09 Mar 9 - TiTo

Volume XIII, No. 18 - 09 Mar 9: PRETOURNAMENT - [] Top 25 Ballot

TiTo

Pittsburgh beat #1 Connecticut for the second time this year, @70-60, and once again assumes to the top spot in the rankings. (This time, it's a keeper since this is the final regular season poll.) UConn's cHasheem Thabeet(14p13r5b) had the better of Pitt's fDeJuan Blair(8p8r) and pA.J. Price(19p4a) had a solid game, but pLevance Fields(10p12a5r) directed the show for the Panthers and the East Coast Huskies had no answer for xSam Young(31p10r). Pitt may be #1 in the land, but the coveted BIG EAST regular season title when to Louisville at 16-2. The Cardinals' pressing defensive style is more suited to tournament play than conference play, so the sky is the limit for UofL in the postseason. Villanova routed Notre Dame (77-@60) and Providence (@97-80) while slumping Marquette fell at Pitt (75-@90) and to Syracuse (@79-86(OT)) allowing the Wildcats to move into fourth place and claim the final double-bye slot for the conference tournament.

As fTyler Hansbrough piles on the accolades (most free throws made in NCAA history [900+], first player to be unanimous all-ACC all four years of his career, first ACC player to lead his team in scoring and rebounding all four years of his career, second marquee player [Tim Duncan] to go 4-0 at Cameron Indoor Stadium during the Mike Krzyzewski era, 60 points shy of J.J. Redick's all-time ACC scoring mark), North Carolina was able to hold off Duke @79-71. pTy Lawson(13p9a8r) injured his toe in practice, but still had enough to make key plays down the stretch. The win gave Carolina the outright ACC title (their 17th overall to Duke's 16) and also likely secured a #1-seed for the NCAA tournament and one of the two slots in the Greensboro Pod. Duke's loss dropped them into a tie for second with Wake Forest which beat Clemson @96-88 to claim the #2-seed for the ACC tournament). The second slot in Greensboro is still up for grabs between those two and, especially for Wake, could make all the difference between a smooth ride into the Sweet 16 or a bumpy road.

Missouri's pressure forced 21 turnovers in its @73-64 win over Oklahoma, knocking the Sooners out of a chance to share the BIG 12 title. Meanwhile, Kansas held off Texas @83-73 (behind 21p7a from pSherron Collins) to claim the regular season title outright. Give coach Bill Self all the credit for molding such a young team into a champion right away. With Texas unable to hang with the leaders, there ended up being a three-game gap between third-place Mizzou and a four-way tie for fourth among Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas A&M. (More than anything, that gap end up may bursting the bubble of any team that fails to make the conference tournament semifinals.)

Michigan State produced a four-game gap all by itself after beating back Purdue @62-51 (behind 21p4a5r from gKalin Lucas). At least below the runaway leader, though, the bulk of the BIG 10 teams have kept playing well. With the teams well bunched from second down to eight place, the league might well see all of its top eight teams get an NCAA bid.

Washington completed the deal with a @67-60 over Washington State to claim the PAC-10 regular season title. It's the West Coast Huskies' first outright conference title in over 50 years (1953, back in the old "Pacific Coast Conference" days).
     LSU dropped its final two league games, @67-75 to Vanderbilt and 53-@69 at Auburn, yet they still won the SEC title with a three-game gap.

Memphis won its fourth straight C-USA title, going undefeated in conference for the third year running with a four-game gap over second-place Tulsa. You'd think the lack of competition would make them soft out of conference -- witness 14-0 (+4) Gonzaga's poor showing against them head-to-head -- but coach John Calipari seems to know how to manage the situation much better than Mark Few.
     Xavier routed Dayton @76-59 to claim the A-10 title. The Mountain West didn't sort much out, finishing in a three-way tie for the regular season title at 12-4 between BYU, Utah and New Mexico (with San Diego State just one game back). If they all finish strong in the conference tournament, they might even manage three at-large bids to the NCAAs (putting the squeeze even further on the BIG 12 and SEC also-rans).

Spoiler Alert:
     Nothing too terrible happened in the early conference tournaments. Gonzaga and St. Mary's (with pPatrick Mills back on the court) both made the WCC final, as did Butler in the HORIZON. Davidson fell (for the second time) to Bobby Cremins' College of Charleston squad, 52-59 in the SOCON semifinal as pStephen Curry(20p3a6r) couldn't find the range on three-pointers (2-for-11). Creighton, which had rallied to tie for the MVC regular season title, was crushed in the conference semifinals, 49-73, by Illinois State. With so many BIG EAST and BIG 10 teams finishing strong, neither Davidson nor Creighton deserves a bid on paper (but the marquee value of pCurry will likely get DC in). Cleveland State knocked out Wisconsin-Green Bay 73-67 in the HORIZON semifinal, but neither team could have gotten in at-large.
     Hats off to Northern Iowa and Radford, the first teams to claim TiTo honors this year (the regular season Title and conference Tournament double). UNI held off Illinois State 60-57(OT) while Radford won at home against gunning Holmes twins of VMI @108-94 (behind 26p10r from cArtsiom Parakhouski).
     East Tennessee State won the A-SUN tournament (beating top-seed Jacksonville @85-68 in the final) and nearly pulled off an incredible feat: three different players topping 30p in the three games -- (fKevin Tiggs had 37p in the quarters, gCourtney Pigram had 30p in the semis, but tMike Smith (who has topped 30 this year) could only manage 22p12r in the final blowout). Morehead State sent high-scoring tLester Hudson(35p10r) home 63-@55 in the OVC semis and then took the final 67-@65(2OT) over Austin Peay in dramatic fashion on the Jordanesque game-winning jumper by freshman gSteve Peterson(2p;GWFG).

The final gaps in the BCS conference standings provide a ready guideline for who's in and who's out:

• BIG EAST(8) (in: West Virginia, Providence; out: Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Georgetown)
• BIG 10(8) (in Minnesota, Michigan; out: Northwestern)
• ACC(6) (in Clemson, Boston College; out: Miami(Florida), Maryland, Virginia Tech)
• PAC 10(4) (in: Arizona State, California; out: Arizona, USC)
• SEC(4) (in: Tennessee, South Carolina, Auburn; out: Florida, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Vanderbilt)
• BIG 12(3) (out: Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas A&M)
• MWC(3) (in: BYU, Utah, New Mexico; out: San Diego State, UNLV)
• WCC(2) (in: Gonzaga/St. Mary's)
• A-10(1) (in: Xavier; out: Dayton, Rhode Island, Temple)
• HORIZON(1) (out: Wisconsin-Green Bay, Cleveland State)
• MAAC(1) (out: Siena/Niagara)
• COLONIAL(1) (out: VCU/George Mason, Northeastern)
• C-USA(1) (out: Tulsa, UAB, Houston, UTEP)
• MVC(1) (out: Creighton, Illinois State)

That "natural cut" yields 33 at-large bids. Davidson will probably get the last one. Any break of form the rest of the way with a team on the "out" side winning an automatic bid: begin cutting from the bottom up.

The Mega-BIG EAST tournament is here! Can any team withstand five straight days of tournament play? Doubtful. Will four straight days take a lot out of contenders Marquette, Syracuse and West Virginia? Probably so. Can Louisville pull off the ultimate TiTo (this year of all years)? Mabye so -- they're made for tournament play.

-- Ron

P.S. Look for the official Hoops Contest invite Sunday overnight!!!

Key games this week:

Monday:

WCC TOURNAMENT Final @ Las Vegas NV /OHA/
- ([1]Gonzaga-[2]StMarys),
SOCON TOURNAMENT Final @ Chattanooga TN /Chattanooga/
- (@[1aN]Chattanooga-[2bS]ColofCharleston),
MAAC TOURNAMENT Final @ Albany NY /Siena/)
- (@[1]Siena-[2]Niagara),
COLONIAL TOURNAMENT Final @ Richmond VA /VCU/
- (@[1]VCU-[2]GeoMason(VA)),

Monday-Tuesday:

SUN BELT TOURNAMENT Semis,Final @ Hot Springs AR
- ([1a/E1]WeKentucky-[4]NTexas, [1b/W1]@ARLittleRock-[5b]SAlabama),
SUMMIT TOURNAMENT Semis,Final @ Sioux Falls SD
- ([1]NDState),

Tuesday:

HORIZON TOURNAMENT Final on-campus
- (@[1]Butler-[3a]ClevelandSt),

Tuesday-Wednesday:

BIG SKY TOURNAMENT @ #1-seed /Weber St/
- (@[1]WeberSt, [2a]PortlandSt),

Tuesday-Saturday:

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT @ New York NY /MSG/
- (Tue 1st/32s: [9]Cincinnati-[16]DePaul, [10]NotreDame-[15]Rutgers, [11]@SetonHall-[14]SFlorida, [12]Georgetown-@[13]StJohns;
   Wed 2nd/16s: [5]Marquette-([12]Georgetown), [6]@Syracuse-([11]@SetonHall), [7]WVirginia-([10]NotreDame), [8]Providence-([9]Cincinnati);
   Thu 3rd/Qtrs: [1]Louisville-([8]Providence), [2a]Pittsburgh-([7]WVirginia), [2b]Connecticut-([6]@Syracuse), [4]Villanova-([5]Marquette),
MEAC TOURNAMENT @ Winston-Salem NC /{Winston-Salem St}/
- ([1]MorganSt),

Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday:

WAC TOURNAMENT @ Reno NV /Nevada/
- ([1]UtahSt, @[2]Nevada),
MAC TOURNAMENT @ Cleveland OH
- (Tue 1st/16s: [4b]@Akron, [4c]@KentSt, [7a/W1b]CMichigan, [7b/W1c]WeMichigan;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [E1a/1]@BowlingGreen, [W1a/2]BallSt, [3/E1b]Buffalo, [4a]@MiamiOH),

Wednesday:

NEC TOURNAMENT Final on-campus
- (@[1]RobertMorris-[2a]MtStMarys),

Wednesday-Saturday:

C-USA TOURNAMENT @ Memphis TN /Memphis/
- (Wed 1st/16s: [4b]Houston, [6a]CFlorida,
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: @[1]Memphis, [2]Tulsa, [3]UAB, [4a]UTEP),
BIG 12 TOURNAMENT @ Oklahoma City OK
- (Wed 1st/16s: [4b]Texas-[12]Colorado, [4c]TexasA&M-[11]TexasTech(TX), [4d]@OklahomaSt-[10]IowaSt, [8]Nebraska-[9]Baylor;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Kansas-([8]Nebraska), [2]@Oklahoma-([4d]@OklahomaSt(OK)), [3]Missouri-([4c]TexasA&M), [4a]KansasSt-([4b]Texas)),
PAC-10 TOURNAMENT @ Los Angeles CA
- (Wed 1st/16s: [7]WashingtonSt-[10]Oregon, [8]Stanford-[9]OregonSt;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Washington-([8]Stanford), [2]@UCLA-([7]WashingtonSt), [3a]California-[5b]@USC, [3b]ArizonaSt-[5a]Arizona),
A-10 TOURNAMENT @ Atlantic City NJ
- (Wed 1st/16s: [5a]StJosephs-[12]Charlotte, [5b]Richmond-[11]StBonaventure, [5c]Duquesne-[10]Massachusetts, [5d]LaSalle-[9]StLouis;
   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Xavier-([5d]LaSalle), [2a]RhodeIsland-([5c]Duquesne), [2b]Dayton-([5b]Richmond), [2c]Temple-([5a]StJosephs),
MWC TOURNAMENT @ Las Vegas NV /UNLV/
- (Wed 1st/16s: [8]ColoradoSt-[9]AirForce;

   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1a]BYU-[8]/[9], [1b]Utah-[7]TCU, [1c]NewMexico-[6]Wyoming, [4]SanDiegoSt-@[5]UNLV),
BIG WEST TOURNAMENT @ Anaheim CA
- ([1]@CalStNorthridge, [2a]@LongBeachSt, [2b]Pacific),
SWAC TOURNAMENT @ Birmingham AL
- ([1]@AlabamaSt, [2]JacksonSt),

Thursday-Sunday:

ACC TOURNAMENT @ Atlanta GA /GADOME/

Thursday 1st/16s:

• (12:00N): [7b]Virginia Tech v [7c]Miami-FL
• (2:00P): [5a]Clemson @ [12]Georgia Tech
• (7:00P): [7a]Maryland v [10]NC State
• (9:00P): [5b]Boston Col v [11]Virginia

Friday 2nd/Qtrs:

• (12:00N): [1]N Carolina v [7b]VirginiaTech/[7c]MiamiFL
• (2:00P) [4]Florida St v [5a]Clemson/@[12]GeorgiaTech
• (7:00P): [2a]Wake Forest v [7a]Maryland/[10]NCState
• (9:00P): [2b]Duke v [5b]BostonCol/[11]Virginia

Saturday Semis:

• (1:30P): ([1]NCarolina)/([4]FloridaSt)
• (3:30P): ([2a]WakeForest)/([2b]Duke)

Sunday Final:

• (1:00P): ([1])/([4]) v ([2a])/([2b])

BIG 10 TOURNAMENT @ Indianapolis IN
- (Thu 1st/16s: [4c]PennSt-[11]@Indiana, [7]Michigan-[10]Iowa, [8]Minnesota-[9]Northwestern;
   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [1]MichiganSt-([8]Minnesota), [2a]Illinois-([7]Michigan), [2b]@Purdue-([4c]PennSt), [4a]Wisconsin-[4b]OhioSt),
SEC TOURNAMENT @ Tampa FL
- (Thu 1st/16s: [E3]@Florida-[W6]Arkansas, [W3]MississippiSt-[E6]Georgia, [E4a]Kentucky-[W4b]Mississippi, [W4a]Alabama-[E4b]Vanderbilt);
   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [W1]LSU-([E4a]Kentucky), [E1a]Tennessee-([W4a]Alabama), [E1b]SCarolina-([W3]MississippiSt), [W2]Auburn-([E3]@Florida),

Thursday-Friday, Sunday:

SOUTHLAND TOURNAMENT @ Katy TX
- ([1]@StephenFAustin, [2a]NichollsSt, [2b]@SamHoustonSt, [4]@TexasA&MCC),

Friday:

PATRIOT TOURNAMENT Final on-campus
- (@[1]American-[2]HolyCross),

Saturday:

AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT Final on-campus
- (@[1a]SUNYB-[6]MDBaltimoreCo),

Sunday:

(NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET SELECTION),
(NIT BRACKET SELECTION),
(CBI BRACKET SELECTION).

---

FINAL TOP 25 - 09 Mar 9: PRETOURNAMENT - [] Column

1. Pittsburgh (27-3)
2. North Carolina (26-3) ACC+2
3. Connecticut (26-3)
4. Louisville (25-5) BIG E
5. Michigan State (25-5) BIG 10+4
6. Memphis (28-3) C-USA[U]+4
7. Duke (24-6)
8. Kansas (24-6) BIG 12
9. Oklahoma (27-4)
10. Wake Forest (22-5)
11. Villanova (24-6)
12. UCLA (24-7)
13. Xavier (24-6) A-10
14. Syracuse (22-8)
15. Gonzaga (23-5) WCC[U]+4
16. Missouri (24-6)
17. Purdue (22-9)
18. Washington (23-7) PAC-10
19. Illinois (23-8)
20. LSU (25-6) SEC+3
21. Florida State (23-8)
22. Clemson (21-7)
23. Arizona State (22-8)
24. Marquette (21-8)
25. Butler (24-4) HORIZ+2

Honorable Mention:

West Virginia (21-10), St. Mary's (22-5), Siena (25-7) MAAC+2, BYU (22-6) 1/3MWC, Northern Iowa (22-10) MVC(TiTo), Davidson (25-7) SOCON+3, VCU (23-9) COLON, North Dakota State (21-6) SUMMIT+2, Radford (16-11) BIG S(TiTo).