HAMPTON
Conference: Mid-Eastern Athletic
Record: 16-17
Etc: Despite dropping three of their final four games in the regular season and losing leading scorer and rebounder Dwight Meikle to an ankle injury in the MEAC tournament opener, the Pirates ripped off four consecutive wins as the No. 6 seed to earn the automatic bid. This will be Hampton's fifth tournament appearance (1-3) and first since 2011. The Pirates are a physical, defensive-minded team that was unbeaten this year when holding opponents below 40 percent shooting (9-0). If Meikle is unable to play, the Pirates have three other players who average in double figures they can lean on, led by junior guard Reginald Johnson (11.9 ppg).
MANHATTAN
Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic
Record: 19-13
Etc: The Jaspers started the season 2-7 but entered the tournament having won seven of eight, including a 10-point triumph of No. 1 seed Iona in the MAAC championship game. Manhattan is making its eighth tournament appearance and second in a row under fourth-year coach Steve Masiello, a former Kentucky player who will get to face his former team in the second round with a win against Hampton. Senior forward Emmy Andujar is the team's do-it-all catalyst who leads the Jaspers in scoring (16.5), rebounds (7.6), assists (3.4) and steals (2.0). Junior forward Ashton Pankey was the MAAC tourney's Most Outstanding Player.
BYU
Conference: West Coast
Record: 25-9
Etc: The Cougars are the second-highest scoring team in the country at 83.8 points per game. They are led by senior guard Tyler Haws, whose 22.1-ppg average is third highest in the nation. Junior guard Kyle Collinsworth has six triple-doubles this season, which is an NCAA single-season record and ties the career mark shared by Shaquille O'Neal (LSU) and Michael Anderson (Drexel). BYU is making its 29th tournament appearance and eighth in the last nine years, including a memorable First Four game in 2012 when the Cougars staged the largest comeback in NCAA tournament history by rallying from 25 down to beat Iona.
MISSISSIPPI
Conference: Southeastern
Record: 20-12
Etc: The Rebels have lost four of their last five games overall and seven of their last eight against NCAA tournament participants, including a 78-74 setback at UD Arena against the Flyers on Dec. 30. Junior guard Stefan Moody leads the team in scoring (16.2 ppg), while senior guard LaDarius White is the top 3-point threat at 40.2 percent. When both are on, Ole Miss can be a load to defend. The Rebels are making their eighth tournament appearance, but just the second in coach Andy Kennedy's nine seasons. If Ole Miss beats BYU, Kennedy, a former University of Cincinnati coach, will renew acquaintances with an old rival in Xavier in the second round.
NORTH FLORIDA
Conference: Atlantic Sun
Record: 23-11
Etc: The Ospreys have won 16 of their last 18 to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in the history of school, which was founded in 1972. North Florida won the Atlantic Sun tournament as the No. 1 seed. In the past two years, representatives of that conference have staged some huge NCAA tournament upsets with Mercer knocking off No. 3 seed Duke last year and Florida Gulf Coast beating second-seeded Georgetown and seventh-seeded San Diego State in 2013. Hot 3-point shooting is a hallmark of big tournament upsets, and the Ospreys make 39 percent from behind the arc. North Florida has seven players who have scored 20 or more points in a game this season. Sophomore guard Dallas Moore leads the way at 16.0 ppg.
ROBERT MORRIS
Conference: Northeast
Record: 19-14
Etc: One month ago the Colonials were spinning their wheels with an underwhelming 13-14 record, but they won their final three regular-season games to earn the No. 2 seed in the NEC tournament, where they reeled off three more victories to earn the program's eighth NCAA tournament berth. The Colonials' only NCAA tournament victory came in a 1983 play-in game against Georgia Southern at UD Arena. At 34 years old, Andrew O'Toole is the sixth-youngest coach in Division I. His Colonials play an aggressive zone that has them ranked in the top 10 in the country in steal percentage. Junior guard Rodney Pryor leads the team at 15.2 ppg, while senior guard Lucky Jones (14.3) provides a strong spark off the bench.
BOISE STATE
Conference: Mountain West
Record: 25-8
Etc: The Broncos are 0-6 in six NCAA tournament appearances, only two of which have come in the last 20 years. Their most recent berth came in 2013 when they fell to La Salle in a First Four game at UD Arena. Boise State regrouped after losing senior guard Anthony Drmic, one of the top scorers in school history, seven games into the season. The Broncos had won 15 of their final 16 games before falling to eventual champ Wyoming in the MWC semifinals. Four of Boise State's five starters shoot better than 38 percent from 3-point range. Senior guard Derrick Marks averages 19.6 ppg to lead the team.
DAYTON
Conference: Atlantic 10
Record: 25-8
Etc: The Flyers are making their 16th NCAA tournament appearance and second in a row after a run to the Elite 8 last year. Dayton is 16-0 at UD Arena this season. Featuring balanced scoring with no starter averaging fewer than 7.4 ppg, the Flyers push the tempo and use dribble penetration to get to the line 23.9 times per game, which is the second-best free-throw rate in the country. Dayton is 19-0 when it has the lead with five minutes left in the game. This will be the Flyers' first ever game against Boise State. Dayton coach Archie Miller is two wins shy of 100 for his career.
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