The old axiom of "Duke means high ratings" still holds true. Even better for CBS is that Butler's almost as good.

Saturday's Final Four games drew the highest TV ratings in five years and were up 8 percent from last season. The games drew an overnight 9.7 rating and 19 share, which is good for the network. However, it's still a far cry from Duke's heyday in the 90s, when the Devils' games usually doubled those numbers.

Overall, the tournament ratings are 6.2/13, up 2 percent to last season.

(Ratings represent the percentage of all households with televisions tuned into a program. Shares represent the percentage of all homes with TVs in use at the time. Overnight ratings measure the nation's largest markets.)

There's more detail to be found on the games and the ratings here.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

There's a point where the have-nots have had enough. When the small schools, the ones without the massive athletic budgets, finally have their moment.

Saturday was that night.

Butler's 52-50 win against Michigan State not only placed the Bulldogs in the NCAA tournament's championship game, it struck a chord with fans of would-be Final Four schools everywhere.

Of course, it took a little prompting by Kyle Whelliston, but it was a gentle nudge. The sentiment was already out there. Observe:

You might even forget those times before, when your team was in that same position -- but found fate cruel. Your team didn't get the calls, lost its composure, or didn't have what it took to overcome mistakes and shortcomings to win the day. But knowing that it's actually possible to break through, that beating the odds is not as impossible as it might have felt, can be a powerful balm for old wounds. Imagine if just a few of these had actually happened, how different things would be.

What Butler is doing is bringing retroactive inspiration to all the teams that had to play 5-against-8, and had those last few possessions go the other way instead. You could say the Bulldogs are settling a lot of old family business.

Or winning for all the other mid-majors out there. Have you heard something like that before, say in a certain movie that has been referenced all week? Perhaps.

But it was welcomed by the Twitter community in various forms. Like this, this, this and this, among others. Need more? Try #thanksdawgs on Twitter and see what pops up.

You might like it.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

Seeing posts like this bothers me.

Last night, with eight minutes to go and down 15 to a Duke team that was playing as well as they had all season long, Da'Sean Butler's left knee bent awkwardly as he planted his foot.

Season, and career, over.

So while Butler -- who is an emotional guy to begin with -- was writhing in pain on the ground, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins came over, gave him a hug, and calmed him down. It's a shame, but does anyone else feel like this is going to be the lasting image we have of this Final Four?

Here's the video.

I've never really been an anti-Huggins guy. From what I've seen of him, especially at West Virginia, he seems like a guy that genuinely cares about his players. At his press conferences, he comes off as a fatherly figure, Papa Bear watching over his cubs.

As for Butler, it's a shame his career ended like this. He wasn't just good, he was a great player for the Mountaineers. I've always considered myself a fan first, and Butler will be a guy I certainly miss watching.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Ready for two more days of "Hoosiers" references? No? How about David vs. Goliath? That's next.

And for once, it may just apply. Just not in the actual playing of basketball.

By now everyone's realized that Butler's no bunch of stiffs, a group of plucky underdogs who hope to surprise Duke on Monday. The Bulldogs have won 25 straight games and haven't allowed more than 60 points a game during their NCAA tournament run, which includes wins against Michigan State, Kansas State and Syracuse.

Two of their best players, Shelvin Mack and Gordon Hayward, spent last summer playing with Team USA's U-19 Olympic squad (and won a gold). Duke coach Mike Krzyzyewski spent much of Saturday's postgame press conferences explaining as much.

"I think they're an outstanding basketball team who, because Butler hasn't been to the Final Four, creates that Cinderella thing," he said. "But they're one of the best teams in the country, or else they wouldn't be playing in the national championship. They've earned it."

And Coach K's players have listened.

"It's definitely going to be a big story, I'm sure," said junior guard Nolan Smith. "People calling Butler the Cinderella and, of course, Duke the big-time program. But it's going to be a fight. You know, both teams are very good."

So how do they compare? Here's a look with standard and tempo-free stats.

                    Butler         Duke
Record           33-4          34-5
Pace               64.2           65.6      
PPG                69.4          77.7
PPG allowed    59.4          61.0
FG perc.          44.9          44.1
eFG %             51.4          50.6
TOs a game      12.2          11.1
TO %               18.9          16.3
Reb a game     32.6          39.5
Off reb %         30.6          40.4
FT shooting     73.9          75.8
FT rate             47.4          38.1

They play at the same pace and shoot about the same (though Duke is a little better beyond the arc) and feature excellent defenses, but the Devils have edges in rebounding and take care of the ball better. And I wonder if the FT rate will even out given Duke's reputation to get favorable foul calls.

It's not a huge mismatch on paper.

But let's not completely ignore the David vs. Goliath angle. It does apply in non-basketball terms. Like money.

Start with this tweet from CNBC reporter Darren Rovell, who says Duke spent $394,068 per player on player expenses last year. Butler spent $347,108 on its entire team.

Using 2008-09 figures from bbstate.com, the differences are even more drastic:

• Butler's athletic budget was $11,215,593. Duke's was $71,072,432.
• The Bulldogs' budget for men's hoops was $1,729,754. Duke spent $13,873,859.
• Butler spent $75,045 on recruiting. Duke spent $769,474.

Basketball's the same, and the players are roughly as talented as Duke. But in everything else, Butler's a massive underdog.

And if you don't think the non-hoops stuff matters, you're crazy.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Mark Blinch / Reuters Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek were in rare form Saturday.

Bob Huggins couldn't believe his eyes. Duke was shredding West Virginia's defense thanks to an incredible display of perimeter shooting, interior passing and offensive rebounding.

At one point in the second half, the Mountaineers' coach resorted to one simple question during a second-half timeout: "Can't we guard?"

Don't worry, coach. The rest of us were just as awestruck.

In an NCAA tournament of remarkable offensive performances, Duke's dismantling of West Virginia was perhaps the most impressive game of the season.

The Blue Devils hit 53 percent of their shots (13 of 25 from beyond the arc) committed turnovers on just 12.9 percent of their possessions and outrebounded the Mountaineers – this doesn't happen – on the offensive glass. Duke missed 26 shots, and grabbed nearly half of those misses.

The Mountaineers were coming off a performance where they held Kentucky to just 66 points on 71 possessions, or .93 points per possession. West Virginia usually allows .89 points per possession. The D-I average is usually right around 1.0.

On Saturday, Duke ripped off 1.43 points per possession.

And this wasn't against an overmatched foe, either. The Mountaineers are big, strong and athletic, with plenty of guys who can force bad shots and poor decisions. It didn't happen.

Throw in Duke's dynamic defense and it was a recipe for a blowout.

"We shot a lot better tonight than we've been doing lately, but we still won this game with defense and rebounding," Duke senior Jon Scheyer told the Raleigh News & Observer. "We gave it everything we had on defense and they're definitely not an easy team to try to contain."

With a night like that, it's no wonder the Blue Devils are 6.5-point favorites to beat Butler on Monday. They'll have advantages in size and depth. And if they limit their turnovers like they did against West Virginia, the Bulldogs may be in for a long night.

However, it may be a bit much to expect Duke to play as well as it did Saturday. That was a game for ages, on both sides of the ball.

"I've watched a lot of tape. I haven't seen them play that well," Huggins said. "And we didn't play very well. And, you know, that happens."

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

There are enough odd stats from Butler's 52-50 win against Michigan State that years from now you'll think back and wonder, "Wow. I watched that?"

The Bulldogs made just 30.6 percent of their shots (35.7 eFG%) and was 5 of 21 from beyond the arc. And this one from The Mid-Majority blows my mind: 595 teams won games on neutral courts in 09-10. Only two shot worse than Butler did tonight.

MSU? Not great, but better – 42.9 percent (47.6 eFG%) and 4 of 11 beyond the arc. Neither were better than .9 points per possession.

At one point, Butler didn't hit a shot for nearly 11 minutes.

The Spartans committed turnovers on 27.6 percent of their possessions and hit just 10 of 18 free throws. They attempted just 42 shots, tied for third least in Final Four history.

They also became the fifth team that failed to top 60 vs. Butler during the tournament.

Best perhaps the most telling tidbit from the game isn't even a state. Call it the creepy coincidence, with a hint of fate. Cue the AP story:

Although the Bulldogs are no plucky underdog, there's no doubting the connections between "Hoosiers" and Butler's magical run. In the movie, the final score was 42-40. The actual Milan final score — 32-30.

And Saturday night, 52-50, extending the nation's best winning streak to 25 — and counting.

Seriously, what's with that score? The first's from a high school game in the 1950s, the second from a movie and the third we just watched.

I offer no explanations, just the tidbit. And will now be on the lookout for a 62-60 championship game.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Every fan of Indiana, Purdue – not to mention Butler – must shake their head in disgust every time they see the Plumlee boys, Miles and Mason, playing for Duke.

The Warsaw, Ind., natives are the type of player every school covets, but are the key to a team like the Hoosiers returning to the Final Four. Gotta retain that in-state talent.

Then again, Indiana and everyone else in the Hoosier state never had a chance.

This excellent story from the N.Y. Times' Thayer Evans Kevin Armstrong details why the Plumlee brothers left Warsaw Community High after the 2006 season for a prep school in Arden, N.C., in the name of furthering their basketball development.

It's worked out very well for the Plumlees, who both come off the bench in key roles for the Devils, and figure to start next season.

"I'm not sure I would be at Duke if I never went down there," Mason told the Times. "I had a great high school experience."

But it caused much consternation among the school's officials, the townspeople and the coach, Doug Ogle, who didn't provide the Plumlees the playing time they desired. To be fair, he had talent – his team is 42-6 the last two seasons – and did what he thought best.

"I think we did right by them when you consider most of their basketball development was done in our system," Ogle told the Times. "I don't want to come off as bitter. I'm happy for them and how everything has worked out."

Ask the Hoosier state about that.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

You're watching the game. Your team's leading by 10 with five minutes left. Can you turn it off?

The correct answer is no. Why would you turn off the game? What's the matter with you, anyway? Not only could your team lose, but why would you stop watching? Ah. Well, next time, allow more leeway between appointments.

OK then, how confident can you be that your team will win that game?

It's the eternal question, right? (And one to which non-basketball fans would love an answer. Those final minutes can take a while.)

You could turn to Bill James, he of baseball Sabermetrics fame and a lifelong Kansas Jayhawks fan. His handy calculator tells you that a 10-point lead with five minutes remaining is only 19 percent "safe." That is, if you leave, there's an awfully good chance your team blows that lead.

Yet … that calculator didn't quite satisfy Ken Pomeroy, one of college hoops' preeminent statisticians, and with good reason. The calculator doesn't take into account which team was supposed to win the first place.

Fair point. Rutgers leading Syracuse by 10 with five minutes remaining is far more perilous than if Syracuse had the lead. You'd expect the Orange to make a rally, and wouldn't expect the Scarlet Knights to do the same, right? So he's crunched the numbers in games featuring teams of equal strength and accounted for just how often those leads held up, etc.

As an example, there were 76 times that a team led by four with ten minutes to go in the first half. Those teams won 56.6% of the time. We can't take that number literally because teams with a 5-point lead at that time had a winning percentage of 67.2, which is a larger difference than is logical. So some smoothing of the data had to be applied, then some logistic regression, and finally I got a table of values that makes sense.

Thus, Ken's produced a table that offers in-game win probabilities that includes pre-game information. (Word of warning: He says he's still fine-tuning it as it doesn't take pace into account.)

Take a second look at that 10-point lead with five minutes remaining. According to Ken's table, there's a 94 percent chance your team wins.

A little more comforting, right?

Even Billy Packer's famous call during the Kansas-North Carolina game in 2008 Final Four becomes a little less outlandish. According to this table, UNC had a 5 percent chance of winning. That made the Heels' chances slightly better than this.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Perhaps you read that Butler attracted 25,000 fans for its pre-Final Four practice on Friday. It's a massive number for an hour-long shoot-around, but speaks to how much Indianapolis has embraced its local team.

Considering it was a glorious 77 degrees outside, that 25K is even more impressive. Who wants to be inside on a day like that?

Butler fans weren't the only ones filling Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indy streets, however. Fans from Duke, West Virginia and Michigan State spent Friday and Saturday (once the rain vanished Saturday morning) amping themselves for the evening's main attraction. The games.

However, it leaves those of us not in Indy wanting. Thankfully, we have The Mid-Majority.

Kyle Whelliston's rundown of the day before the Final Four has it all: words to set the scene, photos, attitude, memorabilia and a sense of the nightlife, particularly from the Butler fans (like you'd expect anything else).

And it closes with a hint of Butler glory. Observe:

Standing on the periphery of Butler's campus, on the eve of the school's latest greatest moment in a string of greatest moments, I realized the truth. Butler has everybody fooled. The writers, the TV people, the casual fans, Michigan State, everybody. Underdogs? Sure. The little guy? They'll give you the story you want to hear, and then they'll beat you with the rolled-up paper it's printed on. Metaphorically, of course.

"This basketball team has changed everything here," she continued. "It's brought this whole campus together. The frat boys love this team, the theater geeks love them. Students paying $40,000 a year love them, and so do the ones on academic scholarship. These guys are just so adorable, nobody can help it."

I departed back to our TMM headquarters at the Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Airport. And on Saturday morning, a dark blue sky gave way to a canopy as white as milk. The scheme was unmistakable, the exact colors destined to rule the city of Indianapolis later that night. This was an omen, it just had to be.

Maybe Kyle's right. If he is, the next two days are sure to be one big Butler party.

And that's something I can't wait to see…er, read about.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Winning a basketball game, college or pro, usually comes down to winning the four factors: effective field goal percentage, turnover percentage, offensive rebounding percentage and free-throw rate.

Those four areas are the backbone to determining a team's efficiency and the underlying quality of a team's offense and defense. In other words, it's helpful when you're wondering just how good a team really is. As an added bonus, the four factors help a person see how well a team plays without the ball.

The factors aren't weighted equally, though. According to Dean Oliver, shooting is by far the most important factor, followed by turnovers, rebounding and free throws.

(Many, many more details about the four factors can be found here.)

Got all that? Good.

Because you'll want to read this post from The Audacity of Hoops, which does a predictive four factors for the Final Four. In other words, it's a tempo-free prediction of Saturday's games.

The prediction? Butler beats Michigan State because the Spartans commit too many turnovers, while Duke beats West Virginia because the Mountaineers can't shoot.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Editor's note: Dave Ommen, our resident Bracketologist and the brains behind Bracketville, is in Indianapolis for the Final Four, writing and doing features for NBCSports.com. Here are his Final Four picks. You can find more at Bracketville.

By Dave Ommen

Maybe it's because the Mountaineers toppled Kentucky in the East Region final. Maybe it's because the Spartans are down a key player and the Bulldogs are considered a mid-major by most standards. Maybe it's because Duke is often a polarizing team among fans.  Whatever the reason, visitors to Bracketville tabbed West Virginia (44 percent) as the favorite to cut down the nets in Indianapolis on Monday night. WVU was followed by Duke (32 percent), Michigan State (16 percent), and Butler (8 percent). 

The one common denominator among the last four standing – defense. You can't listen to a commentary and not hear the word defense mentioned.  We credited West Virginia's 1-3-1 zone with disrupting Kentucky's offense. Duke puts a lot of pressure on the ball and has size around the basket as back-up. Tom Izzo demands that his Michigan State team commit to defense. All Butler has done is hold its NCAA opponents to 59 points or less. This in mind … here's a quick preview of what to expect at Lucas Oil Stadium:

Butler vs. Michigan State

A great matchup of two teams who prefer to play half-court. Safe to say, the game could very well be decided in the 50s. Most likely, it'll come down to two or three possessions. The Spartans thrive on rebounding. Butler out-rebounded Kansas State despite a disparity in size. Repeating that task against MSU won't be easy. It's not critical for the Bulldogs to outrebound the Spartans, but Butler can't get destroyed on the offensive glass. Second-chance points will be at a premium for both teams. If Ronald Norad can keep Durrell Summers in check on the perimeter – MSU could have trouble scoring. The other key is Korie Lucious. Butler forces turnovers by clogging passing lanes and playing physical chest-to-chest defense on the perimeter. So who wins? Gut says Michigan State finds a way; heart says Butler earns the right to play for a national championship. 
The pick? Butler with a last-possession defensive stand.

West Virginia vs. Duke

As you may have noticed in our final 2010 Bracket Projection, West Virginia was the final No. 1 seed, Duke a No. 2 seed. Does that mean West Virginia is favored here? Not necessarily. The Mountaineers – in my opinion – accomplished a tad more than Duke in the regular season, thus the No. 1 seed projection. Once the ball is tipped, however, none of that matters. Both teams excel at offensive rebounding, so that stat-line bears watching.  Duke beat Baylor largely because of second-chance points down the stretch. West Virginia gave up 22 offensive boards to Kentucky, but won because the Wildcats missed a lot of shots. Duke has a little more firepower on offense than West Virginia, and it's hard to imagine the Blue Devils missing as many shots as Kentucky did against the zone. 
The pick?  Duke makes a couple of extra shots late and advances.

Championship:  Butler vs. Duke

A classic matchup between a college basketball program on the rise and one that's been consistently good for decades. Much like Syracuse and Kansas State, Duke has technical advantages at most positions. They also have a Hall-of-Fame coach. But … sometimes none of that matters. Sometimes, it's about the right team at the right time in the right place.  Would there be a more compelling story than Butler winning the national championship in its home city? So I'll go with Butler to cut down the nets.  

Enjoy the games. I'll be in Indy and you can follow along on Twitter. 

We'll have a very early look at the 2011 tournament field on Monday.

Dave Ommen's also on Twitter. Follow him at @BracketguyDave or check his blog, Bracketville.

Butler's got a fan in Bruce Pearl.

Tennessee's coach – who was at Wisconsin-Milwaukee for four years and took the Panthers to the 2005 Sweet 16 – ID's himself as a fan of the Bulldogs for two reasons: He's rooting for the hometown team and the Horizon League ties are compelling him.

Can't hold that against him. There are worse reasons to cheer for a team…

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

Duke (33-5) vs. West Virginia (31-6), 8:47 p.m. on CBS

These are not your older brother's Duke Blue Devils.

No sir.

This is not a finesse team. These Blue Devils don't have five guards on the floor. They aren't going to live and die by the three. The 2010 version of Duke is a tough, physical group. The Devils defend and they hit the offensive glass hard.

Would you believe me if I told you that the key player on this team is Brian Zoubek? For three and a half seasons, Zoubek was a running joke. A top 25 recruit, Zoubek flopped more than Greg Paulus. My six-year-old nephew was stronger with the ball. I don't think he understood the concept of a post move. He still doesn't, but over the last 15 or so games of the season, Zoubek has developed into one of the country's best rebounders. He's always been big, but he's developed an aggressive streak. He goes to the offensive glass hard, he sets screens like a brick wall (ask Chris Kramer, who got knocked out by a Zoubek screen), and he's good for a couple of buckets every game.

Zoubek isn't the only capable big man that Duke has either. Lance Thomas and the Plumlee brothers are all strong, athletic, and capable of getting an offensive rebound or blocking a shot.

And Duke will need each one of them when they go up against the Mountaineers. If there is one thing that you can count on with a Bob Huggins coached team, it is physicality. The Mountaineers have, at any given time, four combo forwards on the floor, all of whom are . 6-7 to 6-9. They're all aggressive going to the glass, and all capable of hitting a perimeter jumper. Duke can rebound, but they are certainly going to have their work cut out for them Saturday.

The key matchup in this game is going to be West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler. He usually plays the two-guard spot, and it is going to create a matchup problem both ways. Whether he is guarded by Jon Scheyer or Nolan Smith, he is going to have a size and strength advantage. Huggins isn't afraid to use Butler in the post, and his height advantage allows him to shoot over smaller defenders.

It works the other way, too. Butler is not as quick as Smith or Scheyer. If WVU decides to go man he is going to be matched up with one of them, because you might not see thaqt much zone from the Mountaineers. The zone worked against Kentucky because they were able to pack their defense in and dare Kentucky to shoot it from the perimeter, and one thing I can guarantee is that Duke won't miss their first 20 3- pointers. The combination of Scheyer, Smith, and Kyle Singler is really good. They can all shoot, put the ball on the floor, and pass. If the 'Eers do go to a zone, they need to make a concerted effort on closing out long while cutting down driving lanes.

The X-factors for West Virginia are Kevin Jones and Wellington Smith. They are essentially the four and the five, and while neither really has much of a back to the basket game, what makes them so dangerous is their ability on the perimeter. Both are better than average shooters, which means that whoever is matched up on them (Zoubek, a Plumlee, Thomas) is going to need to defend them on the perimeter. If they do, that opens up rebounding lanes -- and we all know how good WVU is going to the glass.

Two factors that will be talked about at length that I, personally, don't see being a huge issue is Truck Bryant and Singler. Bryant has a broken bone in his foot, but there is a chance that he could actually see time during the Final Four. If he does, I doubt he is going to be much of a factor. No matter what kind of orthotic you have put in your shoe, a broken bone is a broken bone. And if he doesn't play, well, we all saw what Joe Mazzulla is capable of.

As far as Singler goes, he has a tendency to struggle against players his size with his mobility, which is just about 75 percent of the WVU roster. I don't expect him to be much of a factor.

This is going to be a great basketball game. It won't be that aesthetically pleasing, and I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up somewhere in the low 60s. But what you will see are two well-coached teams that play physical basketball and really compete hard.

I hope there is a lot of ice in Indianapolis, because these kids will need it Saturday night.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

Butler (32-4) vs. Michigan State (28-8), 6:07 p.m. ET on CBS

Based strictly on seeding -- that pesky little number always showing up next to the team names -- Michigan State and Butler should probably not be playing in the Final Four.

How quickly we forget that these two teams were picked by many back in October to be Final Four teams.

Butler struggled early against some of the better teams that it faced, and it led many people to write off the Bulldogs -- myself included. They were too small, they didn't have the athleticism to matchup with the power conference teams, and they play in the Horizon League. As much love as we give mid-majors programs here, there is a reason they are mid-major programs. Butler is a great basketball program, but they aren't going to be landing any McDonald's All-Americans. They aren't going to be churning out lottery picks. The way Butler is going to win games is by maximizing the talent that they do get into their program.

But don't fool yourself into thinking that Butler lacks talent.

Gordon Hayward is going to play in the NBA one day. A 6-foot-9 two-guard with his skill set is going to get a shot somewhere, and he may even sneak into the back end of the lottery when he finally decides to go pro. Matt Howard was recruited by a number of Big Ten schools. He didn't end up at Butler, he chose Butler. Shelvin Mack is a Lexington, Ky., native who drew interest from some high-majors and slipped through the cracks. I think he's certified himself as an Adam Dunn special -- one of the guys that the big schools whiffed on.

While Butler does have talent, the key to its team is it doesn't rely on that talent to win. What Butler does is play arguably the nation's toughest half court defense, forcing you out of your comfort zone offensively, finishing off possessions by clearing the defensive glass. There may not be a better perimeter defender left in the tournament than Ronald Nored (if you don't believe me, go back and watch the struggles of talents like Randy Culpepper, Andy Rautins, Jacob Pullen, and Denis Clemente when they played Butler).

Then look at a guy like Willie Veasley. At 6-3, he essentially plays the small forward spot for Butler most of the time, but he was the one that drew the assignment of helping Nored slow down Kansas State's backcourt in the Elite Elite. Anyone that saw that game would attest -- he did an exemplary job.

Michigan State, for much of the season, was the exact opposite of Butler. While it didn't exactly have NBA potential littering their roster like Kentucky, there are more than a couple guys on this team that will get a shot at making an NBA roster. During the season, these guys just didn't live up to their potential. So while the inconsistent play of Durrell Summers and Raymar Morgan and Kalin Lucas made everyone in the country temper their expectations for Sparty, it in effect made us forget just how good they really are. Remember, this is a team that returned a lot of important players from a team that was the national runner-up.

And in typical Tom Izzo fashion, Michigan State saved its best for the tournament. Summers -- the Midwest Region MOP -- was outstanding, averaging 20.0 ppg through the first two weekends. He was knocking down jumpers, getting to the basket, and turned into the Spartans best player in the clutch. Morgan has been playing like the tough, talented combo forward we all knew he could be. Delvon Roe, balky knee and all, has been active on the offensive glass. Draymond Green has done everything your glue guy and team leader is expected to do. Remember who set up both of Michigan State's game winners in this tournament?

There are a number of areas that can decide this game.

Michigan State is a very good rebounding team and Butler will have to keep them off the offensive glass. The Spartans are going to have to find a way to slow down Mack and Hayward. Howard has been foul prone all season, and while Andrew Smith performed valiantly on Saturday against K-State, Butler probably doesn't want to have to rely on another performance like that.

But where this game will be decided is with Korie Lucious. As we mentioned, Butler's back court is very, very good defensively. The Bulldogs can pressure the ball and make it difficult for your guards to be able to do anything on the offensive end. Lucious has not been great in his limited time at the point this year. He is a bit undersized, more of a natural scorer than a pure point guard, and as Izzo has said, has a little street ball in him. He has shown a tendency to turn the ball over when faced with pressure, and you better believe that Brad Stevens will have his players getting all over Lucious.

One thing you can be sure of is Izzo's ability to game-plan and to diagram sets that can be effective. If Lucious is able to perform against that pressure and get the Spartans into these sets, Michigan State is going to be in a very good position. If he can't, than Michigan State may not break 60 points, like each of Butler's last six opponents.

So who wins out? The team missing their star but led by Izzo, or the team on a 24-game winning streak playing in their home city?

Expect a dogfight that ends with a coaching chess match.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Duke coach Mike Krzyewski's been a target of hate among college hoops fans for some time.

To reinforce that notion, the Indianapolis Star ran an illustration in some of Friday's editions featuring Coach K with horns and a target drawn on his head. Guess everyone needed a reminder that the Devils aren't liked. (The paper has since apologized for the illustration.)

Whether you approve of the illustration or think hating Duke is now passé, there's no debate about Krzyzewski's place n college hoops history. Few have ever done it better.

And really, that can't be said enough because unless Tom Izzo maintains his remarkable pace for reaching Final Fours, it's going to be tough to match what Coach K's done.

His overall record – 35 seasons, 867 wins, 12 ACC titles, 11 Final Fours and three national titles – is gaudy. And consider his NCAA tournament records. He's 76-22 in the Big Dance and has won 78 percent of the time, best among all active coaches and 11^th all-time in terms of win percentage (no coach has more NCAA tourney victories).

Coach K's NCAA tournament streaks

Year   Record   Seed   NCAA finish
1986    37-3     1         Runner-up (5-1)
  87     24-9      5         Sweet 16 (2-1)
  88     28-7      2         Final 4 (4-1)
  89     28-2      2         Final 4 (4-1)
  90     29-9      3         Runner-up (5-1)
  91     32-7      2         Champion (6-0)
  92     34-2      1         Champion (6-0)
  93     24-8      3         2nd round (1-1)
  94     28-6      2         Runner-up (5-1

1997    24-9      2        2nd round (1-1)
  98     32-4      1        Elite Eight (3-1)
  99     37-2      1         Runner-up (5-1)
  00     29-5      1         Sweet 16 (2-1)
  01     35-4      1         Champion (6-0)
  02     31-4      1         Sweet 16 (2-1)
  03     26-7      3         Sweet 16 (2-1)
  04     31-6      1         Final 4 (4-1)
  05     27-6      1         Sweet 16 (2-1)
  06     31-4      1         Sweet 16 (2-1)

Yes, this was his first Final Four since 2004. Only with Coach K could that be seen as some sort of failure. Even if he loses Saturday and doesn't win an NCAA tournament game for the next six years, he'd still have a better win percentage in the Big Dance than Dean Smith.

What about this nugget? Coach K was 38-9 in the tourney when Duke played in seven Final Fours between 1986 and 1994 (and was only a No. 1 seed twice). That's as many NCAA tournament victories as Rick Pitino has and three more victories than Izzo. And both of them have won at least 73 percent of their tournament games!

Even when the Blue Devils became a de-facto No. 1 seed in the late '90s and through the mid-2000s – eight times in nine years – they still weren't choking every year. They were 29-9 in that span, meeting or exceeding their seed three times.

Perhaps Duke will win it all this season and Coach K's status will go up another notch.

Or maybe the Devils will lose and he'll have to content himself with a stellar season and the likely No. 1 team entering next season.

Love him or hate him, you have to give him his due.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

West Virginia may be the future of college hoops.

The Mountaineers are two wins away from laying claim to the 2010 NCAA tournament title by using a host of long-armed, athletic players, mostly between 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-9, who all play defense and rebound.

And win.

Adam Hunger / Reuters

With defense like this, how can teams beat West Virginia?

Yes, it sounds like the recipe for a Tom Izzo team, but the Mountaineers have taken to a different level in terms of size and player versatility. Part of that's because they don't shoot very well. Yet when you grab more than 40 percent of your missed shots, sub-par shooting becomes a virtue. (Almost.)

It may seem strange that just a year after North Carolina ran to a title to be talking about how defense and rebounding is the future. Forget that. Everyone will still seek out the top talent, yet the teams that limit their mistakes and emphasize effort (defense, rebounding) will win out. Those are two of the main reasons why these four teams are in the Final Four.

"We know how we need to play to win," said Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins. "We've got to play to our strengths rather than show everyone all the things we can't do."

Those strengths have been on full display for the past month, which has coincided with West Virginia's 10-game win streak and its first Final Four berth since 1959.

If those strengths result in a national championship, expect more coaches to try and copy the Mountaineers' style.

Then again, some teams already look like West Virginia.

Tennessee displayed similar size (and rebounded like the Mountaineers during the tournament, too) and defensive versatility, whether it was 6-7 Scotty Hopson running the offense, 6-7 J.P. Prince making defensive stops or 6-9 Wayne Chism blocking shots and rebounding.

Kansas State trotted out Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels and Wally Judge, all of whom could be mistaken for someone on the Mountaineers' roster.

Baylor, San Diego State, Old Dominion all had tall, reasonably athletic frontlines which hit the offensive glass to a fair amount of success. And imagine what North Carolina would've been like this year without its knack for offensive rebounding. (Roy Williams shudders at the thought.)

Those teams all feature decent size, but height isn't always the determining factor in rebounding and defense (though it's difficult to overcome and have consistent success). Washington and Villanova both have average-sized lineups, yet grab offensive boards and play defense at a rate that belies any lack of height.

What happens when a versatile, undersized team has a star playing on it? Well, then you have Ohio State, a team which focused on the defensive glass instead. But you get the idea.

I know what you're saying: A focus on defense and rebounding seems like the Big Ten! And I hate watching the Big Ten! To which I say: Tough. For one, only Michigan State is doing what West Virginia is doing, namely playing defense and hitting the offensive glass at a prodigious rate. Also, give it a rest about defense and slow play. It's all basketball.

We're to the point where it no longer makes sense to trot out a less-than-effective player simply because they look like a power forward or they look like a point guard. Most coaches are past that and just want their best five on the floor. That's what Huggins is doing and why losing point guard Truck Bryant didn't derail a Final Four run. There's no use in longing over what you don't have.

After all, a lack of height – or an athletic budget – didn't stop Butler.

The Bulldogs' average height is 6-4, which ranks 328 among D-I teams. Yet the defense is just was just as efficient as Kansas' or Temple's this season, and better than West Virginia's. Rebounding should have been an issue, but wasn't (at least on defense). It's not a coincidence that Butler's guards were able to play several positions and do a little bit of everything well. (OK, having Gordon Hayward helps, as does the Bulldogs' shooting.)

Yet if there's a team that needed an influx of defense and rebounding to reach the Final Four, it was Duke. The Devils don't lack for success – some would say they've had too much already – but in recent years they carried a "soft" label, mostly because of their lack of post players and reliance on perimeter shooting. The Devils still rely on the 3, but finally have post players again.

Center Brian Zoubek leads the nation in offensive rebound percentage, while the Plumlee brothers, Miles and Mason, are athletic, skilled players with size. The result? Another Final Four.

"Our team totally wants to rebound and play defense," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said Thursday. "It's much different than some Duke teams of the past. But they've accepted what they are, which is good, and they've tried to become better at who they are."

The Devils are favored to cut down the nets, and with two top-flight guards playing next season – Kyrie Irving and Seth Curry – they will probably be ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls.

Yet I wouldn't be surprised if teams take a page from what Huggins – and Izzo, of course – are doing. Emphasizing defense and rebounding may not always be pretty, but it wins. And it's the best way to maximize a player's ability, especially if they're still developing their skills. Both are mostly a function of effort, not skill.

Some will be better at rebounding and defense than others, and some will still rely on offense (doing both well would be best, of course) to beat opponents. Yet what happens when those shots don't fall, or you can't get that go who scores 25 every night? You make the other team's life miserable. You hit the boards and don't allow any easy shots.

It's the future. You'll see.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Those making the trip to Indianapolis will probably spend most of their time at two spots: their hotel and Lucas Oil Stadium, site of the Final Four.

But why should that derail your Indianapolis fun? Let the good folks at The Mid-Majority take you on a tour of the city's hot spots. Best part? If you can't make it, this is the perfect chance to pretend like you're there!

And it's supposed to be in the 70s Friday and Saturday. Welcome to the city, indeed.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

We knew that John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson were going to be leaving school after this season. Wall and Cousins are the reason the types of players for whom the one-and-done rule was created. Patterson will graduate at the end of this semester. What does he have left to come back for?

Eric Bledsoe has been considered near a lock to enter the draft for some time now -- he said it's "a good possibility" while Kentucky was in Syracuse for the tournament. Bledsoe is likely going to be projected as a lottery pick as well, meaning that it makes sense for him to leave.

Then we have Daniel Orton. Over the last week or so, it has become clear that Orton intends to enter the draft. Orton, in a refreshingly candid and honest moment, said "You know, if I'm a lottery pick, it's something I have to think about. ... More than anything, it's money. In this world, there's only one color that matters, and that's green. If that's an option, then that's real important. I've got to (explore) that option." His father has said he is going pro, and Kentucky Sports Radio believes he may even be leaving Lexington this weekend to move to L.A. to train.

But there's more. During the McDonald's All-American game, Draft Express tweeted "DeMarcus Cousins here in Columbus. Apparently saying Darnell Dodson is declaring for draft & that Cal told him only 4 UK players returning." KSR didn't exactly confirm this, but they did say "I would be surprised to see Darnell Dodson on the team next season. ... I do not believe the actual reason is due to a decision to declare for the NBA Draft, regardless of what is said. I think it is more likely an internal team issue and if Dodson is not on the team next season (and at this point it is still an "if"), that is the reason why."

Factor in the three seniors -- Perry Stevenson, Mark Krebs, and Ramon Harris -- and UK will be losing nine players next season, including essentially the entire group that some considered the best recruiting class of all time.

So where does that leave Kentucky?

With just four players left on the roster, John Calipari will have his work cut out for him just to get 13 scholarships filled. Those four are Jon Hood (who was considering transferring himself earlier in the season), Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins, and Josh Harrellson. Calipari has also already gotten commitments from Stacey Poole and Enes Kanter (a five-star recruit who may very well be facing a suspension next season for playing with professionals in his native Turkey), which gives him six players.

All hope is not loss for Kentucky. They do have John Calipari and they are still in the mix for kids like Brandon Knight, Josh Selby, Terrence Ross, CJ Leslie, and Luke Cothron.

But it raises the question - is it really worth it? Do you really want to bring in five kids that are going to stay for just one season before going pro? Even at Memphis, when Calipari had quite a bit of roster turnover, he was still bringing back a lot of key pieces each season.

I'm not one of those people who is going to rail against early entry to the NBA Draft. I don't necessarily like the one-and-done rule, but it isn't because I don't think these kids should be allowed to go pro. In fact, I think that the four freshmen and Patterson should go to the NBA. If you are going to be a top 15-20 pick, and you want the guaranteed money, leave. You can always go back and get an education. Why cut another year out of your earning potential when you can start making a life-changing amount of money right now?

I'm sure many are going to end up question Calipari for bringing in this many one-and-dones. And while I agree that it is not the best way to build a program, think about this -- who else is he supposed to bring in? Cal is known as one of the great recruiters in the country. If he is going to be going after the best players in the country, then he -- and the fans -- needs to realize that he is going after guys that don't have a college basketball national title as a goal.

He's bringing in guys that want to make the league. And if one moderately successful season in college is enough to get them a guaranteed contract, who are we to complain?

Calipari's doing his job. He's bringing the best players he can into the Kentucky program, and he's doing the best job he can to get them prepared for the career they want to pursue.

Now think about this. Cal now has a proven track record of success in getting his players drafted, particularly the one-and-dones.

Doesn't that make him more appealing as a coach if you are a recruit that does, in fact, want to be a one-and-done player?

Almost a year ago to the day, Calipari was hired at Kentucky. He rebuilt the entire roster for last season.

Who's to say he can't do it again?

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Troy Machir

On expansion: Dana O'Neil, Gary Parrish, Mike DeCourcy. But could it actually be a bad business move?

- More funny business going on at Binghampton

- SO this is what a college basketball BCS would look like

- Isiah wants to coach at DePaul. In other news, I feel the need to vomit

- It looks like Tubby will stay in Minnesota afterall

- Wake Forest's Al-Farouq Aminu declares for the draft

- I sure would. But then again I'm not a coach, GM or owner

- Houston hires James Dickey

- The people at DraftExpress do good work: full highlights from the McDonald's H.S. Dunk Contest

- Oh great, ANOTHER banner or the Dean-dome. Like UNC seriously needs any more.

- Not everybody hates the Dukies this year

- A quick look at the list of who is staying and who is going

Jimmy Chitwood and the rest of "The Hooisers" embrace Butler's run- Unfortunately, this whole tournament expansion thing wasn't just a big April Fools prank

- The NCAA doesn't care how we feel

- Cornell's Louis Dale is named Collegeinsider.com's NMMMVP

- What team has the most important starting five

- This is the first time I've heard of Jim Delany but I already don't like him.

You can find more of Troy's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @BIAHtheTrizzle.

The Final Four's no sure thing for teams, or for fans. Unless you scalp tickets or get 'em through the school, fans apply for tickets nearly a year in advance through the NCAA.

Fans pay first -- next year's prices range from $160 to $200 -- and wait to see if they're one of the lottery winners. (Non-winners receive refunds.) Then you wait to see if your team actually makes the Final Four.

Unless you're Sean Skarshaug. Then you wait for Michigan State to meet you there.

Skarshaug, a resident of Traverse City, Mich., and 1992 MSU grad, has won the Final Four lottery four times. And each time, the Spartans fan has gotten to see Tom Izzo's squad play for the title, according to this story from the Detroit Free Press. (He didn't win two other times Izzo's been to the Final Four, in 1999 and 2005.)

As far as Skarshaug's concerned, whenever he wins the lottery, it's "fate." Now he's hoping the same applies to Michigan State.

"I think that as long as Izzo is on the sideline," Skarshaug said, "anything is possible."

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Embrace your inner silly. Butler did, yo.

And it's enough to make Jay-Z envious. (Kidding. It is April Fools'.)

Today's nod to The Mid-Majority covers "Too Big Yo," the instant rap classic by Butler's Gordon Hayward. Not a classic, you say? Pish. Why else would it warrant a "Too Big Yo" roundtable to discuss its lyrics and style?

If Butler cuts down the nets on Monday night, it's sure to rule the airwaves. Don't you want to talk it up with the other cool kids next week?

And no, the Mike Miller involved in the roundtable is not yours truly. Nor am I the Mike Miller who plays for the Washington Wizards or the Mike Miller who coaches at Eastern Illinois, among others. Or maybe I am. It is the first of April.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Can Kyle Singler be consistent enough to beat West Virginia?

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

DUKE BLUE DEVILS

Star: Can you really decipher between the big three on Duke? All three average between 17.4 ppg and 18.2 ppg. Kyle Singler was an All-American last year. Jon Scheyer was this year. Dollars to donuts, Nolan Smith will be an All-American next year. Singler is going to have a tough matchup against West Virginia, but the Mountaineers are going to have a tough time matching up with Scheyer and Smith, as they only have one real guard on the court at any given time.

Unheralded Hero: For three and a half years, Brian Zoubek was a running joke. Soft, slow, un-athletic, uncoordinated. But something clicked midway through this season. The 7-footer is now a rebounding machine, a tough SOB on in the paint that isn't scared to drop an elbow or set a menacing screen. Duke has become one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country, and Zoubek is the biggest reason why.

How they got here: Duke smoked both Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Cal during the first weekend. Against Purdue in the Sweet 16, the Blue Devils got off to a sloppy start, but turned it on in the second half as they out-toughed one of the country's toughest teams. In the Elite Eight against Baylor, Duke pulled away late. While some credit it to a shady call on a charge against Quincy Acy (drawn by Zoubek, who else), it actuality it was four offensive rebounds that led to three threes and a three-point play down the stretch.

Three reasons they can win it all:

Perimeter play: As I mentioned, Duke's three perimeter guys are fantastic. There is a reason Duke is the most efficient offensive team in the country. West Virginia, whether it goes man or zone, is going to have a tough time defending Duke's three perimeter guys. They can't go zone. Scheyer, Smith, and Singler are just too good. They all can shoot, and all three are capable of putting the ball on the floor, getting into the paint and making a play. If the Mountaineers go man-to-man, Duke is still going to have an advantage. One of West Virginia's four forwards is going to have to defend either Scheyer or Smith. Can they?

Toughness: This isn't your typical Duke team. This is a tough group of guys. They defend and they rebound. Ask Baylor. The Blue Devils got 23 offensive rebounds against the big, athletic front line of the Bears. Ask Purdue, Cal, or Arkansas Pine-Bluff, who combined to score 154 points against the Blue Devils. Ask Chris Kramer, who was knocked out by a Zoubek screen. With guys like Zoubek, Lance Thomas, and the Plumlees, Duke is bigger and more athletic than they have been in a long time.

Mental Toughness: It's not just physical toughness either. Duke has been run through the ringer this season. From the typical "Duke is overrated" storyline to the idea that they couldn't win on the road. They are hated in everyone arena they play in. They have dealt with tragedy -- Andre Dawkins' sister died this season. And Smith is on a mission to win a title in the same city his father won one 30 years ago. The pressure of a Final Four doesn't seem like it will register to this team.

Three reasons they won't:

Singler's inconsistency: Singler has not had a bad season, but he has definitely regressed from where he was last year. While some of it is a result of the emergence of Smith and Scheyer as stars, a big reason has been his move to the perimeter exclusively. Singler excelled at the four, where he was quicker than most of the people that would defend him. But he struggles when he has to go against players with a similar physical profile. West Virginia is chock full of those players. Butler and Michigan State both have guys that match up very well with Singler. If he has another performance like he did against Baylor, and Smith and Scheyer don't combine for 49 points, Duke could be in trouble.

Playing the bad guy: Duke is always going to be the enemy. Coach K is always going to be the enemy. That's what you sign up for when you decide to play for the Blue Devils. In each of their Final Four games, every fan not wearing blue will be cheering against the Dukies.

Pressure on the back court: Duke struggled in the first half against Purdue. They held the Boilermakers to just 23 points, but could only muster 24. As tough and physical as Duke's front court is, their back court can be pressured and pushed around. If you get them uncomfortable, they miss shots. If they are missing shots, Duke is very beatable.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

The possible probable certain NCAA tournament expansion is no longer just being bandied about by college hoops writers and pundits. Not after NCAA officials actually discussed expansion plans at length during Thursday's introductory press conference to the Final Four.

And it wasn't pretty.

It fell to Greg Shaheen, the NCAA's senior vice president of basketball and business strategies, to explain the why the expansion is needed (money, though it was never explicitly said) and how it'll be handled. Shaheen said many expansion plans were covered, but only three will be considered from this point until a decision is reached July 31: the current 65-team field, a 68-team field and a 96-team field.

If it does go to 96, here's how the rough schedule:

The model that has been talked about a great deal, the 96-team model, looks as follows: .
It starts on the same day. Technically speaking it starts two days later than the current championship because it would eliminate the opening round game. Rather than starting on Tuesday, it would start on Thursday. Start at the same time as the current championship does. It would conclude on the same day. It would conclude on Monday that the current championship does, as well.

If you're confused by that graf, there's good reason. Shaheen didn't cover the second week, when games would now be added on Tuesday and Wednesday, then continue as normal through Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That's 10 days of tournament games in an 11-day span.

It's a ton of games – and not much time for school. Enter writer John Feinstein, who exchanged a series of back-and-forth questions one writer compared to Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First" routine. There's a complete transcript here, but the highlights are below.

Q. Greg, you laid out in great detail the travel schedule for the first week. Just so I'm sure I have it right, you're going to play the round of 64 Saturday/Sunday, correct?
GREG SHAHEEN: Uh-huh.

Q. You and I miss nuances a lot. Thank you.
BOB WILLIAMS: Next question, please.

Yeesh. I think Tyler Durden probably should've given Shaheen a few tips on how to handle questions like that. It might've gone more smoothly.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Brian Snyder / Reuters Can Kevin Jones and West Virginia reach the mountain top?

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS

Star: As good as Joe Mazzulla was against Kentucky, the star of this West Virginia team is Da'Sean Butler, as he kind of embodies what they are all about. Butler isn't flashy. He isn't a great athlete, he doesn't handle the ball well, and his jumper is pretty ugly. But it all works, he gets the job done. And Butler can really do it all; he's one of those guys that isn't great at any one thing, but is pretty good at just about everything. He can defend multiple positions, he can hit a three, he can slash to the rim, and he can get on the boards. Oh, and something about game-winning shots?

Unheralded Hero: The obvious answer is Mazzulla, but Mazzulla had to go and have an awesome game on Saturday, scoring 17 points against Kentucky and winning the East Region MOP. The other answer is Wellington Smith. Of West Virginia's four starting forwards, Smith is the one that gets the least fanfare. Smith is a versatile forward, and given his girth he usually ends up defending an opponent's biggest player with the 'Eers decide to go man. He rebounds well, especially on the offensive end of the floor. But perhaps his most valuable skill is the ability to knock down a three. Because he often is guarded an opponent's big man, he draws the defender out to the perimeter, which helps to open up the paint.

How they got here: After smoking Morgan State in the opening round of the tournament, West Virginia got 19 first-half points from Butler as the Mounties were able to dictate tempo and avoid turnovers in a win over Missouri. WVU pulled away from Washington in the second half of their Sweet 16 game, getting 18 points and 8 boards from Kevin Jones. Against Kentucky in the Elite 8, West Virginia hit eight threes and no twos in the first half, but still found themselves in the lead. The 'Eers, sparked by Mazzulla, would go on a big second-half run to take a 16-point lead and hold on for the win.

Three reasons they can win it all:

Rebounding: In a Final Four based around rebounding, West Virginia might be the best rebounding team left. Why? Because they have to get to the offensive glass if they are going to win. This isn't a team loaded with offensive superstars. There are times when the Mounties struggle to score and their best offense becomes taking a shot and chasing a rebound. And they are good at it. WVU has four guys on the floor at any given time that are 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-9, physical, athletic, and that really chase the ball.

They don't have to play just zone: I don't think West Virginia is going to be able to use that 1-3-1 defense against Duke. The Blue Devils have too many good perimeter players and too many good shooters. The good news? West Virginia isn't a zone team. Up until recently, the 'Eers were known for their man-to-man defense. The one was a wrinkle that Huggins put in before a game earlier in the season, and it was effective enough to stick.

The Da'Sean Butler effect: I have been high on Butler since his sophomore season with WVU. The kid plays hard, plays smart, and has turned into arguably the best clutch shooter in the country. Butler hit those six game-winners. He scored 19 first-half points against Missouri as the Tigers were trying to run away from WVU. He hit four straight threes to kick start the 'Eers against Kentucky. Oh, and he surprises old Mountaineers fans in the hospital.

Three reasons they won't win it all:

They aren't hitting 10 threes again: This is not a great shooting team. They shoot just 33 percent from deep, and usually make about six per game. They don't win that Kentucky game if they don't hit 10 of them. Granted, the Wildcats are a different defensive team defensively than Duke, but the Devils may actually be better. They excel in the half court not at forcing turnovers or blocking shots, but at making you take the toughest shot they can. West Virginia can struggle on offense at times, especially against good, disciplined defensive teams.

How many more tricks does Mazzulla have left up his sleeve?: In 2008's second round, Mazzulla had 13 points, 11 boards, and 8 assists as West Virginia knocked off Duke as a seven seed. On Saturday, Mazzulla had 17 points, including 14 in the second half, as he led WVU to a 73-66 upset of the Wildcats. Does he have anything left? Will he be able to put on his show again? Keep in mind, Duke's guards are much more fundamental on the defensive end, and Mazzulla is playing with one shoulder. And if Truck Bryant is unable to play, Mazzulla becomes that much more important against.

Devin Ebanks is simply not a great player: Yes, he may one day be an NBA all-star, but right now he really has no clue what he's doing. Twice in the last month he has obliterated plays in the final seconds by being unaware of how much time was left. He can't really dribble, he can't really shoot, and he doesn't have much in the way of a back to the basket game. While he may still end up with 12 points, 6 boards, and a handful of assists, steals, and/or blocks, he is not a guy you want to rely on to get you consistent anything.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

The great thing about social media and the internet is that we can get a chance to see who some of the players we root so hard for really are.

The guys at DraftExpress were in Columbus for the McDonald's All-American festivities, and they caught up with Reggie Bullock, Kendall Marshall, Harrison Barnes, and Kyrie Irving. Irving is headed to Duke, while the other three are all going to UNC.

DX was able to get them on camera in a trash-talking session. Twice.

Check it out:

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.