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Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Something to gobble about
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
HoopHead does intend to do a more nationwide tour of the college basketball scene as it gets closer to March, but some of the most compelling action for the moment remains in a very parochial location.
The discombobulated ACC sprung another gasket Tuesday when Virginia Tech nipped the Tar Heels in overtime. The Hokies pulled off two remarkable sweeps: taking both regular season games from Uncle Roy’s Boys, and winning at both the Deandome and Cameron Indoor in the same season.
Leading theory about the sucess of Greenberg’s Group: It helps to have senior guards. And is there a team that’s better prepared for the rigors of March?
It’s hard to dispute that few teams in Tech’s position have a better array of good wins.
Here’s a blast from the past that’s worth keeping an eye on:
The Hoyas are back under John Thompson III, minus Daddy’s paranoia. That was a very convincing win for Georgetown over a West Virginia team that had just knocked off UCLA, further clouding the No. 1 seed picture.**
The forecast is even more in doubt after UNC fell on the same night that Texas A & M got nipped by Texas Tech for the second time this season. Bobby Knight’s team is on NCAA life support, and needs a few more quality wins to breathe on its own.
It’s still hard to see any current likely No. 2 ready to move up, at least at this moment. Pittsburgh took a bad L to the U of L, giving the Cards something to chirp about. Would you make Wisconsin a No. 1? Ohio State? Kansas?
No envy here for the forthcoming task of the NCAA selection committee.
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Tony Barnhart’s daily picks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Following Tony’s forecasts, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
WHO’S IN
• Georgia Tech (17-8, RPI 45) after beating Florida State on the road Tuesday night. The Yellow Jackets now have three wins against the Top 25 in the RPI and seven wins against the Top 50.
• Texas Tech (16-10, RPI 34) seemed out after four straight losses but then won a big one at Texas Tech Tuesday night. The Red Raiders now have two wins over Texas Tech and one over Kansas.
WHO’S OUT
• Notre Dame (18-6, RPI 55) has only one win against the Top 25 and only three against the Top 50.
• Kansas State (18-8, RPI 52) had a terrible loss at Nebraska (13-9, RPI 79) Tuesday night. The Wildcats have only one win against the Top 50, that coming against No. 49 Texas.
WORTH NOTING
• Texas A&M slips back to a No. 2 seed while UCLA goes back to a No. 1.
• North Carolina (22-4, RPI 3) drops to a No. 2 seed after losing to Virginia Tech at home. Ohio State moves into a No. 1.
• Purdue (16-9, RPI 43) may knock fellow Big Ten team Michigan State (18-8, RPI 34) if the Boilermakers win at home against Indiana on Thursday. That game was postponed from Wednesday due to snow.
TONY BARNHART’S TOP 65
1: Florida (SEC champ)
2: Wisconsin (Big Ten camp)
3: UCLA (Pac-10 champ)
4: Ohio State (at-large)
5: North Carolina (ACC champ)
6: Kansas (at-large)
7: Pittsburgh (Big East champ)
8: Texas A&M (Big 12 champ)
9: Washington State (at-large)
10: Memphis (C-USA champ)
11: Marquette (at-large)
12: Boston College (at-large)
13: Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley Champ)
14: Kentucky (at-large)
15: Virginia (at-large)
16: Virginia Tech (at-large)
17: Butler (Horizon champ)
18: Indiana (at-large)
19: Air Force (Mountain West champ)
20: Oklahoma State (at-large)
21: Villanova (at-large)
22: Oregon (at-large(
23: Southern Cal (at-large)
24: Stanford (at-large)
25: Nevada (WAC champ)
26: Arizona (at-large)
27: Duke (at-large)
28: Tennessee (at-large)
29: BYU (at-large)
30: Georgetown (at-large)
31: Creighton (at-large)
32: Texas (at-large)
33: UNLV (at-large)
34: Florida State (at-large)
35: Vanderbilt (at-large)
36: Gonzaga (West Coast champ)
37: Missouri State (at-large)
38: Maryland (at-large)
39: Georgia Tech (at-large)
40: Texas Tech (at-large)
41: Clemson (at-large)
42: Alabama (at-large)
43: Arkansas (at-large)
44: Michigan State (at-large)
45: VCU (Colonial champ)
46: Illinois (at-large)
47: Xavier (A-10 champ)
48: West Virginia (at-large)
49: Holy Cross (Patriot champ)
50: Davidson (Southern champ)
51: Winthrop (Big South champ)
52: Long Beach State (Big West champ)
53: TAMU-CC (Southland champ)
54: Akron (MAC champ)
55: Vermont (America East champ)
56: Oral Roberts ((Mid-Continent champ)
57: South Alabama (Sun Belt champs)
58: Penn (Ivy League champs)
59: Marist (Metro Atlantic champs)
60: Austin Peay (Ohio Valley champs)
61: Delaware State (MEAC champs)
62: East Tenn. St. (Atlantic Sun champs)
63: Weber State (Big Sky champ)
64: Jackson State (SWAC champ)
65: Central Conn. (Northeast champs)
CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
• ACC (9): Boston College, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland.
• Big East (5): Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Marquette, West Virginia, Villanova.
• Big Ten (5): Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan State.
• Big 12 (5): Texas A&M, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech.
• Missouri Valley (3): Southern Illinois, Creighton, Missouri State.
• Mountain West (3): Air Force, UNLV, BYU.
• Pac-10 (6): UCLA, Washington State, Southern Cal, Oregon, Arizona, Stanford.
• SEC (6): Florida, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas.
(23 conferences with one bid only.)
TOP 65 BY SEEDS
1-Florida, Wisconsin, UCLA, Ohio State
2-North Carolina, Kansas, Pittsburgh, Texas A&M
3-Washington State, Memphis, Marquette, Boston College
4-Southern Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia, Virginia Tech
5-Butler, Indiana, Air Force, Oklahoma State
6-Villanova, Oregon, Southern Cal, Stanford
7-Nevada, Arizona, Duke, Tennessee
8-BYU, Georgetown, Creighton, Texas
9-UNLV, Florida State, Vanderbilt, Gonzaga
10-Missouri State, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech
11-Clemson, Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan State
12-VCU, Illinois, Xavier, West Virginia
13-Holy Cross, Davidson, Winthrop, Long Beach State
14-TAMU-CC, Akron, Vermont, Oral Roberts
15-South Alabama, Penn, Marist, Austin Peay
16-Delaware State, East Tenn. State, Weber State, Jackson State, Central Conn
• Play-in game: Jackson State vs. Central Connecticut
• What do you think of Tony’s conference choices, along with his comments?
• And how does his overall 65 picks differ from yours?
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