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Austin Toros Center in the Middle of March Madness

Updated: Thursday, March 22 2012, 09:46 PM CDT
Luke Zeller did not fill out an NCAA tournament bracket this year. However, the Austin Toros center is still in the middle of March Madness.

"I wanted to be a fan this year, not an analyst," says Zeller, currently in his first season with the Toros.

During the Big Dance, the three weeks when "Cinderella" takes center stage - for Zeller, this year there are no bracket busters: only bracket brothers.

Luke is the oldest of three brothers. Tyler, the middle Zeller and a senior at North Carolina, is the ACC Player of the Year. Cody, the youngest, plays at Indiana where he was named Big 10 Freshman of the Year. Both brothers are still alive in the NCAA tournament, meaning big bro is hanging on every hoop.

"I was at UNO's in the bar section, and I was the only person there," says Zeller describing his NCAA tournament viewing experience.  "I was hitting the bar, it felt like I was going to break it because they had 20 turnovers. But then I was cheering my head off without a care in the world when they started winning."

For Luke, the only thing more tasty than a Sweet 16 with a pair of siblings still alive, is if North Carolina and Indiana meet in the Final Four. The two teams are, indeed, on opposite sides of the bracket.

"They've got two tough games left that they have to win before they get there," says Zeller. "They have to win the first one first, they both have to win on Friday."

Tyler and the Tar Heels play Ohio University Friday in St. Louis, while Cody and Indiana play top-seeded Kentucky Friday in Atlanta.

In high school, all three Zellers received Indiana's highest hoops honor: the title of Mr. Basketball.  Their family was the first to ever win the award three times. However, the Zellers are not just making an impact on the court.

The family founded a non-profit organization called Distinxion that teaches character and leadership through basketball and cheerleading camps. Click on www.Distinxion.org for more information.Austin Toros Center in the Middle of March Madness