Syracuse is out.

Orange coach Jim Boeheim can't even whine about it after his team was dominated in the second half against Villanova.

Boeheim complained a year ago, saying his team should have gotten into the tournament despite a cupcake schedule. Now, after a loss in the first round of the Big East tourney, the Orange don't have much of a case.

Sure, Boeheim stepped up with the schedule. However, Syracuse only won two games against sure-fire NCAA tournament teams - at home against Georgetown and Marquette.

Villanova has won two of three against 'Cuse and also has wins against UConn, Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

Jay Wright's Wildcats still may need a victory against Georgetown in the second round to secure a bid, but they have put themselves in the conversation.

PULLING FOR THE CHIEF

I have to admit that I'm pulling hard for Alabama State in the SWAC tournament.

I want Chief Kickingstallionsims to get a chance to dance.

Forget about former Boston Celtics big man. This is the real Chief.

He's 7-foot-1 and is coming off a career performance of 22 points and six boards in a rout over Jackson State.

TENTION RECEIVES EARLY EXIT

Loyola Marymount head coach Rodney Tention was fired on Wednesday after just three years.

He was also one last-second layup against Gonzaga away from going to the NCAA tournament in his first season.

It's an unwritten rule that a coach gets four years. However, these days there are no rules with athletic directors.

BENNETT'S COUGARS QUIETLY ENTER POSTSEASON

Washington State coach Tony Bennett doesn't like attention.

He doesn't want to talk about the job speculation with him headed to Bloomington, Ind., or anywhere else for that matter.

Sure, he would have loved for his Cougars to have competed for the Pac-10 regular-season title. Bennett is all about putting it into perspective.

"It's the first time we'll get into back-to-back NCAA tournaments in the history of the program," Bennett said.

Bennett said this year's edition is more balanced than the team that shocked everyone with its success a year ago. They don't have athletic forward Ivory Clark, but Washington State does boast experience - and in particular, postseason experience.

"We're more battle-tested," Bennett said. "Playing a season with a bull's-eye on your back prepares you for a situation that you're going to face,"

NO NOLAN

Schools aren't waiting in line to hire Nolan Richardson.

Richardson said he's taken himself out of the mix for the vacancy at Arkansas State. Richardson hasn't coached in college since 2002, when he was fired by Arkansas.

Richardson said he's "looking for that fit," but he's 66 years old and can't afford to be picky.

GOING, GOING GONZO

Plenty of coaches play nice publicly, but behind closed doors, they express their disdain for one another.

Now it's clear how much Seton Hall's Bobby Gonzalez and Rutgers head man Fred Hill dislike each other.

The pair looked like a pair of teenagers after Rutgers knocked off Seton Hall 64-61, forcing Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese to take notice with a statement.

"I'm embarrassed about what happened Sunday. I was embarrassed for our conference, our coaches and our schools," Tranghese said. "It's not going to happen again."

I received some flak for writing that Gonzalez, according to sources, took a swing at one of his assistant coaches a few weeks back at halftime.

Maybe it happened. Maybe it didn't.

However, Gonzalez is clearly capable. There are plenty of stories behind the scenes that involve Gonzo - and then you've got the evidence of him charging onto the court after a referee following Rutgers' game-winning trifecta at the buzzer.