March madness in college basketball has a certain attribute, one of feverish excitement that attracts millions of fans each year.

The 1991 NCAA Tournament has lived up to that excitement and now that the “Sweet Sixteen” teams in the nation have been determined, certain notable NIU athletic folk have expressed their opinions on who will rule as kings of college hoops.

NIU Sports Information Director Mike Korcek joked that the talented UNLV Running Rebels may have to be kidnapped to keep them from repeating as national champions.

“I saw them (UNLV) beat Arkansas, which is an excellent team, this year, and the whole game they just toyed with them,” Korcek said. “Every time I looked up they had a dunk or a layup. It would be a major upset if UNLV did not win it this year.”

NIU standout guard Donald Whiteside also feels that UNLV is the team to beat and feels that only one team can compete with the Rebels.

“UNLV is a very dominant team, and they have a great chance to repeat,” Whiteside said. “I think Ohio St. is the only team to match up with them physically. They have big, strong, talented players and they play well as a team.”

UNLV is not everyone’s favorite, however, and NIU baseball coach Spanky McFarland is quick to attest to that. McFarland has his own superstitions for his pick.

“I drew UNLV in the team pool, and I have never won a pool in my life,” McFarland said. “That’s how I know that UNLV won’t win it. I think Indiana will win it. I like their coach and I like the Big Ten (Conference).”

Of course, several Northern Star employees feel they know sports quite well, and some members of the sports staff offered their picks for the winner of the “big dance.”

Veteran reporters Wes Swietek and Steve Dennis like the chances of the Indiana Hoosiers who seem to have raised their game to “another level” in the tournament thus far.

“Even though I believe that UNLV is the most talented team, my gut reaction is that the final will be Indiana over Duke in the final,” Swietek said.

“Indiana will win it because the Final Four is in Indianapolis,” Dennis said. “If any coach can beat UNLV, it’s Bobby Knight.”

Sports Editor Carl Ackerman favors UNLV, because they are “simply unbeatable.”

This reporter feels that North Carolina will win it all…if they don’t run into UNLV down the road, that is.