After a disappointing end to a stellar season, a not-as--Big Baby is hungrier on and off the court

The concept of the Final Four may be elusive in Cameroon, but it's within the grasp of one favorite son

The Crimson Tide's Final Four chances will rest on the shoulders of its All-America candidate

With a pair of experienced big men leading the way, the Hoyas are poised for a long postseason run

The Buckeyes' improving floor leader must guide the talented but tenderfoot Thad Five by example

A fifth-year forward who remains a kid at heart looks to power the Badgers to the top of the Big Ten

Delaying his shot at the NBA, the Panthers' big man is back to take care of unfinished business

Bucking the big man trend, the Wildcats will go smaller and faster with a trio of explosive wings

A formerly quiet point guard has become the vocal leader of the country's best turnaround story

The Bluejays' top shooter returns, healthy and aiming to lead them back to the top of the Valley

Despite an improved inside game, the Huskies' biggest weapon is a marksman in the mold of the Pistol

A challenging schedule won't faze the seasoned Shockers and their self-assured swingman

With Redick and Williams gone, a sophomore forward will carry the offense and call the shots

The 65-team NCAA tournament includes 31 automatic bids and 34 at-large selections. Will your team make the cut? Find out below

The NBA The Jazz jumps out to the league's best record • Scout: The Pistons have lost interest in playing defense

Tuned In

An opposing team's scout on the Pistons, who were 3--4 at week's end:

Movin' Up

Sonic Boom

Former Vikings wideout Nate Burleson, who signed a $49 million deal to return to his hometown of Seattle, finds himself a No. 4 receiver, behind Darrell Jackson, Deion Branch and D.J. Hackett....

SOUND BITE "You couldn't believe what it was like—chanting, hollering, hugging, like we had just won the national championship," quarterback Philip Rivers said of the moments following San Diego's...

FOR THE LAST few weeks, when you'd listen to those talk shows that ranked the teams or picked a top five, someone would always add, "Wait a minute, you're forgetting the Chargers." San Diego has...

Air Force

Top of the Heap

Last Friday in San Antonio former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield continued his quixotic comeback with a 12-round win over Fres Oquendo. Said Holyfield, 44, of his quest to regain the...

Gut Shots

This Saturday, D.C. United midfielder Freddy Adu leaves for a two-week training stint with Manchester United, which wants to take a close look at him. Is the 17-year-old, who had a promising but...

One to Go

Kevin Harvick (right) has already clinched the Busch Series championship, but there's one driver he's still chasing: Sam Ard. In 1983 Ard set the series record by winning 10 races in a season....

It happened when I was halfway through my Raisin Bran.

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Spicy Stuff

THE LION shall lie down with the lamb, the Tuna's embracing T.O., and this Friday—shortly before midnight, on a lonely road in Findlay, Ohio—something stranger than either of those events will...

A tirelessly upbeat coach and a shocking rise to the Top 10 have Rutgers and the Garden State partying like it's 1869

Why the Red Sox broke the bank for the right to talk to a ballyhooed Japanese fireballer

Defended By Laila Ali, her WBC women's super middleweight championship with a convincing defeat of Shelley Burton. Appearing on the undercard to the Wladimir Klitschko--Calvin Brock fight at...

8--0 The Eagles' record in games after a bye week since Andy Reid took over as coach in 1999; Philadelphia beat the Redskins on Sunday after having Week 9 off.

THE FIRST time Johnny Sain's first wife saw him pitch in the majors, in 1946, he beat the Reds 5--1. But after the game she had a complaint; she had waved at Sain during the game, and he hadn't...

A new MLS policy will allow its teams to chase a certain unsettled English star

The results are in—and mixed—for sports figures who ran for public office

The actor (Major League, 24) plays a special forces operative on CBS's The Unit

HE RETIRED from the NBA 18 months ago, but Reggie Miller can't escape Spike Lee. The director text-messaged Miller before the Pacers-Knicks game on Nov. 4 to say, THE KNICKS ARE GOING TO WIN. (He...

JON SPOELSTRA, former New Jersey Nets president, on his team's scrapes with the law in the mid-1990s:

What to watch and watch for

Megan Powell ELKTON, MD. > Field Hockey Powell, a senior forward at Salisbury, scored her fourth hat trick of the season and a season-high seven points to give the Sea Gulls an 8--1 win over...

OHIO STATE LINEBACKER

WHO'S Hot

Giants Tackle

Mikki Moore's love of animals is no croc

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Cheerleaders pull up their boots and train for Sundays on the sidelines

Uprooted by Katrina, a football standout has found sure footing with his coach

Where the most coveted recruits are headed

BELTWAY CONNECTION

As he leads No. 2 Michigan into its showdown with No. 1 Ohio State, coach Lloyd Carr remains a private man who's loyal, literate and, would you believe, funny?

Deeply entrenched in Phoenix, second-year coach Wayne Gretzky is guiding a lackluster, last-place team. Is the Great One too nice for the job?

Donovan McNabb, one of the best quarterbacks of his generation, again has the Eagles in the thick of a playoff race. But will he ever fully win the heart of America's toughest sports town?

This game terrorizes you and keeps you awake at night, but that's what keeps me coming back

$31m Value of his seven-year extension in 2001, then the richest deal for an NFL center

After a decade in which the game grew smaller, faster and more guard-oriented, new rules and shifting priorities have revived a species on the verge of extinction: the low-post dinosaur

A relentless workout regimen has helped Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough bulk up his NBA-ready game

Seven-footer Roy Hibbert has transformed himself from a project into a powerhouse in the pivot

Florida's dynamic duo of Joakim Noah and Al Horford keep driving each other to new heights

Is this year's freshman class the best in history? These seven sublime newcomers with diverse talents make a convincing case

Maryland guard Kristi Toliver's fearless, unforgettable fadeaway in last April's title game epitomized how the young Terps and their cocksure coach have turned the women's college basketball...

Who'll be this season's Cinderella? Household name? Biggest flop? SI's hoops experts weigh in at SI.com/collegebasketball.

Maryland has the makings of a dynasty, but history--and a strong field--could stand in the champs' way

SI's tip sheet to the most compelling storylines, the players likeliest to shine and the new faces worth watching in the men's and the women's games

1. KANSAS

Having learned hard lessons last season, the young and talent-rich Jayhawks will leap to the top

The Gators' starters are back, but can they remain champs now that everyone wants a bite of them?

The Tar Heels have the talent to outrun anyone, but can they keep all of their young guns happy?

Don't Like the Matchup

ADAM DUERSON MATCHUP OF THE WEEK

Rail-thin Kevin Martin is putting up robust numbers for the Kings

Here are the NBA's hottest starters

Everyone has good days and bad, but these players can't be matched for their infuriating ups and downs

WE LIKE THE MATCHUP

A unique collection of tales and artifacts provides an intimate new look at Mickey Mantle

Is Yi Jianlian another Yao Ming--or Wang Zhizhi? An NBA team will likely use a top draft pick to find out