I’d like to see Monmouth do well in the Tournament, if for no other reason than John Bunch. It’s not often that a highschool benchwarmer, recruited from a movie theater advances so quickly in the NCAA. I’m a sap for Cinderella stories, and this one has fairy tale written all over it.

Monmouth trounced Hampton to earn the right to play Villanova. Never mind that they’ll probably suffer a beating in that game. Monmouth is just happy to win a Tournament game, something they haven’t managed since 1983.

Tournament play continues tomorrow with sixteen games scheduled throughout the country.

Here are the 2006 NCCA Basketball tournament brackets:

2006 Regional Brackets:

ATLANTA REGIONAL

1 Duke
vs.
16 Southern U.

8 G. Washington
vs.
9 NC-Wilmington

5 Syracuse
vs.
12 Texas A&M

4 LSU
vs.
13 Iona

6 West Virginia
vs.
11 Southern Ill.

3 Iowa
vs.
14 N’western St.

7 California
vs.
10 N.C. State

2 Texas
vs.
15 Penn

OAKLAND REGIONAL

1 Memphis
vs.
16 Oral Roberts

8 Arkansas
vs.
9 Bucknell

5 Pittsburgh
vs.
12 Kent St.

4 Kansas
vs.
13 Bradley

6 Indiana
vs.
11 San Diego St.

3 Gonzaga
vs.
14 Xavier

7 Marquette
vs.
10 Alabama

2 UCLA
vs.
15 Belmont

WASHINGTON REGIONAL

1 Connecticut
vs.
16 Albany

8 Kentucky
vs.
9 UAB

5 Washington
vs.
12 Utah St.

4 Illinois
vs.
13 Air Force

6 Michigan St.
vs.
11 George Mason

3 North Carolina
vs.
14 Murray St.

7 Wichita St.
vs.
10 Seton Hall

2 Tennessee
vs.
15 Winthrop

MINNEAPOLIS REGIONAL

1 Villanova
vs.
16 Hampton/ Monmouth

8 Arizona
vs.
9 Wisconsin

5 Nevada
vs.
12 Montana

4 Boston College
vs.
13 Pacific

6 Oklahoma
vs.
11 Wis.-Milwaukee

3 Florida
vs.
14 South Ala.

7 Georgetown
vs.
10 Northern Iowa

2 Ohio St.
vs.
15 Davidson

The NCAA basketball tournament is alays a great source for positive stories. There is usually a “Cinderella” team. There are the players who exceed all expectations. The teams that pull together, despite all odds. March Madness will soon be upon us.

Here are the teams who have received automatic bids, due to winning conference championships:

Pennsylvania, Winthrop, Belmont, Murray State, Southern Illinois, Davidson, UNC-Wilmington, Iona, Gonzaga, Oral Roberts, Wisonsin-Milwaukee, South Alabama, Monmouth, and Montana.

Duke senior J.J. Redick broke the NCAA mark for carreer three pointers in Dukes win over Wake Forest. Redick broke the previous record held by Curtis Staples, who had 413 three pointers while at Virginia from 1994-1998.

J.J. Redick made four three pointes in the game against Wake Forest giving him a total of 416 carreer three pointers.

You can read more about it here.

Gonzaga extended its record home winning streak to 36 games last night. This was their 11th win in a row, overall. Gonzaga defeated Stanford 80-76. This rare nonconference game was a chance to step out of the mostly disregarded West Coast Conference, where they are 9-0, and beat a major conference opponent.