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March Madness Starting to Take Off at Villanova University

By Kristen Johanson

WAYNE, Pa. (CBS) -- Now that Villanova University's men's basketball team is ranked first in the Eastern region and second overall, how are students and fans preparing for the big tournament?

Today, on the Main Line campus, just as March Madness begins, fans were starting to get their hands on some Villanova "swag."

Tom Lawler came into the campus bookstore early to buy Wildcats t-shirts for his two grandsons.

"Their mother went to Villanova, they have a connection to Villanova, (and) they just love watching tournament games," he noted.

While some are tempering their enthusiasm to avoid a bad mojo, freshman Kevin Powell says the excitement on campus is apparent.

"You can just feel an electricity pulsing through the veins of the student body," he said today, "because this team has really come alive at the right time.  I think we can take it all the way."

John Gorman, a senior, plans to caravan to the game.

"We have a group of 25 going out with my fraternity, so we are all trying to get in some of the sections," he says.  "But right now it's get there, and then we will figure it out later."

The team leaves tomorrow morning for Pittsburgh, where they will play against Lafayette on Thursday night.

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