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March 2007
Today’s Final Four memory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After all these years, it still doesn’t make sense. It really doesn’t.
Georgetown was the defending national champion during its fourth trip to at least the Elite Eight in six years. The Hoyas had the great John Thompson as coach, and they had the accomplished Patrick Ewing as leader of a loaded bunch.
March Madness in Atlanta:
Speaking of Villanova, it was nothing, at least compared to Georgetown.
Well, make that compared to most teams ever to reach the NCAA title game. The Wildcats were a No. 8 seed with a 19-10 record that kept them unranked for the season. They had 6-foot-9 Ed Pinckney as a potential NBA draft pick, but Georgetown had Reggie Williams, Billy Martin, Michael Jackson, David Wingate and Ewing.
Somehow Georgetown didn’t win the 1985 national championship.
Such things happen when the other team throws the only perfect game in the history of the tournament.
Seventy-nine percent? That’s what Villanova shot from the floor overall after hitting 22 of 28 attempts, including nine of 10 in the second half.
Even so, here’s what made that night at Kentucky’s Rupp Arena as memorable as anything else: Instead of grumbling, Georgetown players responded with clapping when the Villanova players were honored on the court as the most unlikeliest of national champions.
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Today’s Final Four memory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
To fully appreciate the completion of that miracle on March 28, 1977, inside the Omni, you have to consider the days, years and decades afterward.
March Madness in Atlanta:
One thing McGuire didn’t do: He didn’t coach again.
This was a Hall of Fame guy who won 80 percent of the time during his 13 seasons at Marquette. There was an NIT title. There also were a slew of other loaded teams, but there was just one Final Four championship resulting from the completion of that miracle. And, remember: When McGuire departed the Omni back then for his last game as a coach anywhere, he was only 48 years young.
All of that is why it was even more significant than we thought to see McGuire crying at the end of the Marquette bench on that rainy night in Georgia.
Yes, McGuire announced his retirement plans down the stretch of that season, but few believed him. Then one of his weaker teams kept winning before surviving mighty North Carolina in the title game to make McGuire an emotional wreck.
Looks like the sobbing icon knew what the rest of us didn’t: That he truly wasn’t coming back.
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Joakim Noah: Love him or hate him?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As HoopHead wondered whether the exploits of a flashy college athlete are fair game for discussion, it didn’t take much flying through cyberspace to find out the answer to the question:
Is it proper to ask whether you love or hate Florida’s Joakim Noah? Should he be subject to the treatment reserved for coaches and pro athletes?
The matter is already being bandied about. Plenty. Has been for some time. And the junior All-American for the defending national champions hasn’t shied away in what has been a somewhat controversial season.
March Madness in Atlanta:
Check out the AJC’s Final Four page• PHOTOS: Joakim Noah’s Florida career
As the Gators arrived in Atlanta today to continue their quest for a second title in a row, there’s plenty being written, talked and blogged about regarding Noah. His appearance. His playing style. His exuberance. His many, many words on many, many subjects. Mostly about basketball.
Love him or hate him is the topic these days. He says the personal swipes do get him down.
He’s been called quite a few off-color things.
He’s been compared to Christian Laettner.
He’s been PhotoShopped in imaginative and tasteless ways, this Geisha girl being a rather harmless exception.
Fans at UCLA, which lost to the Gators in last year’s championship game and meet Florida again on Saturday, are having their own kind of fun with Noah.
Do you think some of this goes over the top?
Then again, Noah does enjoy the spotlight, and insists he and the Gators feed off the “hate” they receive.
After Florida won the SEC Tournament, Noah launched into a dance copied all over YouTube land. He insists it was all in good fun.
His own YouTube, in which he pumped up his “Gator Boys,” got to right to the point: “Love us or hate us we’ll give you 150 percent.”
What do you think of Noah and what he brings to the game? Is it proper for grown adults to heap scorn and abuse on a 22-year-old college athlete who says he means no harm?
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Today’s Final Four memory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First a disclosure: Never cared for Kentucky basketball. OK, I strongly disliked the Wildcats. When you’re born and raised in Indiana, the true home of hoops, that’s just the way it is.
So the 1966 Final Four was wonderful for a lot of reasons.
That’s when the Texas Western players became the Jackie Robinsons of the college game.
March Madness in Atlanta:
Check out the AJC’s Final Four pageThey shocked Kentucky for the national championship, and remember this about those Wildcats: They were coached by Adolph Rupp, not exactly a card-carrying member of the NAACP.
As a youth in South Bend, Ind., Kentucky losing to anybody was great stuff, but this was better. This was Texas Western becoming the first all-black starting team to beat an all-white team in the NCAA finals.
This was Arthur Ashe winning Wimbledon and Tiger Woods capturing the Masters before they even happened.
All was right with the world. Notre Dame, that little university in town, was preparing to take another national championship later that season in college football. Plus, before Texas Western came along, UCLA had won the two previous Final Fours, and the Bruins were on the verge of grabbing seven in a row after 1966.
You see, UCLA’s coach was John Wooden, and he was one of us as a native of Martinsville, Ind. He also spent 11 years in South Bend coaching at Central High School, where more than a few of my relatives were alums.
We were in hoops heaven — at least when the Fighting Irish weren’t blocking and tackling.
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Today’s Final Four memory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Was this Kentucky? I mean, here were the Wildcats spending the aftermath of capturing a national championship as giddy souls? They did everything from dancing to screaming to rapping.
This was 1996, when the Wildcats followed Rick Pitino’s mandate throughout a dominating season to enjoy “the precious present.”
This wasn’t 1978, when the Wildcats were the most joyless team ever to win it all. In fact, that senior-laden, grim-faced bunch was expected to do nothing less by Kentucky’s suffocating fan base. It was called “the season without celebration,” and I followed the Wildcats closely near the end with a sense of dread.
Then, 18 years later, I was in East Rutherford, N.J., to see the striking contrast. A new generation of Wildcats were losing their minds after the ultimate victory over Syracuse. Derek Anderson was among nine Kentucky players who would dribble in the NBA, and he said, beaming from beneath his Final Four cap, “Coach Pitino always tells us to enjoy these moments, because they are the best times of our lives.”
Too bad it was the worst of times for those other Wildcats.
Or so it appeared.
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How’s your bracket holding up?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How’s your backet feeling these days?
Starting to feel like a psychic? Need some big-time magic to happen? Or are ya’ already flat-out busted?
If you’re playing in our Final Four Fiasco, how does your bracket stack up against Mark Bradley’s?
In our contest to pick the tourney champ, there’s a tie for first place, with a bracketeer from Conyers and one from Watkinsville each racking up 56 points out of a possible to-date total of 64.
Are you anywhere near the top, or are you hovering toward the bottom? Where’d you go wrong (or right)? Counting on any surprises to turn it all around?
And then there’s “American Idol 4” runner-up Bo Bice. Among our 17 celebrities (including one chicken), Bice is the only one with his entire Elite Eight still alive.
Who do think has the strongest bracket among the celebs? The weakest?
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Madness at the office
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now that the brackets are out and the games will start later this week, HoopHead wants to know how the NCAA Tournament and March Madness is playing out at your place of work.
Do you have any office pools going with co-workers? If so, what kinds of incentives are up for grabs? A few beers? A few more bucks? Or just good, clean old-fashioned non-monetary fun?
How is your office pool constructed? Is it picking the most winners of games, or something along the lines of Final Four Fiasco? And who usually wins these things? The resident basketball geek or the secretary who knows nothing about the game?
Will some of you go out for “long lunches” on Thursday and Friday, the first two full days of the tournaments, most likely to sports bars? Will there be TVs at the office so you can watch games there?
How does your management feel about any of this anyway? Does your boss frown on such pools and distractions during working hours? Or his he/she leading the cheers for his/her favorite team?
Is March Madness the sort of thing that helps build camaraderie at the office, if only for a few days?
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Jackets will be nervous on Sunday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Tony’s update, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
WHO’S IN
• Illinois (23-10, RPI 31): Illini locked up a bid by beating Indiana in Big Ten semifinals.
• George Washington/Rhode Island winner: Will be the Atlantic 10 champ. Xavier (24-8, RPI 33), which lost to Rhode Island in the semifinals, still gets an at-large from the Atlantic-10
• Utah State/New Mexico State winner: Will be the WAC champ. Nevada (27-4, RPI 24), which was upset by Utah State, will still get an at-large
• Arkansas (20-12, RPI 37): Hogs played their way in by beating South Carolina (82-52) and Vanderbilt (72-71) in SEC Tournament. Win over Mississippi State Saturday would make them a lock.
WHO’S OUT
• Florida State (20-12, RPI 42): Ugly loss to North Carolina (73-58) in ACC semifinals plus upsets in A-10 and WAC knock the Seminoles out for the second straight year.
• Missouri State (22-10, RPI 35): The Bears have a neutral site win over Wisconsin and two wins over Bradley but that’s it.
• Syracuse (22-10, RPI 51): This one will come as a shock on Sunday but the Orange will be one of the last teams out.
• Air Force (22-8, RPI 32): The Falcons played horribly down the stretch and took an early exit from the Mountain West Tournament against Wyoming.
WHO WILL BE NERVOUS ON SUNDAY
• Clemson (21-10, RPI 46): Will become the first team to start 17-0 and not make the NCAA Tournament.
• Drexel (22-8, RPI 38): The Dragons are in right now but could be out come on Sunday.
• Georgia Tech (20-11, RPI 52): Loss to Wake Forest Thursday night didn’t help but Yellow Jackets should still get in.
• Old Dominion (24-8, RPI 40): Monarchs had won 12 straight before losing to George Mason in Colonial Tournament.
• Kansas State (22-10, RPI 56): Beating Kansas in Saturday’s Big 12 Tournament would put Wildcats in.
• Michigan (21-12, RPI 55): Wolverines get left out of the Big Dance again.
• West Virginia (21-9, RPI 59): Long shot at best for Mountaineers despite win over UCLA.
TOP 65 BY CONFERENCE
We project that 19 of the 31 conferences will receive only one bid. The other 46 spots in the NCAA Field will be divided among the 12 remaining conferences as follows:
ACC (7): Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech.
Atlantic 10 (2): Xavier, George Washington/Rhode Island winner
Big East (6): Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Villanova.
Big Ten (6): Indiana, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin.
Big 12 (4): Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
Colonial (3): Drexel, Old Dominion, VCU*
Horizon (2): Wright State*, Butler.
Missouri Valley (2): Creighton* Southern Illinois.
Mountain West (2): BYU, UNLV
PAC-10 (5): Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, UCLA, Washington State.
SEC (5): Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
WAC (2): Nevada, Utah State/New Mexico State winner
ALREADY IN (26)
By the end of play Saturday night, these 26 teams will have automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament.
A-Sun: Belmont (23-9)
America East: Vermont/Albany winner
Atlantic 10: George Washington/Rhode Island winner
Big East: Georgetown/Pittsburgh winner
Big Sky: Weber State (20-11)
Big South: Winthrop (28-4)
Big West: Long Beach State/Cal Poly winner
Colonial: VCU (27-6)
Conference USA: Memphis/Houston winner
Horizon: Wright State (23-9)
Ivy: Penn (21-8 ) MAC: Akron/Miami (Ohio winner)
Metro Atlantic: Niagara (22-11)
MEAC: Delaware State/FAMU winner
Mid-Continent: Oral Roberts (23-10)
Missouri Valley: Creighton (22-10)
Mountain West: BYU (25-7)/UNLV (27-6) winner
Northeast: Central Conn. St. (22-11)
Ohio Valley: Eastern Kentucky (21-11)
Pac 10: Oregon/Southern Cal winner
Patriot: Holy Cross
Southern: Davidson (29-4)
Sun Belt: North Texas (23-10)
SWAC: Miss. Valley/Jackson State winner
WAC: Utah State/New Mexico State winner
West Coast: Gonzaga (23-10)
THESE TEAMS GET THEIR TICKET PUNCHED ON SUNDAY
ACC: North Carolina/Boston College winner vs. N.C. State/Va. Tech winner
Big Ten: Ohio State/Purdue winner vs. Illinois/Wisconsin winner
Big 12: Kansas State/Kansas winner vs. Texas/Oklahoma State winner
SEC: Mississippi State/Arkansas winner vs. Ole Miss/Florida winner
Southland: Texas A&M CC/Northwestern State winner
TOP 65 BY REGIONS
EAST REGIONAL, EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
1: North Carolina (ACC champ)
2: Georgetown (Big East champ)
3: Texas (Big 12 at-large)
4: Creighton (Missouri Valley champs)
5: Virginia Tech (ACC at-large)
6: Tennessee (SEC at-large)
7: Arizona (Pac-10 at-large)
8: BYU (Mountain West at-large)
9: Illinois (Big Ten at-large)
10: George Washington/Rhode Island winner (A-10 champs)
11: Old Dominion (Colonial at-large)
12: Davidson* (Southern champ)
13: Holy Cross* (Patriot champ)
14: Vermont/Albany winner (America East)
15: Oral Roberts* (Mid-Continent champs)
16: Niagara* (Metro Atlantic Champ)
SOUTH REGIONAL, SAN ANTONIO
1: Florida (SEC champ)
2: Kansas (Big 12 champ)
3: Washington State (Pac-10 at-large)
4: Louisville (Big East at-large)
5: Maryland (ACC at-large)
6: UNLV (Mountain West champ)
7: Notre Dame (Big East at-large)
8: Indiana (Big Ten at-large)
9: Xavier (A-10 at-large)
10: Oregon (Pac-10 at large)
11: Utah State/New Mexico State (WAC champ)
12: Winthrop* (Big South champ)
13: Drexel (Colonial at-large)
14: TAMU-CC/Northwestern State (Southland champ)
15: Delaware State/FAMU winner (MEAC champ)
16: North Texas* (Sun Belt champ)
MIDWEST REGIONAL, ST. LOUIS
1: Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
2: Texas A&M (Big 12 at-large)
3: Pittsburgh (Big East at-large)
4: Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley at-large)
5: Butler (Horizon at-large)
6: Boston College (ACC at-large)
7: Michigan State (Big Ten at-large)
8: Southern Cal (Pac-10 champ)
9: Virginia (ACC at-large)
10: Kentucky (SEC at-large)
11: Purdue (Big Ten at-large)
12: VCU* (Colonial champ)
13: Arkansas (SEC at-large)
14: Miami (Ohio)/Akron winner (Mid-America champ)
15: Eastern Kentucky* (Ohio Valley champ)
16: Mississippi Valley (SWAC) vs. Weber State* (Big Sky champ)(Play in game)
WEST REGIONAL, SAN JOSE
1: UCLA (PAC-10 at-large)
2: Wisconsin (Big Ten at-large)
3: Memphis (Conference USA champ)
4: Marquette (Big East at-large)
5: Vanderbilt (SEC at-large)
6: Nevada (WAC champ)
7: Duke (ACC at-large)
8: Georgia Tech (ACC at-large)
9: Texas Tech (Big 12 at-large)
10: Villanova (Big East at-large)
11: Wright State* (Horizon champ)
12: Gonzaga* (West Coast champ)
13: Long Beach State/Cal Poly winner (Big West champ)
14: Penn* (Ivy League champs)
15: Belmont* (Atlantic Sun champ)
16: Central Connecticut* (Northeast champ)
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Alabama needs win to help its case
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Tony’s update, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
WHO’S IN (14)
A-Sun: Belmont (23-9)
Big Sky: Weber State (20-11)
Big South: Winthrop (28-4)
Colonial: VCU (27-6)
Horizon: Wright State (23-9)
Ivy: Penn (22-8)
Metro Atlantic: Niagara (22-11)
Mid-Continent: Oral Roberts (23-10)
Missouri Valley: Creighton (22-10)
Northeast: Central Conn. St. (22-11)
Ohio Valley: Eastern Kentucky (21-11)
Southern: Davidson (29-4)
Sun Belt: North Texas (23-10)
West Coast: Gonzaga (23-10)
WHO HELPED THEIR CASE ON WEDNESDAY
Syracuse (22-9): The Orange solidified their NCAA bid by beating UConn (78-65) in the first round of the Big East Tournament.
WHO NEEDS A WIN ON THURSDAY
West Virginia (21-9), who beat Providence in the first round of the Big East Tournament, could play its way into the field with a win tonight over Louisville.
Michigan (20-10) should roll over Minnesota (9-21) today in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Then the Wolverines meet Ohio State.
Southern Cal (21-10) meets Stanford (18-11) in the first round of the Pac-10 Tournament. Both have RPIs in the 50s so the loser is likely staying home.
Alabama (20-10) must beat Kentucky today at the SEC Tournament to have any shot of getting in the field. With Ronald Steele and Jamereo Davidson both hurting, it will be tough.
TOP 65 BY REGIONS
*—Already earned automatic bid. Other conference winners are projected.
YOU WANT TO CHANGE THESE SEEDS?
Give it a shot but consider this: Teams from the same conference cannot meet until a regional championship game. So in any one regional they cannot be on these same seeds in the bracket: 1,4,5,8,9,12,13,16 OR 2,3,6,7,10,11,14,15.
EAST REGIONAL, EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
1: Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
2: Georgetown (Big East champ)
3: Tennessee (SEC at-large)
4: Texas (Big 12 at-large)
5: Arizona (Pac-10 at-large)
6: Virginia Tech (ACC at-large)
7: Creighton* (Missouri Valley champ)
8: Boston College (ACC at-large)
9: Syracuse (Big East at-large)
10: BYU (Mountain West at-large)
11: Old Dominion (Colonial at-large)
12: Davidson* (Southern champ)
13: Holy Cross/Bucknell winner (Patriot)
14: Vermont/Albany winner (America East)
15: Oral Roberts* (Mid-Continent champs)
16: Niagara* (Metro Atlantic Champ)
SOUTH REGIONAL, SAN ANTONIO
1: Florida (SEC champ)
2: Texas A&M (Big 12 at-large)
3: Maryland (ACC at-large)
4: Washington State (Pac-10 at-large)
5: Louisville (Big East at-large)
6: UNLV (Mountain West champ)
7: Notre Dame (Big East at-large)
8: Indiana (Big Ten at-large)
9: Xavier (A-10 champ)
10: Oregon (Pac-10 at large)
11: Winthrop* (Big South champ)
12: Clemson (ACC at-large)
13: Drexel (Colonial at-large)
14: TAMU-CC (Southland champ)
15: Delaware State (MEAC champ)
16: North Texas* (Sun Belt champ)
MIDWEST REGIONAL, ST. LOUIS
1: Kansas (Big 12 champ)
2: North Carolina (ACC champ)
3: Pittsburgh (Big East at-large)
4: Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley at-large)
5: Virginia (ACC at-large)
6: Butler (Horizon at-large)
7: Michigan State (Big Ten at-large)
8: Kentucky (SEC at-large)
9: Air Force (Mountain West at-large)
10: Southern Cal (Pac-10 at-large)
11: VCU* (Colonial champ)
12: Purdue (Big Ten at-large)
13: Missouri State (Missouri Valley at-large)
14: Toledo (Mid-America champ)
15: Eastern Kentucky* (Ohio Valley champ)
16: Mississippi Valley (SWAC) vs. Weber State* (Big Sky champ)(Play in game)
WEST REGIONAL, SAN JOSE
1: UCLA (PAC-10 champ)
2: Wisconsin (Big Ten at-large)
3: Memphis (Conference USA champ)
4: Marquette (Big East at-large)
5: Duke (ACC at-large)
6: Vanderbilt (SEC-at large)
7: Georgia Tech (ACC at-large)
8: Nevada (WAC champ)
9: Texas Tech (Big 12 at-large)
10: Villanova (Big East at-large)
11: Wright State* (Horizon champ)
12: Gonzaga* (West Coast champ)
13: Long Beach State (Big West champ)
14: Penn* (Ivy League champs)
15: Belmont* (Atlantic Sun champ)
16: Central Connecticut* (Northeast champ)
TOP 65 BY CONFERENCE
We project that 21 of the 31 conferences will receive only one bid. The other 44 spots in the NCAA Field will be divided among the 10 remaining conferences as follows:
ACC (8): Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech.
Big East (7): Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova.
Big Ten (5): Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin.
Big 12 (4): Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
Colonial (3): Drexel, Old Dominion, VCU*
Horizon (2): Wright State*, Butler.
Missouri Valley (3): Creighton*, Missouri State, Southern Illinois.
Mountain West (3): Air Force, BYU, UNLV
PAC-10 (5): Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, UCLA, Washington State
SEC (4): Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
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Tony Barnhart’s daily picks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Tony’s update, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
WHO’S IN
• Belmont (A-Sun), Winthrop (Big South), VCU (Colonial), Penn (Ivy), Niagara (MAAC), Creighton (Missouri Valley), Eastern Kentucky (Ohio Valley), Davidson (Southern), Gonzaga (West Coast), Wright State (Horizon), Oral Roberts (Mid-Continent), North Texas (Sun Belt).
WHO’S OUT
• Arkansas (18-12, RPI 49): Wright State (23-9, RPI 72) earned the automatic bid from the Horizon by upsetting Butler (25-6, RPI 31) in Tuesday night’s championship game. Butler, which has wins over NCAA-bound Notre Dame, Indiana, Tennessee, Purdue, Wright State, and Gonzaga will get an at-large bid. Arkansas could play its way back into the field with a good performance in the SEC Tournament.
WHO GETS IN WEDNESDAY
• Big Sky Championship: Weber State (16-11, RPI 151) vs. Northern Arizona (16-11, RPI 148): Winner gets automatic bid. No at-large bids.
• Northeast Championship: Central Connecticut State (21-11, RPI 153) vs. Sacred Heart (18-13, RPI 149): Winner gets automatic bid. No at-large bids.
IN, BUT NERVOUS
• Clemson (20-10, RPI 34): Tigers can’t lose to Florida State in first round of ACC Tournament.
• Drexel (22-8, RPI 39): Best road record (13-5) in the field but lost in Colonial semifinals.
• Missouri State (21-10, RPI 38): If Missouri Valley only gets two bids, Bears could be odd man out.
• Old Dominion (24-8, RPI 40): Monarchs had won 12 straight before losing to George Mason in Colonial semifinals.
• Purdue (20-10, RPI 46): Boilermakers have wins over Michigan State, Indiana, and Virginia. Can’t slip up against Iowa.
• Syracuse (21-9, RPI 51): Orange cannot lose to Connecticut today in first round of Big East tournament.
• Southern Cal (21-10, RPI 53): Trojans should beat Stanford in first round of Pac-10 Tournament.
WHO GETS IN WEDNESDAY
• Big Sky Championship: Weber State (16-11, RPI 151) vs. Northern Arizona (16-11, RPI 148): Winner gets automatic bid. No at-large bids.
• Northeast Championship: Central Connecticut State (21-11, RPI 153) vs. Sacred Heart (18-13, RPI 149): Winner gets automatic bid. No at-large bids.
RIGHT ON THE BUBBLE
These guys can see the glass slipper, but right now it doesn’t fit:
• Alabama (20-10, RPI 45)
• Arkansas (18-12, RPI 49)
• Bradley (20-12, RPI 44)
• Florida State (19-11, RPI 47)
• Illinois (21-10, RPI 35)
• Kansas State (21-10, RPI 60)
• Michigan (20-11, RPI 52)
• San Diego State (19-9, RPI 54)
• Stanford (18-11, RPI 56)
• UMass (23-7, RPI 55)
• West Virginia (20-8, RPI 57)
TOP 65 BY REGIONS
*=Already earned automatic bid. Other conference winners are projected.
• EAST REGIONAL, EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
1: Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
2: Georgetown (Big East champ)
3: Tennessee (SEC at-large)
4: Texas (Big 12 at-large)
5: Arizona (Pac: 10 at-large)
6: Virginia Tech (ACC at-large)
7: Creighton* (Missouri Valley champ)
8: Boston College (ACC at-large)
9: Syracuse (Big East champ)
10: BYU (Mountain West at-large)
11: Old Dominion (Colonial at-large)
12: Davidson* (Southern champ)
13: Holy Cross/Bucknell winner (Patriot)
14: Vermont/Albany winner (America East)
15: Oral Roberts* (Mid-Continent champs)
16: Niagara* (Metro Atlantic Champ)
• SOUTH REGIONAL, SAN ANTONIO
1: Florida (SEC champ)
2: Texas A&M (Big 12 at-large)
3: Maryland (ACC at-large)
4: Washington State (Pac: 10 at-large)
5: Louisville (Big East at-large)
6: UNLV (Mountain West champ)
7: Notre Dame (Big East at-large)
8: Indiana (Big Ten at-large)
9: Xavier (A: 10 champ)
10: Oregon (Pac-10 at-large)
11: Winthrop* (Big South champ)
12: Clemson (ACC at-large)
13: Drexel (Colonial at-large)
14: TAMU: CC (Southland champ)
15: Delaware State (MEAC champ)
16: North Texas* (Sun Belt champ)
• MIDWEST REGIONAL, ST. LOUIS
1: Kansas (Big 12 champ)
2: North Carolina (ACC champ)
3: Pittsburgh (Big East at-large)
4: Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley at-large)
5: Virginia (ACC at-large)
6: Butler (Horizon at-large)
7: Michigan State (Big Ten at-large)
8: Kentucky (SEC at-large)
9: Air Force (Mountain West at-large)
10: Southern Cal (Pac: 10 at-large)
11: VCU* (Colonial champ)
12: Purdue (Big Ten at-large)
13: Missouri State (Missouri Valley at-large)
14: Toledo (Mid-America champ)
15: Eastern Kentucky* (Ohio Valley champ)
16: Mississippi Valley (SWAC) vs. Weber State/Northern Arizona winner (Big Sky) (Play-in game)
• WEST REGIONAL, SAN JOSE
1: UCLA (PAC: 10 champ)
2: Wisconsin (Big Ten at-large)
3: Memphis (Conference USA champ)
4: Marquette (Big East at-large)
5: Duke (ACC at-large)
6: Villanova (Big East at-large)
7: Vanderbilt (SEC at-large)
8: Nevada (WAC champ)
9: Texas Tech (Big 12 at-large)
10: Georgia Tech (ACC at-large)
11: Wright State* (Horizon champ)
12: Gonzaga* (West Coast champ)
13: Long Beach State (Big West champ)
14: Penn* (Ivy League champs)
15: Belmont* (Atlantic Sun champ)
16: Central Connecticut/Sacred Heart winner (Northeast champ)
TOP 65 BY CONFERENCE
We project that 21 of the 31 conferences will receive only one bid. The other 44 spots in the NCAA field will be divided among the 10 remaining conferences as follows:
• ACC (8) Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech.
Tournament: March 8-11, Tampa.
• Big East (7): Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova.
Tournament: March 7-10, New York.
• Big Ten (5): Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin. Tournament: March 8-11, Chicago
• Big 12 (4): Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
Tournament: March 8-11, Oklahoma City.
• Colonial (3): Drexel, Old Dominion, VCU*
Tournament: VCU beat George Mason for championship.
• Horizon (2): Wright State*, Butler.
Tournament: Wright State beat Butler for championship.
• Missouri Valley (3): Creighton*, Missouri State, Southern Illinois.
Tournament: Creighton beat Southern Illinois for championship.
• Mountain West (3): Air Force, BYU, UNLV
Tournament: March 8-10, Las Vegas.
• PAC: 10 (5): Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, UCLA, Washington State.
Tournament: March 7-10, Los Angeles.
• SEC (4): Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
Tournament: March 8-11, Atlanta.
• How do you see it?
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Tony Barnhart’s daily picks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Tony’s update, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
WHO’S IN
• Belmont (A-Sun), Winthrop (Big South), VCU (Colonial), Penn (Ivy), Niagara (MAAC), Creighton (Missouri Valley), Eastern Kentucky (Ohio Valley), Davidson (Southern), Gonzaga (West Coast).
BRACKET BUSTER WATCH
Horizon Championship: Butler (25-5, RPI 30) vs. Wright State (22-9, RPI 81): If Wright State wins and gets the automatic bid, Butler will take an at-large spot in the field. The loser will likely be one of the power conferences.
TEAMS THAT COULD GET BUMPED IF WRIGHT STATE WINS
Arkansas (18-12, RPI 49)
Clemson (20-10, RPI 34)
Drexel (22-8, RPI 39)
Missouri State (21-10, RPI 38)
Old Dominion (24-8, RPI 40)
Purdue (20-10, RPI 46)
Syracuse (21-9, RPI 51)
Southern Cal (21-10, RPI 53)
TOP 65 BY REGIONS
BRACKETING PRINCIPLES
The first three teams from the same conference must be placed in different regionals.
Teams from the same conference should not meet before a regional championship.
*—Already earned automatic bid. Other conference winners are projected.
EAST REGIONAL, EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
1: Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
2: Georgetown (Big East champ)
3: Tennessee (SEC at-large)
4: Texas (Big 12 at-large)
5: Arizona (Pac-10 at-large)
6: Virginia Tech (ACC at-large)
7: Creighton* (Missouri Valley champ)
8: Boston College (ACC at-large)
9: Syracuse (Big East champ)
10: BYU (Mountain West at-large)
11: Old Dominion (Colonial at-large)
12: Davidson* (Southern champ)
13: Holy Cross/Bucknell winner (Patriot)
14: Vermont/Albany winner (America East)
15: Penn* (Ivy League champ)
16: Delaware State (MEAC champ)
SOUTH REGIONAL, SAN ANTONIO
1: Florida (SEC champ)
2: Texas A&M (Big 12 at-large)
3: Maryland (ACC at-large)
4: Washington State (Pac-10 at-large)
5: Louisville (Big East at-large)
6: UNLV (Mountain West champ)
7: Notre Dame (Big East at-large)
8: Indiana (Big Ten at-large)
9: Xavier (A-10 champ)
10: Oregon (Pac-10 at large)
11: Winthrop* (Big South champ)
12: Clemson (ACC at-large)
13: Drexel (Colonial at-large)
14: Sam Houston (Southland champ)
15: Niagara* (Metro Atlantic champ)
16: North Texas/Arkansas State winner (Sun Belt)
MIDWEST REGIONAL, ST. LOUIS
1: Kansas (Big 12 champ)
2: North Carolina (ACC champ)
3: Pittsburgh (Big East at-large)
4: Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley at-large)
5: Virginia (ACC at-large)
6: Butler (Horizon champ)
7: Michigan State (Big Ten at-large)
8: Kentucky (SEC at-large)
9: Air Force (Mountain West at-large)
10: Southern Cal (Pac-10 at-large)
11: VCU* (Colonial champ)
12: Purdue (Big Ten at-large)
13: Missouri State (Missouri Valley at-large)
14: Toledo (Mid-America champ)
15: Eastern Kentucky* (Ohio Valley champ)
16: Mississippi Valley (SWAC) vs. Central Connecticut (Northeast) (Play in game)
WEST REGIONAL, SAN JOSE
1: UCLA (PAC-10 champ)
2: Wisconsin (Big Ten at-large)
3: Memphis (Conference USA champ)
4: Marquette (Big East at-large)
5: Duke (ACC at-large)
6: Villanova (Big East at-large)
7: Vanderbilt (SEC at-large)
8: Nevada (WAC champ)
9: Texas Tech (Big 12 at-large)
10: Georgia Tech (ACC at-large)
11: Arkansas (SEC at-large)
12: Gonzaga* (West Coast champ)
13: Long Beach State (Big West champ)
14: Oral Roberts/Oakland winner (Mid-Continent champ)
15: Belmont* (Atlantic Sun champ)
16: Weber State (Big Sky champ)
Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: Tony Barnhart's daily picks
Tony Barnhart’s daily picks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Tony’s update, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
WHO’S IN
• Penn (20-8), Ivy League; Belmont (21-9), Atlantic Sun; Winthrop (24-4), Big South; Eastern Kentucky (21-11), Ohio Valley; Davidson (29-4), Southern; Creighton (22-10) Missouri Valley.
TOP 65 BY SEEDS
1: UCLA, Kansas, Ohio State, Florida
2: Texas A&M, North Carolina, Georgetown, Wisconsin
3: Memphis, Maryland, Tennessee, Pittsburgh
4: Southern Illinois, Washington State, Nevada, Texas
5: Louisville, Virginia Tech, Butler, UNLV
6: Duke, Arizona, Virginia, Notre Dame
7: Marquette, Boston College, Indiana, Michigan State
8: Creighton*, Kentucky, Villanova, Vanderbilt
9: Air Force, Oregon, Georgia Tech, BYU
10: Xavier, Syracuse, Southern Cal, Texas Tech
11: Purdue, Clemson, Old Dominion, Arkansas
12: VCU, Winthrop, Davidson*, Gonzaga
13: Missouri State, Drexel, Holy Cross, Long Beach State
14: Toledo, Vermont, Oral Roberts, Sam Houston
15: Western Kentucky, Penn, Siena, Eastern Kentucky
16: Delaware State, Belmont*, Weber State, Mississippi Valley, Central Connecticut
• Play-in game: Jackson State vs. Central Connecticut
*Have received automatic bid.
TOP 65 BY CONFERENCE
(Note: Clemson made our projected field by winning at Virginia Tech. Stanford of the Pac-10 dropped out. Arkansas, which won at Vanderbilt, replaces Alabama as the No. 5 team from the SEC.)
We project that 22 of the 31 conferences will receive only one bid. The other 43 spots in the NCAA Field will be divided among the nine remaining conferences as follows:
• ACC (8) Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech.
Tournament: March 8-11, Tampa.
• Big East (7): Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova.
Tournament: March 7-10, New York.
• Big Ten (5): Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin.
Tournament: March 8-11, Chicago
• Big 12 (4): Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
Tournament: March 8-11, Oklahoma City.
• Colonial (3): Drexel, Old Dominion, VCU.
Tournament: VCU meets George Mason for championship Monday night.
• Missouri Valley (3): Creighton*, Missouri State, Southern Illinois.
Tournament: Creighton beat Southern Illinois for championship.
• Mountain West (3): Air Force, BYU, UNLV.
Tournament: March 6, 8-10, Las Vegas.
• PAC-10 (5): Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, UCLA, Washington State.
Tournament: March 7-10, Los Angeles.
• SEC (5): Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
Tournament: March 8-11, Atlanta.
ONE BID LEAGUES WITH PROJECTED CHAMPS (Conference tournament dates in parentheses)
• AMERICA EAST: Vermont (25-6) faces Albany (22-9) for championship on Saturday.
• ATLANTIC 10: Xavier (23-7) (March 7-10).
• BIG SKY: Weber State (15-11) (Tuesday, Wednesday).
• BIG WEST: Long Beach (21-7) (March 7-10).
• CONFERENCE-USA: Memphis (27-3) (March 7-10).
• HORIZON: Butler (27-5) plays Wright State (22-9) for championship Tuesday night.
• METRO ATLANTIC: Siena (20-11) plays Niagra (21-11) for championship Monday night.
• MID-AMERICAN: Toledo (March 7-10).
• MID-CONTINENT: Oral Roberts (semifinals Monday, championship Tuesday).
• MEAC: Delaware State (March 6-10).
• NORTHEAST: Central Connecticut plays Sacred Heart for championship Wednesday night.
• PATRIOT: Holy Cross (24-8) plays Bucknell (22-8) for championship on Friday.
• SOUTHLAND: Sam Houston (March 8-9, 11).
• SUN BELT: Western Kentucky (championship Tuesday).
• SWAC: Mississippi Valley (March 7-10).
• WAC: Nevada (March 6, 8-10).
• WEST COAST: Gonzaga (22-10) plays Santa Clara (20-9) Monday night for championship.
HERE’S YOUR BUBBLE
These teams still have work to do before selection Sunday:
• Alabama (20-10, RPI 43): Crimson Tide had a bad loss at Mississippi State on Saturday. Alabama must beat Kentucky in the first round of the SEC Touranment.
• Florida State (19-11, RPI 46): Seminoles have to beat Clemson on Thursday to keep their hopes alive.
• Georgia (17-12, RPI 63): Loss to Tennessee means that Bulldogs must get to finals of SEC Tournament just to have a chance.
• Illinois (21-10, RPI 35): The Illini had a bad loss to Iowa on Saturday. But a couple of wins in the Big Ten Tournament would help.
• Kansas State (21-10, RPI 60): The Wildcats are 1-6 against the Top 50 but finished alone in fourth in the Big 12.
• Massachusetts (23-7, RPI 56): Tied Xavier for Atlantic 10 regular season championship.
• Michigan (20-11, RPI 53): The Wolverines, who lost to Ohio State (65-61) at home on Saturday, need to make some noise in the Big Ten Tournament.
• Stanford (18-11, RPI 57): The Cardinal has five wins against the Top 50 and one against No. 1 UCLA. A loss to Southern Cal (21-10, RPI 54) in the first round of the Pac-10 Tournament could keep Stanford at home.
• West Virginia (20-8, RPI 58): Mountaineers played a soft schedule but did beat UCLA at home.
IN, BUT NERVOUS
• Arkansas (18-12, RPI 48): Hogs put themselves back in the field by winning at Vanderbilt. Must beat South Carolina in first round of SEC Tournament to say in.
• Clemson (21-9, RPI 36): The Tigers put themselves back in the field by winning at Virginia Tech. Lose to Florida State on Thursday in the ACC Tournament and Clemson could be out again.
• Missouri State (22-10, RPI 38): Lost badly to Creighton in the semifinals of Missouri Valley Tournament.
• Drexel (22-8, RPI 40), Old Dominion (24-8, RPI 39), VCU (26-6, RPI 51): If George Mason (18-14, RPI 120) upsets VCU in the Colonial championship at least one of those teams is going to get left out.
THE BIG GUYS ARE PULLING FOR
• Butler (25-5, RPI 30), which faces Wright State (22-9, RPI 81) in the finals of the Horizon Tournament. If Wright State wins the Horizon will get two bids instead of one and the power conferences will likely lose a spot.
• How do you see it?
Permalink | Comments (43) | Categories: Tony Barnhart's daily picks
A look the tourneys, NCAA field
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In today’s projected NCAA field, the AJC’s Tony Barnhart first offers his conference-by-conference breakdown.
Following Tony’s forecasts, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
WHO’S IN
• Penn (20-8) Ivy League champs.
• Belmont (21-9) Atlantic Sun champions.
• Winthrop (24-4), Big South champs
• Eastern Kentucky (21-11), Ohio Valley champs.
• Davidson (29-4), Southern Conference champs.
WHO GETS IN TODAY
• Southern Illinois (26-5) meets Creighton (21-10) for the Missouri Valley championship
WHO’S BACK ON THE BUBBLE
• Arkansas (18-12, RPI 48): The Razorbacks were impressive in winning at Vanderbilt (19-10) on Saturday. If the Hogs can win a couple in the SEC Tournament they may get back into the mix.
• Florida State (19-11, RPI 46): The ACC has seven locks but the Seminoles could make it eight if they can win a couple of games in the conference tournament.
• Kansas State (21-10, RPI 61): At first glance the Wildcats should be out but they did finish alone in fourth in the Big 12 (10-6) and they did beat Texas on the road.
• West Virginia (20-8, RPI 56): The Mountaineers finished 9-7 in the Big East and still have a win over No. 1 UCLA. They still need to win a couple of games in the tournament.
• Illinois (21-10, RPI 35): The Illini had a bad loss to Iowa (60-53) on Saturday.
BY CONFERENCE
We project that 22 of the 31 conferences will receive only one bid. The other 43 spots in the NCAA Field will be divided among the nine remaining conferences as follows:
ACC (7)
• Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech. Tournament: March 8-11, Tampa.
Big East (7):
• Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova. Tournament: March 7-10, New York.
Big Ten (5):
• Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin. Tournament: March 8-11, Chicago
Big 12 (4):
• Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech. Tournament: March 8-11, Oklahoma City.
Colonial (3):
• Drexel, Old Dominion, VCU. Tournament: Today-March 5, Richmond.
Missouri Valley (3):
• Creighton, Missouri State, Southern Illinois. Tournament: Creighton faces Southern Illinois for championship today.
Mountain West (3):
• Air Force, BYU, UNLV Tournament: March 6, 8-10, Las Vegas.
PAC-10 (6):
• Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, Stanford, UCLA, Washington State. Tournament: March 7-10, Los Angeles.
SEC (5):
• Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt. Tournament: March 8-11, Atlanta.
ONE BID LEAGUES WITH PROJECTED CHAMPS (Conference tournament in parentheses)
AMERICA EAST: Vermont (Semifinals today, Championship Saturday)
ATLANTIC 10: Xavier (March 7-10)
BIG SKY: Weber State (Tuesday, Wednesday)
BIG WEST: Long Beach (March 7-10)
CONFERENCE-USA: Memphis (March 7-10)
HORIZON: Butler (27-5) plays Wright State for championship Monday night. Butler will likely get at-large if Wright State wins tournament.
METRO ATLANTIC: Marist (Semifinals today, Championship Monday)
MID-AMERICAN:
Toledo (March 7-10)
MID-CONTINENT: Oral Roberts (Semifinals Monday, Championship Tuesday)
MEAC: Delaware State (March 6-10)
NORTHEAST: Central Connecticut (Semifinals today, Championship Wednesday)
PATRIOT: Holy Cross (Semifinals today, Championship Friday)
SOUTHLAND: Sam Houston (March 8-9, 11)
SUN BELT: South Alabama (Today, Monday, Tuesday)
SWAC: Jackson State (March 7-10)
WAC: Nevada (March 6, 8-10)
WEST COAST: Gonzaga (Semifinals today, Championship Monday)
• What do you think of Tony’s projections?
• Do they differ from yours?
Permalink | Comments (23) | Categories: Tony Barnhart's daily picks
Tony Barnhart’s daily picks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Tony’s update, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
WHO’S IN?
• Penn (20-8) becomes the first team to qualify for the NCAA Tournament as the Quakers beat Yale 86-58 Friday night to clinch the Ivy League championship. The Ivy does not hold a conference tournament.
WHO GETS IN TODAY?
• East Tennessee State (21-8, RPI 117) faces Belmont (20-9) in Atlantic Sun championship, 4 p.m.
• Winthrop (23-4, RPI 69) faces VMI in the Big South championship, 2 p.m. Does Winthrop get an at-large if they lose?
• Austin Peay (18-10, RPI 121) meets Eastern Kentucky in the Ohio Valley championship, 8 p.m.
• Bobby Cremins, in his first year back in coaching, can go to the NCAA Tournament if College of Charleston (21-10) upsets Davidson (25-4) in the Southern Conference championship, 6 p.m. The game is in Charleston.
• Appalachian State (22-6, RPI 57): The Mountaineers were upset in the semifinals of the Southern Conference Tournament by College of Charleston. Are they worthy of an at-large bid after beating Vanderbilt, Virginia, and VCU?
• Clemson (20-9, RPI 47): The Tigers must win at Virginia Tech on Sunday and get hot in the ACC Tournament.
• Florida State (18-11, RPI 50): Seminoles must win at Miami today and win at least two in the ACC Tournament.
• Georgia (16-11, RPI 56): A win over Tennessee (21-9, RPI 8) today would make the committee sit up and take notice. The Bulldogs would be 9-7 against an SEC schedule that included two games against Florida (RPI 10), Tennessee (RPI 8), Kentucky (RPI 9), and Vanderbilt (RPI 27).
• Illinois (21-9, RPI 32): the Illini don’t have a decent road win but could make up ground by beating Iowa today and making some noise in Big Ten Tournament.
• Michigan (20-10, RPI 48): Wolverines, who beat Indiana and Michigan State in February, could make a big step by beating Ohio State at home today.
• Oklahoma State (19-9, RPI 42): Cowboys have two games left with Baylor and Nebraska. Must win both and go deep into Big 12 Tournament to have a chance.
• West Virginia (8-7, RPI 55): Mountaineers have lost three of our since upsetting UCLA.
BY CONFERENCE
We project that 22 of the 31 conferences will receive only one bid. The other 43 spots in the NCAA Field …
• SEC (5): Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt. Tournament: March 8-11, Atlanta.
• PAC-10 (6): Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, Stanford, UCLA, Washington State. Tournament: March 7-10, Los Angeles.
• Mountain West (3): Air Force, BYU, UNLV Tournament: March 6, 8-10, Las Vegas.
• Missouri Valley (3): Creighton, Missouri State, Southern Illinois. Tournament: Today-Sunday, St. Louis.
• Colonial (3): Drexel, Old Dominion, VCU. Tournament: Today-March 5, Richmond.
• Big 12 (4): Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech. Tournament: March 8-11, Oklahoma City.
• Big Ten (5): Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin. Tournament: March 8-11, Chicago
• Big East (7): Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova. Tournament: March 7-10, New York.
• ACC (7) Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech. Tournament: March 8-11, Tampa.
• How do you see it?
Permalink | Comments (23) | Categories: Tony Barnhart's daily picks
Tony Barnhart’s daily picks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After Tony’s update, log your own opinion in our daily blog.
RISING
• Georgia Tech (19-10, RPI 41): The Yellow Jackets gave the Selection Committee a good reason to put them in by beating North Carolina Thursday night. Tech should not cloud the issue by not being ready for Sunday’s home finale with Boston College. Win that one and Georgia Tech should be a lock.
• Texas (22-7, RPI 31): You do not want to play the Longhorns right now. Texas has won six straight and could tie Kansas for the regular-season Big 12 championship with a win at Lawrence on Saturday.
• Maryland (23-7, RPI 11): That goes double for the Terps, who have won six straight and just posted back to back wins over North Carolina and Duke.
• Virginia (19-8, RPI 34): Win at Wake Forest on Saturday and the Cavaliers are the regular season champions. Virginia has five wins in the Top 25, which includes two over Maryland and one over Duke.
FALLING
• Florida (25-5, RPI 10): Yes the Gators may have lost a No. 1 seed with three losses in their last four games. But don’t forget that last season Florida ended February with a three-game losing streak. But when the calendar turned to March, the Gators won 11 straight games on the way to the national championship.
• Southern Cal (21-9, RPI 52): The Trojans looked like a lock two weeks ago but now they have posted road losses at Arizona State (6-21) and Washington (17-12). Another loss looms Saturday at Washington State (23-6, RPI 29)
• Air Force (22-7, RPI 24): It wasn’t that long ago that we had the Falcons as a No. 4 seed. Now they have lost three straight going into next week’s Mountain West Tournament.
• Florida State (18-11, RPI 50) at Miami: With four wins in the RPI Top 25, the Seminoles still have a shot if they can win at Miami on Saturday and then win a couple of games in the ACC Tournament. Lose at Miami and it’s over for the Seminoles.
• Alabama (20-9, RPI 39) at Mississippi State: The Crimson Tide, playing without guard Ronald Steele, is still in the hunt after beating Ole Miss at home on Wednesday. Lose in Starkville and Alabama finishes 7-9 in the SEC.
• Ohio State at Michigan (20-10, RPI 48): After beating Michigan State earlier this week, the Wolverines will stake a claim to an NCAA bid up they can upset the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor.
• Syracuse (21-8, RPI 49) at Villanova (19-9, RPI 19): We put Syracuse in the field after the Orange beat Georgetown on Monday night. Others aren’t so sure. A win at Villanova on Saturday would remove all doubt.
TOP 65 BY SEEDS
1: UCLA, Kansas, Ohio State, Wisconsin
2: Texas A&M, North Carolina, Georgetown, Florida
3: Memphis, Southern Illinois, Duke, Pittsburgh
4: Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia, Louisville
5: Texas, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Washington State
6: Marquette, Michigan State, Boston College, Kentucky
7: Nevada, Butler, Indiana, UNLV
8: Southern Cal, Stanford, Villanova, Arizona
9: Air Force, Oregon, Georgia Tech, BYU
10: Notre Dame, Xavier, Syracuse, Creighton
11: Texas Tech, Winthrop, Alabama, Old Dominion
12: VCU, Purdue, Missouri State, Gonzaga
13: Davidson, Drexel, Holy Cross, Long Beach State
14: Toledo, Vermont, Oral Roberts, Sam Houston
15: South Alabama, Penn, Marist, Austin Peay
16: Delaware State, East Tenn. State, Weber State, Jackson State, Central Connecticut
• Play-in game: Jackson State vs. Central Connecticut
BY CONFERENCE
We project that 22 of the 31 conferences will receive only one bid. The other 43 spots in the NCAA Field will be divided among the nine remaining conferences as follows:
• ACC (7) Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech.
Tournament: March 8-11, Tampa.
• Big East (7): Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova.
Tournament: March 7-10, New York.
• Big Ten (5): Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin.
Tournament: March 8-11, Chicago
• Big 12 (4): Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech.
Tournament: March 8-11, Oklahoma City.
• Colonial (3): Drexel, Old Dominion, VCU.
Tournament: Today-March 5, Richmond.
• Missouri Valley (3): Creighton, Missouri State, Southern Illinois.
Tournament: Today-Sunday, St. Louis.
• Mountain West (3): Air Force, BYU, UNLV
Tournament: March 6, 8-10, Las Vegas.
• PAC-10 (6): Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, Stanford, UCLA, Washington State.
Tournament: March 7-10, Los Angeles.
• SEC (5): Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
Tournament: March 8-11, Atlanta.
• How do you see it?
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More bubble teams than ever
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After reading Tony’s Thursday take on the NCAA tourney field, offer your thoughts:
There are more teams on the bubble than ever as we head into the last weekend of the regular season.
BREAKDOWN BY CONFERENCE
We project that 22 of the 31 conferences will receive only one bid to the NCAA Tournament. The remaining 43 spots in the field will be distributed as follows:
ACC (7): Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina (champion), Virginia, Virginia Tech.
Waiting in the wings: Clemson (20-9, RPI 47); Florida State (18-11, RPI 48).
Comment: Georgia Tech (18-10, RPI 52) could lock up a bid with a win over North Carolina tonight.
Tournament: March 8-11, Tampa.
Big East (7): Georgetown (champion), Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Syracuse, Villanova.
Waiting in the wings: West Virginia (19-8, RPI 55).
Comment: West Virginia must beat Cincinnati on Saturday and win at least two games in the Big East Tournament to get in the mix.
Tournament: March 7-10, New York.
Big Ten (5): Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State (champion), Purdue, Wisconsin.
Waiting in the wings: Illinois (21-9, RPI 32), Michigan (20-10, RPI 50).
Comment: Purdue (19-10) gets the edge over Illinois because the Boilermakers beat the Illini head to head (64-47) and have five winovers over the Top 50. Michigan could get in the conversation with a win Saturday over Ohio State.
Tournament: March 8-11, Chicago.
Big 12 (4): Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M (champion), Texas Tech.
Waiting in the wings: None.
Comment: Kansas (26-4, 13-2 Big 12) can clinch the regular season championship with a win at home over Texas (22-7, RPI 31) on Saturday.
Tournament: March 8-11, Oklahoma City.
Colonial (3): Old Dominion, Drexel, VCU (champion).
Waiting in the wings: None
Comment: VCU (24-6, RPI 59) may get left out if it doesn’t win conference tournament.
Tournament: Friday-March 5, Richmond.
Missouri Valley (3): Creighton, Missouri State, Southern Illinois (champion).
Waiting in the wings: Bradley (19-11, RPI 42).
Comment: If Bradley wins the tournament the Valley could get four teams in the NCAA Field for the second straight year.
Tournament: Today-Sunday, St. Louis.
Mountain West (3): Air Force (champion), BYU, UNLV
Waiting in the wings: San Diego State (18-9, RPI 56)
Comment: San Diego State has won seven of its last nine games.
Tournament: March 6, 8-10, Las Vegas.
PAC-10 (6): Arizona, Oregon, Southern Cal, Stanford, UCLA (champion), Washington State.
Waiting in the wings: None.
Comment: Stanford (17-10, RPI 45) needs to split its final two games with Arizona State and Arizona.
Tournament: March 7-10, Los Angeles.
SEC (5): Alabama, Florida (champion), Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
Waiting in the wings: Georgia (16-11, RPI 54), Ole Miss (18-11, RPI 63), Arkansas (17-12, RPI 57).
Comment: Alabama (20-9, RPI 38) won a huge game Wednesday night against Ole Miss. A win Saturday against Mississippi State would probably seal the deal.
Tournament: March 8-11, Atlanta.
ONE BID LEAGUES WITH PROJECTED CHAMPS
(Conference tournament in parentheses)
AMERICA EAST: Vermont (Friday, Sunday, March 10)
ATLANTIC 10: Xavier (March 7-10)
ATLANTIC SUN: East Tennessee State (Today-Saturday) Comment: ETSU (20-8, RPI 117) playing tournament on its home floor. Open with Stetson (9-19) tonight.
BIG SKY: Weber State (Saturday, March 6-7)
BIG SOUTH: Winthrop (Thursday, Saturday) Comment: Winthrop (22-4, RPI 67) faces UNC-Asheville in semifinals tonight at Charleston.
BIG WEST: Long Beach (March 7-10)
CONFERENCE USA: Memphis (March 7-10)
HORIZON: Butler (Friday, Saturday, March 6) Comment: Butler (24-5) plays all games on its home floor. Wright State (21-9, RPI 80) could win the tournament.
IVY: Penn (No Tournament) Comment: Penn (18-8, RPI 83) can clinch tie for regular season championship with win at home Friday against Yale (12-12). Quakers could win title outright by beating Brown (10-17) on Saturday.
METRO ATLANTIC: Marist (Friday-March 5)
MID-AMERICAN: Toledo (March 7-10)
MID-CONTINENT: Oral Roberts (Saturday-March 6)
MEAC: Delaware State (March 6-10)
NORTHEAST: Central Connecticut (Today, March 4, March 7) Comment: Central Connecticut (19-11, RPI 158), the regular season champion, plays all tournament games on its home floor.
OHIO VALLEY: Austin Peay (Friday, Saturday) Comment: Austin Peay (18-10, RPI 120) beat Tennessee State 89-84 in first round. The Governors play Samford in second round Friday.
PATRIOT: Holy Cross (Sunday, March 9) Comment: Holy Cross (23-8, RPI 78) beat Lafayette 83-53 and hosts American (16-13) on Sunday.
SOUTHERN: Davidson (Today-Saturday) Comment: Davidson (24-4, RPI 61) plays Chattanooga in quarterfinals tonight. Appalachian State (21-6, RPI 53) could win the tournament.
SOUTHLAND: Sam Houston (March 8-9, 11)
SUN BELT: South Alabama (Sunday, March 6) Comment: Southern Alabama (18-10, RPI 121) plays Middle Tennessee in Sunday’s quarterfinals in Lafayette, La.
SWAC: Jackson State (March 7-10)
WAC: Nevada (March 6, 8-10)
WEST COAST: Gonzaga (Friday-March 5)
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