Spike Lee at Wednesday night's NEC title game in Brooklyn. (Getty Images)

By Matt Norlander and Jeff Borzello

Wait, is this story for real? // Did misunderstanding the moon lead to the Titanic's wreck? This is fascinating. OK, onto the hoops links ...

★ Dan Wetzel on Calhoun. What will Thursday bring? Syracuse vs. UConn is going to be gooood.

★ Pete Thamel knows and has covered Boeheim on and off for about 15 years now. And Boeheim just sounds snidely in print here.

★ Forbes looks at the 10 highest-paid coaches in college basketball.

★ John Templon has such a great passion for mid-major basketball. He was at the NEC title game last night and wrote very well about it.

★ I've not yet had a chance to read this long profile on former Michigan star Rumeal Robinson. But I've heard it's absolutely outstanding.

★ Now this is (illegal) homecourt advantage.
 
★ Savannah State, the No. 1 seed in the MEAC, was knocked out in the quarterfinals by No. 8 seed Hampton.

★ Vanderbilt is hoping to learn from its past first-round upsets heading into this season's NCAA tournament.

★ Pretty good stuff from Paul Biancardi on the biggest adjustments certain freshmen had to make from high school to college.

★ The Pac-12 tournament was apparently not overly populated.

★ Kareem Abdul-Jabaar says UCLA needs to return to the principles of John Wooden that made the Bruins great

★ Georgetown, Indiana, UCLA and Georgia will meet in the championship rounds of next season's Legends Classic. It will take place Nov. 19-20 at the Barclays Center.

★ Grassroots Canada AAU coach Ro Russell was the subject of an expose by a Canadian news station -- and he's already responded to several of the allegations. Borzello might do a full post on this sometime.

★ Head coach Mike Rice: "Rutgers is going to happen." Okay ...

★ Jabari Parker, a Chicago native and the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2013, is very, very interested to see what happens with the Illinois coaching situation.

► Liking the mindset and execution behind Amy K. Nelson's YouTube series. She gets deep into the UNC-Duke rivalry here. There's a Treebeard sighting!



♬ My heart is like a basketball. Let me roll it!

The leaders of the Big East ring in the Tuesday bell at the NYSE. (Big East)

By Matt Norlander and Jeff Borzello

★ Parrish's Knucklehead Rule wins again. Jelan Kendrick is suspended for the SEC tournament.

★ Virginia freshman guard Malcolm Brogdon is out for the rest of the season with a broken bone in his foot.

★ Duke announced forward Ryan Kelly would miss the ACC tournament after suffering a right foot sprain.

★ The much-anticipated annual Glue Guy Team from Seth Davis.

★ This high school buzzer-beater video of Bullitt East High School in Kentucky has EVERYTHING. I've watched it five times.

★ We will see this debate more this season, with several favorites bowing out early. But do we really need conference tournaments?

★ Damn. That's a good job, Andy Katz. Checking in with one of the surviving members of Harvard's 1946 NCAA tournament team.

★ And Jeff Eisenberg got the Western Kentucky coach on the horn Tuesday night after the team amazingly earned its auto bid.

★ According to reports, the Pac-12 is likely moving its conference tournament to Las Vegas next season. The Mountain West, WCC and WAC are already there.

★ Want to know how your school can improve its APR? Here are a few ideas.

★ In case you missed it, the NCAA will reveal its official 1-68 S-Curve after the selections are announced.

★ USA Basketball announced the 10 players that will represent it in the Nike Hoop Summit.

★ The NCAA is still deciding between four venues for the next year’s East Regional.

★ Villanova, Purdue, Alabama and Oregon State will headline next season's 2K Sports Classic in New York City.

★ CBE Classic announced its four host schools for next season would be Kansas, Saint Louis, Texas A&M and Washington State. Those four will meet Nov. 19-20 in Kansas City.

★ West Virginia vs. Michigan will headline the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival at Barclays Center next December.
► Didn't you hear? Naters gonna Nate, so Wolters and the Jackrabbits are in the NCAAs. Here's how he does.



♬ I'll be listening to this on my way subway ride over to Madison Square Garden this morning.

By Matt Norlander

Dikembe Mutombo's nephew played in last night's SoCon final. I'm keeping this GIF forever. The Nate Wolters GIF below is also going to get repeated use.

Who said it: Mitt Romney or Mr. Burns? // Dog spends almost two months in the wild, reuinites with owner. // You'd better watch Jon Stewart on Rush Limbaugh. // More details on the iPad 3 ...

★ The Big East tournament begins in a few hours. I'll have a column on the tournament up in a little bit. You should read Dana O'Neil's though, because it's better.

★ We have follow-up stories on the Syracuse drug violations -- or possible violations. Here's what the school and its AD had to say.

★ More on how Syracuse has known about this and is/has investigated the violations in the past/currently.

★ Read up on Davidson's double-OT win last night. All four titel games were great -- theirs was the best. Can we get your thoughts, Dikembe?

★ College hoops is down? Riiiiiight. Consider last night's events, then know that UNC-Duke Saturday was the highest-rated ESPN hoops game in four years.

★ RUN SMC shirts are pretty dope.

★ Oh, wow, is this a terribly sad story out of Northwestern State.

★ With Jimmy Patsos in the NCAAs, you absolutely must read this piece on him by Kyle Whelliston. Trust me -- very much worth the 12 minutes.

★ Tues-day Truths! Tues-day Truths! Tues-day Truths!

★ Just how poorly was the MAAC final attended?

★ This lengthy Mike DeCourcy Q-and-A with John Calipari got a lot of great pub yesterday, as it deserved. Candid Cal, as always.

★ Read Luke Winn on the connection at Creighton that's helped the 'Jays become what they are.

★ Incredibly creepy Anthony Davis snowman.

★ Who gets the URI job? Here are some names you may not have heard tossed out there yet.

★ Someone needs to ask Mike Krzyzewski if he's expecting to coach the 2016 Olympics.

► This only needs to be watched for the first minute, but what a cool minute it is. See Michigan root for Ohio State.



♬ We're going with the Davidson theme this morning, since the school is back in the NCAAs for the first time since Steph Curry left. Live's "Pillar of Davidson" is off their multi-platinum so-'90s album "Throwing Copper." To be honest, I was shocked I had this in my iTunes, but I guess it's not that bad. A slow brew.

Somebody tell this kid everything's going to be OK -- and that 300 went out of vogue in 2009. (Mocksession.com)

By Matt Norlander

The gun of the future! // Without a doubt the most unbelievable story from the weekend. // This hotel room is a party. // Why going to college doesn't make you a liberal ...

★ Start off your Monday by reading the latest on Pat Summitt, her fight, and whether she will coach next season.

Doug McDermott with the MVC trophy Sunday afternoon. (Adam Streur / White & Blue Review)

★ After you finish the Summitt piece, this New York Times profile of Lenny Cooke is cautionary tale, defined. You also should read that.

★ Bill Self's run at Kansas the past six years is on the verge of being historic. These numbers are incredible.

★ Stayin on Kansas, the Tyshawn Taylor coverage this year has been really great to read.

★ Jason King compiles a mammoth end-of-year awards piece. This may take awhile to get through.

★ Fantastic, giddy, high-pitched play-by-play call of a high school hoops game ending.

★ Please, please get more of these things at NCAA tournament sites.

★ Learn something new every day. Do you know the last location of the Big East tournament before MSG?

★ Why and how Duke's defense is inevitably going to be responsible for the team's downfall.

★ "One of the best arguments against the idea that the NCAA is operating the NFL and NBA’s developmental leagues is that the NCAA seems wholly uninterested in developing professional athletes"

★ Read up on Drexel only making its second CAA final.

★ How BYU challenges are assumptions about who they are and how white they are.

★ Big East fan bases as Simpsons characters.

★ New Arizona State football coach was in the student section yesterday. No, no body paint.

★ Skip ahead to the :50 mark to see why Stony Brook didn't get upset in the America East semis Sunday.

► Great, frantic buzzer-beater from Saturday. The ones where the ball can't find a pair of hands in the final seconds are the best.



♬ We start the week with TV on the Radio. I find this band to be one of the hardest to describe to friends when recommending. I guess the most supportive thing I could say is, if you consider yourself to have any type of variety in the music you listen to, TVotR almost definitely touches upon something that moves you somewhere in their discography.

The crowd at last night's UCLA game. There's been a lot of this this season. (US PRESSWIRE)

By Matt Norlander

I can't believe this article is real and the people in it said those words. // Karate glamour shots, oh my. // The federal invesitgation of the Jerry Sandusky case will make us squeamish once again. // On polls and their accuracy ...

★ Hoya Suxa, a snarky, fun Syracuse blog, is hanging it up. Before the end of the season? Shame.

★ Delvon Roe, who left Michigan State earlier this season due to an injury and to pursue acting, will partake in Senior Day this weekend. He won't play, but he will kiss midcourt.

★ The Bailey Leonard anecdote is the best thing about this story.

★ Will probably be the only time "girds" appears in a sports headline this year.

★ The loving Bob Ryan piece on Doris Burke that everyone passed around Thursday.

★ Quinnipiac advanced to the NEC semis last night, but also got a new leader atop the school's all-time scoreboard.

★ Loved this read by Mike Vorkunov on the skyhook.

★ The Sports Pickle gives us Ben Howland's Pyramid of Mediocrity.

★ Good job by Jason King here on PJ3. The ending of the story, to me, reads like, yeah, he's definitely, definitely gone after this season.

★ Is Binghamton ready to make its way back? If you never knew the story of Bearcats hoops, you're going to want to read this.

★ One in four top-100 recruits transfer.

★ Game day in Krzyzewskiville.

★ Brilliant post by Henry Abbott. Read that, Jeff Goodman, and repeat after Abbott: I'm not into numbers -- I just use them.

★ Which conference tournaments will be treacherous viewing for bubble teams?

♬ It's Friday and if I want to blast some Bad Religion I'm going to.

Oh, Syracuse. Have you learned nothing?

By Matt Norlander

What if you could pick your seat on an airplane based off a compatibility test? // I'd like to hug the person or people behind this. // Rage with the machines. // . // I AM THE CHICKEN HEATING MASTER!!!!!!! ...

★ If you completely dodged CBSSports.com last night, Goodman and Parrish had a pretty important story.
 
★ It was a great night for Robbie Hummel.

★ Your title-winner odds in Vegas as of today.

★ Kendall Marshall, Marquis Teague, Jordan Taylor and Tyshawn Taylor. How do they compare when it comes to turning the ball over in specific situations?

★ There is now a site that shows you how every team played against/measured up to every other team.

★ The latest ripple in the Bernie Fine story that you didn't realize was happening because that story doesn't much matter anymore -- or right now.

★ I respect this take by Deadspin, responding to the Sports Illustrated UCLA story.

★ Bill Plaschke took time to address Howland's job status.

★ Dan Guerrero, AD at UCLA, did not say Ben Howland will definitely return to UCLA next year. (But he will.)

★ As suspected, Kyle Anderson isn't waffling on his commitment to UCLA.

★ More on New Orleans prep for the Final Four.

★ Tyler Zeller's a great kid who's done a fabulous job in four years. Crazy to think he was a freshman on that '09 title team.

★ Washington State already resigning itself to the CBI. It's so sad, like seeing the guy settle for the last chick in the bar at 2 a.m.

★ Not helpful to Drexel, but I wonder if the committee really takes it to heart: Derrick Thomas, a junior who averages eight points per game, is not eligible for the CAA tournament. The reason why is alarming.

★ March, you are so beautiful. Here's a list of every team that's never made it to the best stage in sports.

★ Must-read interview links with the commissioner of the MAAC.

► Goodman threatened my job if I didn't put this video up. It's the ultimate tribute to Hummel.



♬ R.I.P, Davy Jones. My favorite Monkees tune, and one that fits well for teams staving off bubble chasers.

Yes, those are bracket shorts. Yes, you need to buy me a pair. (Via)

By Matt Norlander

Our home base apparently doesn't know how to properly handle the dead. // This is painstakingly bittersweet. // Massive bracket of the greatest video games ever. // Ancient giant penguins discovered. // This was my favorite read from Tuesday ...

★ Brackets. Everywhere. As you can see, with the shorts there.

★ It's not yet known where the 2012 Carrier Classic will take place, but we do know San Diego is out, with a possible return there in 2013.

★ This Grantland post on the Big 5 is OK, but the real reason you need to check it out is due to Brandon Lilly's utter dismissal of Drexel. Then you read the comments.

★ Corey Schmidt does dedicated work toward understanding and analyzing college basketball better. If you're at all interested in the Summit League, give it a click and consider taking him up on his offer.

★ Jim Larranaga is no longer coaching at a small school, so now he is down-talking how good they are this season.

★ Read what it's like to be a Northwestern fan this week.

★ Any ideal guesses as to where Jared Swopshire is going to transfer to?

★ I very much enjoy the fact we still have one more year to enjoy Matthew Dellevedova playing college basketball.

★ Delly, by the way, is your WCC Player of the Year.

★ A different look at the remaining bubble battles left on the calendar.

★ Should Drexel make it into the tournament, here's more perspective on the team as it heads into the CAAs.

★ The best plays in Creighton basketball this year.

★ Good on Wyoming to put together its first 20-win season in nine years.

♬ I've been teased for primarily showing rock and indie-rock videos here, but that's definitely not the case. It's more that than most others, but there's been a bountiful selection of songs from outside those genres. I'm not a huge rap guy, but always get a kick out of talking to people who say they love Jay-Z ... then can't name a track off "Reasonable Doubt."

How great is this photo? That's Wilt the Stilt at 17 year old. (via Jose3030)

By Matt Norlander

Deserved it. // Mutant strawberries can fend off all diseases. But can they improve the nearly perfect strawberry milkshake? // Pretty impressive scene in Moscow over the weekend. // The terrific photography of a young, dead photojournalist ...

★ This link relates to the title of this post. Fine analysis by John Ezekowitz.

★ Here is Goodman's column from Missouri-Kansas. Good perspective.

★ The piece most linked on Twitter after the Jayhawks beat the Tigers was this output by Joe Posnanski ...
 
★ ... but I liked this from Tully Corcoran even more.

★ Crazy stat. In the past 32 years, only two teams have won the national title after going undefeated in conference play. See which.

★ Baylor athletics has made the slow turn toward the successful, warm spotlight. Does it get even better next month?

★ Short-term, Pat Knight looks really smart for what he did.

★ What has been the best dunk Kentucky's had this year?

★ Marshall loses by 20 to Memphis, local columnist uses that opportunity to whine about how much he hates the Tigers and their preferential treatment.

★ With his team's season on the brink, Kevin Duffy examines how Andre Drummond has not played up to expectation.

★ Shocking news of the day: Nebraska boosters care this much about basketball, and about saving Doc Sadler's job.

★ Jason Lisk did a good job with some early steps

★ Here's what the WCC bracket looks like, in logo form.

★ The CAA is going to be a great conference tournament, I bet. Here's how it shapes up. More to come in the Power Pyramid, too!

★ And here's the Atlantic Sun. Bracketsbracketsbrackets.

★ Jeff Bzdelik is coming back to Wake next season. Wake fans suddenly longing for the days of Dino Gaudio

★ The First Four in Dayton isn't going anywhere, not when you read how the city embraces its place in The Tournament so well.

► I got to UConn about two hours before Saturday night's tip. All the students were packed in their designated section and rehearsing this flash mob. (I thought the flash mob died in 2011, but apparently not.)



♬ HELL YEAH LET'S GO WITH SOME TULL. "New Day Yesterday" is the lead track off of my favorite Jethro Tull album. "Stand Up." You know JT as the band with the animated guy on the flute. Unfortunately a lot of their later records deviated from this type of sound. But early Tull is pretty fantastic.