IT'S NOT PLAGIARISM IF YOU LINK TO IT: HAWKEYE MEN'S BASKETBALL HEADS TO DAYTON

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS. The Hawkeyes are in the dance. Iowa will face Tennessee in the play-in game in Dayton,Ohio, as 11 seeds. The winner moves on to play in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday versus #6 seed UMASS. Tip-off for Wednesday night's game in Dayton is set for 8:10 PM (CT). If the Hawks win, they'll face UMASS at 1:45 PM (CT) on Friday.

TRU TV WILL CARRY THE GAME.

Per NCAA, Kevin Harlan will team with analysts Len Elmore and Reggie Miller and reporter Rachel Nichols for Wednesday’s games on truTV

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) March 17, 2014

FRAN MCCAFFERY AND TEAM TALKED ABOUT THE TOURNEY. Scott Dochterman has the videos here. There's McCaffery, Roy Devyn Marble, Melsahn Basabe and Aaron White talking about the berth. Here's Fran:

FRAN SAYS THE TEAM IS "BUSINESS LIKE." The vids posted in Doc's piece don't exactly ooze excitement. "Businesss-like," they say. Let's hope they like their jobs.

MCCAFFERY DOES PLAN ON BEING THERE.

Fran's son is still supposed to have surgery on Wednesday. Fran hopes to travel back to IC on Tuesday, then fly back Weds before the game.

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) March 16, 2014

SO WILL COACH ANDREW FRANCIS, WHO IS EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING CONTEST.

Can't please everyone, so why try. Truly proud n honored to be a part of this process tht started in 2010. Excited abt our push forward...

— Andrew Francis (@CoachAndrewF) March 17, 2014

THE NCAA BERTH MEANS MORE MONEY FOR FRAN. McCaffery will receive a $300,000 pay raise next year thanks to the tournament invite. That will move his yearly base salary to $1.8 million next year. He can also receive bonuses if the Hawkeyes win their games this weekend.

WHY A PLAY-IN GAME? The complete tournament rankings were released yesterday. Iowa is ranked #45 by the committee. One spot behind Tennessee and ahead of Xavier and NC State (Iowa was the third to last team in). Nebraska is ranked 42nd, three spots ahead of the Hawks despite the head-to-head win in January by Iowa. The Huskers are playing better ball right now but it's supposed to be about the "body of work." The Cornhuskers were perhaps, rewarded for their 4th place finish in the Big Ten.

SO, HOW BOUT THEM VOLS? If you recall, Tennessee was a participant, along with Iowa, in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in November. While on the same side of the bracket, Iowa and Tennessee did not meet. Tennessee lost to UTEP, Iowa lost in the tournament finale to Villanova. Tennessee's last trip to the NCCA Tournament was 2011 when the Volunteers lost to Michigan. The early Vegas line favors Tennessee by 2.

OTHER LINKS:

• Iowa gets into 'Big Dance', opens against Tennessee
• First Four not what Hawkeyes had in mind
• Iowa Splits Sunday Doubleheader
• Iowa earns 1st NCAA tournament berth since 2006
• NCAA Tournament: UMass elated with No. 6 seed
• Vols face Iowa Wednesday in play-in game
• Tennessee in the NCAA tourament, headed to Dayton
• Big Ten winners include Nebraska, Wisconsin
• Fans celebrate UMass' return to NCAA tournament
• Preview: Tennessee vs. Iowa
• First Four Preview: Iowa barely makes field, N.C. State is in
• NCAA Tournament Midwest Region: In loaded bracket, Duke is the pick
• Vols make NCAA tournament, face Iowa in first round
• NCAA Tournament First Four: First Look at Iowa
• Hawkeye women look for top-5 seed
• Tennessee returns to NCAA tournament; draws Iowa in the 'First Four'
• Vols Basketball: Breaking Down Iowa