Everything's coming up Wisconsin for the 68 Selection Sunday teams

As an avid college basketball fan, I've enjoyed keeping readers updated about area connections to the sport, notably with my "Sconnies of March" segment at the Roundball Rankings and my column a couple weeks ago about state players on Division 1 rosters.

I also thought it might be fun to track down a Wisconsin connection to the 68 teams in the Big Dance, and while some are easy to spot, others are a delightful reach. Here's a link to our special section, with a sneak peek at some of our favorites.

AUSTIN PEAY – Catcher AJ Ellis. The 34-year-old backstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers lives in the Milwaukee area with his wife, who is from the area, and his alma mater last won the Ohio Valley Conference in 2008 – the year Ellis broke into the big leagues. He's a .241 hitter and owns a .345 on-base percentage in his career, entirely with the Dodgers, but he's also been the receiver for one of the greatest pitchers of our generation, Clayton Kershaw, who won Cy Young Awards in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Perhaps the best Ellis story is that his wife, Cindy, gave birth to the couple's third child, daughter Audrey, in the car while he was speeding on a Wisconsin highway toward the hospital.

Tourney trip: 6th (last in 2003). Tourney record: 2-7. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Marquette in 1973 regional third-place game, 88-73.

CHATTANOOGA – History's battle cry. Most Wisconsinites are familiar with the school song of the University of Wisconsin (and state song), "On, Wisconsin." The words "On, Wisconsin" were the battle cry for Arthur MacArthur, Jr. in the Battle of Chattanooga at Missionary Ridge during the Civil War. MacArthur, then 18 and a Wisconsin resident, was the son of a man who briefly held the role of governor in Wisconsin. When he seized and planted the regimental flag, he inspired the troops in a moment that netted him the Medal of Honor and also landed him the title of colonel the next year, making him "The Boy Colonel." MacArthur, Jr. died at age 67 in Milwaukee, and his son, Douglas MacArthur, became a five-star general and Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army in the 1930s.

Tourney trip: 11th (last in 2009). Tourney record: 3-10. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never

INDIANA – Tom Crean. Ah, Tom Crean, not exactly the most beloved personality in state hoops. Crean became Marquette University head coach in 1999 and ultimately led the Golden Eagles to a Final Four run in 2003, with Dwyane Wade leading the charge. He left Marquette somewhat abruptly to take the Indiana position in 2008 and has turned around the program over time, even though Wisconsin fans never needed reason to dislike him and Marquette fans are still miffed at the way he left. Crean has been to two Sweet 16s with Indiana and had perhaps his best season yet as Indiana won the outright Big Ten title and Crean was named the league's Coach of the Year. He also recruited former Germantown standout and current Marquette big man Luke Fischer, who spent his first semester at Indiana before transferring.

Tourney trip: 39th (last in 2015). Tourney record: 64-33. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 1976 Elite 8, 65-56; Defeated Marquette in 1973 Sweet 16, 75-69

IONA – The Day the Music Died.One of Iona's alumni is Don McLean, who wrote and performed one of the most recognizable songs in American history, "American Pie," with lyrics that reflect at least partially on "the day the music died." The reference is to a plane crash in 1959 that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, three top-of-the-line music stars of the era. The plane took off from a show in Clear Lake, Iowa, but the "Winter Dance Party" tour had played in Green Bay one night earlier and opened its tour in Milwaukee at a venue now known as The Rave/Eagles Club. Miserable, cold weather that caused repeated breakdowns to the tour's bus on its way to a Kenosha show and the poorly-managed zig-zagging of the itinerary across the Midwest necessitated the chartering of a plane to finish out the tour.

Tourney trip: 11th (last in 2013). Tourney record: 1-10. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never

IOWA – The one that got away. Jarrod Uthoff emerged as a National Player of the Year candidate for Iowa, especially early in the season, averaging 18.8 points and 6.5 rebounds for a Hawkeyes team among the top tier of teams in the country until a late-season slide. Most in Wisconsin, however, remember his public feud of sorts with Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan when Uthoff requested a transfer from the Badgers to the Hawkeyes after redshirting as a freshman in the UW program. Uthoff, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Iowa, was considered a strong recruiting catch for Ryan, but the Badgers coach didn't want him transferring to a program that could potentially face the Badgers down the road. As it turned out, Uthoff's Iowa teams went 0-5 against Wisconsin. Sussex Hamilton standout Brady Ellingson is also on the roster this year and has seen the floor in a number of games after redshirting last year.

Tourney trip: 25th (last in 2015). Tourney record: 28-26. Facing Wisconsin teams: Defeated Marquette in 1955 Elite 8, 86-81

OKLAHOMA – First lady of Wisconsin sports.Perhaps she's not universally beloved by all Wisconsin sports fans, but Olivia Munn has become the first lady of state sports as the girlfriend of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Oklahoma native graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in journalism and began her post-college career as a sideline reporter, but she eventually moved to acting and landed roles on Comedy Central comedy show "The Daily Show," HBO show "The Newsroom" and upcoming feature movie "X-Men: Apocalypse." Furthermore, Oklahoma is also the home to former Racine Prairie girls basketball standout Gabbi Ortiz, who has started every game for the Sooners as a sophomore this year.

Tourney trip: 30th (last in 2015). Tourney record: 37-29. Facing Wisconsin teams: Lost to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2006 first round, 82-74

VIRGINIA – Wisconsin's next coach...or not.Virginia coach Tony Bennett's name has been, until recently, on the lips of many University of Wisconsin fans as the top option to replace Bo Ryan as head coach of the Badgers. But Greg Gard proved to be too strong a candidate after a tremendous performance as interim coach, and Bennett will have to settle for being a National Coach of the Year candidate at Virginia. The son of longtime state coach Dick Bennett, who led the Badgers to the 2000 Final Four, Tony made a name for himself playing for his father at UW-Green Bay. He finished his career as the Mid-Continent Conference's all-time leader in points and assists, and he's still regarded as one of the best 3-point shooters in NCAA history. Today, he's considered a defensive wizard. He has yet to reach beyond the Sweet 16 as a coach, however.

Tourney trip: 20th (last in 2015). Tourney record: 25-19. Facing Wisconsin teams: Never

Pictured: Virginia coach Tony Bennett is a household name back home, and he'll be looking to lead the Cavaliers as a one-seed to the Final Four. Photo by Associated Press.