Home > March to Atlanta: Hoop Head > Archives > 2007 > February > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTony Barnhart’s 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 (7 teams):
• In: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech.
• Bubble: Georgia Tech, Maryland.
• Stock up: Boston College (16-6, RPI 28) is tied for ACC lead despite the loss of center Sean Williams, who was dismissed from the team on Jan. 18.
• Stock down: Clemson, which has lost five of its last six after a 17-0 start. Tigers need a win Wednesday night against Florida State at Littlejohn.
BIG EAST (6):
• In: Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Villanova, West Virginia.
• Bubble: Louisville, Providence, Syracuse.
• Stock up: Marquette (19-4, RPI 15) has won seven straight.
• Stock down: Syracuse 16-8, RPI 50) has lost four of five and might not make the Big East Tournament.
BIG TEN (4):
• In: Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin.
• Bubble: Illinois, Michigan.
• Stock up: Ohio State (20-3, RPI 5) has won seven straight going into tonight’s game with Michigan.
• Stock down: Michigan State (17-7) is 4-5 in the Big Ten after losing three straight.
BIG 12 (6):
• In: Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
• Bubble: Nebraska, Oklahoma.
• Stock up: Texas A&M (20-3) has solidified a No. 2 seed with back-to-back wins over Kansas and Texas.
• Stock down: Despite huge numbers by freshman Kevin Durant, Texas (16-7) has lost four of seven and seen its RPI drop to 54.
MISSOURI VALLEY (3)
• In: Creighton, Missouri State, Southern Illinois.
• Bubble: Wichita State, Bradley, Northern Iowa.
• Stock up: Southern Illinois (18-5, RPI 12) has won five straight and is pushing for a No. 4 seed.
• Stock down: Northern Iowa (15-9, RPI 62) looked like a possible at-large before losing three of its last four.
MOUNTAIN WEST (3)
• In: Air Force, BYU, UNLV.
• Bubble: None.
• Stock up: BYU (16-6, RPI 27) has won five of its last six to get into the NCAA field.
• Stock down: None.
PAC-10 (6)
• In: Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, Stanford, UCLA, Washington State. Bubble: California.
• Bubble: California.
• Stock up: Washington State (19-4, RPI 31) has won four of its last five to move into second place behind UCLA.
• Stock down: Oregon (19-4, RPI 17) was a lock for a No. 2 seed before losing three of its last four.
SEC (6)
• In: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Vanderbilt.
• Bubble: LSU, Tennessee, Auburn.
• Stock up: Florida (21-2, RPI 13). The Gators have won 14 straight. The RPI means nothing. Right now they are the best team in the country.
• Stock down: LSU (13-9, RPI 83), a Final Four team last season, is dead last in the SEC West after losing five straight.
WAC (2)
• In: Nevada, New Mexico State.
• Bubble: None.
• Stock up: Nevada (20-2, RPI 29) should get in the field even if doesn’t win the WAC Tournament.
• Stock down: New Mexico State (17-5, RPI 78) really isn’t down but it might not make the field because of a schedule rank of 219.
TONY RANKS THE NCAA FIELD
If he made his bracket today, AJC’s Tony Barnhart would pick these teams to make it to the Big Dance:
1: Florida (SEC champ)
2: North Carolina (ACC 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: Kansas (at-large)
9: Kentucky (at-large)
10: Butler (Horizon champ)
11: Memphis (C-USA champ)
12: Duke (at-large)
13: Oregon (at-large)
14: Air Force (Mountain West champ)
15: Nevada: (WAC champ)
16: Marquette (at-large)
17: Indiana (at-large)
18: Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley champ)
19: Arizona (at-large)
20: Notre Dame (at large)
21: Stanford (at-large)
22: Oklahoma State (at-large)
23: Washington State (at-large)
24: Virginia Tech (at-large)
25: Southern Cal (at-large)
26: Boston College (at-large)
27: Villanova (at-large)
28: Vanderbilt (at-large)
29: Texas (at-large)
30: Texas Tech (at-large)
31: BYU (at-large)
32: Michigan State (at-large)
33: Virginia (at-large)
34: Georgetown (at-large)
35: Kansas State (at-large)
36: Alabama (at-large)
37: Arkansas (at-large)
38: Clemson (at-large)
39: Gonzaga (at-large)
40: UNLV (at-large)
41: Creighton (at-large)
42: Georgia (at-large)
43: Florida State (at-large)
44: West Virginia (at-large)
45: VCU (Colonial champ)
46: Davidson (Southern champ)
47: New Mexico State (at-large)
48: Missouri State (at-large)
49: UMass (Atlantic 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 State (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: Long Beach State (Big West champ)
62: Jackson State (SWAC champ)…WON
63: Weber State (Big Sky champ)
64: Loyola of Maryland (MAAC champ)
65: Central Connecticut State (Northeast champ)
• What do you think of Tony’s conference choices, along with those on his up and down lists?
• And how does his overall 65 picks differ from yours?
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Tony Barnhart's daily picks
Comments
By Mike
February 6, 2007 03:12 PM | Link to this
How is TN not an at large team? Beat Texas, OK State, memphis? Even beat GA that is an at large team…don’t get the logic?
By GT Jake
February 6, 2007 03:41 PM | Link to this
UGA ‘in’? What a joke. They are no more ‘in’ than GT is…and as much as it pains me to say it, they’re not even close!
By Big Orange Frank
February 6, 2007 03:47 PM | Link to this
Interesting thoughts and well articulated, but sure to generate some controversy. I agree with Mike, how is Tennessee a “bubble team” based on the logic Barnhart uses to rank teams. Tenn. has a slew of quality wins (Tx, Memphis, OK State, etc.) and their only losses (until Lofton’s injury) were to UNC and Butler, both on the road.
By Say Duh
February 6, 2007 05:03 PM | Link to this
Mike and Big Orange: It’s simple, you have a LOSING record in the SEC. You have a LOSING record this year. Plus, YOU SUCK!