NCAA Tournament

Will Georgetown reach the Final Four again? Is George Mason this year's George Mason? Which No. 1 seed will lose first? Writer John Feinstein, a regular contributor to The Washington Post, was online Friday, March 21, at 11 a.m. ET to take your questions about the NCAA men's college basketball tournament.

A transcript follows.

Feinstein is a former sports and political reporter for The Washington Post. He has worked at Sports Illustrated and at the National Sports Daily, commentated for National Public Radio and Sporting News Radio and has written columns for AOL and Golf Magazine. Feinstein has also contributed to the Wall Street Journal. He is the author of a number of bestselling books, including, "Caddy For Life," "A Season on the Brink," "A Good Walk Spoiled," "A Civil War," "The Last Amateurs," "A Season Inside," "The Punch," "Hard Courts," "Forever's Team," "First Coming," "Winter Games," "A March to Madness," "Play Ball" and "Open." His next book, "Living on the Black," will be released May 1.

____________________

Washington, D.C.: Saw Duke-Belmont in person last night and it was a classic. I was really impressed by how well-coached Belmont is. They played with a lot of passion and poise and no fear. It seems like giving Belmont a 15 seed was an injustice because they looked good enough to be a Sweet 16 team. How does the rest of the college basketball world view Coach Byrd?

John Feinstein: Well, those inside college basketball know that Rick Byrd is one of the best coaches out there, and you don't win 500 games on a fluke. One of the problems with the tournament is I don't think the committee pays enough attention at seeding the non-conference power teams. How could Belmont possibly be seeded behind, and not to pick on them, Cornell? And I think that goes back to the committee not paying enough attention.

_______________________

Herndon, Va.: Mr. F: My bracket has already collapsed (USC, Kent State AND Winthrop?), but I'd like to know if you see any 4-seed or lower having a shot at the Final Four?

John Feinstein: Well, the one team I had put in the category was USC, which I thought would at least get to the round of 16. I think Michigan State is dangerous because of Tom Izzo. I think Kansas State has a shot against Wisconsin tomorrow. And I think West Virginia is dangerous and has a great shot to beat Duke, but would struggle with UCLA.

Certainly Connecticut at a number 4 is very dangerous.

_______________________

Bow, N.H.: I hope you have recovered from your near-death experience last night! Which team(s) most impressed you yesterday? For me, it was the way Washington State completely dismantled a Belmont-esque (sorry) Winthrop team in the second half.

John Feinstein: Not sure what you're referring to as my near-death experience. A couple of teams did impress me. Purdue was better than I thought, deeper and better offensively. They'll be a serious test for Xavier tomorrow.

I was surprised that Notre Dame handled George Mason as easily as they did. And Kansas State surprised me, I thought USC would win.

My biggest disappointment was Cornell, who I did not think would beat Stanford, but I thought would keep the game competitive.

_______________________

Akron, Ohio: When, if ever, will WVU coach Bob Huggins stop berating his own players in front of the spectators?

John Feinstein: Easy answer -- never. Bob's not unique in that sense. Have you ever watched Gary Williams coach a game?

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: What are your thoughts on Saturday's Michigan State/Pittsburgh game?

John Feinstein: Terrific matchup. Pittsburgh is obviously a very hot team, two very good coaches, two teams that play very good defense. I was surprised that Michigan State won against Temple as easily as it did, but I still lean toward Pitt, because I thought the Big East was the best conference this year.

And whoever wins will have at least 5 days off to recover, too.

_______________________

Bethesda, Md.: I like Clemson. I think they're a very good team. They played Carolina really tough twice this year. They beat Duke. They simply get up for big games. So - assuming they top 'Nova and the Vandy-Siena winner (an admittedly hard road in and of itself), what do you think of their chances versus Kansas?

John Feinstein: Well, I think Clemson is a good team too, and they lost to Carolina three times. I think if they can get by today, which is not a guarantee by any means, then I think they have a great chance to get to the Sweet 16. Having said that, I would be shocked if they beat Kansas -- I believe this is the year Kansas and Bill Self are going to make it to the Final Four.

_______________________

Bowie, Md.: John,

Is college basketball slipping? As a lover of both the NBA and college, I find myself gravitating more towards the pro game. Watching how the refs took control of Kansas State-USC last night made me sick. For the grief the NBA refs get, they are far better than the college refs. College ball has turned into a glorified 3-point contest. Where is the skill? I flipped between the tourney games and Dallas-Boston last night, and as a pure basketball fan, I appreciated and enjoyed the play in the pros far more. It's unfortunate, given the historic entertainment that the tourney has given me in the past.

As a world-renowned college basketball savant, I'd like your opinion on this matter.

John Feinstein: Well, the skill level at all levels of basketball has slipped, for a number of reasons. Kids don't want to be coached anymore, because they're surrounded by enablers who tell them how great they are. Two, you're right, the 3-point shot has become a dominant force, because everyone can make it. They're moving the line back next year, but not far enough.

Having said that, I find the competitiveness of the college game as good as it's ever been, even though the abilities of the players arent as good as 20 years ago.

As for the refs, you'll see some poorly reffed games in the begining of the tournament because they need 96 refs. The deeper into the tournament, the better the officiating *should* get.

_______________________

Olney, Md.: Is there a remote chance that University of Maryland-Baltimore County can really beat Georgetown? I'm a UMBC alumni and I couldn't be prouder for my school -- but it looks bleak...

John Feinstein: There's a remote chance. If UMBC hits just about every three they take, and if they can somehow get Roy Hibbert in foul trouble. But you should be very proud of what UMBC has accomplished and where the team is today. Enjoy the fact that you are there.

_______________________

Alexandria, Va.: Is there any chance of the NCAA changing the play-in game so that it features the last two at-large teams? The NCAA already fiddles with the matchup (making sure that it doesn't include two HBCU teams), so why not make a wholesale change? Winning your conference tournament should at least guarantee you the experience of playing on Thursday/Friday. Or better yet, why not just reduce the at-large field by one and go back to 64 teams? Why have the play-in game at all?

John Feinstein: I agree that if there's going to be a play-in game, it should be the last two at large teams, and I've been suggesting that publicly and to the committee members for five years. And I agree with you completely that one of those conference champs doesn't get to go to an actual site. In an ideal world, we would have 64 teams, there would be no play-in game, but the power conferences dont want to give up their at-large bids, because each bid is worth about $1 million, and that's why the play-in game exists.

_______________________

DC: John- what is an emerging story for the tournament this year? (certain players, a program?)

John Feinstein: Really hard to say after one day. I think you can't make that determination until the first weekend is over, and you see if there's going to be a Cinderella or a mid-major that can advance, or if there's a player who is emerging as a star. Certainly Michael Beasley was impressive last night, but at this point that's no surprise.

_______________________

Aldie, VA: Kansas looks like the deepest, most talented team in the tournament. While Chalmers and Rush look capable of hitting big shots, do you think it will help or hurt them that they don't seem to have a go-to guy?

John Feinstein: I'm like Billy Martin -- I feel strongly both ways. I think it's good for a team to have a number of people they can go to in given situation, but it also helps to have a Tyler Hansbrough, who is the go-to guy. And I agree with you about Kansas's depth, though I think Carolina is right there with them in that category.

_______________________

Let's Go Hoyas: Like last year, I picked the Hoyas to win the whole thing.

Maybe my devotion to the Hoyas has more to do with the story than actuality: a father-son coaching combination winning the NCAA tournament, a son whose coaching styles seems more like Princeton Coach Pete Carill than his Hall of Fame dad, and an old school center like Roy Hibbert.

Could the Hoyas win it all?

John Feinstein: Sure they can. They're one of I would say, 10 teams, that have a legit chance to win the whole thing. I think their experience last year, getting to the final four will help them, I think playing in so many close games will help them. I think John III's best quality is that he stays calm no matter what the situation.

I think they will have a very tough game if they reach the regional final against Kansas, but I thought that last year against Carolina, but they did, and they won.

_______________________

Gaithersburg, MD: What is your opinion on seeding conference tournament winners (no matter what conference they come from) higher than at-large teams?

John Feinstein: Well, I don't think there should ever be a hard and fast rule about who gets seeded higher. It should be based on how teams play during the regular season. Having said that, I think the committee overlooks conference champs of non-power conferences. Bellmont last night, George Mason in 2006 is an obvious example, I think Butler deserved better than a 7 seed, and Davidson deserved better than a 10. But I don't think there should be a hard-and-fast rule.

_______________________

The Last Amatuers : As a Bucknell graduate, I finally read the book detailing a Patriot League season.

And I am impressed that you have continued your support of the league by announcing some of the games on ESPNU.

Can you give more love to the Patriot League by explaining how American University could possibly beat Tennessee?

John Feinstein: If the Tennessee bus breaks down en route to the arena and they don't show up, I think they have a shot. Beyond that, it's going to be very hard. Tenn. is bigger, quicker and deeper. American will have to hit every 3, and Tenn. will have to have a real off day just to make it competitive, but we all know stranger things have happened.

_______________________

DC: Do you think that John Thompson III has reestablished the Georgetown program sufficiently so that local fans can once again rely on a very good Georgetown program?

John Feinstein: Oh, absolutely. Final Four last year, BE regular season title this year, ranked in the top 10 almost all season, a chance to go deep this year, one of the best high school recruits coming in next year. I don't think there's any question. My only complaint is that he won't play in the BB&T classic, just like his father.

_______________________

Near Death Experience: The former questioner was referring to the Duke game. While I've enjoyed your books and commentary on Patriot League basketball and Navy football, no one can forget you are a Duke graduate.

John Feinstein: Gee, I guess I'm guilty. I am a Duke graduate, but I've probably been more critical of the Duke administration than anyone in journalism, and I don't understand why everyone wants to point out where I went to school, when everyone went to school somewhere. I don't live or die with the outcome of any game (except maybe Navy-Notre Dame this year in football.)

_______________________

Arlington: John,

Do you think that Bobby Knight picked Pitt to win it all was an attempt to stir up controversy or do you think he believes they have a legitimate chance to get out of a bracket where they would probably have to face Memphis and Texas? Not that I think that Mr. Knight would ever do anything to stir controversy....

John Feinstein: I think he honestly believes Pitt has a chance. I think he's far more interested in pitching DirecTV than stirring controversy. Memphis, to me, is the most vulnerable No. 1 seed, so picking Texas or Pitt is not that controversial a choice, and once you're in the Final 4, anything can happen.

I think Bob Knight has been about as good as I expected him to be -- he's very smart, he knows basketball, he's articulate and he's on a set with people who will always defer to him, so I would expect him to do well.

_______________________

Play-in game?: Why not have more play-in games for those on the bubble (via NIT, maybe)?

And, why Dayton? Why not a tournament site?

John Feinstein: The reason they do it in Dayton is because it's one of the best college basketball towns in the country, and they can get a decent crowd every year. But to me, the idea of expanding the tournament at all is wrong. We should go back to 64. My column tomorrow in the Post is about coaches winning about adding more teams, and to me, that's about as good an idea as New Coke was.

_______________________

bethesda, md: Only one upset yesterday - to me, that says that the committee did a pretty good job overall.

John Feinstein: Overall, they did do a good job. I had several quibbles, but overall, I think they did a good job. We'll know more about how good a job they did after the 2nd round. If you get 1/2 a dozen upsets in the first round, that's a lot, and we'll see how they do today. I think there are several lower seeds with good chances.

If Bellmont had beaten Duke, I think people would be singing a very different tune this morning. That would have overridden everything else that happened.

_______________________

Mt, Lebanon, Pa.: So, as we all knew, Duke really isn't a 2 seed. Comment?

How come some of these ugly princess teams always get a higher than DESERVED seating at the dance? Like Duke, Georgetown. I can't even believe Kentucky was selected.

Thank goodness these darlings aren't asking for extra timeouts or getting 5 points at tipoff or chocolates on their hotel pillows. Actually, we already know from reporting that higher-ranked teams get better accommodations during the playoffs.

Thanks much.

John Feinstein: Well, the part you're right about is the chocolates on the pillow. they do get that.

I said on Monday that Duke was the weakest number 2. But who among the threes would you have moved up? Duke beat Wisconsin by 20 during the regular season. Xavier was lucky to beat Georgia yesterday. And Georgetown certainly deserved a 2, they won the regular season in the toughest conference.

I can agree with you on Kentucky and Baylor. I think Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth should have been selected. And Syracuse was the team on the board before Georgia knocked them out.

_______________________

one and done?: With Michael Beasley bolting and Bill Walker improving enough after his injury to potentially make the jump to the NBA, is this K-State's one brief season in the sun? As someone who grew up watching KSU be competitive basketball-wise in the '70s and '80s, I'd like to think the program can sustain this success.

John Feinstein: Well, all you can hope is that the exposure this year will help recruiting long-term. That's one of the reasons you take the one-and-done player, not only for this season, but because you hope it will help your recruiting down the road. Time will tell with K State.

_______________________

Oak Hill: Two questions, will you continue to write about coaches for the remainder of the tournament? If realy enjoyed the columns so far. And, where will you be headed, Charlotte?

John Feinstein: Sure, I'll write about coaches, when they're the best column that day. Sometimes a player is the best column, sometimes a coach is. Like I said, tomorrow's column is ripping on coaches.

Yes, I'll be heading to Charlotte, because it's the easiest place to get to from here.

_______________________

Atlanta, GA: John, why is it that Vanderbilt never gets respect? I know Sienna and Auburn are good but their RPI numbers are not as good as Vanderbilt's. Also, given the team's run last year, you would think that it would get some kudos.

John Feinstein: I'm not sure about the Sienna/Auburn reference. Vanderbilt is a no. 4 seed, so the committee respects them. If people are skeptical about them, it's because all of their impressive wins this year were on their home court. I wondered about Notre Dame for the same reason, thought they could lose to George Mason, and clearly I was wrong about that.

_______________________

Fairfax Station, Virginia: There has been a lot of discussion this year about North Carolina's inconsistent defense. Yet, when I have seen them play, they seemed pretty darn good at making key stops with the exception of their game against Maryland, which played extremely well that night. Considering that the Tar Heels like a faster pace with more possessions than other teams like, how do they compare with other teams around the country defensively? Are they sufficiently versatile to play all the different styles of play that it might take to win the championship?

John Feinstein: I think when you talk about defense, it's a relative word. Carolina's offense is much better than its defense, and thats what triggers them. Having said that, you're right, they do play defense when they need to. I think they've played themselves into trouble by not paying enough attention to defense, and then turning it up when they have to. A perfect example is their game against Virginia Tech last Saturday.

_______________________

Washington: I was impressed with Xavier's second-half turnaround yesterday, and with Marquette's dominance throught its game. What do you foresee for those two teams?

John Feinstein: You know, I think Xavier was lucky to win yesterday. Georgia ran out of gas as much as anything. I think XU will have a very tough second-round game against Purdue. Having said that, I think they'll have an easier time in the Sweet 16, against Duke or West Virginia. I think Purdue might be better than both those teams.

Marquette beat a very mediocre team yesterday, and was holding on at the end. As good as I think the Big East is, I don't see them getting past Stanford. I think Stanford is one of the underrated teams in the tournament.

_______________________

Alexandria, Va: The mid majors are having a rough go of it so far this tourney - hopefully that will change today. Do you believe like Bilas that the tourney should be all about the majors? George Mason's run two years ago was more exciting then seeing the same teams compete from the majors in my eyes.

And how can more mid-majors get in when scheduling major conference teams is almost impossible?

John Feinstein: If Jay Bilas said the tournament should be more about majors, and I didn't hear him say that, then he should turn his Duke law degree back in.

The magic of this tournament is when the mid-majors do well. Its what draws the non-serious fan to the tournament. If it was all about Duke, Carolina and UCLA, it would be just like the NBA.

While I think the committee could do a good job at seeding the mid-majors, I'm glad it's withstood the whining that we need more big schools in the tournament. We've got plenty.

You're right, that major conference teams will only play mid-majors at home only with their refs. Unfortunately, that's never going to change.

_______________________

Washington DC: How sick is Duke? They looked awful during the postgame. (Not to take anything away from Belmont playing a good game)

John Feinstein: The coach is very sick. DeMarcus Nelson is sick, and a couple of other kids are fighting the flu. The only one I saw as it affecting his game was Nelson. Having K. sick could be a factor tomorrow, because they really need him to get into the game emotionally. That takes nothing away from Belmont, which easily could have won the game.

_______________________

Pac 10: Wasn't the Pac 10 the best conference this year?

Starting with the Big East in 1985, one conference often makes a big Final Four splash.

I picked Stanford to join UCLA for that reason.

John Feinstein: I think that's entirely possible. I think both teams are good enough to go to the final 4. It's worth noting that the ACC has had two final 4 teams twice since 1995. I just think the Big East had the most good teams. Who had the best teams is why we play the tournament.

Everybody enjoy the next few weeks. I know I will.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.