AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2008 > March > 15 > Entry

Predicting the Field of 65


Mark Bradley

A conference tournament is supposed to be the forum for an iffy team to make its case.

This year has seen a slew of major-conference teams pleading, “Nolo contendre.”

Thursday was one of the stranger days in college basketball annals. Almost every team presumed to be on the proverbial bubble contrived to lose. Ole Miss lost to Georgia. Maryland lost to Boston College. Baylor lost to Colorado. Arizona, Oregon and Arizona State lost in the Pac-10.

On Saturday, Virginia Tech lost to North Carolina on a Tyler Hansbrough jumper with 0.8 seconds left. Of his Hokies, coach Seth Greenberg said: “If somebody watched that game and thinks we’re not one of the 65 best teams in the country, they’re certifiably insane.”

Some years a field of 65 doesn’t seem big enough. This isn’t one of those. This is a year where the field could shrink by 10 and not omit anyone of consequence.

But it won’t, which is where we invoke the First Rule of Bracketing: Those 65 teams, however flawed, must come from somewhere. Here’s one guess as to their identities:

East Regional matchups

1. North Carolina

16. SWAC champ/Mt. St. Mary’s


8. Marquette

9. Kansas State


5. Washington State

12. Ohio State


4. Butler

13. Oral Roberts


6. BYU

11. Arizona


3. Xavier

14. American


7. Michigan State

10. Baylor


2. Georgetown

15. Belmont


—————-

West Regional

1. UCLA

15. Maryland-Baltimore County


8. Miami

9. Arkansas


5. Pitt

12. Western Kentucky


4. Indiana

13. George Mason


5. UNLV

11. Virginia Tech


3. Drake

14. WAC champ


7. Mississippi State

10. St. Mary’s


2. Texas

15. Portland State


—————-

South Regional

1. Tennessee

16. MEAC champ


8. Gonzaga

9. Texas A&M


5. Purdue

12. Temple/Massachusetts


4. Louisville

13. Cornell


6. Notre Dame

11. Illinois State


3. Stanford

14. Winthrop


7. Oklahoma

10. South Alabama


2. Duke

15. Austin Peay


—————-

Midwest Regional

1. Memphis

16. Southland champ


8. Davidson

9. Kentucky


5. Connecticut

12. St. Joseph’s


4. Vanderbilt

13. Siena


6. Clemson

11. West Virginia


3. Wisconsin

14. Big West champ


7. Southern Cal

10. Kent State


2. Kansas

15. San Diego

Permalink | Comments (40) | Post your comment | Categories: Mark Bradley

Comments

By Nate

March 15, 2008 7:24 PM | Link to this

Your numerical projections confuse me.

By yellowblood

March 15, 2008 9:21 PM | Link to this

I think we might have made The Dance if Paul had allowed the players to participate in the alumni sponsored Tickle Piles.

By George Holman

March 15, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this

Why don’t you do it tomorrow after Clemson defeats UNC for the ACC. To put UNLV as a 5 and Clemson as a 6 is a joke!

By mike28212

March 15, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this

look out for UGA…on tech’s homecourt no less.

By Jim

March 16, 2008 12:03 AM | Link to this

I’m shocked you couldn’t figure out some way to give Georgia Tech a berth. You know, they only lost that batch of games by so few points, and then they beat those cellar-dwellers at the end in that late-season spurt that showed how much “potential” they had. Oh, that’s right, it’s actually wins and loses that count, not potential.

By insider

March 16, 2008 12:31 AM | Link to this

You obviously have Arkansas winning tomorrow. So F you, Mark Bradley. We will win tomorrow.

By Tokyo Tom

March 16, 2008 2:00 AM | Link to this

Thanks for the Big Red love- Cornell at #13 is a great call for their outstanding season and high RPI. Actually you did a good job of seeding the field (except, replace Kentucky with Minnesota- go Tubby!). Of course more changes will need to me made after the Dawgs tear up the little piggies later today…

By pleeez

March 16, 2008 2:17 AM | Link to this

you have GOT to be kidding me!

UT as a 1 seed in South after losing in quarterfinals and Memphis as the 4th 1 seed? SEC homer

By Jeff

March 16, 2008 2:46 AM | Link to this

Uhh, heads up Mark. But with a win tomorrow you should find a spot for UGA in the bracket.

By Gee Tech

March 16, 2008 2:49 AM | Link to this

UGA’s dominance in the SEC tourney proves that the SEC is up for grabs and that it isn’t deserving of a “one seed”. UT is overrated and I hope that UGA beats Arkansas. They deserve it after playing two games in one day. The irony….on GT’s home court. What a way for Paul Hewitt to relive a nightmare when he lost to UGA on a freak play. But I wish the bulldogs the best of luck. They deserve to be where they are right now. Dead legs or not, they are on a roll. Go state of Georgia.

And I’m not worried about GT. With Mo Miller growing up and Dicky and Shumpart coming into the line up, we’ll be a top 10 team all year long next year. Provided that PH retools his coaching staff. Ganawail and Mo MO are tru frosh who have grown up very nicely and with Dikcey, Sumpert, and Clinch, Peakcock, and Storres back, we’ll be very good.

By GADevildawg

March 16, 2008 7:31 AM | Link to this

Only 5 Pac 10 teams? Dont think so

By DAWG HATER

March 16, 2008 7:33 AM | Link to this

You have got to be kidding me! UGAly wins against KY on a no call when they were trying to in bound the ball, then MSU gets a technical foul with 10 seconds left, which ultimately decided the game! Are the refs UGA grads? Are they getting paid? Better yet, does the team know how many points a 3 point basket is worth? I guess so, as some kid named Swanson, I mean Swansey hits a prayer 3-pointer at the buzzer. All I can say is GO HOGS! and get off our floor and go back to Athens where you belong. I hope the Hogs kick your lucky dog azzes.

By DAWG HATER

March 16, 2008 7:39 AM | Link to this

Hey Jinmmy Boy! Good luck beating the HOGS. Your crappy team is lucky where they are and in the final. Obviously, the refs are UGAly grads with the no calls and the technical in the MSU game. By the way, do you know what color your school colors are? 1) Pink, 2) Gold, 3) Red/Black 4) None of the above. Ring a bell for you illiterate rednecks! HOGS rule tomorrow!

By DAWG HATER

March 16, 2008 7:45 AM | Link to this

Hey Jeff,

You will find your dawgs on a bus headed back to crappy Athens where they belong instead of in the NCAA field of 65. Of course, unless the committee makes an exception and allows 66 teams, which would not surprise me. GO HOGS!

By Jon

March 16, 2008 8:05 AM | Link to this

Refs being paid???? That’s why UGA had every player of significance in foul trouble and lost their best player with 7 minutes remaining.

By jwb

March 16, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

There are more than 10 teams in your selection that don’t belong!

By DAWG HATER

March 16, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this

Hey Jonny Boy,

How many fouls before a player fouls out of a college BB game?

a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4 e) 5 f) None of the above! LMFAO

By Harry

March 16, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this

jim you idiot of course he wouldn’t put tech in the tournament…do you watch NCAA basketball? why would they put in a team with a record like techs? and i am a huge tech fan but i know we didnt deserve it this year

By CharlestonDAWG

March 16, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this

Hey DAWG HATER..I enjoy you trying to rattle the DAWGNATION with your ignorant bliss. Your comments on “crappy Athens”…us being in foul trouble. You have to be f*g kidding me! Arkansas? I couldn’t think of a worse place to live. Go home to your double wide you loser. You might even be a TECH fan disguised as a HOG. This makes me laugh even harder….DAWGS winning the SEC on their court. DAWGS win a berth today over the Hogs..then you go back to your depressing double wide life.

By Adam

March 16, 2008 10:51 AM | Link to this

Has Georgia now won more games at the “Thriller Dome” this season than GT?

By sean

March 16, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this

How is it that you have #2 Memphis(33-1) as the last No.1 seed? Is it because of C-USA? If so maybe you need to look at who Memphis beat in there Out of Conference schedule. And don’t give me the SEC crap when Kentucky could not even beat 2 of C-USA’s NIT teams.

By WVgrad

March 16, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this

Moronic. WV has an RPI of 28 and just beat No. 15 UConn, and it’s an 11 seed?

By DAWG HATER

March 16, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this

Hey Charleston Dog,

I was born and raised in Dunwoody and last time I checked there were not any double wides in the city? However, I know they have them in Athens and the surrounding community. As for as a HOG fan! My team is GT and anyone that plays UGAly, as you guys suck and you are a bunch of rednecks. Your school sucks azz! I will enjoy watching your crappy BB team lose today, unless they get bailed out by the refs once again, or that kid Swanson….I mean Swansey…lol….hits another prayer shot. GO HOGS! Later you redneck!

By DAWG HATER

March 16, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this

Hey DAWG FANS,

I take all my comments about your crappy school and teams back! I am sorry! I just looked up your RPI rating in BB and it’s # 3. You played one heck of a schedule. LMFAO! You all suck! Go to the V and get a real dog!

By HelluvaEngineer

March 16, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this

I don’t care about brackets, seedings, bubble, etc… I long for the day the mullet heads from the SEC retreat back to their trailers (with all due respect to Vandy)

By fildawg

March 16, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

Hey Dawg Hater:

UGA 79 Bumblebees 72

By Mark Bradley

March 16, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

A later bracket — published in the paper’s late edition — had Tennessee as No. 2 seed and Kansas No. 1 in the Midwest. As you probably know, any bracket with a Sunday morning publication date is going to go through many manifestations on Friday and Saturday. And the reason Georgia isn’t in the bracket is the same reason Illinois isn’t: Neither would make it as an at-large team.

By ArkyTech

March 16, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this

Kentucky has no business in the NCAA tournament, let alone in an 8-9 game.

By Bracketdawg

March 16, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this

Hey Dawg Hater, I think Georgia has won more games inside Alexander Memorial Colliseum this year than Tech has. Georgia Tech is almost as bad at basketball as they are in Football but not quite, the jackets really $uck in Football. Reggie Ball’s jersey number ought to be retired inside Sanford Stadium.

By Bilbo

March 16, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this

Hey Harry

You missed the sarcasm in Jim’s post about being surprised Bradley didn’t have Tech in the big dance. The AJC columnist has had an inexplicable love affair with the Jackets the last few seasons, terribly overestimating their talent both years.

By Darren

March 16, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this

Dear God, I hope we don’t play Georgetown again.

By CharlestonDAWG

March 16, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this

What’s up DAWG HATER or NERD? Not only have you NERDS lost to us in football and basketball, but we have now made the tournament. How sweet it is to be a GEORGIA BULLDOG! Suck to be a Jacket doesn’t it?

By CharlestonDAWG

March 16, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this

What’s up DAWG HATER or NERD? Not only have you NERDS lost to us in football and basketball, but we have now made the tournament. How sweet it is to be a GEORGIA BULLDOG! Suck to be a Jacket doesn’t it?

By steve

March 16, 2008 5:40 PM | Link to this

The DAWGS just burst someone’s bubble!

By Gary

March 16, 2008 5:44 PM | Link to this

Dude, Guess ya gotta add Georgia now don’t you sport. Go Dawgs. Felton, you earned yourself another season based on how you got this team ready this weekend. Great job. Look forward to seeing what you can do with those great reqruits next year!

By Hawkinsville Dawg

March 16, 2008 5:51 PM | Link to this

Hello Mark…Your brackets are already wrong. It seems you forgot to add UGA. Wasn’t it UGA that beat your Kentucky Wildcats?

By Buckhead Bulldog

March 16, 2008 5:58 PM | Link to this

Hey DAWG HATER?

So sorry!

It really riles your little, hate filled, heart that the DOGS won the SEC. I guess it is time for you to bring on your,little, immature, name calling antics, huh?

Sic’em Dogs!!!!!!!

By JACKETHATER

March 16, 2008 6:56 PM | Link to this

It’s Great To Be a Georgia Bulldog and win a Championship on the Trade School’s court LMFAO!!! Hey Tech get some new nets!!

By EasyG

March 16, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this

Might want to add Georgia there, chief.

By EasyG

March 16, 2008 7:02 PM | Link to this

Dawg Hater has to be 14 or younger. Go give mommy back her laptop. You have been a very bad little boy.

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