Some teams seem to be wound so tightly in NCAA Tournament games it’s a wonder their shoelaces don’t pop.
Looking for an explanation, Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon (pictured) consulted two of his mentors, who just happen to be among the most successful coaches in basketball history: Larry Brown and Roy Williams. Turgeon, a Kansas point guard in the 1980s, played for Brown before staying in Lawrence to begin his coaching career under Brown and then Williams.
The insight Turgeon received was advice that all 64 teams in the bracket could use.
“I think you have to embrace the moment (in the NCAA Tournament),” Turgeon said. “When I watched those two guys, that’s what they did. That’s what they had their players do. This is the greatest time of year, and you really have to try to have fun with it.”
Brown and Williams told Turgeon that March Madness is no time to crack the whip or overwork the team.
“I think you have to love your players a little more this time of year,” Turgeon said. “You may be coming off a tough loss (in a conference tournament), but that was awhile ago. And you just fine-tune everything. Watching those two guys coach, this is when you fine-tune and make sure you’re sharp.”
Here are other things to watch as three of the greatest weeks in American sports commence today:
KANSAS CITY BLUES
Let’s see. Kansas won the Big 12 regular- season title. Missouri won the Big 12 Tournament. So how many Big 12 teams were sent to the friendly confines of Kansas City’s Sprint Center for opening rounds?
Only Oklahoma, a No. 2 seed.
“I would say I’m a little surprised about Kansas and Missouri,” Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel said. “Honestly, I thought with the economy the way it is, the (selection) committee would keep teams as close as they could be.”
Kansas was sent to Minneapolis. Missouri was shipped to Boise, Idaho. Both are No. 3 seeds.
“I thought we had a great season,” Missouri coach Mike Anderson said, “but I guess the committee looked at the entire body of work (and picked Oklahoma). It would have been nice for our fans to be in Kansas City, but you can’t sit there and cry about it.”
BALLIN’ BLOODLINES
Sons of familiar basketball names in the NCAA Tournament: Cornell junior forward Ryan Wittman (son of former NBA head coach Randy Wittman), Notre Dame senior forward Ryan Ayers (son of NBA assistant and former Ohio State head coach Randy Ayers) and Minnesota freshman center Ralph Sampson III (self-explanatory).
For those wondering, Washington freshman guard Isaiah Thomas, who is averaging 15.4 points, is not related to the Indiana legend and former NBA star.
UPSET SEED PLANTED
Not according to the record books. Since 1985, when the NCAA Tournament was expanded to 64 teams, No. 5 seeds have been upset in the opening round by No. 12 seeds almost a third of the time — in 31 of 96 meetings. This year’s No. 5 seeds that might want to kiss a four-leaf clover before their opening-game tipoffs are Utah (against No. 12 seed Arizona), Purdue (against No. 12 seed Northern Iowa), Florida State (against No. 12 seed Wisconsin) and Illinois (against No. 12 seed Western Kentucky).
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
Think about how good No. 2 seed Oklahoma is. Now imagine a Sooners lineup with Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds and Texas forward Damion James.
It almost happened. During November of their senior years in high school, Reynolds and James signed national letters of intent with the Sooners. They never played in Norman, however. Reynolds and James were released from their letters by Oklahoma and allowed to sign elsewhere after coach Kelvin Sampson left for Indiana.
Almost immediately after replacing Sampson, Jeff Capel made an unsuccessful plea for both to honor their original commitments. Reynolds averages 15.7 points and 3.7 assists for the third-seeded Wildcats. James contributes 15.9 points and 9.4 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Longhorns.
BACK IN BUSINESS
Four teams — Binghamton, Morgan State, North Dakota State and Stephen F. Austin — are making their first appearances in the Division I NCAA Tournament. But there are others that will end long droughts: Morehead State (last appearance in 1984), Cleveland State (1986), Akron (1986), Robert Morris (1992), Michigan (1998) and Radford (1998).
Also of note: Louisville is a No. 1 seed for the first time in 26 years.
TALKING TICKETS
“Home crowd” advantages in the NCAA Tournament can be overrated — especially for first-round games.
For example, Ohio State was allotted just 550 tickets for its opener Friday against Siena in 13,000-seat Dayton Arena, which is about an hour’s drive from Columbus.
A significant crowd advantage can occur for second-round games, when fans of first-round losers eagerly sell their tickets to fans of surviving teams.
WILD ABOUT THE WEST
Although many Connecticut fans weren’t dancing a jig at the thought of top-seeded UConn being placed in the West Regional, Huskies coach Jim Calhoun must have felt like tossing confetti.
Connecticut came out of the West Regional to win its two national championships, in 1999 and 2004, under Calhoun.
In 1999, the Huskies played the first two rounds in Denver before advancing to the West Regional in Phoenix. UConn also came out of Phoenix in 2004, although the Huskies opened with first- and second- round games that year in Buffalo, N.Y.
Connecticut is playing the first two rounds in Philadelphia this time, opening today against No. 16 seed Chattanooga. And, yes, the West Regional once again is in the Phoenix area (at University of Phoenix Stadium in suburban Glendale).
How would Calhoun look in a bolo tie?
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
On tap
Game of the day
No. 7 Clemson vs. No. 10 Michigan, South Regional 5:10 p.m.: Michigan coach John Beilein loves playing zone, and how well Clemson guard Terrence Oglesby is shooting from 3-point range will go a long way toward determining who wins this game.
Also
SOUTH REGIONAL
No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 Butler 10:20 a.m.: The Bulldogs start three freshmen, and their offensive patience could bother LSU, which doesn’t really have inside defensive presence.
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Radford 12:50 p.m.: Heels coach Roy Williams says there’s a “huge probability” guard Ty Lawson (toe sprain) won’t play. Shouldn’t matter.
No. 4 Gonzaga vs. No. 13 Akron 5:25 p.m.: Akron struggles to score and Gonzaga has been one of the nation’s best defensive teams, allowing foes to shoot just 36.7 percent.
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Morgan State 7:40 p.m., KCNC-4: The Bears have some size up front, but they still will be overpowered in the paint by OU star Blake Griffin.
No. 5 Illinois vs. No. 12 Western Kentucky 7:55 p.m.: Illinois wins with defense and wants to slow the pace of the game. Western Kentucky prefers a faster pace.
EAST REGIONAL
No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Minnesota 5:10 p.m., KCNC-4: Don’t expect a masterpiece from a grind-it-out affair. Texas needs a good game from Dexter Pittman.
No. 3 Villanova vs. No 14 American 5:20 p.m.: American, which has five senior starters, wants to slow the pace and hit 3-pointers (37.7 percent).
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Binghamton 7:40 p.m.: The Bearcats are athletic on the perimeter. If their guards can penetrate the lane, this could be interesting.
No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 VCU 7:50 p.m.: There’s a great game within the game with VCU guard Eric Maynor battling UCLA guard Darren Collison — one of the fastest players in the nation.
WEST REGIONAL
No. 2 Memphis vs. No. 15 Cal State Northridge 10:25 a.m.: This could get ugly. Northridge has 112 more turnovers than assists and averages 17.7 turnovers per game.
No. 8 BYU vs. No. 9 Texas A&M 10:30 a.m., KCNC-4: The Cougars have four players who can hit 3-point shots, but they lack quickness. Texas A&M struggles offensively at times, so the Aggies will want to slow the pace.
No. 5 Purdue vs. No. 12 Northern Iowa 12:30 p.m.: To pull the upset, the Panthers need 7-foot-1 center Jordan Eglseder and 6-8 forward Adam Koch to shine.
No. 7 California vs. No. 10 Maryland 12:55 p.m., KCNC-4: California leads the nation in 3-point shooting at 43.4 percent. Maryland too often relies on Greivis Vasquez (pictured) to do everything.
No. 1 UConn vs. No. 16 Chattanooga 1 p.m.: Chattanooga has some athletes, but the Mocs are sloppy with the ball and don’t play good defense, giving up 76 points per.
No. 4 Washington vs. No. 13 Mississippi State 3 p.m.: It should be a tremendous matchup of big men: Washington’s Jon Brockman vs. Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado.
Rivals.com and Denver Post wire services
