Sunday's Running Bracket Blog

There are plenty of meaningful games starting with Purdue @ Michigan State. I will have a close eye on some other matchups taking place later today:

• Virginia Tech @ Florida State, 2pm
• Illinois State v. Northern Iowa (MVC Tournament Final), 205pm
• Old Dominion v. VCU (CAA Tournament Semifinal), 300pm -- These two schools hate each other with a passion unlike any other except for maybe ...
  
• Duke @ North Carolina, 400pm
• Northwestern @ Ohio State, 500pm
• Towson v. George Mason (CAA Tournament Semifinal), 530pm
• Clemson @ Wake Forest, 600pm
• Charleston v. Davidson (Southern Conference Tournament Semifinal), 600pm
• Portland v. St. Mary's (WCC Tournament Semifinal), 1130pm -- I will not watch this one, but a loss by St. Mary's may delay the posting of Monday's bracket projections.

* Michigan State put the chokehold on Purdue in the 2nd half and demonstrated why they have a legitimate chance at a #1 seed. Meanwhile, the Boilers have played themselves into a 7/8 seed. Though they lost two games without Robbie Hummel, this is who they are.

* #1 seed American squeaks by Army in the Patriot League, 61-60.

* While Tennessee is certainly in the NCAA Tournament, the unanticipated home loss to Alabama will have bearing on their seeding. Chances are that we will not see a SEC team on the top 6 seed lines.

* Right as Virginia Tech storms back into the game, Delaney and Allen get their 4th fouls.

* In a minute of watching the MVC Tournament Final, the lead has changed twice. Osiris Eldridge is scorching hot!

* VCU is struggling. Down 24-16 to their rival Old Dominion, Eric Maynor (3) and Gerald Lee (2) have combined for a total of five points.

* Congratulations to Northern Iowa, who survived an onslaught of deep shots from Illinois State to start the overtime session. They won 60-57 in the Lou.

* VT has lost, signifying that they must win two in Atlanta to be in (assuming the second will be against the ACC's top 3 teams). A tall order.

* Just received a text from Clement, who is at the CAA Tournament in Richmond. Joey Rodriguez has "countless" turnovers. In visiting the CAA website, I can now report that "countless" equals 2. You can also visit CAA Courtside for ... courtside chatter from the CAA Tournament. After a 30-point explosion yesterday, Gerald Lee has 2 points. VCU up 32-30 right before the under 16 in the second half.

* VCU defeats ODU. George Mason fans can watch the game and participate in a live blog here.

* Coach K is complaining, but what's new? UNC up 6 at the under 12 in the second half.

* UNC wins against Duke despite a lackluster defensive performance. Mason defeats Towson for the 15th straight time. Yes, 15 straight wins.

* For the second time in two days, a bid may be stolen from another conference. Charleston defeats Davidson for the second time. Congratulations to Bobby Cremins! That said, it makes the brackets that much tougher.

Saturday's Running Bracket Blog

* Preseason Automatic Bid Picks: 1 of 4
* Pre-Conference Tournament Automatic Bid Picks: 1 of 4

* Cornell was the first team to win an automatic bid. Radford outlasted VMI to take home the Big South crown. East Tennessee State triumphs in the A-Sun Final. It's a sad day when an OVC Tournament Final does not include Murray State. Nevertheless, we congratulate Morehead State, who are going back to the NCAA Tournament after a 25-year hiatus.

* Pitt's sweep of UConn will put the Panthers among the top two overall seeds. UConn will stay on the 1 line, likely in the #3 overall seed, if UNC beats Duke tomorrow. Staying at the top of the heap, Louisville, Kansas and Washington claim their conferences outright.

* Michigan just revived its season and Minnesota is back on the bubble. There will be a maximum of seven teams from the Big Ten. The Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis will determine the NCAA Tournament fate of as many as five teams, who are within half a game of .500 in conference play.

* Boston College, behind their 9-7 ACC record coupled with two wins over teams on my top seed line, is in the tournament for certain.

* C'est la vie, Cincinnati and Vermont. It was nice knowing you. Kentucky continued digging itself six feet deep. Maryland did not help themselves out after blowing a 13-point lead at rival UVa.

* Kansas State and South Carolina win games they absolutely could not lose. New Mexico continues to win, this time on the road against Wyoming. Rhode Island does not. I am anticipating that they will need to at least make the finals of the A-10 Tournament in order to earn at-large consideration.

* Syracuse starts strong (OOC wins against Kansas on a semi-away floor and at Memphis) and ends strong (wins last four in Big East to finish 11-7 in conference). Kinda like an Oreo with the orange creme that no one likes. Could Marquette fall to the 6 line?

* Texas A&M scores one of the biggest wins of the day against Missouri and they hop Kansas State and will hop Oklahoma State unless they score the master stroke against Oklahoma in the bedlam game. Though lower in magnitude, Auburn scores a comfortable win against LSU. That's 8 of their last 9, so of which are against clear tournament-caliber competition.

* Penn State lost a double overtime decision at Iowa, but they should be in the tournament. It will definitely hurt their seeding and at least push them into the 8/9 game (or worse).

* Creighton has been thumped by Illinois State, who will face Northern Iowa for the automatic bid. This was Creighton's first loss since January 17. They are likely to remain in the field of 65, but their bid may be stolen next week.

UPDATE: Creighton has suddenly become huge fans of Butler (a winner tonight against Wright State), Gonzaga, and the winner of Portland/Pepperdine (faces St. Mary's).

* Who's watching the WBC? Neither am I.

Answers from the Editor - Bracket Style [Mid-Week Edition]

Late last night/early this morning, Clement posed a series of questions. Tonight, I provide answers to those questions that surround the NCAA Tournament.

"Quin Snyder Who?"
Blake Griffin goes for 16 and 20, yet the Oklahoma Sooners lose to Missouri (who is 18-0 at home btw). Meanwhile, Kansas loses @ (2-12 in conference) Texas Tech in a relative 19-point laugher.

Q: With that in mind: has Oklahoma ruined their chances at a #1 seed?
A: For starters, I projected Oklahoma was the #6 overall team in the Big XII despite projecting them to win their conference tournament. Why is this the case? They lack the quality wins that the top 3 Big East and top 2 ACC teams have. Not to mention, Oklahoma has often played to the level of their competition, needing to pull away late in games against inferior competition. While "style points" get scrutinized more often in college football, it will be difficult to argue that OU has a stronger resume than the aforementioned teams, as well as Michigan State and Wake Forest.

"Missing in Action"
Marquette thumped Pitt in the opening stretch of the second half - with a 21-5 run out of the gates - but couldn't seal the deal, ultimately losing 90-75 to DeJuan Blair and company (largely due to a 21-2 run of their own).
Q: Is the loss of senior guard and captain Dominic James simply too devastating to take the Golden Eagles seriously come tourney time?
A: Yes. It was already going to be tough sledding for Marquette with James. Without James, Jerel McNeal is a shell of himself. In two road games against Louisville and Pittsburgh, he has shot 11-for-43 from the field.

"Really an Upset?"
Q: Let's make it simple. Whose home loss was more surprising: LSU's to Vanderbilt or Purdue's to Northwestern?
A: Because of their horrible strength of schedule, I have not drank the LSU Kool-Aid yet. Don't get me wrong, they have some quality guard play and Trent Johnson is an excellent Xs and Os coach. That said, the Purdue's loss was more surprising, because I thought they were turning the corner. I thought wrong. That Kevin Coble is some player!

"Rambling Wreck!"
Q: Admit it, after tonight's loss to Georgia Tech...even the staunchest Miami (Florida-style) supporters have to shut their yaps. Right?
A: Absolutely. Miami lost a must-win game against an ill-disciplined yet talented Georgia Tech team. It was a must-win game because the value of their best OOC win is decreasing by the minute. It's not quite over for Miami because bubble teams continue to lose and they can make up plenty of ground during Championship Week.

"It's So Hard To Say Goodbye..."
Q: Is it possible that both SEC stalwarts Kentucky (losing to Georgia) and Florida (losing to Mississippi State) sealed their bubble fates with damaging losses tonight?
A: First off, thank you, Boyz II Men. Second, the Florida/Kentucky tussle this weekend is an at-large bid elimination game. Third, I think it is possible for the winner to have a chance an at-large bid if they make the SEC Tournament Final.

"Mired in the Muck"
Q: Is it possible a mid-major (i.e. Creighton, Siena, St. Mary's, Davidson) was the big winner with SO MANY bubble teams losing in the past 48 hours (Va. Tech, Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, Miami (Fl), Georgetown, Notre Dame, Kansas State)? Or, was it a major conference squad like Providence, Texas A&M, or Arizona (who does draw Cal tomorrow)?
A: It's too early to say. These smaller tournaments must first happen, but Creighton and Siena are definitely benefitting while St. Mary's and Davidson are not far behind. Other potential winners are Rhode Island and Washington State. Both are peaking at the right time and have resumes that look better with every passing loss by every bubble team.

***Bonus Question***
"Isn't this a FOOTBALL Conference?"
No it isn't a trivial question this time. Minnesota moves to 9-8 in the Big 10 with a HUGE home victory against Wisconsin. Next up: Michigan.
Q: What are we mere mortals to make of Big Ten bubble squads Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan, and even Northwestern? A simple in/out (as of tonight) would suffice.
A: Here are my thoughts ...
Penn State: IN
Wisconsin: IN
Ohio State: IN
Minnesota: IN
Michigan: OUT
Northwestern: OUT

Further Proof Describing How Little We Know

If last night taught us something, teams on the right side of the bubble were losers and teams on the wrong side were winners.

There were some crushing losses ...

• Kentucky loses AT HOME to Georgia ... get that resume ready, Billy Gillispie!
• Miami loses to Georgia Tech. 6-9 is not good enough and neither is 7-9 with the away win at Kentucky diminishing value by the nanosecond
• Florida loses to Mississippi State ... a second straight NIT trip. Clement can tell you all about how that feels. At least, the Gators have football. Forever.
• UAB loses by double digits to UTEP
  

Some lost opportunities ...

• Va Tech loses to UNC
• Houston fights hard, but comes up short against Memphis

Even off of the bubble, some teams lost a seed line with unexpected losses ...

• Northwestern upsets Purdue on the road, making it two away wins against the Big Ten elite (is that an oxymoron?).
• LSU loses a home decision against Vanderbilt, who shot 52% from the field.
• Kansas gets thrashed on senior night against the Ragin' Voskuhls!
  
• Boston College loses a close one at NC State.

And others seizing the moment or just plain taking care of business ...

• Mizzou and Pitt scoring big victories adding to their resumes ... is Duke now the 4th best team as some dude noted on Monday which was met by criticism.
  
• UNLV, BYU, A&M, WVU, Tulsa and San Diego State all won games they were supposed to win.
• Minnesota all but confirmed their ticket to the Big Dance with a 10-0 run to end the game against Wisconsin.
  

This is March Madness. Two weeks early. Savor it.

10 Questions to the Editor - Bracket-Style [Mid-Week Edition]

Pay reads my thoughts sometimes. Probably not vice versa though.

After 3 successful weeks - and just about 10 days until Selection Sunday - I decided to disturb Pay's week and throw out a pick-six of questions (of course, you know that means SEVEN) after three nights of pre-March Madness.

Don't worry, we'll be back this weekend too.

Yep, we know TO got released. But we're here to talk brackets. Not about his quarterback. In fact, we knew it when it was reported at midnight by Michael Smith on Sportscenter. Yeah, what!?!?!
Credit: Millions of Hilarious Google Image Searches

1) "Quinn Snyder Who?"
Blake Griffin goes for 16 and 20, yet the Oklahoma Sooners lose to Missouri (who is 18-0 at home btw). Meanwhile, Kansas loses @ (2-12 in conference) Texas Tech in a relative 19-point laugher. With that in mind: has Oklahoma ruined their chances at a #1 seed?

2) "Missing in Action"
Marquette thumped Pitt in the opening stretch of the second half - with a 21-5 run out of the gates - but couldn't seal the deal, ultimately losing 90-75 to DeJuan Blair and company (largely due to a 21-2 run of their own). Question is: is the loss of senior guard and captain Dominic James simply too devastating to take the Golden Eagles seriously come tourney time?

3) "Really an Upset?"
Let's make it simple. Whose home loss was more surprising: LSU's to Vanderbilt or Purdue's to Northwestern?

4) "Rambling Wreck!"
Admit it, after tonight's loss to Georgia Tech...even the staunchest Miami (Florida-style) supporters have to shut their yaps. Right?

5) "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye..."
Is it possible that both SEC stalwarts Kentucky (losing to Georgia) and Florida (losing to Mississippi State) sealed their bubble fates with damaging losses tonight?

6) "Mired in the Muck"
Is it possible a mid-major (i.e. Creighton, Sienna, St. Mary's, Davidson) was the big winner with SO MANY bubble teams losing in the past 48 hours (Va. Tech, Maryland, Florida, Kentucky, Miami (Fl), Georgetown, Notre Dame, Kansas State)? Or was it a major conference squad like Providence, Texas A&M, or Arizona (who does draw Cal tomorrow)?

***Bonus Question***
7) "Isn't this a FOOTBALL Conference?"
No it isn't a trivial question this time. Minnesota moves to 9-8 in the Big 10 with a HUGE home victory against Wisconsin. Next up: Michigan. Problem is, what are we mere mortals to make of Big Ten bubble squads Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan, and even Northwestern? A simple in/out (as of tonight) would suffice.

Quote of the night: Shawn Taggart of Memphis.
“I feel like a lot of people out there disrespect our conference,” Taggart said. “A lot of people act like it’s the worst conference in the country. To keep winning like this is a big deal. I’m sure if you put North Carolina in this conference, they wouldn’t go undefeated. It’s very tough.”

Oh yeah, here's a clip to make you smile (especially YOU Pay).
Credit to Dan B via YouTube on this gem.

Desperation is a Stinky Cologne

Georgetown and Cincinnati confirmed that notion this evening.

After holding a firm 15-point lead in the Garden, Georgetown blew it. Plain and simple. Though they were hard done by a timeout that should not have been granted and a foul that was not in the last 15 seconds of regulation, it never should have even been a game at that juncture. Three letters summarize my thoughts. N-I-T. JT3 should pay back his salary a la Bob Knight. His players looked clueless and underprepared in the closing minutes.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State won a must-win game against fellow bubble team Kansas State behind the leadership of senior guard Byron Eaton. 15 for 15 from the charity stripe. 'Nuff said.

At Cameron Indoor, Duke was behind for much of the night but they seem to be in firm position with under a minute left behind some hot shooting by Kyle Singler. In an amazing development, Leonard Hamilton is still wearing his tie.

Also, Maryland, Ohio State, Utah and Syracuse are knotted up in close games, all with severe at-large bid implications.

Friday FourCast: Bubble Talk Continues...

The FourCast, barely two days old in its college basketball format, is already undergoing several radical changes.

First off, we’re going to target the eight best matchups of the day (because 4 +4 is 8!). Fortunately for your eyes, we’re only giving each game ONE sentence.

We’re also projecting four thoughts from the past day (in this case, Thursday). Finally, I’m asking our “Bracket expert” Paymon (who I assure you won’t change his picks at 5:52pm Sunday evening) four questions that are clawing me deep into my bone marrow.

Yes, I said bone marrow.

Some of us "experts" need to take quantum physics to explain how VCU and the "Dagger" will return to the tourney in 2008.
Credit: NY Times.com

FourCast Four Thoughts:

1) West Virginia not only pushed itself into “lock” status, but might start climbing up the big board with its impressive victory over (my pick to cut down the nets in MSG) the UCONN Huskies. Joe Alexander poured in 34 and the Mountaineers might have exposed UCONN’s questionable perimeter defense.

2) Houston said bye-bye to a desperately-needed Conference USA tourney run with a rather embarrassing loss to UTEP. Does this affect a certain Richmond-based team who needs Houston to look as good (but not too good)?

3) Apparently, UCLA doesn’t need all the calls. Often, teams like this can be discounted or even swept under the radar. What appears clear is that UCLA should earn the West’s #1 seed and even if they do not, they may be just as dangerous as they were last as the #2 seed out of their preferred region.

4) Teams who are livin’ on a bubble prayer (hello VCU!) better hope that teams like New Mexico, UNLV and Texas A&M are bit by the upset bug. Of course, that’s highly unlikely. HIGHLY.

FourCast Four Questions:
1) How damaging was Baylor’s 2-overtime loss to (12-19) Colorado?

It’s damaging enough to place them firmly onto the bubble, rather than near “lock” status. I think their early season neutral court wins will get them over the hump. I’ll take 9 wins in a top 3 conference and a neutral court victory over ‘Gody over most of the bubble boys any day.

2) Is Villanova truly “in” with their victory over Syracuse? Or was their drubbing from Georgetown (combined with a 3-6 record against the RPI Top 50 and several BAD losses – DePaul & Rutgers notably) enough to put them as one of the last four teams out?

Anyone familiar with Villanova knows exactly how aggravating it is to follow the team. Because of the criteria set before you, Villanova will be among the teams that Clement and I will be discussing at length on Sunday afternoon.

3) Arizona State’s standing has been far more pessimistic in brackets outside of yours. How damaging was their 4-point loss to OJ Mayo and the Trojans?

According to the Bracket Matrix, 41 of 53 bracket projectionists have Arizona State in the field of 65, but the average seed is 11. On their loss, I didn’t see it as damaging at all, except for it meaning that Arizona State has a losing conference record and an ugly RPI. They played tough defense against a stout USC team and fell short of forcing overtime, no thanks to PAC-10 officials.

4) Why is everyone so in love as of late with New Mexico?

I’ve been absent from this love party for New Mexico. There’s this bizarre belief that the Mountain West will be a two-bid conference, even if BYU wins the conference tournament. The 24 wins are impressive, but they are due in large part to fattening up on weak teams and at home. Of their 31 games, the Lobos played 18 on their home court. Their best win outside of Albuquerque was at San Diego State.

8 Games to Watch on Friday (or as WJFK’s Don & Mike say…Fri-dee!):

Michigan vs. Wisconsin
-Alright UM fans, this is your shot to make a 9-21 season end on as high a note as possible for a 9-21 team.

Texas vs. Oklahoma State
-A #1 seed for Texas is still far from out of the question.

Miami (FL) vs. Virginia Tech
-Hokie fans were crying to me how much they wanted to avoid the ‘Canes. Tough break.

Xavier vs. St. Joseph’s
-The Red Hawks need this win if they want to keep their legit tourney hopes alive.

Georgetown vs. West Virginia

A) Who underrated Georgetown a month ago (ME!)

B) Who underrated WVU’s 11-win conference performance (Pay!)

Temple vs. UMass Charlotte
-With UMASS coughing up an 18-point lead, will Pay’s brilliance of sticking with Temple be rewarded with an A-10 Championship Game birth?

USC vs. UCLA
-This should clinch a #1 seed, in my opinion, for UCLA…if they win, of course.

Washington State vs. Stanford
-Forget this matchup, what about the Thursday night losers and their bubble fates (Arizona does seem safer than Oregon, right?)?

Hope you enjoyed the new format! It’s gonna be around for another 12 hours or so…

Bracket Chatter - All About the Bubble

Work calleth for much of the day …

If your team is or was on the bubble, you’re likely taking a mental health day or you feel an ulcer coming on. Either way, my lack of internet connectivity from last night pales in comparison to what you are experiencing.

Here is one question to consider:

What’s more valuable: Winning a conference by three games (Conference RPI: 13) and defeating Houston/Akron/Maryland on a floor other than your home floor or winning your conference on a tie-breaker (Conference RPI: 15) and having your key wins versus Mississippi State and Western Kentucky (twice)? For those just joining us, I’m talking about VCU and South Alabama.

In terms of bad losses, VCU lost @ JMU when they were a RPI top 100 squad, lost to ODU at home on a blown no-call (though I argue they deserve to lose for letting it come to that), and William & Mary in the conference tournament on a neutral court. A common misnomer is that VCU plays at the Richmond Coliseum, site of the CAA tournament. In reality, they play at the Siegel Center. That's an enormous difference considering how well some teams travel, namely UNC-W and now George Mason. The Hampton loss is not forgivable but the loss was in November.

As for South Alabama, they lost at North Texas and dropped two of three against Middle Tennessee State.

Oddly enough, the fates of VCU and South Alabama may be decided by the likes of Houston, Maryland, Akron, Ole Miss, Miami-Ohio, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State.

Other talking points
- On George Mason, I was among the final bracket projectionists to switch from Mason to VCU. Even when I begrudgingly ceded the automatic bid to VCU, I knew that if Mason ever decided to play defense, they would win the CAA Tournament. Despite not shooting well from behind the arc for much of their time in Richmond, the Patriots challenged nearly every shot. For the anonymous hater on CAA: LAMM, who, for lack of better words, hated on my lamenting about Mason's love affair with the trifecta, inability to box out or cover the perimeter during the regular season ... thank you. Not only was I dead on, but my alma mater rectified those shortcomings when it mattered most.

- I hate conferences that hold tournaments on the home floor of a team who is not the #1 seed. In essence, it begs teams who would otherwise not make the tournament to do so and party like rock stars on their home floors after winning it all. Yes, I’m talking about you, West Coast Conference. For the record, I am not married to three coming out of that conference, so beware St. Mary’s. The Gaels have a strong resume (RPI: 38) with a solid SOS incorporated into that rating and wins at home versus Drake, Oregon, Seton Hall, San Diego and Gonzaga. Neutral-court triumphs over San Diego State and Ohio may push them over the top if both perform well in their conference tournaments. If you couple losing three of your final five games with the lack of precedence in having three teams from the 14th-best conference (let alone two), then St. Mary’s may be on the outside looking in.

- Who is the Valley #2? Convenience suggests that it’s Illinois State, who won 15 conference games counting the tournament in the nation’s #8 conference. Of course, that is before you factor in their 0-5 record against the Top 50, three losses of which are against Drake. On the flipside, they are 5-0 against squads rated between 51 and 100. Long-forgotten SIU, who let many down, has four wins against the Top 50, but are 17-14 overall, had four less conference victories in the MVC which has balanced scheduling. There’s also Creighton, who boasts a meager 0-6 clip against the Top 50, also losing thrice to Drake.

- Though I very much dislike the transitive property (i.e. Digger's MO), I see it playing a larger role than either Clement or myself would have liked.

5 NCAA Men's Basketball Questions...

Hard to find a more bubble-loaded matchup than Kentucky v. Florida today.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

• 1) Will the Ohio State Buckeyes secure an at-large bid with a win at home over 17th-ranked Michigan state?
• 2) Will Virginia Tech be able to acquire their 10th conference-win, and first against the RPI top-50, today at Clemson?
• 3) If the Terps lose at UVA, is their season essentially over?
• 4) Are BOTH Drake and Illinois State tourney-bound, regardless of today's MVC Championship outcome?
• 5) What will the Big East Tournament shape up as following today's makeup of yesterday's postponed Cincy/UCONN matchup?

***BONUS Question***

• 6) Will perennial CAA fixtures George Mason and VCU secure their third CAA Championship Game matchup in four years?
  

College Basketball Saturday: Hourly Streaming Updates!

C-C-Check it today for plenty o' updates.
Wait, what did I just say?

Psycho T and the #1-Heels are in Durham...in case you didn't know.

Who do YOU got?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Here are a few quick hits at 3:45...
-UNC/Duke @ 9 for the ACC regular season championship? We like!
-Pay was at Georgetown/Lousville (Hoyas won) and hopefully has some fantastic insights.
-William & Mary started their quarterfinal matchup with Old Dominion by shooting 0-13. They also shot 17 three-balls in their opening 23 attempts. They lead 24-23 at the half.
-Dayton has a double-digit lead over St. Joe's with less than 4 minutes to play. Did the Hawks get in though after beating Xavier earlier in the week?
-Memphis stomped UAB. No surprise they finished their conference play undefeated.
-Stanford (USC) and Vanderbilt (Alabama) both trail with less than 5 minutes to go. A Commodore comeback seems much more likely. Interesting...

Returning at 6:30...
-UNC/Duke is still at 9 tonight. Don't worry. I love this rivalry. However, I'm still ranking it behind Yanks/Sox. Sorry Mike Wilbon.
-Winthrop locked up a predictable Big South championship over 7'7 Kenny George and UNC-Asheville. No surprise here as the Eagles have won 8 of the last 10 Big South championships; breaking through in the NCAA Tournament with an impressive upset over Notre Dame last year. [Editor's Note: Except that we predicted Asheville because they swept Winthrop during the regular season :( ]
-Syracuse (where are the road wins that matter?) won impressively by 15 over Marquette at home. This only illuminates how painful their chokejob against Pitt last Saturday was. A good week though for the Orange, with wins @Seton Hall and over #20 Marquette. One Big East win probably won't be enough for the Orange, who are at least still in the talk of the last four out (or at worst, next four out...as noted below).
-FSU upsets Miami. I'll say it again: Miami WILL be the easiest first-round loser to select come bracket time.
-I believe VCU (who shot a putrid 36% from the field, 4-23 from the 3, and 17-30 on FTs in a shaky W against #9-seed Towson) dodged a bullet avoiding nemesis-ODU in the CAA semi-finals. Pay reminds me to beware of the perimeter shooting of the Tribe.
-I don't know how UCLA pulled that one out. Josh Shipp with the horse shot of the year. Ryan Anderson of Cal (do you want to be the 'next' Austin Croshere...or just have his monster contract?) locked up being a 1st-round pick in June. Who gets the calls late if Georgetown & UCLA meet up in the tourney?
-USC might be able to position itself firmly into a 5 or 6 seed after winning their third straight, this time over Brook Lopez and the Cardinal. USC will be the wild card squad in the Pac-10 tournament.
-Who owns the nation's longest winning streak? Defending Southern Conference champs Davidson, that's who. Several at-large squads NEED them to win their postseason tourney, big time. They are going to be a brutal out, maybe in the second-round come March Madness.
-Wisconsin clinches at least a share of another Big Ten-title. Was hiring Bo Ryan brilliant or what? No titles since '47 and suddenly they win them with and without Alando Tucker.
-Kansas State gets to ten Big 12 wins while Kansas awaits the Texas-finale tomorrow after shellacking 8-8 in-conference A&M to try and secure an outright Big 12 regular season title.
-Miss. St. (they LOVE to block shots) rallies in the 2nd half v. LSU in the SEC. Collective sigh of relief out of Starkville.
-UNLV earns a much-needed W. Will the same be said for Arizona State, New Mexico, Illinois State, Arkansas, and Utah State?
-Who else is considering Oregon an at-large underdog if they take out Arizona (#1 SOS) and make a deep run in the Pac-10 tourney? (Their RPI, in the high 50s, might disagree most.)

Whew. Plenty more to go too. Especially that pesky game in Durham. Not to mention, things have kicked off in the MAAC and we may earn a much-desired UNC-W vs. George Mason semi-final in the CAA Tourney tonight (unless Delaware and/or Northeastern can change that).

Today, "Fake" Lunardi had St. Joe's, Florida, Syracuse, and Western Kentucky as his four last teams out. His last two-in were ACC teams Virginia Tech (schedule?) and Maryland (is a W @ UNC all they need?). Nearly the entire Gameday crew for the four-letter network disagreed.

Pay checking in at 7:45pm ...
- I had an opportunity to attend the Louisville/Georgetown. What stood out to me was the gamble that JT3 took by having Roy Hibbert stay at the 3-point line on defense against the high-ball screens set by David Padgett. Though it disrupted Louisville's flow from behind the arc, the Cardinals had opportunities to exploit mismatches but did not for the most part. This was largely due to Jeremiah Rivers, Patrick Ewing Jr. and Jonathan Wallace successfully fronting Louisville players who had a few inches on the Hoyas not named Roy Hibbert. As an aside, I enjoyed the battle that took place between Padgett and Hibbert.
- UNC-Wilmington is well on its way to booking a ticket to the CAA Semis on Sunday. They'll face the George Mason/Northeastern winner. Thankfully, they'll not be playing this one in a freezing cold gym. Two questions will determine Mason's fate. First, will they contest all shots? Second, will they avoid settling for open jumpers (to the credit of some defenses, they force double teams on Will Thomas)?
- Illinois State faces Drake tomorrow in the Arch Madness Final. The former is IN the tournament. The wild card is Creighton. My hunch is they are out.
- Congratulations to Austin Peay. They won the Ohio Valley. I'm certain that Murray State fans are rioting somewhere.
- Arizona State (RPI: 71) defeated PAC-10 sewage Oregon State to finish 9-9 in conference. With an out of conference victory against Xavier, they are to be considered among the top 30 at-large bids (i.e. not in the infamous "Last Four In").
- I already know right now that the A-14 minus Xavier will give Clement and myself a migraine when conducting the bracket projections.

Pay returning at the first media timeout of UNC/Duke ...
- Unlike most fans, I can admit that the ball was in the cylinder when Deon Thompson tipped it in. The difference between the first matchup and this one (so far) is that Carolina is winning the hustle battle.
- At the under 12:00 timeout, Ellington/Green have already surpassed their output from the last game. Meanwhile, Hansbrough has not operated very well out of the double and triple teams. Early foul trouble for Duke's bigs may actually be a blessing in disguise. Only time will tell. In other action, UMass and Washington State in tight games late. The alma mater (George Mason) is up 13 at halftime. If you're familiar with the Patriots, you'll know that we love giving up double-digit leads, but I don't see it happening tonight because they are flexing their defensive muscles.

At 930pm
- The Tar Heels are doing exactly everything they didn't do in the first matchup. I smell a Duke run before the half.
- Kudos to Belmont in taking home the Atlantic Sun Championship. UMass avoids defeat and Washington State has forced OT but is down 3 at home against in-state rival Washington.

At the half
- Duke is shooting 31% from the field, DaMarcus Nelson is scoreless and Duke is only down 11. It really could be much worse. Is Brian Zoubek Matt Christiansen reincarnated? Danny Green is on a parallel universe right now.
- George Mason's 17-point lead is down to seven against Northeastern with nearly 12 minutes remaining. So much for coasting to victory.

Checking in at 10:40
- Admittedly, my attention diverted to a tense few minutes in Richmond, but Mason pulled away. In Durham, the Blue Devils had an early run to bring the game to within a basket. They've done so by exploiting mismatches and taking the Tar Heels off of the dribble. Tied at 66 with 6 minutes to go.

- With a minute to go, Duke has the ball down 72-68. GREAT STEAL by Lawson. Danny Green tips in the missed layup at one end and swats Scheyer at the other. Carolina is going to spoil Duke's senior night for the second time in three years. With shaky play from Tennessee and UCLA, the Tar Heels are in pole position to stake claim to the #1 overall seed now that they have a signature wins.

Your UNOFFICIAL Colonial Athletic Association Conference Tournament Preview

It doesn’t take any reader of this blog very long – whether viewing daily or yearly – to recognize a friendly bias towards the CAA.

And why not? We have alums from Mason and VCU working hard to spread the good word of one of America’s most underrated conferences. The term mid-major isn’t going anywhere, although this conference is looking to change that perception via their postseason impact.

Need I remind you all of what a certain George Mason team did in 2006? [Hint: FINAL FOUR!]

To a lesser extent, USC fans (not to mention, Sam Clancy) won’t forget the name Brett Blizzard, Duke fans are sick and tired of Eric “The Dagger” Maynor, and Aaron Coombs would haunt Maryland fans if it weren’t for the heroics of Drew “St.” Nicholas.

UNC-W's Brett Blizzard may have been the best mid-major performer of the last 10 years. Seriously.
Credit: BlizzardAcademy

Nevertheless, championship weekend in the CAA kicks off early Friday afternoon with a few snoozers (we’re not exactly getting UP for Northeastern vs. James Madison). Fortunately, there is hope on the horizon as Saturday may have an upset or two in mind (not likely, as you’ll see below) and Sunday could potentially offer up what could become a tantalizing pair of appetizers before the conference championship game gets the royal treatment on The Ocho.

While it’s too early to start predicting results (or is it?), let’s take a look at what the conference’s twelve squads have to offer this weekend, and perhaps, determine their chances of cutting down the nets and earning one of the nation’s first automatic qualifying bids.

We’re not predicting any losing record squads to go all the way, but they deserve their just due. Call me crazy - or a hater (I prefer hata’ by the way) - but I have a hard time NOT envisioning a 1/4 vs. 2/3 semi-finals. In case you didn’t know, the conference only sports (sadly) 4 teams with overall winning records this season.

#12. Georgia State

-Thought to be an up-and-coming squad, Georgia State has a knack for losing games in the closing minutes time and time again. An enticing matchup against an overachieving William & Mary squad may afford them the opportunity to pull off a Friday afternoon upset.

#11. James Madison

-In shambles after a surprising start (they did beat VCU back in 2007), the Dukes have a lame-duck coach and a roster that lacks athleticism at most positions. While Northeastern is far from a juggernaut, both teams are on different sides of the CAA universe during the last two months.

#10. Drexel

-Easily the biggest disappointment of the season, Drexel lost key senior leadership and, surprisingly, any form of last season’s dominant interior presence from 2006-07 Defensive Player of the Year, junior Frank Elegar. You’d think a team with Bruiser Flint riding them would be a darkhose to pull a few upsets this weekend (at least the pro-Bruiser media would), but the Dragons will be fortunate to be competitive ten minutes into a game they may not reach on Saturday.

#9. Towson

-A lot can be gained in their 8/9 matchup against Hofstra, especially considering VCU will garner some mild national interest as the Rams have a decent chance of securing an at-large bid (although that becomes far less likely with a quarterfinal choke-job). While thoughts of CAA-legend Gary Neal have vanquished, the Tigers still have enough athleticism to make it to Satuday.

#8. Hofstra

-After losing last year’s Player of the Year, Loren Stokes, to graduation, Hofstra clearly stood on the fence of pre-season rankings for the conference. It should come as no surprise that they enter the tournament as an uneven 8-seed. What isn’t a surprise is the stellar play of likely CAA 1^st teamer Antoine Agudio. If you can make it to any of Hofstra’s games, he’s easily worth the price of admission alone.

#7. Delaware

-Every year, I wonder if the Blue Hens will make a legitimate tournament run. Outside of a mild upset here or there, Delaware has been far from amazing since joining the conference. While Herb Courtney provides presence in the paint, they appear a rather easy matchup for 10-seed Drexel to pull of the potential “upset”. Although, it must be stated that Delaware’s overall record is a little flawed since several talented transfers after December 15.

#6. Northeastern

-To be honest, the only true interest Northeastern offers for us is the potential for a quarterfinal rematch with recent regular season foe George Mason. Why you ask? Northeastern stunned Mason (sort of) by 11 points on Saturday and cost the Patriots the 2-seed and their wildest of pipe dreams of at-large consideration. Honestly though, that result might not make much of a difference, as Mason in recent years has been able to turn on impressive play for their annual weekend in Richmond in early March. Northeastern may not even reach that matchup if they overlook at nothing-to-lose JMU squad.

#5. William & Mary

-10-8 in conference is a definitive step up for the Tribe; however, 14-15 overall means the NIT won’t even consider them. Yet, if the Tribe is serious about contending in conference in the coming seasons (and alleviating some anxiety from certain VCU fans), they need to control the pace of their 5/12 matchup early and often (remember, Georgia State loves to play you close) and then give self-proclaimed darkhorse-ODU a real run for their money in an under-the-radar 4/5 matchup. This weekend will go a long way in determining the next few seasons for William & Mary basketball in the CAA.

…now for the big boys…

#4. Old Dominion

Pros: Seemingly the hottest teams in the conference before last Saturday, those illusions were swept under the rug after being manhandled on both sides of the balls and the boards at UNC-Wilmington. Coach Blaine Taylor’s squad doesn’t have the starpower of year’s past; however, they have the right blend of talent to give VCU, in particular, fits in the semi-finals. A relatively easy road there should leave the Monarchs more than ready for their 3^rd matchup of the season with the Rams (each winning on each other’s home court).

Cons: ODU can live and die by the three-ball. Despite having a talented bench, that is often the result of less than stellar starters. Only sophomore Gerald Lee has been a consistent scorer in and out of the paint this season. Hitting clutch shot after clutch shot last month against VCU, ODU still clanged two key free throws in the closing seconds and walked away victors only after an apparent no-call on an obvious arm slap on Eric Maynor (ODU won by 1 at the Siegel Center, the only conference opponent of the Rams to do so). ODU’s early schedule (UNC, Georgetown, Louisville) tested them for high-pressure conference tourney moments; nevertheless, they have shown they will play down to their lesser opponents just as often as they’ll play up to their elite ones.

#3. George Mason

Pros: Three key performers remain from the Final Four-squad of 2006; especially PF Will Thomas (the conference’s top interior performer) and Folarin Campbell (the best shot-maker in the conference…when he’s on). Always capable of three good days during the second weekend in March, the Patriots have a proven coach and plenty to play for. Not to mention, they are the only CAA team to not lose to #1-seed VCU. There’s a reason they are a consistent second choice to win this conference tourney.

Cons: Sloppy play down the stretch has erased any at-large considerations for the Patriots. Collapsing against Ohio in their bracketbuster was inexcusable and a late-season loss to Northeastern was downright embarrassing. Although, that’s the exact motivation this team needs entering this weekend. Campbell has been uneven this past month and Mason often becomes far too streaky from behind the arc (hello, Dre Smith!). It remains to be seen if they can perform for 40 minutes for three straight days.

#2. UNC-Wilmington

Pros: Anybody who’s been to a CAA Tournament this millennium knows that the teal t-shirts of UNC-W flood the Coliseum. In fact, per capita, it’s not even close who draws the most fans year in and year out. After a horrific 2006-2007 season, the W swept Mason and earned the tie-breaker for the #2-seed. Interestingly enough, it allows a likely third matchup with Mason in the semi-finals. TJ Carter’s playmaking ability is well known to GMU fans, as is UNC-Ws recent ability to continuously foul the Patriots in the blocks without repercussion from the zebras. After last season’s embarrassing run, UNC-W is hungry to perform well in a tournament that has treated them exceptionally well the last half-dozen years.

Cons: UNC-Wilmington was handled on the road and at home in the second-half of both of their games against VCU. Even though they swept George Mason, we all know how annoying it is to hear about beating a team three times in one season, no matter the sport. More importantly, if the refs handcuff the physicality in the paint of Todd Hendley and Vladimir Kuljanin (or their palming of the ball nearly every position), Wilmington has shown it can lose to lesser opponents badly (Drexel, JMU by 20+, and Delaware).

#1. Virginia Commonwealth {VCU}

Pros: VCU’s perimeter game is led by a dynamic scoring duo of junior PG Eric Maynor and combo senior guard/forward Jamal Shuler (also a lockdown defender). Both are able to score away from the basket and at times appear unstoppable while driving to the basket. Eric Maynor is a lock for Player of the Year and has the ability, unlike any other player in the conference, to carry his team the entire weekend on his back to a championship. The Rams have won this tournament two of the last three seasons and been a staple in the finals the past five seasons (including two wins over George Mason and a loss to ODU). Anthony Grant is 1 for 1 so far in winning CAA Tournaments, while seniors Michael Anderson and Will Fameni both appear healthier and sharper, especially Anderson, than in weeks and months past. Freshmen Larry Sanders also is 10^th in the nation at 3 blocks a game.

Cons: VCU’s inside game has shown plenty of holes. If Maynor can be contained on the perimeter (Mason displayed that blueprint flawlessly) or Shuler finds foul trouble/erratic shooting early, the Rams may have to depend on wildly inconsistent freshman like PG Joey Rodriguez and PF Larry Sanders (who lacks any true offensive post-up game). Both should be limited to 4-5 key plays a game, at best. In fact, Rodriguez has appeared a downright liability at times in the closing moments of games. CAA pundits know that George Mason always plays VCU extremely well and was the only CAA foe the Rams couldn’t knock off (to be fair, they played only once, in Fairfax). ODU also stunted a ton of VCU momentum (who couldn’t equal their 16-2 conference mark of last year thanks to the Monarchs) with their big-time W in late February. If the paint is unkind to the Rams, they may not be able to shoot their ways out of early deficits on Sunday or Monday. Despite defending the 3-ball better than any of the other 340 teams in Division 1, the Rams often become far too reliant on the deep ball at times.

???Projection???

VCU is, but does not have to be, the favorite to win the tournament after winning their last three games in impressive fashion (8 of 9 overall as well). Despite it being held less than five miles away from their home court (Siegel Center) at the Richmond Coliseum, the Rams may not necessarily have the most fans in attendance during all stages of the weekend. Eric Maynor, the likely CAA Player of the Year, has anchored the Rams to a potential at-large birth, but that is FAR from set in stone. It’d be a mistake not to consider the experience of 2007 tournament runner-up George Mason as well, especially considering it took a Herculean effort from Maynor in the closing minutes in last year’s finals to push the Rams to victory over the Patriots. UNC-W and ODU obviously have the talent and coaching to punch their ticket to March Madness as well. What I don’t see is the big-time upset on Saturday or continuing through Sunday…which almost assures us of one. Enjoy the tournament!

Until next time…

Thursday Night Streaming Updates...

We don't have many of these regular season Thursday left (to be honest, it's our last) and there are plenty o' matchups we have our eyes on.

Shocker, it's not all about the college basketball bubble...yet.

So who do you have tonight on the "bubble" for the Oceanic 6 on Lost?
Credit: Newsday.com

Checking in right before 9:00pm.

• #13 UCONN trails at Providence 64-59. Providence is savoring this matchup and the potential to play spoiler to white-hot UCONN. Jerome Dyson just scored his first basket. I suddenly have memories of his 10-point run during their double-digit comeback against Cincinnati. Thabeet re-enters with 4 fouls...interesting to see how he handles this in the paint.
  
• UCLA v. Stanford still tips off at 11pm eastern time. I understand my obvious East Coast-bias; however, there is no reason a game this rock solid (talkin' #3 vs. #7 and potential Pac-10 regular season supremacy) should be on so late for such a large portion fo the country.
• Georgia Tech leads Clemson by 2 with a little over six minutes left to play. Will any conference be as up and down as the ACC should be the next couple days? Something tells me free throws and deep-threes will decide the victor of this late-season ACC matcup.
  
• Northeastern Conference (Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, Wagner, etc.) has started up tonight, no real upsets of note yet.
• Keep an eye on Xavier vs. St. Joe's at 9pm tonight. The Hawks are playing for their lives on the bubble, while the Musketeers have recently been called out on several blogs (including this one) for being rated a little too highly.

My girlfriend has taken over HD to watch the Project Runway finale. Sad times around 9:30pm.

• Of course, Clemson loses to (5-9 in conference) Georgia Tech 80-75. It's shocking to say, but Virginia Tech could play their way into the 3-seed in the ACC Tournament and still be on the outside of the "bubble" looking in. Clemson, Miami, and Virginia Tech may enter March Madness - wherever they are seeded - as some of the worst teams to be their respectively. Yeah, I said it.
• Providence hangs on late and impressively knocks off UCONN. Does this derail Husky momentum or are they saving it for MSG? The Friars may have locked up the 12-seed in the Big East tournament (only next year can all 16 years go to MSG).
• St. Joe's up early 20-17 on Xavier. This could be interesting to follow...
• Illinois also up on Michigan State 25-17 mid-way through the 1st-half. The Spartans may be the most frustrating team in the country - outside of College Park - this entire season. They are gonna be brutal to judge once brackets are released.
• No real eye-openers on the mid-major schedule right now. Maybe I need to look harder.
• UCLA v. Stanford is still at 11. I'm protesting by going to bed before then.
  
• Here are two fuzzy, yet hilarious random YouTube clips: Family Guy & Holiday Hawk. Enjoy!
  

Pay checking in at 9:50

• I have my eye on Oregon (7-9) versus Arizona State (8-8). Oregon is up 7 with 12 and change in regulation. If they hold on, their game against Arizona (who's handling winless Oregon State) may very well be an NCAA elimination game if both teams lose in the quarters of the PAC-10 tournament. On a side note, does anyone else think that Dick Enberg should write an essay for every tournament game that he covers and not just the finale?
• St. Joe's is up 7 at halftime against A-14 behemoth Xavier. I'll be shocked if they win and are not included in Joe Lunardi's next edition of ESPN Cracketology.
• Clement and I just spoke not too long ago and we're both missing out on the Stanford/UCLA. I'm really interested in seeing how the Cardinal guards will handle Collison and Westbrook. Though they are not the team that lost to Louisville by the first media timeout in the NCAA Tournament last season, I cannot say that I am sold on Stanford's ability to break guard pressure. While the Bruins won't press like a Louisville or a UAB of yesteryear under the tutelage of Mike Anderson, I envision them creating situations whereby the Cardinal will have to work to get the ball past the timeline.

Nearing 11pm

• Oregon (8-9) defeats Arizona State (8-9) setting up a clash between Arizona (8-9) and Oregon. If Oregon and Oregon State (who plays Arizona State) and you can only pick six PAC 10-teams, then who gets the boot [assuming all three lose in the Pac-10 quarters]?
• Xavier down 9 late. Make that 7 with 1:40 to go. I really hate the Hawk.
• Looking forward to the craziness of Arch Madness tomorrow with SIU and Illinois State in must-win situations.
• If Utah State hangs on at Boise State, the Aggies will be 11-4 and the Broncos will be 12-4. New Mexico State is up to 11-4. If Utah State, Nevada and New Mexico State will, then there will be an irrelevant four-way tie because New Mexico State has homecourt advantage regardless of their seed.
• Just to follow up, it's looking like St. Joe's is winning this one, setting up a huge showdown on Saturday at Dayton.
  

Until next update...

The Bubble: 7 Minutes in Heaven or …

As we welcome the entrance of the “mid-major” conference tournaments and the final weekend of play for the “big timers” [Duke/UNC anyone?], there are more than enough teams clinging to desperate hopes of a bid on Selection Sunday .

Some have seen their entire conference struggle down the stretch (that’s you, A-10), others have watched promising seasons wash away (Syracuse), while others have seen the highest of the high and lowest of the low (Texas Tech beats Texas and loses to Oklahoma & Kansas by over 100 points combined in the span of a week).

Nevertheless, there are plenty of schools out there – from those aforementioned “power conferences” – which need as many as 3 or 4 more wins to secure a selection.

While it remains to be seen if teams like Syracuse, Villanova, Texas Tech and St. Joe’s have put themselves in a position to only secure a bid via the automatic circuit (i.e. winning their conference tournament), at least, we have drama.

Along with that drama are the anticipated performances of star players. For, as you will soon see, X-factors on the bubble are not your key swingman off the bench or even your third option.

It’s the #1 guy, stud or dud, who might have to pull a Gerry McNamara and will their team into the NCAA Tournament.

Maryland – Grievis Vasquez

Capable of a triple-double most nights...with turnovers likely the third statistic.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Remaining Game(s): March 9 - @ Virginia
Comment: Vasquez has the unique ability to keep both teams on the floor in the game (thanks Kevin Sheehan of Redskins Radio for that gem). The Terps can ill afford a letdown on the road in Charlottesville, as they don’t have the playmaking ability required to make a deep ACC Tourney run.

Syracuse – Donte Greene

Three straight seasons on the bubble has fans grimacing more than Boeheim.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Remaining Game(s): March 5 - @ Seton Hall, March 9 – Marquette
Comment: Sadly, it took Greene nearly 30 games into his freshman year in upstate New York to abandon the idea of chucking up sixteen 3-balls a game. Unfortunately, Cuse’s 6-man rotation has reeked [sic] havoc on their play in conference. Likely needing to sweep this week and make as many as 2 or 3 major statements in New York in two weekends, it may be two years in a row Syracuse is toiling with NCAA tournament talent in the NIT.

Ohio State – Jamar Butler

From star to role player to star again. The circle of college basketball life.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Remaining Game(s): March 9 – Michigan State
Comment: Pay and I made sure to target in our talking points that Ohio State was afforded a tremendous opportunity drawing ranked-Purdue and Michigan State in the final week of the regular season. Holding serve at home against Purdue Tuesday night went a long way in affording the Buckeyes a crucial banner win. Pulling the upset at home on Saturday versus the Izzos would almost assuredly secure them a tournament bid. Jamar Butler’s 25 against Purdue will need to be repeated, at least, for the Spartans to fall on Saturday.

St. Joseph’s – Pat Calathes

You can't spell A-10 without hustle. Oh wait, maybe you can.
Credit: CollegePublisher.com

Remaining Game(s): March 6 – Xavier, March 8 – @Dayton
Comment: Their 1-point loss to Temple on Sunday night hurt the entire conference potentially. Even worse, the Hawks may wind up on the wrong side of every conceivable bracket projection after losing two games this week they’re more than likely not favored to win. In fact, their showdown at Dayton will almost assuredly knock one of at-large bid contention. That is, unless the Hawks can strike down the top-10 Musketeers and potentially expose their #2 or #3 seed potential.

Kentucky – Joe Crawford

Now that he's hurt (Patterson), we can mention the "other" Kentucky Wildcats.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Remaining Games: March 5 - @South Carolina, March 9 – Florida
Comment: You’ll notice more than a little symmetry with the next two teams. Kentucky lost Patrick Patterson for the season and still played Tennessee to a close 3-point game in Knoxville. Suddenly, that 39-point loss to Vanderbilt back before Valentine’s Day seems a distant memory (or does it?). Much like Maryland and their UVA game, Kentucky can’t afford to fall into the trap-door game at South Carolina tonight. As for Sunday’s matchup with Florida, it’s going to be for more than just positioning in the SEC Tournament. Already losers in OT over a month ago in Gainesville, the Wildcats may not be on the smiling side of the bubble if they drop two of their next three (or worse).

Florida – Marreese Speights & Nick Calathes

So wait, you're telling me that we don't get an automatic bid despite being two-time defending champs?
Credit: TheHype.com

Remaining Games: March 5 – Tennessee, March 9 - @Kentucky
Comment: Almost a mirror image of Ohio State (ironically last year’s national title game opponents), the Gators have plenty of upcoming opportunities this week to impose their will on the Selection Committee. The two-time defending champs have only faced four ranked opponents this season, yet face a potential #1 seed tonight and another bubble team from the SEC East on Sunday. Two losses and even an upset in the SEC Tournament might not be enough for Billy Donovan’s crew.

Dayton – Brian Roberts

Okay, not THAT Brian Roberts. But come on! Catch the fever of O's Baseball!!!
Credit: Journals.AOL.com

Remaining Game(s): March 5 - @ St. Bonaventure, March 8 – St. Joseph’s
Comment: 14-1 seems so long ago. In fact, too long ago (Come back, Chris Wright). One of the ultimate arguments behind closed doors must focus on the Flyers (who at 6-8 in conference right now) own victories @ Louisville and over Pittsburgh (then ranked #6). However, they also have damaging in-conference losses and may end up losing a critical season finale to St. Joe’s. Suppose this team is out by the A-10 semi-finals … good luck keeping them in or out in under three hours of deliberation.

…also considering attention…
Oklahoma State – Byron Eaton
Virginia Tech – A.D. Vassallo
Southern Illinois – Randal Falker
Texas Tech – Martin Zeno
Villanova – Scottie Reynolds

Who is MISSING? It’s not Waldo. However, we’d like to hear YOUR teams and YOUR impact x-factor PLAYERS that will make our jobs as bracket projectionists easier…or much more difficult.

Until next time…

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