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Palm Beach Post Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — Billy Donovan's job as a recruiter just got a lot easier. Another trip to the Final Four gives Florida Gators coach even more to sell, but the Gators' first national title means Donovan has a good chance to sign anyone he wants, said one of the nation's top recruiting analysts. "Billy Donovan is one of the most dangerous recruiters out there," said Dave Telep of Scout.com, in his 10th year as a national analyst. "When he locks into a guy, he works them over into submission." Recruiting in a climate of NCAA Tournament...

INDIANAPOLIS - UCLA used to be the most intimidating letters in college basketball. Under legendary coach John Wooden, the Bruins captured 10 national championships in 12 tournaments, won 88 consecutive games, the longest winning streak in NCAA history, and had four undefeated seasons. But since Wooden retired in 1975 after 27 seasons as the Bruins' coach, those four letters haven't meant as much in college basketball. UCLA has won only one national championship in the 31 seasons since Wooden retired, and the 1995 NCAA tournament title was tarnished when coach Jim Harrick was fired less than two years later for...

"He Could Have Played Blind" ‘The radio was playing and the morning news was on. I was startled to hear that Pete Maravich, the basketball player, had collapsed on a basketball court in Pasadena, just fell over and never got up. I’d seen Maravich play in New Orleans, when the Utah Jazz were the New Orleans Jazz. He was something to see – mop of brown hair, floppy socks – the holy terror of the basketball world – high flyin’ – magician of the court. The night I saw him he dribbled the ball with his head, scored a behind-the-back,...

ok..this year is the year of "messed up brackets"

lsu 70 texas 60, OT ucla 21 memphis 11 7:21 first half

In another episode of overly sensitive university political correctness, not all mascots will be present in St. Louis this week at the Final Four. Although Ramses the Ram, Cardinal Bird the Cardinal, and Sparty the Spartan will make the trek, Chief Illiniwek has been forced to stay in Illinois for the games. "All aspects of the chief and its dance should be eliminated," said Jen Tayabji, a former Illinois student who is a member of the Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative, a group involved in trying to do away with the chief and the "Fighting Illini" moniker. This is ludicrous - I...

<p>Duke center Shelden Williams never realized just how much animosity there was toward his team until one of his cousins made the mistake of walking through a mall wearing a Duke T-shirt one day last year. Total strangers yelled at her, screaming out how much they hated the Blue Devils. She couldn't have attracted more venom if she had clubbed baby seals in the middle of the food court.</p>

<p>It's almost time for the best annual sporting event in America, the NCAA Basketball Tournament, and you know what that means.</p> <p>No, not office pools with Valparaiso beating Maryland in the first round.</p> <p>Lots and lots of god-awful tattoos inked on the arms, shoulders, backs, necks, calves and ankles of our student-athletes.</p>

The war may be raging, but it's basketball on his mind!

Football no longer is the only game in town at UT By RACHEL COHEN AUSTIN – Harris Harr's burnt orange T-shirt was quite the conversation-starter on Monday. The shirt proclaimed him a member of the O-Zone, the Texas men's basketball team's student cheering section, so classmates kept talking to the freshman about the school's historic hoops feat. The Longhorns are going to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four for the first time since 1947, after winning the South Region final. UT faces Syracuse in the second game Saturday in New Orleans.

East Lansing, Mich. -- Eight people were arrested and police dispersed crowds with tear gas following Michigan State's loss to Texas in the NCAA tournament. Police dressed in riot gear and gas masks had mostly broken up the crowd downtown and reopened traffic in and out of Michigan State's campus. A crowd of about 2,000 had gathered at the university's administration building, where four cars were overturned, several small fires were set in bushes and large trash bins, and vending machines were damaged, Lt. Kevin Daley of the East Lansing Police Department said. The violence followed Michigan State's 85-76 loss...

Only one top seed is heading to New Orleans. South No. 1 Texas beat Michigan State 85-76 for its first Final Four trip in 56 years. Earlier Sunday, Syracuse used its zone to squeeze out top-seeded Oklahoma 63-47 in the East regional final.

BY JOHN PYE Associated Press GWANGJU, South Korea (AP) &#8212; South Korea kept its improbable World Cup run alive Saturday, upsetting Spain 5-3 in a penalty-kick shootout after a 0-0 tie to become the first Asian nation ever to reach the semifinals. Hong Myung Bo scored the game-winner after goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae saved a penalty by Joaquin Sanchez. More World Cup USA-GERMANY: GER 1, USA 0: U.S. dream ends In defeat, American fans upbeat Voeller unhappy with his team's play, but he'll take win Donovan saddened by near-misses Reyna, Friedel may quit U.S. team Bared bellies, merriment at match...

<p>Underdog IU can win its 6th NCAA title tonightATLANTA -- Indiana University will attempt to bring an improbable season to an incredible end tonight at the Georgia Dome, where the unranked Hoosiers play Maryland for the national collegiate basketball championship.</p>

Prepared for battle: Maryland-Kansas, Oklahoma-Indiana March 30, 2002SportsLine.com wire reports          ATLANTA -- Maryland is back in the Final Four and hopes to finish the job.   Juan Dixon and the Terps are trying to storm into the championship game.(Allsport)   The Terrapins (30-4) have never won the national championship and hope to move a step closer when they face Kansas (33-3) on Saturday in the second of two games at the Georgia Dome. Oklahoma (31-4) meets Indiana (24-11) in the first semifinal. Maryland, which squandered a large lead to Duke in last year's Final Four,...