Arizona coach Lute Olson is unhappy because senior Salim Stoudamire isn't getting enough attention. AP

CLICK HERE FOR PART I OF GRANT WAHL'S MAILBAG

OPENING THE 'BAG...

A lot of people are jumping off the UNC bandwagon after the loss at Duke because "they can't win big games on the road." Well, according to the records neither can any team other than Illinois. So how is this a sign that "Carolina isn't the team we thought?"
-- Daniel, Charlotte, N.C.

Well, Daniel, you are correct in saying that it's rare even for top teams to beat ranked teams on the road. But it's not as rare as you suggest, and it is a good way of separating accomplishment from hype. Winning at UConn was big for North Carolina on Sunday, since every other team in the top six of the current AP poll had beaten a ranked team in hostile territory. In fact, 13 teams in the current top 25 have accomplished the feat a total of 15 times this season. (Illinois and -- surprise -- Pittsburgh are the only teams to have done it twice.)

Here are the teams in this week's top 25 that have done it (counting only victories in true road games over teams currently in the top 25): Illinois (at Wisconsin and Michigan State), Kansas (at Kentucky), Kentucky (at Louisville), North Carolina (at UConn), Wake Forest (at Cincinnati), Boston College (at UConn), Syracuse (at Villanova), Louisville (at Cincinnati), Gonzaga (at Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City; I'm counting this one), Alabama (at Charlotte), Pittsburgh (at UConn and Syracuse), UConn (at Syracuse) and Maryland (at Duke).

And here are the 12 top-25 teams that haven't beaten a currently ranked team in a true road game: Duke, Oklahoma State, Arizona, Michigan State, Utah, Washington, Pacific, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Charlotte, Cincinnati and Villanova.

Does the 'Bag think the Big Ten might be (gasp) a three-NCAA team league?
-- Brian Miller, Goshen, Ind.

Thanks to Ohio State falling on its sword (and unfairly punishing its seniors by keeping itself out of postseason play), the Big Ten may get only three teams into the NCAAs. Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan State are locks. Minnesota and Indiana seem like the only other at-large possibilities right now (unless Iowa gets hot), and even the Gophers and Hoosiers are firmly on the bubble. For the Buckeyes, their national-title game might be the regular-season finale at home against Illinois, which bears some resemblance to the game Washington had at home to close the season last year against Stanford that ended the Cardinal's unbeaten run.

You asked whether any teams in the past 25 years have had at least seven guys who've scored 20 points in a game. I think this is more common than you might expect. The 2002 Final Four game between Kansas and Maryland featured two such teams.
-- Jim Hardy, Columbia, Md.

Got a bunch of letters on this, and all I can say is, you're right: It's a lot more common than I thought. Even this year's Illinois team has seven players who've scored 20 or more points in a game. But come on, folks: Some of you acted like this was another example of "East Coast bias" simply because I didn't include Illinois. You're probably the same group that thinks there's hidden political meaning in Million Dollar Baby.

My friend Niko posed this question a while back during the Cincy-Louisville game: Why does Louisville's Cardinal mascot have teeth?
-- Kyle Miller, Durham, N.C.

Great question. I can only guess that the anatomically incorrect Cardinal is so designed to scare the crap out of the (newly toughened-up) Arizona Cardinal.

We need more thoughtful questions next week, guys. Help me out here.

12 RANDOM THINGS

• Arizona's Lute Olson is now on a full-fledged Ahab-like quest to slay the supposed whale that is "East Coast bias" in college basketball. Apparently it's not enough that Cap'n Lute originated the handle "Dukie V" or that he's been calling out Dick Vitale, Duke (and J.J. Redick in particular) repeatedly over the past few weeks. This week the Arizona media office sent reporters a statistical shooting comparison between Salim Stoudamire, Redick and Syracuse's Gerry McNamara noting their respective shooting percentages. Here's how it breaks down:

Stoudamire: .532 field-goal percentage (140-263), .547 3-point FG (76-139)
Redick: .412 FG (134-325), .417 3FG (80-192)
McNamara: .384 FG (126-328), .344 3FG (86-250)

Our take: Olson's got a point in this case, and Stoudamire is having a terrific season. At the same time, the 'Bag never said Redick or McNamara was the best shooter in college hoops. We'd love to see the next interaction between Olson and Mike Krzyzewski or Jim Boeheim now that Arizona officially is talking smack about their players, and among the top journalists covering the sport there's a lot less "bias" than many fans (and coaches) would suspect. Folks: We really don't care who wins. Trust us on this one.

• This week's losses by Kansas (at Texas Tech) and Kentucky (at South Carolina) should give you some perspective on how difficult it is to run the table in a major conference no matter how "down" the league may be this season. No conference game is a gimme, especially on the road, which is why Illinois deserves tremendous respect for remaining undefeated.

• Something tells me that freshman Malik Hairston's vow to "Carmelo-ize" Oregon this season won't be happening after all. Hairston's Ducks are 4-8 in the Pac-10 and in danger of missing the conference tournament.

• Nice piece by ESPN last week on Duke's Redick, his poetry and his road-game crowd receptions (though we'll be looking for the royalty check in the mail based on the similarities to our Redick story in SI mag last month). Some of you asked for more examples of Redick's poetry, so let me say: 1. These poems are run with permission from the author; 2. You've got to admire a guy who's willing to share his innermost thoughts. I'll look forward to more Redick verse ... and to future public readings. Check 'em out.

• What to make of Syracuse following another home loss (this time to Pittsburgh)? Simple: the Orange needs to shoot better. That said, Boeheim has to be pleased that Louie McCroskey is showing he might be the additional offensive threat Syracuse has been seeking to combine with Hakim Warrick, Josh Pace and McNamara.

• Just so 'Cuse fans know I won't forget you: I buy my coffee each morning at a grocery store called J. Pace & Son.

• Staying in the Big East: Pitt's undersized-but-relentless Chevon Troutman has become one of my favorite players (and could teach a thing or two about consistency to teammate Chris Taft). And it's nice to see that Boston College didn't get buried by the pollsters after suffering its only loss of the season last week at Notre Dame. (I figured the Eagles might take a beating.)

• Word to 'Bag pal Pat Forde: Ashley Judd may not be the belle of college basketball after all. Several readers have nominated Kansas team manager Shannon O'Connor, who now has legions of her own fans for reasons that have little to do with hoops.

• With its blowout win at Louisville last week, Memphis is now officially the most schizophrenic team in college basketball of the past five years. Makes you want to just ... go online and download a ring-tone from JohnCalipari.com!

• The fact that Cal has his own Website may be the most unintentionally funny thing we've seen all season.

• Count us as big fans of Steve Lavin's new "dry" look, which makes his head seem like the size of a cash register.

• Went to a Boston Celtics game the other night, and I can't believe it once seemed revolutionary in 1997 or so to point out that Paul Pierce might just be better than Raef LaFrentz.

PICKS FROM THE 'BAG

In theaters: Bride & Prejudice. This Bollywood takeoff on the literary classic is what it is: a fairly entertaining date movie with a lame male lead (New Zealander Martin Henderson, whose claim to fame is grinding with Britney Spears in her Toxic video). Our reason for wholeheartedly recommending B&P is the chance to behold Aishwarya Rai, a.k.a. the most beautiful woman in the world, who could keep our undivided attention if she spent two hours reading the Mumbai telephone book. (The 'Bag Lady, who's half-Indian herself, will now hit me over the head with an umbrella.)

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Reader Ted Singer of Chappaqua, N.Y., is untouchable with his nominations these days. The latest:

Arizona State's Ike Diogu and ex-James Bond villain Yaphet Kotto.

See you next week.