THE LATEST LINE: NCAA TOURNEY AGAIN A WILD, CRAZY AFFAIR

The NCAA Division I basketball tournament is one of the most popular and widely watched sporting events in the world -- and one of the main reasons for that is no doubt the fact that unpredictability generally rules every year.

This season, things have been wilder and crazier than ever.

If anybody tells you their bracket had Wisconsin getting to the Final Four, they're either a graduate of the school, from the state or lying.

But it's stories like Wisconsin's that make the tournament what it is. At one time this season, the Badgers were 13-12 and probably hopeful of simply sneaking into the NIT. Now they're headed to the national semifinals for the first time since 1941.

Today, at least one more surprise squad will qualify for the Final Four as Tulsa and North Carolina square off. Florida, which needed an overtime buzzer shot to beat Butler -- Butler! -- in the first round, could also get in, although Oklahoma State will have a lot to say about that.

One Final Four qualifier that isn't a surprise is Michigan State, the only surviving No. 1 seed and a team probably picked to win the title on more brackets than any other squad.

I've picked Michigan State to capture the national championship all along.

But I sure wouldn't be surprised if the Spartans don't prevail. It's simply the nature of the tournament.

* There's still the majority of the season left to play, but this is sure shaping up as a special year for SEMO baseball.

The Indians certainly appear to have all the ingredients to make their second trip to the NCAA Tournament in the past three years.

* SEMO's women's soccer program will get some nice St. Louis exposure Friday when the Otahkians square off against Eastern Illinois in an exhibition match at Kiel Center.

The Otahkians and Lady Panthers will play the 60-minute game at 4 p.m., prior to that night's National Professional Soccer League game between the St. Louis Ambush and Wichita Wings.

Tickets for the night of soccer are $10. For ticket information, call (314) 962-4625.

* Kevin White, who spent one year at SEMO as track coach in 1982, continues to make his mark as one of the nation's most coveted college athletic directors.

White was recently named as AD at Notre Dame after spending the last four years as AD at Arizona State. Since leaving SEMO, he has also been AD at Tulane, Maine and Loras College.

* One of the area's high-profile boys basketball coaching positions recently came open when Chris Neff resigned at Notre Dame High School.

Among the many people who have expressed interest in the position is Kevin Williams, who has served as a SEMO student assistant coach the past few seasons.

After getting to know Williams well while covering the Indians, and seeing how much he knows about the game and how well he relates to the players, I have no doubt that the former Cape Central hoop standout and St. Louis U. player would be a fine choice to lead the Bulldogs next season.

~Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian