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[redbengal]

I was thinking back to the 1984 NCAA Tournament a couple of days ago. I still remember fondly the Elite 8 (Final 5, technically) run and the way that Roosevelt Chapman loaded the team up on his shoulders and carried them to win after win. But how did they get into The Dance with an 18-10 record as an independent? Especially after missing both the NCAA and NIT Tournaments the prior year with the identical record? Did someone on the selection committee do a favor for Donoher, AD Frericks, or the university in general? Was there a signature win or two? Or did the NCAA see potential star power in Chapman? If so I give them credit for their foresight. Velvet and UD became the darlings of the tournament right up until the last Elite Eight game was played on a Sunday in LA between our Flyers and the nasty Georgetown Hoyas (anyone remember the chants in the ghetto of "What the F's a Hoya?"?).

As we ponder this current team's seemingly minuscule at-large chances while hoping that Lunardi and others are on to something by having UD as a "Next Four Out" or "First Eight Out", could it be that the emergence of a bona fide star in Obi Toppin sweeps the selection committee away and allows them to veer from the NET rankings a bit and choose the Flyers as an at-large (assuming they win out in the regular season and reach the A10 Tourney finals)?

Other bubble teams have stars, of course, but you don't have to be wearing the red & blue goggles to see the kind of carnival attraction that a kid like this could be in the NCAA Tournament. Would it at least garner some consideration in the selection room? I mean, the committee can always justify the choice by using "eye test" or "gaining steam" phrasing, right? Thoughts?

	Don Donoher DON DONOHER Legendary Flyer men's basketball coach who guided Dayton to 435 victories in 25 seasons (1964-1989) including the 1967 NCAA Runner-Up. Took over the program after the passing of Tom Blackburn and earned many NCAA and NIT bids over his career, including five Sweet-16s, one Elite Eight appearance, and the 1968 NIT Championship. Groomed All-Americans Don May and Jim Paxson, along with all-time leading scorer Roosevelt Chapman. Coached UD as they joined conference affiliation for the first time (Midwest Collegiate). A graduate of UD, Donoher played for Blackburn and credits much of his coaching success to his mentor's teachings: defense, ball protection, patience, and unselfishness.

	St Bonaventure SAINT BONAVENTURE Founded in 1858, St. Bonaventure University is a liberal arts college located on 500 acres in southwestern New York state. SBU offers 43 undergraduate majors, the most popular of which are elementary education, journalism, psychology, accounting, marketing, finance, and management. Total undergraduate enrollment is 2,000. Virtually all freshmen and most undergraduates live on campus. A founding member of the A10 Conference. Famous athletes include Bob Lanier. Historical nickname was the Brown Indians, but later changed to the Bonnies. Their mascot is a wolf.

	Ghetto UD GHETTO Student neighborhood surrounding the campus of the University of Dayton. Unique to UD, the Ghetto gets its name from the nickname students gave the depression and war-period row houses the university owns and rents to Dayton students during their course of study. The landlord arrangement and compact nature of the neighborhood homes create a camaraderie among students outside of class that provides personal space away from classrooms and on-campus dorms. Parties and celebrations on Ghetto streets are legendary and have made David Letterman's Top-10 List. A significant effort has been made in recent years to curb hooliganism and renovate older homes.