Sure they can shoot... but how are their grades?

By one standard, the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky should be the top seed in this year's NCAA Tournament.

That standard is academic achievement.

According to the report Keeping Score When It Counts: Graduation Rates for 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Teams, released March 17th by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida, the Hilltoppers boast a 100% graduation success among student athletes in the basketball program over six years.

The rest of the "academic final four" would be Butler at 92%, with Notre Dame and Purdue tied at 91%.

Most of the tournament's top seeds didn't fare nearly as well in the study.

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