College Hoops 2/27/2006 - 03/12/2006

[iggymcfly 0]

I don't necessarily think that Memphis screwed themselves out of a 1 seed at all. With the way Texas and Tennessee have been playing of late, the only other real options are Gonzaga and Ohio State. Gonzaga's resume is much weaker then Memphis's, and I really can't imagine them getting a 1 seed. Ohio State's got a shot, but I think they're going to have to run the table from here on out including their conference tourney or else the 1 seed defaults back to the Tigers.

 

Oh, and the Vols did have a shot at a #1 seed. If they'd won out from that Kentucky game on, I honestly think they would have gotten it over Ohio State due to the big OOC games that they played. Now though, they'll probably have to win out just to keep a 2 seed. Those SEC losses can be pretty damaging when the conference is as down at is this year.

[cabbageboy 0]

I don't think Tennessee's own fans thought they had any hope at a 1 seed. If they had gotten it they'd easily be the first 1 seed out.

 

I actually think Northern Iowa could be the MVC team that is left out. They have been tanking lately and I think Bradley actually has the tiebreaker over them in the MVC (both went 11-7 but Bradley won both matchups). If Missouri St. takes out UNI tonight then I think they are in big trouble.

 

As an aside I hadn't even heard of Missouri St. until this year, and then I read in the paper they used to be Southwest Missouri State. I guess they dropped the Southwest part since it made them sound like a bigger jobber.

[Guest Princess Leena]

IMO, for the last #1 seed... top to bottom, assuming teams win out.

 

Texas (committee is going to love them for that OOC schedule).

UNC (unlikely they will... but probably 2 wins over Duke, and the ACC tourney... the hype would be nauseating.)

Ohio St.

Memphis

Gonzaga

GW

Illinois/BC/UCLA type team.

[Guest]

The last one seed is Texas provided they win out, followed by Gonzaga, Ohio State, GW, and Memphis.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

IMO, for the last #1 seed... top to bottom, assuming teams win out.

 

Texas (committee is going to love them for that OOC schedule).

UNC (unlikely they will... but probably 2 wins over Duke, and the ACC tourney... the hype would be nauseating.)

Ohio St.

Memphis

Gonzaga

GW

Illinois/BC/UCLA type team.

 

With all respect to your opinion Leena, I'm going to have to disagree, here. Here is my lineup in order of sucession with explanations

 

Ohio State

Memphis

Texas

Illinois

Gonzaga

West Virginia/Pittsburgh

 

Ohio State: Looks geared to win the Big 10 regular season outright barring a loss tomorrow. Should they do that and win the Big 10 Tournament, the committee is going to look very favorably on this team, and probably will give them the one seed.

 

Memphis: If this were a fair process then Memphis would still be the 4th number 1 seed as UAB shouldn't be such a bad loss that it takes them off this perch. Then you realize that when you count all of Memphis detractors in the media and probably in the commitee themselves, this is the loss that they've been waiting for. Even if Memphis were to win its next 4 games, their one seed may be taken away by the team below or above them.

 

Texas: In all reality they should be elimated from this discussion as 4 of their 5 losses have made this team look like complete crap. I'm sorry but getting blown out by OK State (yes, there is a pun here) does not make you good for a 1 seed. However, our friends at ESPN and the media at large have been hyping this team as their champion to take away the 1 seed from Memphis. The Texas A&M loss should've elminated the Longhorns from this discussion, but winning their next 4 Games is going to give the committee all the excuse it needs.

 

Illinois: This is where you start getting into unrealistic, but possible territory. By the RPI the Big 10 is the best conference in America by .48 percentage points...winning this conference becomes a big deal, escpecially if Ohio State loses on Saturday and they win the following day. CBS would love nothing more than to hype up a meeting between these teams for a possbile placement as the final 1 seed.

 

Gonzaga: Everyone else has to start losing and they have to win the WCC. And it still may not be enough.

 

West Va/Pitt: Here are your two Washington types folks. Pitt is definetely more realsitic than West Va due to the job to Marshall that the latter did so masterfully. But you have to think about this scenario.

 

Going into the Big East Tournament.

 

UConn is the 1 Seed

Villanova is the 2 Seed

West Va is the 3 Seed

Pitt is the 4th Seed

 

UConn and Nova are 1 seed locks should they win their next 2 Games (which shouldn't be too much of a problem) and most likely, they already are.

 

And coming into March Madness...the only bigger win you can get is Duke.

 

Imagine if West Va or Pitt beats them both in 2 consecutive nights?

 

That would be the cherry on top, and the selection committee will jump on it. Escpecially if Ohio State, Illinois, Texas and lose in their tourneys. And Memphis no matter what it does.

 

As for the teams that I eliminated from the discussion, IMHO.

 

UNC: Too tall of a order for too young of a team. If they should somehow beat Duke tomorrow, then they can enter the discussion, till then....nope

GW: Numbers doom this team. The committee is not giving team who couldn't get into the upper 50% of OOC scheduleing a 1 seed.

UCLA: Does anyone take UCLA seriously as a top 4 seed, much less a 1?

BC: 4 Words...Virginia and Georgia Tech. They lost to them.

[naiwf 0]

The only thing working against Pitt/W. Va., even if they run the table is that it would mean that the monster that is the Big East would have three of the 1 seeds, and that all 4 teams would play on the East coast when you toss in Duke.

[Guest Princess Leena]

The thing that worries me about Ohio St. is that they don't have the big road win. Yeah, they beat both Michigan teams... but, meh. Compared to Texas who won at Memphis, neutral games over WVU and Iowa, and has the big win over Nova... Texas is going to get the advantage, IMO.

 

Memphis, I disagree a lot on. Not that I don't think they're a Top 5 quality team... but they don't have enough big wins, and the ones they do are kinda questionable. Gonzaga had the excuse of quite poor scheduling for their game. UCLA was banged up. And Alabama stunk early in the year. With the UAB loss, I can't put them above Texas or Ohio St. Even though they have the great RPI, like you say, you know the committee is punishing them for their conference. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't even get a 2 seed now, if most of the teams we mentioned finish well.

[Guest Princess Leena]

The only thing working against Pitt/W. Va., even if they run the table is that it would mean that the monster that is the Big East would have three of the 1 seeds, and that all 4 teams would play on the East coast when you toss in Duke.

 

I don't think Pitt has a shot at a #1 if everything goes well. The committee has shown they'll knock them for that schedule. And bless them for doing so. Every Pitt game is painful to watch. Pardon my bias. WVU could be a possiblity, but very unlikely/

[cabbageboy 0]

How the hell is WVU going to get a 1 seed? Their record is just like 19-8 and the RPI is only 23 or so. Pitt is at least #7 in the RPI and has been their usual solid, boring as shit selves.

 

By the way in the MVC tourney today my boys Bradley (sarcasm) took out Creighton. With an RPI of 32 Creighton is likely still in, but man that win has to help out Bradley. I'm telling you, the MVC will end up getting 6 teams here. Let's say UNI takes out Mizzou St. tonight, that just solidifes their position and doesn't hurt Missouri St. much since they are #20 in the RPI. As long as S. Illinois beats Evansville I think they are in as well, since they'd at least be in the semis, have 20 overall wins, and finished 2nd in the reg. season.

 

Actually the one team that might be really fucked is Creighton from the MVC. I can see the committee using their MVC tourney loss to Bradley as a way to keep them out.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Like I said...West Virginia is out there, but stranger things have happened, and that happening wouldn't surprise me at all. As for the realism of it, yeah it is quite the stretch, and in all honesty shouldn't happen, escpecially with the Marshall loss.

 

And oh...I think we have to take Pitt of that list now too. They just lost to Seton Hall, who has effectively put themselves in near-bulletproof category

[Bored 0]

It's one night late but thank god UCLA beat Cal which probably bursts Cal's bubble without some help. A season sweep of the Bruins probably would have put them in. Having Stanford's tournament streak snapped this year is bad enough but Cal in the tournament would just make it that much worse.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

And Championship Week officially begins tomorrow as 3 Automatic Bids will be decided tomorrow in the Big South, Atlantic Sun and Ohio Valley Conferences. For your view pleasure, I give you a preview of the Big South, Atlantic Sun and Ohio Valley Championship Games.

 

First the Atlantic Sun.

 

 

Dates: March 2nd - 4th

Locations: Johnson City, Tennesee (Hosted by Eastern Tenneesee State University)

TV: ESPN2 @ 2 PM

 

Teams:

 

#1 Seed Vs. #2 Seed

 

Lipscomb Bison 21 - 9 (15 - 5 Atlantic Sun)

Belmont Bruins 19 - 10 (15 - 5 Atlantic Sun)

 

Roads to get to Championship

Lipscomb

#1 Lipscomb Def. #8 Mercer 78 - 62

#1 Lipscomb Def. #4 Gardner-Webb 70 - 51

 

Belmont

#2 Belmont Def. #7 Campbel 90 - 76

#2 Belmont Def. #6 Stetson 72 - 59

 

What's on the Line

This is a Small Conference here peeps, and it all comes down to this game. One team makes it to the NCAA Tournament, and if Belmont loses its season is pretty much over. Even the new NIT rules allowing each Regular Season Champion who doesn't make it into the dance a spot in the NIT only applies if Lipscomb should lose this game. For these teams it's all about making it, and possibly being able to win a game in the tournament.

 

Past Champions

2005: Central Florida

2004: Central Florida

2003: Troy

2002: Florida Atlantic

2001: Georgia State

2000: Samford

1999: Samford

1998: College of Charleston

1997: College of Charleston

1996: Central Florida

1995: Florida International

1994: Central Florida

1993: No Tournament was held this year and Florida International was declared the Champion by its Regular Season Record

1992: Georgia Southern

1991: Georgia State

1990: Arkansas-Little Rock

1989: Arkansas-Little Rock

1988: Texas-San Antonio

1987: Georgia Southern

1986: Arkansas-Little Rock

1985: Mercer

1984: Houston Baptist University

1983: Georgia Southern

1982: Lousiana-Monroe/Northern Louisana

1981: Louisana-Monroe/Northern Louisana

1980: Centary

1979: Louisana Monroe/Northern Louisana

[Boon 0]

Great ending to the WVU/Cincy game.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Winthrop is in the NCAA Tournament after a 51-50 win over Coastal Carolina.

[Guest]

UConn's not playing well, and the Atlantic Sun game is real good.

[naiwf 0]

This guy from Charlotte is a HUGE fucking idiot. They're up 2 over GW with 5.7 seconds left. They have the ball and are ready to shoot free throws and he throws a wild elbow which could end up giving GW a tech that could save them.

[Guest Smues]

Down by 3, GW gets 2 free throws and then the ball. If they win this that kid who threw the elbow is gonna get killed when he gets back to campus.

[Guest Smues]

What an amazing ending. GW takes a 3 for some reason and misses but it's picked up and tossed in at the buzzer. Wow.

[naiwf 0]

I hope to God that Goldwire from Charlotte just cost his team an NCAA tourney berth for being a fucking moron. Karma's a bitch.

[cabbageboy 0]

I don't think Charlotte was in a serious bubble position anyway. Were they? That was one insane game though, probably one of the best of the year and a truly bizarre finish.

 

Man, U of L came sooooo close today against UConn. I didn't think we'd win but still a great effort. Shame we couldn't have somehow pulled that one out to go 7-9 in conf. and need just 1 win for the magic 20.

 

Yay, Murray St. won the OVC today. Now I just hope WKU wins the Sun Belt. IU also solidifed their tourney position today with a win over Michigan. UK is likely in as well. Basically everyone from my general area will get in aside from U of L. Blah.

 

Oh, and my boys Bradley won again today over Wichita St. Feel the 6 bids for the MVC yet?

[Guest Princess Leena]

Charlotte had no chance at an at-large, but would probably make NIT anyway, so no biggie.

[Gert T 0]

The MVC will not get six bids, bank on it.

[Guest]

The MVC's gonna get 3 bids at the most. The selection committee doesn't have the hard on for them like everyone else does.

[Mik 0]

Duke/UNC has been an awesome game to this point. Duke by 1 at the half but there have been about 10 lead changes.

[naiwf 0]

After losing to FSU and getting rolled by UNC at home, does Duke still get a one seed if they lose early in the ACC tourney?

[Guest]

Yes, but whether they deserve it is an entirely different matter.

[naiwf 0]

Maybe I should have held off on Duke getting rolled at home. I still think they'll lose since JJ is ice cold, but they at least made a run at it.

[nogoodnick 0]

If you're not watching Duke/UNC get to a tv now.

[Guest Princess Leena]

After losing to FSU and getting rolled by UNC at home, does Duke still get a one seed if they lose early in the ACC tourney?

 

Yes.

 

And on ESPN3, you can view the game from the toilet cam.

[Guest Princess Leena]

The MVC will not get six bids, bank on it.

 

No, they won't.

 

But, the MVC tourney is going as perfect as could be to get the most bids for their conference. Bradley and S. Illinois, probably the two weakest tourney hopefuls... make the final, and both could get in now with a loss. I think at least 2 of those 6 aren't making the tourney... and there will be quite the controversy about it.