MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Eight teams have descended on Memphis all in the hopes of winning out at FedExForum and punching their ticket to the Sweet 16. For us here in Memphis, that comes with a lot of unfamiliar teams and faces. So, who's who?
The Baylor Bears are the only team to have won the big dance.
Memphis' old rival in Houston is the team that has gotten the closest but fell short six different times after making the final four.
But maybe this year is their year. They have a 30-4 record, are the No. 1 seeds in the South and are the No. 2 overall.
"We want to get to the National Championship, but you've got to get to the first game first," Houston forward J'wan Roberts said. "It's just about locking in and executing your plays, because one mistake can cost you a game."
Longwood would love nothing more than to become the third 16 seed to knock off a one seed, and it's not like they're unfamiliar with doing just that, or at least their coach isn't. Griff Aldrich was the recruiting director for UMBC when they took out Virginia.
"We want to be Longwood, not a UMBC repeat, or Fairleigh Dickinson repeat," Aldrich said. "We want to write our own story and I think these guys have some really compelling characteristics. We'll see how far it takes us."
Both New Mexico and Nebraska are back in the tournament for the first time in a decade. The Cornhuskers are the only Power 5 team to never win a game in March Madness. But with Japan's Steph Curry, otherwise known as Keisei Tominaga, the monkey might finally come off the back.
"He's very unassuming," Nebraska forward Rienk Mast said. "He's 6'2", not too athletic. But when he goes out on the court, he plays with the type of swagger and type of attitude that is almost unmatched."
"He helped his national team at Japan accomplish something that's never been done before," Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg said. "And that's what we're trying to accomplish here at Nebraska."
Colgate will also be looking to get over the hump this their seventh appearance and fifth straight, and they too have never advance to round two.
Then there's those 'other' Tigers and the Aggies, who both fell at the hands of Memphis this season and somehow ended up dancing right back here.
Let the Madness in Memphis begin!