68 Degrees of Separation: a Wisconsin connection to every team in the 2018 NCAA Tournament

With no Wisconsin teams in the NCAA Tournament this year, it's necessary to find a local rooting interest wherever one exists, even if you have to squint really hard to see it. We present our 68 Degrees of Separation — a Wisconsin tie to every team in the 2018 field.

South region

(1) VIRGINIA– Wisconsin's favorite son. One of the nation’s most respected coaches, Tony Bennett has turned Virginia into a powerhouse, but he’s still heavily associated with his home state of Wisconsin. He played for the UW-Green Bay from 1989-92 and finished his career as the Mid-Continent Conference’s leader in points and assists, and his 49.7 career 3-point percentage is still an NCAA record. He played at UWGB for his father, Dick, who ultimately went on to lead the Wisconsin Badgers to a Final Four appearance in 2000. He was named to the inaugural Hall of Fame class for the Summit League, formerly the Mid-Con. As a high-school player at Green Bay Preble, Bennett was named Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball in 1988. Virginia’s top player two years ago, Malcolm Brogdon, won Rookie of the Year in the NBA last year playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Tourney trip: 22nd (five straight years). Tourney record: 29-22. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Kyle Guy, 14.1 ppg. Best name: Francesco Badocchi

(16) MARYLAND-BALTIMORE COUNTY – Joe Sherburne. The Whitefish Bay High School product competed out east at Brewster Academy after leaving the area and was named to the America East All-Rookie Team in 2015-16. The marksman has been among the best 3-point shooters in the nation at points in his career, and he's started the majority of UMBC's games this year, hitting 42.5 percent of his shots from distance and averaging 10 points per game. He had a huge block in the closing minutes against Vermont in the America East title game, leading into the game winning basket.

Tourney trip: Second (first since 2008). Tourney record: 0-1. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Jairus Lyles, 19.9 ppg. Best name: Ishmail Jabbie

(8) CREIGHTON – Toby Hegner. The 6-10 native of Berlin, Wisconsin, Toby Hegner is in his senior season for the Bluejays, scoring close to double figures in his fifth and final year within the program (including a redshirt freshman season). He set the school record at Berlin with 1,213 points and 500 rebounds, part of a first-team All-State showing as a senior.

Tourney trip: 21st (two straight years). Tourney record: 12-21. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Marcus Foster, 20.3 ppg Best name: Martin Krampelj

(9) KANSAS STATE – Bruce Weber. Milwaukee native Bruce Weber is in his sixth season leading the Wildcats and has guided them to four NCAA Tournament appearances in his tenure. He graduated from UW-Milwaukee and has enjoyed a decorated career as an assistant and head coach, being part of more than 800 victories, 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and 13 conference titles during stints at Western Kentucky, Purdue, Southern Illinois, Illinois and Kansas State. His best team, the 2005 Illinois squad, reached the national championship game, and he was named National Coach of the Year by several publications.

Tourney trip: 30th (two straight years). Tourney record: 33-33. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2011 second round, 70-65; Lost to Wisconsin in 2008 second round, 72-55; Lost to Marquette in 1977 second round, 67-66. Leading scorer: Dean Wade, 16.5 ppg.  Best name: (tie) Mawdo Sallah and Makol Mawien

(5) KENTUCKY – Herro of the day. This is a pretty easy one for followers of Milwaukee-area basketball. Tyler Herro, the Whitnall scoring machine who originally committed to Wisconsin before accepting an offer to play for coach John Calipari, will travel to Lexington next year and suit up for the Wildcats. Herro averaged more than 30 points per game this season for the Falcons in an incredible senior campaign.

Tourney trip: 57th (four straight years). Tourney record: 126-51. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2015 national semifinal, 71-64; Defeated Wisconsin in 2014 national semifinal, 74-73; Lost to Marquette in 2008 first round, 74-66; Lost to Marquette in 2003 Elite 8, 83-69; Defeated Wisconsin in 2003 Sweet 16, 63-57; Lost to Marquette in 1994 second round, 75-63; Defeated Marquette in 1975 first round, 76-54; Defeated Marquette in 1972 Sweet 16, 85-69; Lost to Marquette in 1971 regional third-place game, 91-74; Lost to Marquette in 1969 second round, 81-74; Defeated Marquette in 1968 second round, 107-89; Defeated Marquette in 1959 regional third-place game, 98-69; Lost to Marquette in 1955 second round, 79-71. Leading scorer: Kevin Knox, 15.5 ppg. Best name: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

(12) DAVIDSON – The Curry Legacy. It's hard to hear the name "Davidson" without thinking of Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors superstar who has two NBA championships and MVP trophies in his pocket. After starring at Davidson (where he famously took down the Badgers in the Sweet 16 one year), he's become one of the best players in the world. His father, Dell, also had a long NBA career and spent one year with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1999. Speaking of names, Davidson shares a name with one-half of one of Wisconsin's biggest manufacturing brands, Harley-Davidson. Company co-founder Arthur Davidson was a Scot who probably never visited his namesake in North Carolina.

Tourney trip: 14th (last in 2015). Tourney record: 8-14. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Marquette in 2013 first round, 59-58; Defeated Wisconsin in 2008 Sweet 16, 73-56. Leading scorer: Peyton Aldridge, 21.8 ppg. Best name: Jon Axel Gudmundsson

(4) ARIZONA – Sean Miller’s origins. One of the perennial storylines in the NCAA Tournament is the focus on a coach who has never been to the Final Four despite a successful résumé. For the past few years, it’s been Miller, whose quest was thwarted twice by Wisconsin in the Elite 8 in 2014 and 2015. Miller’s coaching career actually began in Wisconsin, where he was a graduate assistant for the 1992-93 Badgers team that featured Michael Finley in his sophomore year, Tracy Webster as a junior and sophomore Howard Moore, now an assistant coach for the Badgers.

Tourney trip: 35th (six straight years). Tourney record: 56-33. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2015 Elite 8, 85-78; Lost to Wisconsin in 2014 Elite 8, 64-63; Defeated Wisconsin in 2006 first round, 94-75; Lost to Wisconsin in 2000 second round, 66-59. Leading scorer: Deandre Ayton, 20.3 ppg. Best name: Talbott Denny

(13) BUFFALO – Nate Oats and Lance Leipold. Both the program's basketball and football coach have connections to UW-Whitewawter. Hoops coach Nate Oats grew up in Watertown, then played college basketball at Maranatha Baptist, a Division III program close to home. He began his coaching career as an assistant at UW-Whitewater in 2000-2002 before taking a high-school job in Michigan. He began as an assistant at Buffalo in 2013 and became head coach in 2015, where he has now overseen two MAC championships. On the football field, Jefferson native and UW-Whitewater graduate Lance Leipold is best known for his work as a football coach at Whitewater before leaving for the Division I opportunity at Buffalo. Leipold won six NCAA Division III national championships while head coach at Whitewater in eight seasons, along with a runner-up finish, and he's in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Former Germantown High School standout Lamonte Bearden played on the 2016 Buffalo team that reached the NCAA Tournament before transferring to Western Kentucky.

Tourney trip: Third (last in 2016). Tourney record: 0-2. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: CJ Massinburg, 17.3 ppg. Best name: Ikenna Smart

(6) MIAMI (Fla.) – Trey McKinney-Jones. In 2013, Miami went to the Sweet 16 and lost to Marquette, with South Milwaukee graduate Trey McKinney-Jones as one of the starters. McKinney-Jones played overseas after his days with the Hurricanes and, on Feb. 20, signed a 10-day contract with the Indiana Pacers to get his first taste of the NBA. It's pretty impressive for someone who wasn't even an All-State selection in high school. Miami's strength coach, Steve Felde, is a Milwaukee native who graduated from Concordia University in Mequon and also worked as the strength and conditioning director at UW-Milwaukee from 2007-12.

Tourney trip: 10th (three straight years). Tourney record: 8-9. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Marquette in 2013 Sweet 16, 71-61. Leading scorer: Lonnie Walker IV, 11.5 ppg. Best name: Deng Gak

(11) LOYOLA (Chicago) – Porter Moser. The Loyola head coach is from Illinois, but he does have a number of area connections. He spent one year on the staff at UW-Milwaukee as he was working his way up in the early 1990s and also coached for four years at St. Louis under coach Rick Majerus, one of the most notable Wisconsinites in the coaching profession. He also recruited Germantown's Ben Averkamp to Loyola, where Averkamp finished with more than 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and an Academic All-American nod. Other top players in Wisconsin to play a full allotment of years at Loyola include Andy Polka (Oshkosh West) and JR Blount (Dominican), who was the Ramblers' MVP in 2008 and 2009 and finished in the school's top 10 career totals in points and assists. 

Tourney trip: Sixth (last in 1985). Tourney record: 9-4. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Clayton Custer, 13.7 ppg. Best name: Aher Uguak

(3)TENNESSEE – The Admiral's brother. Tennessee junior forward Admiral Schofield is the younger brother of O'Brien Schofield, who played football at Wisconsin before enjoying a solid NFL career that included a Super Bowl trophy with the Seattle Seahawks. The younger Schofield leads the team in rebounding and is second in scoring. Not only that, but strength and conditioning coach Garrett Medenwald is a native of Green Bay and played college football at UW-Whitewater, where he played for back-to-back national champions in 2010 and 2011.

Tourney trip: 21st (last in 2014). Tourney record: 19-21. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 1983 first round, 57-56. Leading scorer: Grant Williams, 15.3 ppg. Best name: Yves Pons

(14) WRIGHT STATE – Billy Wampler and Sharif Chambliss. The Eau Claire Regis sophomore Wampler is redshirting this season after transferring from Drake, but he'll be on the roster next year along with current Pewaukee High School senior Grant Basile, who's having a huge finish to his career and committed to WSU earlier this year. Assistant coach Sharif Chambliss, a Racine St. Catherine's alumnus who also played for a year at Wisconsin, was there to watch Basile's 29-point performance against Whitnall in an electric sectional semifinal. Wampler started 16 games and played in 31 last year for Drake, averaging 9.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Regis finished 26-1 and qualified for the Division 3 state tournament when Wampler was a senior in 2015.

Tourney trip: Third (last in 2007). Tourney record: 0-2. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Grant Benzinger, 14.5 ppg. Best name: Loudon Love

(7) NEVADA – Belvedere goes to college. The University of Nevada campus in Reno was the filming location for the 1949 American comedy "Mr. Belvedere Goes to College," following genius Lynn Belvedere as he enrolls in pursuit of a four-year degree in just one year. Initially arising in the book "Belvedere" by Gwen Davenport, the character was part of several movies and, of course, a sitcom that ran from 1985 to 1990, where Christopher Hewitt plays the title role and serves as a butler for the Owens family. The patriarch of that family, George, was played by none other than Bob Uecker, the famous radio voice of the Milwaukee Brewers. Uecker maintained his full-time gig with the Brewers during the filming of the series. Far less tangential, Nevada head football coach Jay Norvell, who just completed his first year as head coach after 31 seasons as an assistant in college football, is a Madison Memorial graduate who also served as offensive line/wide receivers/special teams coach at Wisconsin from 1989-94, meaning he was on the staff when the Badgers won a Rose Bowl. 

Tourney trip: Eighth (two straight years). Tourney record: 4-7. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Caleb Martin, 19.1 ppg. Best name: (tie) Jazz Johnson and Nisre Zouzoua

(10) TEXAS – Shaka Smart. The Oregon, Wisconsin, native was able to squeak the Longhorns into the Dance despite a tumultuous third season at the helm of the Longhorns. Before he jumped from Virginia Commonwealth to take the job at Texas in 2015, there was ample speculation that he would be in line to take the Marquette position that opened when Buzz Williams departed. Smart was famously reported to be accepting the job, and even when that felt through, many felt he was a potential successor to Bo Ryan at Wisconsin. Instead, Smart went a different direction — south. The former second-team All Conference choice as a player in the Badger Conference was an assistant at Clemson and Florida before becoming head man at VCU, where he led the Commodores to an improbable Final Four in 2011. The last time Texas made the dance two years ago, Northern Iowa hit a half-court buzzer beater that banked in for a stunning 75-72 win over the Longhorns. The guy who hit that shot: Merrill High School product Paul Jesperson. 

Tourney trip: 34th (last in 2016). Tourney record: 35-36. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Wisconsin in 1997 first round, 71-58.  Leading scorer: Dylan Osetkowski, 13.6 ppg. Best name: Mo Bamba

(2) CINCINNATI – Oktoberfest. The largest Oktoberfest celebration in the United States is in Cincinnati, bringing roughly 500,000 people each year. Wisconsin, of course, loves itself some Oktoberfest celebrations, with notable festivals in Milwaukee, La Crosse, Appleton and New Glarus. With roughly 40 percent of the state’s population claiming German heritage, September is frequently a time to drink beer and dance. Popular Milwaukee-based sports radio talk show host Bill Michaels, who has a statewide network and can be heard in the Milwaukee area on 105.7 FM, The Fan, was born and grew up in Cincinnati. He’s been on Milwaukee’s radio waves since 1999.

Tourney trip: 32nd (eight straight years). Tourney record: 45-30. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 1994 first round, 80-72; Lost to Marquette in 1977 first round, 66-51. Leading scorer: Jacob Evans, 12.9 ppg. Best name: Cane Broome

(15) GEORGIA STATE – Special team. Second-leading scorer Devin Mitchell is a cousin of former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, now an ESPN analyst on College GameDay. He's known for his prowess at the University of Michigan, but to Green Bay Packers fans, he's better known as the MVP of Super Bowl XXXI, when Green Bay defeated the New England Patriots, 35-21, at the Superdome in New Orleans. The glorious game took place Jan. 26, 1997.

Tourney trip: Fourth (last in 2015). Tourney record: 2-3. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Wisconsin in 2001 first round, 50-49. Leading scorer: D'Marcus Simonds, 20.9 ppg. Best name: Malik Benlevi

East region

(1) VILLANOVA – Bradley Center bombshell. On Jan. 24, 2017, defending champion Villanova was ranked No. 1 in the nation, and the Wildcats were up 15 points in the second half against Marquette at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. But the Golden Eagles stormed back, and Katin Reinhardt’s free throws with 11.6 seconds left helped Marquette stage a 74-72, court-storming victory — the second time the program had beaten the team ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll (matching the 2003 Elite Eight win over Kentucky). Nova had been ranked No. 2 in the coaches poll at the time. It was a great moment for Marquette, which scrapped together enough wins to make the tournament that year. Nova, meanwhile, finished 31-3 and wound up as a No. 1 seed — but then didn't make it out of the second round when Wisconsin brought them down in an upset, 65-62. Don't mess with Wisconsin teams, Wildcats.

Tourney trip: 38th (six straight years). Tourney record: 58-36. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2017 second round, 65-62; Defeated UW-Milwaukee in 2014 first round, 73-53; Defeated Marquette in 1980 first round, 77-59. Leading scorer: Jalen Brunson, 19.4 ppg. Best name: Donte DiVincenzo

More:10 memorable Marquette moments at the BMO Harris Bradley Center

(16) LONG ISLAND-BROOKLYN – Long Island. Wisconsin has a Long Island, too! Technically, they have like six of them with the name, but the most notable one is part of the Apostle Islands on the shores of Lake Superior. Technically, our Long Island is a peninsula, and it's unlike any of the other Apostle Islands in that it has no obvious bedrock pedestal and is made almost entirely of sand. It was added to the ranks of the Apostle Islands in 1986 as part of a congressional act, and it's about 4 miles long and only a few hundred yards wide. New York's Long Island is bigger. It also has enough people on it to be the 13th most populated state in the union if it decided to break ties with New York. 

Tourney trip: Seventh (last in 2013). Tourney record: 0-6. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Joel Hernandez, 20.5 ppg. Best name: Ganlandou Cisse

(16) RADFORD – Flag of our Father. One of Radford's most notable alumni is actress Jayma Mays, who is best known for her work in television show "Glee" and a handful of big-screen comedies like "Epic Movie" and "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," but she also had a small role as a nurse in Clint Eastwood's 2006 "Flags of Our Fathers," where she interacts briefly with John Bradley, played by Ryan Phillippe. The real-life Bradley, whose son James' book is the basis for the movie, is a Wisconsin native born in Antigo and raised in Appleton who was supposedly one of the U.S. Navy corpsmen who famously raised the American flag on Mt. Suribachi over Iwo Jima in a scene depicted by a Pulitzer Prize photograph and now a sculpture in Washington, D.C. There was controversy in 2016 when it was determined Bradley, though he was at Iwo Jima and likely helped to erect a smaller flag, was not actually in that photograph. 

Tourney trip: Third (last in 2009). Tourney record: 0-2. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Ed Polite Jr., 13.6 ppg. Best name: Ed Polite, Jr.

(8) VIRGINIA TECH – Buzz. Brent Langdon “Buzz” Williams has become a controversial figure in Milwaukee, where he led the Marquette men’s basketball team to an Elite Eight, two more Sweet 16s and five NCAA Tournaments during his six-year tenure as head coach from 2008-14. He left after the 2013-14 season somewhat abruptly, got the Hokies in the Dance for the first time in a decade (facing Wisconsin in the first round last year, no less), and now has done it back-to-back years.

Tourney trip: 10th (two straight years). Tourney record: 6-9. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2017 first round, 84-74; Defeated UW-Green Bay in 1996 first round, 61-49. Leading scorer: Justin Robinson, 13.8 ppg. Best name: Khadim Sy

(9) ALABAMA – Avery Johnson and Bucks coaches. Alabama coach Avery Johnson has had a long career in basketball, and one of his mentors — and obstacles — along the way has been Don Nelson, who is familiar to Milwaukee fans as the innovative Milwaukee Bucks coach and general manager from 1976 to 1987. Johnson played for Nellie with the Golden State Warriors and then assisted him on the Dallas Mavericks staff before succeeding Nelson as head coach in 2005. Johnson was NBA Coach of the Year in 2006 and enjoyed significant early success. His 2007 team had the best record in the West but was famously defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors, a team coached by ... Nelson. It's one of the biggest upsets in modern NBA history. In 2010, Johnson became coach of the Brooklyn Nets, but he was fired in late 2012 and eventually replaced by Jason Kidd, who stayed for one season before becoming coach of the Bucks from 2014 through the middle of this season, when he was himself fired and replaced on an interim basis by Joe Prunty. By the way, Prunty served on Johnson's staff during Johnson's full tenure with the Dallas Mavericks. Johnson also once called a timeout just to chew out Wauwatosa East and Wisconsin product Devin Harris, who played approximately three NBA seasons on teams coached by Johnson. 

Tourney trip: 20th (last in 2012). Tourney record: 21-20. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 2006 first round, 90-85; Lost to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005 first round, 62-59. Leading scorer: Collin Sexton, 19.0 ppg. Best name: Lawson Schaffer

(5) WEST VIRGINIA – Firsts and lasts. Next year, Kaukauna's Jordan McCabe will become the first West Virginia recruit out of the state of Wisconsin to lace up for the Mountaineers. The dynamic point guard has helped Kaukauna become one of the top teams in the state, regardless of division. The Mountaineers' last player taken in the first round of the NBA Draft was Joe Alexander, taken with the eighth overall pick in 2008 by the Milwaukee Bucks (somewhat infamously). Before that, West Virginia hadn't had a first-round pick since Ron "Fritz" Williams, the first African-American men's basketball player at WVU who went on to play eight seasons in the NBA and also scored a career-high 38 points in the Milwaukee Arena when WVU beat Wisconsin in 1965. It's the only time the Mountaineers have won in Wisconsin in seven tries.

Tourney trip: 29th (four straight years). Tourney record: 29-28. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Jevon Carter, 17.0 ppg. Best name: Sagaba Konate

(12) MURRAY STATE – Down the stretch they come. The Racers have a tradition during football games in which Racer-One, a thoroughbred jockeyed by a student at the school, takes a lap on the track around the field after every touchdown. Located in Murray, Kentucky, the school isn't far from horse country. Wisconsin's best connection to thoroughbred racing is trainer D. Wayne Lukas, born in Antigo and holder of 14 Triple Crown race victories — most of any trainer in history. He also has won 20 Breeder's Cup races. Jockey, the underwear and sleepwear manufacturer, houses its headquarters in Kenosha. Former Iola-Scandinavia football player Austen Lane attended Murray State before spending five years in the NFL (he retired after the 2014 season). Briggs and Stratton, a manufacturing outfit headquartered in Wauwatosa, also has a plant in Murray.

Tourney trip: 16th (last in 2012). Tourney record: 3-15. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Marquette in 2012 second round, 62-53; Lost to Marquette in 1969 first round, 82-62. Leading scorer: Jonathan Stark, 21.8 ppg. Best name: Brion Sanchious

(4) WICHITA STATE – Darral Willis Jr. New to the program as a JUCO transfer from Mississippi last year, Darral Willis made the All-Newcomer Team last year in the Missouri Valley. He played his prep career at Madison Memorial, where he broke out as a senior to become an All-State selection in Division 1. He averaged 17.3 points per game and 10 rebounds en route to being Big Eight Player of the Year as a senior. He averaged double digits in scoring for most of the current season after the Shockers relocated to the American Athletic Conference.

Tourney trip: 15th (seven straight years). Tourney record: 18-15. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Landry Shamet, 15.0 ppg. Best name: Rauno Nurger

(13) MARSHALL – The Herd. The Thundering Herd boast one of the more unique mascots in NCAA athletics, and local sports fans are familiar with another "Herd" team — the Oshkosh-based G League team affiliated with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Wisconsin Herd. That team included former Bucks guard Brandon Jennings, who made some headlines Saturday when he was brought back to the Bucks on a 10-day contract. Other players such as Xavier Munford and Marshall Plumlee have seen time with the Bucks this year, as well as the Herd.

Tourney trip: Sixth (last in 1987). Tourney record: 0-5. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Jon Elmore, 22.8 ppg. Best name: Ot Elmore

(6) FLORIDA – The Chiozza Play. If you're the type of person who holds grudges against teams that defeated your favorite Wisconsin team from the tournament in years past (like me), then you probably despise teams like Cornell, Davidson, Butler, UNLV and more. You should definitely dislike Florida. In one of the most memorable moments of the 2017 tournament, Chris Chiozza took the ball the length of the court and hit a running 3-pointer to give Florida an 84-83 win in overtime against Wisconsin in the Sweet 16. The play negated an equally memorable make by Zak Showalter to force overtime. Everyone hates Florida. Chiozza is again one of his team's top players this year.

Tourney trip: 21st (two straight years). Tourney record: 45-18. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Wisconsin in 2017 Sweet 16, 84-83, in overtime; Defeated UW-Milwaukee in 2006 second round, 82-60. Leading scorer: Jalen Hudson, 15.3 ppg. Best name: Egor Koulechov

(11) SAINT BONAVENTURE – Franciscan order. Located in Olean, New York, Saint Bonaventure is a Franciscan university, one of 20 in the nation. In fact, the team's mascot name "Bonnies" is derived from a wolf that St. Francis of Assisi legendarily tamed in Gubbio, Italy. Three of those Franciscan schools are in Wisconsin (Cardinal Stritch, Alverno and Viterbo), and the Association of Franciscan Colleges and University houses its offices in Milwaukee.

Tourney trip: Seventh (last in 2012). Tourney record: 6-8. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Jaylen Adams, 19.8 ppg. Best name: Tshiefu Ngalakulondi

(11) UCLA – A ring on it. The Golden State Warriors are one of basketball's best teams, and though Kevon Looney doesn't see the floor much (10.9 minutes per game), the Milwaukee Hamilton product who spent a year at UCLA does have an NBA championship ring from last year and might well win another. Looney has battled injuries in his career thus far, including one that delayed his start at UCLA and led to labrum surgery that truncated his rookie year in 2015-16. He won Mr. Basketball in 2014 and was drafted in the first round in 2015.

Tourney trip: 49th (two straight years). Tourney record: 105-41. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Aaron Holiday, 20.3 ppg.  Best name: Gyorgy Goloman

(3) TEXAS TECH – The day the music died. Texas Tech is located in Lubbock, Texas, where legendary musician Buddy Holly first began to make a name for himself. The city's Buddy Holly Center features a permanent exhibit to Holly and serves as a central hub for Lubbock music in general. Holly was killed, along with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson in a plane crash as the musicians tried to move more conveniently between stops on the "Winter Dance Party" in the Upper Midwest. The tour began in Milwaukee and made a stop in Green Bay. The second-to-last show the musicians performed came on Feb. 1, 1959, in Green Bay, and a monument is located outside the city's Riverside Ballroom, constructed in 2003. Additionally, former Aggies football coach Matty Bell (1929 to 1933) coached Carroll College football in Waukesha for one year. Today, he's in the College Football Hall of Fame. He coached Southern Methodist to a national title in 1935.

Tourney trip: 16th (last in 2016). Tourney record: 8-16. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Keenan Evans, 17.5 ppg. Best name: Norense Odiase

(14) STEPHEN F. AUSTIN – Lumberjacks. The mascot of Stephen F. Austin is a familiar symbol in Wisconsin. In fact, since 1960, the Lumberjack World Championships are held annually in Hayward, Wisconsin, featuring 21 events for both men and women and more than $50,000 in prize money. The international field of contestants competes in such events as chopping, sawing, log rolling, tree climbing and even some team and relay events. ESPN held its own version of the event, The Great Outdoor Games, and televised them until 2006. 

Tourney trip: Fifth (last in 2016). Tourney record: 2-4. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Shannon Bogues, 15.4 ppg. Best name: Samuli Nieminen

(7) ARKANSAS – Bret Bielema. As the head football coach at the University of Wisconsin, Bret Bielema compiled a record of 68-24 in his six seasons, and he became the third coach in NCAA history to win 12 games in his first season as coach with a win over Arkansas in the Capital One Bowl. He won three Big Ten titles before Arkansas and Bielema crossed paths again, when he announced he was leaving in December 2012 to take the head coaching position for the Razorbacks. But alas, everyone's favorite ex-UW coach was fired last November — immediately after a loss to Missouri. I'm sure #karma was trending in Wisconsin shortly after Thanksgiving.

Tourney trip: 32nd (two straight years). Tourney record: 42-31. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 1996 second round, 65-56. Leading scorer: Jaylen Barford, 18.0 ppg. Best name: Gabe Osabuohien

(10) BUTLER – The rise of LaVall. Butler alumnus LaVall Jordan is in his first year as head coach, taking the job after Chris Holtmann left to take charge of Ohio State. Jordan was brought in last season to coach at UW-Milwaukee, where he made the best of an awkward situation when the program was in turmoil following the dismissal of former coach Rob Jeter. But Jordan couldn't pass up a chance to coach Butler in the Big East. He won a conference title and appeared in the NCAA Tournament both as a player and assistant coach at Butler, and now he has the lead job.

Tourney trip: 16th (four straight years). Tourney record: 23-15. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Marquette in 2013 second round, 74-72; Defeated Wisconsin in 2011 Sweet 16, 61-54. Leading scorer: Kelan Martin, 20.8 ppg. Best name: Henry Baddley

(2) PURDUE – Linc to the past. UW-Green Bay head basketball coach Linc Darner, who led the Phoenix to an unlikely appearance in the NCAA Tournament last year, played basketball at Purdue and was a teammate of current Purdue coach Matt Painter. The Boilermakers actually faced UWGB multiple times when Darner was there, falling by a 69-53 count in 1991 at Mackey Arena and barely getting past UWGB in the Great Alaska Shootout two years later. In 1995, when Darner was a grad assistant at Purdue, the Boilermakers barely survived UW-Green Bay in the NCAA Tournament’s first round.

Tourney trip: 30th (four straight years). Tourney record: 37-29. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2000 Elite 8, 64-60; Defeated UW-Green Bay in 1995 first round, 49-48; Defeated Marquette in 1969 Elite 8, 75-73. Leading scorer: Carsen Edwards, 18.7 ppg. Best name: Nojel Eastern

(15) CAL STATE FULLERTON – Riley Dearring (for a minute there). Riley Dearring, a Minnetonka, Minnesota, native began his college basketball career at the University of Wisconsin before transferring to Cal State-Fullerton. He was only there for one season (2016-17) and saw action in six games, however, before electing to close his career closer to home at Bethel University, an NCAA Division III school in Minnesota. Dearring was Bethel's third-leading scorer this season.

Tourney trip: Third (last in 2008). Tourney record: 2-2. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2008 first round, 71-56. Leading scorer: Kyle Allman, 19.4 ppg. Best name: Gaber Ozegovic

Midwest region

(1) KANSAS – Brewster legacy. Devonte' Graham, the Jayhawks' leading scorer, attended Brewster Academy in New Hampshire as a post-graduate and led the team to a 33-0 record and the national prep championship in 2013-14. One year later, Brewster had multiple Wisconsin connections when it repeated its national prep title. Current Badger Alex Illikainen, a Grand Rapids, Minnesota, native, was a power forward on the 2014-15 team that went 34-1, and Whitefish Bay High School product Joe Sherburne, now headed to the dance with Maryland-Baltimore County, also spent his senior year on the team. 

Tourney trip: 47th (29 straight years). Tourney record: 103-45. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 2003 Final Four, 94-61; Lost to Marquette in 1974 Final Four, 64-51. Leading scorer: Devonte' Graham, 17.3 ppg. Best name: (tie) Udoka Azubuike and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk

(16) PENN– Thearchitects of Wisconsin. Penn has a long history of distinguished alumni, and a couple of the more obscure grads had a hand in constructing notable parts of the Badger State. Bruce Graham, an architect who designed the Sears Tower and John Hancock Center in Chicago, also designed the U.S. Bank Center in Milwaukee, which remains the tallest building in the state (just ahead of the Northwestern Mutual Tower completed in 2017). John Nolen, a Penn graduate from 1897, also had a major hand in the construction of Madison, the University of Wisconsin footprint and the state park system. 

Tourney trip: 24th (last in 2007). Tourney record: 13-25. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Ryan Betley, 14.4 ppg. Best name: Zack Kaminsky (almost Frank Kaminsky!)

(8) SETON HALL – They got game. Seton Hall’s leading scorer Desi Rodriguez hails from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, New York. It happens to be the high school for which the fictional Jesus Shuttlesworth played basketball for in the 1998 Spike Lee film “He Got Game,” a story about the pressures surrounding a star player’s college choice. The role of Jesus was played by first-time actor Ray Allen, who was then a shooting guard for the Milwaukee Bucks. Allen, who spent seven seasons in Milwaukee, went on to become a 10-time All Star and will be in the NBA Hall of Fame eventually. Coincidentally, Lincoln High School is where much-hyped high-school recruit Stephon Marbury graduated in real life. The Bucks drafted Marbury with the No. 4 pick in the 1996 NBA Draft but traded him immediately for Allen, who was initially taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 5. Also, Hall's roster features Oshkosh North product Philip Flory, who sees the floor sparingly in his freshman season.

Tourney trip: 11th (two straight years). Tourney record: 15-11. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Desi Rodriguez, 17.8 ppg. Best name: Sandro Mamukelashvili

(9) NORTH CAROLINA STATE – Russell. Wisconsin fans owe NC State a debt of gratitude. After briefly exploring his options as a minor league baseball player, Russell Wilson elected in early 2011 to transfer from NC State, where he had graduated but had a year of college football eligibility remaining, to the University of Wisconsin, and that worked out just fine for the Badgers. He threw for three touchdowns in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game in a 42-39 win over Michigan State and very nearly led the Badgers to a win in the Rose Bowl over Oregon (ultimately a 45-38 loss). It was a year characterized by heartbreaking losses, but Wilson etched his name into permanence as a Wisconsin favorite. He then went to the pros, where he became less endearing as a four-time Pro Bowl selection with the Seattle Seahawks.

Tourney trip: 27th (last in 2015). Tourney record: 37-25. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2005 Sweet 16, 65-56; Defeated Marquette in 1974 National Championship, 76-64. Leading scorer: Allerik Freeman, 15.3 ppg. Best name: Omer Yurtseven

(5) CLEMSON – LaChance's fellow recruit. Clemson's Shelton Mitchell started his career at Vanderbilt, where he was in the same recruiting class as Brookfield Central's Riley LaChance. LaChance wound up on the SEC All-Freshman team, but Mitchell was on track to be the full-time point guard when he transferred to Clemson, where he has been the Tigers' starter the past two years. It may have opened a door for LaChance, who had to handle the point at times, as well. He leads the Commodores in assists as a senior.

Tourney trip: 12th (last in 2011). Tourney record: 9-11. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Marcquise Reed, 16.2 ppg. Best name: Lyles Davis

(12) NEW MEXICO STATE – One (sort of) shining moment. Kettle Moraine High School boys basketball coach Brad Bestor can be seen briefly in the 1999 "One Shining Moment" montage, wearing his New Mexico State jersey as future Milwaukee Bucks center Jamaal Magloire of Kentucky blows by for a dunk. It's a fun relic from Bestor's brief trip to the NCAA Tournament as a member of the Aggies program, and today he can also say one of his former players has made the trip to the Dance as well. Paul Miller, who just finished his senior season at North Dakota State, appeared as a freshman during the 2014-15 season.

Tourney trip: 24th (two straight years). Tourney record: 10-25. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Zach Lofton, 19.8 ppg. Best name: Sidy N'Dir

(4) AUBURN – Bruce Pearl. One of the most colorful characters — and oftentimes controversial characters — in college basketball coaching, Pearl has done an incredible job to get Auburn to its first NCAA Tournament since 2003, and doing so by putting his team in the top 10 of the national rankings. Of course, many remember Pearl's tenure as head coach of UW-Milwaukee, taking the Panthers to the NIT once and the NCAA Tournament twice, with a thrilling run to the Sweet 16 in 2005 before becoming head coach at Tennessee.

Tourney trip: Ninth (last in 2003). Tourney record: 12-8. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Mustapha Heron 16.6 ppg. Best name: Mustapha Heron

(13) CHARLESTON – Khris Middleton. The Milwaukee Bucks guard is a native of Charleston, South Carolina, where the College of Charleston is located. He played at Porter-Gaud School before attending Texas A&M and getting drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 2012. He wrote a column in 2015 about a church shooting in Charleston at The Players Tribune, noting how he had encountered one of the victims at one point and how the crime hit home given his roots. He holds an annual basketball camp there and has pledged $1 million toward scholarships for under-served and minority students in the Charleston area, establishing "The Middleton Scholars" program. Middleton averages 19.8 points per game for the Bucks.

Tourney trip: Fifth (last in 1999). Tourney record: 1-4. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Grant Riller, 18.7 ppg. Best name: Osinachi Smart

(6) TCU – The Ginger and the Rose. Do you ever hold grudges against programs that eliminate your team from the NCAA Tournament? TCU hasn't been there since the last time the tournament lacked a Wisconsin team (1998), so that's not the problem, but the Horned Frogs certainly dealt the Wisconsin football program a blow in the 2011 Rose Bowl, a 21-19 win for TCU. Led by Rose Bowl MVPs Andy Dalton and Tank Carder, TCU prevailed when Wisconsin failed a 2-point conversion with 2 minutes to play. It was JJ Watt's final game in a Badgers uniform.

Tourney trip: Eighth (last in 1998). Tourney record: 5-7. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Vladimir Brodziansky, 15.1 ppg. Best name: RJ Nembhard

(11) ARIZONA STATE – Wulk this way. Ned Wulk, the longtime men’s basketball coach at Arizona State from 1958 to 1982, was born in Marion, Wisconsin, in Shawano County and graduated from what is now UW-La Crosse. He won 60 percent of his games at ASU, and the Wells Fargo Arena’s basketball floor has been named after him since 1999. When he won his 400th game, he was one of only four active coaches at the time with that many wins, and he posted 17 winning seasons in 25 years. It’s Arizona State’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014, when it lost a gut-wrenching game at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee against Texas on a buzzer beater by Cameron Ridley, 87-85.

Tourney trip: 15th (last in 2014). Tourney record: 13-15. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Tra Holder, 18.6 ppg.  Best name: Zylan Cheatham

(11) SYRACUSE – Faces on TV. If there's one thing Syracuse is known for, it's media personalities (usually because they talk about Syracuse nonstop). Wisconsin has its share of Syracuse products. In sports broadcasting, the best known is probably Madison Memorial graduate Dave Pasch, who is the play-by-play broadcaster for the Arizona Cardinals football team but is probably best known as the basketball play-by-play man in charge of babysitting Bill Walton during Pac-12 basketball broadcasts on ESPN. Contessa Brewer, a former anchor at WTMJ in Milwaukee, went on to host "Caught on Camera" on MSNBC.

Tourney trip: 39th (last in 2016). Tourney record: 65-38. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 2013 Elite 8, 55-39; Defeated Wisconsin in 2012 Sweet 16, 64-63; Lost to Marquette in 2011 second round, 66-62; Defeated UW-Green Bay in 1994 second round, 64-59. Leading scorer: Tyus Battle 19.8 ppg. Best name: Marek Dolezaj

(3) MICHIGAN STATE – A connection at La Lumiere. Freshman Jaren Jackson Jr., an Indianapolis native who came to the program from La Lumiere prep school in Indiana, won the Dick's Sporting Goods national championship for high-school programs of that sort, and his teammate was future Michigan rival Jordan Poole. Poole spent three years at Milwaukee King before transferring to La Lumiere as a senior. Jackson has been a regular starter and a big reason why the Spartans have been one of the nation's best teams.

Tourney trip: 32nd (21 straight years). Tourney record: 64-30. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 2007 first round, 61-49; Defeated Wisconsin in 2000 Final Four, 53-41; Defeated UW-Green Bay in 1991 first round, 60-58; Defeated Marquette in 1959 Sweet 16, 74-69. Leading scorer: Miles Bridges, 16.9 ppg. Best name: Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr.

(14) BUCKNELL – Bucky dances after all. While Bucky Badger is the beloved mascot of the Wisconsin sports programs, Bucknell's Bison also goes by the name Bucky. The Bison was selected as the school's mascot as a nod to its location in the Buffalo Valley of Central Pennsylvania. Bucky Badger has a much larger profile as a charter member of the Mascot Hall of Fame (inducted in 2006). Buckingham U. Badger first appeared on the scene in 1948. Current Bucknell head coach Nathan Davis took the job in 2015 from Dave Paulsen, now the head coach at George Mason. Paulsen graduated from Wausau East High School.

Tourney trip: Eighth (two straight years). Tourney record: 2-7. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2005 second round, 71-62. Leading scorer: Zach Thomas, 20.7 ppg. Best name: Nana Foulland

(7) RHODE ISLAND – Jarvis Garrett. Garrett spent three seasons playing at West Allis Central High School, then relocated to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, to pay for Notre Dame Prep. He averaged 24.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, with 7.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game there, and now he's a senior for the Rams. Some may remember he was fitted for a mask two years ago after a facial injury. He's a solid shooter (leading the team in 3-point percentage) who primarily comes off the bench. Last year, the Rams reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999, and this year they're headed back.

Tourney trip: 10th (two straight years). Tourney record: 7-9. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Jared Terrell, 17.5 ppg. Best name: Cyril Langevine

(10) OKLAHOMA– The former first lady of Wisconsin sports. Perhaps she's not universally beloved by all Wisconsin sports fans, but Olivia Munn was the first lady of state sports as the girlfriend of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers before they split (and Rodgers started dating NASCAR driver Danica Patrick). The Oklahoma native graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in journalism and began her post-college career as a sideline reporter, but she eventually moved to acting and landed roles on Comedy Central comedy show “The Daily Show,” HBO show “The Newsroom” and ”X-Men: Apocalypse.” Furthermore, Oklahoma is also the home to former Racine Prairie girls basketball standout Gabbi Ortiz, now in her senior year with the women's squad. Also, Oklahoma made it to the Sweet 16 as a 13th seed in 1999 after playing two games in Milwaukee, with Ryan Humphrey's tip-in at the buzzer thwarting Arizona. One more connection: Benjamin Coldagelli, the basketball contact in the OU media relations office, hails from New Berlin.

Tourney trip: 31st (last in 2016). Tourney record: 41-30. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2006 first round, 82-74. Leading scorer: Trae Young, 27.5 ppg. Best name: Kameron McGusty

(2) DUKE – Wojo. Marquette couldn't quite break through to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year, but the Golden Eagles showed flashes of excellence this year under coach Steve Wojciechowski, whose connections to Duke run deep. Wojo was a point guard at Duke from 1994 to 1998, then an assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski before joining the Golden Eagles in 2014. Top Marquette assistant Chris Carrawell graduated from Duke in 2000 and also was a top player in the program. 

Tourney trip: 42nd (23 straight years). Tourney record: 108-36. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Wisconsin in 2015 National Championship Game, 68-63; Defeated Marquette in 1994 Sweet 16, 59-49. Leading scorer: Marvin Bagley III, 21.1 ppg. Best name: Javin DeLaurier

(15) IONA – Dance dance. The Chicago-based rock band Fall Out Boy filmed the video for its second major hit, "Dance Dance" in the high-school gymnasium at Salesian High School in New Rochelle, New York, which also happens to be the home of Iona College. "Dance Dance" was released in November 2005 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's drummer, Andy Hurley, was born in Menomonee Falls and attended Menomonee Falls High School.

Tourney trip: 13th (three straight years). Tourney record: 1-12. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Rickey McGill, 13.7 ppg. Best name: Jan Svandrlik 

West region

(1) XAVIER – Kerem Kanter. Most people know the Xavier 6-10 forward as the brother of NBA player Enes Kanter, but Wisconsinsites also know him as a former member of the UW-Green Bay men's basketball team. He was the second-leading scorer on the squad last year and leading rebounder (11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds) before graduating and moving to Cincinnati for his final year of eligibility. He comes off the bench for the Musketeers but ranks third on the team in scoring (10.8 per game).

Tourney trip: 28th (five straight years). Tourney record: 27-27. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2016 second round, 66-63; Lost to Marquette in 2011 first round, 66-55; Defeated Wisconsin in 2009 second round, 60-49. Leading scorer: Trevon Bluiett, 19.7 ppg. Best name: Trevon Bluiett

(16) NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL – Transfer ties. NC Central relies heavily on transfers; almost everyone on the roster started his career at another college or a JUCO. The Eagles have had some Wisconsin players who've passed through in the past couple years, including former Wisconsin Mr. Basketball Nimrod Hilliard, who transferred from Lamar, and Jamal Ferguson, a Virginian who began his career at Marquette.

Tourney trip: Third (two straight years). Tourney record: 0-2. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Raasean Davis, 15.3 ppg. Best name: Raekwon Harney

(16) TEXAS SOUTHERN – Demontrae Jefferson. Jefferson, a Milwaukee native, played six games as a freshman for Milwaukee Hamilton and averaged 18 points per game, but he didn't suit up in the Badger State thereafter, making his name at Believe Prep Academy in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The diminutive guard leads the team in scoring at 23.7 points per game despite his 5-7 frame, and he became a bit of a buzzworthy sensation on the AAU circuit.

Tourney trip: Eighth (two straight years). Tourney record: 0-7. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Demontrae Jefferson, 23.7 ppg. Best name: Marquis Salmon

(8) MISSOURI – We Want Wolf. He doesn't see the floor all that much, but junior Adam Wolf hails from Beaver Dam, where he averaged 17.0 points as a senior and helped his team to a 19-win season as a senior. In December, Missouri fans chanted "We Want Wolf" in the final minutes of a game, begging coach Cuonzo Martin to put the popular 6-7 walk-on into the game. Wolf's father, John, was a walk-on at Marquette for two years in the 1980s. Missouri, by the way, has had pretty good success against Wisconsin teams (3-1) in the NCAA Tournament. Also, they're in the same state as the St. Louis Cardinals. Boo to the Tigers.

Tourney trip: 27th (last in 2013). Tourney record: 22-26. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 2009 second round, 83-79; Lost to Marquette in 2003 second round, 101-92 in overtime; Defeated Wisconsin in 1994 second round, 109-96; Defeated Marquette in 1982 second round, 73-69. Leading scorer: Kassius Robertson, 16.2 ppg. Best name: Reed Nikko

(9) FLORIDA STATE – Dennis Gates. The assistant coach started his career at Marquette, serving on the staff under Tom Crean in 2003-04, the year after the program reached the Final Four. He's in his seventh year with the Seminoles now. When Gates was at Northern Illinois in 2008-09, he was one of the youngest associate head coaches in the country at age 28.

Tourney trip: 16th (two straight years). Tourney record: 16-15. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2009 first round, 61-59. Leading scorer: Terance Mann, 13.3 ppg. Best name: (tie) Mfiondu Kabengele and Christ Koumadje

(5) OHIO STATE – Nigel's rival. In 2012, Whitmer High School of Toledo, including future Badgers standout Nigel Hayes, faced off with Pickerington Central in the Ohio High School Athletic Association state semifinal and fell, 45-40. One of the top players on Pickerington was Jae'Sean Tate, then a sophomore, and the squad went on to win the state title. Tate went on to be second-team All-Ohio as a junior (Hayes was named first team that same year). Today, Tate is the team's second-leading scorer and has started every game for a surprising Buckeyes team. Ohio State assistant coach Scoonie Penn was a famous one-half of a dynamite backcourt in the late 1990s, teaming with future Milwaukee Bucks star Michael Redd and leading OSU to the 1999 Final Four.

Tourney trip: 32nd (last in 2015). Tourney record: 55-30. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 1971 second round, 60-59. Leading scorer: Keita Bates-Diop, 19.4 ppg. Best name: Keita Bates-Diop

(12) SOUTH DAKOTA STATE – Just about everyone here is from Wisconsin. The big connection is coach TJ Otzelberger, a St. Thomas More graduate who was a three-year starter at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He also coached high-school hoops in the state at Burlington Catholic Central before beginning his college coaching career. The connections are numerous from there. Those on the roster include Chris Howell, a Milwaukee King product who attended Butler Community College; Brandon Key, formerly of West Allis Central and Southwest Tennessee State; Tevin King, who finished his prep career at St. John's Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield; and a trio of redshirting freshmen are from the state, including Alex Arians (Madison Edgewood), Alou Dillon (Wauwatosa West) and Ryan Krueger (Hortonville). Assistant coach Eric Henderson coached at Catholic Central in Burlington, and fellow assistant Ben Walker was a star at Oak Creek High School. 

Tourney trip: Fifth (three straight years). Tourney record: 0-4. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Mike Daum, 23.8 ppg. Best name: Skyler Flatten

(4) GONZAGA – The Gray Ghost of Gonzaga. You might be surprised that Gonzaga has any football connections to anywhere, since the school discontinued offering football after World War II. But one of two Hall of Fame football players to attend Gonzaga is the former Packers great Tony Canadeo, who was nicknamed the Gray Ghost of Gonzaga during his time on the West Coast. He became just the third player in league history to clear 1,000 yards in 1949 and retired as the all-time rushing leader in Packers history (he's still fourth). His No. 3 is on the facade at Lambeau Field, and he became a Pro Football Hall of Famer in 1974.

Tourney trip: 21st (20 straight years). Tourney record: 29-20. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Johnathan Williams, 13.5 ppg. Best name: Killian Tillie

(13) NORTH CAROLINA-GREENSBORO – Justin Jordan. Aside from the unshakable distinction as Michael Jordan's nephew (sorry, Justin), the UNC-Greensboro senior also started his career at UW-Milwaukee and stayed two seasons before transferring. He played 34 games with the Panthers — 30 as a freshman and four in an abbreviated sophomore year before making the switch — and that included 15 starts. He was even named Horizon League Freshman of the Week at one point. He sees just less than 9 minutes a game for Greensboro.

Tourney trip: Third (last in 2001). Tourney record: 0-2. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Francis Alonso, 15.6 ppg. Best name: Jack Konstanzer

(6) HOUSTON – Kelvin Sampson. Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson has had a long college coaching career (albeit one mired in controversy after he was hit with NCAA recruiting violations), but he did spend time as an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant from 2008-11, which included Milwaukee's 2009-10 "Fear the Deer" season. At Houston, he's gotten the Cougars back to the NCAA Tournament for the second time since 1992. In the offseason, he played a huge role in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, gathering clothing and other gear for local schools. University of Wisconsin alumnus JJ Watt also became celebrated for his post-Harvey fundraising.

Tourney trip: 20th (last in 2010). Tourney record: 26-24. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 1961 first round, 77-61. Leading scorer: Rob Gray, 18.6 ppg. Best name: Caleb Broodo

(11) SAN DIEGO STATE – Who really owns the record? San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey is the all-time NCAA career rushing leader, having surpassed Wisconsin's Ron Dayne in the 2016 Las Vegas Bowl to close his career and finishing with 6,405 yards to edge Dayne's official tally of 6,397. But is it REALLY the record? Before 2002, the NCAA did not count bowl games in career rushing totals, so Pumphrey had the benefit of racking up yards that Dayne didn't get to count — and the NCAA refuses to retroactively adjust its record book and add those rushing totals. Dayne's 7,125 yards would still be king, otherwise.  

Tourney trip: 12th (last in 2015). Tourney record: 6-11. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Malik Pope, 12.8 ppg. Best name: Max Montana

(3) MICHIGAN – Jordan Poole. Coming off the bench for the Wolverines and scoring six points per game is a former first-team All State choice in Wisconsin in 2016 when Poole played at Milwaukee King. He spent his senior year at La Lumiere School in Indiana before arriving in Ann Arbor. At King, he reached the state tournament in 2014 and won back-to-back City Conference championships. The parents of celebrated Michigan football coach, Jim Harbaugh, live in Mequon.

Tourney trip: 28th (three straight years). Tourney record: 53-26. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Marquette in 1974 Elite 8, 72-70. Leading scorer: Mo Wagner 14.5 ppg. Best name: Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman

(14) MONTANA – Larry Krystkowiak. The native of Missoula, Montana, and college basketball player at his hometown University of Montana was named Big Sky Conference MVP three times, then went on to an NBA career that included the majority of his career with the Milwaukee Bucks from 1987-92. He ultimately became a Bucks assistant coach and then head coach in 2007-08 before he was fired and returned to the college ranks. Today, he's head coach at Utah.

Tourney trip: 11th (last in 2013). Tourney record: 2-11. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2012 first round, 73-49. Leading scorer: Ahmaad Rorie, 17.2 ppg. Best name: Fabijan Krslovic

(7) TEXAS A&M – Duane Wilson. After spending four years in the Marquette University program, former Dominican High School standout Duane Wilson graduated and transferred for his final year of eligibility with the Aggies, and he was a key factor for the squad before suffering a knee injury on Feb. 10 that cost the rest of his season. Wilson, who won two state titles at Dominican, made a free throw with 3.5 seconds left to beat No. 8 Auburn just a few days earlier, 81-80.

Tourney trip: 14th (last in 2016). Tourney record: 11-14. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated UW-Green Bay in 2016 first round, 92-65. Leading scorer: Tyler Davis, 14.7 ppg. Best name: DJ Hogg

(10) PROVIDENCE – Good luck charm. Big East foe Providence had never won at Marquette until last season in a 79-78 thriller. During the game, coach Ed Cooley connected with a boy in the crowd from Sussex, Bobby Horner, and the now-11-year-old became his team's "good luck charm." On Feb. 3, 2018, the Friars won at Marquette again, 77-75, and Cooley brought the boy back to the locker room to celebrate with the team. Needless to say, Horner is now a Providence fan for life.

Tourney trip: 20th (five straight years). Tourney record: 15-20. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 1997 first round, 81-59. Leading scorer: Rodney Bullock, 14.9 ppg. Best name: Dajour Dickens

More:Sussex boy has become 'good luck charm' for one NCAA Tournament-bound basketball program

(2) NORTH CAROLINA – Diamond Dandies. Only once in Milwaukee Brewers history has the franchise held the No. 1 pick in the annual amateur draft, and in 1995, the Brewers went with a catcher from the University of North Carolina named BJ Surhoff. Surhoff spent nine seasons with the Brewers and hit .274 (batting average was still a thing then) with 57 homers and 524 RBIs. Sadly, he fared much better in the subsequent eight years as a Baltimore Oriole, but whatever. If he was the UNC baseball import, then current Franklin High School standout Max Alba is the export. Alba was recruited to pitch at UNC next year (presumably if he doesn't get drafted in an early round himself this summer). You can watch Alba pitch for the Franklin High School team for the first time in 2018, the final year Franklin will play summer baseball. 

Tourney trip: 49th (eight straight years). Tourney record: 123-45. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin in 2015 Sweet 16, 79-72; Defeated Marquette in 2011 Sweet 16, 81-63; Defeated Wisconsin in 2005 Elite 8, 88-82; Lost to Marquette in 1977 National Championship, 67-59. Leading scorer: Luke Maye, 17.2 ppg. Best name: Seventh Woods

(15) LIPSCOMB – Milhockey. Lipscomb is located in Nashville, Tennessee, home of the NHL's Nashville Predators, a franchise that has been affiliated with the Milwaukee Admirals since the Predators were founded in 1998. Many of the franchise's most familiar names — goalie Pekka Rinne, five-time All Star Shea Weber, three-time All Star Kimmo Timonen and all-time scoring leader David Legwand among them — have at least spent brief visits in Milwaukee. 

Tourney trip: First ever. Tourney record: 0-0. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never. Leading scorer: Garrison Mathews, 21.7 ppg. Best name: Aaron Korn

NIT top seeds

BAYLOR – Black bears. Baylor’s mascot is the American Black Bear, with Bruiser the name given to the costumed creature. Baylor is also home to two actual black bears, Joy and Lady, though rules keep them from attending sporting events on a regular basis. Wisconsin’s black bear population has blossomed in the past 20 years to anywhere between 20,000 and 25,000 bears, according to the DNR, and hunting permits for black bears in the state have increased as a result.

Leading scorer: Manu Lecomte, 16.0 ppg. Best name: Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.

NOTRE DAME – Arike Ogunbowale. In her junior season as a member of the Fighting Irish women’s basketball team, Divine Savior Holy Angels product (and former McDonald’s All-American) Arike Ogunbowale has quite simply been one of the best players in the nation for the 26-2 Irish. She started all 28 games in the regular season for Notre Dame, shooting 45 percent from the floor and averaging 20.3 points and 5.4 rebounds, not to mention 76 assists and 45 steals.

Leading scorer: Matt Farrell, 16.8 ppg. Best name: Nikola Djogo

SAINT MARY'S – This is not Detroit, man, this is the Super Bowl. Among the alumni from the California-based university are NFL referee Pete Morelli, who oversaw perhaps the greatest moment of schadenfreude in Wisconsin sports fan history. He was head referee in the 2010 NFC Championship Game featuring the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, when former Packers iconic quarterback Brett Favre threw a late interception that short-circuited Minnesota’s chances of getting to the Super Bowl (leading to the much-beloved Paul Allen call on Minnesota radio). Mike Pereira, now with Fox but then the NFL Supervisor of Officials, admitted a penalty flag should have been thrown on a Saints hit against Favre that led to an earlier interception. It became one of many examples of the famous Saints “Bountygate” scandal.

Leading scorer: Jock Londale, 21.4 ppg. Best name: Kristers Zoriks

SOUTHERN CAL – We're in the movies! Before Ron Howard won two Academy Awards for producing and directing "A Beautiful Mind," the USC graduate starred in "Happy Days" for six years. The sitcom, set in Milwaukee, ran for 11 seasons. Since leaving the show in 1980, Howard has directed such films as "Cocoon," "Apollo 13," "The Da Vinci Code" and "Frost/Nixon." "Apollo 13," of course, told the story of three astronauts on a failed mission to the moon, with Tom Hanks portraying James Lovell, who grew up in Milwaukee and graduated from the University of Wisconsin. USC was also on the losing end of the famous "Miracle in Milwaukee" when Georgia Tech won a buzzer beater in the second round of the 1992 NCAA Tournament.

Leading scorer: Chimezie Metu, 15.3 ppg. Best name: Chimezie Metu

Sconnies at the Dance

• Alex Arians, South Dakota State (Madison Edgewood)
• Alou Dillon, South Dakota State (Wauwatosa West)
• Philip Flory, Seton Hall (Oshkosh North)
• Jarvis Garrett, Rhode Island (West Allis Central)
• Toby Hegner, Creighton (Berlin)
• Chris Howell, South Dakota State (Milwaukee King)
• Demontrae Jefferson, Texas Southern (Milwaukee Hamilton)^
• Brandon Key, South Dakota State (West Allis Central)
• Ryan Krueger, South Dakota State (Hortonville)
• Jordan Poole, Michigan (Milwaukee King)
• Joe Sherburne, Maryland-Baltimore County (Whitefish Bay)
• Billy Wampler, Wright State (Eau Claire Regis)*
• Darral Willis Jr., Wichita State (Madison Memorial)
• Duane Wilson, Texas A&M (Whitefish Bay Dominican)
• Adam Wolf, Missouri (Beaver Dam)

*Redshirting this season after transfer into program

^ Plalyed briefly as a freshman at Milwaukee Hamilton; played bulk of prep career at South Carolina academy