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Thursday, February 1, 2007
No middlin’ around
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You’ve got to go to downtown flyover country to find the best argument for the rising profile of mid-major programs. The absolute middle of Middle America, in fact.
The Missouri Valley Conference is making another run for multiple bids, sporting the fifth-best conference RPI. Southern Illinois and Creighton share the top spot with 9-3 in league play, and the AJC’s Tony Barnhart likes those two for the field of 65, along with Missouri State and Wichita State, an Elite 8 team a year ago. And Northern Iowa and Bradley on the bubble.
March Madness in Atlanta:
Check out the AJC’s Final Four pageRecall last year when the MVC got four teams, the same as the Pac-10, which sent Billy Packer into a nationally-televised conniption fit with NCAA selection committee chair Craig Littlepage, heatedly denouncing the mid-majors. To his credit, Littlepage, the AD at UVa, chastised right back. George Mason then romped to the Final Four, taking out North Carolina and UConn, and the cat somehow got Billy’s tongue.
There shouldn’t be a similarly heated denunciation if the MVC equals last year’s bids. For the moment, MVC teams are 15-12 against the “Big Six,” the BCS conferences, and all 10 teams will be involved in BracketBuster games later this month.
It may be that the MVC is to college basketball what Boise State was to the previously impenetrable BCS: taking the “mid” out of the mid-majors.
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ACC Watch: Clemson plays it cool
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two consecutive heartbreaking losses haven’t sent Clemson into hysterics, either the familiar Duke-related conspiracy theory variety that crops up at least once in the heat of ACC action or after the Tigers’ meltdown Sunday against Virginia.
Instead, coach Oliver Purnell is impressing with his low-key demeanor in the aftermath of a disastrous week.
March Madness in Atlanta:
Check out the AJC’s Final Four pageThe Tigers, who come into Alexander Memorial Coliseum Saturday looking to thrust a knife into Georgia Tech’s fading NCAA hopes, have too much to play for. They’re 18-4 and tied for fourth at 4-4 in the ACC.
Steady play has marked Clemson’s play all season. Former Cairo H.S. star Cliff Hammonds has had more turnovers than assists in only one game all season. The team’s weakness as of late has been on the boards.
How do you think Clemson will fare the rest of the way? Is this team headed for the NCAA Tournament?
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SEC Watch: Rating the bigs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former Wheeler star Jermareo Davidson was considered one of the top post players in the SEC long before last night’s game at LSU, but his career-high 31-point performance in Baton Rouge ought to do wonders for his NBA stock.
March Madness in Atlanta:
Check out the AJC’s Final Four pageMore importantly, the 73-70 comeback win for the Crimson Tide gave Mark Gottfried’s slumping team a badly needed boost. ‘Bama’s now 16-5 and 3-4 in the SEC West, where nobody’s above .500 in conference games. And he rang up big offensive numbers against LSU’s ‘Big Baby’ Davis, who looks absolutely bamboozled on the court, as do the rest of the Tigers.
In what has become a seemingly unbearable ordeal for Davidson, he’s grieving from the death of his girlfriend in an auto accident and the shooting death of his brother in the fall.
Davidson briefly considered the NBA draft after last season, then returned to Tuscaloosa for his senior campaign. Where do you rate him among SEC big men? The league is loaded with Davis, Florida’s Joakim Noah, Randolph Morris of Kentucky, et al.
Which of these players will be taken first, presuming they all turn pro after this season? Which one do you think will have the best NBA career?
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Tony Barnhart’s 65 daily picks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In today’s projected NCAA field, the AJC’s Tony Barnhart first offers his conference-by-conference breakdown, then his 65 daily picks.
Following both of Tony’s forecasts, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
BY CONFERENCE
ACC (6 teams):
• In: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech.
• Bubble: Georgia Tech, Maryland, Virginia
BIG EAST (7):
• In: Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, West Virginia.
• Bubble: Providence, Villanova
BIG TEN (4):
• In: Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin
• Bubble: Illinois, Michigan
BIG 12 (5):
• In: Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
• Bubble: Nebraska, Kansas State, Oklahoma
COLONIAL (2):
• In: VCU, Hofstra
• Bubble: Drexel
MISSOURI VALLEY (4):
• In: Creighton, Missouri State, Southern Illinois, Wichita State
• Bubble: Bradley, Northern Iowa
MOUNTAIN WEST (2):
• In: Air Force, UNLV
• Bubble: BYU
PAC-10 (6):
• In: Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, Stanford, UCLA, Washington State.
• Bubble: California
SEC (6):
• In:Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky Vanderbilt
• Bubble: LSU, Tennessee.
WAC (2):
• In: Nevada, New Mexico State
• Bubble: None.
TONY’S 65 DAILY PICKS
If he made his bracket today, AJC’s Tony Barnhart would pick these teams to make it to the Big Dance:
1: North Carolina (ACC champ)
2: Florida (SEC champ)
3: UCLA (Pac-10 champ)
4: Pittsburgh (Big East champ)
5: Wisconsin (Big Ten champ)
6: Texas A&M (Big 12 champ)
7: Ohio State (at-large(
8: Oregon (at-large)
9: Kansas (at-large)
10: Duke (at-large)
11: Oklahoma State (at-large)
12: Butler (Horizon champ)
13: Texas (at-large)
14: Air Force (Mountain West champ)
15: Nevada (WAC champ)
16: Marquette (at-large)
17: Indiana (at-large)
18: Kentucky (at-large)
19: Memphis (C-USA champ)
20: Arizona (at-large)
21: UNLV (at-large)
22: Alabama (at-large)
23: Southern Illinois (MVC champ)
24: Washington State (at-large)
25: Virginia Tech (at-large)
26: Michigan State (at-large)
27: Boston College (at-large)
28: Texas Tech (at-large)
29: Vanderbilt (at-large
30: Notre Dame (at-large)
31: Florida State (at-large)
32: Southern Cal (at-large)
33: Arkansas (at-large)
34: Gonzaga (West Coast Champs)
35: Missouri State (at-large)
36: Stanford (at-large)
37: Georgia (at-large)
38: Clemson (at-large)
39: Georgetown (at-large)
40: Syracuse (at-large)
41: Creighton (at-large)
42: Wichita State (at-large)
43: Louisville (at-large)
44: West Virginia (at-large)
45: VCU (Colonial champ)
46: Davidson (Southern champ)
47: New Mexico State (at-large)
48: Hofstra (at-large)
49: George Washington (A-10 champ)
50: Texas A&M-CC (Southland champ)
51: Vermont (America East champ)
52: Penn (Ivy champ)
53: Winthrop (Big South Champ)
54: East Tennessee (Atlantic Sun champ)
55: Toledo (MAC champ)
56: Holy Cross (Patriot champ)
57: South Alabama (Sun Belt champ)
58: Delaware State (MEAC champ)
59: Oral Roberts (Mid-Continent champ)
60: Austin Peay (Ohio Valley champ)
61: Cal State Fullerton (Big West champ)
62: Jackson State (SWAC champ)
63: Weber State (Big Sky champ)
64: Loyola, Md. (MAAC champ)
65: Central Conn. State (Northeast champ)
So today you you’ve got two issues to blog about:
What do you think of Tony’s conference choices? And how does his overall 65 picks differ from yours?
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