, he'd continue to help turn boys into men, teaching discipline and teamwork vs. babysitting millionaires who only care about themselves?

Was it the run he made to the Final Four with his team this spring?

Was it all the lessons all the players learned about each other and themselves during that run?

Was it knowing he'd be returning to the majority of the major parts of that team, which will likely be favored to win the 2011 National Championship?

Was it knowing winning that championship, his second, would put Izzo in select company?

Was it knowing he can get titles 3, 4, and 5 in short order?

Was it realizing college coaches are loved and remembered for ages and many things beyond winning, while pro coaches are known just for winning?

I'm sure all those things and then some went into Izzo's thought process. Whatever it was, he made the right decision.

Last weekend, some friends and I made the trek for Indianapolis for what we thought would be a celebratory Saturday in which our Spartans would continue their march to a third national title.

By now, everyone knows it didn't go the way we would have liked, but something good came out of the trip.

Early Saturday morning, my friends and I met up with some friends at the Columbia Club, a swank hotel in the heart of downtown Indy that I'm surprised they let me in. It was there that we became aware of something called Maguire University.

You know the movie "Accepted" where Justin Long's character makes up a college? Well, Maguire University is sort of like that. It's a fictitious school "established" in 1963 by a group of Chicago high school basketball coaches for the sole purpose of getting tickets to the Final Four. The group has been in every city that has hosted the Final Four for the past 45 years.

According to literature from the gathering, where there were libations as far as the eye could see, the idea was put into fruition by High School basketball coach Len Tyrrell at Maguire's Pub in Forest Park, Ill. The NCAA fell for it, and so did at least one real school: the U.S. Air Force Academy, which contacted Tyrrell (Maguire's self-proclaimed "Chancellor") and asked to play his nonexistent team.

Maguire (nicknamed "the Jollymen") received Final Four tickets for two years, until a writer wrote about the scam in The Chicago Tribune. Naturally, the NCAA - the fun-loving group it is - was not amused. The coaches then had to acquire their own tickets, and at least one of them has attended every Final Four (or, as they call it, Final Five) ever since. Maguire's motto, "We Play Hurt," is a reference to the hangovers accrued by Maguire's "students." Everyone in my group has wristbands or pins that feature the motto, which I will wear proudly wherever I go this summer. Even church.

So this made-up school has been at every Final Four for the past 45 years. For its "students," getting there is as easy as booking a flight and making hotel reservations.

For REAL teams, it's much more difficult than that. But here's a look at 10 squads I think have the best shot of getting to Houston for next year's "Final Five."

Waaaay too early 2010-11 Top 10

1. Michigan State - Minus Raymar Morgan, MSU returns six guys who have played in the last two Final Fours and welcomes in one of the top five recruiting classes in the country.
2. Purdue - The Boilers lose defensive stalwart Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant from a team that was ranked in the top 7 most of last season. Minus another freak injury, and if Lewis Jackson can stay healthy, Purdue should challenge for the title in 2011.
3. Butler - The Bulldogs should dominate the Horizon League once again and with everyone of consequence returning, save for Willie Veasley. With its roster in tact and its tournament run, Butler should be able to parlay that exposure into a high national ranking.
4. Duke - The Blue Devils lose three starters, including their starting power forward and center, but Duke's perimeter depth should rival MSU's with Nolan Smith, Kyle Singler, Andre Dawkins and transfer Seth Curry (younger brother of former Davidson star Stephen Curry).
5. Georgetown - If Greg Monroe is smart, he'll stay in college another year. If that happens, the Hoyas return everyone from last season and the team should be in revenge mode after being bounced early from the tournament this year.
6. Kansas State - KSU's floor general, Denis Clemente, and banger Luis Colon graduate, but the Wildcats bring back potential lottery pick Jacob Pullen and his spectacular beard, along with Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels. All three scored in double figures last season.
7. Ohio State - Losing the best player in the country would hurt any team, but Evan Turner (presumably) skipping his senior season may not be that big a blow to a Buckeye team that returns Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year David Lighty, Jon Diebler and William Buford. OSU also brings in the best recruiting class money could buy.
8. Pittsburgh - The Panthers overachieved this season and snuck up on people. That won't happen next year.
9. North Carolina - Call this season one of growing pains for the Tar Heels. There's too much talent on that roster for UNC to struggle two years in a row. Bringing in the No. 1 player in the country - Harrison Barnes - doesn't hurt, either.
10. Florida - The Gators will return with their entire starting 5 in tact from a tournament team. Couple that with the losses other teams in the SEC (Kentucky, Tennessee) will suffer because of graduation and guys leaving early, and Florida should won the SEC next year.

I'm a very, VERY superstitious person when it comes to the Michigan State basketball team.

I always tell myself, and whoever will listen to me without punching me in the kidneys, that we're gonna lose every tournament game. Some might look at it like reverse psychology, I call it hoping for the best and expecting the worst.

Basketball makes me a nervous wreck. It got so bad during the Elite Eight match-up against Tennessee that I had my back turned to the TV for the last 10 seconds of the game. For the entire second half, I shook like somebody with warrants during a routine traffic stop. My knees were shaking so badly that they sounded like I was constantly banging two rocks together.

My friends and I are all spread out since Graduation. The shaking got so bad Sunday that when Tennessee's Scotty Hopson stepped to the free throw line late in the game, a text I sent one of my best friends read like this: "I'm nnot watchsin the enxt free throw. I cant ype because skahingi"

And, yes, I do realize it's unhealthy to reach that level of anxiety because of a basketball game.

Now, since we're in our sixth Final Four since 1999 and second straight, with no squad as talented as last year's North Carolina team left in the field, I can't help but be a little optimistic.

I only need to look at the venue (Indianapolis) and a couple other interesting tidbits for that inspiration.

-We're playing in a city where coach Tom Izzo is undefeated (7-0) in NCAA Tournament games.
-Last time MSU played in a Final Four in the Circle City, 2000, the team cut down the nets after winning the school's second national title.
-In 1979, the year the Spartans captured their first national title, MSU played a mid-major team from Indiana (Indiana State) with a versatile forward who had the look of an NBA prospect (Larry Bird).
-In 2010, State is playing a mid-major team from Indiana (Butler) with a versatile forward who could be a pro (Gordon Hayward).
-In 2000, MSU in its national semifinal game was matched up against a team known for its lockdown defense in Wisconsin, which State beat, 53-41.
-Saturday, the Spartans will be matched up against a team in Butler that hasn't given up more than 59 points in four games so far during this tournament. MSU has proven to be one of the few teams in the tournament that can play fast or slow.
-In 2000, only one "blue-blood" program, besides MSU, made it to that year's Final Four: North Carolina, which made its 15th appearance that spring. Florida and Wisconsin both were making their second appearances.
-In 2010, only one "blue-blood" program, besides MSU (eight Final Fours), made it to this years Final Four: Duke, making its 15th appearance. This weekend's games mark the first and second Final Fours for Butler and West Virginia, respectively.

It's not in my nature to pick us to win, but I can't help be confident with all the parallels between the past and this weekend. All week, talking heads, newspapers columnists and radio show callers have made a big deal about the fact MSU has won each of its four tournament games by a total of 13 points and the fact that the Spartans have trailed in the second half of each game. Wouldn't you go with the team that can win a close game?

Some people have said next year is the year for MSU, with the highly-touted recruiting class the Spartans have coming in and the returnees on the roster. People said the same thing about Duke in 1991 - that '92 was the Blue Devils year. Duke won back-to-back titles in those two years. I think the same will happen for the Spartans.

Predictions
Semifinal One
MSU-74
Butler-67

Semifinal Two
Duke-78
West Virginia-73

National Championship
MSU-79
Duke-75

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go put everything I have on Butler.

There's a kid in a every classroom. The one who has all the potential and brains in the world, but who just can't seem to put it all together.

Every marking period, he comes home with a report card full of C-minuses. Every big test he takes, he gets a 79. His teachers, friends and parents know he can be great at anything, but he just doesn't seem to want it enough.

At times, that has been the 2009-10 version of the Michigan State basketball team. But they seem to have "gotten it" at the right time. With all the things that have gone on this season, the Spartans are back in the Final Four. For the second year in a row. And sixth time in 12 years. No school in the country - not Duke. Not North Carolina. Not Kansas - can match that.

Many people have said the 2005 team's run to St. Louis was Izzo's best coaching job. With yesterday's one-point win over Tennessee in - ironically - St. Louis, that has just been topped.

That 2005 team FEATURED three seniors. This team' senior leader, Raymar Morgan, who has played well the last couple weeks, more often than not looks like he's been sedated.

The 2005 team was nowhere near as talented as this group, either. This group started the season as the number 2 team in the country and has seen it's share of peaks and valleys.

This team: which, at some point, has seen all of its wing players miss games, be benched, suspended or kicked out of practice.

This team: a team that dropped its biggest non-conference games (at UNC and Texas).

This team: the same team that was rumored to have a group full of guys who had been feeling themselves too much.

This team: a team that saw a 9-0 start in conference and a three-game lead vanish with the twist of Kalin Lucas' ankle.

This team: the same Spartan squad that has had its starting backcourt (Lucas and Chris Allen) on the court TOGETHER for less than 10 minutes this entire tournament run.

This team: a group that has essentially become a M.A.S.H. unit with the loss of Lucas to a torn Achilles, power forward Delvon Roe playing on one knee, and Allen playing on a foot that may need to be lopped off once the season is over.

This team: which NOBODY picked to make the Sweet Sixteen - even with a healthy Lucas.

This team: where a sleepover (inside the Breslin Center) and a Come to Jesus Moment (for junior guard Durrell Summers) was needed prior to the start of the tournament.

This team: where it's most athletically-gifted player, Summers, finally "got it" at the perfect time and has been MSU's go-to guy this entire tournament.

This team: which has seen several players step up in the absence of its floor general into roles not a lot of people thought they would be able to handle.

This team: which has come together and actually became a team and not a group of individuals.

This team: which has guys who don't mind passing up a shot late in the clock, but also has guys who WANT that last shot.

This team: which has learned to play unselfishly and execute phenomenally at the end of games.

This team: and this coach, who deserves much more credit nationally than he gets.

This team: and its coach, who may be the best tournament coach of this generation.

This team: going back to a place where one of the program's finest moments happened 10 years ago to the day of its Final Four game against Butler.

This team: still fighting. And still playing.

I know a number of people who've been laid off at some point during the past couple years, including myself for a short stretch in 2007.

When something like that happens, you do your best to make due with what you have. If you have a family, everyone in the family does their best to step on and take on a bigger role. That works out for a while at times, but other times, when bills start to pile up, things become too much to bear and certain arrangements have to be made or things have to be done to make ends meet.

I don't like comparing things like that to sports, but it makes sense when you think about this year's Michigan State basketball team. At various points this season, a number of different things have happened (injuries, benchings, players being kicked out of practice, guys not fulfilling academic responsibilities), yet the team is still two games away from its sixth Final Four appearance in 12 years.

The Spartans look to have the look of a real team now - one where everyone looks out for everyone else and where certain guys (Raymar Morgan, Draymond Green and Durrell Summers) have began to grasp "The Moment" and have stepped up in the absence of others.

The squad looks like it could continue its (somewhat) improbable run. But things are beginning to pile up on the Spartans. Their best player (Jr. G Kalin Lucas) is out for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles. MSU's best perimeter defender (Jr. G Chris Allen) has been hobbled by a foot that, according to reports, resembles something out of a cartoon - throbbing and purple. Starting power forward Delvon Roe has been playing on a torn meniscus for who knows how long.

Piled on top of that is that MSU is set to face the Team of the Tournament: Northern Iowa. Since knocking off the prohibitive favorite - Kansas - every talking head, radio show host and newspaper columnist has sang the praises of the Panthers. With good reason. The team has good spot-up shooters, plays good defense and can rotate in three players, all seniors, who are 6'8" or taller. Their starting center, Jordan Eglseder, is 7-feet tall and 280 pounds. MSU's big man, Derrick Nix, who has come to life since the tournament began, can rival Eglseder physically, but not in the skill department.

The Spartans should be able to outrebound the Panthers and the team still has the ultimate X-factor in head coach Tom Izzo - the best tournament coach of the last 15 years. MSU can win, but it'll have to play the full 40 minutes - something it hasn't been able to do so far this tournament.

If MSU is able to run on offense, and if players continue to live in The Moment, MSU could potentially, based on how crazy this tournament has been, win the whole thing.

But too many things have piled up. And I have to believe NIU fans will make the 4 hour drive to St. Louis to cheer on their Panthers. Sure, MSU will have fans in the stands, too, but, with a game being played prior to the start of ours, I have to think the Ohio State and Tennessee fans will lean toward the "underdog."

With all that said...

Children of the Corn - 67
300 -63

Excuse me while I go make myself a Tylenol PM sandwich.

I heard on a radio show yesterday that a youngster in Chicago correctly picked the winners of last weekend's 48 first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games. I'm not calling the kid a liar, but I believe that as much as I believe Elin didn't whoop Tiger's butt.

If the kid pick all those winners: congrats!!! But I'm not buying it. Just like I'm not buying one ESPN analysts' assessment (Jay Bilas, my favorite) that Cornell's run will continue by beating Kentucky.

Here's how I rank the remaining 16 teams in the field and their chances of winning it all (from worst to first).

16. Northern Iowa - I think NIU is a solid team and a good story. I just want them to lose by 40 tomorrow night...for obvious reasons. But if you call me a homer, I'll punch you in the face.
15. Cornell - Easily the best 3-point shooting team in the field and one of the top three in the country. They have to have an off night at some point, right?
14. Washington - Awesome guards, and the team is on a hot streak in the tourney, but the Huskies may be a little too guard heavy.
13. Butler - The last two times the Bulldogs have been in the Sweet Sixteen, they've lost - Florida in '07 and Tennessee last year.
12. Xavier - The Musketeers have a guy in sophomore Jordan Crawford who could carry them to the Final Four, but he has to get help at some point and I don't know where it'll come from.
11. Tennessee - A deep team that employs a fastbreak offense and likes to press, the Vols can cause problems all over the floor. They can also play games like no one on the roster cares if they win or not.
10. St. Mary's - Dominant big man Omar Samhan, 31.5 points in two tourney games, could put the Gaels on his back and lead them to a couple more wins this season. But later in the tournament, talent begins to take over, which means trouble for St. Mary's.
9. Kansas State - The Wildcats don't get this far in the tournament very often, as this is their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 1988. KSU has a great backcourt, but inexperience on the big stage may fail the Wildcats.
8. Michigan State - Of course I wish I could place them higher, but I can't. Losing your floor leader this late in the game is tough. Toughness has also been a calling card of the program since Tom Izzo took over the reins in 1995. That tenacity, and Izzo, could carry the Spartans a long way, but with all the injuries the team is facing, I just don't see it happening.
7. Purdue - The Boilermakers play excellent defense, feature a versatile big man and have more than enough ballhandlers. That can lead a team far. But Purdue will have to find ways to score, as it has averaged 67.5 points in two tournament games and notched only 63 in an overtime win over Texas A & M Sunday.
6. West Virginia - A very athletic team with versatile players in Da'Sean Butler, Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones, but the loss of point guard Truck Bryant will take its toll on a team that doesn't feature a true point man already.
5. Baylor - This season marks just the Bears sixth tournament appearance in the school's 103 years of fielding a hoops team, but it's a good one. Baylor has scorers on the wing (LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter) and in the post (Michigan Tranfer Ekpe Udoh). Udoh also gives the Bears an awesome defensive presence, shown in his nearly 4 blocks a game.
4. Duke - The Blue Devils, who I like as much as I like the KKK, feature three players (all on the wing) who average at least 17 points and 35 minutes a game. Duke can also rotate in a 6'8" guy, a 6'10" guy and a 7'1" guy. That's the recipe for a title. But if anyone they play in the next couple games realizes John Scheyer isn't really a point guard, that could keep Duke out of the Elite Eight for the sixth straight year.
3. Ohio State - The Buckeyes play a short rotation, but it's full of interchangeable parts. They play solid defense and also feature the best player in the country in Evan Turner, which is always a good bet. If some team is able to get the Buckeyes in foul trouble, that could spell the end of OSU's season and Turner's career in scarlet and gray.
2. Syracuse - The Orange, like OSU, employs a short rotation, which has been made even shorter with the loss of starting center Arinze Onuaku March 11 to a knee injury. Even with that loss, Syracuse, led by top-five NBA prospect Wesley Johnson, has looked like the second-best team in the field behind...
1. Kentucky - In picking the national champion, always go with the team that features the most pro prospects. Now watch the Wildcats go out and lose by 20 to Cornell tonight.

Down one.

Just a little more than 6 seconds to play and your best decision maker is on the bench wearing (sweet-looking) sweats and a boot Shaquille O'Neal would have trouble fitting into.

Your 6'7," 240-pound sixth man (Draymond Green) catches the inbounds pass and dribbles into the frontcourt.

Three seconds left.

That power forward almost blasts your starting power forward (Delvon Roe) in the head with the ball; but he ducks.

Two seconds left.

Your back-up point guard (Korie Lucious) catches the pass.

One second left.

Gives a little upfake. Takes a step to his left. Fires up a three for the win...

Cash money.

That's exactly how the end of Michigan State's second round, 85-83, win over Maryland in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament went.

Forget the fact we were up 16 with 12 minutes and change left. Don't harp on the fact the Spartans had a 9-point lead with 2 and a half minutes left. The team pulled out a tough win without its best player, Kalin Lucas, who will most likely not be able to play basketball until August because of a tear in his Achilles tendon.

There were a number of big plays made in that game from several players. But the biggest play came from someone who didn't take a shot, grab a rebound or take a charge.

How many games have you seen over the years where a squad will be down two with little to no time on the clock, take a desperation heave and see it fall, only for a whistle to be blown on the release because a coach called time out? More often than not, that time out doesn't result in a win.

Ironically, that happened to Maryland earlier this season in a home game against Georgia Tech, which the Terps won by two after coach Gary Williams called a timeout following a heave from halfcourt that went in. Maryland won on a second buzzer-beater.

But MSU Coach Tom Izzo - who, after watching the replay, oh, 657,986 times over the past 20 hours, looked like he was ready to signal for a timeout once Green crossed the timelime - didn't overcoach or overthink. Izzo's instincts kicked in and he let his players handle their business.

People always say it's better to be lucky than good sometimes. Well, sometimes it's better to let things happen spontaneously.

And that's what Izzo did, basically saying, "*$@# it. These guys are winning it on their own."

And because of that, his team lives to play another weekend.

In seven hours, the number one overall seed, a two and a three went down.

There will be a 9, 10 and 11 seed in the Sweet Sixteen.

And with one game, with 9 seed Northern Iowa downing the number one seed Kansas Jayhawks (Kansas' only lead was 2-0 the entire game), about 75 percent of America's brackets became lining for bird cages.

Including mine.

Again, this is why I don't gamble.

Edit: Being the geek that I am, I just did a little research and found out that Kansas is only the 10th One seed that hasn't at least advanced to the Sweet Sixteen since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

With so many teams playing in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament each years, fans can't help but wonder who some of each school's most notable alumni are.

Here is a list of some interesting ones, including a non-qualifiers that may only amuse me.

Butler University, which is playing right now, has current Ohio State basketball coach Thad Matta; Bobby Plump, who played on the 1954 Milan High School Championship basketball team, and Jim Jones - not the (awful) rapper, but the founder of the People's Temple Cult, where 918 people were killed on Nov. 17, 1978.

Number-one overall seed Kansas lists Bob Dole, Scott Bakula (of "Quantum Leap" fame), and Elmer McCollum - co-discoverer of Vitamin A.

Locally, Oakland University recognizes Robert Englund (a.k.a. Freddy Krueger) and Curtis Armstrong (Booger from "Revenge of the Nerds") as famous alums. It also lists David Hasselhoff as having attended the school in Rochester. If there were a prop bet for "weirdest alumni of any team in the Dance," I'd take Oakland and clean out my Savings Acct. to make that bet.

The University of Houston lists Star Jones, CBS play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and Master P as notable alums.

They aren't in the tournament (as usual), but I thought it made sense that Ted Kaczynski, a.k.a. The Unabomber, earned a Ph.D. in math from Michigan.

Exhibit A for the committee's bad job at seeding: A Villanova team that went 5-5 down the stretch, got bounced in the first round of their conference tournament, slept-walked through their opening-round game and got bounced by a bunch of guys with dingos for pets.

The Wildcats "earned" a two-seed, though. Ron Washington must've gotten some of that "good good" to the committee last weekend.

Oh, and have fun in the D-League Scottie Reynolds. He's gonna have fun riding buses through Iowa after being at Nova for as long as "Good Times" has ran in syndication.

After going 10-6 on day one, I came to the realization I should never gamble.

The moral to this story is, as always, I'm an idiot.

I'll take it, though. Yesterday, excitement-wise, was the best first day in a long time. Seven of the 16 games were decided by a basket and 10 f 16 were decided by single digits. The average margin of victory - 8.8 points - is nearly half what it was last year.

We'll see if that continues today. If it does, my bracket will serve as emergency TP the rest of the tournament.

Day two slate. Picks in bold. Games called by Gus Johnson have "Gus-isms" preceding the start times.

"PUUUUUUURRRRRRRRREEEEE" 12:15 PM Morgan St. #15 vs West Virginia
12:25 PM Minnesota #11 vs Xavier
12:30 PM Cornell #12 vs Temple #5
02:30 PM Siena #13 vs Purdue #4
"Rise and FIRE!!!!" 02:35 PM Missouri #10 vs Clemson #7
02:45 PM Oakland #14 vs Pittsburgh #3
02:50 PM Wofford #13 vs Wisconsin #4
04:45 PM Utah St. #12 vs Texas A&M #5
"Got IIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!!"07:10 PM Florida St. #9 vs Gonzaga #8
07:15 PM Georgia Tech #10 vs Oklahoma St. #7
07:20 PM New Mexico St. #12 vs Michigan St. #5
07:25 PM Ark.-Pine Bluff #16 vs Duke #1
"OH, my GOODNESS!!"09:30 PM Vermont #16 vs Syracuse #1
09:35 PM UC Santa Barb.#15 vs Ohio St. #2
09:40 PM Houston #13 vs Maryland #4
09:45 PM Louisville #9 vs California #8

Murray St., a 13 seed that won 30 games in the regular season, just drained a buzzer beater to upset fourth seed in the West Vanderbilt, 66-65.

This has easily been the best first day of the tournament in a while. So far today, we've had a two seed pushed to OT before winning after Villanova played 40 minutes as bad as most people look in their driver's license pictures; we've had a double OT thriller (BYU 99, Florida 92) where three guards put on a scoring show, including one - BYU's Michael Loyd Jr. - who averaged a shade under 5 points a game scoring 26 in the win; we've had two double digit seeds advance with another, Sam Houston State, looking to add its name to that group, as the 14th seeded Bearkats are down just four to three seed Baylor, 55-55, with 2 minutes left due in part to SHS's solid matchup zone.

The first four completed games have been decided by a total of 12 points, with seven of those coming in BYU's win.

This is why this tournament is the best thing in sports.

The BYU Cougars dropped Florida, 99-92, in double overtime to notch its first win in the tournament since 1993.

The game was the coming out party for BYU's backcourt of Michael Loyd Jr. (26 points) and Jimmer Fredette (35). The duo shot 20-36 from the field, 6-13 from three and 15-18 from the foul line and notched six steals.

Florida has no one to blame for the loss but themselves. The Gators had two awful possessions at the end of regulation and the first overtime and didn't even get a shot off on the latter play.

If two seed Kansas State takes care of 15 seed North Texas, Saturday's game between the Cougars and Wildcats could be one for the ages when those two backcourts square off.

Villanova and Robert Morris are going to overtime after Nova mounted a furious comeback to tie the game at 58.

Cats' coach Jay Wright drew up a beautiful lob play late, but Robert Morris was able to block the lob, forcing OT.

Seriously, where is Gus Johnson? Can we get him to record tracks so CBS can have a Gus Johnson Soundboard for things like this? How much would something like that cost?

BYU and Florida are set to start double overtime.

The game should probably be over, and I should be 2-2 on my picks, but the Gators late-game execution is about as sharp as a butter knife.

At the end of the first OT, with about 20 seconds left, the Gators ran the clock down and couldn't even get a shot off.

What's good, though, is there's someone on the floor who's matching BYU's Jimmer Fredette (27 points) and Florida's Kenny Boynton (26), who just fouled out. The Cougar's Michael Loyd Jr. has scored 23 points on nine shots.

BYU is now up 4 with 3:30 left in double OT. The margin should be a bit wider, but Fredette, a 90 percent free throw shooter, missed two freebies.

The first big upset of the day is brewing, too, as Villanova just tied the game at 58 on a layup by center Mouphtaou Yarou.

Robert Morris just missed a runner from the baseline with about 30 seconds left, now Nova will get the last shot, which I expect they'll hit. But the uncertainty of that, and the fact that like my limbs, is the reason I don't gamble.

Old Dominion has the first upset of the tournament, beating sixth seeded Notre Dame, 51-50. Notre Dame couldn't break ODU's zone at all during the second half, shooting 6-20 from three for the game. That works for me, since I picked the Monarchs in an upset.

BYU and Florida look to be headed to OT, as Florida's Chandler Parsons missed a fadeway at the end of the second half. BYU apparently was granted a timeout, though, and missed a desperation 3.

Villanova still hasn't woken up yet, either. The Cats have been down the entire game and are still down 7 with four minutes left. Nova is shooting like the entire team is hungover - 32 percent from the field, 23 percent from 3. Scottie Reynolds, Nova's senior All America, is playing especially awful. He's 1-12, 0-7 from 3 and has committed 4 turnovers. I've had BMs that look better than Reynolds does today.

After being down 13 with 8 minutes left, the Florida Gators have used a 28-14 run to take a 74-73 lead on BYU with 1:22 left.

That run has been keyed by freshman guard Kenny Boynton (25 points, 5-9 from three), who has matched BYU's Jimmer Fredette (26 points) shot for shot.

All three games so far have been tailor made for Gus Johnson, who won't call a game until tomorrow afternoon.

That makes me sad. I want Gus in the delivery room when my wife gives birth. "THERE'S THE HEEEEAADDD!!! It's OUT. It's a BOY. Haha!!"

Even though the quality of play hasn't been that great, each of the day's first three games look to be going down to the wire.

Sixth seeded Notre Dame and 11 seed Old Dominion just traded threes, keeping that game tied at 46 with 1:49 left. I know the score looks like one you'd see in a girl's high school game, but trust me, it's fun.

Fifteen seed Robert Morris is up 7 on two seed Villanova with 11 minutes left. And BYU and Florida continue to go back and forth.

So far, this first wave has been better than the last couple years, when there were no upsets early and blowouts ruled the first two days.

Edit: Old Dominion is up 3 on the Irish with 35 seconds left.

After scoring only 8 points in the first half, BYU junior guard Jimmer (his real name is James. Jimmer's a nickname and not a very good one) Fredette has scored 12 in 10 minutes of second half play to give him 20 for the game. His ballhandling has been spectacular, especially on a nice crossover that got him a layup with about 9 minutes left in the game.

Some NBA teams with low first round picks may want to take a look at James. I think he'd make a solid back-up guard (nice handle, can score in bunches, plays defense like a Lady of the Night) for a team like San Antonio, Utah or Orlando.

BYU had a 10-point lead on Florida with 8:30 to go, making it look like picking the Gators may be my first mistake of the day - with several more to come, I'm sure. But the Gators have gone on an 11-2 run to cut the Cougars lead to four with 6 minutes left.

Back and forth. Back and forth.