With the 2002-03 season in full swing, ESPN.com's Answer Man continues to see a full mail bag each week. As always, he's eager to answer a few questions from ESPN.com users.

Plenty of good questions this week. Very topical. Let's try and keep it that way. The first issue is the Georgetown-Seton Hall game. Enjoy ...

Long time follower, first-time writer. I always enjoy your analysis. I am a diehard Hoya fan and have noticed an unbelievable gaffe on the part of the officials in the Georgetown v. Seton Hall game on Jan. 29. With seven seconds left and the game tied, Georgetown tied the ball up. Seton Hall had the possession arrow and inbounded the ball from the baseline under the basket. I was at the game and have now seen the replay on TV. Seton Hall had SIX players in the game and scored on an uncontested dunk (probably due in large part to the fact that it is difficult for 5 men to guard 6). After the Seton Hall dunk, Georgetown quickly inbounded the ball and tied the game on a Gerald Riley leaner in the lane. Seton Hall at that point still had six players in the game. After Riley's score, Seton Hall called time and removed their sixth man.

For this to go unnoticed is simply inexcusable. Take a look at the tape if you have a chance. I would love to see your thoughts in the Daily Word.
Mark Guerrera
Arlington, Va.

I am surprised by the relative lack of reaction to Seton Hall's use of six players against Georgetown. This strikes me as being the equivalent of a "Fifth Down" error in football and it seems to be getting a lot less attention than the "clock pause" in Oklahoma. I was particularly upset that Louis Orr claimed that no one from Seton Hall knew about the error until after the game. This can not possibly be true because Seton Hall corrected the error after Georgetown scored. Some player came off the court despite no player checking in to replace him. Who was that player and why did he leave the game? Presumably it was the same player who was supposed to leave several seconds earlier. Who told him to leave? How did he figure out he was supposed to leave? Whether Coach Orr knew or not, someone from Seton Hall had to know. (Not to mention the player inbounding the ball who saw five teammates on the court.) Why is this situation getting such little notice?
Troy Lovell
Valrico, Fla.

Georgetown is already at a disadvantage by playing without a true point guard. But to have to play 5 against 6 at the end of regulation in a tie game against Seton Hall on Wednesday night is a little bit too much, don't you think? First a phantom call on Drew Hall by Tim Higgins against Pittsburgh on Saturday (Julius Page trips on the way to the basket and a foul is called with .4 seconds left in a tie game), now three officials failing to notice that a team has six players on the court coming off of a timeout with 7 seconds left in a tie game? Please write a column regarding officials and how they should be held accountable for gross misconduct (Pitt) or negligence (Seton Hall).
Eric Brown
Merrick, N.Y.

We discussed this in the Weekly Word. They could be suspended for one game and should be but we won't know because the Big East won't tell us. We've been discussing it on the air the last two days. It's ridiculous that no one saw it. I agree with each of your points.

What do you think the job that Bill Self has done this year at Illinois? He lost six of his top seven players from a year ago, but has his team just as competitive and even more exciting than when they had the coveted "senior leadership." Illinois was expected to finish as a bubble team for the NCAA tournament, but anything less than a four seed at this point would be a disappointment. Why is he being overlooked as a coach of the year candidate having this success while starting three freshmen and a sophomore?
Brandon Fox
Chicago

Self should be in any coach of the year discussions in the Big Ten. Not sure he would make the top five in the nation. He still has one of the best players in the country in Brian Cook. Self continues to be a winner, no matter where he coaches.

Andy,
Even with the loss of Marcus Bailey the Wyoming basketball team is still the elite team in the Mountain West Conference. But still no one will recognize the job they are doing without their star. Every media outlet is picking Utah, BYU and others over Wyoming. What does Wyoming have to do to get your respect and the nations respect. It doesn't make sense, they are back to back MWC Champions and still have the same core group, I would think that would do enough for respect. Thank you for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.
Chris
Cheyenne, Wyo.

You're right. We haven't given Wyoming its due. We will this week. Steve McClain is doing a great job without Marcus Bailey. The win over Texas Tech will have shelf life throughout the season. If Wyoming can finish in the top two, and not win the conference tournament, they've still got a good shot to get into the Dance.

Do you think this year's Maryland squad is as good as or better than last year's team and can Gary Williams keep up the consistency of his team next year with the most notable senior Steve Blake gone?
Matt
Washington D.C.

No, this year's team isn't where last year's team finished. But Williams has done a masterful job with this group. I really believe he could guide them back to the Final Four for a third straight season. I'm not concerned about the post-Steve Blake era. Williams has done a great job recruiting recently. There shouldn't be an issue of Maryland staying in the top of the ACC.

I know that the NCAA Tournament selection committee looks at strength-of-schedule when making up their field of 65. My question is will they consider the fact that many teams' schedules were altered this year because of the early-season tournaments that were canceled, downsized, and/or reorganized as a result of the 2/4 rule regarding these events.

Two examples:
1) Syracuse's schedule is ranked in the 150s, but consider that they were in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament that was originally a 4-team, 2-round event. Instead of just playing Memphis, they could have also played Alabama or Oklahoma or Georgia or Texas or anyone else who originally signed up for the event in the 2-round format.

2) UConn was criticized for a weak early schedule, but consider that they were originally in the 16-team Guardians Classic that also had Duke and Missouri in the field before all three dropped off because they couldn't play in a third tournament in the 4-year cycle.

These two teams probably have nothing to worry about as far as getting in, but someone else in a similar situation could be on the bubble come March. Will the committee look at this for any team with a weak schedule?
Mike
New York

Good question but the answer is no. The committee isn't going to give teams a break because they had used up their exemption.

With all the publicity for Kyle Korver being a candidate for All-American, why is someone like Brett Blizzard at UNC Wilmington not also being looked at as an All-American candidate.
Justin Long
Chapel Hill, N.C.

Blizzard isn't getting enough respect, but that's in part because Wilmington isn't getting on television and doesn't have a marquee win like Creighton's over Notre Dame.

And now for the court-storming rants ... again ...

Before my question, I would first like to address something. It was an embarrassment to the Kansas Jayhawks that their fans rushed the floor after beating the No. 3 team in the country on their home court. ACT LIKE YOU'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE! It is just so silly that such a storied basketball program would lower themselves to that level. As a fan of the Maryland Terrapins, ever since you've shown us the error of our ways, I have joined you in your quest to destroy the genuine fanaticism of the sport of college basketball. Forge on my friend! And now to the question: Is it actually your goal to kill this enthusiasm and excitement, which are the core elements that make this game so great?
Bryon Frazier
Cumberland, Md.

With regards to what the Kansas fans did when they rushed the floor after beating Texas, have they forgotten that they are a Final Four team and were once national champion? Are you disappointed with what the Kansas fans did by rushing the floor after beating the No. 3 team in the nation?
Roel
Alexandria, Va.

I have been saying that teams that are ranked in the Top 25 should never, and I mean EVER storm the court. For Maryland to storm the court is a joke. They were actually favored to win the game. As for a couple of your previous e-mailers suggesting that Duke would have stormed the court if they were to beat Maryland at Duke, that is absurd. Duke plays Maryland at home later this year and I can promise that they will not storm the court. Leave the storming of the court to teams with below .500 records when they miraculously knock off a top-ranked team. If Pitt were to storm the court after a win against UConn it would be a joke, and I would be ashamed to be a Pitt fan for a day. It wouldn't happen, and Pitt is a program that has been nationally strong for about 14 months now.
Darren Bucklew
Pittsburgh, Pa.

You still don't seem to understand why Maryland fans, let alone any fans, rush the court after a big win. The excitement running through the Comcast Center during the game was unbelievable. Expecting fans to just get up and walk away after a game like that is ridiculous. They were the No. 1 team in the country, regardless if we are the defending national champions. The fans needed an outlet for all that pent-up energy and rushing the court is an obvious release. Gary Williams took off his championship ring before the season started because he realized this is a new year with a new team and new challenges. Maybe its time you realize this too.
Chris Batzold
College Park, Md.

Wanted to let everyone know -- you can have a successful team with Final Four runs and quality home wins without storming the court. During the last three and half years at Florida as a Rowdy Reptile I have had some of the best times of my life in the O'Dome without mobbing our team and our opponent after the game. I don't think our fan base is any less supportive or any less of a factor in the game than that of Maryland or Duke, but somehow we manage to celebrate without putting anyone in danger or causing chaos during the final few seconds. Good article and hopefully some other administrations will look at how Florida has managed the student body.
Margaret
Gainesville, Fla.

First of all Andy, I thought your comments were absolutely correct. As a season ticket holder to Cameron, I know that the Crazies rarely storm the court, despite many big wins. We have too much respect for our fellow teams. In reference to Jeff Hyatt's from College Park, Maryland comment, I have a correction. Hyatt said "The argument against was we are the defending champs (both ACC and NCAA) and that we expect to beat Duke." If I remember correctly and I think I do, Duke won the ACC Championship last year. If we are going to go by regular season wins, then Maryland won the ACC, but that would also mean that Duke won the NCAA since we finished the regular season number No. 1. Let's be consistent here! Duke won the ACC Tournament, making us the champions. Maryland won the NCAA Tournament, making them NCAA Champions. We must use the standard that is presented to us, a tourney! Watch out, the Devils are prepared for a great comeback! Let's go Duke!
Matthew McNeill
Durham, N.C.

I am a huge Terps fan, and I may be in the minority because I happen to agree with the tenor of your views (RE: "To Storm..."). I think it is great when an underdog beats a superior team and the fans rush the court. I hate to admit it, but Maryland is not superior to Duke, they are not going to fare as well this year compared to Duke, nor do I think that they will ever achieve the consistency that Duke has demonstrated over the years. This is why the fans rushed the court. They are having a down year and desperately needed the win. Unfortunately, I feel that the Terps fans (please excuse the overgeneralization) will always feel inferior to Duke and will therefore exercise poor judgment (e.g., rushing the court) in situations where they should behave like they have been there before. The victory would have been so much sweeter if they had simply chalked it (the victory) as another win for an elite program. On a personal note, I was mortified to read that the fans wore F*** Duke t-shirts. Until they come up with something clever and act like they have been there before, the sycophants (i.e., Vitale) will continue to extole Duke's virtues and place Maryland on a slightly lower tier. So until they reach that status, they will rush the court after big games in which they win.
Chris
Portland, Maine

After giving those Terrapins so much crap for storming the court after beating the undefeated and hated No. 1 team in the country, I would love to hear what you have to say about Kansas -- a program with so much tradition storming the court after beating Texas, a football school. If you don't have any comment towards Kansas it is obvious where your motives lie.
Juan

Funny you should say that Juan. I had a number of fans tell me after they stormed last Monday what I thought about the storming. In theory, I would say they shouldn't, considering Kansas was favored to win the Big 12. But what has gotten lost in this fun discussion (not a very serious one) is the enthusiasm for the game. I'm fortunate enough to watch some of the best games every season in some of the best venues in the country. I love the enthusiasm. I love the crowds. I couldn't hear for about four hours out of my right ear Monday night because I had to crank my ear piece to hear our announcers while I was the sideline reporter. I didn't complain. I loved the atmosphere. Should Kansas storm? Should Maryland? If everyone is going to take it so seriously then go ahead, storm. I don't want to discourage the enthusiasm in the crowd. That part I love. The only reason we had this discussion was we thought the storming the court was happening too much, almost after every game (the fans in East Lansing didn't storm when Michigan State beat Indiana). In the end, it really doesn't matter as long as everyone has a good time, enjoys the games and behaves themselves.

I've been reading all these responses about rushing the court, and I think someone needs some rules on rushing the court. As the sports editor at a school with a new upstart program (URI), we have rushed the court three times this season: vs. USC, opening the Ryan Center against what we thought was a top team in a game that went down to the buzzer.
vs. Providence at the Dunkin' Donuts Center because it was a last-second win against our in-state rivals.
vs. St. Joe's because we won the game at the buzzer.

Each game was decided at the buzzer, hence the rushing of the court. Actually, my roomate and myself were discussing during the last 30 seconds of the St. Joe's games if we should rush if we win. Then, it kind of just happened. It's not like football where we destroy stuff. Rushing the court is an art and needs to be regulated. You should only rush a court if you opponent is in the top 15 or if the game is against some sort of rival and decided in the last moments of a game. Just a thought.
Eric Rueb
Kingston, R.I.

It seems you have questions on whether it is legit or not to rush the floor as a fan. I got to rush the floor today as a student in Michigan's victory over Michigan State (who has dominated the series in recent years). Would this be worthy?
Mike Valiton
Ann Arbor

The answer is yes, based on where Michigan was and considering the probation. Now, can we put this issue to rest. Please.

Don't worry, I could care less whether or not Maryland fans storm the floor after beating Duke. I have two questions for you:

1. What do you think of Central Michigan's chances to win the MAC and make it to the NCAA's? I know you're impressed with Chris Kaman, but the whole team is really playing well right now and deserves to get more recognition, I feel.
2. Will the postseason NIT invite 40 teams again this year the way they did last year? I thought that was a great move.
Kirk Aigner
Dowling, Mich.

Losing to Kent State didn't help Central Michigan. But Kaman gives it a chance to win the conference tournament. If the Chippewas can't win the conference tournament they should be a lock to get into the once-again expanded NIT.

Well, I guess you got my last email but did not put it on the Answer Man. Instead, you used a similar letter of a fan complaining about the absence of Hollis Price on your top 30 list. Up until recently I was a big fan of your work. I thought you were the most honest and knowledgeable college basketball journalist. But since this season has started you have jumped off the Oklahoma band wagon, ignored the team, and not stuck by your prediction of them winning the national championship -- apparently hoping people would forget. Then you miss Hollis Price on a list of 30 candidates for Player of the Year, but then state that he will be on your next list, so why not on the last list? He was averaging 17 points a game at the time for a top 10 team and he was a preseason favorite. So what did he do? I just think you should stick with your guns and not jump ship so easily.
Greg
Norman

Trust me. He will be on the final list. Without question, he will be on the final list.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. He answers questions on college basketball weekly.