A Starring Roll Is What They Covet

There may not be enough makeup for all the stars involved in the Austin Regional.

Consider the teams: Kentucky, winner of the 1996 and ’98 national titles; Michigan State, winner in 2000; Duke, the winner in 2001; and Syracuse, the winner in 2003.

And the coaches: Mike Krzyzewski of Duke, Tom Izzo of Michigan State, Jim Boeheim of Syracuse, Kelvin Sampson of Oklahoma, Bob Huggins of Cincinnati and even Tom Brennan of Vermont.

And the players: J.J. Redick, Shelden Williams, Hakim Warrick, Chuck Hayes, Gerry McNamara.

Of course, when you get right down to it, we all know where this regional is headed. This bracket was built with one thing in mind: a blockbuster conclusion, though it’s doubtful that any Kentucky-Duke game could match the 1992 regional final classic in which Blue Devil Christian Laettner’s turnaround shot at the buzzer became the “A” clip in every NCAA tournament video montage since.

The top-seeded Blue Devils actually had one of the more remarkable seasons of the Coach K era, considering they had to battle through illness and injury to win the ACC tournament title after starting the season missing two pieces: Shaun Livingston, the point guard who bypassed college for the NBA, and Luol Deng, who left Duke early for the pros.

The constant is Krzyzewski, who has led Duke to the top of the class since the tournament expanded in 1985. The report card includes three national titles, seven title-game appearances, 10 Final Fours and 64 tournament wins. Krzyzewski missed a great chance to win his fourth championship in last year’s national semifinals when Duke squandered an eight-point lead in the final minutes to Connecticut.

No. 2 Kentucky, with seven national titles, is suddenly mystery meat after giving away a sure No. 1 seeding with a pitiful Southeastern Conference tournament final loss to Florida.

Watch out for No. 4 Syracuse, which has momentum after winning the Big East tournament for the first time since 1992.

The pick: Duke.

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1. DUKE

* Location: Durham, N.C.

* Record: 25-5.

* RPI: 5.

* Record against tournament field: 9-2.

* Road record: 5-4.

* Record in last 10: 7-3.

* Impressive victories: Feb. 9, North Carolina, 71-70; Feb. 20, Wake Forest, 102-92.

* Disturbing losses: Jan. 26, Maryland, 75-66; Feb. 17, at Virginia Tech, 67-65.

* Top players: Jr. J.J. Redick, G, 22.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg; Jr. Shelden Williams, F, 15.6 ppg, 11.1 rpg.

* Skinny: It’s not the typical great Duke team, as the Blue Devils have been slowed by a lack of depth and a series of injuries. They’ll go as far as Redick, Williams and Daniel Ewing can carry them.

* Graduation rate: 90% (student-athletes), 93% (school).

* Little-known fact: Duke did not desegregate until 1963, but it was the first white institution of higher education in the south to extend Booker T. Washington an invitation to speak on its campus in 1896.

2. KENTUCKY

* Location: Lexington.

* Record: 25-5.

* RPI: 10.

* Record against tournament field: 6-4.

* Road record: 7-3.

* Record in last 10: 7-3.

* Impressive victories: Dec. 18, at Louisville, 60-58; Feb. 19, Mississippi State, 94-78; Feb. 26, at Alabama, 78-71.

* Disturbing losses: Feb. 15, at South Carolina, 73-61.

* Top players: Jr. Kelenna Azubuike, F/G, 14.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg; Jr. Patrick Sparks, G, 11.84 ppg, 3.9 apg; Sr. Chuck Hayes, F, 10.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg.

* Skinny: This isn’t an overly talented team. But it is a team that’s well-coached, plays good defense and has clearly defined roles. How far the Wildcats go ultimately will be determined by two freshmen, G Rajon Rondo and C Randolph Morris.

* Graduation rate: 46%, 58%.

* Little-known fact: Basketball began on campus in 1902, but only as a women’s sport. The men’s team was organized the following year.

3. OKLAHOMA

* Location: Norman.

* Record: 24-7.

* RPI: 18.

* Record against tournament field: 7-6.

* Road record: 6-3.

* Record in last 10: 7-3.

* Impressive victories: Jan. 24, Oklahoma State, 67-57; Feb. 21, Kansas, 71-63; Feb. 28, at Texas, 74-58.

* Disturbing losses: Jan. 29, at Iowa State, 74-66; Feb. 12, at Missouri, 68-65.

* Top players: Jr. Taj Gray, F, 14.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg; Jr. Terrell Everett, G, 12.6 ppg, 5.1 apg; Jr. Kevin Bookout, 11.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg.

* Skinny: Strong down low, but improved guard play is what pushed the Sooners to the top of the Big 12. How those guards hold up in March will determine how far they go.

* Graduation rate: 53%, 52%.

* Little-known fact: Bookout is a shotputter and discus thrower on the track and field team and was an All-American in the shot in 2003.

4. SYRACUSE

* Location: Syracuse, N.Y.

* Record: 27-6.

* RPI: 22.

* Record against tournament field: 5-6.

* Road record: 6-3.

* Record in last 10: 6-4.

* Impressive victories: Jan. 10, at Notre Dame, 70-61; Feb. 12, at Villanova, 90-75; March 11, Connecticut, 67-63.

* Disturbing losses: Feb. 14, Pittsburgh, 68-64; Feb. 19, at Boston College, 65-60; March 5, at Connecticut, 88-70.

* Top players: Sr. Hakim Warrick, F, 21.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg; Jr. Gerry McNamara, G, 16.0 ppg, 5.0 apg; Sr. Josh Pace, F, 10.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg.

* Skinny: Seasoned group from 2003 championship team was bolstered by its impressive victory against Connecticut, as Big East player of the year Warrick scored 26 points and had 10 rebounds.

* Graduation rate: 77%, 77%.

* Little-known fact: This is the 24th NCAA tournament appearance in Coach Jim Boeheim’s 29 seasons.

5. MICHIGAN STATE

* Location: East Lansing.

* Record: 22-6.

* RPI: 24.

* Record against tournament field: 8-5.

* Road record: 7-4.

* Record in last 10: 8-2.

* Impressive victories: Dec. 11, Stanford, 78-53; Feb. 24, Wisconsin, 77-64.

* Disturbing losses: Nov. 30, at Duke, 81-74; Dec. 4, at George Washington, 96-83; Feb. 1, Illinois, 81-68.

* Top players: Sr. Alan Anderson, F, 13.6 ppg; Jr. Paul Davis, C, 11.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg; Jr. Maurice Ager, G, 13.3 ppg.

* Skinny: Coach Tom Izzo has taken the Spartans to the tournament for eight consecutive years. Their record going in is as good as it was in 2000, when they won the national championship.

* Graduation rate: 66%, 68%.

* Little-known fact: After four years of being the Big Nine, the Big Ten was born again when Michigan State was admitted in 1950.

6. UTAH

* Location: Salt Lake City.

* Record: 27-5.

* RPI: 23.

* Record against tournament field: 2-5.

* Road record: 7-3.

* Record in last 10: 8-2.

* Impressive victories: Jan. 3, Louisiana State, 69-55; Jan. 22, New Mexico, 69-58; Feb. 1, at Brigham Young, 72-58.

* Disturbing losses: Nov. 25, at Washington, 78-71; Dec. 4, Utah State, 71-41.

* Top players: So. Andrew Bogut, F, 20.7 ppg, 12.3 rbs, 2.3 assists; Sr. Marc Jackson, G, 10.6 ppg, 3.8 assists.

* Skinny: Bogut, an Australian, probably will turn pro after the tournament. Jackson left the Runnin’ Utes after the 2002-03 season in a dispute with then-coach Rick Majerus.

* Graduation rate: 56%, 51%.

* Little-known fact: Since the 1992-93 season, Utah has played in the NCAA tournament 10 times. Five of those times, including the 1998 final, it lost to Kentucky.

7. CINCINNATI

* Location: Cincinnati.

* Record: 24-7.

* RPI: 25.

* Record against tournament field: 3-5.

* Road record: 7-4.

* Record in last 10: 6-3.

* Impressive victories: Jan. 6, DePaul, 83-54; Feb. 24, Marquette, 80-68; March 5, at Memphis, 62-60.

* Disturbing losses: Feb. 2, at Louisville, 77-70; Feb. 5, at Charlotte, 91-90; Feb. 12, at DePaul, 85-66.

* Top players: Sr. Jason Maxiell, F, 15.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg; Jr. Eric Hicks, F, 13.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg; Jr. James White, G, 3.1 apg.

* Skinny: The Bearcats finished the regular season with seven victories in their last eight games. DePaul was their only loss. Before that streak, they had lost three of four.

* Graduation rate: 58%, 45%.

* Little-known fact: The Bearcats have no players from Cincinnati and only one from Ohio.

8. STANFORD

* Location: Palo Alto.

* Record: 18-12.

* RPI: 39.

* Record against tournament field: 5-5.

* Road record: 5-5.

* Record in last 10: 6-4.

* Impressive victories: Jan. 8, Arizona, 87-76; Jan. 20, at UCLA, 75-64; March 5, Washington, 77-67.

* Disturbing losses: Nov. 22, Tennessee, 69-57; Nov. 28, at Santa Clara, 86-76; March 3, Washington State, 59-48.

* Top players: Jr. Chris Hernandez, G, 15.3 ppg; Jr. Matt Haryasz, F, 12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg; Sr. Nick Robinson, F, 8.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg.

* Skinny: After leading scorer Dan Grunfeld (17.9 ppg) was lost for the season because of a knee injury, Stanford responded by winning five of seven.

* Graduation rate: 87%, 93%.

* Little-known fact: After winning the 1942 NCAA title in Kansas City, Mo., Stanford’s share of the pot, after expenses, was $93.75.

9. MISSISSIPPI STATE

* Location: Starkville.

* Record: 22-10.

* RPI: 34.

* Record against tournament field: 2-8.

* Road record: 6-5.

* Record in last 10: 5-5.

* Impressive victories: Nov. 19, St. Mary’s, 67-54; Feb. 1, Florida, 71-57.

* Disturbing losses: Jan. 12, at Tennessee, 64-63; Feb. 5, at Auburn, 90-76.

* Top players: Sr. Lawrence Roberts, F, 16.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg; Sr. Winsome Frazier, G/F, 12.2 ppg, 1.3 spg; So. Gary Ervin, G, 7.6 ppg, 4.8 apg.

* Skinny: The Bulldogs have been a slight disappointment this season. Frazier was hurt midway through the season, and the Bulldogs suffered without him. Roberts is a star, but Ervin -- an inconsistent point man -- is the key guy for the Bulldogs.

* Graduation rate: 65%, 54%.

* Little-known fact: The school’s website touts that it’s the first website in Mississippi, established July 1993.

10. IOWA

* Location: Iowa City.

* Record: 21-11.

* RPI: 54.

* Record against tournament field: 7-7.

* Road record: 3-6.

* Record in last 10: 6-4.

* Impressive victories: Nov. 22, Louisville, 76-71 at Maui Invitational; Nov. 23, Texas, 82-80 at Maui Invitational; Nov. 21, Texas Tech, 83-53 in Chicago.

* Disturbing losses: Jan. 5, Michigan, 65-63; Jan. 26, at Northwestern, 75-74 (OT); Feb. 16, at Purdue, 66-63.

* Top players: Jr. Greg Brunner, F, 14.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg; So. Adam Haluska, G, 14.3 ppg; Jr. Jeff Horner, G, 14.1 ppg, 5.6 apg.

* Skinny: The Hawkeyes were 11-1 in nonconference play. After their best player, Pierre Pierce, was kicked off the team, they hit a 1-5 skid but recovered to win their last three.

* Graduation rate: 69%, 64%.

* Little-known fact: Playwright Tennessee Williams went to Iowa.

11. TEXAS EL PASO

* Location: El Paso.

* Record: 27-7.

* RPI: 36.

* Record against tournament field: 2-4.

* Road record: 7-4.

* Record in last 10: 8-2.

* Impressive victories: Nov. 26, Arizona State, 66-65; Jan. 12, at Nevada, 83-80.

* Disturbing losses: Jan. 15, at Fresno State, 66-63; Jan. 29, at Louisiana Tech, 80-65; Feb. 3, Tulsa, 65-54.

* Top players: Sr. Omar Thomas, F, 20.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg; Sr. Filiberto Rivera, G, 13.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg; Jr. Jason Williams, F, 11.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg.

* Skinny: Texas El Paso’s 24 regular-season victories were the most since the 1984-85 season, when the Miners won 27 games and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

* Graduation rate: 26%, 31%.

* Little-known fact: The Miners set a school record with 14 victories in Western Athletic Conference play.

12. OLD DOMINION

* Location: Norfolk, Va.

* Record: 28-5.

* RPI: 27.

* Record against tournament field: 0-0.

* Road record: 11-4.

* Record in last 10: 8-2.

* Impressive victories: Nov. 22, Kent, 64-59; Dec. 22, St. Joseph’s, 66-62; Feb. 12, Virginia Commonwealth, 82-76.

* Disturbing losses: Nov. 28, Texas A&M; CC, 71-67; Feb. 16, George Mason, 74-58.

* Top players: Jr. Alex Loughton, C, 13.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 51.1 FG pct.; Jr. Isaiah Hunter, G, 13.4 ppg, 53 three-pointers; So. Drew Williamson, G, 6.2 ppg, 152 assists; Jr. Arnaud Dahi, F, 10.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg.

* Skinny: Loughton is a pretty complete player. Williamson is smart and efficient, Hunter is the spark. Dahi’s shoulder injury may affect the frontcourt.

* Graduation rate: 54%, 38%.

* Little-known fact: Clemson Coach Oliver Purnell was point guard on Old Dominion’s 1975 Division II national-title team.

13. VERMONT

* Location: Burlington.

* Record: 24-6.

* RPI: 21.

* Record against tournament field: 0-3.

* Road record: 10-6.

* Record in last 10: 7-3.

* Impressive victories: Jan 5, at Northeastern, 75-60; Jan. 16, Boston University, 69-58; March 12, Northeastern, 80-57.

* Disturbing losses: Feb. 27, at Maine, 87-66.

* Top players: Sr. Taylor Coppenrath, C, 25.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg; Sr. T.J. Sorrentine, G, 18.8 ppg, 4.2 apg, .405 three-pt. percentage; Sr. Germain Mopa Njila, F, 6.9 rpg, 41 steals.

* Skinny: Coppenrath has won 23 awards for playing and academics and is a finalist for the Wooden Award All-American team and national player of the year.

* Graduation rate: 71%, 68%.

* Little-known fact: The Catamounts have been playing basketball since 1900 and have been in the NCAA tournament three times -- 2003, ’04 and ’05.

14. NIAGARA

* Location: Lewiston, N.Y.

* Record: 20-9.

* RPI: 82.

* Record against tournament field: 0-1.

* Road record: 6-8.

* Record in last 10: 7-3.

* Impressive victories: Nov. 27, St. John’s, 102-81.

* Disturbing losses: Dec. 5, at Loyola (Md.), 97-89; Dec. 22, at Bucknell, 76-74.

* Top players: Sr. Juan Mendez, F, 23.6 ppg, 10.5 rpg; Sr. David Brooks, G, 17.1 ppg; Sr. Alvin Cruz, G, 13.1 ppg, 6.5 apg.

* Skinny: Mendez can be a force inside and shoot the three. He’ll need every ounce of what he can give to pull off the upset in the Purple Eagles’ first tournament game since 1970.

* Graduation rate: 65%, 58%.

* Little-known fact: The last NCAA team featured Calvin Murphy and was coached by Frank Layden.

15. EASTERN KENTUCKY

* Location: Richmond.

* Record: 22-8.

* RPI: 100.

* Record against tournament field: 0-2.

* Road record: 8-7.

* Record in last 10: 8-2.

* Impressive victories: Nov. 21, at Dayton, 73-66; Jan. 13, at Austin Peay, 67-63.

* Disturbing losses: Jan. 22, Samford, 67-61; Feb. 3, at Tennessee State, 75-63.

* Top players: Sr. Michael Haney, F, 62.6 FG pct.; Jr. Matt Witt, G, 6.4 apg.

* Skinny: Coached by former Kentucky standout Travis Ford, the Colonels relied on balanced scoring and teamwork to win the Ohio Valley tournament and earn their first NCAA bid since 1979.

* Graduation rate: 42%, 34%.

* Little-known fact: Eastern Kentucky graduate Lee Majors played the $6-Million Man in the TV series.

16. DELAWARE STATE

* Location: Dover.

* Record: 19-13.

* RPI: 103.

* Record against tournament field: 0-3.

* Road record: 6-11.

* Record in last 10: 8-2.

* Impressive victories: March 12, Hampton, 55-53.

* Disturbing losses: Nov. 27, Tennessee State, 75-69; Jan. 15, at North Carolina A&T;, 70-66; Feb. 14, at Morgan State, 75-74.

* Top players: So. Jahsha Bluntt, G, 13.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 41.2 three-point FG pct., 81.8 FT pct.; Sr. Terrance Hunter, F, 11.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg.

* Skinny: Bluntt leads a team that shoots well from the perimeter (34.7%) and from the free-throw line (75.5%), but doesn’t defend guards well. Hunter needs to step up for a poor rebounding team.

* Graduation rate: 40%, 31%.

* Little-known fact: This season’s men’s basketball regular-season championship was Delaware State’s first in its 34 years in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.