TOURNEY TIDBITS: March 12

It's time to talk about the Dickie V Classic, baby!

I had my fun before Selection Sunday (like many others) projecting the 65-team NCAA Tournament field . I fared pretty well, getting 63 teams right. The two I missed were Butler and Bowling Green. Isn't it ironic that those two will be hooking up in the first round of the NIT !

I'm disappointed the Hoyas decided not to play in the NIT.

I felt the selection committee would give them a shot. The MAC is an underrated conference that has fared well in the NCAA Tournament before. Bowling Green (24-8) enjoyed a phenomenal year, beating Mississippi and Ball State (in the MAC tourney semis).

I thought that would be enough to get coach Dan Dakich's Falcons in the field, but I was wrong.

Butler (25-5) had a super season as well. Last year, the Bulldogs pummeled Wake Forest in the NCAA Tournament. In 2000, Butler almost upset Florida in the first round, falling on a buzzer-beater that set up the Gators' run to the national-championship game. Wins this season over Indiana, Ball State and Purdue were not enough.

So Bowling Green and Butler get to meet in the first round of the NIT on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (at Butler). You could call it the Dickie V Classic, since I was promoting and screaming for the little guy. I'll tell you, this is one classic you want to try to avoid! But now that they're there, these kids will play their hearts out.

THEY JUST SAID NO
Why did Georgetown say no to the NIT? Those kids deserve to be playing. Just because they were going to hit the road, the school turned down a bid ... come on now.

That is unbelievable to me; you can't always have your way. You don't just take your ball and run home if things don't go your way. There are lots of things in my life that I wanted and don't have. You learn to deal with it. I would love to have good looks, a beautiful hairdo and two eyes -- but it wasn't meant to be.

I'm really disappointed the Hoyas decided not to play in the NIT. It would have been great for the event, and there are lots of clubs that can play with the big guys.

SAD TO SEE KRESSE GO
It was sad to hear that College of Charleston coach John Kresse decided to step down as coach. He did such a phenomenal job there, proving that a school without the big recruiting budget and visibility can still play with the big guys.

He did such an amazing job building the program. I remember years ago when he worked as an assistant at St. John's under Lou Carnesecca -- and how I miss Lou on the sidelines with his ballerina act. Kresse compiled a record of 560-143, the second-highest winning percentage among active coaches (.797). That type of success was the envy of so many.

His teams won at least 21 games the past nine years. Charleston averaged 24 wins per season during his tenure.

Kresse got the maximum out of his people. I wish him the best in the future as he steps away from the tedious world of coaching. The pressure keeps mounting and mounting on coaches in all walks of life. That's why I like my record now ... I coach every team in America and I haven't lost a game at ESPN in 22 years, baby!

HITTING THE BIG TIME
Let me tell you how far the women's college basketball game has come. Players have gotten better and better, coaching has improved, competition is much more solid.

Since it's growing so much, could a negative be a positive? Here's what I mean: When have you seen so many women's coaches being fired? Check out the transactions in the newspaper; it has become a trend. It's incredible. Athletic directors want to win big now on the women's level, and they waste no time pulling the trigger if a coaches fails to succeed.

That scares me, my friends. It's all about "what have you done for me today?"