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Welcome to the NCAA Roundtable: Sweet Sixteen thoughts- This time around we have Joe Cantiello, John Mitchell and David Snipes running the 3 man weave.

1. What is your story of the tournament thus far?

Joe Cantiello: What else but all the so-called upsets? Kansas, the overall #1 going down to Northern Iowa. Plus, St Mary's and Cornell advancing. This year we may actually see a true Cinderella make it to the Final Four and actually have a legitimate chance to win it all. The Final Four could actually be St. Marys, Northern Iowa , Syracuse and West Virginia this year. And if that came to be, as prejudiced as I can be regarding the Big East, I think St .Mary's would then have a legitimate chance to be in the Finals. Cinderella would have grown up right before our eyes.

John Mitchell: The story of the tournament for me has to be the four 9-seeded or lower teams that have made the Sweet 16. First we have the 9-seed Northern Iowa that has made the most noise by knocking off the #1 overall seed Kansas to bust into the Sweet 16 party. Over in the East region, the Ivy League representative Cornell knocked off Temple and Wisconsin as a 12-seed to get into the Sweet 16. In the same region, 11-seeded Washington took out Marquette and New Mexico to earn a slot. Then, Saint Mary's led by Omar Samhan in the South region beat Richmond and Villanova to get in. The pundits said this was the weakest field in a long time, but with that it has provided a lot of entertainment.

David Snipes: Just how much weakness there is this year. There are normally 3 or 4 teams that are just going to be great and have chances to win- this year? Everyteam has holes. Its just amazing how these teams have just GIANT gaps on the roster, the bench or in games. Last year there were 5 teams you could legit see winning the whole thing no matter the region, this year? I have seen brackets with NO #1 seeds in the final four and not blinked an eye.

2. Has the Big Ten proved its the best conference in the country?

Joe: Not really. Yeah they have percentage wise and numbers wise more of their teams advancing than any other conference but lets wait until after the Elite Eight is set and see who is left dancing.

John: Am I suppose to take this question seriously? Four Big Ten teams made the NCAA tournament, and while three of them still remain, is anybody really surprised? I mean, Michigan State was a 5-seed and everybody knows not to doubt Tom Izzo come tournament time. Ohio State was a 2-seed and beat two teams they should have beat. Then Purdue surprised some because they made the Sweet 16 without the services of Robbie Hummel with the possible "Ewing Theory" coming into effect. The fourth team from the Big Ten Wisconsin almost lost to 13-seeded Wisconsin in the 1st round and then were beaten soundly by 12-seeded Cornell in the 2nd round. The Big Ten is just proving to me what I thought all season. They have really good teams at the top of the conference, but not much after that. They are top heavy, and in no way can I consider them the best conference in the nation.

David: This is like being the best team in the ACC in the football season. True I am an admitted ACC homer- but last year the Big East said this is our year and killed people, this year? Other than Syracuse and Kentucky, neither of witch I have in the Final Four, has done that.