COLLEGEINSIDER.COM — In the most exciting matchup of the first round of Collegeinsider.com's Runway to the Fashionable Final Four, Rutgers Gary Waters connected on an Armani 3-pointer at the buzzer to prevail by a point over the upset-minded Pete Strickland of Coastal Carolina.

Waters, the top seed in the West Regional after winning the Big East crown, trailed by two and called a timeout with 3.2 seconds remaining. After a quick trip to the Runway-side dressing room, Waters reappeared in a new Armani suit. Strickland did his best to defend, but the clothes rack in the home dressing room was too much as Waters beat the buzzer for the victory.

"There was no way that I was going to throw in the shoe," said Strickland, who won the title of Best Dressed in the Big South Conference for the second consecutive season. "I brought all I had to the locker room, but I have to give Gary credit. That was one heck of an ensemble he wore out of that last timeout. I did not believe that it was a three and I was hoping for extra runway time, but referee Angelo Lento of Collegeinsider.com said his suedes were behind the line."

"I am glad that I represented myself, Coastal Carolina University, and the Big South Conference to my best ability. I look forward to making a third trip in 2003 and promise that a first-round upset will happen. It looks like an off-season trip to Paris for some runway tips may be in the future."