PREVIEW NCAA South Regional

Capsule look at teams in the NCAA South Regional (in order of seeding) :
Michigan State Spartans
Coach: Tom Izzo.
Record: 24-4.
NCAA Record: 29-13, won 1979, 2000 national titles, made three Final Fours.
How Got In: At-large, Big Ten.
Best Win: North Carolina.
Key Players: G Jason Richardson (15.5 ppg, 5.9 rebs), G Charlie Bell (13.9 ppg, 5.4 assists), F Andre Hutson (13.5 ppg, 7.4 rebs), C Zach Randolph (11.0 ppg, 6.8 rebs)
Did You Know? Seniors Bell, Hutson, Mike Chappell, David Thomas, Brandon Smith won three straight regular-season Big Ten titles, two straight Big Ten tourney titles and a conference record 110 wins.
How They'll Do: See you in Minneapolis.
North Carolina Tar Heels
Coach: Matt Doherty.
Record: 25-6.
NCAA Record: 80-34, 15 Final Fours, won national title in 1957, 1982, 1993.
How Got In: At-large, Atlantic Coast.
Best Win: at Duke.
Key Players: G Joe Forte (21.9 ppg, 3.6 assists), F Jason Capel (11.5 ppg, 7.4 rebs), C Brendan Haywood (12.3 ppg, 7.2 rebs), F Julius Peppers.
Did You Know? Tar Heels' five Final Four trips since 1993 are most in nation over that span.
How They'll Do: A surprise in San Antonio last year, anything less than record 16th Final Four this time will be disappointment.
Florida Gators
Coach: Billy Donovan.
Record: 23-6.
NCAA Record: 14-7. made Final Four in 1994, 2000.
How Got In: At-large, Southeastern.
Best Win: Kentucky.
Key Players: G Teddy Dupay (13.9 ppg), F Udonis Haslem (16.6 ppg, 7.3 rebs), G Brett Nelson (15.3 ppg, 45.1 pct. 3-pointers), C Brent Wright (12.7 ppg, 6.2 rebs).
Did You Know? Donovan is one of only six men to have coached and played in the Final Four (Providence in 1987).
How They'll Do: A surprise in San Antonio last year, anything less than Final Four this time will be disappointment.
Oklahoma Sooners
Coach: Kelvin Sampson.
Record: 26-6.
NCAA Record: 23-19; Final Fours: 1939, 1947, 1988.
How Got In: Big 12 champs.
Best Win: Texas.
Key Players: F Aaron McGhee (13.4 ppg, 46.5 pct. on 3-pointers, G Nolan Johnson (12.9 ppg), G Hollis Price (11.8 ppg, 4.8 assists).
Did You Know? Oklahoma has made the tournament the past seven years.
Virginia Cavaliers
Coach: Pete Gillen.
Record: 20-8.
NCAA Record: 21-14, made Final Four in 1981, 1984.
How Got In: At-large, Atlantic Coast.
Best Wins: Duke, North Carolina.
Key Players: G Donald Hand (12.0 ppg, 3.1 assists), F Chris Williams (15.0 ppg, 6.7 rebs), G Roger Mason (15.0 ppg, 88.3 pct on FTS).
Did You Know? Cavs have not won NCAA game since surprise run to Elite Eight in 1995.
Texas Longhorns
Coach: Rick Barnes.
Record: 25-8.
NCAA Record: 17-21.
How Got In: At-large, Big 12.
Best Win: Illinois.
Key Players: G Maurice Evans (16.1 ppg), G Darren Kelly (15.6 ppg), F Chris Owens (14.4 ppg, 8.1 rebs).
Did You Know? Texas hasn't been to the Final Four since 1947.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Coach: Jerry Dunn.
Record: 19-11.
NCAA Record: 7-9, Final Four 1954.
How Got In: At-large, Big Ten.
Best Win: Illinois.
Key Players: G Joe Crispin (19.9 ppg), G Titus Ivory (15.5 ppg, 4.5 assists), F Gyasi Cline-Heard (15.9 ppg, 8.1 rebs), .
Did You Know? Penn State's last tournament win came in its 1991 upset of UCLA.
California Golden Bears
Coach: Ben Braun.
Record: 20-10.
NCAA Record: 16-10; Title: 1959; Final Fours: 1946, 1960.
How Got In: At-large, Pac 10.
Best Win: UCLA.
Key Players: F Sean Lampley (19.7 ppg, 7.2 rebs), G Shantay Legans (9.4 ppg, 4.8 assists), F Joe Shipp (8.5 ppg).
Did You Know? After winning the title in 1959, then finishing second in 1960, Cal didn't make it back to the tournament for 30 years.
Fresno State Bulldogs
Coach: Jerry Tarkanian.
Record: 25-6.
NCAA Record: 1-4.
How Got In: At-large, Western Athletic.
Best Win: Georgia.
Key Players: C Melvin Ely (15.8 ppg, 7.4 rebs, 2.8 blocks), G Chris Jefferies (15.6 ppg), G Demetrius Porter (15.1 ppg).
Did You Know? Tarkanian hasn't won an NCAA game since losing in the 1991 NCAA semifinals with UNLV.
Providence Friars
Coach: Tim Welsh.
Record: 21-9.
NCAA Record: 14-14, Final Four 1987.
How Got In: At-large, Big East.
Best Win: at Georgetown.
Key Players: G Abdul Mills (11.2 ppg), C Karim Shabazz (7.3 rebs), F Erron Maxey (11.3 ppg).
Did You Know? Finished 12th of 13 teams in the Big East in 1999, topping only this year's league-leader Boston College.
Temple Owls
Coach: John Chaney.
Record: 21-12.
NCAA Record: 28-24, made Final Four in 1956, 1958.
How Got In: Atlantic 10 champions.
Best Win: Indiana.
Key Players: G Lynn Greer (18.0 ppg, 5.5 assists), G Quincy Wadley (14.8 ppg), C Kevin Lyde (12.7 ppg, 9.1 rebs).
Did You Know? Under Chaney, Owls have lost four times in regional finals.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Coach: Mark Few.
Record: 24-6.
NCAA Record: 5-3.
How Got In: West Coast champs.
Best Win: Pepperdine.
Key Players: F Casey Calvary (19 ppg, 6.3 rebs), G Dan Dickau (18.3 ppg, 6.6 asst, 60-of-127 3-pointers), G Blake Stepp (10.7 ppg), F Mark Spink (7.8 ppg, 5.7 rebs).
Did You Know? Few (Coach of the Year), Calvary (Player of the Year), Spink (Defensive Player of the Year), Stepp (Freshman of the Year) swept the conference's four major honors.
Indiana State Sycamores
Coach: Royce Waltman.
Record: 21-11.
NCAA Record: 4-2.
How Got In: Missouri Valley champs.
Best Win: Indiana
Key Players: F Matt Renn (15.6 ppg, 7.7 rebs.), G Kelyn Block (14.8 ppg), G Michael Menser (13.4 ppg, 5.4 assists)
Did You Know? This is the first time in school history that the Sycamores have made back-to-back NCAA tournaments.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Coach: Dennis Felton.
Record: 24-6.
NCAA Record: 15-17, 1971 Final Four.
How Got In: Sun Belt champs.
Best Win: Louisiana Tech.
Key Players: C Chris Marcus (16.8 ppg, 11.9 rebs, 3.0 blocks), G Nashon McPherson (10.3 ppg), G Derek Robinson (8.9 ppg, 3.8 assists).
Did You Know? The "other" Kentucky basketball school is making its 17th tournament appearance.
Princeton Tigers
Coach: John Thompson III.
Record: 16-10.
NCAA Record: 13-25.
How Got In: Ivy League champs.
Best Win: Penn at home.
Key Players: F Nate Walton (10.5 ppg, 5.6 reb), G Ahmed El-Nokali (8.6 ppg).
Did You Know? Thompson's father is former Georgetown coach John Thompson and Walton's dad is former UCLA great Bill Walton.
Alabama State Hornets
Coach: Rob Spivery.
Record: 22-8.
NCAA Record: 0-0, First appearance.
How Got In: Southwestern Athletic champs.
Best Win: Alcorn State.
Key Players: F Tyrone Levett (15.6 ppg, 8.4 rebs), G Tobaire Burton (6.8 ppg, 4.5 rebs, 5.5 assists), G Joey Ball (11.1 ppg).
Did You Know? Hornets make first NCAA trip after going 13-15 last year.
-- Scripps Howard News Service