Johnathan Byrd has some nice moves on the basketball court. But on the dance floor it’s understandable for his ability to be questioned. P Byrd and the rest of the NIU men’s basketball team have been turned into wall flowers at the party known as March Madness where they have an outside seat looking in this year. Sure, Zach Pancratz may be able to do the Polka shuffle and of course Bryson McKenzie can drop it like it’s hot, but the real dancing will be left to Pancratz’s brother and the others – many of whom hold tight relations to NIU – already at the party.

Ohio – The Bobcats took NIU’s lone opportunity to make the NCAA tournament after they won the conference title.

With a one-point overtime win over Buffalo in the MAC championship game, Ohio earned the shot to take on streaking Florida.

The No. 13 Bobcats almost pulled off a first-round upset against the No. 4 Gators, falling 67-62.

The Bobcats are looked at as the future of the MAC as they start two freshmen and a sophomore.

Buffalo, along with Kent State, Miami and Western Michigan from the MAC, all participated in the National Invitation Tournament.

Louisiana-Lafayette – The 6-foot-9 Byrd used to be a Ragin’ Cajun himself.

Signing with Louisiana-Lafayette out of high school, Byrd went down to the bayou and played in only 13 games, scoring a whopping six points in all.

Understandably, Byrd took the first train out of town. After a year of junior college, Byrd came to DeKalb, where he regrets he didn’t commit to in the first place.

Byrd ended the season as NIU’s starting center and was the only senior on the team.

Wisconsin-Milwaukee – A freshman guard, Pancratz will follow the tournament with special interest as his older brother, Mark, is a reserve guard for the Panthers.

The brothers, along with NIU redshirt freshman Craig Reichel, teamed together at Schaumburg High School to capture a state title, defeating current Chicago Bulls center Eddy Curry and Thornwood in the 2001 title game.

SIU – Saluki reserve guard Tony Young played on the Schaumburg High School state championship team.

Young and Mark Pancratz, a senior at the time, were the starting guards for the Saxons. Zach Pancratz and Reichel both came off the bench as freshmen.

Illinois – The correlations from NIU to U of I have been well documented.

There’s NIU director of basketball operations Sean Harrington, who was a sharp-shooting guard for the Illini only two years ago.

Of course NIU coach Rob Judson has endless ties to the Champaign-Urbana school. Having played and coached at Illinois, there’s no question what color he bleeds. Hint, it’s not cardinal and black.

As an assistant coach from 1996 to 2001, Judson helped renew the Illini’s relationship with the Chicago Public League in 2000 with the signing of Chicago-native Luther Head. Head, who Judson was key in luring to the Illini, was the first Chicago player to sign with Illinois since 1994.

NIU junior guard Anthony Maestranzi played summer basketball in high school on the same team as Illini starters Dee Brown and James Augustine. Maestranzi’s dad coached the star-studded squad.

Iowa – NIU redshirt sophomore Ben Rand pledged to coach Steve Alford’s Iowa program out of high school, but has since made his way back home.

A Rochelle native, Rand transferred to NIU after a disappointing freshman season that he observed mostly from the Hawkeyes’ bench.

DePaul – Although not in the tournament, all Blue Demon fans hold NIU very near and dear to their hearts.

One of the top teams on the bubble for the NCAA tournament, NIU is perhaps the single largest reason DePaul was left on the outside looking in.

Once DePaul bowed out early in the Conference USA tournament, all the NCAA selection committee had to point to was an 84-69 Nov. 27 NIU win at the Rosemont Horizon for reason for DePaul’s absence in the brackets.