The NCAA tournament is set to tip off, and we all know which teams are the cream of the crop. But which mascots bring the most game to the court? Check out our ranking of all 68 in the field — lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

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Now this is how you do a mascot from the ancient world. Michigan State's Sparty is the total package. Iconic, imposing and good to look at.

Wisconsin's trademark badger mascot is as good as it gets. Bucky is one of the poster boys for the Big Ten's strong lineup of cheering critters. From the old-school, candy-striped shirt to the sleek badger head, we're big fans.

Be honest: You didn't need to look twice to know this one. You can't go wrong with iconic Big Jay, the sharp-looking bird mascot for the Kansas Jayhawks, clad in red, white and blue.

With one of the best (and most recognizable) masks in Mascotland, Duke's Blue Devil does the trick for us. It's not easy to pull off the cape tastefully, but somehow this horned guy makes it work.

In a sea of cats, dogs and bears, the Florida Gators' long-snouted, green-and-orange mascot certainly stands out. Just the right amount of detail and school spirit, right down to the human-sized Gators hat on its head.

The Big Ten does it again. How can you not love Purdue Pete with those wide eyes and that pouty face? One of the best out there.

We mentioned earlier that we don't like indecisiveness, but both of these mascots are solid on their own accord. A living animal mascot (Blue II) is always a big hit, and Butler's costumed version (Hink) is the most detailed and dynamic bulldog we'll see in this tournament, right down to the jowls.

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Any school with a truly unique mascot has a distinct advantage on this list. Throw in a costume that fits the bill, and you're a shoo-in for the top 20. Hooter, the Temple Owl, doesn't mess around.

The oddly named Tar Heels of North Carolina thankfully gave us this lovable bighorn ram as their mascot instead of a mascot with a sullied heel. We're not sure what Rameses is doing so far outside his natural habitat, though.

A relative of UC-Santa Barbara's Gaucho, the Hampton Pirate is as detailed and imposing as they come. Well done by another small school.

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All for one and one for all! The Xavier Musketeers deliver with D'Artagnan, the decked out swashbuckler with the flowing mustache. As for Xavier's other mascot, the Blue Blob, well ... judge for yourself.

Bevo is much more jaw-dropping, but Texas understandably couldn't run a live longhorn steer out onto a basketball court. The costumed version (named Hook 'Em) is a fine facsimile and serves as a fitting tribute to his flesh-and-blood peer.

A nice twist on the "patriotic American" mascot theme: face paint! George Mason's Patriot is one inspiring blend of green and yellow.

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The tourney's only dragon mascot is a huge hit with this committee. The UAB Blazers will be playing in style with Blaze roaming the sidelines.

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We're guessing they won't let Florida State's Chief Osceola bring his horse, Renegade, into the arena. But it's still a nifty way to show Seminoles pride.

Yes, it's another bulldog mascot, but Georgia's costumed version gets extra points for the imposing, oversized head and shoulders. Were this a football mascot contest, Georgia's live bulldog would be ranked much higher, but we will give the school some hoops credit for Uga IV attending the Final Four in 1983 — Georgia's only appearance in the national semifinals.

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Can you tell we take a liking to Old West-looking dudes with outrageous mustaches? The UNLV Runnin' Rebels' namesake character is not someone you'd want to take on in a bar fight.

We've been hard on the obviously human mascots so far. This is the exception. Something about that outfit just gets us fired up for basketball.

If you had to pick one mascot to have your back, it just might be UC-Santa Barbara's sinister-looking Gaucho.

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Another great one from the small schools, Alabama State's hornet mascot is well-executed. Now we'll see if the team can make it to the main draw.

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Extra points for Tennessee for the creative dog breed it found to represent its namesake Volunteers. The bluetick coonhound (both costumed, at left, and real) mascots are a nice touch. And you can't beat that jacket.

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Texas-San Antonio scores huge creativity points with Rowdy the roadrunner. Looks like the cousin of the Phillie Phanatic.

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We wonder what that facial expression is supposed to mean, but Memphis' Pouncer is still the definitive tiger mascot in the field thanks to his getup and tiny hat.

With one of our favorite small-school mascots in the tourney, the Long Island Blackbirds have given us one sharp avian fan.

Old Dominion's lion is our second king of the jungle on the list. And it has a mighty high opinion of itself with that royal crown on its head. Overall, an inspired costume from the Monarchs.

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We know the Boston Terriers' Rhett can skate, but we'll soon find out how he does on the basketball court.

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UCLA's cuddly bear may need to hit the gym (look at that belly sticking out), but it's still a classic look for a classic team.

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Syracuse's smiling orange ball is a little ridiculous at first glance, but the more we look at it, the more we appreciate it.

How about a live terrier to add to the dog diversity? And it's nice to see the real-life pup, Blitz II, living in harmony with her costumed buddy. Well done, Wofford.

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If you haven't had enough bears and cats on this list, here's the best of both worlds. A fine offering from Cincinnati with an eye-catching head.

It's tough to impress with the been-there-done-that bear mascot, but Summit League champion Oakland put an attractive creature together here to represent the Golden Grizzlies.

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You'll see live bulldogs on this list, but Texas A&M is truly unique. The Aggies chose to throw us a curveball with their mascot and give us this adorable canine replete with school pride.

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Penn State's iconic lion mascot is suited up and ready to play. Not much in the way of frills, but in a tournament full of bears, tigers and wildcats, the lion somehow stands out.

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Why did we toss Brutus — one of college's most famous mascots — in the middle of the list? Because it seems you either love this Ohio State Buckeye or think he's a total nut.

A solid bear offering from the folks at Belmont. There's nothing flashy about the Bruins' mascot, but it does the job.

He's similar to San Diego State's Aztec mascot, but Tommy Trojan gains a significant edge thanks to his notoriety. However, he's much more popular as a football mascot.

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This bear just looks happy to be doing its job, doesn't it? Northern Colorado's Klawz may have the look of a raggedy teddy bear, but the obvious charm overcomes it.

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The Marquette Golden Eagles went the straightforward route with their namesake mascot. Takes more than that to top this list.

Pitt's imposing panther mascot is one of the more effective efforts from the feline genre. Simple, yet effective.

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The mascot of the St. Peter's Peacocks gets points for the distinctive beak and vibrant color scheme, but it is marked down for a slightly ragged look and those oh-so-disturbing flat eyes.

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We're not quite sure what to make of the Utah St. Aggies' dark blue bull. Nose ring. Hairy shoulders. Sinister smirk. Somehow, it kind of works.

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Why isn't this aesthetically challenged tiger at the bottom of the list? It's a part of history! The Princeton Tiger was among the pioneering mascots in collegiate athletics, dating back to the 1800's, and has been relatively unchanged since. You have to tip your hat to longevity.

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So many bulldog mascots in collegeland make it tough to distinguish, but UNC-Asheville delivered with an especially fierce and hungry adaptation.

Louisville's Cardinal Bird sports a refined, classic look that's highlighted by the great headdress. The shaggy, all-red body suit is a little unsightly and lazy.

Everything's going just fine for ole Wilbur, right up until you see that hat. Is it raining in Arizona? We prefer this to Kentucky's Wildcat, but there's still room for improvement.

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Vanderbilt's eponymous commodore does the job just fine ... he just doesn't wow us.

It's a pretty dead-on look for a bison, but Bucknell's big-headed Bucky is a bit hard on the eyes for our tastes.

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An interesting concoction here from Washington, though we're not sure we could identify it as a husky if we didn't know.

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The VCU Rams' main man Rodney seems a little too cartoonish to make it to the top of the heap.

Richmond could have really done something great with a nickname like Spiders, so it's unfortunate that we just get a dude in a cape and bizarre head covering.

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Why can't anyone seem to get the wildcat quite right? Villanova's representative is probably the best of the bunch. But he looks a little too feral to warm up to.

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We might appreciate Spike more if not for the laundry list of "Bulldog" teams in the NCAA tournament. Gonzaga's effort looks more like a stone ogre with flabby arm skin than a rough-and-tumble canine.

Looking like a bad ripoff of Tony the Tiger, Missouri's Truman is a little lacking in creativity and flair. Bonus points, though, for the homage to former U.S. president and Missouri native Harry Truman in the name.

It seems the manufacturer forgot to include eyes on BYU's scruffy Cougar mascot. Another negative: the gloved human fingers sticking out below the brown sleeves. Sort of hurts the illusion.

Expressionless face and a silly name (a tribute to Connecticut's first governor) hamper the UConn Huskies' beloved showman. We understand he kind of has to be all white, but is that really doing it for anyone?

With far more inventive bulldog mascots on the list, the Georgetown Hoyas' all-gray Jack certainly loses its luster ... though we do like the toe detail.

Our first of many Tiger offerings to come. Clemson's low-rent cat with the oversized sneakers doesn't quite cut it.

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Well ... it's a great head. But where's the rest of it? Kansas State's version of the wildcat starts off strong before becoming a big disappointment.

A solid traditional look here with the plain "M" sewn on the shirt. But we're a little thrown off by the face of the Morehead State Eagles' mascot. The crossed eyes and gaping mouth make Beaker look like he had a few too many while celebrating the team's Ohio Valley Conference title.

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Someone get this cat some food. Kentucky's skinny, mangy Wildcat mascot hasn't received an upgrade since its inception in the late 1970s. Maybe it's time to do that. To be fair, Kentucky has a more modern-looking model as well, though we can't reward indecisiveness too much.

Well, this is awkward. Another school perhaps hampered by its odd nickname, the Akron Zips went with Zippy the Kangaroo to lead their cheers. Let's hope their jump shots are more on the money.

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What the heck is this? Restricted by the limitations of the nickname Sycamores, Indiana State took a shot with this furry blue creation and airballed it. They'd be better served making Larry Bird their mascot.

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San Diego State's costumed human looks more like an "American Gladiators" contestant.

Let the hate mail begin! While plenty of our fine readers surely will disagree, we just aren't inspired by a guy in a green suit. Notre Dame's Leprechaun is iconic and fits the Fighting Irish name perfectly, but he's not scoring any points in the creativity department.

Yeesh. One thing's for sure — you certainly won't miss this guy. Thunderbird, the in-your-face mascot for the St. John's Red Storm, is nothing if not flashy.

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We'll forgive a little bit because of the likely athletic budget disparity between the surprise Sun Belt Conference champions and some of the other college basketball powers, but this guy looks like an obsessed fan at a high school game.

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Though it briefly had live wolverine mascots in the 1920s and again in the late 1930s (it was deemed too dangerous to the animals and their handlers to continue), Michigan has had a proud tradition since of not having a mascot.

Illinois gave up its controversial "Chief Illiniwek" mascot in 2007 after some heavy objections but has yet to find a replacement. For that we have no choice but to put the Fighting Illini at the bottom of the list. That's a very nice capital I though.

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