Top four seeds are Kentucky, Duke, Baylor and Indiana.

View full sizePablo Acala, Lexington Herald-LeaderSensational freshman Anthony Davis is just the biggest player on a Kentucky starting five that has NBA scouts drooling.

SOUTH

1. Kentucky Wildcats

Record: 32-2

Southeastern Conference at-large

Leaders: A. Davis 14.3 ppg; A. Davis 10.0 ppg; M. Teague 4.7 apg.

The takeaway: The Wildcats were upset by Vanderbilt, 71-64, in Sunday's SEC title game. In its prior 33 games, Kentucky had outscored its opponents by 18.5 points per game; was ranking 10th nationally in field-goal percentage (48.7); ranking first in opponents field-goal percentage (36.6 percent) and 10th in opponents' scoring (58.6 ppg). Freshman forward Anthony Davis, 6-10, will be one of the first picks in the NBA Draft if he leaves Kentucky. Besides his scoring and rebounding, he's blocking 4.7 shots per game. Terrence Jones (12.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg) at 6-9, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12 ppg, 7.8 rpg) at 6-7, help Davis give the Wildcats a dominating inside game.

(FIRST ROUND GAME)

16. Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils

Record: 21-12

Southwestern Athletic Conference champions

Leaders: P. Crosby 13.3 ppg; P. Crosby 7.4 rpg; K. Burwell 4.6 apg.

The takeaway: The Delta Devils began the season 1-11, but are 20-1 since. For the year, they have been outscored by their opponents, 69.3-68.9. The top five scorers are all seniors, including 6-8 forward Paul Crosby. Mississippi Valley State ranks 314th nationally in field-goal percentage (.402) and 293rd in free-throw percentage (.650).

16. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Record: 15-18

Sun Belt Conference champions

Leaders: D. Gordon 11.8 ppg; D. Gordon 6.7 rpg; J. Crook 2.7 apg.

The takeaway: Western Kentucky came out of nowhere to win the Sun Belt Tournament, a 74-70 title-game victory over North Texas on Tuesday. The win capped a stunning run for the Hilltoppers, who earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2009 by winning four games in as many days. WKU is some story: It started 5-11, resulting in the firing of coach Ken McDonald on Jan. 5, one day after a chaotic loss in which Louisiana-Lafayette played the final possession in overtime with six players. Ray Harper was named the Hilltoppers' interim coach. The Toppers closed the regular season with three wins in four games before their Sun Belt tourney run.

8. Iowa State Cyclones

Record: 22-10

Big 12 Conference at-large

Leaders: R. White 13.1 ppg; R. White 9.2 rpg; R. White 5.1 apg.

The takeaway: When they're playing well, the Cyclones are very difficult to defend. They have four players who have made at least 50 3-point shots. And then they have Royce White, who has to be one of basketball's most versatile 6-8, 270-pound players. Besides leading Iowa State in points, rebounds and assists, he's first in field-goal percentage (.521), steals (1.2) and blocked shots (0.9). He does have trouble at the foul line (49 percent). Guard Scott Christopherson (12.5 ppg) has made 200 3-pointers in his career, hitting 44 percent of his attempts.

9. Connecticut Huskies

Record: 20-13

Big East Conference at large

Leaders: J. Lamb 17.7 ppg; A. Drummond 7.7 rpg; S. Napier 5.8 apg.

The takeaway: Gone from last season's national champions are stalwarts such as guard Kemba Walker, now with the Charlotte Bobcats. The Huskies don't appear to be much of a threat -- they've lost 12 of their past 20 games. They've outscored the opposition by a rather ordinary 4.7 points per game. Jeremy Lamb, a 6-5 sophomore guard-forward, has an excellent chance to be a lottery pick if he enters the NBA Draft.

5. Wichita State Shockers

Record: 27-5

Missouri Valley Conference at large

Leaders: G. Stutz 13.5 ppg; G. Stutz 8.0 rpg; J. Ragland 3.4 apg.

The takeaway: Before its 65-64 loss to Illinois State in a conference tournament semifinal, Wichita State had won nine straight games, 17 of its past 18 and 25 of its past 27. The Shockers can dominate: they average 77.7 points a game while shooting 48.5 percent from the field, while holding their opponents to 62.4 points per game and 39.2 percent shooting. Garrett Stutz, a 7-0 center, posted his team-leading scoring and rebounding in just 24.5 minutes per game. Guard Joe Ragland averaged 13.4 points, making half (57-of-114) of his 3-point attempts.

12. Virginia Commonwealth Rams

Record: 28-6

Colonial Athletic Association champions

Leaders: B. Burgess 13.3 ppg; J. Reddic 6.8 rpg; D. Theus 4.8 apg.

The takeaway: The Rams topped Drexel, 59-56, Monday in the CAA title game, ending the Dragons' 19-game winning streak. Troy Daniels, a 6-4 junior, averages 10.0 ppg and is VCU's top 3-point shooter at 38.5 percent. In the win over Drexel, Darius Theus had a career-high 16 points and five steals to lead the Rams, who were the biggest story of last year's NCAA Tournament when they won five times to reach the Final Four. Like last year, the Rams are tough defensively. They allow opponents to shoot 59.8 percent from the field, 23rd nationally; and allow just under 10 assists per game, 18th nationally.

4. Indiana Hoosiers

Record: 25-8

Big Ten Conference at-large

Leaders: C. Zeller 15.5 ppg; C. Zeller 6.4 rpg; J. Hulls 3.2 apg.

The takeaway: Indiana, long one of the sport's elite programs, was 6-25 three years ago and won just 12 games last season. The Hoosiers rank 18th in the nation in scoring (77.3 ppg), second in 3-point shooting (43.3 percent), ninth in field-goal shooting (48.7 percent) and 14th in free-throw shooting (76.2 percent). Cody Zeller is among the country's premier freshmen. Unfortunately, Indiana has lost senior point guard Verdell Jones (7.5 ppg. 3.2 apg), who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Thursday's win over Penn State. Jones scored 1,347 career points.

13. New Mexico State Aggies

Record: 26-9

Western Athletic Conference champions

Leaders: W. McKines 18.8 ppg; W. McKines 10.8 rpg; H. Laroche 3.8 apg.

The takeaway: The Aggies have won 12 of their past 14 games, with the losses by one and four points. They rank 11th in the nation in scoring, with 78.5 points per game. Wendell McKines, 6-6, can score in a variety of ways, including from 3-point range. Guard Hernst Laroche is a key player with his scoring (12 ppg, 41 percent 3-point shooting), playmaking and defense (1.8 steals per game).

2. Duke Blue Devils

Record: 27-6

Atlantic Coast Conference at-large

Leaders: A. Rivers 15.4 ppg; M. Plumlee 9.1 rpg; S. Curry 2.5 apg.

The takeaway: Coach Mike Krzyzewski, in his 32nd season at Duke, has led the Blue Devils to four national championships. Duke is 16th in the nation in scoring, averaging 77.5 points per game. The defense is not as good as usual, allowing an average of 68.5 points. Several players are capable of making the big play, including guards Austin Rivers and Seth Curry and 6-10 forward Mason Plumlee.

15. Lehigh Mountain Hawks

Record: 26-7

Patriot League champions

Leaders: C. McCollum 21.9 ppg; C. McCollum 6.5 rpg; M. McKnight 3.7 apg

The takeaway: Lehigh is celebrating its second NCAA trip in three seasons. It finished second to Bucknell in the regular-season standings, then beat the Bisons, 82-77, in the Patriot title game. C.J. McCollum, a master of hitting tough shots, was named the Patriot League Player of the Year. If the Hawks stay in a game late, they are deadly from the free-throw line: They rank third in the nation at 77.6 percent.

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Record: 22-11

Big East Conference at-large

Leaders: J. Cooley 12.4 ppg; J. Cooley 9.0 rpg; J. Grant 4.9 apg.

The takeaway: The Fighting Irish have lost three of their past five games after a nine-game winning streak. Notre Dame has averaged just 56.2 points in those five games. The Fighting Irish ranks 41st nationally in scoring defense (61.5 ppg). Jack Cooley, 6-9, is followed in team scoring leadership by guards Jerian Grant (12.3 ppg, 4.9 apg) and Eric Atkins (12.2 ppg, 4.1 apg).

10. Xavier Musketeers

Record: 21-12

Atlantic 10 Conference at-large

Leaders: T. Holloway 17.0 ppg; K. Frease 6.2 rpg; T. Holloway 5.2 ppg.

The takeaway: The Musketeers have won just eight of their past 15 games. They are holding their opponents to 39.8 percent field-goal shooting, ranking 28th in the nation. Point guard Tu Holloway has a big-play reputation, and he gets scoring help from guard Mark Lyons (15.5 ppg). Kenny Frease (9.6 ppg), at 7-0, helps around the basket at both ends of the court. Guard/forward Dezmine Wells (10.3 ppg, 5 rpg) has had a solid freshman season. Holloway plays 36.5 minutes per game, among the nation's leaders.

3. Baylor Bears

Record: 27-7

Big 12 Conference at large

Leaders: P. Jones III 14.0 ppg; Q. Acy 7.2 rpg; P. Jackson 5.8 apg.

The takeaway: The Bears have been inconsistent since their 17-0 start. The offense remains solid, ranking 37th in the nation in both scoring average (74.9) and field-goal shooting (47 percent). Defense is a concern -- allowing an average of 79 points in the past four games. Perry Jones III, a 6-11 sophomore forward, is a potential top 10-15 NBA Draft pick if he leaves the Bears, although his 14 points and 7.7 rebounds per game might be short of expectations. Pierre Jackson, a 5-10 point guard, is averaging 13.3 points, including 43 percent 3-point shooting, and 5.8 assists, although he is turnover-prone (3.6 per game).

14. South Dakota State Jackrabbits

Record: 27-7

Summit League champions

Leaders: N. Wolters 21.3 ppg; N. Wolters 5.2 rpg; N. Wolters 6.0 apg.

The takeaway: Nate Wolters, a 6-4 junior, leads SDSU in most categories, including field-goal percentage (44.6) and free-throw percentage (78.6). But in the Summit title win over Western Illinois, he scored just 14 points and was just 5-of-22 from the floor. SDSU was able to win despite shooting just 35 percent from the field. SDSU ranks 18th in the nation in 3-point percentage, making 39.3 percent of their attempts. The Jackrabbits are making their first NCAA appearance as Division I members.

6. UNLV Runnin' Rebels

Record: 26-8

Mountain West Conference at-large

Leaders: M. Moser 14.1 ppg; M. Moser 10.6 rpg; O. Bellfield 5.3 apg.

The takeaway: Mike Moser, a 6-8 forward, gets scoring help from guard/forward Chace Stanback (12.7 ppg), who is shooting 46 percent from 3-point range. Guards Anthony Marshall (12.1 ppg) and Oscar Bellfield (9.8 ppg) combine for 10.1 assists per game. UNLV's 17.7 assists per game rank third-best in the nation, and its 76.7 points scoring average is 24th. The Runnin' Rebels have lost five of their past 10 games.

11. Colorado State Rams

Record: 20-11

Mountain West Conference at large

Leaders: W. Eikmeier 15.6 ppg; P. Hornung 8.4 rpg; J. Carr 2.6 apg.

The takeaway: The Rams have lost seven of their past 14 games. When they're good, it's because of their shooting: sixth in the nation in both free throw (76.9) and 3-point (40.5) percentages, and 24th in field-goal percentage (24th). Leading scorer, guard Wes Eikmeier, shoots just 41 percent, though. Guard Dorian Green (13.5 ppg) makes 49 percent of his shots, including 43 percent on 3-pointers.

Top four seeds: Syracuse, Ohio State, Florida State and Wisconsin.

View full sizeFrank Franklin II, Associated PressFab Melo is just one of several sensational names -- and pretty good players -- dotting the Syracuse roster as the Orange take the top seed in the East.

EAST

1. Syracuse Orange

Record: 31-2

Big East Conference at-large

Leaders: K. Joseph 13.8 ppg; F. Melo 5.8 rpg; S. Jardine 4.7 apg.

The takeaway: Cincinnati handed Syracuse just its second loss in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament, 71-68. "You know, we've got to do a better job at the guard position getting up on the shooters and contesting the shots better than what we did in the first half, and I think if we do that and continue to work hard on the defensive end, I think we'll be a lot better moving forward," sophomore Dion Waiters said. The Orange holds opponents to 38.5 percent shooting from the field, 12th in the nation.

16. UNC Asheville Bulldogs

Record: 24-9

Big South Conference champions

Leaders: M. Dickey 16.5 ppg; J. Atkinson 6.6 rpg; J. Primm 4.2 apg.

The takeaway: Matt Dickey, a 6-1 senior guard, was named the Big South Player of the Year, and showed why in the league title game win over VMU. Despite being hindered by a hip pointer, Dickey had 15 points and five steals, helping the Bulldogs to their second straight league tourney crown and NCAA bid. Jeremy Atkinson and Dickey's backcourt mate, Big South Tournament MVP J.P. Primm, are the other top threats. A year ago, the Bulldogs beat Arkansas-Little Rock before losing to Pittsburgh, 74-51, in the second round.

8. Kansas State Wildcats

Record: 21-10

Big 12 Conference at-large

Leaders: R. McGruder 15.4 ppg; J. Samuels 6.6 rpg; A. Rodriguez 3.2 apg.

The takeaway: The Wildcats get balanced scoring from Rodney McGruder (15.4 ppg), Jamar Samuels (10.3) and Will Spradling (9.5). Kansas State is 6-4 in its past 10 games. The Wildcats finished fifth in the Big 12 and were bounced in their opening game of the conference tournament by Baylor. But two wins over Missouri and a road victory over the Bears in the regular season locked up their at-large bid. It's the third straight NCAA appearance for Kansas State under coach Frank Martin.

9. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles

Record: 25-8

Conference USA at-large

Leaders: N. Watson 12.2 ppg; J. Mills 6.2 rpg; N. Watson 4.6 apg.

The takeaway: Southern Miss received a ticket to the dance for the first time since 1991 despite a 5-5 finish. Neil Watson leads the team in scoring and assists. LaShay Page (11.5 ppg) is the Golden Eagles' main deep threat, with 72 3s this season. Former Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy, who resigned amid problems with alcohol, has turned Southern Miss around. The Golden Eagles have won at least 20 games three straight years.

5. Vanderbilt Commodores

Record: 24-10

Southeastern Conference champions

Leaders: J. Jenkins 19.9 ppg; L. Goulbourne 6.9 rpg; B. Tinsley 4.2 apg.

The takeaway: The 1-2 punch of John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor (16.4 ppg) led the Commodores to their first SEC Tournament championship in 61 years. Taylor scored 18 and Jenkins 17 as Vanderbilt ended No. 1 Kentucky's 24-game winning streak. The Commodores are making their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and fifth in the past six years. The challenge now for Vandy will be winning. The Commodores have lost three straight first-round games -- to Siena in 2008, Murray State in 2010 and Richmond in 2011.

12. Harvard Crimson

Record: 26-4

Ivy League champions

Leaders: K. Casey 11.3 ppg; K. Wright 8.1 rpg; B. Curry 5.0 apg.

The takeaway: Harvard is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1946. "It means a lot to a lot of people," coach Tommy Amaker said. "To have our basketball program become relevant from a national perspective, to have these students become engaged, that's worth its weight in gold to me." The Crimson, with a deliberate style, are averaging just 65.4 points but shoot 47 percent from the field. Meanwhile, Harvard ranks fourth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 54.8 points per game and 41 percent field-goal shooting.

4. Wisconsin Badgers

Record: 24-9

Big Ten at-large

Leaders: J. Taylor 14.7 ppg; R. Evans 6.8 rpg; J. Taylor 4.0 ppg.

The takeaway: Wisconsin lost to Michigan State, 65-52, in the Big Ten semifinals. As usual, the Badgers are all about defense, allowing foes 52.9 ppg and eight assists per game. Both are the best in the nation. They can struggle to score at times, as they did against MSU, making 12 turnovers -- their highest in five games -- and just 34.7 percent of their field-goal attempts.

13. Montana Grizzlies

Record: 25-6

Big Sky Conference champions

Leaders: W. Cherry 16.0 ppg; D. Selvig 6.1 rpg; K. Jamar 3.7 apg.

The takeaway: The Grizzlies are solid defensively, allowing opponents 61.7 ppg (49th nationally) and only 9.3 assists (10th). Kareem Jamar and Mathias Ward each scored 23 points in the Big Sky title win over Weber State, giving the Grizzlies a team-record 14 straight wins. This is Montana's best record since the 1992 season, and it hasn't lost since Jan. 14 at Weber State. Montana is making its second NCAA appearance in three years and ninth overall.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Record: 27-7

Big Ten Conference at-large

Leaders: J. Sullinger 17.5 ppg; J. Sullinger 9.3 rpg; A. Craft 4.6 apg.

The takeaway: OSU shared the regular-season conference title with Michigan State and Michigan. The Buckeyes come into the tournament having won four of their past five games. The Buckeyes are 12th in the country when it comes to field-goal percentage (48.6) and 12th in the country in holding their opponents to 58.8 points per game. The Buckeyes are one of six teams from the Big Ten in the tournament.

15. Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds

Record: 24-8

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champions

Leaders: E. Etherly 13.5 ppg; E. Etherly 7.5 rpg; R. Williams 2.5 apg.

The takeaway: Loyola earned it second NCAA Tournament berth. The first came in 1994, when the Greyhounds were coached by Skip Prosser. Loyola is one win from tying the school record for victories in a season, set back in 1948-49. This is their first 20-win campaign as a Division I program. "We want to be great," said senior Shane Walker. "We didn't want to just be good. We didn't want to just win 20 games. We actually wanted to get to the NCAA Tournament and be one of the best teams to ever play at Loyola."

7. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Record: 25-6

West Coast Conference at-large

Leaders: K. Pangos 13.8 ppg; E. Harris 8.7 rpg; K. Pangos 3.4 apg.

The takeaway: The Bulldogs played in the WCC Tournament championship game for the 15th year in a row, losing to St. Mary's, 78-74, in overtime. Gonzaga, with coach Mark Few, has been one of the nation's most successful midmajor teams in NCAA Tournament history. Leading scorer Kevin Pangos, a freshman, is shooting 41 percent from 3-point range. Elias Harris (13.1 ppg) scores in a variety of ways, and at 6-7, 240, he clears space on the boards.

10. West Virginia Mountaineers

Record: 19-13

Big East Conference at-large

Leaders: K. Jones 20.1 ppg; K. Jones 11.1 rpg; J. Hinds 3.3 apg.

The takeaway: Kevin Jones led the Big East in scoring and rebounding. West Virginia pounds the offensive glass, averaging 15.0 offensive rpg, seventh in the nation. The Mountaineers have plenty of opportunities for rebounds, as they shoot just 30.2 percent on 3-pointers, 321st in the nation. This is the school's last season representing the Big East in the tournament: It will be a member of the Big 12 next season.

3. Florida State Seminoles

Record: 24-9

Atlantic Coast Conference champions

Leaders: M. Snaer 14.5 ppg; B. James 8.2 rpg; L. Loucks 4.3 apg.

The takeaway: Florida State proved its 33-point blowout of North Carolina in January was no fluke by knocking off sixth-ranked Duke and the fourth-ranked Tar Heels in consecutive days for the school's first ACC Tournament title. Michael Snaer, Deividis Dulkys and Ian Miller all can shoot the 3, and Bernard James (10.5 ppg) is solid inside. "The resiliency of this team is impressive," said guard Luke Loucks, who was named to the ACC all-tournament squad. "That's what you hope for with a veteran-laden team that has been through a lot."

14. St. Bonaventure Bonnies

Record: 20-11.

Atlantic 10 Conference champions

Leaders: A. Nicholson 18.2 ppg; A. Nicholson 8.2 rpg; M. Wright 2.7 apg.

The takeaway: The Bonnies popped a bubble by topping Xavier for the A-10 Tournament title as conference player of the year Andrew Nicholson put up 26 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks on the Musketeers. Nicholson, who is 6-9, was under-recruited in part because he didn't start playing basketball until high school. With 2,083 career points, Nicholson surpassed both Bob Lanier and Earl Belcher on Sunday to now rank second on the school list. It's the sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Bonnies, who most recently appeared in the tourney in 2000.

6. Cincinnati Bearcats

Record: 24-10

Big East Conference at-large

Leaders: S. Kilpatrick 14.3 ppg; Y. Gates 9.2 rpg; C. Wright 4.6 apg.

The takeaway: The Bearcats made headlines early in the season for a brawl against intra-city rival Xavier and sunk as low in losing at home to Presbyterian. Yet, Cincinnati's seven wins over ranked teams this season -- including conference tourney wins over Georgetown and Syracuse -- are the most in the country. The Bearcats' offense can be ugly, with their shooting percentage of 42 percent ranking 248th in the country. The top five scorers combine to make just 41.7 percent of their attempts. Forward Yancy Gates (12.4 ppg) is an exception with his 47 percent shooting, to go with his work on the boards and defensive play.

11. Texas Longhorns

Record: 20-13

Big 12 Conference at-large

Leaders: J. Brown 20.1 ppg; C. Chapman 5.5 rpg; M. Kabongo 5.3 apg.

The takeaway: Coach Rick Barnes and the Longhorns are going to their 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament. Texas reached 20 wins for the 13th consecutive season by beating Iowa State, another NCAA team, in the Big 12 Tournament. The Longhorns lost to Missouri in the Big 12 semifinals. J'Covan Brown has made 77 3-pointers for Texas, which is 6-4 in its past 10 games.

Today live at noon on "PD Sports Insider: Browns Edition," join Dennis Manoloff, Bud Shaw and Glenn Moore as they will talk Browns and free agency news with Mary Kay Cabot.

Watch today live at noon.

Why have the Browns been so quiet during free agency? How does losing Peyton Hillis effect who the Browns will take in the draft? Are they going to land Matt Flynn?

Today, live at noon on "PD Sports Insider: Browns Edition," join Dennis Manoloff, Bud Shaw and Glenn Moore as they will talk Browns and free agency news with Mary Kay Cabot.

Be sure to Like PD Sports Insider on Facebook.

Note: To turn off audio alerts in the chatroom, click on the round button on bottom left of the chat room, then preferences. Uncheck all audio options and save.

About the show: "PD Sports Insider" airs live every Monday and Thursday at noon. Co-hosted by Bud Shaw and Dennis Manoloff, the show features a timely and lively debate of the biggest sports topics of the day and gives readers a chance to interact directly with PD sportswriters and columnists.

Viewers have to the opportunity to ask questions and post comments in a live chat room during the show. They can also email their video questions during the week.

The Browns officially announced the signing of free agent defensive end Frostee Rucker.

NFL.com PhotoFrostee Rucker had 4 sacks last year with the Bengals.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns announced the signing today of former Bengals defensive end Frostee Rucker, who agreed to terms on Wednesday.

Rucker signed a five-year worth $21 million, including $8 million guaranteed, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. He's the first unrestricted free agent they've signed this offseason.

"Frostee is a player that we targeted in free agency, and we couldn't be happier that he chose to become a member of the Cleveland Browns," said Browns general manager Tom Heckert said in a release.  "We really like the veteran presence that he will give our young defensive line.  He started last year for one of the top defenses in the NFL, and we feel as though he can come in and have that same impact on our defense."

"We are very excited to add a player of Frostee's caliber to our team," said Browns head coach Pat Shurmur. "He is an outstanding player and an even better person. I look forward to him becoming a productive member of the Cleveland Browns for years to come."

Originally drafted by Cincinnati in the third round (91^st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft, Rucker has appeared in 53 regular season games with 19 starts, totaling 105 tackles, seven sacks, six passes defensed, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception. In 2011, he registered career-highs in games played (16), starts (11), tackles (44) and sacks (four), while tying a career-high with two passes defensed, as the Bengals' defense ranked in the top 10 in total defense (7^th), pass defense (9^th) and rush defense (10^th).

A three-year letterman at the University of Southern California (2003-05), Rucker saw action in 39 contests with 30 starts, totaling 111 tackles, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and two interceptions. During his three seasons at USC, he helped the Trojans capture back-to-back National Championships (2003-04). In 2005, he was named First-team All-Pacific 10 and was also voted co-winner of USC's Most Inspirational Player Award.  

Born on September 14, 1983, the 6-3, 280-pound Rucker is a native of Tustin, California where he attended Tustin High School.

Rucker will be a strong candidate to start at right end opposite Jabaal Sheard.

Loyola basketball coach Jimmy Patsos makes sure his team learns something on the road.

Terry Gilliam, Associated PressOhio State's Jared Sullinger.

Loyola basketball coach Jimmy Patsos is either a Renaissance man or he's doing all he can to take the pressure off his basketball team that plays Ohio State tonight in the NCAA Tournament.

Loyola plays OSU tonight in Pittsburgh. Patsos took his team to the Andy Warhol Museum, writes Baltimore Sun reporter Don Markus.

Patsos, a history major at Catholic University whose father won a Tony for stage design 25 years ago, has had his teams take in Broadway shows as well as to the Guggenheim Museum on some of their New York trips. This year, after the Greyhounds got thumped at Marist, their coach the movie nut had the bus driver put on "Love Story" — the 1970 classic in which Ali MacGraw's character is dying of cancer — so they understood that there is more to life than basketball.

When the team played at Canisius in upstate New York this season, Patsos took the Greyhounds to Niagara Falls, where the players got out of the bus and snapped pictures, writes Markus.

Patsos said that he often books games depending on the location. He is currently negotiating a game at Memphis next season, where he hopes the team will visit Graceland and the Lorraine Motel, where King was murdered in 1968.

More Ohio State Buckeyes

Reporter Doug Lesmerises writes on Cleveland.com about Ohio State's game against Loyola.

Reporter Rob McCurdy writes about Ohio State's hectic tournament schedule.

Columbus Dispatch reporter Rob Oller writes on The Columbus Dispatch how the Buckeyes need to get behind Jared Sullinger.

Herb Gould writes in The Chicago Sun-Times how the Buckeyes' fortunes appears on the rise.

Which No. 5 seed will get upset in this year's tournament?

The NCAA Tournament begins tonight, and one of the many exciting things about the tournament are the upsets.

The No. 12 seed has upset the No. 5 seed 36 times in the history of the tournament. Last year,  No. 12 seed Richmond defeated No. 5 seed Vanderbilt.

So which No. 5 seed will get upset this year?

Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams upped the ante for landing Peyton Manning on Wednesday by offering the free-agent quarterback a contract “for life,” according to a report by television station KHOU 11 Sports in Houston.

AP Photo Peyton Manning could come to a decision soon.

Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams upped the ante for landing Peyton Manning on Wednesday by offering the free-agent quarterback a contract “for life,” according to a report by television station KHOU 11 Sports in Houston.

The Titans had a lengthy meeting with Manning and made their pitch to the future Hall of Famer. Manning previously met with the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins.

Various reports indicate Manning had finished his team tour and will decide among the four teams in the coming days.

Adams also told KHOU that he “feels great” about the Titans’ chances to sign Manning. He said he isn’t all that concerned about Manning’s arm strength at this point as the quarterback continues his rehab from multiple neck surgeries.

"I’m only concerned how strong it is in September, when he starts the regular season," Adams said during his phone interview with KHOU.

Adams said he thinks Titans 2011 first-round pick Jake Locker has a great future, but considering how special Manning is, the owner felt compelled to “go for it.”

— Free agency: Updated Top 50 | Buccaneers plunder market

If the Titans sign Manning, it is presumed veteran Matt Hasselbeck will not be back.

NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi reported that a key to the Titans’ proposal to Manning is offering him an organizational role after he retires as a player. Lombardi said Manning would be more likely to secure a front-office position in Tennessee than in Denver, where John Elway is executive vice president of football operations.

Cavaliers are believed to be in pursuit of another first-round pick

View full sizeCleveland Cavaliers guard Ramon Sessions could be on the move today as the team looks to acquire future assets

The Browns have re-signed cornerback Dimitri Patterson to a three-year deal worth $16 million, with $6 million guaranteed, according to profootballtalk.com.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBrowns defensive back Dimitri Patterson has re-signed with the Browns for the next three years.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns have re-signed cornerback Dimitri Patterson, a league source confirmed for the Plain Dealer.

It's a three-year worth $16 million, with $6 million guaranteed, according to profootballtalk.com , which first reported the signing.

Patterson, the Browns' nickelback last season, played in 14 games and about 50% of the snaps. He made 26 tackles and broke up a career-high 12 passes for third on the team. It surpassed his previous high of eight with Philadelphia the year before.

Patterson is the second unrestricted free agent the Browns have signed so far. The first was former Bengals defensive end Frostee Rucker

Baerga says he supports Santorum "because he is a Christian and has fought for the people of Puerto Rico for many years, and stands behind the people on the issue of statehood."

Chuck Crow l The Plain DealerFormer Tribe second baseman Carlos Baerga.

Too late to score a home-run in Ohio's presidential primary, retired Cleveland Indians slugger Carlos Baerga announced that he's endorsing GOP candidate Rick Santorum.

Santorum got Baerga's support during a campaign trip to the former infielder's native Puerto Rico, which has a Republican primary on Sunday where 20 delegates are at stake.

In a press release from the ex-Pennsylvania senator's campaign, Baerga said he backs Santorum "because he is a Christian and has fought for the people of Puerto Rico for many years, and stands behind the people on the issue of statehood."

"I am grateful to have played professional baseball in the United States, and I want all young people to have the same opportunity, and Puerto Rican statehood would make that possible," Baerga's statement continued.

Santorum described himself as a longtime Baerga fan, and said he is "thrilled" to have his endorsement.

"Carlos is a role model for so many because of his career in baseball and his life as a Christian," said Santorum.

Baerga's 15-year major league baseball career included eight years in Cleveland, as well stints playing for the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals. Santorum's campaign says he is the only major leaguer to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same inning.

Santorum's chief rival for the GOP presidential nomination, Mitt Romney, did better than Santorum in the Cleveland area, while Santorum prevailed in the state's rural counties.

According to Reuters, Santorum created a stir yesterday during a campaign stop in Puerto Rico by saying that Puerto Ricans would have to make English their primary language if they want to pursue U.S. statehood. That violates the U.S. Constitution, which does not not designate an official language for the United States, or require that English be the predominant language in a U.S. territory that seeks statehood.

Plain Dealer OSU reporter says Orange would be lacking inside presence if it meets Buckeyes in Elite Eight. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck "Winning" Yarborough and Branson Wright.

The NCAA Tournament starts this afternoon, and historically, a No. 5 seed losing to a No. 12 seed is one of the most frequent upsets. Which 5 vs. 12 game do you think will be an upset today or Friday? That's the question in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest on SBTV is Plain Dealer Ohio State reporter Doug Lesmerises, who is in Pittsburgh for tonight's Buckeyes vs. Loyola (Md.) game. Doug says he thinks Long Beach State is a team that can score a 5/12 upset.

Doug also discusses his story today about whether Loyola will be able to run the Buckeyes and tire them out; what Fab Melo's ineligibility means to Ohio State; and about Urban Meyer's new Champions Dinner approach that's intended to have the Buckeye players reach for greatness on and off the football field.

SBTV will return Friday with Plain Dealer Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot answering fan questions from her weekly Hey, Mary Kay! feature.

Taylor scored 17 points, pulled down eight rebounds, dished out six assists and committed no turnovers in directing the fourth-seeded Badgers.

Associated PressWisconsin, led by guard Jordan Taylor (with the basketball), defeated Montana, 73-49, to make the Badgers 10-1 in NCAA Tournament openers with Bo Ryan as their coach.

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -- Backseat Badger? Not on this day.

All-America point guard Jordan Taylor deliberately diminished his offensive output during his senior season, knowing he had to nurture three new starting forwards if Wisconsin was to have any chance of another NCAA tournament run in March.

On Thursday, Taylor scored 17 points, pulled down eight rebounds, dished out six assists and committed no turnovers in masterfully directing the fourth-seeded Badgers' 73-49 rout of Montana in the East Regional.

"I'm just coming out trying to do anything I can to help my team win," Taylor said. "I felt like I got some open looks there, especially in the first half. It's the same for me as it is for everybody else. If you get an open look, you've just got to step in and knock it down. Just be aggressive and play confident."

Ryan Evans, one of the newcomers who benefited greatly from Taylor's unselfish play and mentoring, led Wisconsin with 18 points and added eight boards to make up for five turnovers.

"I wanted to come out and play aggressive and loose. Not with the idea that I was going to have five turnovers, but kind of help relieve pressure from Jordan and the rest of them," said Evans, who had 14 points in the first half as the fourth-seeded Badgers built a double-digit lead that the Grizzlies couldn't erase.

The other two newcomers in the lineup that benefited from Taylor's dial-it-down style early in the season also came up big. Mike Bruesewitz had eight points and four boards, and Jared Berggren blocked seven shots.

The Badgers (25-9) improved to 10-1 in NCAA tournament openers under Bo Ryan, the winningest coach in the program's history.

Wisconsin will face the Vanderbilt-Harvard winner Saturday.

Art Steward had 18 points for the Grizzles (25-7), who were familiar with the Badgers' style because one of their assistants, Freddie Owens, played at Wisconsin from 2001-04. But his inside information couldn't help the Grizzlies pull off the upset.

Montana was riding a school-record 14-game winning streak, having already established its best record in two decades. The team's previous loss was Jan. 14 at Weber State, the same squad it wiped out by 19 in the Big Sky title game.

The 13th-seeded Grizzlies only held two leads against the bigger, badder Badgers - 2-0 and 5-2 on Derek Selvig's 3-pointer, which was quickly matched by a 3 from Josh Gasser, who scored 12 points.

Evans averaged 10.9 points in the regular season and topped that in the first half when his 14 points helped the Badgers to a 39-29 halftime cushion.

Wisconsin, making its 14th straight appearance in the NCAA tournament, raced out to a 14-7 lead when Evans swished his first four shots, including a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

The Grizzlies made a charge in the second half when Mathias Ward sank two free throws and a 3-pointer and Will Cherry hit another 3 to cut Wisconsin's 16-point lead to 48-38. But the Badgers called timeout and then outscored Montana 25-11 the rest of the way, never letting the Grizzlies push the pace like they wanted.

"They weren't turning the ball over," Cherry said. "We sped them up at times, but I felt like somehow they always kicked it to an open shooter who made a dagger 3, and put a little damper in our comeback."

The Grizzles shot just 38 percent against the nation's No. 1 scoring defense.

"We pride ourselves on creating doubt in the minds of our opponents, and I thought they really did a good job of that tonight," Montana coach Wayne Tinkle said. "Our guys battled back. We made a nice little run there in the second half and they always had an answer, a lot of dagger plays there in the second half, so proud of my group. It's been a heck of a year."

The Badgers held Cherry, Montana's leading scorer (16.0) and spark plug, to nine points on 3-of-14 shooting - and zero assists.

"We just made sure that we tried to run him off the 3-point line and tried to get some help to him and squeeze the court, make the driving lane smaller," Ryan said.

Wisconsin had to replace three senior forwards who went on to play pro ball - Jon Leuer (18.3-point average), Keaton Nankivil (9.7) and Tim Jarmusz (3.9). Thanks to Taylor, their trio of replacements combined to average 26.9 points.

Taylor's stats all went down, surely costing him a shot at another All-America honor, but it was all so that the Badgers would be rolling like they are now.

"Well, I know I certainly wouldn't want to trade him with the deadline today," Ryan cracked, referring to the main story in the NBA on Thursday.

Reserve James Southerland had 15 points and a season-high eight rebounds and Syracuse avoided becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a 16.

Associated PressSyracuse's Dion Waiters (3) is greeted by teammate Kris Joseph (32) after making a basket during the Orange's 72-65 win over UNC-Asheville.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Reserve James Southerland had 15 points and a season-high eight rebounds and Syracuse avoided becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a 16 when it rallied for a 72-65 victory over UNC-Asheville on Thursday in the East Regional.

The Orange entered the tournament without starting center Fab Melo, who was declared ineligible for academic reasons, and they almost left early with a piece of history no team wants.

Syracuse (32-2) will play eighth-seeded Kansas State in the third round on Saturday at the Consol Energy Center. The Wildcats beat Southern Mississippi 70-64.

The Orange overcame a terrible game from 3-point range (5 of 23) to beat the much-smaller Bulldogs (24-10), who had talked Wednesday of becoming the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1.

J.P. Primm had 18 points for UNC-Asheville.

UPDATED: Holmgren hints the Browns will add weapons with their first-round picks instead of a quarterback.

Scott Shaw, The Plain DealerBrowns President Mike Holmgren answers questions from season-ticket holders during a conference call Thursday.

"I'm not going to tell you exactly what we offered, but I will say what we had offered for the pick was every bit the offer that was chosen," Holmgren told Browns season-ticket holders during a conference call. "There are reasons I can't go into right now why it didn't happen, but there's a very close relationship between the people that were involved in getting the deal done, and the people eventually got it done. I'm not sure if any offer we made at the end of the day was going to be quite good enough."

Holmgren was referring to the close friendship between Redskins coach Mike Shanahan and Rams coach Jeff Fisher from ago days together in San Francisco and the strong ties between Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen and Rams executive Kevin Demoff.

The Redskins ultimately won the right to draft RG3 by sending an unprecedented three first-round draft picks -- their No. 6 this year and first-rounders in 2013 and 2014 -- and their second-rounder this year (No. 39 overall) to the Rams.

The Browns reportedly also offered three first-round picks, but it's never been established if they threw in a second-rounder. Their three first-rounders, including this year's No. 4 and No. 22, would seem to trump the Redskins by virtue of their earlier first-rounder this year.

"Most of the stories that I have seen, quite honestly all the stories that I have seen, were incorrect," Holmgren said of the Browns' offer, suggesting perhaps that they did toss in their second-rounder, the No. 37 overall this year.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King reported Thursday that Rams General Manager Les Snead asked the Browns and Redskins for their best offers. Washington's was better, and the Rams accepted it. The Browns tried to improve theirs but were told no.

But Holmgren assured the ticket holders that the Browns did everything they could.

"Rest assured we were aggressively involved in that," Holmgren said. "It didn't work. Do you take your ball and go home? No. You go to the next step. We didn't fold up our tent. Now we're going to do what we have to do based on the fact we didn't get that done."

Holmgren hinted that the Browns will add weapons with their first-round picks instead of a quarterback. He and General Manager Tom Heckert, who also took questions from ticket holders during the hourlong call, spoke often of Colt McCoy as their likely starter next year.

"We do think Colt has a big ceiling," he said. "Obviously, it's my job to get better players surrounding him. If you look back at those games where we ran the football well, we protected well, Colt played very well, so we do think Colt has the ability to play. I think he's proven that he can play in this league. Like coach Holmgren said, another year in this system, we get him better players, we think he has a chance to be really good."

Holmgren acknowledged that the next step is to "get starters with those draft picks at other positions this year and to help our quarterbacks who are now existing on the team, or anybody else who would come onto the team. That's what we're doing."

He indicated the Browns will draft a quarterback, but maybe not in the first or second round.

"We will always look for a young guy in the draft," he said. "Now, where we pick him, it could be later in the draft. Then, if there's someone in free agency that's very, very attractive to us, yeah, we'll bring him in and talk to him, always."

Holmgren and Heckert addressed a number of other topics:

• On not signing a free-agent receiver, " . . . free agency's not over yet," Heckert said.

• On not making an offer to Peyton Hillis: "First of all, I'm happy for Peyton that Kansas City did step up and sign him. I think there comes a time in some players' lives and clubs' lives where a fresh start is probably the best thing for both sides. We love Peyton Hillis. I wish him well. He was great for us two years ago, and I'm sure he'll be a fine player for Kansas City. Now we have to adjust and move on from that point."

• On trading down from No. 4: "If [Heckert] approaches me with the same sort of idea this year, I'd kind of discourage him," Holmgren said. "There are number of players who could come in here [at No. 4] as starters."

• On a big step in 2012: "Going from 4-12 to 6-10 isn't good enough," Holmgren said. "And that's been conveyed. I believe we are going to be better than that -- in fact, we're going to be a lot better than that. Hang in there a little longer."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Justin Masterson doesn't allow a hit in four well-pitched innings.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Justin Masterson pitched four scoreless innings and Shelley Duncan and Jose Lopez homered Thursday as the Indians beat the White Sox, 12-3, in a Cactus League game at Goodyear Ballpark.

Masterson, the Indians Opening Day starter, didn't allow a hit as he faced just 12 batters. He struck out four and walked one. Dan Johnson, who walked in the third, was erased on a double play.

Duncan, who made his first start of the spring at first base, broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth with a two-run homer off the batter's eye in center field. It was Duncan's third homer of the spring.

Michael Brantley added a two-run double in the sixth for a 7-3 lead.

The Indians continued to score with a five-run seventh. Lopez, making a strong push to make the club as a utility infielder, hit a three-run homer. It was Lopez's second homer of the spring.

"Not to long ago, he was an All-Star in this league," said manager Manny Acta, referring to Lopez. "He went to winter ball and worked very hard to get back to where he was. He's in a lot better shape than when I saw him in Seattle.

"He gives us that right-handed bat that can play first, second and third. There is still two weeks to go, but he's looking very good right now."

Ezequiel Carrera and Cord Phelps had RBI singles in the seventh as well.

The Indians finished with 17 hits. Russ Canzler led the way with three. Luke Carlin, Lopez and Ryan Spilborghs had two each.

A.J. Pierzynski homered for the White Sox.
 

Commodores built an 18-point lead early in the second half before Harvard trimned it to five with 1:51 to go. But Vanderbilt then went 8-of-9 from the foul line to close it out.

Associated Press Vanderbilt's Brad Tinsley (1) and Jeffrey Taylor (44) cheer on their teammates during the Commodores' 79-70 NCAA Tournament win over Harvard.

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -- Once the ball went up, all that work in the classroom didn't mean a thing.

Except for a late, desperate rally, the Ivy League's best wasn't much of a match for the only private school in the Southeastern Conference. John Jenkins made all six of his late free throws and scored 27 points Thursday to help Vanderbilt to a 79-70 win over Harvard in an East Regional game being called "The Brain Bowl."

Vanderbilt's senior-heavy group won its NCAA opener after going winless the last three appearances despite coming in seeded 4th, 4th and 5th. The Commodores (25-10) were a `5' for this one, as well, but came in with a victory over top-ranked Kentucky last weekend and armed with plenty of lessons learned from past failures.

They built an 18-point lead early in the second half and saw 12th-seeded Harvard (26-5) trim it down to five with 1:51 to go. But the Commodores went 8 for 9 from the line from there and won despite not making a field goal over the final 5:22.

On Saturday, Vanderbilt faces Wisconsin, a 73-49 winner over Montana, earlier at The Pit.

The Crimson (26-5) made the tournament for the first time since 1946, though this is clearly not your father's Harvard - or even your grandfather's.

Coached by Tommy Amaker, a Duke grad who knows how to blend academics and athletics, the Crimson notched an impressive win over Florida State early in the season, then held off the Ivy League's more traditional powers, Penn and Princeton, to make the Big Show.

Laurent Rivard treated The Pit like his own backyard, finishing with 20 points on 6-for-7 shooting from 3-point range - many jacked up from well behind the line. But nobody else on Harvard shot well, and the Commodores built a lead that was too big to overcome. Kyle Casey scored 13 for Harvard, which shot 20 for 49 if you take out Rivard's shots.

The most telling sequence came with just under 11 minutes left, when Vanderbilt missed four shots and got offensive rebounds on all of them. The possession ended when Jenkins hit a 17-footer and got fouled to set up a three-point play for a 56-42 lead.

Jeffery Taylor, who won a state title with Hobbs High School here at The Pit, finished with 15 points while, another senior, Festus Ezeli, grabbed 11 rebounds, blocked four shots and altered many more.

The Ohio State Buckeyes square off against Loyola (Md.) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday night. Get Twitter updates from Doug Lesmerises and Bill Livingston.

The Ohio State Buckeyes square off against Loyola (Md.) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday night. Get Twitter updates from Doug Lesmerises @PDBuckeyes and Bill Livingston @LivyPD in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:50 p.m.

View full sizeAP Photo/Gene J. PuskarJordan Latham and Loyola will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes tonight in Pittsburgh.

Gonzaga will play on Saturday against winner of Ohio State vs. Loyola (Md.) game.

Associated PressGonzaga's Kevin Pangos (left) tries to drive around West Virginia's Kevin Jones (5) during the Bulldogs' 77-54 win over the Mountaineers in an NCAA tournament game on Thursday night.

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania -- Gonzaga senior center Robert Sacre's pregame message to his younger teammates before facing West Virginia made up for in directness what it lacked in eloquence.

"Hit `em, is all you've got to say," Sacre said. "Hit `em, be physical, let everything else work itself out. As long as you're physical, that's all that matters. Show that Gonzaga's not soft."

Done and done.

Dominating the lethargic Mountaineers on both ends of the floor, the Bulldogs rolled to a 77-54 win Thursday night in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Sacre and Gary Bell Jr. scored 14 points apiece for seventh-seeded Gonzaga (26-6), which will play Ohio State or Loyola (Md.) in the third round on Saturday.

Kevin Pangos added 13 points and five assists, and the fight the Bulldogs were expecting from the 10th-seeded Mountaineers (19-14) never materialized. West Virginia shot 32 percent (16 of 49) from the field and had no answer when Gonzaga went on a 13-0 run midway through the first half to break it open.

"This is the worst defensive team I've ever had in 30 years," West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. "We don't get the help, we don't get the loose balls. We don't do the things we've done for years and years and years."

And the Bulldogs did.

Playing the versatile, brainy style that's become the program's calling card during its 14-year NCAA tournament run, Gonzaga controlled things from the opening tip and never let West Virginia get in the game.

Coach Mark Few worried his inexperienced roster would have trouble with the 6-hour flight east from Spokane, Wash., and the hostile crowd that tilted heavily toward the Mountaineers, a short 75-mile bus trip from Consol Energy Center.

Pangos wasted little time putting his coach's fears - and his own - to rest. The freshman hit his first shot in NCAA tournament play and his second, a 3-pointer that gave Gonzaga the lead 90 seconds into the game. Bell added one of his own and Elias Harris quickly followed.

"I had jitters going into it, I'll be honest," Pangos said. "Once you get playing, it's just the same game. It was easier. Everyone brought it on the court. It was a lot of fun, playing with the guys. Everyone did their part."

Gary Browne led the 10th-seeded Mountaineers with 15 points off the bench and Kevin Jones scored 13 in his final game for West Virginia, handed its worst postseason defeat in 28 years despite a decided home-court advantage.

"(Gonzaga) came out tougher, more aggressive, more energized than we were," Jones said. "You see the result of it. They were the better team."

On every inch of the floor.

Its offensive flow disrupted by Gonzaga's in-your-jersey defense, West Virginia failed to play with any rhythm on either end. The Bulldogs bottled up Jones and were more than happy to let forward Deniz Kilicli and senior guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant try to beat them.

No chance.

Bryant, playing in his sixth and final NCAA tournament game for the Mountaineers, couldn't get going. He missed all five of his shots during a miserable first half and finished with nine points on 2-of-10 shooting while getting badly outplayed by Pangos and Bell. Kilicli fared no better. The brutish center from Turkey said Wednesday he didn't think the Bulldogs would be "prepared" to face a team as physical as West Virginia.

Wrong.

Gonzaga was more than ready and proved it during the final 12 minutes of the first half in which it blew the game open. An acrobatic layup in traffic by Guy Landry Edi started a 13-0 burst that gave the Bulldogs a 27-10 lead.

The Mountaineers missed eight straight shots during the stretch and fell asleep on defense, a cardinal sin when you play for Huggins. During one sequence, Aaron Brown clanked a 3-pointer and then got caught watching - along with Bryant and Browne - as Edi streaked behind them and collected a long pass from Pangos for a dunk.

Huggins exploded out of his chair and called a timeout, but the Bulldogs kept right on going, taking a 40-22 lead at the break to cap a nearly flawless first half.

"We were getting open looks and we were just knocking them down," Bell said.

The only real miscue came from sophomore point guard David Stockton, the son of Hall of Fame guard and Gonzaga alum John Stockton. Though the younger Stockton knocked down a 3-pointer during the game-turning run, he also airballed a free throw.

His father, sitting six rows behind the Gonzaga bench, stifled a laugh as his son shook his head, one of the few mistakes the Bulldogs made on a night they rolled into the round of 32.

Meanwhile, the Mountaineers slump into an offseason wondering what happened to the grittiness that's been the team's identity since Huggins returned to his alma mater. West Virginia's defeat was its worst in the NCAA tournament since losing to Maryland by 25 in 1984.

Nearly three decades later, it may take Huggins just as long to get over a disappointing effort in which his players failed to compete.

"I've never gotten beat like that," Huggins said. "We just were never in the game. Shouldn't say `never.' Maybe a couple times. But not very well. I don't know. Have to figure it out."

AKRION, Ohio — Kenny Kaminski's shoulders are big enough, so hop on for the ride. But the Medina big man will be the first to admit he can't go it alone. With plenty of help from his teammates down the stretch, the Bees continued their magical ways as they outlasted conference rival Elyria in overtime, 46-41, on Thursday night...

Medina's Billy Geschke, left, tries to block a shot by Elyria's Demetrius Walton during the first half Thursday in Akron. - (Michael Chritton, Akron Beacon Journal)

AKRION, Ohio — Kenny Kaminski's shoulders are big enough, so hop on for the ride. But the Medina big man will be the first to admit he can't go it alone.

With plenty of help from his teammates down the stretch, the Bees continued their magical ways as they outlasted conference rival Elyria in overtime, 46-41, on Thursday night in a Division I regional semifinal at the University of Akron's Rhodes Arena. The Bees (10-15) will gladly continue in their underdog role as they return to the regional finals for the first time since 1983 to take on Toledo Whitmer (22-2) here on Saturday night at 7:30.

"I'm starting to get back into it," said the 6-8 Kaminski, who missed all of the regular season with a right shoulder injury. "I played the whole game and was all right after I got winded early. Guys are doing a lot more than they are asked."

The 260-pound Michigan State recruit totaled a game-high 23 points, 17 coming in the first half when Medina built a 29-19 lead. But after the Pioneers (14-10) went on a 13-0 run to turn this one into a nail-biter, 5-9 junior guard Dillon Wiesler and senior forward Mason Schreck came up with big plays at both ends of the floor.

Wiesler tied up Elyria's Isaiah Walton for a jump ball with 4.7 seconds left in regulation to maintain a 39-39 tie. In overtime, he took an offensive charge by Elyria sharpshooter Kody Bender with 45 seconds left and Medina in front, 42-41.

"We tried to keep the ball away from Isaiah and Bender and limit their shots," said Wiesler, who finished with six points. "I just tried to keep Bender from going to his right."

Forced to foul, the Pioneers put Medina junior Logan Winkler at the line for a one-and-one. Just as you are taught in practice, Schreck was quick to rebound the missed attempt and fought his way through for a put-back basket and a 44-41 advantage.

"I just worked to the ball," said Schreck, who finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. "Getting those rebounds are a spark."

The Bees held a huge edge at the line, going 19-for-23. While he was only 4-for-13 from the field, Kaminski went 12-for-13 on free throws and had 11 rebounds.

Schreck came through to tie the game at 39 as he hit two from the line with 38 seconds left in regulation. Medina was limited to 28 percent shooting, going 11-for-38 from the field.

"This was not easy because I was playing one of my best friends," said Medina coach Anthony Stacey, referring to Elyria coach Brett Larrick. "Nobody expected Medina here or Elyria here. But it's not about me or Brett."

The teams split during Northeast Ohio Conference play, with Medina winning when they met on Feb. 17, 55-46.

"There were a couple calls at the end, but they are not going to agree with them and neither would we," said Larrick, whose team was 7-for-11 on free throws and 4-for-19 on 3-pointers. "We had our chances. We missed a couple bunnies and a couple free throws with the lead. We did a good job of slowing Kenny down."

After seven lead changes and three ties, the Bees made their move by closing out the first half with an 11-1 run for the 29-19 advantage.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

CANTON, Ohio — It is the time of the season when every little bit helps. No contribution is overlooked. It could be points, rebounds, steals or assists. The team hitting on all cylinders is the team everyone wants to be.

CANTON, Ohio — It is the time of the season when every little bit helps.

No contribution is overlooked. It could be points, rebounds, steals or assists. The team hitting on all cylinders is the team everyone wants to be.

Lake Catholic was that team Thursday.

The Cougars left Struthers in their rearview mirror in the fourth quarter and rolled to a 68-39 victory in the first game of a Division II regional doubleheader in the Civic Center.

The Cougars (22-2) advance to Saturday's 3 p.m. regional championship game for the second time since 1997. The win sets up a rematch with St. Vincent-St. Mary, which defeated the Cougars, 69-67, during the regular season.

Lake Catholic, ranked seventh in The Plain Dealer and 10th in the state, never trailed in eliminating Struthers (19-5) with a strong second half. But, it was the contributions across the board that were the difference.

First, the Cougars held Jake Jacubec to two points, far below his 26.6 scoring average. While senior Jordan Sapp picked up the difference with a 26-point night, the Wildcats suffered through a 2-of-17 shooting night on 3-point shots.

"We didn't want him to have space, to get loose, to feel comfortable, not only because he scores but because he creates so many opportunities," Lake Catholic coach Mark Chicone said of the defensive effort. "We did as much as we could. We wanted to pressure him all over, deny him the ball, tire him out. Nobody here said, 'Hey, we're going to shut him down'. We're not that stupid. He has great ability."

The Cougars had three players score in double figures in junior Mark Baniewicz and seniors Mike Whalen and Joey Vuyancih. And, they got strong rebounding efforts from Whalen, Vuyancih and 6-4 senior Danny Schweikert.

Baniewicz led Lake with 21 points and seven rebounds. Vuyancih and Whalen each had 13 points and Vuyancih, the school's all-time leading scorer, had a game-high 13 rebounds. Schweikert finished with eight points and had five of his 10 rebounds in the fourth quarter when the Wildcats made a brief run.

"The key to us winning is having our guys doing everything," said Baniewicz. "When we have Mike stroking the 3-ball, Joey taking care of the ball and Danny and me on the glass we can be pretty tough to beat. We have to have an overall presence of everyone doing the right thing."

Lake Catholic led, 41-30, at the end of three quarters before lowering the boom. It began the final eight minutes by outscoring Struthers, 13-2, as Whalen scored eight points and Vuyancih had six.

"They give us a physicality is the only way I can describe it," Chicone said of Baniewicz and Whalen. "Being physically mature and strong has been a help. Both play bigger than the 6-2 or 6-3 than they are. They have the hearts of lions."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:trogers@plaind.com, 216-999-5169

On Twitter:@TimRogersPD