ShareThisCapsule previews of the 17 NCAA Southeast region teams.
No. 1 PITTSBURGH
Nickname: Panthers.
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Coach: Jamie Dixon.
2010-11 Record: 27-5.
NCAA Record: 22-23.
Entry to tournament: At-large.
Best regular-season win: 68-66 over Texas on Nov. 19.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Ashton Gibbs (16.4 ppg, 2.8 apg, 46.6 pct. on 3-pointers), G Brad Wanamaker (11.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg), C Gary McGhee (7.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg).
Did you know?: Making their school-record 10th straight NCAA trip, Panthers have 14 NCAA wins over that span, which is six more than Pitt had the previous 60 years (1941-2001).
Outlook: Mediocre 3-4 finish opens serious questions whether Panthers will be able to make first Final Four trip.
No. 2 FLORIDA
Nickname: Gators.
Location: Gainesville, Fla.
Coach: Billy Donovan.
2010-11 Record: 26-7.
NCAA Record: 29-13 (two championships, 2006 and 2007).
Entry to tournament: At-large.
Best regular-season win: 75-62 over Tennessee on Feb. 23.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Erving Walker (14.6 ppg, 3.6 apg), F Chandler Parsons (11.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg), G Kenny Boynton (14.3 ppg).
Did you know?: Donovan is only active head coach to have taken a team to the Final Four and played in the Final Four (Providence, 1987).
Outlook: Since winning consecutive title in 2006, '07, Gators have missed field twice, lost in first round to BYU last year. If Parsons is healthy, Walker has offensive game on, UF is sure to snap that streak and more.
No. 3 BYU
Nickname: Cougars.
Location: Provo, Utah.
Coach: Dave Rose.
2010-11 Record: 30-4.
NCAA record: 12-28.
Entry to tournament: At-large
Best regular-season win: 71-58 over San Diego State on Jan. 26.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Jimmer Fredette (28.5 ppg), G Jackson Emery (12.6 ppg).
Did you know?: Cougars' 99-92 double-OT win over Florida in first round last year broke 8-game NCAA losing skid dating back to 1993..
Outlook: Behind wondrous Fredette, Cougars are eighth in nation in scoring (81.6 ppg) and believe they can play with anybody. But loss of F Brandon Davies to honor code violation weakens already shaky inside game, hurting chances for first Final Four trip.
No. 4 WISCONSIN
Nickname: Badgers.
Location: Madison, Wis.
Coach: Bo Ryan.
2010-11 Record: 23-8.
NCAA record: 21-15.
Entry to tournament: At-large.
Best regular-season win: 71-67 over Ohio State on Feb. 12.
Key players (regular-season averages): F Jon Leuer (18.6 ppg), G Jordan Taylor (18.1 ppg), F Keaton Nankivil (10.0 ppg).
Did you know?: Badgers' 13 consecutive NCAA is sixth longest streak in nation. Prior to this run, UW had made only two NCAA trips from 1948-98.
Outlook: With all the unresolved issues surrounding BYU and Pitt, don't be surprised if Wisconsin looms as Final Four dark horse.
No. 5 KANSAS STATE
Nickname: Wildcats
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Coach: Frank Martin.
2010-11 Record: 22-10.
NCAA record: 31-28.
Entry to tournament: At-large.
Best regular-season win: 84-68 over Kansas on Feb. 14.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Jacob Pullen (19.6 ppg, 3.6 apg), G Rodney McGruder (11.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg), F Jamar Samuels (8.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg).
Did you know?: After Wildcats recorded one NCAA win from 1989-2009, Martin's team equaled KSU's best tourney showing last year reaching Elite Eight before falling to Butler.
Outlook: Wildcats' 8-2 finish and strong rebounding (28th in nation in rebounding, 38.1 per game) makes run like last year not out of the question.
No. 6 ST. JOHN'S
Nickname: Red Storm.
Location: Queens, N.Y.
Coach: Steve Lavin.
2010-2011 Record: 21-11.
NCAA Record: 27-29.
Entry to tournament: At-large.
Best regular-season win: 93-78 over Duke on Jan. 30.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Dwight Hardy (17.9 ppg, 3 rpg), F Justin Brownlee (12.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), G Paris Horne (7.9 ppg).
Did you know?: From 1996-2003, Lavin led UCLA to 145-78 mark that included six NCAA trips and five trips to Sweet 16.
Outlook: Making first NCAA trip since 2002, Red Storm looked impressive in 10-3 finish. But loss of G-F D.J. Kennedy, SJU's leading rebounder and third-leading scorer) to knee injury likely dooms Storm to one win at most.
No. 7 UCLA
Nickname: Bruins.
Location: Los Angeles.
Coach: Ben Howland.
2010-11 Record: 22-11.
NCAA record: 98-36, 11 championships (1964, 1965, 1967-73, 1975, 1995).
Entry to tournament: At-large.
Best regular-season win: 71-49 over Arizona on Feb. 26.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Malcolm Lee (13.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg), F Reeves Nelson (13.9 ppg, 9 rpg), F Tyler Honeycutt (12.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg).
Did you know?: Bruins' 11 national titles are most in nation and four more than the rest of the Pac-10 and Big 12 combined have won (7).
Outlook: Rebounding from last year's 14-18 disaster, Bruins wheezed a bit with 3-3 finish. But Howland's 14-5 NCAA mark at UCLA is worthy of respect.
No. 8 BUTLER
Nickname: Bulldogs.
Location: Indianapolis.
Coach: Brad Stevens.
2010-11 Record: 23-9.
NCAA record: 13-10.
Entry to tournament: Horizon champs.
Best regular-season win: 73-61 at Cleveland State on Feb. 5.
Key players (regular-season averages): F Matt Howard (16.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 44.4 pct. on 3-pointers), G Shelvin Mack (15.2 ppg, 3.6 apg), C Andrew Smith (8.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg).
Did you know?: After leading Bulldogs to national title game last year, 34-year-old Stevens got a 12-year contract extension that upped his pay to around $1-million a year.
Outlook: Last year's darlings that fell one shot short of the national title, the Bulldogs traveled the harder road this year, including a 4-4 start. Lack of scoring outside of Howard and Mack makes repeat run a long shot at best.
No. 9 OLD DOMINION
Nickname: Monarchs.
Location: Norfolk, Va.
Coach: Blaine Taylor.
2010-11 Record: 27-6.
NCAA record: 3-10.
Entry to tournament: Colonial Athletic Association champs.
Best regular-season win: 67-58 over Xavier on Nov. 22.
Key players (regular-season averages): F Frank Hassell (15 ppg, 9.6 rpg), G-F Kent Bazemore (12.5 ppg, 5 rpg), G Darius James (7.1 ppg, 3.2 apg).
Did you know?: Monarchs' 51-50 upset of Notre Dame in the first round last year was ODU's first NCAA win since 1995.
Outlook: Ferocious rebounders (led nation in rebounding margin +12.3), ODU comes in on 13-1 surge that could very well lead to Monarchs' first-ever Sweet 16 trip.
No. 10 MICHIGAN STATE
Nickname: Spartans.
Location: East Lansing.
Coach: Tom Izzo.
2010-11 Record: 19-14.
NCAA record: 51-23, two championships (1979 and 2000).
Entry to tournament: At-large.
Best regular-season win: 74-56 over Purdue on March 11.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Kalin Lucas (17.2 ppg), F Draymond Green (12.3 ppg), G Durrell Summers (11.5 ppg).
Did you know?: Izzo has led the Spartans to six Final Fours. Among active coaches, only Coach K (11) and Roy Williams (7) have been to more.
Outlook: It's been a disappointing season for the Spartans; why should we expect anything different now? Beating UCLA is tall order.
No. 11 GONZAGA
Nickname: Bulldogs.
Location: Spokane, Wash.
Coach: Mark Few.
2010-11 Record: 24-9.
NCAA record: 15-13.
Entry to tournament: WCC champs.
Best regular-season win: 65-54 over Xavier on Dec. 22.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Stephen Gray (13.8 ppg), C Robert Sacre (12.5 ppg), F Elias Harris (12.1 ppg).
Did you know?: 'Zags' 15 NCAA wins since 1995 are nine more than the rest of the WCC combined over that span.
Outlook: It's hard to root against this perennial underdog. With an impressive wins over Xavier, Baylor and current 9-game winning streak, the Bulldog's could go deep in tourney
No. 12 UTAH STATE
Nickname: Aggies.
Location: Logan, Utah.
Coach: Stew Morrill.
2010-11 Record: 30-3.
NCAA record: 6-21.
Entry to tournament: WAC champs.
Best regular-season win: 75-65 at St. Mary's on Feb. 19.
Key players (regular-season averages): F Tai Wesley (14.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg), G Brockeith Pane (11.2 ppg, 3.5 apg), F Brady Jardine (7.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg).
Did you know?: Since losing to eventual champ UCLA in Elite Eight in 1970, Aggies are 1-14 in NCAA games.
Outlook: It's been an impressive season for the Aggies (hardly against tough competition). So Kansas State has too much size and firepower for USU.
No. 13 BELMONT
Nickname: Bruins.
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Coach: Rick Byrd.
2010-11 Record: 30-4.
NCAA record: 0-3.
Entry to tournament: Atlantic Sun champs.
Best regular-season win: 87-46 over North Florida in Atlantic Sun Championship Game March 5.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Ian Clark (12.4 ppg, 43.6 pct. on 3-pointers), C Mick Hedgepeth (10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg), F Scott Saunders (10.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Did you know?: Bruins went unbeaten (24-0) vs. schools outside the state of Tennessee and went 6-4 vs. foes from Volunteer State.
Outlook: Winners of 21 of last 22 games (albeit vs. weak schedule), Bruins would love to replicate last NCAA trip, narrow 71-70 loss to Duke in 2008. But that looks like too much to ask.
No. 14 WOFFORD
Nickname: Terriers.
Location: Spartanburg, S.C.
Coach: Mike Young.
2010-11 Record: 21-13.
NCAA record: 0-1.
Entry to tournament: Southern champions.
Best regular-season win: 77-67 over Charleston in Southern Conference Championship Game March 7.
Key players (regular-season averages): F Noah Dahlman (20 ppg, 61.2 FG pct.), G Cameron Rundles (14 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 41.2 pct. on 3-pointers), G-F Tim Johnson (6.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg)
Did you know?: Young has led Terriers to Southern Conference Tournament championships last two years, the only two titles in school history.
Outlook: Wofford scared Wisconsin in NCAA debut last year before falling 53-49. Lack of height (290th in nation in rebounding) makes Terriers unlikely to come that close this time.
No. 15 CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA
Nickname: Gauchos.
Location: Santa Barbara, Calif.
Coach: Bob Williams.
2010-11 Record: 18-13
NCAA record: 1-4.
Entry to tournament: Big West champs.
Best regular-season win: 68-62 at UNLV on Dec. 13.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Orlando Johnson (21.1 ppg), F James Nunnally (16.4 ppg).
Did you know?: Since UNLV left the Big West in 1996, Big West teams are 3-15 in NCAA Tournament games.
Outlook: Considering Big West NCAA woes, better luck next year.
No. 16 ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK
Nickname: Trojans.
Location: Little Rock.
Coach: Steve Shields.
2010-2011 Record: 19-16.
NCAA Record: 1-3.
Entry to tournament: Sun Belt champs.
Best regular-season win: 64-63 over North Texas in Sun Belt Championship Game on March 8.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Solomon Bozeman (16.5 ppg, 2.1 apg, 46.4 pct. on 3-pointers), G Ale Garcia-Mendoza (8.6 ppg), G Matt Mouzy (8 ppg).
Did you know?: Trojans are making first NCAA trip since 1990 when they won the now defunct Trans America Conference.
Outlook: Staggering into Sun Belt tourney at 15-15, Trojans somehow won four games in four days including rallying from 7-point deficit in final 1:42 vs. North Texas. That kind of good fortune won't continue past play-in game.
No. 16 NORTH CAROLINA-ASHEVILLE
Nickname: Bulldogs
Location: Asheville.
Coach: Eddie Bidenbach.
2010-2011 Record: 19-13.
NCAA Record: 1-1.
Entry to tournament: Big South champs.
Best regular-season win: 60-47 over Coastal Carolina in Big South Championship Game March 5.
Key players (regular-season averages): G Matt Dickey (15.3 ppg, 84.5 pct. on FTs), G J.P. Primm (14.4 ppg, 3.3 apg), C D.J. Cunningham (9 ppg, 7.5 rpg).
Did you know?: Bulldogs' only other NCAA trip came in 2003 when UNC-Asheville beat Texas-Southern, 92-84, in play-in game before falling to Texas, 82-61.
Outlook: Primm-Dickey backcourt makes Bulldogs better than most 16 seeds, but that's not saying much.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
