Somehow, the Boston College men's basketball team was snubbed by the NCAAs, NIT, CBI, CIT and a few other three-letter tournaments that I don't know about. But that doesn't mean you can't play favorites when filling out your bracket. There are still a bunch of BC connects in this year's Field of 68.
Consider these programs when filling out your bracket and/or taking in the best week of the year in college basketball.
(2) Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes are a no. 2 seed in the East regional. Boston College transfer Evan Ravenel has averaged 10.5 minutes coming off the bench for Ohio State, and has averaged 3.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG and 0.3 APG while logging minutes in each of the Buckeyes' 34 games this season.
Only one problem with rooting for the Buckeyes is you should consider also rooting for Ohio State's first round matchup, the Loyola (Maryland) Greyhounds.
(15) Loyola Greyhounds. While the Greyhounds don't have any BC connections on their roster (that I know of), the Loyola, Maryland Athletics Department is run by Jim Paquette. Paquette spent 16 years in the Athletics Department at BC, serving as Associate Athletics Director for Development since 2002. After taking the top spot with the Greyhounds in 2010, Paquette and coach Jimmy Patsos has Loyola dancing for just the second time in program history and first since 1994.
(3) Baylor. The Baylor Bears reached the Big 12 Championship Game and nearly knocked off Missouri. They are the third seed in the South Region and are led by sophomore point guard and Boston College transfer Brady Heslip. Heslip has averaged 9.6 PPG, 1.3 RPG and 1.0 APG this season, and has logged significant minutes in each of Baylor's 34 games this season. Baylor faces 14th-seeded South Dakota State in the second round.
(14) St. Bonaventure. The Bonnies are this season's NCAA Tournament "bid thieves" but that seems like such a pejorative term. The Bonnies didn't do anything wrong. All they did was defeat Saint Joseph's, UMass and Xavier to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship. The Bonnies are led by fifth year coach Mark Schmidt, who played at BC from 1981-85. This is Schmidt's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 seasons as head coach of Robert Morris and now St. Bonaventure.
Jesuits! The following members of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities are dancing. Remember when you are filling out your bracket, God is on these guys' side.
(3) Marquette. Facing the winner of the 14 seed play-in game between BYU and Iona.
(3) Georgetown. (If you must) vs. (14) Belmont in the Midwest Regional.
(7) Gonzaga. Vs. (10) West Virginia in the East Regional.
(8) Creighton. Up against (9) Alabama in the Midwest Regional.
(9) Saint Louis. Facing (8) Memphis in the West Regional.
(10) Xavier. BONUS! Playing (7) Notre Dame in the South Regional!
(15) Detroit. The Horizon League champs are facing (2) Kansas in the Midwest Regional.
Leave any other BC connects I may have missed in the comments section below.