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A big deal Big-time players, coaches, teams convene in Atlanta.

Article Excerpt
Byline: Adam Rittenberg Daily Herald Sports Writer

ATLANTA - Roy Hibbert's never-ending neck craned above the crowd of cameras posting him up against a retaining wall. Minutes later, the throng pinned Greg Oden into a corner of Ohio State's locker room, completely obscuring the 7-footer from all but the tallest of passers-by.

One year after the spotlight locked on George Mason, a Cinderella team of undersized guards, size is back at the Final Four. One year after Jim Larranaga's smile lit up the RCA Dome, the hulking shadows cast by the 7-foot-2 Hibbert, Oden and a host of other big-wheel players and coaches covered the Georgia Dome.

"It's probably the toughest field we can all remember in a long time," Florida coach Billy Donovan said.

Judging strictly by NCAA Tournament seed strength, it's the toughest since 1993, when three No. 1 seeds (North Carolina, Michigan, Kentucky) and one No. 2 seed (Kansas) converged on...