Cleveland State point guard Cole has the athletic genes

It's been more than 2 weeks since Norris Cole exploded with that amazing stat line, but the numbers still resonate.

It was Feb. 12 against Youngstown State when Cole, a point guard from Cleveland State, scored 41 points, pulled 20 rebounds, dished nine assists, grabbed the attention of hoops' fans everywhere and boosted his NBA hopes.

"He's got the genes," his father, Norris Sr. said simply. "He's definitely got the genes."

A quick glance at the Cole family tree reveals one cousin, Eagles star defensive end Trent Cole. Another cousin, Nate Cole, just finished his career as an offensive lineman for Toledo. He also has an uncle, Johnnie Cole, who coached Texas Southern to the first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship in school history. Look around at other branches and you'll see athletes and coaches at a variety of levels.

While the major conferences are finishing up their regular seasons this week, many of the midmajors begin postseason tournaments. Cleveland State, which made life difficult for itself by letting the outright Horizon League regular-season title slip through its grasps, plays tonight. Instead of finishing with a top-two seed that would have netted a double-bye, the Vikings (24-7) lost last week and now must host 10th-seeded Illinois-Chicago (7-23). They were forced to climb the exact same mountain 2 years ago and, sure enough, they scaled it.

"I remember that like it was yesterday," the 6-2 Cole said. "We had to win four games in [7] days and we got it done. That gives us a lot of confidence that it can be done."

Snicker at your own risk, big boys. That Cleveland State team went on to surprise fourth-seeded Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA Tournament behind 22 points from Cole, then a sophomore.

Cleveland State probably has to win the Horizon Tournament to get into the NCAAs. Butler (21-9), last year's unlikely national runner-up, and regular-season champ Milwaukee (18-12) also are on the bubble.

Norris Cole talks to Trent Cole frequently, though they usually don't see each other aside from the annual summertime family reunion. (What a blast that must be.) Norris grew up in Dayton, Ohio, where his geographical rooting interests would have been either the Bengals or Browns. No wonder he says, "I didn't have a favorite team growing up, per se. I liked players. I was a Brett Favre fan, a Deion Sanders fan. I like the Eagles now, obviously, because Trent plays for the team."

Trent Cole did not return messages for his take on his younger cousin.

The Youngstown State game was just another layer to a wonderful senior year for Cole, whose old-school haircut is a tribute to his father. Even President Obama, who visited business leaders and select students at Cleveland State last week, was impressed.

"He shook my hand and told me he liked my high-top fade and it looked like [the movie] 'House Party,' " Cole laughed. "He said, 'I like the high-top. You look like Kid 'N Play.' That was one of my best senior moments."

Pro scouts have been coming to see Cole all season, but especially since the Youngstown State game. The 35 points he dropped on Old Dominion 8 days later didn't hurt his professional hopes, either.

Cole is one of 10 finalists for the Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard. He's more of a classic lead guard than a pure scorer like Jimmer Fredette, the National Player of the Year favorite. Cole likes to distribute first and shoot second.

"That's a great feeling to represent the so-called little guys, the midmajors to show that we are on the same playing field," Cole said, before laughing to reveal his choice for the Cousy. "I would vote for Norris Cole, from Cleveland State."

He has met the president, joined Blake Griffin as the only Division I players in the last 15 years to put up 40 points and 20 rebounds in one game, and likely today will be named Horizon League player of the year. But what meant just as much was the 50 to 60 people who bused in for Saturday's win on Senior Day, even if his favorite NFL player wasn't one of them.

"That's one of the special things; having a large family that still follows you," he said. "They've got their own lives, but they still support me. We still support each other. It's one of the special things about having a big family like that."

There's madness in the air now that the calendar has reached March. But before any potential Cinderella can dream of knocking off an ugly sister in the Big Dance, she must first emerge from her conference tournament.

The Daily News' Ed Barkowitz will take a quick look at each of the 30 league tourneys on the day they start. We kick it off today with the Horizon League, where dangerous Butler toils, and the Big South, each of which plays tournaments on campus sites.

Regular-season champ:

Coastal Carolina rolled through the league with a 16-2 record, but lost conference leading scorer Desmond Holloway on Feb. 17 to an indefinite suspension by the NCAA for receiving improper benefits.

UNC-Asheville took advantage of Holloway's absence to beat Coastal Carolina last Tuesday . . . Gardner-Webb, which went just 11-20 and 6-12 in the league, was the other team to beat Coastal . . . Virginia Military Institute's Austin Kenon is in the top 10 in the country in threes made per game.

This is a one-bid league.

First Round/Today

High Point (7) at Liberty (2), 7

Charleston Southern (6) at UNC Asheville (3), 7

Gardner-Webb (8) at Coastal Carolina (1), 7

Winthrop (5) at Virginia Military (4), 7

At Conway, S.C.

Liberty/High Pt. vs. UNCA/Charleston S., 6

CC/Gardner-Webb vs. VMI/Winthrop, 8

At Conway, S.C.

Semifinal winners, 4

Regular-season champ:

Milwaukee finished with nine consecutive wins to claim the No. 1 seed. The Panthers won a three-way tiebreaker among them, Butler and Cleveland State. "What more can you ask for," Milwaukee senior Anthony Hill said after clinching the regular-season title, "except getting to the NCAA Tournament?"

Butler, which lost to Duke in last year's memorable NCAA championship game, got the No. 2 seed and a double-bye. Senior forward Matt Howard and junior guard Shelvin Mack are the most recognizable returnees from a year ago . . . Cleveland State, which was the third team in the three-way tie, let the No. 1 seed slip away - and probably an NCAA at-large bid argument - by losing four of its last seven.

Cleveland State (37) has a better RPI than Butler (45), but Butler has name recognition, a seven-game winning streak and a win over Florida State (20-8). Milwaukee, with an RPI of 98, has to win the Horizon Tournament.

First Round/Today

Illinois-Chicago (10) at Cleveland St. (3), 7

Wisconsin-Green Bay (7) at Wright St. (6), 7

Youngstown St. (9) at Valparaiso (4), 8

Loyola (Chicago) (8) at Detroit (5), 7

At Milwaukee

Ill.-Chicago/Cleveland St. vs. WGB/Wright St., 6

YSU/Valparaiso vs. Loyola/Detroit, 8:30

At Milwaukee

Butler (2) vs. UIC/CSU/WGB/WSU, 6

Wis.-Milwaukee (1) vs. YSU/Valpo/Loyola/UD, 8:30

At Milwaukee

At Higher-Seeded Team

Semifinal winners, 9