01:00 AM EST on Friday, March 18, 2005

WORCESTER -- The Vermont Catamounts are the 12th seed in the Austin Regional, and the number-one story in the entire NCAA Tournament.

Theirs is a tale as corny as Kansas in August, but as Vermont as maple syrup, cheddar cheese, cracker barrels and Green Mountains.

"There's a lot of rainbows and seashells going on here," Tom Brennan, the Cats' colorful coach, said yesterday. "There's a lot of karma. You people who don't live there can't imagine what this team means to the people of Vermont."

It's hard enough for Brennan, retiring after 19 seasons, to say what this senior-dominated team that has dominated the America East Conference the last three years means to him. And he's a man who's never at a loss for words, a guy who does a radio show every morning from 6 to 9 -- in part because, for a long time, he made more money doing radio than he did coaching.

"They're my heroes," he said. "I don't deserve to coach these guys. God just dropped them in my lap. I can't tell you how fortunate I've been to have them."

The arrival in Burlington five years ago of Taylor Coppenrath and T.J. Sorrentine was fortuitous, serendipitous, and, as things have turned out, absolutely fabulous.

"We met at (freshman) orientation," Sorrentine said before practice last night at the DCU Center in preparation for tonight's opening-round game against Syracuse, the Big East Tournament champion.

"He was a tall, skinny, goofy kid. I was a little, short kid. We hung out freshman year and became friends."

They also became roommates.

"When we first met," Coppenrath said, "his hat was tilted sideways and backwards and he was wearing baggy clothes. But when I watched him play that first year, I realized that, for both of us, basketball was our lives, and it would be a good idea if we roomed together so we'd be on the same schedule."

"We're like The Odd Couple," said Sorrentine, "but we get along great."

They have done great things at Vermont, the 5-foot-11 point guard from Pawtucket who can bury 3-point shots from up near the Canadian border, and the 6-9 Coppenrath, the big guy from the small town -- West Barnet, Vt., population about 200.

Before those two arrived in Burlington, the Catamounts never had been to the NCAA Tournament. They've now been three years in a row. It used to be that Vermonters could name more flavors of Ben and Jerry's famous ice cream than teams on the 'Cats' schedule. Now, all 3,266 bleacher seats in Patrick Gym are sold out for every game.

"Vermont basketball means a great deal to everyone in the state," Coppenrath said. "Growing up, I'd always watch the (NCAA Tournament) selection show to see the teams pop up. Who'd ever have thought Vermont would be one of them, and I'd be playing for them. It's pretty incredible."

The same could be said of Coppenrath's career. And of his popularity in his home state.

Rookie of the Year in America East as a redshirt freshman in 2002, he has been the conference's Player of the Year the last three seasons. He was second in the nation in scoring this year, averaging 25.7 points a game. He also led the conference in rebounding, with 8.9 per game. What's even more impressive is that he puts up his best numbers in the biggest games.

Last season, he scored 38 points in a near-upset of UCLA in Pauley Pavilion, when the Bruins edged Vermont, 68-67. After missing seven games near the end of the season with a broken wrist, Coppenrath returned for the conference championship game against Maine and scored a career-high 43 points.

He opened this season by scoring 23 points at Kansas, when the Jayhawks were ranked No. 1 in the country. He finished by scoring 33 against UMBC in the opening round of the conference tourney, 34 against Binghamton in the semis, and then 37 in an 80-57 rout of Northeastern in the title game.

"There's tremendous pressure on him to be a superstar in a one-school state," said Brennan, "and Taylor never lets anybody down. We're a little state. We have cows, not stars. The governor doesn't have a mansion. He doesn't even have a limo. But Taylor is like a rock star."

Despite his celebrity, Coppenrath acts like the kid next door.

When a fifth-grader from nearby Essex Junction who had arranged to meet with him for a school project had transportation problems, Coppenrath drove to the child's house.

"He is too good to be true," Brennan said. "He and T.J. are why we're where we are today."

Where they are is in the NCAA Tournament once again. As a 16th seed in 2003, they lost to Arizona, 80-51. Last year, as a 15th seed, they lost in the first round, 70-53, to Connecticut, which went on to win the national championship.

This year, the 'Cats are planning on sticking around for awhile.

"We didn't come just to take pictures and collect fond memories," Brennan said. "Coppenrath is Paul Bunyan-esque. I don't think he could get us to the Final Four, or even to the Sweet 16. But he can win a game.

"I would classify us as very dangerous. We have no fear. The first year, we'd never been to the tournament. We were a mess. Last year, we drew Connecticut and we knew how good they were.

"This year, we're good. We've got a pro. Taylor is like Larry Bird. He's Bill Bradley. At the end of the day, people may be looking back and asking: 'How did those guys beat Syracuse?' "

The odds are against Vermont. Despite their 24-6 record, the Catamounts never have beaten a Big East team in 11 tries. They were 19-2 against America East teams this season, but Northeastern, which finished second in the conference, and third-place Boston University both were blown out this week in the N.I.T.

Still, there is as much optimism in the Green Mountain State as there is affection for their beloved Catamounts.

"If they could get tickets," Sorrentine said, "the whole state would be here."

If it does end here, Brennan will have no regrets.

"I love these kids no end for what they've done for me personally and how they've taken me on a magic carpet ride," he said. "What's happened here is a phenomenon beyond belief."