1. The NCAA is making a gazillion on television rights. Meanwhile, the NCAA declared Auburn star Chris Porter ineligible for accepting $2,500 from an agent. He said he took it to keep his mother from being evicted from her home. It's time to talk about some new rules.

	Related Links: Midwest region: Spartans net another top seed 64 team reports and analyses Miech: Pairings suggest a March to remember Complete March Mayhem coverage Forum: Who will come out of the Midwest?
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2. Iowa State forward Marcus Fizer … best player in the tournament?

3. Saint Louis and classy coach Lorenzo Romar won four games in four days in the Conference USA Tournament to become a surprise entry in the NCAA field. The Billikens will be a sentimental favorite.

Three questions

1. Why didn't the tournament selection committee pit Central Connecticut State against Duke (Blue Devils vs. Blue Devils)?

2. Really now, what is the deal with UCLA coach Steve Lavin's hair?

3. How did Jim Valvano get Jeff Ruland to play at Iona, again?

The favorite

Michigan State. No team with seven losses has been a top seed since the NCAA started seeding teams for the tournament in 1979. But the Spartans endured an injury to Mateen Cleaves and a brutal schedule. They don't have to have a good day on offense to win because they're tenacious rebounders and defenders. They proved they're on top of their game by trouncing surging Illinois in the final of the Big Ten Tournament.

The dark horse

UCLA has so much talent, it shouldn't have been a big surprise when the Bruins upset Stanford. The Bruins are rounding into form, and they will remember last year's first-round upset loss against Detroit. The Bruins won the national title the year after losing to Tulsa in the first round in 1994. They went to the regional final after losing in the first round to Princeton in 1996.

The long shot

Samford runs a patient, Princeton-style offense and loves to shoot 3-pointers. That might frustrate Syracuse, which is coming off an upset loss in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament. Samford's 3-pointers weren't falling in last season's blowout loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. If that changes this year, watch out.

Best first-round game in Minneapolis

Auburn vs. Creighton -- The gutsy Bluejays figured to be a year away from a big season, but they won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and now they catch Auburn without Chris Porter. The Tigers showed they still have some life, though, by advancing to the final of the Southeastern Conference tourney.

Best first-round game in Cleveland

Utah vs. Saint Louis -- The Billikens are riding the emotion of their surprise rise to the to the Conference USA title. Rotund Rick Majerus lives in a hotel, but he also happens to be a terrific coach. An injury to star forward Hanno Mottola has kept the Utes from fulfilling their potential.

The stars

The Chicago Tribune's projection of the first round of the NBA draft included six players from the Midwest Region:

Iowa State's Marcus Fizer (No. 7), Michigan State forward Morris Peterson (No. 12), Maryland forward Terence Morris (No. 13), Syracuse center Etan Thomas (No. 14), Utah forward Hanno Mottola (No. 20) and Kentucky center Jamaal Magloire (No. 25).

Don't forget about Michigan State's Mateen Cleaves and Maryland guard Juan Dixon.

Lesser known guys?

Try Saint Louis guard Justin Love, Valparaiso forward Lubos Barton, Iona forward Tariq Kirksay, St. Bonaventure guard Tim Winn and Ball State guard Duane Clemens.

Minneapolis subregional

THURSDAY

• UCLA (6) vs. Ball State (11)
• Maryland (3) vs. Iona (14)
• Auburn (7) vs. Creighton (10)
• Iowa State (2) vs. Central Connecticut State (15)

SATURDAY

Winners of first-round games advance to second-round games at the Metrodome.

Cleveland subregional

THURSDAY

• Michigan State (1) vs. Valparaiso (16)
• Utah (8) vs. Saint Louis (9)
• Kentucky (5) vs. St. Bonaventure (12)
• Syracuse (4) vs. Samford (13)

SATURDAY

Winners of first-round games advance to second-round games at the Cleveland State University Convocation Center.

Noteworthy

As a player for Athletes In Action, Romar once scored 45 points against Michigan in an exhibition game during the Fab Five's freshman season (1991-92). ... St. Bonaventure is going to its first NCAA tournament since 1978. ... Iona started the season at 6-9 under coach Jeff Ruland, a former All-American at the school. ...

Valparaiso has five foreign players on its roster -- two from Croatia, one from the Czech Republic, one from Finland and one from Latvia. ... Central Connecticut State's Rick Mickens was second in the nation in steals this season. ...

Ball State coach Ray McCallum grew up in Muncie, Ind., home of the university, and led Muncie Central High School to the Indiana state boys basketball championship in 1979. He went on to become a star at Ball State, graduating as the Mid-American Conference's career leader in scoring.