Here's a quick look at some of the major college basketball storylines developing on and off the court as the NCAA tournament gets under way:

1. GET READY FOR THE TOURNEY START

The NCAA tournament is the best sporting event in America, argues Michael Rosenberg over at SI.com. ... President Obama takes the safe route in predicting the national champion. ... Sixty-three predictions in 64 seconds. ...  

2. PURDUE OFFENSE IN DISARRAY

The Boilermakers have run out of time to figure out how to succeed without Robbie Hummel.

Hummel tore the ACL in his right knee on Feb. 24, and 10th-ranked Purdue hasn't been the same since, writes Cliff Brunt of the Associated Press. With him, the Boilermakers were 24-3, averaged 73 points per game and shot 46 percent from the field. Without him, they are 3-2, average 59 points per game and shoot 38 percent from the field.

Purdue (27-5) plans to improve those numbers against Siena (27-6) in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday in Spokane, Wash.

Coach Matt Painter acknowledges that Purdue is much different without Hummel, the team's No. 2 scorer and rebounder and primary offensive facilitator. The junior forward averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. 

3. BOBBY GONZALEZ OUT AT SETON HALL

Bobby Gonzalez's record at Seton Hall was about average - seven games above .500 over four seasons. Off the court, his record was much worse.

That's why Seton Hall dumped its combative coach Tuesday, writes J.P. Pelzman of the Record of Hackensack. Gonzalez's tenure was fraught with embarrassments on and off the court, writes  Michael J. Fensom of the Star-Ledger. The list of possible replacements starts here.

4. DID OKLAHOMA FRESHMAN ACCEPT CASH?

Keith "Tiny" Gallon, a freshman for the Sooners, accepted a $3,000 wire transfer last August from a Merrill Lynch financial advisor who represents professional athletes, according to TMZ.com.

5. DUNCAN: BAN TEAMS FROM NCAA TOURNAMENT FOR LOW GRADUATION RATES

Schools that graduate less than 40 percent of their players should be banned from the NCAA tournament, says Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Under such a rule, 12 current tournament teams, including Kentucky, would be sitting home right now.

"Over time, I think we should set a high bar," said Duncan, a former pro basketball player in Australia, who frequently plans pickup games with the president. "We're trying ot prepare students for life, not just to get Ws on the court."

Duncan also was disappointed in the disparity between grad rates for black and white players, as noted in the New York Times.