14 Mar10: The American Way (PRETOURNAMENT)

Volume XVIII, No. 19 - 14 Mar10: PRETOURNAMENT - [] TOP 25 BALLOT

The American Way

Thanks to a great schedule, all the major players in the AMERICAN had at least one big game (and some two) in the final week with the regular season title still up for grabs. Louisville won at SMU, 84-@71 (behind 26p5a6r;6/6 3s from pRuss Smith), and then routed Connecticut @81-48 to claim its share of the title. Cincinnati outpaced Memphis, @97-84 (behind 34p3a from gSean Kilpatrick who became the Bearcats' No.2 all-time leading scorer, well behind the legendary bOscar Robertson) to claim its share (and won a coin toss for the No.1-seed in the conference tournament).

    
Florida emphatically cemented its perfect record in-conference with an @84-65 drubbing of Kentucky -- the Gators won the SEC by SIX GAMES.

    
San Diego State edged New Mexico, @51-48, in their showdown with the MOUNTAIN WEST title on the line.

    
Despite falling to resurgent Dayton, @67-72, St. Louis was able to win 64-@62 at Massachusetts to hang on for the ATLANTIC 10 title.

Toledo and Western Michigan survived the final week to share the MID-AMERICAN title. All the contenders had to win road games to claim their share of the CONFERENCE USA title as four teams wound up tied for first place: Louisiana Tech, Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee and Tulsa, all just a game ahead of tourney host UTEP. UC-Irvine took care of its business the final week to claim the BIG WEST title.

Besides Dayton, regaining its form just in time was Baylor (two big wins: @74-61 over Iowa State, 76-@74 at Kansas State). Oklahoma State routed Kansas State (@77-61) but couldn't pull off the double, falling in OT at Iowa State (81-@85[OT]).

On Desperation Trail, lousy teams going nowhere pulled off "shocking upsets" against high-profile squads with nothing much on the line: West Virginia beat Kansas @92-86 (as freshman 7-0 cJoel Embiid missed his second-straight game with back problems; he will likely miss the BIG 12 tournament and the first weekend of the NCAAs before being cleared to play again); Nebraska surprised Wisconsin @77-68; Maryland edged Virginia @75-69(OT) in its final regular season ACC game (before leaving for the BIG 10 next year); Wake Forest rallied to beat Duke @82-72; Georgia Tech won at Syracuse 67-@62; Georgetown knocked off Creighton @75-63 (but xDoug McDermott went over the 3000 career points total in the Bluejays' @88-73 rout of Providence); Washington State routed UCLA @73-55; Oregon State edged Arizona State @78-76(OT) -- if these results had happened during the first half of conference play, they might carry more weight, but as is, they are just outliers that don't represent any larger trend.

Wichita State successfully fulfilled its Anti-Spoiler duties by rolling through the MISSOURI VALLEY tournament (including 83-69 over Indiana State in the final). More importantly, it means that they will ENTER THE NCAA TOURNAMENT WITH AN UNDEFEATED OVERALL RECORD (the first time that has been done since UNLV '91). They're intense and they don't look past any opponent -- what's not to like?

    
Eastern Kentucky stunned regular season champ (and host) Belmont in the OHIO VALLEY final (79-@73). Mercer won its rubber game with co-champ (and host) Florida Gulf Coast (68-@60) in the ATLANTIC SUN final. Coastal Carolina emerged from the pack to win the BIG SOUTH final.

- -

With 37 at-large bids, there's no longer any injustice about a quality team not getting into the NCAAs -- only teams that shouldn't be in but got in anyway.

    
Here are the locks (and nots) for this year's at-large bids among the BCS and MM leagues:

• PAC-12 (7/0) - Arizona + (lock: Oregon, UCLA, Utah, Colorado, Stanford, Arizona State, California;
  
  not: NONE)
  
• BIG 12(6/1) - Kansas + (lock: Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor, Kansas State;
  
  not: West Virginia)
  
• BIG 10(4/4) - Michigan + (lock: Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa;
  
  not: Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois)
  
• ACC (4/1) - Virginia + (lock: Syracuse, Duke, Pittsburgh, North Carolina;
  
  not: Clemson)
  
• AMERICAN (4/0) - Louisville/Cincinnati + (lock: Connecticut, Memphis, SMU;
  
  not: NONE)
  
• A-10 (2/3) - St. Louis + (lock: VCU, George Washington;
  
  not: Massachusetts, Dayton, St. Joseph's)
  
• SEC (1/6) - Florida + (lock: Kentucky;
  
  not: Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, LSU, Mississippi, Georgia)
  
• BIG EAST (1/3) - Villanova + (lock: Creighton;
  
  not: Providence, Xavier, St. John's)
  
• MWC (1/2) - San Diego State + (lock: New Mexico;
  
  not: UNLV, Boise State)
  
• WCC (0/3) - Gonzaga + (lock: NONE;
  
  not: BYU, St. Mary's, San Francisco)
  
• MVC (0/1) - Wichita State + (lock: NONE;
  
  not: Indiana State)
  

That's 30 lock bids, leaving 7 soft bids up for grabs among 24 contenders who could still play themselves in or out of a bid.

- -

cJoel Embiid's (back) injury makes Kansas more vulnerable in the BIG 12 tourney (Wednesday-Saturday), but there is no particular "hot" team that's most likely to win in its stead. Michigan won the regular season, but Wisconsin is on the best form in the BIG 10 tourney (Thursday-Sunday) with plenty of squads good enough to spoil the party just behind those two. Villanova had no trouble with the rest of field (other than two blowout losses vs Creighton) so the question for the BIG EAST tourney (Wednesday-Saturday) is "can the Bluejays navigate the also-rans and make the final?" Once the scrub bottom half is out of the way in the early rounds, the later rounds of the AMERICAN tourney (Wednesday-Saturday) should be spectacular -- Louisville is the favorite ahead of Cincinnati, but any of the top five could get hot and take the crown. Arizona is the big favorite (over UCLA) in the PAC-12 tourney (Wednesday-Saturday), but Oregon is the "hot" team putting all its pieces together at just the right time. Virginia gets no love from the media as all the focus will be on a Syracuse-Duke rubber match in the ACC tourney (Wednesday-Sunday). Florida should roll through the SEC tourney (Wednesday-Sunday) just the same as it did during the regular season (but can Kentucky regroup to avoid an upset on the way to the final?) St. Louis is no big favorite in the competitive ATLANTIC 10 tourney (Wednesday-Sunday) where any of the top six could get hot and claim the crown. San Diego State and New Mexico are co-favorites in the MOUNTAIN WEST tourney (Wednesday-Saturday) (and they were both even able to win at host UNLV during the regular season).
     The regular season didn't settle much between the top six teams (including Toledo, Buffalo and Western Michigan, so the MID-AMERICAN tourney (Monday-Saturday) is wide open. The CONFERENCE USA tourney (Tuesday-Saturday) figures to be an intense scramble with quad-champs Louisiana Tech, Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee and Tulsa battling fifth-place host UTEP all for just one bid. UC-Irvine is no big favorite among the top four in the BIG WEST tourney (Thursday-Saturday). Georgia State is a big favorite in the SUN BELT tourney (Thursday-Sunday). Utah Valley will have its hands full holding off New Mexico State in the WAC tourney (Thursday-Saturday). Stephen F. Austin is the overwhelming favorite in the SOUTHLAND tourney (Wednesday-Saturday). Host Weber State is only a slight favorite among the top six in the BIG SKY tourney (Thursday-Saturday). North Carolina Central won at host Norfolk State during conference play (but it may be tougher to repeat the feat in the MEAC tourney [Monday-Saturday]). Since regular season champ Southern can't accept an NCAA bid, it's host Texas Southern who figures to finish best in the SWAC tourney (Wednesday-Saturday) among the teams that are eligible to receive one.

-- Ron

P.S. Look for the official Hoops Contest invite Sunday overnight (online only -- no email invites)! (And don't forget the deadline is TUESDAY 6:30P because of the FIRST FOUR games.)

Key games this week:

Monday:

COLONIAL TOURNAMENT Final @BaltimoreMD/Towson/

-([1]Delaware-[3]William&Mary),


MAAC TOURNAMENT Final @SpringfieldMA

-([1]Iona-[2]Manhattan[NY]),


SOCON TOURNAMENT Final @AshevilleNC

-([3a]Wofford-[5]@WeCarolina),

Monday-Tuesday:

WCC TOURNAMENT Semis,Final @LasVegasNV/ORLEANS/

-([1]Gonzaga-[4]StMarys, [2a]BYU-[2b]SanFrancisco),


SUMMIT TOURNAMENT Semis,Final @SiouxFallsSD

-([1]NDState, [2a]IPFW-[2b]@SDState),

Monday-Saturday:

MEAC TOURNAMENT @NorfolkVA/NorfolkSt/

-([1]NCCentral, [2]@Hampton, [3a]MorganSt, @[3b]NorfolkSt-[5]SavannahSt),

Monday, Wednesday-Saturday:

MAC TOURNAMENT on-campus/@ClevelandOH

-([1a/W1a]WeMichigan, [1b/W1b]@Toledo, [3/E1]Buffalo, [4]@Akron, [5]@OhioU, [6]EaMichigan),


HORIZON TOURNAMENT Final on-campus

-(@[3]WrightSt-[5a]@Milwaukee),


NEC TOURNAMENT Final on-campus

-(@[1]RobertMorris-[4a]MtStMarys),

Tuesday-Saturday:

C-USA TOURNAMENT @ElPasoTX/UTEP

-(Wed 1st/16s: @[5]UTEP-[12b]/[14a], [8a]UAB-[8b]Charlotte;

   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1a]LouisianaTech-[8a]UAB/[8b]Charlotte, [1b]Tulsa-[7]//[11]/[16], [1c]MidTennessee-[6]//[12a]/[14b], [1d]SoMississippi-@[5]UTEP//[12b]/[14a]),

Wednesday:

PATRIOT TOURNAMENT Final on-campus

-(@[1]BostonU-[2]American),

Wednesday-Saturday:

BIG 12 TOURNAMENT @KansasCityMO

-(Wed 1st/16s: [6b]Baylor-[10]TCU[TX], [8]OklahomaSt-[9]TexasTech;

   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]@Kansas-[8]OklahomaSt/[9]TexasTech, [2]Oklahoma-[6b]Baylor/[10]TCU, [3a]Texas-[6a]WVirginia, [3b]IowaSt-[6]@KansasSt),


BIG EAST TOURNAMENT @NewYorkNY/MSG/

-(Wed 1st/16s: [7]Georgetown-[10]DePaul, [8]SetonHall-[9]Butler;

   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Villanova-[8]SetonHall/[9]Butler, [2]Creighton-[7]Georgetown/[10]DePaul, [3a]Xavier-[6]Marquette, @[3c]StJohns-[3b]Providence),


(new)AMERICAN TOURNAMENT @MemphisTN/Memphis/

-(Wed 1st/16s: [7]Rutgers-[10]SFlorida, [8a]Temple-[8b]UCF;

   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1a]Cincinnati-[8a]Temple/[8b]UCF, [1b]Louisville-[7]Rutgers/[10]SFlorida, [3a]SMU-[6]Houston, @[3c]Memphis-[3b]Connecticut),


PAC-12 TOURNAMENT @LasVegasNV/MGM/

-(Wed 1st/16s: [3c]Colorado-[12]USC, [3d]Stanford-[11]WashingtonSt, [3e]Oregon-[10]OregonSt[OR], [8a]Utah-[8b]Washington;

   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Arizona-[8a]Utah/[8b]Washington, [2]UCLA-[3e]Oregon/[10]OregonSt, [3a]ArizonaSt-[3d]Stanford/[11]WashingtonSt, [3b]California-[3c]Colorado/[12]USC),


MWC TOURNAMENT @LasVegasNV/UNLV/

-(Wed 1st/16s: [5b]BoiseSt-[11]SanJoseSt, [5c]FresnoSt-[10]AirForce, [8a]UtahSt-[8b]ColoradoSt;

   Thu 2nd/Qtrs: [1]SanDiegoSt-[8a]UtahSt/[8b]ColoradoSt, [2]NewMexico-[5c]FresnoSt/[10]AirForce, [3a]@Nevada-[5b]BoiseSt/[11]SanJoseSt, @[3b]UNLV-[5a]Wyoming),


SOUTHLAND TOURNAMENT @KatyTX

-([1]@StephenFAustin, [2]@TexasA&MCC, [3]@SamHoustonSt, [4]NorthwesternSt),


SWAC TOURNAMENT @HoustonTX/TexasSo/

-([1]Southern(inelig), [2a]@TexasSo, [2b]AlabamaSt),

Wednesday-Sunday:

ACC TOURNAMENT @ GreensboroNC

-(Wed Open/32s: [10]MiamiFL-[15]VirginiaTech, [11a]GeorgiaTech-[14]BostonCol, [11b]@WakeForest-[11c]NotreDame;

   Thu 1st/16s: [5]Pittsburgh-[11b]@WakeForest/[11c]NotreDame, [6]Clemson-[11a]GeorgiaTech/[14]BostonCol, [7a]@NCState-[10]MiamiFL/[15]VirginiaTech, [7b]Maryland-[7c]FloridaSt;

   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Virginia-[7b]Maryland/[7c]FloridaSt, [2]Syracuse-[7a]@NCState//[10]MiamiFL/[15]VirginiaTech, [3a]@Duke-[6]Clemson//[11a]GeorgiaTech/[14]BostonCol, [3b]@NCarolina-[5]Pittsburgh//[11b]@WakeForest/[11c]NotreDame),


SEC TOURNAMENT @AtlantaGA/GADOME/

Wednesday Open/32s:
• (7.00P): [12]Auburn v [13]S Carolina
  
• (9.30P): [10b]Vanderbilt v [14]Mississippi St
  

Thursday 1st/16s:
• (1.00P): [6c]Missouri v [9]Texas A&M
  
• (3.30P): [5]Arkansas v {[12]Auburn/[13]SCarolina}
  
• 
  
• (7.00P): [6b]LSU v [10a]Alabama
  
• (9.30P): [6a]Mississippi v {[10b]Vanderbilt/[14]MississippiSt}
  

Friday 2nd/Qtrs:
• (1.00P): [1]Florida v {[6c]Missouri/[9]TexasA&M}
  
• (3.30P): [4]Tennessee v {[5]Arkansas//[12]/[13]}
  
• 
  
• (7.00P): [2a]@Kentucky v {[6b]LSU/[10a]Alabama}
  
• (9.30P): [2b]@Georgia v {[6a]Mississippi//[10b]/[14]}
  

Saturday Semis:
• (1.00P): {[1]Florida/[6c]Missouri} v {[4]Tennessee/[5]Arkansas}
  
• (3.30P): {[2a]@Kentucky/[6b]LSU} v {[2b]@Georgia/[6a]Mississippi}
  

Sunday Final:
• (3.15P): {[1]Florida} v {[2a]@Kentucky}
  

A-10 TOURNAMENT @BrooklynNY/BARCLAYS/
-(Wed Open/32s: [12]GeoMason-[13]@Fordham;
   Thu 1st/16s: [5a]Dayton-[12]GeoMason/[13]@Fordham, [5b]Massachusetts-[10b]RhodeIsland, [7]Richmond-[10a]Duquesne, [8]LaSalle-[9]@StBonaventure;
   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [1]StLouis-[8]LaSalle/[9]@StBonaventure, [2]VCU-[7]Richmond/[10a]Duquesne, [3a]GeoWashington-[5b]Massachusetts/[10b]RhodeIsland, [3b]StJosephs-[5a]Dayton//[12]/[13]),

Thursday-Saturday:

BIG WEST TOURNAMENT @AnaheimCA

-([1]@UCIrvine, [2]@UCSantaBarbara, [3]@LongBeachSt, [4]Hawaii),


WAC TOURNAMENT @LasVegasNV/ORLEANS/

-([1]UTValley, [2]NewMexicoSt),


BIG SKY TOURNAMENT @#1[WeberSt]/OgdenUT

-(@[1]WeberSt, [2a]NDakota, [2b]NoArizona-[5b]NoColorado, [2c]Montana-[5a]PortlandSt),

Thursday-Sunday:

BIG 10 TOURNAMENT @IndianapolisIN

-(Thu 1st/16s: [5]OhioSt-[12]@Purdue[BG], [6]Iowa-[10b]PennSt, [7]Minnesota-[10a]Northwestern, [8a]@Indiana-[8b]Illinois;

   Fri 2nd/Qtrs: [1]Michigan-[8a]@Indiana/[8b]Illinois, [2a]Wisconsin-[7]Minnesota/[10a]Northwestern, [2b]MichiganSt-[6]Iowa/[10b]PennSt, [4]Nebraska-[5]OhioSt/[12]@Purdue),


SUN BELT TOURNAMENT @NewOrleansLA

-(Thu Open/16s: [5a]ARLittleRock-[8]Troy, [5b]TXArlington-[7]@LAMonroe;

   Fri 1st/Qtrs: [3]@Louisiana-[5b]TXArlington/[7]@LAMonroe(LA), [4]ArkansasSt-[5a]ARLittleRock/[8]Troy;

   Sat 2nd/Semis: [1]GeorgiaSt-[4]ArkansasSt//[5a]ARLittleRock/[8]Troy, [2]WeKentucky-[3]@Louisiana//[5b]TXArlington/[7]@LAMonroe),

Saturday:

AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT Final on-campus

-(@[2]StonyBrook-[4]Albany[NY]),

Sunday:

(NCAA BRACKET SELECTION),

(NIT BRACKET SELECTION),

(CBI - COLLEGE BASKETBALL INVITATIONAL BRACKET SELECTION),

(CIT - COLLEGEINSIDER.COM TOURNAMENT BRACKET SELECTION).

---

Top 25 - 14 Mar10: PRETOURNAMENT - [] Column

1. Florida (29-2) SECu+6
   
2. Wichita State (33-0) MVCu+6 [MVCt]
   
3. Arizona (28-4) PAC-12+3
   
4. Michigan (22-7) BIG.10+3
   
5. Kansas (23-8) BIG.12+2
   
6. Wisconsin (25-6)
   
7. Virginia (25-6) ACC+2
   
8. Louisville (26-5) coAMER+3
   
9. Duke (24-7)
   
10. Cincinnati (35-5) coAMER+3
    
11. San Diego State (25-3) MWC
    
12. Villanova (28-3) BIG.E+2
    
13. Syracuse (27-4)
    
14. Michigan State (23-8)
    
15. St. Louis (25-5) A-10
    
16. Memphis (22-8)
    
17. Oregon (22-8)
    
18. Ohio State (23-8)
    
19. Iowa State (23-7)
    
20. New Mexico (23-6)
    
21. Connecticut (24-7)
    
22. Oklahoma (23-8)
    
23. UCLA (23-8)
    
24. Creighton (24-6)
    
25. North Carolina (22-8)
    

Honorable Mention:

West Virginia (17-14), Nebraska (19-11), Maryland (17-14), Wake Forest (16-15), Georgia Tech (15-16), Georgetown (17-13), Dayton (22-9), Baylor (19-10), Oklahoma State (20-11), Washington State (10-20), Oregon State (16-14).

Toledo (25-5)/Western Michigan (20-9) coMAC,

Louisiana Tech (24-6)/Southern Mississippi (24-5)/Middle Tennessee (20-8)/Tulsa (17-12) quadC-USA,

UC-Irvine (20-10) BIG.W,

Eastern Kentucky (24-9) [OVCt],

Mercer (21-8) [A-SUNt],

Coastal Carolina (18-12) [BIG.St].