Watson is home in Detroit and at Detroit-Mercy, more so than most coaches at a high-major, mid-major or low-major NCAA Division I school.

	“	I'm home here. I see my mom, still go to my same church, see my friends and have a lot of other pluses that other coaches don't have. ”
		— Detroit coach Perry Watson

"I'm home here," Watson said. "I see my mom, still go to my same church, see my friends and have a lot of other pluses that other coaches don't have."

He doesn't have the big-time paycheck, being at a Midwestern Collegiate Conference school. But he has built a winning program at the mid-major level. In six years, he's blown away the competition with a 113-64 record, 2-2 in the NCAA Tournament, including consecutive first-round wins over St. John's and UCLA.

Coaching a consistent winner, access to the NCAA Tournament and sharing the passion for his city and the university make the reduced payday more palatable. Butler's Barry Collier, Delaware's Mike Brey and Siena's Paul Hewitt have been on the market over the past year. But, whether by their choice or another school's, they have stayed put too. Like Watson, none are itching to leave. They've all got it good.

"When you develop a program and get into the tournament, you get a different perspective," Watson said. "Hey, we've beaten St. John's and UCLA."

Watson won't shy away from a Big Ten offer, but he's not chasing one, either. He's been there, plucked by Michigan from Southwestern High in Detroit when the Fab Five was formed in the early '90s. Watson was a first assistant on the '92 and '93 national runner-up Wolverines. He's tasted the high-major level. He saw the negatives, too. The pressure, the distance with the administration and the professional nature of the job don't sound as appealing anymore.

"I know the drawbacks of that level," Watson said. "I have access to my president here. I never saw the president there. My players are in class sizes of 18 here. Big schools don't offer that. I'll never say never but I'm not moving just for moving sake. It's not always a wise move."

Watson put Detroit basketball back on the college basketball map. Before Watson, the Titans' last claim to fame was being known as Dick Vitale's former school. During the '70s and '80s, Detroit wasn't such a toddling town. But a renaissance has occurred in conjunction with the Titans' rise to the top of the MCC.

The Tigers move into a new baseball stadium next spring. The Lions may be the only football team to move back to the city from the suburbs.

"It's a great time to be in Detroit," said Watson, 49. "It's been very gratifying to be a part of one of the great basketball traditions. We're the only Division I school in the city and we've touched it."

The Titans have become such a staple at the mid-major level that they can't get non-conference home-and-home games. The Titans' recent NCAA Tournament success makes them an acceptable loss. But that doesn't mean anyone will play them.

"Now a loss to us won't hurt you with the selection committee," Watson said. "But we realize we've got to play quality opponents to get in as an at-large. Trying to play them is hard and Barry is running into that too."

The MCC put three teams in the NCAA Tournament in '98 when Detroit and Illinois-Chicago received at-large berths and Butler won the MCC tournament.

	Siena's Paul Hewitt says at-large berths for mid-majors are becoming more realistic.

A year ago, Detroit was the only one.

But this season, Detroit and Butler are viable NCAA teams. The Titans return three starters, including MCC player of the year candidate Rashad Phillips, and newcomer of the year favorite Willie Green. The Bulldogs have the strongest frontline in the MCC in Rylan Hainje, Mike Marshall and Scott Robisch (eligible in December). Put up decent records, pick up quality wins and have a decent power rating and they'll likely earn bids. The selection committee has been kind to the mid-majors, but only when deserving.

"Entry to the tournament is a much bigger thing at this level, whereas it's expected at the next level," Collier said. "But I expect to make it here and I'm disappointed when we don't."

Collier was more willing than Watson to bolt last spring. But only when he made it deep on Minnesota's final list. When he wasn't selected, he didn't fret. Collier has something going at Butler. Nostalgia is in and the Bulldogs' Hinkle Fieldhouse is the perfect place in Indianapolis to get a fix. The Bulldogs have been consistent winners during Collier's 10 years, even though they have yet to win an NCAA Tournament game in two trips.

"If you can win, there should be no rush for the exit," Collier said. "We're in that category."

Collier has been selective in checking out jobs. He doesn't want to be another Scott Thompson. The former Rice coach left the Owls for a payday at Wichita State. It didn't work and he was back at a more academic institution and a lot less money when he signed on at Cornell three years ago.

"I'm not looking at jobs because I can't pay my mortgage," Collier says. "When you go to a high-major school, you do get more compensation, but sometimes that money doesn't go as far."

Hewitt is in a similar situation. But he's probably the most likely to leave of the four. Like Mike Deane before him, Hewitt has Siena as a regular on the postseason circuit. In two years, Hewitt is 42-18, making the NCAA Tournament a year ago. He didn't win a first-round game, but the Saints could this year with Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference player of the year candidate Marcus Faison.

"As long as I'm at Siena, I've got a chance to win every year," said Hewitt, 36. "Sometimes guys take jobs for the money and they're out in three or five years. If you've got a good thing, hold onto it. We may not always get an at-large berth, but we're vying for a berth every season. At-large berths are becoming more realistic. Teams are getting rewarded for consistently winning."

The MAAC could be a two-bid league this season if Siena and Iona can mount impressive records. The America East has multiple-bid possibilities if Maine, Drexel or Hofstra can keep pace with favorite Delaware.

	“	We can nurture a team, get players for four years, maybe five with a redshirt. It's still college basketball at our level. It's sane. ”
		— Delaware coach Mike Brey

"This is one school where you can stay awhile," said Brey, who just turned 40. "It's a lot like Detroit, Gonzaga, Siena and Butler. Here, the best thing is we're the only state university in Delaware. We get amazing support."

The Blue Hens can sell out 5,000-seat Bob Carpenter Center. And they get as good a response in recruiting. Winning at the mid-major level, NCAA bids and decent facilities can narrow a recruiting base. The Blue Hens got all five players they recruited this summer. That percentage doesn't happen too often at the high-major level.

"Coach (Mike) Kryzewski told me I might want to stay where I am," Brey said. "I'm not thrilled about what goes on at that level, with everyone leaving early. We can nurture a team, get players for four years, maybe five with a redshirt. It's still college basketball at our level. It's sane."

Andy Katz is a senior writer for ESPN.com.