The first NCAA Tournament game concluded Sunday evening, USC losing a close one to the FBI.

How else to explain Southern Cal’s exclusion? The arrest of since-fired USC associate coach Tony Bland in an FBI investigation of corruption and bribery had to have weighed on the minds of the NCAA Selection Committee, normally likely accustomed to overlooking plenty.

USC, otherwise, was qualified. The team improved as competition toughened, finishing 23-11, 12-6 in the Pac-12 and, as the No. 2-seed, lost in the final of the conference tournament to Arizona, another team-of-FBI-interest — its assistant coach/recruiter Emanuel “Book” Richardson also arrested then fired.

Compare USC to, say, Syracuse, which qualified at 20-13, 8-10 in the ACC. No griping this year from “Gentleman” Jim Boeheim.

FBI arrests had to be in the heads of those selectmen, unless they’re immune to the human condition that equates smoke — the kind created when a bomb explodes — with fire. If I were King, all Tournament TV money would be placed in escrow pending the outcomes of ongoing FBI and NCAA investigations.

But who knows? Logic now regularly misses the cut. Relievers strike out the two batters they face, then get yanked.

As Henny Youngman would suggest, take Cris Carter. Might it be time he reconsider his side work as a mentor to pro athletes and go into something more productive, say, peddling peanut brittle door-to-door.

As a veteran Vikings receiver, he was assigned to mentor selfish, divisive teammate Randy Moss. That didn’t go well.

Then, while with ESPN, he mentored a room of NFL rookies, suggesting they combat their presumed future criminality with more: finding a buddy to take the rap.

Soon, Carter would be out at ESPN, hired by FOX, from where he became a mentor to Odell Beckham, Jr., who, by Carter’s admission this week, is a continuing cautionary tale in need of effective mentoring and a primer on adulthood.

So why not give it up? Carter’s just not good at it. It isn’t as if he’s Jimmy Dolan, who inherited his right to produce NBA and NHL mediocrities — or worse — often simultaneously for nearly 25 consecutive seasons.

Imagine being a legit journalist this week, assigned to find self-appointed diplomat and fringe lunatic Dennis Rodman to find out what he thinks about the olive-branching between North Korea and the U.S. Rodman was available as he awaited his latest sentencing, this one for DUI.

Rodman’s take on the matter made national news, more so than his misdemeanor plea days later — despite still being on probation for a 2016 incident in which he drove in the opposite direction on a California highway.

Then there’s North Carolina coach Roy Williams. He has perfected the impossible: inside ignorance; not knowing anything directly related to his nationally ranked teams and recruits.

He had absolutely no idea that for years his players maintained eligibility through no-show classes in which they scored A’s. Now he’s in the dark as to why one of his top recruits, freshman Jalek Felton, was suspended then tossed from school.

“I didn’t have anything to do with it, and I don’t know enough about it,” Williams explained a few weeks back. Thus, imagine:

“Coach, Felton’s out, done.”

“OK, that’s none of my business.”

Or is Williams determined to not know? Dagummit, that “Coach Roy,” as CBS’ Jim Nantz fondly called him last tournament, sure is good at not knowin’.

Felton, by the by, is the nephew of former “Coach Roy” UNC star Raymond Felton. As a Knick, Raymond Felton was convicted for an illegally owned, loaded semi-automatic pistol, which his now ex-wife claimed he’d brandish when they argued.

But it makes no country-fried never mind, as Don’t Know Nuthin’ Williams’ UNC team plays Friday on CBS in the NCAA Tournament.

Two preseasons ago Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan, on CBS, told Ian Eagle he plans to sign available veterans of “good character.” Great!

This week, the Jets signed four-year Browns running back Isaiah Crowell, who was thrown off Georgia’s team after being charged with on-campus possession of a concealed gun after previous assorted “violations of team rules.” (The charges were later dismissed.)

In 2016, Crowell, a good running back, added to NFL player protests by posting on “social media” a depiction of a police officer being executed by having his throat slit. With Cleveland’s police union threatening a protest of Crowell, he apologized.

Thus, either Maccagnan considers Crowell a vet of good character, or, as matter of current practical logic, there are few to choose from.

Tiger mania reaches fever pitch

Future Headline: “Tiger Woods, 10 Million Others Perish In Nuclear Explosion”

Tiger Woods TV has returned as the Silliest Show on Earth. Sunday an NBC promo for the final round, claimed, “Tiger Woods is one off the lead. … Can anyone catch him?” Huh?

During the third round, NBC’s Gary Koch noted that a hospitality tent is filled with servicemen and women: “And you know they’re cheering for Tiger, with his military background, with his father’s background.”

Got that? They’re cheering for Woods because his father, who died 12 years ago, retired from the Air Force in 1974.

Reader David Distefano: If Tiger Woods had starred in ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ the theme song would’ve been shortened to “With Tiger Woods and the rest …”

Devils voice hits right notes

Steve Cangialosi, in Year 7 as MSG Network’s Devils play-by-player, is having his best season. After playing it straight but flat in his first few seasons — not easy replacing Doc Emrick — Cangialosi’s escalated energy and input is heard as confident, credible and enjoyable.

He and Ken Daneyko now regularly, easily swap good thoughts and observations. Doesn’t hurt that these Devils mostly play exciting hockey.

Think UConn would’ve fired basketball coach Kevin Ollie, finding “just cause” — and saving millions in buyout costs — had UConn, under NCAA investigation, finished 29-4 instead of 14-18 after 16-17? As Arizona State football coach Darryl Rogers long ago said, “They’ll fire you for losing before they’ll fire you for cheating.”

Crazy, continued: Wednesday, Colgate lost to San Francisco in the NIT — in San Francisco. That’s a long, expensive way to go to play a game before an alleged 1,300 fans in a 5,300-seat arena. But with recruits from Australia, Portugal and South Africa, Colgate must be accustomed to long hauls.

Nooo! As seen Thursday, there’s a new batch of dreadfully awkward, unfunny Charles Barkley, Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson Capital One NCAA Tournament commercials!

Wanna get away cheap in Madison Square Garden? The bottled water’s just six bucks. Garden’s profit kicks in after a sip.