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

[Hawk 34 0]

and we are stuck with Packer and Nantz until they croak (Packer doesn't have much time left anyways) or when CBS loses the NCAA Tournament package, which isn't for awhile.

[Guest Princess Leena]

My thing is this. You cannot argue "non-conference schedule matters" and then let in Air Force and Utah State. You can't do it.

 

But just to be fair, I'll bring up the Air Force schedule and break it down as well. Maybe I'm missing something cause I damn sure am not missing something with Utah St.

 

I'm confused on both...

 

Utah St., I can understand a little. Since they were so close to winning at Nevada for a 2nd time. And they swept La Tech. Shouldn't be in over teams like Cincy, Michigan, Hofstra... but, they're not too far behind.

 

Air Force... I'm 100% lost on. Every somewhat quality game they won, except for Utah, was at home. Outside of Washington, they had to be close to the worst non-conference schedule in D1. They lost 1st round in the MWC tourney. All they have is a 24-6 record. These are all things the committee supposedly looks into.

 

I don't know if the committee wanted to purposely show they don't have an Eastern bias, or gave pity to Air Force because they're a military school... but, something was really strange with these picks.

[Vampiro69 0]

Why do they even have the tool(Packer) on the air anymore? He looked so unorganized during the early part of the selection show.

 

I have yet to meet a person that likes his commenrtary. A player could go 10/10 from the field with a 12 boards and Packer will say that he needs to step up and be a leader!

 

CNNSI had a good article that ripped Packer and was great read.

 

CNNSI

[Bored 0]

NIT Brackets if anyone cares.

 

Opening Round

 

Fairleigh Dickinson at Manhattan, winner plays Maryland in First round

Rutgers at Penn State, winner plays St. Joseph's

Lipsomb at UTEP, winner plays Michigan

Akron at Temple, winner plays Creighton

Delaware State at Northern Arizona, winner plays Louisville

Virginia at Stanford, winner plays Missouri State

Georgia Southern at Charlotte, winner plays Cincinnati

Butler at Miami of Ohio, winner plays Florida State

 

First Round

 

Old Dominion at Colorado

Nebraska at Hofstra

Vanderbilt at Notre Dame

Oklahoma State at Miami

Louisiana Tech at Clemson

BYU at Houston

Wake Forest at Minnesota

Western Kentucky at South Carolina

[iggymcfly 0]

All right. Here's my early Elite Eight/Final Four picks.

 

Duke over Texas

Pitt over Indiana

UConn over UNC

Ohio State over BC

 

Duke over Pitt

UConn over Ohio State

 

Duke over UConn

 

And I have to agree on the Gonzaga/Xavier game. Looking at the Sagarin rankings, there are seven teams in the A-10 that are better than the second best team in the WCC.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I think Duke has an absolutely brutal route. If they get through GW, LSU/Cuse, and then WVU/Texas, I'll be amazed. I can't decide if I think they're the best team in the country, or one off game from Redick away from exiting in the Sweet 16 again.

 

I don't know what to do with Big 10 teams. I never do. Illinois was pretty obvious last year, but how good are Ohio State and Iowa? Oh brackets, you slay me.

 

On Gonzaga: I think Morrison will be able to beat Xavier. I do not think they stand a chance if they get to UCLA.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

I'm going to call it now.

 

GW over Duke in the Second Round as long as Pops shows up. You heard it here first.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I wish Gonzaga would have gone up against a more athletic team like Murray St. or Winthrop. I would have seriously picked the upset, in that case.

[Bored 0]

So who's everyone got for double digit seeds making it to the Sweet 16? I went with Bradley and Northern Iowa. Hey it happens every year.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

In my current layout I don't have any, but I'm looking very hard at NC State and San Diego State. Texas looks susceptible, even though I think they could also cruise to the Final Four if they get the right breaks.

[therealworldschampion 0]

I'm going to call it now.

 

GW over Duke in the Second Round as long as Pops shows up. You heard it here first.

 

I think it'll be LSU who takes them out. All the size they have is just unbelievable, I'm actually really happy they're not in Nova's bracket.

[iggymcfly 0]

I couldn't find a double digit seed that fit in the Sweet 16 this year. The best I could do in terms of second round upsets was Wichita State over Tennessee. I almost went with Arkansas over Memphis but I couldn't quite pull the trigger.

 

I also thought about Wisconsin-Milwaukee, but that kind of team doesn't usually make a deep run two years in a row, and if they make the second round, they'll likely have to play Florida in Jacksonville.

[smh810 0]

I'm going to call it now.

 

GW over Duke in the Second Round as long as Pops shows up. You heard it here first.

 

GW got royally screwed by the committee and I dont think they make it out of the 1st round UNC-Wilmington is very good.

 

So who's everyone got for double digit seeds making it to the Sweet 16? I went with Bradley and Northern Iowa. Hey it happens every year.

 

The only one I have is Seton Hall.

 

I think it'll be LSU who takes them out. All the size they have is just unbelievable, I'm actually really happy they're not in Nova's bracket.

 

I actually dont think Nova would have much of a problem with them, LSU is big but slow and is very vulnerable to being knocked out early (I have them losing in the 1st round)

[Guest Princess Leena]

Quick thoughts:

 

Atlanta: Texas is my pick here, as they potentially have the 2nd best starting lineup in the tourney. Although, not too confident on it since so many of their players are inconsistent. If not, then my pick would be LSU. Duke better really hope Syracuse or Iona gets through their section... because it will take a super game from Redick for Duke to overcome the advantage LSU will have inside. Even if Thomas doesn't return.

 

Oakland: Oy... anything could happen here. I think UCLA has the most talent, but who knows how Farmar will play from game to game. I see many potential upsets here.

 

Washington: Barring disaster, UConn should get to the Final 4. All the teams in that section, UConn is going to have a huge advantage inside on. Except for maybe UNC-MSU, and they're facing in the 2nd round. This is one of the weakest brackets overall I've seen in years.

 

Minnesota: I doubt Nova is making the Final 4 out of this section. Wisconsin is a tough 2nd round matchup with their slow tempo and strong defense. And I really don't see them getting by Nevada or BC... both with elite big men, that Nova won't be able to stop. But, I'd go with Ohio St. over BC.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Nova is playing 2 home games in Philly the first weekend, Wisconsin has been underwhelming this year(Little tidbit of info, Bo Ryan is from the Philly suburbs so it's a homecoming for him), and Wisconsin has been awful on the road, I can't see them losing there. As I've said before, I don't get the hoopla with BC considering they've never gotten out of the first weekend under Skinner and they usually exit by way of a team you don't expect to beat them (Last year with UWM, 01 with USC). That will be Nova's toughest game though if it happens, if they win, they'll get to the Final Four.

 

But other than UConn's region, I have no frickin idea who is coming out of each region. Texas is my most sure pick of the 3, provided they don't lay a goose egg like they did with the OK State game.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Another thing about BC is that they have to fly out to Utah, and play 2 teams (Pacific and probably Nevada), who are playing relatively close to home, which always can be trouble.

[smh810 0]

A couple of points about BC: Yes tourney success has eluded them in the past but this is the most talented team they've had there in quite some time. Also, keep in mind that in those years where they got eliminated early they peaked in Jan-Feb. this team is peaking right now and I dont see Pacific or Nevada giving this crew much trouble at all. Last year BC was fading fast come tourney time and there was no way they would give a team like Duke the scare that they gave them today. The bottom line is that they are the total package that is getting hot at the right time.

[therealworldschampion 0]

They're quite talented, but the Big East fan in me (SilverPhoenix included), would probably be quite sickened if the traitor school ended up beating Nova in the Sweet 16, Georgetown in the Elite 8, and UConn in the Final Four.

 

And there's something about Al Skinner that reminds me way too much of Steve Lappas, the previous Nova coach who had a ton of talented teams but never got out of the first weekend of the NCAAs.

[alfdogg 0]

Indiana a #6 seed? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

This was very similar to my reaction.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Yeah, BC got screwed with their seeding, and definitely the location of their games. I agree that BC isn't the best tournament team. With their style of mostly interior-based play, if they get caught against a hot shooting team... they're in trouble. Happened last year against Milwaukee, same with Duke today, and NC State early in the year.

 

But, BC is dangerous to me... because they're one of the most consistent teams in the field. You know what they're going to do, and you simply have to play very well to beat them.

[therealworldschampion 0]

I will say this about Nova, they really remind me of St. Joe's 2 years ago in that if they go cold shooting-wise, they're in a lot of trouble, which is why I'm so hesitant to put them in the Final Four.

[SilverPhoenix 0]

I acutally like BC to defeat Pacific. They showed me a lot in the ACC Tournament. They're balanced and tough, AND they can give Nova a serious run for their money if they reach the Sweet 16.

 

However, lets not forget about the Roadblock that waits for them in the 2nd Round in Nevada. Nevada was left for dead in Janurary when it lost a string of tough Games. However, since then, they've won 16 in a row, including the WAC Championship. Not to mention they have one of the best players in country leading them.

 

BC has ALOT to worry about in Nevada.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Which is why every regional except for the DC one is a real bitch to pick. The only thing I'm extremely sure of is UConn winning their regional, Texas getting to the Elite Eight at least, and Tennessee going out early.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

On a side note, I am really loving the format for the new NIT.

 

On a second note, Western Kentucky has drawn the worst bracket in the field by having to play defending champ South Carolina. Oh well, I'll watch anyway.

[smh810 0]

I actually have Cal beating Texas in the 2nd round. Its weird, I've heard a lot about how good Texas is and yet every time I watch them I'm not that impressed (aside from PJ Tucker). I think Kansas exposed them bigtime today and theyre vulnerable against athletic teams that will go right after them.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Speaking of Texas, Dama what's the odds of a meltdown if Texas wins the tournament and has a football and basketball championship in a one year period?

[SilverPhoenix 0]

Which is why every regional except for the DC one is a real bitch to pick. The only thing I'm extremely sure of is UConn winning their regional, Texas getting to the Elite Eight at least, and Tennessee going out early.

 

As of right now....I have Tenn being the 5th 2 Seed ever to bow out in the first round. Why? Cause like almost every other 2 Seed that has...they've become very vulnerable in a short amount of time. Winthrop has NOTHING to lose here, Bruce Pearl and the Volunteers have plenty.

 

This may change before Thursday, but with this field....I wouldn't be surprised.

[Art Sandusky 0]

Since when did they drop the Midwest/South/East/West designations?

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Some interesting stuff from Andy Katz concerning the selection process from an inside source

 

Even though it ended in a loss, Utah State's performance against Nevada in overtime in the WAC tournament title game was the final impression needed to push the Aggies into the field of 65 in one of the more surprising selections of the year, ESPN.com has learned.

 

 

The selection committee watched Utah State and, after seeing the Aggies nearly pull off the upset at Nevada on Saturday night, was convinced the Aggies should be in the field, a source with knowledge of the selection processed confirmed.

 

 

Some of the more interesting decisions went down like this, according to the source:

 

 

• If South Carolina had beaten Florida in the SEC tournament title game, then one team would have been eliminated -- either Bradley or Air Force.

 

 

• One of the main reasons Air Force got in the field was that the Falcons were the No. 2 team in the Mountain West, ranked as the No. 8 conference.

 

 

• One of the last teams not to make the field was another mid-major: Western Kentucky. The committee looked strongly at the Hilltoppers, regular-season champs of the Sun Belt. Western Kentucky, which lost to South Alabama in the conference title game, had an RPI of 55, a strength of schedule of 116, a 1-2 record against the top 50, a non-conference SOS (strength of schedule) of 29, and a 7-4 road record. Meanwhile, the NIT placed Western Kentucky as a 6-seed in the South region.

 

 

• Duke earned the No. 1 spot overall because it played in the ACC tournament title game while Connecticut and Villanova failed to reach the Big East tourney title game.

 

 

• George Washington slid down to a No. 8 because of the knee injury to starting forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu.

 

 

• The biggest discussion point was over Missouri Valley teams.

 

 

• Boston College was one of the more perplexing placements as a No. 4 in Salt Lake City in the Minneapolis region. The Eagles play No. 13 Pacific with the other two teams being No. 5 Nevada against No. 12 Montana. BC, which played Sunday in the ACC tournament title game, will have to travel Monday night to Salt Lake City to play Thursday. The Eagles are the only Eastern time zone team among the other four teams.

 

 

• The team that seemed to move the most around the board was Pitt, which settled at No. 5 in the Oakland region.

 

 

• Cincinnati was off the board by late in the week. The Bearcats didn't get out of the first round of the Big East tournament after Syracuse's Gerry McNamara beat them with a 3-pointer with a half second left.

 

Found it funny that I had the exact same feeling about Utah State while watching the game. They looked like a team that belonged in the tournament.

[ANKLELOCK 0]

Anybody see the Tennessee All Access segment on SportsCenter and Bruce Pearl's face when UT's seed was announced?

 

CLASSIC

 

Good thing is, ESPN is following the Vols through the NCAA tourney so we should see more hilarious antics from my new favorite Sports Coach.

 

I know I sound like Dama during football season, and you should probably just ignore me accordingly, but its been such a feel good year and a long time coming for a guy who loves basketball and has had nothing to cheer for in what seems like forever.