PREVIEW NCAA Midwest Regional

Capsule look at teams in the NCAA Midwest Regional (in order of seeding):
Illinois Fighting Illini
Coach: Bill Self.
Record: 24-7.
NCAA Record: 24-21, made Final Four in 1949, 1951, 1952 and 1989.
How Got In: At-Large, Big Ten.
Best Win: Michigan State.
Key Players: G Frank Williams (14.9 ppg, 4.3 assists), G Cory Bradford (9.6 ppg), F Marcus Griffin (12 ppg, 6.3 rebs), F Brian Cook (11.3 ppg, 6.1 rebs).
Did You Know? Self coached Tulsa to the Elite Eight last year.
How They'll Do: Final Four is definitely within reach.
Arizona Wildcats
Coach: Lute Olson.
Record: 23-7.
NCAA Record: 27-18; Title: 1997; Final Fours: 1988, 1994.
How Got In: At-large, Pac 10.
Best Win: Illinois.
Key Players: G Gilbert Arenas (16.5 ppg), C Loren Woods (12.5 ppg, 6.2 rebs, 2.6 blocks), F Michael Wright (16.4 ppg, 8.2 rebs).
Did You Know? Before this season, the Wildcats made the tournament 17 straight years, but lost in the first-round seven times.
How They'll Do: Could be infected by Final Four fever.
Mississippi Rebels
Coach: Rod Barnes.
Record: 25-7.
NCAA Record: 1-4.
How Got In: At-large, Southeastern.
Best Win: Florida.
Key Players: C Rahim Lockhart (13.0 ppg, 8.4 rebs), F Justin Reed (11.4 ppg, 5.8 rebs), G/F Aaron Harper (9.5 ppg).
Did You Know? After only making the NCAA tournament once before 1997, the Rebels have made it four of the past five years.
How They'll Do: Talented but young squad will go as far as senior Lockhart takes them.
Kansas Jayhawks
Coach: Roy Williams.
Record: 24-6.
NCAA Record: 59-29, Titles: 1952, 1988; Final Fours: 1940, 1953, 1957, 1971, 1974, 1986, 1991, 1993.
How Got In: At-large, Big 12.
Best Win: Oklahoma.
Key Players: G/F Kenny Gregory (15.7 ppg, 7.2 rebs), F Drew Gooden (15.6 ppg, 8.2 rebs), F Nick Collison (13.5 ppg, 6.4 rebs).
Did You Know? The Jayhawks have won 17 consecutive first-round games.
How They'll Do: Talent is there for Final Four, but don't be surprised if the Jayhawks fall short yet again.
Syracuse Orangemen
Coach: Jim Boeheim.
Record: 24-8.
NCAA Record: 39-27, Runner-up 1987, 1996.
How Got In: At-large, Big East.
Best Win: Connecticut.
Key Players: G Preston Shumpert (19.7 ppg, 6.0 rebs), F Damone Brown (17.0 ppg, 8.8 rebs).
Did You Know? Since 1983 the Orangemen have missed the tournament just twice.
How They'll Do: Sweet 16-bound.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Coach: Mike Brey.
Record: 19-9.
NCAA Record: 25-28, Final Four 1978.
How Got In: At-large, Big East.
Best Win: Boston College.
Key Players: G Troy Murphy (22.6 ppg, 9.3 rebs), F Ryan Humphrey (14.3 ppg, 9.0 rebs).
Did You Know? Weathered loss of coach Matt Doherty (to North Carolina) to make first tournament appearance since 1990.
How They'll Do: With Murphy, Humphrey and (G Martin) Inglesby clicking, the Irish are good enough to stick around for a while.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Coach: Dave Odom.
Record: 19-10.
NCAA Record: 22-15, made Final Four in 1962.
How Got In: At-large.
Best Win: Virginia.
Key Players: G Robert O'Kelley, F Darius Songaila (13.2 ppg), F Josh Howard (13.9 ppg, 6.0 rebs).
Did You Know? Wake won NIT last year defeating Notre Dame in title game.
How They'll Do: Lack of big-time wins means early exit.
Tennessee Volunteers
Coach: Jerry Green.
Record: 22-10.
NCAA Record: 8-13.
How Got In: At-large, Southeastern.
Best Win: at Syracuse.
Key Players: F Vincent Yarbrough (14.0 ppg, 7.4 rebs), F Isiah Victor (13.0 ppg, 6.6 rebs), F Ron Slay (13.1 ppg, 5.3 rebs), G Tony Harris.
Did You Know? Vols are making fourth straight NCAA appearance under Green after making field only once in previous 15 seasons.
How They'll Do: Loads of talent but too erratic to go very far.
Charlotte 49ers
Coach: Bobby Lutz.
Record: 21-10.
NCAA Record: 6-8, made Final Four in 1977.
How Got In: C-USA champs.
Best Win: Cincinnati.
Key Players: F Rodney White (19.3 ppg, 6.5 rebs), G Jobey Thomas (14.1 ppg, 91.4 pct on FTs), G Demon Brown (11.6 ppg, 4.0 assists).
Did You Know? C-USA teams are 3-8 in NCAA games over the last two years.
How They'll Do: Lucky to get in.
Butler Bulldogs
Coach: Thad Matta.
Record: 23-7.
NCAA Record: 2-4.
How Got In: Midwestern Collegiate Conference champions.
Best Win: Wisconsin.
Key Players: G Thomas Jackson (13.2 ppg), G LaVall Jordan (12.2 ppg), G Brandon Miller (11.7 ppg).
Did You Know? Butler hasn't won an NCAA tournament game since 1962. Last year they lost by one point in overtime to Final Four participant Florida.
How They'll Do: The Bulldogs' NCAA winless streak could end if the ball bounces right.
Xavier Musketeers
Coach: Skip Prosser.
Record: 21-7.
NCAA Record: 6-12.
How Got In: At-large, Atlantic 10.
Best Win: at Cincinnati.
Key Players: C David West (17.8 ppg, 11.0 rebs), F Kevin Frey (11.6 ppg, 6.3 rebs), G-F Romain Sato (10.8 ppg, 5.3 rebs).
Did You Know? Musketeers are making 11th NCAA trip since 1986.
How They'll Do: No fun to play but struggled late.
Hawaii Warriors
Coach: Riley Wallace.
Record: 17-13.
NCAA Record: 0-2.
How Got In: WAC champs.
Best Win: Fresno State.
Key Players: G Predrag Savovic (17.8 ppg), F Troy Ostler (15.3 ppg, 6.0 rebs, 1.9 blocks), G Nerijus Puida (9.6 ppg, 5.9 rebs, 4.5 assists).
Did You Know? Hawaii has players from Yugoslavia, Lithuania, Israel and Canada.
How They'll Do: Aloha means goodbye.
California-Northridge Matadors
Coach: Bobby Braswell.
Record: 22-9.
NCAA Record: First appearance.
How Got In: Big Sky champs.
Best Win: at UCLA.
Key Players: C Brian Heinle (20.7 ppg, 9.4 rebs), G John Burrell (14.6 ppg, 85.9 pct. on FTs), F Jeff Parris (13.7 ppg, 4.6 rebs).
Did You Know? Since 1983, Big Sky teams are 2-17 in NCAA games.
How They'll Do: Glad to make it, quick to leave.
Iona Gaels
Coach: Jeff Ruland.
Record: 22-10.
NCAA Record: 1-6.
How Got In: MAAC champs.
Best Win: at Niagara.
Key Players: F Nakiea Miller (15.0 ppg, 8.7 rebs), F Dyree Wilson (12.7 ppg),G Earl Johnson (12.7 ppg, 4.0 assists, 46-of-93 3-pointers).
Did You Know? Ruland was leading scorer and rebounder for 1980 Gaels coached by the late Jim Valvano.
How They'll Do: Haven't won a tourney game in 21 years. Streak continues.
Eastern Illinois Panthers
Coach: Rick Samuels.
Record: 21-9.
NCAA Record: 0-1.
How Got In: Ohio Valley champs.
Best Win: Tennessee Tech.
Key Players: G Kyle Hill (23.5 ppg), F Henry Domercant (22.9 ppg, 6.8 rebs), G Matt Britton (13.4 ppg, 5.3 assists).
Did You Know? Panthers only other NCAA trip -- a 94-55 loss to Indiana in 1992 -- came as Mid-Continent Conference champs.
How They'll Do: Overmatched and out.
Northwestern State Demons
Coach: Mike McConathy.
Record: 18-12.
NCAA Record: 0-0.
How Got In: Southland champs.
Best Win: McNeese State.
Key Players: G Michael Byars-Dawson (13.8 ppg), F Chris Thompson (11.9 ppg, 6.1 rebs), G Josh Hancock (6.5 ppg, 3.0 assists).
Did You Know? Southland teams have lost 15 straight NCAA games.
How They'll Do: Might win the play-in game against Winthrop, but that's it.
Winthrop Eagles
Coach: Gregg Marshall.
Record: 18-12.
NCAA Record: 0-2.
How Got In: Big South champs.
Best Win: Radford.
Key Players: C Marcus Stewart (12.1 ppg, 6.8 rebs), G Derrick Knox (11.5 ppg), G Pierre Wooten (8.6 ppg, 3.7 assists).
Did You Know? Marshall has now guided the Eagles to the Big Dance in his first two seasons.
How They'll Do: Itching for that first NCAA win.
-- Scripps Howard News Service