These Country Bears Take On Big-City Bruins

“And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance ... I hope you dance.” -- Lee Ann Womack

For the rest of us, a line from a country song.

For a tiny Nashville college, an alumna’s plea.

And thus Belmont University -- college basketball’s Grand Ol’ Hoopsry -- bounces on to the floor today as the final verse in the dreams of banjo pickers and tub thumpers everywhere.

In the first round of the NCAA tournament, it’s their Bruins against the UCLA Bruins, but the similarities end there.

Belmont’s bruin is the one chasing momma in her truck as she drives home from prison in the rain.

As UCLA is known for college basketball, Belmont is known for country music.

“It’s an amazing story,” said country star Vince Gill, the team’s biggest booster. “It’s a real gas.”

Belmont is literally across the street from Nashville’s famed Music Row, with more than 40% of its 4,300 students studying the business of country music.

Its alumni -- including Womack, Trisha Yearwood and Brad Paisley -- have produced more No. 1 hits than UCLA has produced national titles.

“The country music business is who we are,” said Mike Strickland, the school’s athletic director. “We’re thrilled that our basketball team can spread this message.”

It could not have landed in a more unlikely venue, against a more unlikely opponent.

UCLA is Jim Morrison.

Belmont is Minnie Pearl.

UCLA is eight-clap.

Belmont is Yearwood singing, “Next thing I knew, I was sittin’ ‘hind the eight ball.”

UCLA is Hollywood.

Belmont is Dollywood.

UCLA can turn to John Wooden for inspirational speeches.

Belmont could turn to Gill, but, well, um ...

“They don’t need no hillbilly telling them how to play no hoops,” Gill said.

UCLA is making its 40th NCAA tournament appearance.

Belmont is making its first.

Less than 10 years after making the dramatic leap from NAIA to NCAA Division I, Belmont has reached its first NCAA tournament in any sport.

Is it any wonder Belmont officials wept when their team qualified for the tourney with an overtime victory over Lipscomb in the Atlantic Sun tournament championship?

“When we moved to Division I, it was like leaping off a cliff,” said Strickland. “This is exactly why we took that leap.”

A week later, the student body roared when it was announced that they were seeded 15th in the tournament.

“We were worried it would be a 16th seed,” said Strickland.

On Tuesday, cheering students lined the sidewalk between the school gym and bus as the players marched on to begin their trip to San Diego.

“To see the look on these kids’ faces last week, it was real compelling stuff,” said Gill.

It is a look that remained with them during the news conferences Wednesday, their expressions filled with a wonderment rarely seen in these Pac-10 parts.

“We were a little geeked at the situation,” acknowledged guard Brian Collins. “But we’re over our wide eyes. We know it’s time to get down to business.”

Now it’s time for our eyes to get wide.

Do you that Belmont’s Rick Byrd may be the only college basketball coach in America who has appeared in music videos?

“That’s probably because no other coach would ever think of doing it,” he said with a smile.

Byrd, a Belmont legend in his 20th season, has pretended to play keyboard, and actually played golf, in two Gill videos.

Can you imagine UCLA’s intense Ben Howland doing either activity? Camera or no camera?

Byrd is also probably the only coach in America who has doubled as a roadie, spending various weeks touring with Gill, even sleeping in a bunk on the bus.

“I’ve known him since before he had many hits, and before I had many wins,” Byrd said.

In return, Gill spends much time at Byrd’s workplace, sitting directly behind the coach during home games, challenging the officials with the sort of whines not even heard on his love songs.

“I love basketball at this level because I can yell and the players and referees can actually hear me,” Gill said. “Usually I’m just trying to make them all laugh.”

Several years ago, when Belmont was thin with injuries, Gill even practiced with the team.

“I got my head kicked in,” he said.

Today, the players know him as more of a fan than a singer.

That’s because, in a situation that could work as a theme of a country music song, most of them don’t even like country music.

“Nah,” said center Boomer Herndon.

“Uh-uh,” said guard Josh Goodwin.

“Not me,” said Collins.

Byrd doesn’t play it in the locker room or use its words for inspiration.

“I want my players to like me,” he said.

Even the music played before games at the Curb Event Center -- the same politician-record executive Mike Curb -- is not country music, because the players always choose something else.

“That’s OK, you can’t expect an 18-year-old kid to like the same things you like, you know?” said Gill.

And as long as they can shoot -- they are fourth in the NCAA, shooting 50% -- Gill doesn’t care if they don’t boot scoot.

“If UCLA has any defensive breakdowns at all, we could have a chance, because our kids can shoot the face off it,” said Gill.

If not, well, the Belmont Bruins will return to Nashville stronger, wiser and with the knowledge that there is one part of a basketball game in which they will always dominate.

“You ought to hear our national anthems,” Strickland said.

Bill Plaschke can be reached at bill.plaschke@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Plaschke, go to latimes.com/plaschke.