There's an NIT shootout alert in Chicago!...

UAB has turned into a road warrior in the NIT! ....

Steve Lutz picks a tough year to start a rebuild at Stillwater in the loaded Big 12. Yet, by the end of the regular season, OSU was a tough out, with seven covers out of nine at one stage and an outright win over Iowa State. The offense has continued to pick up the pace in the NIT, scoring 87 ppg in wins vs Wichita State and the upset at SMU, Holdover G Bryce Thompson is ending his college career with a flourish, hitting at a 23.5 ppg clip in the first two rounds. The Mean Green defense can likely jam the gearbox to a certain extent on the Cowboys, but UNT's lack of consistent offense is a worry. Play Ok State on ML (NIT).

Incarnate Word has been playing at a pace in Daytona Beach more suited for the Speedway, scoring at a 90 pg clip in the CBI with wins over Manhattan and Jacksonville. The rims at the Ocean Center seem to be loose, as the Cards have hit better than 56% from the floor vs. the Jaspers and better than 54% vs. the Dolphins, as both games blew well beyond the posted totals. Note ICW G Dylan Hayman has games of 28 and 29 points in his last three outings. Meanwhile, the Redbirds do a few things pretty well, among them shooting beyond the arc at better than 37.4% (ranks respectable 28th nationally). Play Incarnate Word - Illinois State Over (CBI at Daytona Beach).

Sharp edges abound at UTC for HC Dan Earl, especially 5-10, go-go sr. G Honor Huff, who has tapped a rich late-season vein of form by scoring at a 22 ppg clip the past seven (including 28 in the romp past the Flyers). Former Florida transfer Trey Bonham has also scored at a bristling 26 ppg pace in the first two rounds. More balance is provided by aptly-named, 6-6 ex-Bellarmine battering ram Bash Wieland, who scored 31 in the wild first-round win over the Blue Raiders. Still, clearing the total looks like a tall order. Despite Bradley leading the nation in three-point accuracy at 40%, it's been seven games since the Braves hit a scoreline beyond 153. Play UTC-Bradley Under (NIT).

A-Sun sources say Queens is absolutely thrilled to be in Daytona and the Royals played like it when KOing dangerous NAU in the first round yesterday. Perhaps importantly, Queens has had a chance to shoot at the Ocean Center rims and found them very friendly on Sunday, hitting 56% from the floor and 55% beyond the arc, led by G Chris Ashby's 22 points. The current five-game spread cover streak includes near-misses at A-Sun tourney finalists Lipscomb & UNA and a win at CBI quarterfinalist FGCU on March 3. Meanwhile, CSU cooled late after setting the pace much of the campaign in the Horizon, enters having lost five of eight, and hasn't played in two weeks. Play Queens (CBI at Daytona Beach)

March has been Dana Altman's time of the year in the past, such as last year when the Ducks won the last Pac-12 Tourney before doing damage in the Dance once more. No dramatics were needed to qualify this season as Altman had had 7-2 C Nate Bittle (14.1 ppg) available since November, while the scoring balance has improved with Villanova transfer wing TJ Bamba (10.3 ppg) now complementing classy 2-year starter Jackson Shelstad (13.4 ppg). The Cats were hitting almost everything on Friday vs. what was an outmanned Akron, but UA won't be able to dictate matters in the old Pac-12 rematch vs. the Ducks, and Altman's March record s worth something compared to Cat counterpart Tommy Lloyd. Play Oregon (NCAA at Seattle)

That hurricane blowing thru the Silicon Valley is the Santa Clara offense, which could replace the wind turbines in nearby Altamont Pass Consider that on twelve different occasions this season, the Broncos have hit the 90-point mark, including the opening round 101-62 blowout of UC Riverside. Since December, Herb Sendek's troops are hitting better than 40% of their triples the nation's best, and popped another 16 against the Highlanders last week. Even minus top scorer Adama Alpha Bal in the first round, the Broncos still canned 16 triples, and SCU has depth, with five double-digit scorers. UAB (82.5 ppg) likes to run itself but usually hasn't had to deal with foes eager and willing to run with them. Play Santa Clara (NIT)

Kent State doesn't use the hand-brake and most of its recent foes, conscious of that, have tried to slow down the Go-Go-Golden Flashes, who not long ago had a stretch of four 90+-point games in five. There have been some big efforts in the past month from sr. G Jalen Sullinger, and while St Bona tried to slow the pace in the opening round, KSU still shot 51% from the floor and 50% beyond the arc in a comfy 75-56 win at Olean. Stanford isn't averse to playing a bit faster, as the case in the opening round 87-70 romp past CS Northridge, the latest 20+-point effort by 7-1 Maxime Raynaud, who has six of those in the last eight. Play Kent State-Stanford Over (NIT)

The Spartans took a while to warm up on Friday before pulling clear against America East champ Bryant. New Mexico presents more of a challenge but after the Lobos notched their first Big Dance win in over a decade on Friday when taking out Marquette. There will be real pressure on star G Donovan Dent (20.6 ppg) to not only create shots but offense for his teammates against the sort of physical backcourt usually not seen in the Mountain West. A season's worth of Big Ten tests have battle-hardened Tom Izzo's troops, and the emergence of frosh G Jase Richardson (19 ppg last five) as an electric playmaker has added an extra punch to MSU. Play Michigan State (NCAA at Cleveland)

ISU was gifted a first-round mismatch against Lipscomb, but still not convinced all is good with the Cyclones. Remember, ISU closed the regular season only 8-7, and key cog G Keshon Gilbert (13.4 ppg), valued on both ends of the court, is out for the duration, and matchups could prove awkward vs. Ole Miss. Chris Beard has waved a magic wand in March before and his Rebs survived the treacherous SEC in good enough shape to easily quality for the Dance, and for 30 or so minutes played flawlessly vs. North Carolina on Friday. Beard has six double-digit scorers, length, experience, and toughness on the perimeter, and a designated bomber in VPI transfer Sean Pedulla (15 ppg; 39% triples). Play Ole Miss (NCAA at Milwaukee)

Matchups look awkward for the Gaels, a much different challenge for SMC than what the it has been used to seeing in the WCC (or, vs Vandy on Friday). Even when the cylinders weren't all firing on Friday vs. Robert Morris, the Tide still scored 90 points. Keeping pace with Mark Sears (18. ppg) and the four other Tide double-digit scorers will be tall order. Better news for Nate Oats was frontliner Grant Nelson on the floor for seven minutes of the second half vs. RMU on Friday and likely to be more featured on Sunday. The Tide also wouldn't be the first team to get a flat effort out of thee way in the first round of the Dance. Play Alabama (NCAA at Cleveland)

We've never thought UConn was up for a three-peat this season ever since the Maui Invitational, when it became apparent this wasn't the same team without Donovan Clingan (now NBA Blazers) clogging the middle. Hurley eventually got his team on course but ten losses and an exit in the Big East Tourney via Creighton reiterated our position. Meanwhile, Florida doesn't have to worry about a rim protector like Clingan this March and spent the season dominating a much tougher loop (SEC) than the Big East, which UConn didn't dominate. This Hurley edition doesn't have the firepower to compete with Walter Clayton, Jr (17.7 ppg), Alijah Martin (14.5 ppg), Will Richard (13.4 ppg) and others in the Gators' 85.4 ppg offense. Play Florida (NCAA at Raleigh)

The margins seem tight enough to give the Bruins a look. Similar teams; a plus for the Bruins could be 7-3 Aday Mara, who scored 10 in 20 minutes on Thursday vs. the Utags but had a brief injury scare in the second half; as long as he's okay, as reports suggest, his size could clog the middle where UT likes to do business. Mick Cronin's balanced roster usually has two or three players (Tyler Bilodeau, Eric Dailey, Kobe Johnson most likely) to step up at any night, and the Vols looked a bit heavy-legged in the first-round non-cover vs. Wofford. Has the brutal conference race taken the starch out of these SEC reps, yet to overwhelm in the Dance? Play UCLA (NCAA at Lexington)

Unlike the Dick Bennett and Bo Ryan years, If there's one thing about modern Wisconsin, it's that the Badgers can play uptempo if the opportunity presents itself. Wiscy nowadays has a sporty 80 ppg offense led by dynamic Gs John Tonje ( ex-CSU & Mizzou; 19.1 ppg) and frosh John Blackwell (15.6 ppg) and has scored 85+ fiver times in the past 12 games. In regard to this matchup, however, BYU and its 81 ppg offense will be glad to run, with the Cougs scoring 80+ in eight of their last ten games. Play BYU-Wisconsin Over (NCAA at Denver)