The College Basketball Post

[petey yup]

Tommorow's bracketology will have Cuse and Nova in the first 4 out meaning only 7 will be in the field. By selection Sunday, I gotta think 8.

 

[craftsy21]

Just off the top of my head - Cuse, Nova, and West Virginia all have to be at least little concerned, some more than others.

 

[petey yup]

Those are the only 3 on the bubble. 2 of the 3 will get in.

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Originally Posted by allen3xis

didn't Gavin Grant say NC State would only lose 4 games this year??

No one pays attention to Gavin Grant....

N's @ his school don't even respect him.....true story

Its actually pretty funny....

 

[petey yup]

1. Tennessee
2. Memphis
3. UNC
4. UCLA
5. Kansas
6. Duke
7. Texas
8. Stanford
9. Xavier
10. Wisconsin
11. Gtown
12. Indiana
13. Butler
14. Louisville
15. Uconn
16. Drake
17. Purdue
18. Mich St
19. Vanderbilt
20. Notre Dame
21. Wash St
22. Marquette
23. St Marys
24. Kent St
25. Cornell

As long as Stanford doesn't lose tonight, Book it. And #25 is not a joke

 

[scuse7]

Originally Posted by jrellcuse10

Originally Posted by SCuse7

Originally Posted by jrellcuse10

Andy Rautins is going to play for Canada again this summer.

Damn you serious? We need him next year.

Johnny
Devo
Harris
Greene
Arinze

Scoop
Rautins
Mookie Jones
Kris Joesph
Kristoff
Rick Jackson

That is top ten right there, even though i think Scoop might go.

2008-2009 is going to be our best chance to win it in a long time.

Fixed it. What do you mean Scoop might go? His *%@ not NBA ready. Nowhere near it.

Andy said he's going to play again. They aren't going to qualify so why risk his health again. I swear his dad is an idiot when it comes to this.

Not i meant that team is going to be ranked top ten. I mean Scoop might transfer. Maybe midway through the year. I don't think he will want to ride thepine as much as he will. Well see maybe not, but i just don't see his minutes coming.

Leo is a +$+$%%*.

 

[airchucknorris]

Yezzir...top 6 seeds in the Pac, and we're currently number 5. I think we can pull it off. Care to answer the question?

Good point. ASU isn't bad but I thought they went kinda downhill....

 

[juicy j 32]

Just got back from the UNC game... beat down on Wake pretty good. I can't wait to see how good we will be once Ty returns. Alex Stepheson is playing likean absolute beast and we have been getting good play from Wild Bill Graves coming off the bench.

Go Heels!

 

[friscostylez]

Q.Thomas FTW

 

[jrellcuse10]

at the idea of Scoop transferring. He knew what he was getting into before he came here. Mike Jones left after a few games and that should have been asign to any future recruits that Boeheim doesn't give guys any burn.

 

[N41D]

Originally Posted by petey yup

1. Tennessee
2. Memphis
3. UNC
4. UCLA
5. Kansas
6. Duke
7. Texas
8. Stanford
9. Xavier
10. Wisconsin
11. Gtown
12. Indiana
13. Butler
14. Louisville
15. Uconn
16. Drake
17. Purdue
18. Mich St
19. Vanderbilt
20. Notre Dame
21. Wash St
22. Marquette
23. St Marys
24. Kent St
25. Cornell

As long as Stanford doesn't lose tonight, Book it. And #25 is not a joke

Texas jumps Kansas and Duke. Other than that, that's pretty close.

 

[clutchshooter]

a day late but kansas/bill self has no idea how to orchestrate a last second shot.

 

[craftsy21]

Stanford is going to be such a tough out for smaller teams... those Lopez kids are getting better by the week, I'm coming around on them as a team and amsort of putting them in my "sleepers" list right now.. though if they keep winning, they'll be a 2 seed and won't be able to carry that labelof sleeper.

 

[notoriouslar]

Originally Posted by Nowitness41Dirk

Originally Posted by petey yup

1. Tennessee
2. Memphis
3. UNC
4. UCLA
5. Kansas
6. Duke
7. Texas
8. Stanford
9. Xavier
10. Wisconsin
11. Gtown
12. Indiana
13. Butler
14. Louisville
15. Uconn
16. Drake
17. Purdue
18. Mich St
19. Vanderbilt
20. Notre Dame
21. Wash St
22. Marquette
23. St Marys
24. Kent St
25. Cornell

As long as Stanford doesn't lose tonight, Book it. And #25 is not a joke

Texas jumps Kansas and Duke. Other than that, that's pretty close.

Thats the way it should be but i doubt it happens

 

[j rain 23]

*****, cornell is ranked 25th!?!? i haven't seen them play once, i'm gonna have to get acquainted.. they don't have a conference tourney though, soi probably won't get a chance to watch them. i'll prolly pick them to lose 1st round. they can't be THAT good.

 

[allen3xis]

Stanford is going to be such a tough out for smaller teams... those Lopez kids are getting better by the week, I'm coming around on them as a team and am sort of putting them in my "sleepers" list right now.. though if they keep winning, they'll be a 2 seed and won't be able to carry that label of sleeper.
I agree....

although I don't think they will be a 'popular' pick when people start filling out their brackets.

I wana take them to go far, but if they have to match up with an athletic team with some guards and at leas serviceable guys on the inside...it's a toughcall

 

[allen3xis]

*****, cornell is ranked 25th!?!?

. No...that's his projected 25 for today

 

[allen3xis]

[table][tr][td]FIVE TO WATCH[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Here's a look at the five best games this week:

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]TEXAS AT KANSAS STATE[/td] [/tr][tr][td]When: Monday, 9 p.m., ESPN
Why you should watch: This is a big one in the Big 12 race. The winner stays in the hunt for the league title and the loser starts thinking about finishing third. This is the only meeting of the season between these teams.
The buzz: The Longhorns are 4-0 on Monday nights this season, including wins in each of the past two weeks (72-69 over Kansas and 77-50 over Texas A&M). K-State freshman forward Michael Beasley is the front-runner for national player-of-the-year honors. He leads the league in rebounds and Texas' Damion James is second. This game should come down to this question: Can Texas' sterling backcourt trump K-State's sterling frontcourt?
Spotlight player: James and fellow Texas big men Connor Atchley and Gary Johnson need to provide some offensive presence - as well as make sure Beasley doesn't take over the game.

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[/td] [/tr][tr][td]TENNESSEE AT VANDERBILT[/td] [/tr][tr][td]When: Tuesday, 9 p.m., ESPN
Why you should watch: These may be the two best teams in the SEC. Plus, Vandy gets the Vols coming in off their monster showdown with Memphis. And - oh, yeah - Vandy is 17-0 at home this season.
The buzz: The Vols blew out the Commodores by 20 in Knoxville last month. This is the second game in a tough four-game stretch for the Vols, who played Memphis on Saturday and play Florida and Kentucky next. Senior guard Chris Lofton has found his shooting stroke, making the deep and athletic Vols even more dangerous. The one weakness is in the low post, and Vandy needs freshman C A.J. Ogilvy to exploit that. If Ogilvy and swingman Shan Foster are on their game, this will be mighty interesting.
Spotlight player: Ogilvy, an Australian, has been far better than expected. He is fundamentally sound and has a nice touch around the basket; he's also a good free-throw shooter. It's vital that he have a good game if Vandy is to pull the upset.

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[/td] [/tr][tr][td]NOTRE DAME AT LOUISVILLE[/td] [/tr][tr][td]When: Thursday, 7 p.m., ESPN
Why you should watch: A big one in the Big East, as each still has a shot at the Big East title. Plus, a win in this one would be a nice addition to the NCAA resume.
The buzz: This is the only meeting between these teams this season, and this is the last tough regular-season game for the Irish. Forward Luke Harangody has become a dominant player in the low post, and guard Kyle McAlarney is a very good outside shooter, leading the league in 3-pointers and in 3-point field-goal percentage. The Irish aren't the most athletic team, but they play well together, hit the boards with a vengeance and make their 3-pointers. Louisville has played well in the past month and now looks like a truly dangerous NCAA matchup. Forward Terrence Williams is a gifted all-around player, and he and his teammates are the rare group that actually seems comfortable at any pace. While Williams is the most talented player on the team, the Cardinals spread the offense around and also play superb defense.
Spotlight player: Louisville backup big men Derrick Caracter and Juan Palacios have had some issues - Caracter because of his, well, character and Palacios because of injuries. However, the pair could be very important in this game. Caracter, especially, is a banger who can bump-and-grind with Harangody and fellow Irish big man Rob Kurz.

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[/td] [/tr][tr][td]MICHIGAN STATE AT WISCONSIN / INDIANA AT MICHIGAN STATE[/td] [/tr][tr][td]When: Thursday, 9 p.m., ESPN/Sunday, 2 p.m., CBS regional
Why you should watch: Think of this week as Michigan State's "last stand" as it attempts to stay in the Big Ten title hunt. This is the Spartans' only game against Wisconsin this season, and they already have lost once to Indiana.
The buzz: Wisconsin is one of those the-sum-is-greater-than-the-parts teams. They're balanced offensively, but don't have any players who truly scare you on that end of the court. It's their defense that scares foes. Indiana, obviously, is in turmoil because of its coaching situation. But the Hoosiers have a great inside-outside duo in .J. White and Eric Gordon. Michigan State hasn't been as dominant as expected. The Spartans have star-caliber players Raymar Morgan and Drew Neitzel, are efficient offensively and hit the glass. But they have no consistent perimeter offense other than Neitzel and sometimes go into offensive funks.
Spotlight players: Watch Morgan and Neitzel. They're one of the best offensive duos in the Big Ten. If both are "on" in the same game, no one in the Big Ten should beat the Spartans.

[/td] [td]

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]WASHINGTON STATE AT STANFORD[/td] [/tr][tr][td]When: Saturday, 4 p.m., Fox Sports Net
Why you should watch: This is a key Pac-10 matchup. It will have a bearing on who finishes second in the league and also could affect the teams' NCAA seedings.
The buzz: Stanford's 7-foot Lopez twins give the Cardinal a big - literally and figuratively - advantage in the frontcourt against almost everybody they play. The Cardinal generally pound foes on the glass, but they're still not as efficient offensively (they shoot barely 45 percent from the field) as they should be. Mitch Johnson has become a steady point guard, but Anthony Goods is the only true 3-point threat and he has struggled at times. Washington State lacks athleticism, which hurts in the Pac-10. But the Cougars are heady, well-coached and give great effort on defense.
Spotlight player: Washington State center Aron Baynes, a 6-10 junior, has to give the Cougars some low-post production on both ends if they're to pull the upset. Baynes, though, is a half-step slow and is foul-prone; if he's not on the court, Washington State is in big trouble in the paint.

[/td] [td]

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]FIVE MORE[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Ohio State at Indiana, Tuesday, 7 p.m., ESPN: This will be Indiana's first home game since Kelvin Sampson was ousted. IU needs this one to remain in the running for the Big Ten title.

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Miami at Clemson, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., no TV / Maryland at Wake Forest, Thursday, 8 p.m., ACC regional telecast/Clemson at Maryland, Sunday, 7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net: This is a huge week for the ACC's bubble teams. Clemson can lock down a spot with two wins. The same goes for Maryland. Wake desperately needs another "good" victory. Miami is just trying to finish .500 in the league, which should be good enough for it to get an NCAA berth.

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Georgetown at Marquette, Saturday, 2 p.m., CBS: The Hoyas still are in the hunt for the Big East title, so this is a chance for the Golden Eagles to play spoiler. A win in this one would help in the NCAA seeding process, as well.

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Texas A&M at Oklahoma, Saturday, 2 p.m., ESPN: Two Big 12 bubble teams get together. The Aggies won by eight in College Station earlier this month.[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Vanderbilt at Arkansas, Saturday, 4 p.m., SEC regional telecast: Both look NCAA-bound, so the winner can help its seeding. The Hogs still are in the running for the SEC West title, too.

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]UNDER-THE-RADAR GAMES[/td] [/tr][tr][td]These games don't necessarily jump out at you as must-see contests, but upon further review, they're worth keeping an eye on.

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]BYU at New Mexico, Tuesday, 10 p.m., The mtn.: The Lobos are playing well down the stretch and a win over BYU gets them in the mix for an at-large spot. "The Pit" will be loud.

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Pittsburgh at Syracuse, Saturday, noon, ESPN: Pitt has some nice victories, a good RPI and looks good for an NCAA bid. That's not necessarily so for Syracuse.

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Mississippi State at Florida, Saturday, 4 p.m., CBS regional: The two-time defending champion Gators are squarely on the bubble, and they desperately need one more marquee victory. It's either beat the Bulldogs in this one or beat Tennessee on March 5. Mississippi State, meanwhile, is trying to win the SEC West.[/td] [/tr][/table]

 

[mr subliminals]

 

[craftsy21]

[table][tr][td]
February 25, 2008
[font=times new roman, times, serif]The Case for Davidson[/font]
Ignoring the RPI

by Ken Pomeroy
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friendly[/td] [td] [/td] [/tr][tr][td]Contact
Author[/td] [td] [/td] [/tr][/table]
The nice thing about the NCAA Tournament selection process is that it is not a secret. You can review the guidelines for the process here. The simplest part of that document is the section that refers to the selection of at-large teams:

The committee shall select the 34 best teams to fill the at-large berths, regardless of conference affiliation.

Even with the last four words being superfluous, it's a very simple statement of the committee's task. Most of the speculation from the media in the next three weeks will involve using data from the RPI to tell us who should be in the tournament. However, it's worth remembering that ultimately, committee members must select which teams they feel are best. That's the only thing that matters when it comes to filling out the field.

There isn't a formula in existence that can do that for them. If there was, or if there were some sort of objective blueprint for the entire process, there would be no need for a committee. One person could simply look at a checklist and pick the best teams based on pre-established criteria. However, there is room for subjectivity--there has to be. Among even the most knowledgeable group of basketball fans, there will be differing opinions on which two or three teams should be the last in the field.

Of course, objective data has a place in the process, and I would hope for it to have a prominent place. It appears it does, based on this provision in the section labeled "General Principles for Selection, Seeding and Bracketing":

Among the resources available to the committee are complete box scores, game summaries and notes, various computer rankings, head-to-head results, chronological results, Division I results, non-conference results, home and away results, results in the last 12 games, rankings, polls and the NABC regional advisory committee rankings.

That's a lot of data, and none of it is useful on its own--every bit of it has context and is open to interpretation. Contrary to what will be implied over the next three weeks, a team's worth is not defined by its RPI, or its SOS (which is merely a subset of the overall RPI calculation), or even its record against the top 25 of the RPI. It all comes down to whether a committee member feels that a particular team is among the best 34. That's a problem that the RPI can't solve on its own.

This brings us to the case of Davidson. Based on what everyone has done to date, I think Davidson would be one of the 34 best at-large teams. What this really means is that they're one of the 45-50 best teams in the country, since automatic bids will be occupied by some of the teams in that group. I can't use the RPI to prove it, however.

The Wildcats stand at 21-6 after Friday's win at Winthrop. Among their losses are games against UCLA, North Carolina and Duke, all of whom are expected to find themselves on the top two seed lines. As expected, Davidson went 0-3 against those teams. If the committee is looking for the best teams, however, Davidson's record in those three games should take a back seat to their performance in them.

The UNC game wasn't decided until the final minute, and while the UCLA game was not as close down the stretch, Davidson managed to put UCLA as far down (18 points) as they've been all season during the game. The Duke game wasn't as suspenseful, with the Blue Devils going into clock-milking mode after taking a 12-point lead with five minutes to go. Where Davidson's case loses steam is its three other non-conference challenges, losses to Western Michigan, Charlotte and NC State. Each of those teams are respectable in the sense that they are better than Davidson's Southern Conference brethren, and each game was on the road, but each is also inferior to an at-large quality team. Overall, the Wildcats went 1-6 against D-I non-conference teams in November and December, recording their only win in a home game against D-I newcomer North Carolina Central.

At some point, a team needs wins to prove their worth. Davidson has wins--they may well close the regular season with 21 consecutive against SoCon competition plus the road win against Winthrop. There's not a quality win in the bunch, but collectively, that group of wins is an achievement worth considering. We can't know how bubble teams from bigger conferences would fare with such a slate, but UCLA, Tennessee and Kansas have shown that being much better than the rest of your conference does not mean you can roll through your conference schedule, even when it's just 16 or 18 games. There's enough baggage in each team's portfolio to suggest that what Davidson has done shouldn't be ignored.

I often get frustrated that people think 27-30 games are enough of a sample to distinguish among the last three or four at-large teams. In fact, we know it's not, because every season there are a couple teams that cry bloody murder after the bids are revealed. If a full college season were a big enough sample to judge teams by, everybody's guess at the bracket would agree. So imagine the issues in judging a team on what is essentially a six-game sample. The fact that the sample includes all losses will no doubt disqualify Davidson from consideration for an at-large should they need it. However, were I somehow serving on the committee, I could not be so sure the Wildcats weren't deserving. Based on how they have played, and based on non-RPI data, they would be one of the best teams left out of the field.

The good news for Davidson is that the RPI is less relevant than it's ever been. Over the past two seasons, five teams ranked in the top 30 of the RPI failed to make the NCAA Tournament. In the ten seasons prior to that, no member of the top 30 of the RPI was left out. The other piece of good news for Davidson fans is that if they really are as good as I believe, they won't need the committee to tell them so. They'll win the remainder of their games against inferior Southern Conference competition and get an automatic bid.

Ken Pomeroy is an author of Basketball Prospectus. You can contact Ken by clicking here or click here to see Ken's other articles.

[h1]Memphis ready to regroup[/h1]
posted: Monday, February 25, 2008 | Print Entry

Memphis coach John Calipari isn't fretting the loss to Tennessee. As his former assistant and good friend Bruiser Flint of Drexel told him early on Sunday: "It's all lined up again,'' Calipari said Sunday night. "He reminded me that the year before at UMass [1995], we went to the Elite Eight and lost in New Jersey and then went to the Final Four in New Jersey the next year [1996]. We won our first 26 games [in 1995-96] and then lost at home to a team we didn't want to lose to [George Washington] and we regrouped, and now we'll regroup and be on our way.'' Memphis lost to Ohio State in San Antonio last year in the Elite Eight. The Final Four this year is in San Antonio. Calipari added that, "there's no question that this team has what it takes to win the national title. Will we? I don't know. We had breakdowns. It happened against Ohio State where we had a couple of guys go south. We can't have that.'' Calipari isn't pointing fingers but he knows there are some areas of concern after the 66-62 loss to Tennessee on Saturday night. He said he's not focusing on free throws (8-of-17), and he's not upset about the 3-point shooting (8-of-27 overall, 8-of-20 in the first half and 0-of-7 in the second). However, he is miffed by the 17 offensive boards the Vols had Saturday. "Their inside people played a tougher game than our people,'' Calipari said. "They were able to score inside with four or five buckets that you would think we would score on them and we didn't. We can't let that happen again.'' Calipari also was frustrated by a series of tip backs on one of the final possessions by the Tigers that ended up with Joey Dorsey tying up Robert Dozier for a travel call. Calipari said Dorsey, who was 0 of 3 from the field, had six boards and four fouls in 28 minutes, did struggle. "He struggled in another big game,'' Calipari said. "We'll look at the tape. Joey will look at the tape. He needs to see this.'' Calipari said he's not upset that neither Dorsey nor Chris Douglas-Roberts talked to the media after the game. He said he was actually pleased that freshman Derrick Rose did (since it was the first game he had lost as a collegian). But more than anything, Calipari doesn't want to lose focus on what the Tigers have accomplished to date. "We won 26 games to start the season; we need to talk about what we just did,'' Calipari said. "Individual players need to take responsibility for themselves. If you're not playing well, everybody saw it [Saturday]. They've got to own it and come back from this.'' So, Calipari is making sure the players understand that the staff isn't going to come up with some sort of elixir. The players will have to make plays, grab rebounds and convert shots to improve and to ensure the Tigers still are in the hunt for the national title. It was one game, one game at home, one game to their rival, which happened to be ranked one spot behind in the polls. But there is still enough of a concern that the Tigers need to refocus themselves going forward in the final two weeks of Conference USA.

 

[craftsy21]

[h1]College Basketball Bubble Watch[/h1]
[h1]Pass or fail time for teams still on the bubble[/h1]
Andy Glockner
ESPN.com

Thank you, Kent State. Glad to see some team finally gets that you are supposed to win your way into the field of 65, not just lose fewer gamesthan the rest of the bubble brethren. The Golden Flashes clearly were the big winners of the BracketBusters event. They had the most at stake entering Saturdayand now have every right to expect strong at-large consideration, if needed.

In general, it was a weird week. A slew of teams that were in good position really slipped, while a comparable number of teams that were dicey now look muchstronger. What that leaves, especially in leagues like the ACC, Big 12, SEC and A-10, is a complete morass in the middle. It's hard to recall a season inwhich there was this much potential variance for this many major conferences this late in the season. It should make the major-conference portion ofchampionship week much more interesting than usual.

Outside the seven conferences broken out below, there's an increasingly large number of teams positioning themselves for at-large bids, if they needthem. For fans of bubblers, here's a handy list of teams you are rooting for to win their conference tournaments (and, more than likely, save an at-largefor someone else): Memphis (C-USA), Drake (Missouri Valley), Butler (Horizon), South Alabama (Sun Belt), BYU (Mountain West), Kent State (MAC), Gonzaga/SaintMary's (WCC). How those leagues go will have a big effect on how many borderline teams will make it on March 16.

One more piece of good news: We're amping things up to twice a week now, so check out the next update on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

As always, the records listed are Division I only, per NCAA Tournament selection guidelines. If you have a legitimate grievance or justlike talking bubble, send an e-mail to [email protected].

Next update: Feb. 27.
[table][tr][td]Atlantic Coast Conference[/td] [/tr][tr][td] Teams that should be in: Clemson
Work left to do: Miami (FL), Virginia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest

What Maryland giveth away, Miami taketh, and each team's fortune looks vastly different this week. A lot of the pecking order will be established in the last three or four games before the ACC tourney. Beyond Duke, UNC and Clemson, there is no other team that looks likely to make it at this point.
Should be in:

Clemson [18-7 (7-5), RPI: 23, SOS: 35] Not being able to take care of business in Tallahassee put a bit more pressure on the Tigers. But they could get two more regular-season wins in their last four games, and that should be enough. Clemson still looks like ACC team No. 3, especially with Maryland's fade. Wins over Purdue and Mississippi State in nonconference play look very solid.

Work left to do:

Miami (FL) [18-7 (6-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 33] The Canes were huge movers this week, running their winning streak to four after beating Georgia Tech, Duke and Maryland. Suddenly, the Canes' computer profile doesn't seem as out of line with what they have done on the court. Miami had a few credible wins in nonconference play, including victories over Mississippi State and VCU.

Virginia Tech [16-11 (7-6), RPI: 63, SOS: 51] It's time to take another look at the Hokies now that they are over .500 in the league. Their next two games are at home (Boston College and Wake Forest), so a 9-7 finish isn't at all unreasonable. If they can win a couple of ACC tourney games, they could make a late run to the Dance. The problem is, their nonconference schedule has next to nothing, other than losses to very good (and a couple of OK) teams.

Maryland [17-11 (7-6), RPI: 66, SOS: 16] The Terps are officially back in trouble after dropping games to Virginia Tech (finishing a season sweep) and at Miami (in the teams' only meeting). Their RPI is extremely questionable for an at-large bid, due in part to a number of home and neutral losses in nonconference play. One of those, to VCU, could hurt if the Rams don't win the CAA auto bid. Maryland needs to find three more wins (including the ACC tourney) to have a truly legit claim.

Wake Forest [16-8 (6-5), RPI: 68, SOS: 124] The Deacons greatly improved their lot by upsetting Duke last Sunday. Now they head to Chapel Hill for another shot at a big win. Their best work in nonconference play was their home win over BYU. None of the losses were bad.
[/td] [td] Locks






[/td] [/tr][/table][table][tr][td]Big East Conference[/td] [/tr][tr][td] Teams that should be in: Pittsburgh
Work left to do: West Virginia, Syracuse, Villanova, Cincinnati, Seton Hall

There's no longer any reason to be stingy in this league. Notre Dame and Marquette have done enough to join the land of the locked. With five good to go, who's next? Pitt looks primed, Syracuse and West Virginia are positioned OK, and who's this ... Villanova??? The Cats are back in the hunt.
Should be in:

Pittsburgh [18-7 (7-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 36] Pitt let one get away Thursday at Notre Dame and now has a big two-game homestand, starting with Louisville on Sunday. The Panthers probably only need to get to 9-9 to get in, but it is no lock that they will do so, given that road trips to Syracuse and West Virginia remain. Their nonconference win over Duke obviously looks great. A victory at Washington probably is the next-best thing on their out-of-conference resume.

Work left to do:

West Virginia [18-8 (8-6), RPI: 38, SOS: 45] A 2-1 week kept the Mountaineers on track for the NCAAs. Three of their last four are on the road, where they have struggled, so nothing is set in stone. WVU's two nonconference losses were to Tennessee and Oklahoma on neutral courts (although the loss to the Sooners was in Charleston, W.Va.).

Syracuse [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 15] The Orange have a big game on tap at Notre Dame on Sunday after losing at Louisville on Monday. They probably need to win two of their last four (at ND, Pitt, at Seton Hall, Marquette) to feel decent about their chances, and none will be easy. In nonconference play, their win at Virginia is the best on an OK slate, and the Cavaliers aren't helping matters by sinking in the ACC. Home losses to UMass and Rhode Island are no disgrace, but certainly don't help.

Villanova [17-9 (7-7), RPI: 49, SOS: 61] Now how much are we going to hear about the foul calls against NC State and Georgetown? By beating West Virginia and UConn, the Wildcats thrust themselves right back into the at-large fight, and those two games that were affected by questionable foul calls could be really important. What's now important is finding a way to get Casiem Drummond healthy again. His foot acted up, and he missed the UConn win. Nova's best nonconference win was over George Mason.

Cincinnati [13-13 (8-6), RPI: 71, SOS: 4] The Bearcats' case remains extremely slim, but there are a couple of big wins available down the stretch, and they still could finish 12-6 in the league. Would that be enough with a decent conference tournament run? It's not impossible, even though it is hard to recall the last at-large team that had a five-game nonconference losing streak. They also lost to Belmont and Bowling Green.

Seton Hall [16-11 (6-

, RPI: 74, SOS: 39] It looks bad for the Pirates, even though their last four games all are very winnable. As with Syracuse, their best nonconference win was over Virginia, although the Pirates won that one on a neutral court at the Palestra in Philly.
[/td] [td] Locks












[/td] [/tr][/table][table][tr][td]Big Ten Conference[/td] [/tr][tr][td] Work left to do: Ohio State

Michigan State gets locked up again, which makes it four for the league. There appears to be only one more viable contender: Ohio State. The Buckeyes need to start winning some games against comparable opponents.
Work left to do:

Ohio State [17-9 (8-5), RPI: 48, SOS: 58] The Buckeyes have a dangerously empty profile (1-7 vs. RPI Top 50) and a tough stretch run (Wisconsin, at Indiana, at Minnesota, Purdue, Michigan State), so don't be surprised if this team finds itself in bubble trouble if it finishes at 9-9 in the Big Ten -- or maybe even 10-8. Wins over Syracuse at Madison Square Garden and over Florida in Columbus were the nonconference bright spots. OSU also lost to Tennessee, Texas A&M, North Carolina and Butler.
[/td] [td] Locks










[/td] [/tr][/table][table][tr][td]Big 12 Conference[/td] [/tr][tr][td] Work left to do: Oklahoma, Baylor, Kansas State, Texas A&M

This wasn't a great week for the Big 12, as the two teams in best position -- Kansas State and Texas A&M -- both backslid with a pair of losses. Now there is a bit more of a muddle in the middle, and with the schedules breaking the way they do, it could be even more bunched up next week. Right now, there might be anywhere from four to six bids in this conference, depending on the stretch run.
Work left to do:

Oklahoma [18-9 (6-6), RPI: 27, SOS: 7] Stealing the overtime win against Baylor on Tuesday might look huge in three weeks. That finished off a sweep of the bubble-rival Bears and, with the loss that followed at Texas on Saturday, allowed the Sooners to stay at .500 in the league. Their three-game skid in league play earlier this month came when Longar Longar was out, so they should get some consideration there. As far as nonconference play, early losses to Memphis and USC were understandable. The home loss to Stephen F. Austin was less so, even with the excellent season SFA is having. The Sooners did beat Gonzaga and West Virginia on neutral floors for some heft and some good tiebreaking chips if things fall a certain way.

Baylor [17-8 (6-6), RPI: 36, SOS: 32] The Bears rebounded from the crushing last-second loss to Oklahoma by taking out Kansas State on Saturday, which is a huge win at this stage. Now back to .500 in the league and with a manageable last four (at Colorado, Mizzou, A&M, at Texas Tech), the Bears are in position to overcome the skid that saw them drop six of seven league games after their five-overtime win at Texas A&M on Jan. 23. Baylor beat Notre Dame and Winthrop on its way to the Paradise Jam title in the Virgin Islands, and it won at South Carolina. The Bears' nonconference losses were by three to Washington State at home and to Arkansas in Dallas.

Kansas State [17-8 (8-4), RPI: 39, SOS: 27] K-State dropped games at Nebraska and Baylor this week, making it four straight losses away from Bramlage, and the Wildcats now have played themselves into a bit of bubble concern. Their next two games are at home against Texas and at Kansas, so barring an upset in one of those, this profile won't look that great next week. They close with Colorado and at Iowa State, so they still can get to the 10-6 mark, and that should see them through. But room for error is dwindling. Having a win over Kansas never hurts, but a win over Cal is the best thing on a nonconference résumé that includes losses to George Mason, Notre Dame, Oregon and Xavier.

Texas A&M [19-7 (6-6), RPI: 45, SOS: 87] What seemed like a blip (losing to Oklahoma State on Feb. 16 at home) now has become a full-fledged problem, after the Aggies got destroyed at Texas last Monday and lost at home to Nebraska on Saturday. The Aggies have themselves in a bit of a mess. The Wednesday home game against Texas Tech is huge, as are the last three (at Oklahoma, at Baylor, Kansas). It's not certain that their nonconference profile can help them enough to overcome a 7-9 league mark. The Aggies did rout Ohio State early in the season, which could help in a comparison with the equally bubbly Buckeyes. The other wins -- over UTEP, Washington, Alabama and LSU -- were decent but not great. Having blown a big lead and lost at Arizona might prove costly, as well.
[/td] [td] Locks






[/td] [/tr][/table][table][tr][td]Pacific-10 Conference[/td] [/tr][tr][td] Teams that should be in: Arizona, Washington State
Work left to do: USC, Oregon, Arizona State, California

Five Pac-10 teams seem on their way now that Arizona, Wazzu and USC have consolidated their positions. What will happen after them is anyone's guess. Arizona State might have the best chance of the remaining three, but none are in great shape. Can a league with nine very competitive teams end up with only five bids?
Should be in:

Arizona [16-10 (7-7), RPI: 16, SOS: 1] While it's hard to believe the No. 1 SOS team would be left out, Wildcats fans have to feel a bit better after the win at Washington State on Saturday. If the Cats finish at .500 in the league, which they have a good shot of doing, they should be fine. Even 8-10 might be good enough, given some of the injury issues, but why risk it? The Cats were swept by Arizona State, but it doesn't look likely that those two teams will be on the same evaluation tier come Selection Sunday. Their best nonconference win was over Texas A&M, which is looking dicier by the day. They also won at UNLV and Houston, which are solid road victories.

Washington State [21-6 (9-6), RPI: 33, SOS: 78] Despite yet another home loss (the latest was on Saturday to Arizona), the Cougars still look to be in solid shape. Weirdly, they are 5-2 on the road in league play and just 4-4 at home. Still, they swept both Oregon and USC, which is a nice comparison boost. Nonconference wins at Baylor and Gonzaga also should be helpful, if needed.

Work left to do:

USC [17-9 (8-6), RPI: 40, SOS: 26] The Trojans took care of business against the Oregon schools this past week at home and now are in very solid shape. With a road trip to the Arizona schools and then home games against the Bay Area duo, two wins in the last four seems very reasonable. That should be more than enough to get the Trojans dancing. They also swept Oregon, which can't hurt for comparisons with the Ducks. In addition, USC beat Oklahoma, Miami (Ohio) and Southern Illinois for its best nonconference wins. The season-opening loss to Mercer at home hurt, and the Trojans just missed on big-name chances against Kansas and Memphis with two four-point losses.

Oregon [15-12 (6-9), RPI: 57, SOS: 9] There is no way to sugarcoat this: The Ducks probably need to win five straight games to make the NCAAs. That would get them to 9-9 and into the Pac-10 semis (including a first-round game as one of the four lowest seeds). The Ducks now are 1-7 against the top four teams in the league, which isn't a great indicator of upside. Kansas State and Utah were their best nonconference wins, but the Ducks also lost at Saint Mary's, Nebraska and Oakland.

Arizona State [17-9 (7-7), RPI: 73, SOS: 81] The Sun Devils got a really, really big win at Washington on Saturday. They still very well might need to get three of their last four, given the weakness of their nonconference profile, but it's possible. They host the L.A. schools, then travel to the Oregon schools to wrap up things. That March 6 game at Oregon has all the makings of a huge bubble game. Their rout of Xavier is a very good chip, but it's the only game from their nonconference run that will help.

California [15-9 (6-7), RPI: 78, SOS: 66] Nothing has changed, as the Golden Bears haven't played since last Saturday. Their final surge starts Sunday at Stanford. Cal probably needs to win four of its last five to have a legit at-large chance, and with road games at the Cardinal and the L.A. schools left, it won't be easy. Cal beat Missouri and San Diego State in an uninspired nonconference slate, and its RPI is extremely weak for an at-large candidate.
[/td] [td] Locks






[/td] [/tr][/table][table][tr][td]Southeastern Conference[/td] [/tr][tr][td] Teams that should be in: Mississippi State
Work left to do: Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida, Kentucky

Mississippi State looks to be closing in on a bid, which would give the SEC three. After that? Arkansas probably is in the best shape, and then the three other teams all have work to do. There still is a pretty wide range of possibilities here. Four bids seems pretty likely. Six seems possible, too.
Should be in:

Mississippi State [18-8 (9-3), RPI: 42, SOS: 54] The Bulldogs split their road trip at Ole Miss and South Carolina this past week, and with the help of Arkansas, remain strongly positioned to win the SEC West. Even if they take out only Auburn and LSU at home, that will be 11 SEC wins, which should be plenty to overcome a so-so nonconference performance and get to the NCAAs. For whatever it's worth, Missouri is the only decent nonconference win, and it's up against losses to Clemson, Southern Illinois, Miami (Ohio), Miami and South Alabama.

Work left to do:

Arkansas [18-8 (7-5), RPI: 37, SOS: 52] The rout of LSU on Wednesday at home takes a bit of the sting off three straight road losses, the latest on Saturday at Kentucky. But the Razorbacks don't have the most favorable schedule for the stretch run. Wednesday's game at struggling Alabama now is pretty important, with Vandy on tap Saturday. The Hogs' nonconference win over Baylor still looks pretty good. Victories over VCU and Missouri are decent, too. Losses to Providence and Appalachian State (the latter in Little Rock) are less so.

Mississippi [18-8 (4-

, RPI: 46, SOS: 69] Losing by 20 at last-place LSU on Saturday (even with the Tigers playing better lately) could be the blow that ultimately slays the Rebels. That's seven losses in their past 10 games, and their RPI is slipping badly. They very well might need to win their last four league games to have a chance, and that starts Wednesday at Kentucky. A win over Clemson in Puerto Rico was the out-of-league highlight, but their victory over South Alabama was quality, too.

Florida [20-7 (7-5), RPI: 58, SOS: 123] Their only game this week was a three-point home squeaker over South Carolina, so the Gators are more or less in the same position as last week. Their last four (at Georgia, Mississippi State, Tennessee, at Kentucky) aren't easy, and that trip to Athens looks like a very critical game. Florida's best nonconference win was over Temple, which tells you all you need to know about that part of its schedule. It still could take 10 SEC wins for this club, so there is work left to do, for sure.

Kentucky [15-10 (9-3), RPI: 65, SOS: 14] Make it eight wins in their past nine games for the Wildcats, who remain on track to get maybe 11 or 12 SEC wins and become a legitimate bubble discussion. If they can handle Ole Miss and Florida at home and a trip to South Carolina, they won't even need to win in Knoxville to get to the dozen mark. Who would have thought this was possible after a bad nonconference slate that included crippling home losses to Gardner-Webb and San Diego? Is there any way the ultimate Billy Gillispie irony happens, in which UK makes it and A&M somehow doesn't?
[/td] [td] Locks






[/td] [/tr][/table][table][tr][td]Atlantic 10 Conference[/td] [/tr][tr][td] Work left to do: Massachusetts, Dayton, Rhode Island, Saint Joseph's, Temple

Things are breaking the wrong way for the A-10, with Xavier creating tons of clearance at the top and everyone else mushing together in an indistinguishable middle. Some huge games Sunday will help determine what this landscape will look like in the next update Wednesday. Right now, the league is on the brink of ending up with just two bids, which was unthinkable for most of the season.
Work left to do:

Massachusetts [17-9 (6-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 24] How quickly things can change in this league. Left for virtual dead a week ago, the Minutemen clearly were the big winners in the A-10 this week. Handling Saint Louis at home, then getting a win (and a season sweep) at Rhode Island put UMass in fairly strong shape. The Minutemen are a robust 5-2 against the RPI Top 50. Their last four (St. Bona, at Richmond, La Salle, at GW) are about as soft as you can get in this conference, even though several of those teams are playing much better. Their RPI is hanging in there. UMass was swept by Saint Joseph's and lost to Xavier, but beat Dayton and Charlotte in its only meetings with those teams. Like Rhode Island, it beat Syracuse. But unlike the Rams, the Minutemen also beat BC and Houston in nonconference play, so they have more on which to lean.

Dayton [17-8 (5-7), RPI: 32, SOS: 31] Losing at La Salle on Thursday was a crushing blow. Now the Flyers have a huge shot at Xavier on Sunday at home. If they can't handle the X-men, they will be 5-8 in league play and in rough shape. Yes, the Flyers should get a lot of consideration for Chris Wright's absence, but they have a lot of league losses, and there is no guarantee they will look as formidable as they did when he returns. Dayton had two outstanding nonconference wins -- at Louisville and versus Pitt -- and several other solid nonleague wins, which should help bolster the Flyers' case if Wright can make it back.

Rhode Island [20-7 (6-6), RPI: 41, SOS: 11 The Rams lost this past week at home to Xavier and UMass (getting swept by the Minutemen) and now are in very precarious position. Sunday's home game against Saint Joe's is a virtual must-win. A nonconference win over Syracuse is the best the Rams have to offer in that category, and their RPI rapidly decayed with these home losses. Right now, this is a profile that is screaming to be omitted come Selection Sunday, which is shocking, given where the Rams were just a couple of weeks ago.

Saint Joseph's [16-8 (7-4), RPI: 55, SOS: 99] The Hawks dropped three of their past four league games, but with the way the entire league is backsliding, they still find themselves in second place heading into Sunday's big game at Rhode Island. The season sweep of UMass could be a huge chip come Selection Sunday, especially as the Minutemen have surged into bubble contention. Saint Joe's also has one of the toughest collections of nonleague losses in the land. Two were in overtime (Gonzaga, at Creighton), and two were close defeats (at Syracuse, Holy Cross). Still, its RPI is pretty suspect, and with a bunch of home games to close, 10-6 might be the target.

Temple [14-12 (7-5), RPI: 80, SOS: 37] The loss to Fordham on Saturday at home more or less eliminated the Owls, who now probably need to win their last four to have any reasonable chance. Their nonconference schedule is littered with seven losses, which could be too many to make up, barring a huge push down the stretch and a strong A-10 tournament.
[/td] [td] Locks




[/td] [/tr][/table][table][tr][td]Other at-large contenders[/td] [/tr][tr][td] Teams that should be in: South Alabama, Brigham Young, Kent State, Saint Mary's, Gonzaga
Work left to do: UNLV, New Mexico, Stephen F. Austin, Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Virginia Commonwealth, Creighton, Davidson, Western Kentucky, Oral Roberts, UAB, Houston, George Mason

Kent State gets the gold(en) medal for its win Sunday at Saint Mary's. Kudos to the Flashes, who now are very serious at-large candidates. Beyond that, there's not too much more to see here. Despite a loss, BYU gets a proper adjustment up. South Alabama has a pretty good claim, and the WCC duo still looks pretty solid. And beyond that? There might not be a beyond that ...
Should be in:

South Alabama [20-5 (14-2), RPI: 25, SOS: 102] The Jags won at Western Kentucky to sweep the season series and bolster their at-large hopes. If they can take care of business and win out, clinching at least a share of the league crown, a finals appearance in the Sun Belt tourney might be enough. South Alabama's three nonconference losses were at Ole Miss by three, at Vandy by three in double overtime and by five to Miami (Ohio) in Anaheim. Its best nonleague win was at home over Mississippi State.

Brigham Young [21-6 (10-2), RPI: 26, SOS: 86] The Cougars were misslotted last week and take their rightful place at the next level in this edition, despite their loss Saturday at San Diego State. That removed a bit of the Cougars' margin for error, but if they can win Tuesday at New Mexico (not a given), they will be in very good shape to win the Mountain West, which basically is a golden ticket. Their RPI remains good. The Cougars also have a very good nonconference win over Louisville, although they lost to North Carolina and Michigan State in competitive efforts. Their loss at Wake Forest doesn't look nearly as bad now as it did at the time.

Kent State [23-5 (11-2), RPI: 29, SOS: 138] Thank you. Finally, we found a team that decided to make a positive statement about its at-large candidacy. The Golden Flashes cashed in their BracketBusters chance at Saint Mary's, handing the Gaels their first home loss of the season. That was the kind of high-profile win the Flashes needed out of conference. Wins over Illinois State and George Mason could come in handy, too. Their stretch run isn't easy by MAC standards, and the finale at Akron could be pretty important for the overall profile, but this smells like an at-large team right now and deserves a bump up.

Saint Mary's [22-4 (10-1), RPI: 30, SOS: 155] The Gaels couldn't handle the Golden Flashes, so we will keep them here for now. They still look ready to dance, although they best not overlook San Diego on Monday night. A loss there, and they will be in third place on tiebreaker, and they still need to travel to Gonzaga next weekend. Of bigger concern is big man Omar Samhan's shoulder, which popped out against Kent and kept him to eight minutes. They will need him at Gonzaga and for the WCC tournament. Their solid nonconference slate includes victims like Drake, Oregon, Seton Hall, San Diego State and Ohio.

Gonzaga [21-6 (10-1), RPI: 35, SOS: 105] The Zags won at San Diego, which likely means they and Saint Mary's will finish 1-2 in some order, which should mean bids for both. The Zags' nonconference wins at Saint Joe's and over UConn are very solid. Gonzaga also beat Western Kentucky, Virginia Tech and Utah, and all five of its nonconference losses came against good or excellent teams.

Work left to do:

UNLV [19-6 (9-3), RPI: 34, SOS: 76] BYU's loss at San Diego State opened the door a bit for the Rebels to get a piece of the MWC crown, which could be significant. They also get the conference tourney on their home court, which is an advantage (for getting the auto bid) and a disadvantage (a loss there will be really harmful for at-large purposes). Their three-point loss to Arizona at home was a big missed opportunity in nonconference play. They also lost to Louisville by 20 and don't have a really good nonconference win, despite a profile that is decent overall.

New Mexico [22-6 (9-4), RPI: 43, SOS: 166] Hey, look at the Lobos, winners of six straight and now in the RPI Top 50. After getting through the Air Force/Utah road trip (never easy), New Mexico now has an enormous week in which it hosts BYU and UNLV. If the Lobos can leapfrog the Rebels and finish in second place, that will help their cause. There is not much in their nonconference profile that will help. You can see that just by looking at the SOS.

Stephen F. Austin [18-3 (10-2), RPI: 44, SOS: 242] The Jacks are back for a look with their spiffy new top-50 RPI. That said, there are several issues: They have four non-DI wins as part of their profile, and they are not even in first place in the Southland. They beat Lamar in the teams' only meeting, but the Cardinals, at 11-1, still are a game ahead. Their last four league games are against teams that are .500 or worse in league play, so SFA could be 24-4 in D-I games should it lose in the Southland final. Would that be enough? Probably not, but a win at Oklahoma showed that this team is pretty decent.

Illinois State [18-8 (11-5), RPI: 50, SOS: 10 The Redbirds probably don't have enough juice to get an at-large bid, but the schedule breaks well for them to have a chance. They need to handle Wright State in a Sunday BrackBusters game, and then they get cracks at Creighton and at Southern Illinois. If they can win out, they will finish second in the Valley by a multiple-game margin, which would look solid. Illinois State's best nonconference win was over Cincinnati. Shame it didn't handle Kent State in early December. That really would have helped.

Southern Illinois [16-12 (10-6), RPI: 51, SOS: 1 Could it happen if the Salukis win out until the Valley final? Maybe. It would be much better if they could catch Illinois State for second place, but they get the Redbirds at home in the season finale. And first they must handle Bradley in Peoria, which won't be easy. Beating Nevada by 25 in BracketBusters was a nice way to get their fourth straight win. In nonconference play, they beat Miss. State, Saint Mary's and Western Kentucky, so there is some good stuff in their profile, which also includes losses to USC, Indiana, Charlotte, Saint Louis, Western Michigan and Butler. How big does A.J. Graves' 30-foot buzzer-beater look now?

Virginia Commonwealth [21-6 (13-3), RPI: 52, SOS: 151] The Rams probably are the only at-large hopeful left in the CAA after winning at Akron in BracketBusters. They have two upper-division games left in league play, which will help their RPI some if they can take both. Either way, they look ready to win the league title, which should be worth something. They also beat Houston and Maryland in nonconference play, but a loss to MEAC member Hampton won't help.

Creighton [18-8 (9-7), RPI: 53, SOS: 103] The Bluejays' current standing in the Valley, tied for fourth at 9-7, probably isn't enough to get them to at-large land. They have an OK nonconference slate, in which they beat Nebraska and (more importantly, for bubble purposes) Saint Joseph's. They escaped Saturday at Oral Roberts in BracketBusters. Would four wins in a row to end the regular season (88-67 over Missouri State, 65-64 over Oral Roberts, at Illinois State, against Bradley) make things interesting? It's worth keeping half an eye on.

Davidson [20-6 (18-0), RPI: 59, SOS: 163] The Wildcats got past local rival Winthrop on the road to keep their at-large dream modestly alive. If they end up 20-0 in the SoCon -- and that's no lock, with games remaining against App State and at Georgia Southern -- then lose in the league final, they should be a very hotly debated team on Selection Sunday. Would they be one of the 34 "best" teams available? Probably. Would they have one of the 34 best profiles? Probably not. The Wildcats showed in close early losses to North Carolina, Duke, NC State and UCLA how good they are, but can a SoCon team really overcome a 2-6 record in D-I nonconference games?

Western Kentucky [20-6 (14-2), RPI: 60, SOS: 149] It's hard to see how the Toppers could get an at-large bid, now that they were swept by South Alabama. Their overall profile is weak and lacks a marquee win. Their best nonconference win was over Nebraska. The Toppers did come close against Gonzaga and Tennessee, but no cigar.

Oral Roberts [19-7 (15-1), RPI: 61, SOS: 137] The home last-second BracketBusters loss to Creighton probably ended this debate. The Golden Eagles still don't have a top-50 win and they're not unbeaten in league play, either. They'd have a very gaudy record if they run the table from here and lose to, say, IUPUI, in a tough final, but there are other teams like Houston and UAB with similar profiles from a better conference. ORU beat Oklahoma State, but whiffed on every big chance in nonconference play (losses to Texas A&M, Arkansas and Texas).

UAB [19-8 (9-3), RPI: 62, SOS: 118] The Blazers got a huge two-point home win over Houston to take the teams' only meeting and pull into a tie for second in the conference with the Cougars. The Blazers' last four aren't easy, starting with a tricky trip to UTEP and ending at Memphis, so there's plenty of work to do, but they still have hope. They beat Cincinnati and Kentucky for their best nonconference wins. It could break that the Blazers will meet Houston in the C-USA semis, which would be a knockout game. They probably need to beat Memphis (once) to have a real chance, though. That would either get them the auto bid or give them the marquee win they lack.

Houston [20-6 (9-3), RPI: 64, SOS: 145] A tough two-point loss at UAB was a missed chance for the Cougars to create some separation and close in on a second-place finish. Those two teams now look to be on their way to a C-USA semifinal showdown that would be an elimination game. After two competitive losses to Memphis, what would the committee do with a Houston team that might not have an RPI top 50 win and could be 26-7 if it loses to Memphis again in the C-USA final? Its nonconference losses were to VCU, UMass and Arizona, so there's no shame in any of those. Houston could be one of the biggest debates come Selection Sunday.

George Mason [19-9 (11-5), RPI: 70, SOS: 125] The Patriots almost certainly will need the CAA auto bid after coughing up a 13-point halftime lead and losing at Ohio in BracketBusters. They would need two VCU losses to even have a chance at a piece of the CAA regular-season title. GMU did beat Dayton, Kansas State and South Carolina in nonleague play, so it does have something to work with, but its RPI is very weak for an at-large from any conference.
[/td] [/tr][/table]

 

[officer andre]

[table][tr][td]ESPN/USA Today Poll[/td] [/tr][tr][td] 1. Tennessee (31) 25-2 775[/td] [/tr][tr][td] 2-25. Who Cares...[/td] [/tr][/table]http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings

 

[wstcoastgotti]

good looks craftsy

Devils need to win 3 of 4

 

[allen3xis]

Updated: February 25, 2008

[h2]EAST (Charlotte)[/h2] [h3]Birmingham[/h3]

(1) TENNESSEE (24-2)

(16) Play-in Game

( SAINT MARY'S (22-4)

(9) Texas A&M (19-7)

[h3]Denver[/h3]

(5) Marquette (19-6)

(12) New Mexico (22-6)

(4) Purdue (21-6)

(13) CORNELL (17-5) / Ivy

[h3]Tampa[/h3]

(6) Kansas St (17-

(11) Florida (20-7)

(3) Georgetown (22-4)

(14) UMBC (19-7) / Amer East

[h3]Raleigh[/h3]

(7) Washington St (21-6)

(10) Saint Joseph's (17-

(2) Duke (23-3)

(15) BELMONT (19- / Atl Sun

[h2]WEST (Phoenix)[/h2] [h3]Little Rock[/h3]

(1) TEXAS (22-4)

(16) PORTLAND ST (16-9) / Big Sky

( Southern California (17-9)

(9) South Alabama (20-5)

[h3]Tampa[/h3]

(5) Vanderbilt (23-4)

(12) Ohio State (17-10)

(4) Connecticut (21-6)

(13) UAB (19-

[h3]Omaha[/h3]

(6) Clemson (18-7)

(11) Massachusetts (18-9)

(3) WISCONSIN (23-4)

(14) RIDER (19-9) / MAAC

[h3]Anaheim[/h3]

(7) BYU (21-6)

(10) West Virginia (18-

(2) UCLA (23-3)

(15) BOISE ST (19-7) / WAC

[h2]SOUTH (Houston)[/h2] [h3]Little Rock[/h3]

(1) MEMPHIS (26-1)

(16) AUSTIN PEAY (19-10) / OVC

( Mississippi St (18-

(9) Baylor (17-

[h3]Washington D.C.[/h3]

(5) Michigan St (22-5)

(12) DAVIDSON (20-6)

(4) Notre Dame (21-5)

(13) VCU (21-6) / CAA

[h3]Anaheim[/h3]

(6) Gonzaga (21-6)

(11) Maryland (17-11)

(3) Stanford (22-4)

(14) CS NORTHRIDGE (17-7) / Big West

[h3]Omaha[/h3]

(7) Pittsburgh (18-

(10) UNLV (19-6)

(2) Kansas (23-3)

(15) AMERICAN (17-10) / Patriot

[h2]MIDWEST (Detroit)[/h2][h3]Raleigh[/h3]

(1) NORTH CAROLINA (26-2)

(16) MORGAN ST (16-9) / MEAC

( Oklahoma (18-9)

(9) Arkansas (18-

[h3]Denver[/h3]

(5) DRAKE (22-3)

(12) Arizona St (17-9)

(4) Indiana (23-4)

(13) ORAL ROBERTS (19-7) / Summit

[h3]Birmingham[/h3]

(6) BUTLER (25-3)

(11) KENT ST (23-5)

(3) LOUISVILLE (22-6)

(14) WINTHROP (16-10) / Big South

[h3]Washington D.C.[/h3]

(7) Arizona (16-10)

(10) Miami-FL (18-7)

(2) XAVIER (24-4)

(15) ROBERT MORRIS (23-6) / Northeast

 

[lnmymind]

Kentucky with the upset on March 2nd