Well, the bracket is set and I must say that much more impressed with the choices made by the selection committee this year than I was the last. Last year, Utah State was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, yet lost to a resurgent Pacific in the Big West Tournament final -- the selection committee passed over Utah State for an at-large bid.

This year, the opposite occurred. Utah State defeated No. 18-ranked Pacific in the Big West Tournament final, and today Pacific received one of the at-large invitations.

In the West Coast Conference, a conference dominated by Gonzaga, St. Mary's had an excellent year going 25-8 and splitting the regular season series with Gonzaga. They too got an at-large bid.

It makes for a more interesting tournament when some of the smaller conferences -- where some good basketball is played -- go up against the so-called "power conferences." Fans would much rather see a "mid-major" conference's No. 2 team than one of the power conferences' No. 7 team.

Let the madness begin.