Alberta Aguste celebrates the Lady Vols seventh national title.

And all the Tennessee faithful sing:
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me;
Good ol' Rocky Top --
Rocky Top Tennessee, Rocky Top Tennessee.

How these fans don't get sick of this song is beyond me. But they don't. Then again, I'd sing the same song over and over again if it meant my team had just won a national title.

In a way it seems fitting that Tennessee captured the women's title and Florida the men's. Both were #1 seeds in their tournament brackets and if anyone was surprised that either won the title they need to get out a little more.

One fan tells Candace where she can shove it.

Psychologically too, the Gators and the Lady Vols both had an edge over their opponents. Florida had already crushed the Buckeyes during the regular season - not to mention their football team's victory over OSU in the BCS National Championship Game - and Tennessee has never lost to a team seeded four or lower.

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And while neither game was very exciting in the second half due to an ever increasing margin of victory, Matt and I grew more excited with each passing second. The end of our mad voyage through the college basketball landscape was not only in sight, it was right around the corner.

And now, as Pat Summit hoists her seventh trophy in 33 years at the helm and Sheldon Williams celebrates his girlfriend's first championship, the Hoops Odyssey officially comes to an end. (That's right - Sheldon Williams is dating Candace Parker, our favorite college basketball couple.)

It's been a delicious experience. Imagine eating your favorite food every day, sometimes twice a day, for three months. That's kind of like our relationship to college basketball. We have a new appreciation for the players, coaches and fans who make this sport as fun and competitive as it is. But it's time to go home now. I've got a beard to shave off and a lot of sleep to catch up on.

After the game Parker assured UT fans she won't leave early for the WNBA.

With my final words, I'd like to relay a message to you that I saw on a sign hanging outside a restaurant in Brooklyn back on the first day of the Odyssey. The sign read: "Shoot Hoops, Not Guns." It's nice to know that some people out there believe that basketball might just play a tiny part in keeping the street safe. Makes the last three months seem not just fun, but significant.

I'm out.

We’re in Atlanta, of course. And after the final buzzer sounded, we were at center court, jumping up and down like lottery winners, with the repeat champ Gators.

That look in Noah's eye says back-to-back, baby.

Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon infamously crashed the Red Sox World Series celebration at Busch Stadium in 2005. On Monday night, Jake and I were Drew and Jimmy, (albeit with worse hair). I gotta admit, if I were one of the UF fans pinned behind the ropes by the Romonowski-esque security force, like Sox nation with the rom com duo, I'd have been pissed at us, too. In our defense, we kind of deserved to be in the middle of the mayhem.

For dessert Tuesday night we'll take in the women's final in Cleveland, but for all intents and purposes, this was the big finale of the Odyssey. We sat at midcourt, three rows back, close enough to hear the psht-psht of cheerleaders’ pom-poms brushing together and watched Greg Oden's Sisyphean effort to keep the Buckeyes in the game. Every time he'd swat the rock, it would be deflected into Gators’ hands only to swish back through the net.


VIDEO: LOCKER ROOM TALK WITH THE CHAMPS

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It may not have been the best end to what was not the best tournament in the history of college basketball, but we're not complaining. You think you’re into fantasy sports? This trip was the definition of fantasy sports.

Even the big man's got to stretch it out.

In the history of college basketball, no two wise guy journos have had this experience. Right now I'm wearing a bright white, XXL Back-to-Back National Champs tee scored from a generous Florida team manager. I'm stinky with Joakim Noah's sweat after he shook out his mane like a wet dog. Asked how it felt to go out as a champ, senior forward Chris Richard replied, "It feels great. We did a great job and had a lot of fun doing it." He took the words out of our mouths.

My only regret: That, as the rainbow streamers fell from the rafters, I didn't have the cajones to grab a Gator Dazzler and plant one on her like a WWII soldier returning from the war. Next year? Probably not.

The USMC put on one hell of a halftime show.

“Once in a lifetime” has been our cliched response to inquirers asking how the trip was unfolding. And it was. But we mean that in two ways: It was a unique opportunity, the ultimate dream for hoops junkies like ourselves; but also about all a body could handle. Our trip was a combination of the book On the Road and the movie “Supersize Me.” I’ve aged two years in the last three months.

Tomorrow Jake will be your dutiful scribe. For me, this is the end. So, this is your captain signing off. Hope you enjoyed the ride. I certainly did.

Even the cops get out of the way when Candace Parker comes through.

Hoops Odyssey flew into Cleveland today just in time for the NCAA Women's Final Four. What could be a better way to follow up the Men's Final Four than with the women's? Hey, life's good, maybe even better than in Atlanta.

First off, the roving band of rabid lunatics known as the media maintains less of a presence on the banks of the Cuyahoga River. Less reporters better access and better treatment Hoops Odyssey. That, in turn, means buttered popcorn in the workroom. Ummmmm, buttered popcorn.

Secondly, these girls we're watching tonight are massive specimens of athleticism. (I wanted to get all three of those concepts in there, but I'm not sure if that actually makes sense or if it's a little too abstract.) In the first game, we watch as Rutgers' Kia Vaugh dominates LSU's Sylvia Fowles (who can also dunk.) That's a 6-4 girl going up against 6-6 girl. Elbows are being tossed around with enough force to warrant riot police.

VIDEO: Former Scartlet Knights star and WWE wrestler Linda Miles delivers the smackdown on Hoops Odyssey

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And, as you would probably guess from a venue that's home to King James and the Cavs, Quicken Loans Arena - don't get me started on the arena's terrible name - knows how to put on a show. Before the games, as the starting five of each team's being read, fire shoots out of guitars mounted on the scoreboard. Matt has flashbacks of his first Whitesnake concert.

Really, there's only a few minor nagging details that need to be mentioned. There's this guitar logo on the court that's just hideous. I know Cleveland is home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but do we really need a light grey guitar stenciled on the court from from baseline to the center circle?

Okay, the logo doesn't bother me that much since I'm on the other side of the court. What's really killing me is that for the entire first game there are four LSU fans screaming their heads off right behind me. "GET THE BALL. GET THE BALL. GET THE BALL," they keep repeating over and over again. Yeah, that's annoying.

The Tennessee cheearleaders all wore wristbands in memory of UNC mascot, Jason Ray.

Fortunately, the rest of the crowd has got more originality. LSU's fans are all about face paint and masks (I'm currently watching one Tiger fan try to eat nachos while not taking off her mask) and Tennessee's supporters - by far the majority in the arena - rock all different kinds of hats, which are much more conducive to nacho noshing.

I think I said it in a previous post, but you've got to love the names of some of the players on these teams. RaShonta, Khalilah, Essence, Epiphanny, Quianna, Rashidat and my personal favorite, simply for its rhyme scheme - Nicci Anosike. These names make Jacob Osterhout seem downright boring.

Matt stumbled upon the Lady Vols stretching out in a back hallway before the game.

While Hoops Odyssey might be having a good time, the Lady Tigers of LSU are most certainly not. They're getting smoked by the Scarlet Knights. (For the time being, we'll just ignore the obvious question of how a knight can be female?) At one moment during the second half, it's so bad that I see a LSU cheerleader let out a nice big yawn. The Lady Tigers eventually lose 59-35.

The big match up in the second game seems to be between Tennessee's Shannon Bobbitt and UNC's Ivory Latta. The two point guards look like twins and they've got similar personalities on the court as well. That is to say, they are fiery. There was a little pushing match in the first half, but - much to our chagrin - no punches were thrown. (Normally, we wouldn't advocate violence, but this is the Final Four...)

Coach Stringer does her best MJ impression.

What the first game lacks in intensity, the second makes up for in excitement. Tennessee comes back from ten down with eight minutes left and wins 56-50. Instead of the cheerleaders yawning, they're jumping up and down, screaming and hugging each other.

And, in the end, we're left with a Lady Vols/Scarlet Knights show down on Tuesday in this, the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We'll see Kia Vaughn take on Candace Parker. No doubt, that'll be show you don't want to miss. You might even want make sure that your mama's gonna watch. I promise, she'll have a new appreciation for the game of women's basketball.

What's that? No, I wasn't talking about your mother, I was just saying...What? Now your mama can dunk? Oh, I get it. April Fools.

From this vantage point, though, the following question begs to be answered: If you attend a basketball game, and you can't actually see the game, did you, in fact, go?

These four Florida fans got to "see" their Gators advance to the Final.

Way, way, way, way up in section 306, rows 24 and 25, sit four Florida Gators fans, their legs draped over the empty seats in front of them. There's no arguing that these guys, dressed in blue and orange, are the proprietors of the worst seats in the house.

For what I assume are financial reasons, every year the Final Four , is played in a football arena. It's pretty outrageous, like having a chess match at the bottom of a pool or the squash championships in Grand Central Station. The Georgia Dome, home of Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons, is hosting this year's games.

VIDEO: The pregame scene was far superior to the actual games.

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The set up, no matter the city, is always the same. The court is set up parallel to where one endzone would be, between the currently imaginary goal line and the twenty-yard line. The court's fourth wall of seating is the makeshift -- ack, this diagram explains it better than I can.

Kevin Blanchard, Herre Echmer, and brothers Larry and Sam Kuhn, all college students from Florida, have "scored" seats at the far (away) end of the stadium, a kick return away and then some from the action, split down the (nonexistent) uprights, in the tippy-top tier, with their backs almost against the concrete stadium wall. From this vantage point you can tell that an athletic event is taking place, though you'd be hard pressed to say which sport it is.

This is the actual view from section 306.

"It's looks like the little blue ants vs. little white ants," says Echmer during the Georgetown-Ohio State game. "We just wanted to be here. It's the atmosphere; it's not about where you sit."

Once the Gators were assured a berth in the Final Four, the older Kuhn, Larry, 20, logged onto eBay to secure four tickets. He won a bid at $250 a piece for four $60 face value seats, the maximum price he could go. Like most online buyers, he wasn't exactly sure what he'd purchased. It wasn't until he later checked the seating chart that he realized they'd be stationed closer to the Florida-Georgia state line than the actual game. "By the time our seven-hour drive from Jacksonville was over," says Larry's brother, Sam, "I was finally done complaining."

"It's not so bad," explains Blanchard, wearing home Florida No. 1 jersey. "When you first get to your seats you can't see anything. But your eyes adjust...sort of." Greg Oden, after picking up two early fouls, was relegated to the bench for most of the first half, a downer for the paying fans here to see the big man play. But these four looked on obliviously, unable to tell the difference between Oden and his backup Kyle Madsen...who's white.

There are advantages to being a handful of Hail Marys from the action. The bathroom and concession lines are swift. They can spread out their stuff and place a man-buffer between each other. To defray their travel costs they plan on collecting all if the unused Final Four seat cushions in their section and hawking them on eBay. Explains Blanchard, "We think they'll go for five bucks a pop."

"I can spot that hair from a mile away," says Sam Kuhn.

Twenty minutes after the Buckeye's win, the Gators come storming out of the tunnel for warmups. The boys perk up in their seats. "There's (Joakim) Noah," remarks Sam Kuhn. "I can spot that hair from a mile away." The others squint their eyes trying to get a glimpse. "Yep," says Echmer, "I think it is."

Last year, the boys paid less money, and had considerably better nosebleeds, to see Florida win it all. If Florida makes it to the Final Four again in 2008, will they splurge for seats with actual sight-lines?

"Next year I'm buy tickets in the bathroom," says Larry Kuhn. "They have a sweet plasma flat screen in there."

Mahogany in Motion wowed the crowd at half time.

That's what I was doing today, playing in the pollen, when I lost my balance and slid right into two guys passing by. Sorry, I mumbled, before I realized that I was staring up at Acie Law and Alando Tucker. (When the opportunity arises, always use a "Ghost" quote: Alando, is that you? Baby, what'd you do to your hair?)

That's just how it goes in the ATL on Final Four weekend. One second you're slip sliding away and the next your hanging out with a first team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year. Love it.
VIDEO: ALANDO TUCKER AND ACIE LAW KEEPING IT REAL

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Today's what we like to call a practice day. We make our way over to the Georgia Dome just in time to catch the Ohio State open practice. There are a surprising amount of people on hand, including the Buckeye band, and everyone's screaming Oden's name. Boys, girls, grown men, old ladies, they all want a piece of the big man.

Very quickly we realize that there is only so long a man can watch Greg Oden shoot foul shots before losing interest, so we wander around and look for something a little more entertaining. And, of course, there's our old friend, sitting courtside, Mr. Billy Packer. Packer must be in a good mood today 'cause he not only shakes my hand, but invites me to take a seat.

Hoops Odyssey finally caught up with Lute Olson.

Rather uncomfortably I sit down and talk to Packer about - of all things - my father. Turns out, my dad's high school basketball team, the Palmerton Blue Bombers, beat Packer's high school team, Liberty (originally named Bethlehem High School), back in the '50's. It's all very cordial, but I'm just waiting for him to bite my head off.

After a few minutes, Packer releases me from his company and I wander over to talk to a much less intimidating Chuck Klosterman. He's rocking camo shorts, a t-shirt and white shoes with orange laces. Hoops Odyssey digs the Klosterman style. Anyways, Klosterman and I both decide that it's tough to blog about practice. I mean, no matter how talented the players, it is after all, just practice.

This has got to be the ugliest picture of Mark Cuban ever.

Ohio State goes back to the lockerroom and is replaced by the Florida Gators. Joaquim Noah stops to tie his shoes at the scorers table. What size? I ask. Too big, he responds. Good answer.

Finally, we end up at the NABC All-Star Game in Philips Arena. Basically, it's a chance for senior ball players to show off their game to the few fans and NBA scouts in attendance. I can see Danny Ferry, Danny Ainge and Lute Olson taking in the action.

This is the first time I've seen Coby Karl, George Karl's son, play and I'm impressed. He shoots well from outside and penetrates with ease. Just overheard Jim Larranaga name Karl his MVP - turns out Larranaga was overruled and the award went to Torrell Martin, but Karl played well nonetheless.

And that's it, folks. Less than 24 hours till the Final Four kicks off. We can hardly wait.

Pretty soon you won't have Matt and Jake to kick around anymore.

The entire who's-who list of college basketball lifers have shown up in Atlanta for the Final Four. Head and assistant coaches at every level, from D-I to JUCO, are all here glad handing and back slapping. Announcers from networks not broadcasting the games are here getting their fix of insider chit-chat. College seniors, here to participate in various all-star challenges, are clogging the Quizno's lines.

Women, you ask? Not so much. The next one I see will be there first.

15,000 YOUNG RED-BLOODED AMERICAN MEN JUST SIGNED UP TO GO TO DUKE

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As we approach the end of the road trip, our hoops saturation level is intensifying. We can't shake free. On our flight from Louisville this morning were a bunch of McDonald's All-Americans. We watched with amusement as they unsuccessfully pleaded with attendants for exit rows. Our hotel is an MC Escher-esque monstrosity with double-back walkways and stairwells that wind endlessly like snail shells stacked atop one another. I keep hoping to look up and see Hunter Thompson peering over the balcony, comparing Billy Donovan's twister routine (one foot in Gainesville, one foot in Lexington, one arm in Miami) to Daniel Ellsberg's decision to release of the Pentagon Papers.

In actuality it’s probably better that the good doctor isn’t here. It's hard enough rolling with this scene while playing it straight. Trying to deal here after two tabs of acid, a whack of peyote, and a horse tranquilizer to the neck is probably scarier than any low-rate Vegas casino.

This is the Escher-esque view up from our room at the Marriot.

At this very moment in the lobby, Illinois' coach Bruce Weber and Pittsburgh's Jaime Dixon are at the center of their own cliques, fifteen feet apart. Dixon's going with the full Pitt practice jumpsuit, while Weber, much shorter in person than you'd imagine, has a nice vacation look going: conservative Hawaiian shirt and, if I remember correctly, a pair of classy olive shorts.

On my hunt for a decent diner I had Bo Ryan (Wisco) and Seth Greenberg (Vir Tech) sightings. Earlier in the day we spotted the Big O, Oscar Robertson, one of the 10 greatest players of all time, strolling through the Hyatt lobby unrecognized, except by us. Dickie V's here, of course, though at this point, I'm almost more surprised when I peel back the shower curtain and he's not there.

After ninety-something games in less than three months, you’d think we were basketball-ed out. But all this power schmoozing makes me drowsy. Can someone do me a favor and wake me when the games begin? Or the girls get here?

Whichever comes first.

Hoops Odyssey got a little preview of next year's crop of NCAA prime-time prodigies at the McDonald's All-American Game. And like most all-star games, regardless of age, location or sport, there was a lot of talent on display but not so much refined, well-executed ball.

Shattering the myth about Duke girls.

What I mean to say is, if you were looking for "team" basketball, you weren't going to find it at the McDonald's game in Freedom Hall. (The give and go was more of a give me the ball and I'll go.) But if you were looking for alley oops, behind the back passes, tomahawk dunks, long distance threes and full court no look passes, well you, my friend, were in business.

The Louisville arena had a circus-like feel right from the get go. The cheerleaders were local high school girls - talk about a disaster waiting to happen. Ronald McDonald kept massaging my shoulders. And the women's game, the first of the evening, started off with the East taking a 20-2 lead. It was not your typical night of basketball.

VIDEO: THE LIKELY 2008 NO. 1 PICK ON PREPPING FOR HUGGYVILLE

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But, assuming you were able to ignore the puerile cheerleaders, a quick look around and you'd discover that you were in the presence of basketball greatness. Not only was the Wizard of Westwood present (check out our Wooden interview), but so was high school coaching guru, Morgan Wootten. There they sat at the scorer's table, the masters of the fundamentals of basketball, surrounded by the entertainment side of the sport.

It was amusing, to say the least. As the women's game wound down, the East still comfortably in control, the arena really started to fill up and get crazy. Matt spotted Bo Outlaw ten rows deep. Timbaland hung out in the tunnel to the locker rooms - he was on tap to do the half time show. And suddenly there were dozens of folks wearing green and yellow Huntington High School jerseys, where O.J. Mayo (USC) and Patrick Patterson (undecided) attend "classes."

VIDEO: DUKE'S RECRUITS ON NEXT YEAR'S TITLE HOPES

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It all felt very, um, well, professional...When the men's game was set to begin, I'd estimate half of those in attendance were on their cell phones, but as soon as the lights went out, the phones went off. Mayo and Patterson received the loudest ovations, followed closely by Eric Gordon, a future Hoosier. The Duke players were booed. Beautiful babies sat courtside, trying to catch the eye of the next great superstar.

Despite his reputation coming into the game and a large contingent of supporters, O.J. Mayo did not appear to be that superstar. He shot 4-17 from the floor and missed the game winning three with two second left. Instead, this contest was dominated by Michael Beasley (Kansas State), who had 23 points and 12 boards, and Nick Calathes (Florida) who dished out six assists and scored a timely 13 points.

VIDEO: A GEORGETOWN AND FLORIDA RECRUIT ON A POTENTIAL McDONALD'S ALL-AMERICAN REALITY SHOW

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Not that this event was about stats. It was more about style and showmanship. That's what brought the fans out. Every dunk - including one in particular by the tiny Johnny Flynn (Syracuse) where he posterized some West player who will go unnamed - brought Freedom Hall to its feet, while fast break lay ups drew boos.

When it was all over and the West had won 114-112, all the players were smiles and high-fives. Kids rushed the court seeking autographs and family members hugged their future basketball stars. After all, the score on the Jumbotron was history; everyone was looking to the future.

If there ever was a photo for a caption contest, this is it.

-The most meaningful part of the event was when Patrick Henry Hughes sung the Star Spangled Banner before the men's game. Hughes was born without eyes and also cannot straighten his arms or legs, but the boy can sing. Check out the Patrick Henry Hughes' story here.

-The most interesting match up of the night was Mayo vs. Gordon. The two guarded each other almost exclusively and they were both better on the defensive end. It seemed like Mayo could only get off fade-aways from behind the arc and Gordon couldn't hold onto the ball in the paint. It's a match up we'll hopefully see again at the next level.

Mayo and Gordon will both be top five picks in '08.

-Kosta Koufos (Ohio State) is listed as 7-1 and the program's not lying. This guy is huge. I heard a reporter talking courtside and he said that neither of Koufos' parents is taller than six feet. I wonder how tall the milkman is...

Parker and her teammates aren't giving the big smiles until they win it all.

"Clear out, clear out," says Candace Parker, her foot and knee wrapped in postgame ice, backstage at the arena,. "She's gonna try to roll all the way down," The "she" is Sidney Spencer, Parker's teammate. Spencer lies down on the carpeted floor and, as if coiled up in a rug, tries to roll down the slope.

She makes about three rotations before flaming out--a Jackass stunt gone bad. Parker, Tennessee's all-everything star, covers her mouth, laughing childishly at the failed attempt, and helps Spencer to her feet.

VIDEO: UT's CANDICE PARKER AND SIDNEY SPENCER ARGUE ABOUT WHO LOVES WHO MORE

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After her dominating and intimidating performance in UT's resounding 98-62 win over Ole Miss which sent the Vols to the Final Four, it's strange to see Parker acting so goofy. But let's allow the sophomore center these, well, sophomoric moments. As she gets older and the responsibilities mount, they will be harder to find time for.

A team? A sport? A gender? Which of these is Candace Parker hoisting on her shoulders? Since she first slammed a basketball at a McDonald's All-American dunk contest as a high school senior, the Naperville, Illinois standout has become the vessel into which proponents of women's sports pour their hopes and dreams. Billie Jean King, Sheryl Swoopes, Mia Hamm-- Parker's impact is expected to exceed all three.


VIDEO: ROCKY TOP WAS PLAYED APPROXIMATELY 435 TIMES AT THE UT PEP RALLY

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So, in actuality, how good is Parker? Seeing her for the first time in person, I'd say she's really good. And no, I don't qualify that with "...for a girl." At 6’4” with a soft touch (for any position), a deft handle (for a big man) and serious hops (ok,...for a girl), Parker plays differently than everyone with whom she shares the court. She's taller than everyone on the court but also the most graceful. As Pat Summit describes, Parker "separates herself."

In Wednesday's win over Ole Miss, Parker finished with 24 points (10-14 FG), 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks in only 25 minutes. Like MJ in Dean Smith's system, Parker has completely bought into Summit's democratic offense. Otherwise Parker would have scored 40 tonight without breaking a sweat. It was sort of unfair, actually, like seeing Wilt playing at Kansas.

Unlike Wilt, Parker has a mean streak. Don't be fooled by her America's Top Model looks or the girly, orange elastic that keeps her hair in place--there's still plenty of street in her game. "Are you serious?" she snarls at a girl after violently swatting the ball into the stands. After another tomahawk block, Parker just glares at the shooter as if insulted by the audacity.

There's a progression of sounds that accompany Parker's play which I've never heard at a sporting event. It occurs every time Parker steals the ball around mid-court. First, a hush, as the crowd internalizes the possibilities of a streaking Parker and an unguarded basket. Then a crescendo in anticipation of the slam. As Parker casually lays the ball off the glass an "Oooh" of disappointment is heard, which evolves into polite applause as everyone remembers the ball did actually go in.

Candace Parker is used to the TV cameras by now.

"Candace! Candace!! Candace!!!" Young girls in #3 Tennessee jerseys that hang like dresses on them squeal as Parker walks past waving after the game. "We love you, Candace," shouts a fan as Parker disappears into the tunnel with a raised fist.

Moments later, while encouraging her teammate to become a human bowling ball, it's reassuring to see Parker being just one of the girls and not "separating herself." There'll be plenty of time for that later.

Here's a sign you don't see at the men's games.

First off, due to the early departure of the hometown favorite Duke Blue Devils, the arena is - and I'm going to put a positive spin on this - personal. The box score says that 6,082 fans are in attendance, but that probably means that 6,082 tickets were sold, most of them to Duke fans who have little motivation to show up to a tournament their team is no longer part of.

But that's alright, it's kind of nice that I can hear every single word screamed in the Coliseum. The guy behind me and to my right, the one wearing jean shorts and tube socks up to his knees, insists that the refs "call it on both ends." I guess the "it" is a foul, but he never specifies and I'm not about to ask.

Former UF dance team member Erin Andrews reflects on her Dazzler days.

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I'm too busy admiring the way the Scarlet Knights play ball. These girls are good, and not just for girls. They are flat out talented. Kia Vaughn is a beast on the inside. I mean, she has me ducking elbows on press row, that's how big and vicious she is. At 6-4, she's easily the tallest player on the court.

Although, I've got to admit, it took me a while to admire Vaughn's presence. I was too busy staring at the Rutgers' scorecard for the first five minutes of play. Can you believe it? The Scarlet Knights have a player named Essence and a player named Epiphanny...Think about that assist, Essence to Epiphanny. Not only that, but Epiphanny once scored 113 points in a high school game. Now that is an epiphany.

Rutgers' guards Matee Ajavon and Essence Carter are ready four Cleveland.

The actual game is less exciting than the players' names. Rutgers takes advantage Vaughn's size and starts to run up the score in the second half, eventually winning 64-45. Fortunately, I'm sitting next to basketball guru Jessica Garrison, who makes the blow out interesting by explaining to this ignorant voyager the beauty of women's college basketball.

-Women lead cheers from the bench. Female players chant defense and stomp their feet while on the sidelines. Imagine Oden doing that. That just don't happen with the men.

-The Rutgers-ASU game was supposed to take place earlier this year in the Virgin Islands, but that game was canceled after the younger brother of an ASU player died of an enlarged heart.

-Because of the size difference, there's more room on the court for women. That creates more passing angles and allows the offense to run smoother. This is probably why people like John Wooden (yeah, maybe you've heard of him) insist that women's basketball is better when it comes to execution.

-Women ballers can still dunk. In fact, Garrison pointed out this clip to me of a 15 year old girl throwing down.

All in all, Hoops Odyssey was impressed, maybe not with the Greensboro Coliseum crowd, but with Scarlet Knights' play and Garrison's knowledge of the game. (Plus, if anyone can introduce Hoops Odyssey to ASU guard Jill Noe, we'd really appreciate it. Maybe it's her handle, maybe we've been on the road too long, but she's the cutest player we've seen since...well I can't thing of anything cuter right now...)

Roy Hibbert was smiling after the game. Roy Williams--not so much

It was like a family reunion on the court after the Hoyas tk-tk win over UNC. The Hoyas' players formed a single-file line before el padrino former Hoyas coach, John Thompson Jr., sitting courtside doing radio commentating, to give him a hug. At last, John Thompson III and his father met, their embrace lasting a good thirty seconds.

"We going to the A," Patrick Ewing Jr. hollered to his family in the crowd, while making the new sign for Atlanta, an upside-down peace sign. As his mother and sisters made their way to the court, Ewing Jr. went over and hugged his father, as the New York media scored their evening news clip.

VIDEO: THE FANS HAD A FEW PREDICTIONS ON THE OUTCOME

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Guard Jessie Sapp's mother dabbed at tears from her eyes. Roy Hibbert scanned the crowd for his parents and, upon spotting them, motioned for them to come down. When they reached the floor Hibbert's mom couldn't stop jumping up and down, her voice quaking with excitement. The star center pulled two strands of the net from behind his ear and presented them to his parents. Mrs. Hibbert continued to jump up and down. "You OK?" asked the Roy "Your stomach, OK?"

Green was money against UNC, finishing with 22 points on 10 of 17 shooting.

Ewing Sr came over and shook Hibbert's dad's hand. "Congrats, sir" said Ewing. Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who's son Jeremiah plays on the team, came over and embraced the former Knick. "We've got both days off," said Rivers, of the semifinal and final game dates, "so I'll see you in Atlanta." A guard informed Rivers that he needed a credential to be on the court. Ewing tugged at his credential beaming like proud papa.

Back in the locker room, Rivers, the son, talked about the feeling of winning in front of his dad. "All the practice in the backyard...it's special," said Jeremiah. "He never went to a Final Four, so now I have bragging rights." Asked about his impression of the Hoyas' upcoming Final Four opponent, Rivers responded, "Is that who we have? Ohio State?"

VIDEO: THE JUNKYARD DOG WAS ALL SORTS OF PUMPED UP

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Moments later the elder Ewing burst into the locker room. "Where's junior?" he asked to no one in particular. "Junior, you in the shower?" he hollered. "Come find me when you get out. We're waiting on you."

Yep, just like family.

The Barton Bulldogs miracle win made believers out of their fans.

The DII Championship in Springfield, Mass, started out like it was supposed to start out. Tiny Barton College valiantly held its own against powerhouse Winona State University, which came into the game riding a 57 game winning streak. But the Bulldogs and their lightening quick guard Anthony Atkinson (divinely referred to as Ant after hitting a game winning shot in each of the last two games) couldn't match WSU's talent or size inside.

It was only a matter of time before superior athleticism won out. By halftime, the Warriors had built a seemingly insurmountable ten-point lead. Their fan section, sensing the inevitable continuation of the team's win streak and the hoisting of the championship trophy, grew deafening.

The second half started out the same way, with WSU maintaining a comfortable lead. The Barton fan section kept chanting, "WE BELIEVE", but the mantra was sounding less and less convincing. For our part, Matt and I thought the game was pretty much over, so we went looking for a little flare for our article. He tracked down Manute Bol (not that it was that hard) and I worked up the courage to get a few quotes from Jim Calhoun on what he likes about DII basketball.

Who's the most excited about this pic: former DII star Manute Bol, Bol's son or Jake?

(And I quote: "I played Division II basketball for AIC (American International College). Played against Frazier and Sloan. I'm also here for the quality of basketball. Both teams really execute well. To some degree this basketball is more pure because kids aren't thinking about going to the next level. And it's very entertaining. I'm not rooting for either team, I'm just here to watch the basketball.")

We returned to our seats on press row with a minute remaining in the game and WSU winning by seven. Game over...

Then it happened. No lightening, thunder or bright lights, but there should've been.

With his team losing 67-74, Ant put on a Reggie Miller-esque performance. He scored 10 points in 45 seconds - making a layup and stealing the ball, making a jumper and stealing the ball and eventually topping it off by racing down the court and laying the ball in the hoop with no time left on the clock.

Out of despair, the Winona State fans fell completely quiet. Out of disbelief, the Barton fans too. And then the sound came rushing back. Barton fans screaming. Barton players crying. Students rushing the court. Players running in circles and disrobing.

VIDEO: THE DIZZYING HIGHS (BARTON), THE TERRIFYING HIGHS (WINONA)

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Just think about this for a moment. With the score tied, Ant stole the ball at halfcourt and turned around to see 3.6 second left on the clock above the basket. He had 3.6 seconds left to put the ball in the bucket to beat the #1 team in the country and win the championship. What would you have done? Stopped and popped? Willing to roll the dice that you could make it to the rack in time?

Ant had faith. He flew. With 1.8 seconds left he hit the arc. At .2, the ball rolled off his fingers. By the grace of God, Barton won. They're the DII champs. And Matt and I are believers.

We dig the more realistic mascots more than the oversized bobbleheads.

For some time life for the Trojans was looking as good as the Song Girls. On the sidelines Tim Floyd was all fist pumpy. Sitting courtside, Giants QB Eli Manning rooted for USC, explaining that USC's coach "is an old family friend of ours."

With 13 minutes remaining in the second half, the Trojans led by 17. The Heels looked sluggish, and USC couldn't miss. The guy in the loud shirt looked as if he was going to start handing out "It's a Boi" cigars at any minute.

In the stands across the court, Carolina's fans, all grumpy in their argyle sweaters, slumped in their seats. It can't be fun to travel from North Carolina to New Jersey (The Armpit State) to watch your title-contending squad get routed three games short of the final by a group of no-names. Even Roy Williams, his arms folded across his chest, was quiet, as if mentally preparing his concession speech.

VIDEO:TAILGATING AT THE MEADOWLANDS SWEET 16 STYLE

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YYou saw what happened next. The Tar Heels turned it on. Their defense got tighter than the lid of a pickle jar. A 17-2 run had the UNC faithful back on their feet, as the UNC prevailed 66-65. The game followed the same script as almost every contest in this year's tournament: heavily favored team comes out in cruise control, falling behind big, only to shift into a higher gear and squeak out a victory. In both of the early games on Friday, we saw that exact situation played out with Georgetown-Vanderbilt and with Florida and Butler.

Perhaps the Hoyas-Heels duel is pre-destined. This is, after all, the 25th anniversary of Michael Jordan's game winning shot over the Hoyas in the '82 Final. Somebody trot out Fred Brown. Can we set up a conference call with John Thompson and Dean Smith? It's Georgetown and North Carolina, baby. Did you really think it would turn out any other way?

Five Notes About Vanderbilt-Georgetown You Won't Find in the AP Story

It's got to be an illusion how much bigger coach looks than Matt.

1) Everyone had a reason why they thought Georgetown was going to beat the Commodores. Mine? I have a rule to always pick against the school with the most a cappella groups -- call it the Whiffenpoof Corollary. I had a high school friend who went to Vandy and came back on winter break of his freshman year raving about going to, like, nine a cappella concerts.

2) The Georgetown fans seated behind the Vanderbilt band and the Vandy student section, the Memorial Maniacs, complained to security about the standing Vandys, but to no avail. "Ice cream sandwiches, ice cream sandwiches," chanted the Maniacs obliviously, as Georgetown center Roy Hibbert shot a free throw. Why? "So he gets cold," explained a student.

3) When former Knicks center Patrick Ewing, in attendance to see his son play, had his mug flashed on the JumboTron, he gave the double thumbs up. When Hoops Odyssey requested a photo with the big fella, he responded with an unenthusiastic two thumbs down. "Man," said Ewing unapologetically, "I don't wanna take no picture."

The Hoyas celebrates their victory by getting naked.

4) We've now seen the same Georgetown fan on several occasions dressed in a full-body Scoopy Doo costume, as though he was off to solve a mystery of his own before we could get to the bottom of this one. We have noticed a cartoon renaissance with the Hoyas' upcoming opponent, UNC, as well. Aside from Brandan Wright's Mickey Mouse ears, Ty Lawson is known to sport Scoopy and Sponge Bob apparel and has attended a Pokemon convention. Recently Roy Williams compared his freshman point guard to Dennis the Menace. "And I guess," surmised Williams, "I'm Mr. Wilson."

5) When asked what his son said to him during an embrace after the game, John Thompson the elder had this to say: "When I had Charles Smith on my team I used to say, "Just get Charles the ball and get the (bleep) out of the way. (My son) said he told the team to "Just give the ball to Green and get the (bleep) out of the way."

The media geeks were rooting for CMU just so its dance team, the Kickers, would stick around.

Tonight, we're back at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., for the national semifinals of the NCAA DII tournament. Now, we know you're probably in the dark when it comes to DII basketball. Hey, we were too. So, before these final four games begin, we're gonna shed a little light on this year's DII tournament.

TEAM TO BEAT: Winona State University - WSU is the Florida of DII. They're the reigning champs and enter the semifinals riding a 56 game winning streak. Last night, Hoops Odyssey watched as they manhandled Bentley College, another previously undefeated team. WSU looked downright impressive. They had the speed, size and touch to beat a lot of DI teams. Just ask the Minnesota Gophers. They lost to WSU 69-64 earlier this season.

(Here's an interesting aside. When WSU beat Minnesota, rumor had it that WSU head coach Mike Leaf might be a candidate to interview for the soon-to-be-vacated Golden Gopher's job. Alas, with the recent news that Tubby Smith will be taking over for Minnesota next year, it looks like Mike Leaf and his staff will be staying in Winona for at least one more season.)

VIDEO: WINONA MOM RUBS THONG FOR GOOD LUCK

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BIG TIME COACH: Kim Anderson - The Central Missouri coach was once a household name in the Show-Me State. In 1977 he was the Big Eight player of the year at Missouri. After a brief NBA career he became an assistant coach, first at Baylor and then at Mizzou under Norm Stewart. He was working as an assistant commissioner for the Big 12 when he decided to take the head coaching position at Central Missouri. Under Anderson's guidance, the Mules won the MIAA tournament two out of the last three years and are about to face WSU in the semifinals. (They lost in overtime 90-85.)

GUARDS WIN GAMES: Anthony Atkinson - This point guard for Barton College looks like someone's little brother. He's listed as 5-10 and he can't weigh more than 160 lbs, but he can move. If I were into analogies I'd say he's quicker than a water bug and has got more handle than a shovel. That's why he averaged 20+ points a game and 3.6 assists this season. In his team's Elite Eight game yesterday, Atkinson knocked down the winning bucket in overtime for an 83-81 victory and tonight I just watched him race the court with 5 seconds left, draw the foul and hit a foul shot to win the game for Barton, 80-79.

You gotta love the arts & crafts touch girls bring to hoops signage.

THE BEST OF THE BIG MEN: John Smith - We've seen a lot of big men play this year, and few have been as impressive as WSU's John Smith. Granted, his 6-8 frame looks a lot bigger at the DII level, but his agility and court vision is pretty awesome nonetheless. He had a move in yesterday's game against Bentley that brought the entire stadium to its feet. With two men on his back, Smith spun baseline and when another defender came over to help, he went up and under for a beautiful reverse. How this guy ended up at a DII program is beyond me, (he was actually recruited by some DI schools and chose WSU) but the Warriors are real lucky to have him.

GOD'S ON THEIR SIDE: Barton loves overtime - (Special thanks to Chris Granozio for this one, check out his DII tournament game articles.) Barton College was initially founded as Atlantic Christian College and, as you can guess, it's a highly religious institution. Head coach Ron Lievense often refers to God when speaking to his players and it seems to be paying off. Get this, Barton played in nine overtime games this season, including four in a row, and they won all nine. Now I'm not a religious man, but whatever this coach is doing obviously works.

It's not just the color of purple; it's the shade that makes this look work.

D THE FAMILY UP: Jonte Flowers - The starting guard on WSU has been taking over games with his defense. He's a three time NSIC defensive player of the year and just seems to find his way into passing lanes. It's no surprise though. Defense runs in the Flowers family. His brother, Michael, plays for Wisconsin and was recently named to the Big Ten all-defensive team. If you want to read more about the Flowers check out this article.

We'll end this blog entry with an example of how dedicated DII fans can be. The Central Missouri dance team took a 24-hour bus ride from Warrensburg, Mo., to see their Mules play in the Elite Eight. They stopped three times for food and once to switch bus drivers, but they were pretty much on the road for an entire day. So if all this writing on the DII tournament makes you say, "Who Cares?" I guess the answer is, "The Central Missouri dance team." And, trust me, if you saw them, you'd care too.

To understand, you had to crunch the numbers.

It was a Blizzard Party for Bentley, experiencing its first Elite Eight.

The finale of Wednesday's super-duper-quadruple-header at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, a punted basketball from the Basketball Hall of Fame, pitted No. 1 undefeateds Winona State (33-0) and Bentley (32-0), in the Division II quarterfinals. WSU, a quaint school in Minnesota, was looking to extend its D-II record for consecutive wins to 56 while taking another step towards a second straight national title.

In their way was Bentley, sporting a New England D-II consecutive wins record, accompanied by, roughly, 1,500 student supporters -- the same number as the Cameron Crazies -- who had made the 82 mile drive from their Waltham campus.

"You wear purple" (clap clap clap-clap-clap), chanted the snowflakes in the Bentley Blizzard (midway through the season the student section took on that name and started creating whiteouts) as the WSU Warriors did layup lines. "Go play hockey" (clap clap clap-clap-clap), they mocked the quasi-Canucks. Winona State's fans, all 400 of them, attempted a feeble comeback that was quickly swallowed up by a "We can't hear you" chant.

VIDEO: CAMERON CRAZIES. ORANGE KRUSH. BENTLEY BLIZZARD?!?

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During the regular season about 30 of us show up," said Bentley senior Lee Ryan, "But it's our first time in the Elite Eight so we gotta bring the support." Hoops Odyssey has seen some exceptional student sections on this trip, including the Crazies, Illinois' Orange Crush, and the underrated Oral Roberts' Mabee Maniacs.

And for the first ten minutes of this affair, the Blizzard was in the same league as those more storied student sections, clapping, stomping and banging its team on. "I'm skipping two classes: Cost and Management" and Securities and Exchange" said Carmen Fuzzillo, a junior accounting major. "But...I can make them up on the weekend."

"Dude," said his friend, smacking his forehead, "now your parents are going to know."

Bentley mocked the Warriors' purple, but Winona St. had the last laugh.

The Blizzard's fun, however, was short lived. The Warriors, far superior athletically and technically, pulled away in the second half with a 12-0 run. Senior guard Zach Malvik scored 19 points, and D-II National Player of the Year, John Smith, recorded a double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds), including a Jordanesque up and under layup as Winona State won its 56th straight game, 64-51.

As the Warriors dribbled out the clock, the defeated Bentley fans sagged like wet laundry. Winona's crew seized the moment with their most audible chant of the evening:"Why so quiet?" (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap) the fans in purple asked.

They got no response.

Hanging out with the Wyandotte High School band.

While the event might lack in player name recognition, (you ever heard of Levi Luster? Kids got seven points in seven minutes so far and is a lock for the All-Tournament Team...) it's got a surprisingly big time college basketball feel. We've got two bands, a mascot and a student section, body paint included. Plus, there's cheerleaders (yeah, they're hot) and we're on TV. I've even got Pete Gillen sitting directly to my left. It's like my dad always used to say: If it's good enough for Pete Gillen, it's good enough for us.

And let's be honest, the NAIA has had its fair share of big name players. Maybe you've heard of Nate Archibald (Alcorn State), Elgin Baylor (College of Idaho), World B. Free (Guilford), Lucious Jackson (Pan American), Dennis Rodman (S.E. Oklahoma St.), and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe (Winston-Salem). Okay, so many of those schools aren't in the NAIA anymore, but you get the point. Big names come from small places.
VIDEO: BREAKING BREAD WITH OCU BEFORE THE BIG GAME

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Excitement is especially high amongst the nearly 4,000 fans at the Municipal Auditorium after last night's epic battle between Concordia and tournament favorite Robert Morris. The game went into an amazing four overtimes before the Eagles finally pulled out the victory, 124-119. Highlights of the contest even opened for SportsCenter. So much for flying below the radar. If the tournament keeps having games like that they might have to move this show to a larger stage.

Can you tell, I'm having fun. It's refreshing to be at a tournament final that isn't completely outdone by it's own hype. The NAIA championship is a nice combo of amateur basketball on a fairly large stage. The players are humbler than at big time programs. The don't put on a dramatic show when the refs make a call (at least not until the second half) and they'll even help opposing players up off the floor. I mean, the league's motto is "Champions of Character", probably not for the likes of OJ Mayo.

Don't tell these OCU fans this ain't NCAA basketball.

We've got some local KC flavor in the arena too. OCU has their band here, and it's a nice gentle set of instruments, but it pales in comparison to the Wyandotte High School band directly to my right. They flat out rock. They've got dancers, not that they need them, the whole band is dancing. And there's a bigger percussion section than a frat boy's got blasting in his head when he wakes up Sunday afternoon.

As for the game, it's pretty apparent that OCU has more size and athleticism and depth than Concordia, but the Eagles keep it close in the first half. They execute better than the Stars and their defense is tighter. But eventually, Concordia's legs fail them - they did, after all, play 1.5 games last night - and OCU pulls away for a 79-71victory.

Celebrating with the NAIA Tournament champions.

When the buzzer sounds, the Stars celebrate. And a celebration is a celebration, be it NCAA or NAIA. The OCU players mob the court, they dance, a few coaches cry and finally, as the tournament awards are about to be presented, OCU forward Willie Irick leans over to an assistant coach and utters the words that every basketball player dreams of saying. Get that party bus ready, coach, Irick says. We're gonna party like champs.