Ultimate College Basketball Guide

Saturday's Top Games to Watch

2006-12-09T12:59:00.000-05:00

Indiana @ Kentucky
The Hoosiers play a stifling ball pressure perimeter defense, and the Wildcats have suspect guard play to begin with, so the onus falls on Randolph Morris to dominate DJ White in the post.
Kentucky by 3

George Mason @ Duke
The Patriots don't need to win this game, they just need to play it close to get their season back on track. Duke has too much presence down low for GMU to be considered here in an upset.
Duke by 18

Robert Morris @ Wagner
RMU began the NEC season with a wimper in a loss to Sacred Heart. A second road loss is likely today at Wagner.
Wagner by 6

Oral Roberts @ Georgetown
After beating Kansas, ORU has faded a bit, while Georgetown has been disappointing all season long. The Hoyas have to establish Roy Hibbert early against Caleb Green to take advantage of the height differential.
G'Town by 10

Ole Miss @ Memphis
The Rebs are capable of pulling out the upset here, but expect Roberts-Douglas and company to rebound from a big loss to Tennessee.
Memphis by 8

Toledo @ Kansas
MAC teams have failed to show up against quality opponents this season, so a strong game by the Rockets could restore some lost credibility to the league, particularly after Northern Illinois lost at home to Georgia Southern last night.
Kansas by 14

Penn State @ Seton Hall
Bobby Gonzalez has the Pirates playing with passion, but Jamar Nutter can still shoot his team out of a ball game. Geary Claxton is the heart and soul of the Lions, so keying in on him is of utmost importance for SHU.
SHU by 6

Delaware State @ Michigan
Jahsha Bluntt needs to dominate for the Hornets if they want to pull off a win at Ann Arbor.
Michigan by 15

Wisconsin @ Marquette
This great rivalry features both teams ranked in the top 20 at the same time for the first time. Dominic James easily outshines Kam Taylor at the point. Taylor is still very turnover prone. Alando Tucker will outwork Marquette as a collective unit in the post, so it's up to James and McNeal to keep the Eagles in it with perimeter shooting and getting to the rim off the dribble.
Wisconsin by 3

Missouri @ Purdue
This is a very intriguing matchup. Mike Anderson has the Tigers playing great basketball, but Purdue is a very solid team. With Teague, Landry, and Crump, they have multiple scoring option.
Purdue by 4

Texas A&M @ UCLA
The Aggies are coming off a game in which Acie Law was held to four points by LSU. The Aggies lost that game. Expect the Bruins to harrass Law even more so on the perimeter and get the same result as the Tigers. UCLA isn't big in the post, but they still have playmakers in Shipp and Mbah A Moute. Joseph Jones can be trouble for the Bruins, but he can't beat them by himself.
UCLA by 10

BYU @ Michigan State
The Spartans play tough at home, but they still lack consistent scoring.
MSU by 8

Nebraska @ Oregon
The Ducks are still undefeated, while Nebraska is another surprise team. Alecs Maric needs to have a huge game in the post for the Huskers to win this one. Aaron Brooks is finally making consistently good decisions for Ernie Kent.
Oregon by 8

Illinois State @ Evansville
A big early season game for two MVC teams looking to battle into the upper half of a tough conference.
Evansville by 2

DePaul @ UAB
Both of these teams need to get on a roll to make a run at an NCAA at-large invite. DePaul has to win these road games as they enter Big East play, where wins are tough to come by.
DePaul by 6

George Washington @ USC
USC can run with GW, but they probably don't want to get into that tempo. Nick Young needs to be the go to guy for the Trojans.
USC by 7

Georgia Tech @ Vandy
Vandy is playing much better since a home loss to Furman. Foster and Byars make this team tough, but Tech is far too deep for the Commodores to run with.
Tech by 10

Wichita State @ Wyoming
Playing at Casper will be tough for the Shockers, but after wins at LSU and at Syracuse, this team has proven that they can play anywhere.
Wichita State by 8

St. Joe's @ Louisville
A must win for the Cardinals in their quest for an at-large berth.
L-Ville by 6

Missouri State @ UNC-Wilmington
See above and apply it to Blake Ahearn and the Bears.
Missouri State by 10

Southern Illinois @ Western Kentucky
Again, this could be a big resume builder for either team. A road win by SIU and their stifling defense is likely. Containing Courtney Lee is a must for the Salukis.
SIU by 4

Xavier @ Creighton
Another big game for a Valley team in terms of building the resume. Xavier is playing excellent basketball right now, while the Blue Jays are struggling a bit. Nate Funk needs to have more sets run for him on the perimeter.
Creighton by 2

UMKC @ No. Iowa
The Panthers have to be careful with Day, Ayuba, and the Kangaroos.
UNI by 12

Arizona @ San Diego State
The Aztecs are 8-1, but they could just as easily be 5-4 against a fairly weak schedule. Brandon Heath and company really miss Marcus Slaughter. Arizona has too much firepower for the Aztecs, even on the road.
Zona by 10

Sacramento State @ Long Beach State
Larry Reynolds needs to get the 49ers back on track.
LB State by 6

Washington @ Gonzaga
This is the last game in this rivalry for a few years, so it should be intense. Washington has the inside presence in Hawes and Brockman to contend with Heytvelt, but Raivio clearly outshines Dentmon at the point.
Zaga by 4

UNLV @ Nevada
Nick Fazekas can dominate the post tonight for the Wolfpack, making a Rebel win unlikely.
Nevada by 7

Friday's Top Performer

2006-12-09T12:56:00.000-05:00

Raul Orta, St. Peter's
Orta led the Peacocks to a 66-55 win at Loyola MD by scoring 19 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.

Recap of Friday's Games

2006-12-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

Georgia Southern 72 Northern Illinois 70

Ohio 71 Louisville 74

Canisius 69 Marist 80

Iowa State 59 Iowa 77

Friday's Top Games to Watch

2006-12-08T14:08:00.000-05:00

Ohio @ Louisville
The Bobcats can win this game if they let Leon Williams touch the ball more than 10 times. They have the firepower to stay with the Cardinals, they just need to know how to harness it.
LVille by 6

Canisius @ Marist
Marist is the class of the MAAC, but the Golden Griffs could be a sleeper this year.
Marist by 12

Thursday's Top Performer

2006-12-08T14:05:00.000-05:00

Russell Carter, Notre Dame

Carter scored 27 points for the Irish, and led a 14-0 run that sealed the upset over Alabama.

Recap of Thursday's Games

2006-12-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

The Good
Michigan 62 Miami OH 56

Alabama 85 Notre Dame 99

Lipscomb 50 Vandy 59

The Bad
It was a bad night for NEC contenders, as favorite Robert Morris lost at Sacred Heart, who are themselves a legit contender. The truly bad loss was by defending champions Monmouth, who lost at home to Long Island.

The Ugly
LaSalle lost to UM-Baltimore County at home by 11. Someone really needs to rescue that Explorer program.

Thursday's Top Games to Watch

2006-12-07T16:49:00.000-05:00

Michigan @ Miami OH
The Red Hawks were completely embarrassed by Illinois State on Tuesday, and are looking to bounce back. The Wolverines don't play the same shut down defense as ISU, but they should still limit a handicapped Miami offense.
Michigan by 12

Alabama @ Notre Dame
The undefeated Tide have a tough road game against an Irish team hot off a big win over previously undefeated Maryland. The Tide will dominate the post with Davidson and Hendrix, so Kyle McAlarney and Colin Falls need to be particularly deadly from the outside.
Bama by 6

Lipscomb @ Vandy
Not only is Vanderbilt not the best team in Nashville, they might not even be the second best. Lipscomb could go a long way towards showing they are the best team in the Music City with a road win tonight. Belmont waits in the wings for some epic ASun clashes. The emergence of Trey Williams for Lipscomb gives them three deadly scorers, with Eddie Ard and Brian Fisk joining Williams in averaging double figures.
Vandy by 7

Wednesday's Top Performer

2006-12-07T16:47:00.000-05:00

Chris Lofton, Tennessee

Lofton led the Vols to a huge win over Memphis with 34 points on 12/18 shooting, including 6/11 from behind the arc.

Recap of Wednesday's Games

2006-12-07T16:36:00.000-05:00

Villanova 67 Oklahoma 51

Old Dominion 55 Virginia Tech 72

VCU 75 Albany 57

NC State 60 WV 71

W. Kentucky 81 Montana 65

Creighton 54 Dayton 60

Memphis 58 Tennessee 76

Fresno State 42 UCSB 70

Tuesday's Top Performer

2006-12-07T16:34:00.000-05:00

Dustin Salisbery, Temple

Salisbery scored 34 points and grabbed 7 boards in a 76-71 win over Western Michigan.

Recap of Tuesday's Games

2006-12-07T16:29:00.000-05:00

Oklahoma State 72 Syracuse 68

Loyola Chi 62 Purdue 78

Minnesota 81 UAB 88

Miami OH 40 Illinois State 64

Northern Iowa 57 Iowa 55

Texas A&M 52 LSU 64

Arizona 72 Louisville 65

Gonzaga 67 Washington State 77

UNLV 61 Hawaii 58

Tuesday's Top Games to Watch

2006-12-05T03:09:00.000-05:00

Oklahoma State @ Syracuse
The Cuse is coming off a home loss to Wichita State, in which Demetrius Nichols missed a potentially game winning, wide open lay-up. Hopefully he hasn't lost his confidence when they take on a talented OSU team led by JamesOn Curry and Mario Boggan.
Syracuse by 3

Loyola Chicago @ Purdue
The Boilers are back to an elite Big Ten program, thanks to Landry, Teague, and Crump, but the Ramblers are more than capable of beating them in West Lafayette. Blake Schilb's versatility and size make him a difficult matchup for whoever they play.
Purdue by 8

Minnesota @ UAB
Mike Davis faces a familiar foe in Minnesota. Both teams are coming off big wins.
UAB by 5

Miami OH @ Illinois State
Nate Peavy is a tough matchup for the Redbirds, but expect the Normal faithful to provide an edge for ISU.
ISU by 6

Northern Iowa @ Iowa
Iowa has been playing a little better ball as of late, but Stout and Coleman down low will be tough for the Hawkeyes to defend.
No. Iowa by 3

Texas A&M @ LSU
A rematch of last year's round of 32 game has the Aggies looking more like the Final Four team than the Tigers. LSU had to rally to beat Tulane in their last outing. Joseph Jones can handle Glen Davis, but Acie Law gives A&M the advantage on the perimeter. Players like Magnum Rolle need to fill the void left by Tyrus Thomas for LSU.
A&M by 5

New Mexico @ NM State
The rematch sees the Lobos coming off a blowout loss at UTEP.
NMSU by 3

Arizona @ Louisville
The Cardinals only have three games under their belts, so it's tough to say how good they really are, but they have the potential to be a very good team. Arizona likes to get up and down the court, so Louisville will have to control the tempo and force Shakur into running halfcourt sets, where he's more likely to turn the ball over.
Arizona by 9

Gonzaga @ Washington State
The Cougars will find it tough to rebound from their first loss when they take on a very good Zaga team.
Gonzaga by 12

UNLV @ Hawaii
The Rebs are coming off a rout of Northern Arizona, and are playing with confidence after getting blown out by Arizona. Hawaii needs to find more reliable scoring options outside of Matt Lojeski. But, the Hawaii home court advantage is as great as any in the country, and is tough for any team to overcome.
Hawaii by 3

Monday's Top Performer

2006-12-05T03:04:00.000-05:00

Kyle Hines, UNC-Greensboro

Kyle Hines scored 30 points, grabbed 15 boards, and swatted 5 shots in a loss to Davidson.

Recap of Monday's Games

2006-12-05T03:02:00.000-05:00

Davidson 66 UNC-Greensboro 63

Winthrop 79 Wisconsin 82

IUPUI 66 Belmont 76

USC 62 Kansas 72

Monday's Top Games to Watch

2006-12-05T02:57:00.000-05:00

Davidson @ UNC-Greensboro
Big early season SoCon game between two contenders. Containing Kyle Hines is a must for Davidson.
Davidson by 2

Winthrop @ Wisconsin
Don't be shocked if Winthrop pulls this one off. They have the speed and intelligence to compete with any team in the country. Both of these teams are sweet sixteen quality teams.
Wisconsin by 3

IUPUI @ Belmont
Contenders from the MCC and ASun square off. Justin Hare and Boomer Herndon are a lethal duo for Belmont.
Belmont by 8

USC @ Kansas
Kansas needs to rebound from a loss to DePaul. USC is riding a five game win streak, but will probably be overmatched in Lawrence by a deep Kansas team with something to prove.
Kansas by 8

Recap of Saturday and Sunday's Games

2006-12-05T02:02:00.000-05:00

The Good

Valpo 58 Ohio State 78

Kentucky 63 UNC 75

Northern Iowa 57 Bucknell 48

Clemson 74 South Carolina 53

SD State 73 W. Michigan 84

Pacific 62 Texas A&M 74

Gonzaga 87 Texas 77

Winthrop 72 No. Illinois 62

St. Louis 56 So. Illinois 65

UAB 59 Cincy 57

UW-Green Bay 52 Loyola Chicago 71

Georgia 87 Wake Forest 86

Fresno State 74 Oregon State 69

Illinois 72 Arizona 84

Georgetown 52 Duke 61

Wichita State 64 Syracuse 61

Holy Cross 53 Dayton 69

BC 84 UMass 73

Houston 84 VCU 102

Charlotte 57 Indiana 74

Akron 61 Oral Roberts 59

Loyola MY 50 USC 67

Evansville 54 Missouri 73

Bucknell 60 George Mason 57

Drake 80 Iowa State 78

NC State 62 Virginia 67

VA Tech 62 George Washington 63

Boise State 58 Montana 62

Georgia Tech 82 Miami FL 90

Texas Tech 59 Stanford 70

Florida 66 Florida State 70

Nevada 77 Cal 71

The Bad
Kansas 57 DePaul 64

Nebraska 73 Rutgers 75

App State 68 Charleston 57

Washington State 55 Utah 69

New Mexico 63 UTEP 87

Notre Dame 81 Maryland 74

The Ugly
North Dakota State 64 Marquette 60

Saturday's Top Games to Watch

2006-12-02T12:29:00.000-05:00

Long Beach State @ Temple
Test game in a hostile environment for the Niners, who are expected to contend in the Big West.
Temple by 10

Kentucky @ UNC
The Tarheels have too much firepower and depth for Kentucky, who will need to control the tempo of the game to have any shot at this one. Kentucky's poor perimeter play will really be exploited in this game.
UNC by 12

Northern Iowa @ Bucknell
Last year's BracketBuster game is a little less attractive this year. Bucknell hasn't dominated their nonconference schedule like usual. Northern Iowa is coming off a huge win over Iowa State, now coached by former Panther head coach Greg McDermott.
No. Iowa by 4

Clemson @ South Carolina
Clemson is off to an undefeated start, but the Tigers will be put to the test against rival So. Carolina.
Clemson by 6

Kansas @ DePaul
This is the Demons' chance to get a disappointing early season back on track. They have the talent with Chandler and Burns, but they aren't playing well together.
Kansas by 13

Delaware State @ Purdue
Last year's MEAC champs are running into a very good and very underrated Purdue team, fresh off a big win over Virginia. The Boilers have to be aware of Jahsha Bluntt.
Purdue by 15

San Diego State @ W. Michigan
The Aztecs are undefeated by the slimmest of margins, and the Broncs are no pushovers, especially in the post.
SDSU by 4

Pacific @ TX A&M
Pacific isn't as strong as in previous years, but it's still a decent test for Jones and Law and the undefeated Aggies.
TAMU by 14

Gonzaga @ Texas
Gonzaga has the advantage in leadership and post play with Raivio and Heytvelt, but who matches up with Kevin Durant? Freshman Matt Bouldin has been everything the Zags hoped he would be so far. This should be a good game.
Texas by 4

TX A&M Corpus Christi @ Miss State
Jamont Gordon finally cut down his turnovers and had a great game against Charlotte. He needs to keep it up if the Bulldogs want to make a run in the SEC this year.
MSU by 9

Winthrop @ Northern Illinois
Big James Hughes dominates the post for NIU, so Craig Bradshaw needs to have a big game for the Eagles. NIU needs to force Torrell Martin to put the ball on the floor and not allow him to simply catch and shoot. This is a big game for both teams, but also for the MAC as a whole, who doesn't boast a lot of big non-conference wins.
Winthrop by 6

St. Louis @ Southern Illinois
The Salukis are famous for their lock down defense, so the Billikens need to establish Vouyoukas in the post early to open up the court for Lisch and Liddell.
SIU by 8

UAB @ Cincy
Both teams need this game, but Cincy has proven to be vulnerable at home with a cast of new characters. Look for Wen Mukaba to have a big game today.
UAB by 3

UW-Green Bay @ Loyola Chicago
The Ramblers rely heavily on Blake Schilb, but he's got help in Blount, Kou, and Young. Green Bay basically just has Ryan Evanochko. Big early season Horizon game.
Loyola by 7

Georgia @ Wake Forest
Wake is coming off an absolutely embarrassing beat down at the hands of Air Force, so a big home win against a talented Georgia team is a must.
Wake by 4

Fresno State @ Oregon State
The perpetually rebuilding Beavers will provide a good road test for Holsey, Coleman, and the undefeated Bulldogs.
Fresno State by 6

Illinois @ Arizona
The high flying Wildcats are playing good basketball. Illinois is coming off a home loss to Maryland, so they'll be looking to rebound, but the depth of Arizona will be too much for the Illini to overcome.
Arizona by 11

UNLV @ No. Arizona
The Rebs are coming off a bad loss to Arizona, but the Lumberjacks are certainly no pushover.
NAU by 3

Georgetown @ Duke
Georgetown handed Duke their first loss last season, but Roy Hibbert is off to a slow start and so are the rest of the disappointing Hoyas. Georgetown's style will keep it close, but the talent and home court advantage of Duke will wear them down.
Duke by 8

Wichita State @ Syracuse
As usual, we don't actually know how good the Orange are because of their schedule. However, tonight's match up with Wichita State will go a long way in telling us how good Syracuse really is. Wichita State already has two huge road wins at George Mason and LSU, so they won't be intimated at the Carrier Dome. Look for the Ogirri, Cousinard, and Wilson to shoot the Shockers to a win. This team is a legit Final Four contender. This should be the best game of the night.
WSU by 2

Holy Cross @ Dayton
Don't be shocked to see HC win this one.
Holy Cross by 3

Boston College @ UMass
BC might have turned the corner with a big win over Michigan State. Jared Dudley was huge in that game, and they'll need a similar performance to knock off the Gary Forbes, Rashaun Freeman, and the dangerous Minutemen at home.
UMass by 3

Charlotte @ Indiana
A must win home game for the Hoosiers, who almost knocked off Duke at Cameron despite Rod Wilmont and Earl Calloway sitting the bench down the stretch. Kelvin Sampson has this team playing tough defense, and freshman point guard Armon Bassett is the real deal. Leemire Goldwire has a bad ankle, making things tougher for the Niners.
Indiana by 9

E. Kentucky @ W. Kentucky
Courtney Lee should lead the Hilltoppers to a relatively easy win in this rivalry.
WKU by 15

Cleveland State @ Butler
Cleveland is coming off a big win over Kent State, but they draw Butler in their first conference game. Everyone knows the Bulldogs story, but stopping AJ Graves on the perimeter is the key to beating them.
Butler by 10

Akron @ Oral Roberts
The Golden Eagles have not impressed since knocking off Kansas, and Akron, led by Dru Joyce and Romeo Travis is a tough team and legit MAC contender. Expect Green and Tutt to lead the Eagles to a victory in a good game.
ORU by 4

Loyola MY @ USC
The Trojans are still without Gabe Pruitt, leaving the door open for Matt Knight and Brandon Worthy to score a big road win for the Lions.
Loyola by 3

Washington State @ Utah
The Cougars have impressed so far, and a road win at the Huntsman Center would add to the early season resume.
WSU by 4

Friday's Top Games to Watch

2006-12-01T13:20:00.000-05:00

Elon @ Davidson
Southern Conference play kicks off with two contenders from the North and South. Davidson has vaulted themselves to legit contenders in a supposed rebuilding year thanks to the play of freshman Stephen Curry.
Davidson by 12

Northwestern State @ Marquette
NW St. is no longer overlooked, so Marquette will be prepared. After struggling out of the gate a bit, Dominic James and company has looked dominant in recent play.
Marquette by 14

Thursday's Top Games to Watch

2006-11-30T16:08:00.000-05:00

Not much going on tonight...

Sam Houston State @ So. Miss.
The Bearkats went to the championship game last year in the SLC, before losing to eventual upset maker NW State. This year, they return nearly everyone. Look for the upset tonight against Larry Eustachy's squad, who has been beating up local high schools en route to their undefeated start.
SH State by 4

Arkansas @ Missouri
Both teams are off to good starts, but this is Missouri's first real test. Led by Sonny Weems, the Hawgs should prevail in Columbia.
Arkansas by 4

Wednesday's Top Performer

2006-11-30T16:05:00.000-05:00

Jared Jordan, Marist

Do-everything point guard Jordan led the Red Foxes to an easy win over Old Dominion, 84-71. Jordan had 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. Just another game for the best all-around point guard in the country.

Recap of Wednesday's Games

2006-11-30T15:51:00.000-05:00

The OSU/UNC game lived up to the hype. Don't be surprised to see both of these teams in the Final Four. Even though they lost, I was very impressed with the Buckeyes. Lewis, Butler, Cook, and Conley can all shot the three and get to the basket. The problem was, they simply ran out of gas against the deepest team in the country. Imagine this team spreading when Greg Oden gets on the court.

The Good
Michigan State 58 BC 65

Iowa 65 VA Tech 69

Virginia 59 Purdue 61

Ohio State 89 UNC 98

Kent State 59 Cleveland State 66

Miami OH 53 Xavier 68

Charlotte 69 Miss. State 78

St. Louis 67 Loyola Chicago 64

Iowa State 57 Northern Iowa 70

BYU 68 Boise State 72

Wake Forest 58 Air Force 94

Bradley 84 Tenn Tech 86

Loyola MY 58 UCSB 55

The Bad
Cincy struggled at home again and had to rally to beat Oakland by seven. The Bearcats will improve though, once the influx of juco players get to know each other's names.

Georgetown lost at home to Oregon, who continues to impress. The Hoyas got little to nothing from Roy Hibbert, who should have dominated the post. JTII gets a lot of criticism for not letting his team play. While you can't argue with his success, some of it is warranted.

The Ugly
Clemson blew out Minnesota at Minnesota, which makes Dan Monson's resignation today seem fitting. Monson wasn't getting the recruits needed to rebuild that program after Clem Haskins destroyed it, and even with his best team last year, they were a bottom half team.

Cal embarrassed Bob Huggins and Kansas State, to the tune of 78-48. Talk of an at-large bid in Manhattan seems premature, while Ben Braun seems to have the Bears playing solid basketball.

Wednesday's Top Games to Watch

2006-11-29T16:27:00.000-05:00

The Big Ten/ACC Challenge continues tonight, with the big OSU/UNC game headlining the competition. So here we go with some short previews for tonight's games...

Michigan State @ BC
The Eagles have been a major disapppointment this year, struggling even at home. Michigan State has proven to be somewhat of a surprise, considering how young they are. Look for the Spartans to actually out-physical Al Skinner's squad and win this game.
MSU by 4

Virginia @ Purdue
Besides the OSU/UNC game, this is perhaps the most interesting game tonight. Matt Painter has a finally healthy Boiler team playing good basketball, led by Teague, Landry, and Crump. UVA is a very explosive team, led by perhaps the best backcourt in the game with Singletary and Reynolds. It will be interesting to see how well the Cavs play in a hostile environment.
UVA by 3 in a thriller.

Iowa @ VA Tech
Both teams have started out slowly, which was somewhat expected from Iowa, but with Dowdell and Collins returning for the Hokies, their slow start is surprising. However, Seth Greenberg's team always plays well at home.
VA Tech by 12

Clemson @ Minnesota
The Gophers are reeling after a home loss to Montana. Clemson has gotten off to a hot start, and a road win at a Big Ten school would add some legitimacy, even if it comes at the expense of one of the league's bottom-feeders. However, I expect Dan Monson to have his team ready to fight back tonight.
Minnesota by 6

Ohio State @ UNC
The most anticipated matchup tips off at 9 when the Buckeyes travel to Chapel Hill. The two best freshmen classes square off, even though Greg Oden isn't healthy yet. The Buckeyes could really use him, as Tyler Hansbrough will probably dominate the post for the Tar Heels. Cook and Conley could outshine Lawson and Ellington, but OSU doesn't have an answer for the Tarheels' Brandan Wright, who provides a major matchup problem.
UNC by 8

In other games...
Miami OH @ Xavier
The MAC is so inconsistent on the road, even with its top schools. Ohio got shellacked by Samford, and the same will probably hold true for Nate Peavy and Miami when they travel to Cincy to take on Cage, Doellman, and Burrell.
Xavier by 12

Oregon @ Georgetown
This is our chance to find out how for real Oregon's undefeated start is. The Ducks are notorious for wilting under the pressure, particularly Aaron Brooks, and the MCI Center can be a difficult place to play. Roy Hibbert could dominate down low, but the best matchup will be Hairston vs Green. If the Ducks can stay patient against the Hoyas, they could pull it off.
GTown by 5

Robert Morris @ Pitt
AJ Jackson, who averages 24 and 10, and the class of the NEC will get a real test when they travel to play Pitt and Aaron Gray. If RMU can hang with the Panthers, we'll know they have the inside track on Monmouth for the NEC title.
Pitt by 18

Old Dominion @ Marist
The Monarchs have a huge win under their belts after defeating Georgetown, but Jordan, Smith, and Whittington might be too much for Arnaud Dahi and company.
Marist by 6

No. Texas @ Nebraska
Doc Sadler's team has a huge win over Creighton, but they can't look past a streaky No. Texas. Look for Maric too dominate the post.
Nebraska by 14

Texas A&M CC @ Oklahoma State
The most impressive aspect of Corpus Christi's 3-0 start? They've done it with lackluster play from seven footer Chris Daniels, my SLC preseason MVP. If they can get Daniels going, they could give an impressive OSU a run.
OSU by 10

Charlotte @ Miss. State
Jamont Gordon and company can ill afford to lose a home game to the Niners if they have at-large aspirations.
MSU by 7

Oakland @ Cincy
Mick Cronin won't stick around long if he keeps on losing home games to small conference schools like Wofford. Oakland is a dangerous team with Cal Wooten capable of lighting it up from the outside and Vova Severovas patrolling the paint.
Cincy by 9

Southern Illinois @ LA Tech
These are the games the Salukis must keep winning to build a strong at-large resume.
SIU by 12

St. Louis @ Loyola Chicago
A big game for both squads. 6-7 Blake Schilb is difficult to defend because of his versatility, but the Billikens aren't short on combo guard, with Lisch and Liddell. The Ramblers have to be very concerned with their ability to guard Ian Vouyoukas in the post.
SLU by 2

Iowa State @ Northern Iowa
The Cyclones are undefeated under new head coach Greg McDermott, who left the Panthers after building the program into yearly NCAA at-large contenders. His success at No. Iowa also lead to the opening of the McLeod Center, a brand new arena for the Panthers, and the likely site of his first loss with the Cyclones.
No. Iowa by 6

UMKC @ Wichita State
The Shockers can't overlook Day and Ayuba.
WSU by 16

Butler @ Valpo
The top story of the early season has to be Butler, who can remain undefeated with a road win at Valpo. Butler relies too heavily on Graves and the perimeter game. Look for the upset here.
Valpo by 3

BYU @ Boise State
Big road test for Trent Plaisted and company against Coby Karl and the Broncos.
BYU by 10

Wake Forest @ Air Force
While the rest of the ACC is engaged in the "Challenge", the Deacs travel to Colorado Springs to take on a very good Air Force team, who finally has a healthy Nick Welch to join Burtschi and and Nwaelae.
USAFA by 6

Loyola MY @ UCSB
Led by Alex Harris and Chris Devine, the Gauchos are off to a solid start, but Matt Knight and Brandon Worthy have the Loyola in line to finally challenge Gonzaga in the WCC. UCSB looks to be a contender in the Big West.
UCSB by 2

Kansas State @ Cal
Both teams are fringe at-large contenders at this point, but the Wildcats have confidence under Bob Huggins. Cal still has Hardin and Ubaka, but no Leon Powe.
Cal by 5

Tuesday's Top Performer

2006-11-29T16:21:00.000-05:00

Mark Zoller, Penn

Zoller put up 29 points on 12/16 shooting to lead the Quakers to an 80-66 home win over defending NEC champs Monmouth. Zoller also added 11 rebounds.

Recap of Tuesday's Games

2006-11-29T16:10:00.000-05:00

The Good
Maryland 72 Illinois 66

Indiana 51 Duke 54

Florida State 66 Wisconsin 81

Penn State 73 Georgia Tech 77

Ohio 66 Samford 80

UAB 54 W. Kentucky 69

Oral Roberts 57 Tulsa 75

UNLV 75 Arizona 89

Long Beach State 58 UCLA 88

New Mexico State 76 New Mexico 79

The Bad
Auburn needed OT to pull out a home win over Nicholls State, 92-87. Stefan Blasszczynski almost singlehandedly defeated the Tigers by putting up 27 and 10.

Alabama needed a second half surge to put away a game UL-Monroe team at home. The final was 75-61.

The Ugly
Furman beat Vandy at Nashville 70-62. If Kevin Stallings' seat wasn't hot before, it certainly is now.

Tuesday's Top Games to Watch

2006-11-27T23:27:00.000-05:00

ACC/Big Ten Challenge
The ACC is off to a 1-0 lead thanks to NC State.
Maryland @ Illinois
Both teams are off to 7-0 starts. The Terps could really make a statement with a win at Assembly Hall.
Illinois by 3

Florida State @ Wisconsin
Al Thornton vs. Alando Tucker will be fun to watch, as should Douglas vs Taylor. Winning in the Kohl Center will be tough for the Seminoles, who are notorious for playing poorly on the road in big games.
Wisconsin by 9

Penn State @ Georgia Tech
With the addition of Thaddeus Young and Javaris Crittenden, the Yellow Jackets are perhaps the most exciting team to watch. Penn State needs to control tempo to have a chance of winning this one. Penn State does have the edge in experience.
Tech by 13

Indiana @ Duke
The Hoosiers will probably be overmatched in this one, which is turning out to be a decent rivalry.
Duke by 12

Miami FL @ Northwestern
By far the least interesting game in the challenge. The Wildcats have already lost at home to Cornell, so who knows what happens in this one.
NW by 5

Charleston @ Kentucky
The Wildcats face a tough team in C of C, led by do everything guard Dontaye Draper.
Kentucky by 11

Monmouth @ Penn
Defending NEC champs vs Ivy champs. Jabeer vs. Alston is the match up to watch here.
Penn by 8

UAB @ W. Kentucky
These are the games Courtney Lee and co. have to win to have a chance at an at-large spot come March.
WKU by 6

Ohio @ Samford
MAC contenders vs. OVC contenders. MAC schools have been very inconsistent against top schools from other mid-majors, and against teams from major conferences.
Ohio by 4

Oral Roberts @ Tulsa
In-state rivalry is always a good game, but ORU has set the bar high for themselves after big win at Allen Fieldhouse.
ORU by 2

New Mexico State @ New Mexico
Big in state rivalry has added dimension of both teams being legitimate at-large contenders this season.
UNM by 6

UNLV @ Arizona
Should be a shoot-out between two teams who like to get up and down the court.
Zona by 12

Long Beach State @ UCLA
The Niners are led by great guard play, but the Bruins have shut down defenders on the perimeter.
UCLA by 16

Ten Suprising/Disappointing Teams

2006-11-27T23:06:00.000-05:00

Surprising
1. Butler- The Bulldogs' run through a tough NIT field clinched the top spot of suprising teams.

2. Wichita State- The Shockers have picked up where they left off last season, with big wins over George Mason and LSU.

3. Maryland- Gary Williams has the Terps on track to finally return to the NCAA Tournament.

4. Missouri- Mike Anderson has the Tigers believing in his pressure D, but the Tigers haven't really played the stiffest competition.

5. Texas A&M- Not really a surprise, but I just wanted a chance to sing the praises of Billy Gillespie, the best unheralded coach in the country.

6. UC Santa Barbara- Big win for the Gauchos at UNLV.

7. Washington State- I had the Cougars pegged as a surprise team in the Pac-10, but a 7-0 start is tremendous for Tony Bennett's squad.

8. Clemson- Tigers could contend for an NCAA bid this year.

9. North Carolina St.- I expected the Wolfpack to get off to a slow start under Sidney Lowe, but they beat previously perfect Michigan to run their record to 5-0.

10. UCLA- The Bruins have been solid from the start, especially on the defensive end. Ben Howland's team is my early season pick to win it all.

Ten Disappointing Teams

1. Boston College- Losses to Vermont (at home) and Providence prove the Eagles miss Craig Smith more than they thought they would.

2. DePaul- The Blue Demons, with Burns, Chandler, and others returning, figured to be a contender in their second year in the Big East. Unfortunately, they're off to an absolutely horrid start.

3. Hofstra- With Loren Stokes returning, Hofstra looked to continue their strong showing from a year ago, but the Pride have struggled early against a schedule made to bolster a potential at-large resume.

4. VA Tech- The Hokies continue to be infuriatingly inconsistent.

5. Montana- A big win at Minnesota took away some of the early season disappointment of this team.

6. Utah- A home loss to So. Utah is unacceptable.

7. New Hampshire- NH figured to be contenders in the America East. Hopefully they can right the ship before conference play begins.

8. Bucknell- The Bison are losing to the mid-level and bottom half teams of major conferences, games that in previous years Coach Flannery's teams always won.

9. Rice- Morris Almond has dazzled, but the Owls have shown little improvement and don't look like the at-large contenders they were projected to be.

10. New Orleans- Despite the return of Bo McCalebb, New Orleans has struggled under the burden of contenders.

Box Score of the Season

2006-11-27T23:01:00.000-05:00

VA Intermont 95
VMI 156

VA Intermont Cobras
STARTERS MIN FGM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST PF PTS
T Willis 21 7-12 0-0 7 9 2 2 14
C. Stoilov, C 10 2-3 0-0 2 6 0 3 4
J. Ornelas, NA 27 9-14 1-3 1 4 3 4 21
D Moore 27 3-6 0-2 1 6 4 3 7
C White 26 5-12 5-5 1 3 2 1 15
BENCH MIN FGM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST PF PTS
K Carter 10 0-2 0-0 1 3 2 1 0
M Fields 8 2-5 2-2 0 0 0 2 6
K Champangne 13 3-4 0-1 0 2 0 3 6
V Bitencourt 4 1-3 0-0 0 1 1 0 2
A Mefford 18 2-5 4-5 1 9 0 0 8
C Babbit 11 1-3 0-0 3 7 2 2 2
M Scorsome 25 4-9 2-2 4 4 3 0 10
TOTALS FGM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST PF PTS
39-78 14-20 21 54 19 21 95
50.0% 70.0%
TEAM REBS: 54
TURNOVERS: 47 (C Stoilov 3, J Ornelas 4, C Babbit 3, K Champangne 1, A Mefford 3, D Moore 9, M Scorsome 5, C White 10, T Willis 6, V Bitencourt 1, K Carter 1, M Fields 1)
BLOCKED SHOTS: 1 (C Babbit 1)
STEALS: 4 (J Ornelas 1, C Babbit 1, K Champangne 1, T Willis 1)
3-PT FGS: 3-12, .25 (J Ornelas 2-6, D Moore 1-1, M Scorsome 0-2, C White 0-3)

Virginia Military Keydets
STARTERS MIN FGM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST PF PTS
M. Murrer, F 19 8-14 0-0 2 5 0 3 22
R. Williams, F 24 18-26 5-8 4 8 2 0 45
A Lonon 20 0-1 0-1 0 0 11 3 0
F. Robinson, G 17 1-12 2-4 3 3 2 1 4
J. Castleberry, G 18 2-6 2-3 3 6 4 3 6
BENCH MIN FGM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST PF PTS
C. Holmes, G 19 11-21 5-6 6 6 3 0 31
L Jones 14 2-5 0-0 1 1 1 4 5
T. Holmes, G 21 11-21 1-1 4 6 5 1 26
D. Pflugner, G 23 4-6 0-2 0 3 7 1 9
C Josey 16 2-5 0-0 1 4 3 1 6
J. Piribek, NA 9 1-1 0-0 0 0 1 0 2
TOTALS FGM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST PF PTS
60-118 15-25 24 42 39 17 156
50.8% 60.0%
TEAM REBS: 42
TURNOVERS: 8 (J Castleberry 1, F Robinson 1, C Holmes 2, T Holmes 2, A Lonon 1, C Josey 1)
BLOCKED SHOTS: 9 (M Murrer 4, R Williams 2, L Jones 2, J Piribek 1)
STEALS: 35 (J Castleberry 3, M Murrer 1, F Robinson 3, R Williams 6, C Holmes 4, T Holmes 7, D Pflugner 1, A Lonon 4, L Jones 3, C Josey 2, J Piribek 1)
3-PT FGS: 21-61, .344 (J Castleberry 0-3, M Murrer 6-11, F Robinson 0-9, R Williams 4-9, C Holmes 4-10, T Holmes 3-9, D Pflugner 1-2, L Jones 1-4, C Josey 2-4)

Technicals: None
Officials: Mike Lazo, Roger Ayers, Tony Chiazza
Attendance: 1,129

Biggest Early Season Shockers

2006-11-27T22:48:00.000-05:00

So. Utah 76
Utah 73

Cornell 64
Northwestern 61

SE LA 65
Ok. State 63

No. Texas 90
Charlotte 72

Vermont 77
Boston College 63

Oral Roberts 78
Kansas 71

Coastal Carolina 63
Campbell 83

Stony Brook 59
Penn State 51

UC Santa Barbara 79
UNLV 76

Farleigh Dickinson 76
Seton Hall 71

Hofstra 77
Manhattan 79

Brown 51
Providence 41

Old Dominion 75
Georgetown 62

Jackson St. 71
Rutgers 70

Wofford 91
Cincy 90

Boston College 64
Providence 73

W. Michigan 71
VA Tech 68

Belmont 57
Mid. Tenn State 64

Early Season Recap

2006-11-27T19:53:00.000-05:00

Since I've fallen so far behind on previews and recaps, I'm going to do a massive season-to-date recap of the biggest wins and the biggest shockers. From here on out, I will do my best to provide daily previews and recaps.

Biggest Early Season Wins

Utah State 71
Northwestern State 88

Hawaii 59
UNLV 73

Oral Roberts 65
Loyola MY 68

Marist 66
Ohio 83

Bucknell 49
Albany 55

Arizona 90
Virginia 93

Butler 71
Notre Dame 69

Evansville 64
Lipscomb 67

UNC- Wilmington 88
Belmont 83

Belmont 56
Fordham 49

Western Kentucky 70
Georgia 67

SMU 52
Fresno State 59

Air Force 69
LB State 68

Pacific 74
New Mexico State 76

Northern Iowa 61
Washington 70

Butler 60
Indiana 55

Winthrop 66
UNC 73

NW State 76
Ok State 79

Air Force 79
Stanford 45

BYU 69
UCLA 82

Samford 62
Towson 69

Texas 61
Michigan State 63

Robert Morris 73
Marshall 69

Maryland 62
Michigan State 60

Miami FL 57
Buffalo 60

Dayton 48
SMU 53

Creighton 61
Nebraska 73

UMKC 68
C. Michigan 85

New Mexico State 87
Arizona 102

St. Louis 33
Texas A&M 69

Ole Miss 59
UConn 77

Villanova 66
Xavier 71

Oklahoma 65
Memphis 77

Purdue 61
Georgia Tech 79

Air Force 56
Duke 71

Winthrop 60
Maryland 71

Monmouth 54
Texas A&M CC 71

Xavier 56
Alabama 63

Texas Tech 72
Marquette 87

Purdue 74
Oklahoma 71

Georgia Tech 92
Memphis 85

UMKC 70
Pacific 71

Arkansas 61
So. Illinois 53

Clemson 69
Miss State 66

Penn State 63
Bucknell 60

Kansas State 54
New Mexico 78

Texas Tech 53
Air Force 67

UCLA 73
Kentucky 68

Marquette 73
Duke 62

Kentucky 63
Memphis 80

Butler 56
Tennessee 44

Gonzaga 82
UNC 74

UCLA 88
Georgia Tech 73

Marist 64
Arkansas 73

Wisconsin 64
Missouri State 66

UNC 101
Tennessee 87

Louisville 64
Dayton 68

Gonzaga 71
Butler 79

Florida State 66
Pitt 88

Pacific 85
Loyola MY 88

Oklahoma State 73
Missouri State 70

Houston 78
St. Louis 81

George Mason 56
Creighton 58

Wichita State 57
LSU 53

Texas A&M CC 82
Detroit 73

Kansas 82
Florida 80

Montana 72
Minnesota 65

VA Tech 64
So. Illinois 69

Western Michigan 78
Marist 89

George Washington 67
Providence 86

West Virginia 64
Arkansas 71

Michigan 67
NC State 74

Holy Cross 64
Syracuse 72

Buffalo 64
Temple 62

SWAC Preview

2006-11-19T23:59:00.000-05:00

1. Jackson State
2. Alcorn State
3. Southern
4. Alabama State
5. UA- Pine Bluff
6. Alabama A&M
7. TX Southern
8. Miss. Valley State
9. Grambling State
10. Praire View A&M

MVP:Trey Johnson, Jackson State
ROY:Joe Holliday, Southern
NBA:Trey Johnson, Jackson State
Underrated:Jacques Jones, Texas Southern

All SWAC
Deforrest Riley-Smith, Southern
Chris Moore, TX Southern
Michael Ford, Alabama A&M
Trey Johnson, Jackson State
Delvin Thompson, Alcorn State

Conference Previews Continued

2006-11-18T14:45:00.000-05:00

Big Sky
1. Northern Arizona
2. Montana
3. Eastern Washington
4. Sacramento State
5. Idaho State
6. Portland State
7. Weber State
8. Montana State
9. Northern Colorado

MVP:Rodney Stuckey, E. Wash
ROY:Arturas Valeika, Weber State
NBA:Rodney Stuckey, E. Wash
Underrated:Jordan Hasquet, Montana
Hot Seat: Jerome Jenkins, Sacramento State

All Big Sky
Ruben Boykin Jr., NAU
Andrew Strait, Montana
Alex Bausley, Sacramento State
David Schroeder, Idaho State
Rodney Stuckey, E. Washington

Big South
1. Winthrop
2. Coastal Carolina
3. VMI
4. Liberty
5. High Point
6. Radford
7. UNC-Asheville
8. Charleston Southern

MVP:Torrell Martin, Winthrop
ROY:Dwight Brewington, Liberty
NBA:Torrell Martin, Winthrop
Underrated:Joseph Harris, Coastal Carolina
Hot Seat:Byron Samuels, Radford

All Big South
Torrell Martin, Winthrop
Craig Bradshaw, Winthrop
Jack Leasure, Co. Carolina
Arizona Reid, High Point
Larry Blair, Liberty

WAC
1. Nevada
2. Fresno State
3. New Mexico State
4. Utah State
5. Boise State
6. Hawaii
7. Louisiana Tech
8. San Jose State
9. Idaho

MVP:Nick Fazekas, Nevada
ROY:Dominic McGuire, Fresno State
NBA:Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Underrated:Ramon Sessions, Nevada

All WAC
Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Jaycee Carroll, Utah State
Quinton Hosley, Fresno State
Coby Karl, Boise State
Tyrone Nelson, New Mexico State

WCC
1. Gonzaga
2. Loyola Marymount
3. Santa Clara
4. St. Mary's
5. San Francisco
6. Pepperdine
7. San Diego
8. Portland

MVP:Brandon Worthy, Loyola MY
ROY:Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga
NBA:Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga
Underrated:Diamon Simpson, St. Mary's
Hot Seat:Brad Holland, San Diego

All WCC
Derek Raivio, Gonzaga
Brandon Worthy, Loyola MY
Matt Knight, Loyola MY
Armando Surratt, San Fran
Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga

CUSA
1. Memphis
2. Houston
3. UAB
4. Rice
5. SMU
6. Central Florida
7. Tulsa
8. UTEP
9. So. Miss
10. Tulane
11. Marshall
12. East Carolina

MVP:Morris Almond, Rice
ROY:Willie Kemp, Memphis
NBA:Morris Almond, Rice
Underrated:Josh Peppers, Central Florida
Hot Seat:Ron Jirsa, Marshall

All CUSA
Lanny Smith, Houston
Oliver Lafayette, Houston
Morris Almond, Rice
Wen Mucubu, UAB
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis

MAC
East
1. Akron
2. Miami OH
3. Ohio
4. Kent State
5. Bowling Green
6. Buffalo

West
1. Toledo
2. Ball State
3. Northern Illinois
4. Western Michigan
5. Central Michigan
6. Eastern Michigan

MVP:Peyton Stovall, Ball State
ROY:Haminn Quaintance, Kent State
NBA:Sefton Barrett, C. Michigan
Underrated:Yassin Idbihi, Buffalo
Hot Seat:Rob Judson, No. Illinois

All MAC
Justin Ingram, Toledo
Romeo Travis, Akron
Joe Reitz, W. Michigan
Peyton Stovall, Ball State
Martin Samarco, Bowling Green

CAA
1. Hofstra
2. George Mason
3. VCU
4. UNC-Wilmington
5. Towson
6. Drexel
7. Old Dominion
8. William & Mary
9. Northeastern
10. Delaware
11. Georgia State
12. James Madison

MVP:Loren Stokes, Hofstra
ROY:Andre Smith, George Mason
NBA:Loren Stokes, Hofstra
Underrated:Frank Eleger, Drexel
Hot Seat:Tony Shaver, William & Mary

All CAA
Loren Stokes, Hofstra
Gary Neal, Towson
Will Thomas, George Mason
BA Walker, VCU
Arnaud Dahi, Old Dominion

Horizon
1. Loyola Chicago
2. Detroit
3. Wisconsin- GB
4. Butler
5. Ill-Chicago
6. UW-Milwaukee
7. Wright State
8. Cleveland State
9. Youngstown State

MVP:Blake Schilb, Loyola
ROY:Paige Paulsen, Milwaukee
NBA:Blake Schilb, Loyola
Underrated:Ryvon Covile, Detroit

All Horizon
Blake Schilb, Loyola Chicago
AJ Graves, Butler
Brandon Cotton, Detroit
Quin Humphrey, Youngstown State
DaShaun Wood, Wright State

Patriot
1. Bucknell
2. Holy Cross
3. Lehigh
4. American
5. Lafayette
6. Colgate
7. Army
8. Navy

MVP:Chris McNaughton, Bucknell
ROY:Marquis Hall, Lehigh
NBA:McNaughton
Underrated:Kyle Chones, Colgate

All Patriot
Chris McNaughton, Bucknell
Jose Olivero, Lehigh
Keith Simmons, Holy Cross
Andre Ingram, American
Greg Sprink, Navy

SLC
West
1. Sam Houston State
2. TX A&M CC
3. SFA
4. Texas Arlington
5. Texas State
6. UT- San Antonio

East
1. Northwestern State
2. Nicholls State
3. McNeese State
4. Lamar
5. SE LA
6. Central Arkansas

MVP:Chris Daniels, TX A&M CC
ROY:Chris Agwumano, Texas State
NBA:James Davis, Lamar
Underrated:Brandon Bush, Texas State

All SLC
Dwight Boatner, McNeese State
Chris Daniels, Texas A&M CC
Stefan Blaszczynski, Nicholls State
Josh Alexander, SFA
Jejuan Plair, SH State

SBC
East
1. W. Kentucky
2. Middle Tenn State
3. So. Alabama
4. Troy
5. Florida Atlantic
6. Florida International

West
1. New Orleans
2. UA- Little Rock
3. No. Texas
4. Denver
5. Arkansas State
6. UL- Lafayette
7. UL- Monroe

MVP: Courtney Lee, W. Kentucky
ROY:Adam Tanner, Denver
NBA:Courtney Lee, W. Kentucky
Underrated:Ross Mouton, UL- Lafayette

All SBC
Courtney Lee, W. Kentucky
Cedric Jackson, Troy
Rashad Jones- Jennings, UA- Little Rock
Bo McCalebb, New Orleans
Kendrick Davis, No. Texas

Southern
North
1. UNC- Greensboro
2. Appalachian State
3. Elon
4. Chattanooga
5. W. Carolina

South
1. College of Charleston
2. Furman
3. Davidson
4. Georgia Southern
5. Wofford
6. The Citadel

MVP:Dontaye Draper, C of C
ROY:Stephan Curry, Davidson
NBA:Jermaine Johnson, C of C
Underrated:Jermaine Johnson, C of C
Hot Seat:Mike Young, Wofford

All Southern
Dontaye Draper, C of C
Kyle Hines, UNC- Greensboro
DJ Thompson, App State
Josh Jackson, C of C
Robby Bostain, Furman

Ivy
1. Penn
2. Princeton
3. Yale
4. Brown
5. Columbia
6. Cornell
7. Dartmouth
8. Harvard

MVP:Ibrahim Jaaber, Penn
ROY:Marcus Schroeder, Princeton
NBA:Ibrahim Jaaber, Penn
Underrated:Brian Cusworth, Harvard
Hot Seat:Steve Donahue, Cornell

All Ivy
Ibrahim Jaaber, Penn
Noah Savage, Princeton
Keenan Jeppesen, Brown
Adam Gore, Cornell
Mark Zoller, Penn

MEAC
1. Delaware State
2. South Carolina State
3. Florida A&M
4. Coppin State
5. Howard
6. Hampton
7. Morgan State
8. NC A&T
9. Norfolk State
10. UMEAS
11. Bethune Cookman

MVP:Jahsha Bluntt, Del State
ROY:Roy Bright, Del State
NBA:Jahsha Bluntt, Del State
Underrated:Jason Trotter, Howard
Hot Seat:Jerry Eaves, NC A&T

All MEAC
Jahsha Bluntt, Del State
Brian Mason, SC State
Tony Murphy, Norfolk State
Tywan McKee, Coppin State
Rome Sanders, Florida A&M

Conference Previews Continued

2006-11-17T12:53:00.000-05:00

NEC
1. Monmouth
2. Robert Morris
3. Wagner
4. Farleigh Dickinson
5. Long Island
6. Central Conn. State
7. Sacred Heart
8. St. Francis NY
9. Mt. St. Mary's
10. Quinnipiac
11. St. Francis PA

MVP:AJ Jackson, Robert Morris
ROY:Manny Ubilla, Farleigh Dickinson
NBA Prospect:Jarrid Frye, Sacred Heart
Underrated:Joey Henley, Sacred Heart
Hot Seat:Dave Bike, Sacred Heart

All NEC
AJ Jackson, Robert Morris
Marques Alston, Monmouth
Obie Nwadike, CCSU
Jarrid Frye, Sacred Heart
Durrell Vinson, Wagner

Ohio Valley
1. Tennessee State
2. Samford
3. Murray State
4. Tenn Tech
5. SE Missouri State
6. Jacksonville State
7. E. Kentucky
8. Morehead State
9. Austin Peay
10. E. Illinois
11. Tenn-Martin

MVP:Bruce Price, Tenn State
ROY:Erik Adams, Jax State
NBA Prospect:Travis Peterson, Samford
Underrated:Darnell Dials, E. Kentucky
Hot Seat:Bret Campbell, Tenn-Martin

All OVC
Bruce Price, Tenn State
Travis Peterson, Samford
Shaun Witherspoon, Murray State
Shaun Williams, Morehead State
Courtney Bradley, Jacksonville State

MAAC
1. Marist
2. Niagra
3. Siena
4. Iona
5. Rider
6. Canisius
7. St. Peter's
8. Manhattan
9. Loyola MD
10. Fairfield

MVP:Jared Jordan, Marist
ROY:Kyle Camper, Iona
NBA Prospect:Jared Jordan, Marist
Underrated:Raul Orta, St. Peter's

All MAAC
Jared Jordan, Marist
Charron Fisher, Niagra
Arturo Dubois, Manhattan
Jason Thompson, Rider
Todd Sowell, St. Peter's

MCC
1. Oral Roberts
2. IUPUI
3. UMKC
4. Oakland
5. Valparaiso
6. So. Utah
7. W. Illinois
8. Centenary

MVP:Caleb Green, Oral Roberts
ROY:Paul Guede, Valpo
NBA Prospect:Caleb Green
Underrated:Marchello Vealy, Oral Roberts
Hot Seat:Derek Thomas, W. Illinois

All MCC
Caleb Green, ORU
Ken Tutt, ORU
George Hill, IUPUI
Quinton Day, UMKC
Cal Wooten, Oakland

America East
1. Albany
2. Vermont
3. Maine
4. New Hampshire
5. Stony Brook
6. Boston
7. Binghamton
8. UMBC
9. Hartford

MVP:Jamar Wilson, Albany
ROY:Junior Bernal, Maine
NBA Prospect:Bernal
Underrated:Jimmie Covington, Albany
Hot Seat:Randy Monroe, UMBC

All America East
Jamar Wilson, Albany
Blagoj Janev, New Hampshire
Mike Trimboli, Vermont
Martin Klimes, Vermont
Kevin Reed, Maine

ASun
1. Belmont
2. Lipscomb
3. Campbell
4. E. Tenn. State
5. Kennesaw State
6. Stetson
7. Mercer
8. Jacksonville
9. No. Florida
10. Gardner Webb

MVP:Justin Hare, Belmont
ROY:Jonathan Rodriguez, Campbell
NBA Prospect:Boomer Herndon, Belmont
Underrated:Brad Nuckles, ETSU
Hot Seat:Mark Slonaker, Mercer

All ASun
Eddie Ard, Lipscomb
Brian Fisk, Lipscomb
Boomer Herndon, Belmont
Justin Hare, Belmont
Golden Ingle, Kennesaw State

MVC
1. Creighton
2. So. Illinois
3. Wichita State
4. Missouri State
5. No. Iowa
6. Evansville
7. Drake
8. Illinois State
9. Bradley
10. Indiana State

MVP:Nate Funk, Creighton
ROY:Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State
NBA Prospect:Nate Funk, Creighton
Underrated:Shy Ely, Evansville
Hot Seat:Royce Waltman, Indiana State

All MVC
Nate Funk, Creighton
Anthony Tolliver, Creighton
Jamaal Tatum, So. Ill
Blake Ahearn, Mo. State
Grant Stout, No. Iowa

MWC
1. San Diego State
2. Air Force
3. BYU
4. UNLV
5. New Mexico
6. Wyoming
7. Utah
8. Colorado State
9. TCU

MVP:Brandon Heath, SD St.
ROY:JR Giddens, New Mexico
NBA Prospect:Brandon Heath, SD State
Underrated:Michael Harrison, Colorado State
Hot Seat:Dale Layer, Colorado State

All MWC
Brandon Heath, SD State
Mohamed Abukar, SD State
Jacob Burtschi, Air Force
Trent Plaisted, BYU
Jason Smith, Colorado State

Big West
1. Long Beach State
2. Pacific
3. Fullerton
4. Santa Barbara
5. Cal Poly
6. Irvine
7. Northridge
8. Riverside

MVP:Bobby Brown, Fullerton
ROY:Ray Reed, Fullerton
NBA Prospect:Bobby Brown
Underrated:Anthony Esparza, Pacific
Hot Seat:Larry Reynolds, LB State

All Big West
Bobby Brown, Fullerton
Kejuan Johnson, LB State
Aaron Nixon, LB State
Chris Devine, Santa Barbara
Anthony Brown, Pacific

2006 Conference Previews

2006-11-14T01:25:00.000-05:00

ACC
1. North Carolina
2. Duke
3. Florida State
4. Georgia Tech
5. Boston College
6. Virginia
7. Virginia Tech
8. Maryland
9. Clemson
10. Wake Forest
11. North Carolina State
12. Miami FL

MVP:Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
ROY:Ty Lawson, UNC
Best NBA Prospect:Al Thornton, FSU
Most Underrated:Vernon Hamilton, Clemson
Coach on the Hot Seat:Leonard Hamilton, FSU

All ACC
Sean Singletary, Virginia
Zabian Dowdell, VA Tech
Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
Al Thornton, FSU
Josh McRoberts, Duke

SEC
East
1. Florida
2. Kentucky
3. Tennessee
4. Georgia
5. Vanderbilt
6. South Carolina

West
1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Arkansas
4. Mississippi State
5. Ole Miss
6. Auburn

MVP: Joakim Noah, Florida
ROY: Sonny Weems, Miss State
NBA Prospect: Noah, Florida
Underrated: Bobby Perry, Kentucky
Coach on the Hot Seat: Jeff Lebo, Auburn

All SEC
Ronald Steele, Alabama
Chris Lofton, Tennessee
Glen Davis, LSU
Joakim Noah, Florida
Corey Brewer, Florida

Big East
1. Pitt
2. Georgetown
3. Syracuse
4. Marquette
5. UConn
6. Louisville
7. Villanova
8. DePaul
9. St. John's
10. West Virginia
11. Notre Dame
12. Cincy
13. Providence
14. Seton Hall
15. Rutgers
16. South Florida

MVP:Dominic James, Marquette
ROY:Paul Harris, Syracuse
NBA Prospect:Harris, Syracuse
Underrated:Wilson Chandler, DePaul
Coach on the Hot Seat:Tim Welsh, Providence

All Big East
Dominic James, Marquette
Paul Harris, Syracuse
Aaron Gray, Pitt
Jeff Green, GTown
Curtis Sumpter, Villanova

Pac-10
1. UCLA
2. Arizona
3. Washington
4. Oregon
5. USC
6. Cal
7. Stanford
8. Washington State
9. Arizona State
10. Oregon State

MVP: Marcus Williams, Arizona
ROY:Spencer Hawes, Washington
NBA Prospect: Spencer Hawes, Washington
Underrated:Robbie Cowghill, Wash State
Coach on the Hot Seat:Ernie Kent, Oregon

All Pac-10
Arron Afflalo, UCLA
Gabe Pruitt, USC (if eligible)
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA
Marcus Williams, Arizona
Ivan Radenovic, Arizona

Big Ten
1. Wisconsin
2. Ohio State
3. Illinois
4. Indiana
5. Penn State
6. Michigan State
7. Purdue
8. Michigan
9. Iowa
10. Minnesota
11. Northwestern

MVP:Alando Tucker, Wisconsin
ROY:Greg Oden, Ohio State
Best NBA Prospect:Oden, Ohio State
Underrated:David Teague, Purdue
Coach on the Hot Seat:Dan Monson, Minnesota

All Big Ten
Geary Claxton, PSU
Carl Landry, Purdue
Greg Oden, OSU
Alando Tucker, Wisconsin
DJ White, Indiana

Big 12
1. Kansas
2. TX A&M
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma State
5. Kansas State
6. TX Tech
7. Missouri
8. Colorado
9. Oklahoma
10. Baylor
11. Nebraska
12. Iowa State

MVP:Bramdon Rush, Kansas
ROY:Kevin Durant, Texas
NBA Prospect:Kevin Durant, Texas
Underrated: Cartier Martin, KSU
Coach on the Hot Seat:Ricardo Patton, Colorado

All Big 12
Brandon Rush, Kansas
Acie Law, TX A&M
Richard Roby, Colorado
Kevin Durant, Texas
Joseph Jones, TX A&M

Atlantic 10
1. Xavier
2. UMass
3. St. Louis
4. George Washington
5. Charlotte
6. Dayton
7. St. Joe's
8. Fordham
9. Temple
10. St. Bonaventure
11. Richmond
12. LaSalle
13. Rhode Island
14. Duquesne

MVP:Stanley Burrell, Xavier
ROY:Gary Forbes, UMass
NBA Prospect:Carl Elliott, GW
Underrated:Justin Cage, Xavier
Hot Seat:Jim Baron, URI

All A-10
Stanley Burrell, Xavier
Carl Elliott, GW
Ian Vouyoukas, SLU
Bryant Dunston, Fordham
D'Angelo Alexander, Charlotte

The Weekend's Games

2006-11-13T10:57:00.000-05:00

Just a few comments on the games over this past weekend before I post my full NCAA preview later today...

A team I think will finally qualify for an at-large spot, Virginia, christened their state of the art new facility with a big 93-90 win over Arizona. Singletary and Reynolds are perhaps the best backcourt in the country.
Charlotte beat a very good Hofstra team, and then got blown out by North Texas the very next day. Strange.

The full preview will be up by this evening, along with a preview of tonight's tipoff of the preseason NIT.

Friday's Shockers and Saturday's Top Games

2006-11-11T14:08:00.000-05:00

The first "full" day of college hoops provided some real shockers, like So. Utah winning at Utah and Cornell winning at Northwestern. UConn struggled to get by Quinnipiac, while Marquette was less than impressive against Hillsdale. NC State only won by 4 over Wofford, and surrendered 88 points in the process. A-10 sleeper Fordham skirted by Sacred Heart, as did South Carolina against SC State. San Diego State defeated an always strong Murray State team, while Northwestern State won their bracketbuster rematch against Utah State.

Saturday's games to keep an eye on include:
Penn v. Syracuse
Marist @ Ohio
Hofstra @ Charlotte, this is a huge early season game with NCAA at-large implications
Davidson v. Michigan (upset alert)
No. Arizona @ Kansas
DePaul @ Bradley
Wash. State v. UW-Milwaukee
SD State v. St. Mary's

I promise I am hard at work on my in-depth season preview, and as soon as that is finished, more detailed daily previews and recaps will appear.

2006-2007 Season Preview

2006-11-10T13:30:00.000-05:00

I know I'm getting a late start on this season's previews, but I assure everyone full conference breakdowns, predictions, and top 25's will be posted shortly. Until then, here is a list of today's top games to keep an eye on.

Penn vs. UTEP
UAB vs. Washington State
Davidson vs. Eastern Michigan
Monmouth vs. Old Dominion
George Washington @ Boston
Coppin State @ Virginia Tech
San Diego State vs. Murray State
Utah State @ Northwestern State
Butler @ Tulane
Hawaii @ UNLV

Championship Game Preview

2006-04-03T13:03:00.000-05:00

It's the last game of the season, which is sad, but it should be a close game, at least in theory.

Florida vs. UCLA
Noah and Horford should dominate the post with their athleticism and speed, while Green and Brewer can hold their own against Farmar and Afflalo. However, that Bruin defense has been absolutely amazing, and has proven to tbe equalizer for Ben Howland's squad against teams that have superior post play. If UCLA can defend Noah and frustrate him offensively and knock down some open three's on offense, they should win this game.

Prediction: UCLA 66 Florida 62

Final Four Preview

2006-04-01T10:33:00.000-05:00

4 LSU vs. 2 UCLA
UCLA got to Indy by playing great half court defense, but they're going to have problems stopping Davis and Thomas in the paint. The Bruins have the backcourt edge with Farmar and Afflalo, but the dominance of Davis and Thomas will be too much for even them to make up for. Look for a game in the high 50's to low 60's with LSU winning.

Prediction: LSU by 6

11 George Mason vs. 3 Florida
Hopefully, the time off hasn't gotten to the Pats' players. I suspect they may come out gun shy after being treated like rock stars the past week. That situation is dangerous because people around the underdog team make them feel like they have accomplished their goal already. Make no mistake, George Mason reaching the Final Four is an amazing accomplishment, but I'm sure the players don't want to stop there, although the fan base is already willing to accept defeat. Campbell, Skinn, and Butler have to keep the pressure on Green, Brewer, and Humphrey, while Lewis and Thomas have to do their best to keep pace with Noah and Horford. Noah is really the player to worry about because he is so athletic and so long. Expect the Gators to put George Mason on their heels early and eventually take the game. By the way, does it seem like Digger Phelps is extremely bitter that GMU is in Final Four? I know he hates the mid-majors, but he seems genuinely upset that they reached the Final Four.

Prediction: Florida by 9

Preview of the Elite Eight

2006-03-25T02:02:00.000-05:00

Saturday's Games
4 LSU vs. 2 Texas
This should be a great game. Tyrus Thomas is a future NBA All-Star in my opinion. I thought so after seeing him through the course of the regular season, but he's really been incredible in the postseason. Texas has the height and weight to contend with Big Baby, but the real match up will be between Gibson and Mitchell. They both need to make sure their bigs are established early before they start jacking up the three's. PJ Tucker is the wild card here, he could expose Thomas's suspect on the ball defense.

Prediction: LSU by 4

2 UCLA vs. 1 Memphis
UCLA has the speedy backcourt to run with the Tigers, but that's ill advised. Farmar and Afflalo are more comfortable in the halfcourt than Washington and company are, so their best bet is to make every possession count. Memphis has underrated size with Cooper and company.

Prediction: Memphis by 8

Sunday's Games
11 George Mason vs. 1 UConn
UConn has the advantage all across the board, but you can't count out the Patriots just yet. They have personality, and as Jules in Pulp Fiction would say, personality goes a long way. Folarin Campbell and company will stay close for awhile, but eventually the size, strength, and speed at all Huskie positions will do in America's favorite crotch-punching underdogs.

PredictionL UConn by 9

3 Florida vs. 1 Villanova
Probably the second best game behind Texas and LSU. Florida is fast and athletic, but so is Nova. Green and Brewer can't get into a three point shooting contest with Ray and Foye. Florida has to play their game, which means getting Noah and Horford involved. This one should be close.

Prediction: Nova by 2

Preview of Friday's Sweet 16 Games

2006-03-24T09:40:00.000-05:00

Minneapolis Regional Semifinals
4 Boston College vs. 1 Villanova 7:10 pm
An old Big East clash should turn out to be a pretty good game. Obviously, the Cats have the backcourt advantage and the Eagles dominate the frontcourt. Limiting Craig Smith is a must for Villanova, while BC has to harass all four guards and maintain pressure. Making a shooter uncomfortable is the most effective way of defending them.

Prediction: Villanova by 3

6 Georgetown vs. 3 Florida 9:40 pm
Florida has arguably been the most impressive team in the tourney so far, but Georgetown is playing the best team ball of anyone left. The Hoyas are an incredible passing team, and they also play rock solid defense. Hibbert vs. Noah will be key, while Cook has to be able to stay with Taurean Green. Bowman vs. Horford is also an important match up. Georgetown would like this game to stay in the low 60's, and that means limiting Gator transition points.

Prediction: Georgetown by 4

Washington DC Regional Semifinals
11 George Mason vs. 7 Wichita State 7:27 pm
This game guarantees a midmajor in the Elite Eight. George Mason plays great pressure defense and that could cause the Shockers some problems. Paul Miller vs Jai Lewis will be the key battle. The Patriots won at Wichita in the BracketBuster play, so they have confidence against this team.

Prediction: George Mason by 6

5 Washington vs. 1 UConn 9:57 pm
UConn has yet to be the dominant team everyone thought they would be in this tournament. They can't phone this one in for long stretches like they did against Kentucky and Albany, because Washington has the depth and athleticism to beat Rudy Gay and company. Speaking of Rudy, how was he one of the four Naismith Finalists? The award isn't based on NBA potential last time I checked. Marcus Williams could exploit Dentmon at the point, while Brockman really has to show up on the boards against all the big men UConn can throw at you with Gay, Boone, Armstrong, Adrian, and even Ed Nelson. Brandon Roy vs Gay will be a potential NBA match up for years to come.

Prediction: UConn by 7

Preview of Thursday's Sweet 16 Games

2006-03-23T13:25:00.000-05:00

Atlanta Regional Semifinals
4 LSU vs 1 Duke 7:10 pm
This is the match up everyone wanted to see here, and I know a lot of people picked LSU. I was tempted myself, but I had questions about Tyrus Thomas's ankle. Darrel Mitchell is a fine player, but John Brady really needs to drive the point home that this team is a final four contender because of Davis and Thomas, and Mitchell needs to stop jacking the threes, particularly in late game situations. I know he hit the key shot against TAMU, but he needs to control himself and recognize what makes this team go. Shelden Williams needs to stay out of foul trouble, but still be physical with Big Baby. I think you can wear him down just by leaning on him and not allowing him to get easy shots. I like Duke in this one, barely.

Prediction: Duke by 4

6 West Virginia vs 2 Texas 9:40 pm
Texas can win this one easily if they establish Aldridge and Buckman in the paint early. If so, the lanes will clear for Tucker and Gibson, and Paulino will get some open three point looks. The Mountaineers are a well schooled team though, and they aren't about to make anything easy for the Longhorns. Everyone talks about how WV needs to get post points, but really what more important is for Gansey and Herber to slash early. If they get that going, the three point looks will start to open up, and this team only needs a few inches anyway.

Prediction: Texas by 9

Oakland Regional Semifinals
13 Bradley vs 1 Memphis 7:27 pm
Patrick O'Bryant is the key here. If the Braves can get him going early and grind it out in the halfcourt, they can definitely win this game. If Memphis can run the floor and get transition points, it could be a long night for Jim Les's squad. In short, it's all about tempo. Memphis has to be careful not to settle for threes if this does turn into a grinder. If Bradley wins, all the talk will be about how a 13 seed is in the elite eight, but really Bradley should have been a 10 at the lowest if not for the buffonery of this terrible selection committee.

Prediction: Memphis by 12

3 Gonzaga vs 2 UCLA 9:57 pm
This could be the best game of the night. If the Zags execute like they should on offense, which means getting consistent touches for Batista, they can win this game. However, Morrison's attraction to the ball often disrupts their offensive sets, and it becomes a series of high screens and handoffs to the scorer. They won't win playing like that, Farmar and Afflalo are too good and too consistent not to take advantage of empty possessions. Batista can dominate the Bruins down low, which would in turn free up Morrison, Ravio, Cespedes, Mallon, Knight, etc. Luc Richard Mbah A Moute has been a revelation for the Ben Howland, and he really needs a strong game tonight against a superior Gonzaga frontline. It will be close, but you can never count out the competitiveness and will to win of Adam Morrison.

Prediction: Gonzaga by 3

Preview of Sunday's NCAA Tournament Second Round Games

2006-03-19T11:12:00.000-05:00

@ Auburn Hills, MI
13 Bradley vs 5 Pitt 12:10 pm
The Braves actually match up well with Pitt, mainly because of the big 7 footer Patrick O'Bryant. O'Bryant and Gray will battle down low, but Pitt will need to utilized it's superior perimeter play to win this game. Marcellus Sommerville will be a tough matchup for the Panthers as well. This should be a close grinder.

Prediction: Pitt by 6

14 Northwestern State vs 6 West Virginia 2:40 pm
Don't be shocked to see NW State win this game. This is another good match up for the Demons, who play frenetic defense and will frustrate the Mountaineers. If NW State can dictate tempo, they can win this game.

Prediction: NW State by 2

@ Dayton, OH
11 George Mason vs 3 UNC 2:20 pm
George Mason will have Tony Skinn back, and they'll need it against the quick Tar Heels. Jai Lewis will have to battle Tyler Hansbrough, and he's capable of negating him in the post. UNC loves to run, so the Pats' transition defense will be key. The emergeance of Rayshawn Terry has been key for the Tar Heels, and he'll need to continue to play well for UNC to make another deep run.

Prediction: UNC by 12

7 Georgetown vs 2 Ohio State 4:50 pm
I really like the Hoyas in this matchup because of their great halfcourt defense, and the fact that they have the size down low to negate Dials. Ohio State will be forced to throw up contested three's, while Hibbert, Green, and Bowman should have open looks down low. The key matchup will be Bowman vs the athletic Sullinger. If Sullinger can limit Bowman, then the Buckeyes will be in much better shape, but expect the upset.

Prediction: Georgetown by 3

@ Philadelphia, PA
8 Kentucky vs 1 UConn 2:30 pm
The Wildcats have enough height to compete with Gay, Boone, and Armstrong, and Rondo vs Williams is a good match up, but ultimately, Kentucky will fall short. UConn needs to show some fire after their poor performance against Albany in the first round. Expect the Huskies to come out hot, but Kentucky will battle back to keep it relatively close.

Prediction: UConn by 13

8 Arizona vs 1 Villanova 5:00 pm
Hassan Adams really sparked the Wildcats in a route of Wisconsin, but he'll need help against Villanova. Radenovic and Walters need to be huge in the post, while Marcus Williams could be the x factor with his solid all around game. I expect a tight game, with Arizona having a chance to win it at the end.

Prediction: Villanova by 2

@ Dallas, TX
9 Bucknell vs 1 Memphis 2:15 pm
For the Bison to win, they need to control the pace of the game, and limit transition points. Memphis can't settle for three's against this team. They need to attack the basket early and often, and maybe get McNaughton in foul trouble as well.

Prediction: Memphis by 8

10 NC State vs 2 Texas 4:45 pm
NC State has the players to run with the Horns, but they would prefer a halfcourt game, where they can execute with Bennerman, Evtimov, Atsur, Grant, Brackman, and Simmons. Daniel Gibson is the key player to watch for Texas. His play often dictates the Longhorns' style of play.

Prediction: Texas by 10

Preview of Saturday's Second Round NCAA Tournament Games

2006-03-18T11:02:00.000-05:00

@ Greensboro, NC
8 George Washington vs. 1 Duke 1:10 pm
GW is coming off the OT thriller against Wilmington, and that may affect Bonsu's stamina returning from this injury. GW has the perimeter speed to stay with Redick, and they have the size to neutralize Shelden Williams, but can they hit enough shots to pull off the upset?

Prediction: Duke by 12

7 Wichita State vs. 2 Tennessee 7:40 pm
The Shockers destroyed Seton Hall, while Tennessee needed a miracle shot from Chris Lofton to get by Winthrop. Paul Miller will be tough to stop, but both Andre Patterson and Major Wingate are capable post player. The Vols need both Lofton and Watson to start nailing some shots.

Prediction: Tennessee by 3

@ Jacksonville, FL
11 UW-Milwaukee vs. 3 Florida 3:20 pm
The action should be fast and furious in this one, as both teams can get up and down the court. Joakim Noah was unstoppable against South Alabama, and the Gators should control the paint. The Panthers' best shot at winning is for Tucker and Hill to knock down three's early and often.

Prediction: Florida by 6

12 Texas A&M vs 4 LSU 5:50 pm
Joseph Jones vs Glen Davis will be a great battle, but the real factor in a Tiger win will be Tyrus Thomas. The Aggies don't have anyone as athletic or long to stay with Thomas.

Prediction: LSU by 8

@ San Diego, CA
5 Washington vs 4 Illinois 5:30 pm
Washington has the athletic advantage with Roy, Williams, Brockman, and Jones, but Illinois has the attitude and the experience with Brown and Augustine. The Illini will need a big game from the their x factor, Brian Randle, to counter the athleticism of the Huskies. Both teams were 1 seeds last year.

Prediction: Illinois by 4

10 Alabama vs 2 UCLA 8:00 pm
The Tide can't rely on another career game from Jean Felix, so Davidson and Hendrix need to be big in the post against an undersized Bruin squad. Ronald Steele is perhaps the best point guard in the entire tournament, but all the focus will be on Farmar and Afflalo, an excellent duo in their own right. This should be a close one.

Prediction: Bama by 3

@ Salt Lake City, UT
12 Montana vs 4 BC 5:40 pm
Montana has scoring options with Hasquet, Criswell, Strait, and Matthews, but are they physical enough to beat BC? I said the same about Pacific, and they nearly pulled off the upset.

Prediction: BC by 9

6 Indiana vs. 3 Gonzaga 8:10 pm
This Hoosiers team is unpredictable, so the upset is a very real possibility. The Hoosiers don't really have anyone who matches up well with Morrison, but Killingsworth vs Batista will be big. Whoever can stay out of foul trouble will probably put their team in a position to win the game. Earl Calloway had a career game against SD State, so look for Mike Davis to push the tempo early with Calloway at the helm, and build an early lead, something that the Zags are very accustomed to seeing.

Prediction: Indiana by 4

Preview of Friday's NCAA Tournament First Round Games

2006-03-17T08:58:00.000-05:00

Atlanta Region

@Auburn Hills, MI
3 Iowa vs. 14 Northwestern State 12:25 pm
The suddenly surging Hawkeyes will have their hands full with a very unique Northwestern State team. NW State uses 12 players, and they play pressure defense and distribute the ball as well as any team in the country in transition. The Demons are also a very close knit team who know each other well. Led by Clifton Lee, Northwestern State over Iowa is my upset of the day.

Prediction: NW State by 2

6 West Virginia vs 11 Southern Illinois 2:45 pm
This could turn into a grinder, as SIU is the best halfcourt defense team in the field, while WV operates almost exclusively in the halfcourt on offense. This match up lends itself to the Salukis' style of play, as they can contest every WV three pointer. The Mountaineers have to establish some post play early, or else Chris Lowery's squad will put the clamps on open jump shots.

Prediction: SIU by 5

@ Dallas, TX
7 Cal vs 10 NC State 7:20 pm
This is an intriguing match up. Cal has Leon Powe, but NC State has about 7 or 8 legitimate scoring threats. This game will be decided by who is able to control pace and tempo. Ubaka might need to be a second scoring option for the Bears.

Prediction: NC State by 6

2 Texas vs 15 Penn 9:40 pm
Tough game for the Quakers, who have to play Texas at Dallas. Expect a blowout.

Prediction: Texas by 22

Oakland Region

@ Auburn Hills, MI
5 Pitt vs 12 Kent State 7:10 pm
I felt Pitt was disrespected with a 5 seed, and they also get a tough first round match against Kent State. Krauser needs to limit himself on shot attempts, and get Aaron Gray and Sam Young established early. Defensively, the Panthers need to take away Youngblood, and let Haynes do the scoring. If Pitt can get by the Flashes, who are notorious for deep tourney runs, they have as a good a shot as any other team to win the Oakland Region.

Prediction: Pitt by 7

4 Kansas vs 13 Bradley 9:30
Bradley is yet another example of the terrible seeding job done by this committee. Bradley as a 13 is just ridiculous, and therefore they have to play a redhot Kansas team in the first round. Kansas is led almost entirely by freshman, which is a little unnerving, but they have played unbelievable basketball since January. Bradley is led by two great frontline players in Marcellus Sommerville and the 7 footer Patrick O'Bryant. They will be tough for the Jayhawks to stop, and if the Braves can make this a halfcourt game, they have a chance to pull off the upset.

Prediction: Kansas by 4

@ Dallas, TX
1 Memphis vs. 16 Oral Roberts 2:50 pm
Oral Roberts is a very good team who can score the ball. The Eagles, led by a healthy Ken Tutt and big Caleb Green, will hang with the Tigers for most of the game. Memphis needs to break the terrible habit they're currently in of jacking up contested threes.

Prediction: Memphis by 8

8 Arkansas vs 9 Bucknell 12:30 pm
This should be a good game. Ronnie Brewer and the Hogs will want to make this a full court game, but the Bison want to control the pace, and force Arkansas into halfcourt sets on offense and long possessions on defense. Whoever is able to dictate pace will win this game.

Prediction: Bucknell by 4

Washington DC Region

@Philadelphia, PA
1 UConn vs. 16 Albany 7:25 pm
No contest here, as the Huskies are too big, fast, and strong for Jamar Wilson and the Danes.

Prediction: UConn by 24

8 Kentucky vs 9 UAB 9:45 pm
A rematch of the classic second round game two years ago, but this time around, the teams are more evenly matched. Everyone knows about the fullcourt pressure defense of UAB, so Kentucky should be more prepared this time around. However, expect the Blazers to still pull this one out.

Prediction: UAB by 3

@ Dayton, OH
6 Michigan State vs 11 George Mason 7:10 pm
The Patriots will be without Tony Skinn, who is suspended for the crotch punching incident against Loren Stokes of Hofstra. Michigan State is an enigmatic team, but the leadership of Brown, Ager, and Davis should prevail.

Prediction: Mich State by 11

3 UNC vs 14 Murray State 9:30 pm
The Racers are always a dangerous team come tourney time, and if they can force the Tar Heels into more turnovers than usual and make them convert in the halfcourt, they could hang around. However, UNC is too athletic and too deep to be upset in the first round.

Prediction: UNC by 15

Minneapolis Region

@ Philadelphia, PA
1 Villanova vs 16 Monmouth 2:50 pm
Monmouth already has the opening game nerves out of the way, but that won't be enough to save them from Nova.

Prediciton: Villanova by 18

8 Arizona vs 9 Wisconsin 12:30 pm
There is no way in the world that someone can justify an 8 seed for Arizona. This seems to be the only instance where the committee took into account the RPI. Both teams faded down the stretch, but Bo Ryan is a great tournament coach, and the Badgers always execute well during tourney time.

Prediction: Wisconsin by 8

@ Dayton, OH
7 Georgetown vs 10 Northern Iowa 2:35 pm
The Hoyas are an unselfish team who always finds the open shot. They also defend well in the halfcourt. If Roy Hibbert can stay out of foul trouble, the Hoyas should advance relatively easily. This is not a good match up for the Panthers, who really need Ben Jacobson to break out of his slump. Stout and Coleman will be relied upon heavily down low.

Prediction: G'Town by 12

2 Ohio State vs 15 Davidson 12:15 pm
Ohio State has a great inside outside game, but Davidson isn't your typical 15 seed. Led by Winters and Johnson, Davidson can shoot the ball, and they've been here before. Expect them to hang around for a bit while the Buckeyes find the range.

Prediction: OSU by 16

Preview of Thursday's NCAA Tournament First Round Games

2006-03-15T09:07:00.000-05:00

Washington DC Regional

@Greensboro, NC
7 Wichita State vs. 10 Seton Hall 12:20 pm
The Shockers were the regular season MVC champs, but they didn't finish the season on a positive note, losing to Bradley in the MVC semis. The same can be said of Seton Hall, a team that finished so poorly down the stretch that many thought they had handed back a once sure NCAA bid. Seton Hall has great leadership in Kelly Whitney and Donald Copeland, and they'll need a solid interior game to negate MVC POY Paul Miller down low.

Prediction: Wichita State by 4

2 Tennessee vs. 15 Winthrop 2:40 pm
If we're going to see a 15 knock off a 2, this is the best bet. The Vols ran out of gas at the end of the year, and backslid into the tournament, but still somehow received a two seed from this committee, wh0 turned out their worst bracket in 15 years. Bruce Pearl knows how to coach in this tournament, and I expect the Vols to be recuperated enough to run their pressure offense and defense. Led by Chris Lofton and CJ Watson, Tennessee has an experienced backcourt, a neccessity in this tournament. Winthrop does have the firepower to hang with the high scoring Vols though. Torrell Martin, James Shuler, and Craig Bradshaw provide the always dangerous Eagles with a number of options.

Prediction: Tennessee by 9

@ San Diego, CA
4 Illinois vs. 13 Air Force 7:25 pm
This matchup highlights two of the committee's most egregious errors- Illinois as a four and Air Force being included in the field. The Falcons are the most undeserving team to be in the field in the last 10 years, but their methodical offense will cause some problems for the Illini. Dee Brown needs to knock down shots from the perimeter for the Illini to easily put away Jeff Bzdelik's team.

Prediction: Illinois by 13

5 Washington vs. 12 Utah State 9:45 pm
The Aggies are another undeserving at-large selection, but again, will be a tough out because they play every offensive possession like it's their last. Washington has the star power with Brandon Roy, but Utah State has some outstanding players as well in Nate Harris and Jaycee Carroll, a great inside outside duo. Cass Matheus is a great post defender, but he will need to stay out of foul trouble. The Aggies also have a solid veteran point guard in David Pak. This one will be closer than a lot of people think, but the Huskies should prevail.

Prediction: Washington by 6

Atlanta Regional

@ Greensboro, NC
8 George Washington vs 9 UNC-Wilmington 7:10 pm
Pops Mensah-Bonsu will be back for the Colonials, but I have serious doubts about how effective he will be. Wilmington plays great halfcourt defense, and is led by John Goldsberry and TJ Carter, two versatile guards. As a freshman, Goldsberry went 8-8 from three point range against the defending national champs Maryland in the 2003 tournament. I expect the Seahawks to win this one as long as they limit transition points and force the Colonials into jump shots.

Prediction: UNC-Wilmington by 7

1 Duke vs. 16 Southern 9:30 pm
No contest here, Duke in a blowout. Southern is led by Peter Cipriano and is the SWAC regular season and tournament champion.

Prediction: Duke by 22

@ Jacksonville, FL
4 LSU vs 13 Iona 7:10 pm
LSU is a potential final four team, but that all depends on freshman Tyrus Thomas's ankle. Darrel Mitchell and Big Baby Davis are also battling nagging injuries. This one will be close because of the offensive firepower of Iona's backcourt. Led by Steve Burtt Jr., one of the nation's best pure scorers, and Ricky Solliver, a defensive harrasser, the Gaels are a potent offensive force. Jeff Ruland's squad will hang in there, but to complete the upset, they'll need a career day from Kiril Wachsmann down low.

Prediction: LSU by 4

5 Syracuse vs 12 Texas A&M 9:40 pm
At some point, the magic has to run out for GMac and the Orange. Last year, Syracuse won the Big East tourney and was promptly upset by Vermont in the first round. This year, I expect them to beat the Aggies, although Joseph Jones will be tough to handle down low for the underachieving duo of Roberts and Watkins. Acie Law IV is also a great point guard. Billy Gillespie will have his Aggies ready, but they'll fall just short.

Prediction: Syracuse by 3

Minneapolis Regional

@ Jacksonville, FL
3 Florida vs. 14 South Alabama 2:45 pm
This could be an upset here, as both teams play similar styles, but Florida naturally has the talent advantage. Both will create turnovers and generate transition points, but Florida has better shooters. Look out for the Jaguars' Mario Jointer. Jointer is the type of player who could singlehandedly make a difference between a near upset and an upset.

Prediction: Florida by 5

6 Oklahoma vs 11 UW-Milwaukee 12:25 pm
Last year's cinderella is again pegged as a sure fire upset maker, this time over the sixth seeded Sooners. I'm not so quick to believe in these Panthers as I was last year's though. With Terrell Everett making smarter decisions at the point and the height of Bookout and Gray, this is a tough matchup for Rob Jeter. The Panthers still have the tournament with Tucker, Tigert, Davis, and Hill, but Tigert will need to be huge in the paint for Milwaukee to do it again. This is the first game of the day, and it should be a good one.

Prediction: Oklahoma by 3

@ Salt Lake City, UT
4 BC vs 13 Pacific 12:40 pm
This is a tough draw for the Eagles, who I think are capable of making a very deep run. Led by Craig Smith and Jared Dudley, the Eagles are the most physical and downright mean team in the field. Williams, Marshall, and Rice have also developed into a great supporting cast. Pacific is led by Christian Maraker and Johnnie Gray III. Maraker is a double double machine, but he's not physical enough to handle Craig Smith.

Prediction: BC by 12

5 Nevada vs 12 Montana
Montana's 12 seed suggests that perhaps they would have been an at-large team had they lost the Big Sky final, which is just ridiculous and another example of the terrible seeding job done by the committee this year. That being said, the Grizzlies are a very dangerous team. Led by Criswell and Strait all season, Montana has now developed two more scorers in Virgil Matthews and Jordan Hasquet. While the Grizz have plenty of firepower, it may not be enough to stop the Pack's big man, Nick Fazekas, one of the most dominant big men in the country. Mark Fox's team, who owns the nations longest winning streak, also has capable perimeter threats in Kemp, Charlo, and Sessions.

Prediction: Nevada by 9

Oakland Regional

@Salt Lake City, UT
3 Gonzaga vs 14 Xavier 7:20 pm
Many believe the Zags should have been a two seed, but I think a three is just right. Gonzaga has all the pieces with Morrison, Batista, and Ravio, and Erroll Knight on defense, but they somehow manage to play down to their opponents level every game. Xavier pulled off a miracle in winning the A-10 as a 10 seed without Finn and Thornton. This team does have tournament experience, especially Justin Doellman.

Prediction: Gonzaga by 10

6 Indiana vs 11 San Diego State 9:40 pm
It's hard to know what to expect from this Hoosier squad. They have been playing great bssketball since Davis formally announced his resignation, so they could still be playing with that emotion. The Aztecs are led by MWC POY Brandon Heath and Marcus Slaughter, one of the best rebounders in the country. It is imperative that Slaughter stay out of foul trouble, and the same holds true for Killingsworth. Slaughter is more athletic and aggressive on the boards than Killingsworth, but that often gets him in trouble foul wise. Robert Vaden's ankle is a question mark for the Hoosiers.

Prediction: Indiana by 6

@ San Diego, CA
2 UCLA vs 15 Belmont 4:55 pm
Belmont can shoot the three, so this one might be closer than a lot of people will think. Led by Justin Hare, the lesser known Bruins can be a dangerous team. However, UCLA, with Farmar and Afflalo, have too deep a roster and too many options for Belmont to pull off the upset, but it will be closer than expected.

Prediction: UCLA by 15

7 Marquette vs 10 Alabama 2:40 pm
This could be the closest game of the day. Marquette is led by freshman point guard Dominic James, which makes a lot of people feel uneasy about this Eagle team. They shouldn't be worried though, James has been the best freshman point guard in the country, and that includes Greg Paulus. Alabama has the edge in the paint with Jermareo Davidson and Richard Hendrix. Ronald Steele has also been playing the point extremely well for the Tide, which makes me think Bama as the edge in this one. As long as Steve Novak doesn't go off for 40+, the Tide should pull it out.

Prediction: Alabama by 2

Wednesday's NIT Games

2006-03-15T09:02:00.000-05:00

Western Kentucky @ South Carolina
Wake Forest @ Minnesota
Louisiana Tech @ Clemson
BYU @ Houston
Old Dominion @ Colorado
Oklahoma State @ Miami FL
Vanderbilt @ Notre Dame

Some interesting match ups here. My pick to win the whole thing is OK State, but playing at Miami to open isn't a good start. I also like Minnesota and the defending champs South Carolina to make a deep run.

NIT Updates

Tuesday's NCAA and NIT Games

2006-03-14T09:04:00.000-05:00

NCAA Tournament
7:30 pm Dayton, OH
Opening Round Game
16 Monmouth vs 16 Hampton
The surprising NEC champs take on the surprising MEAC champs in the NCAA Tourney's opening round game. Monmouth should win this one, if not strictly because of Marques Alston. Turnovers are always a problem for Jaz Cowan and the Pirates.

Prediction: Monmouth by 6

NIT
Miami OH vs Butler
Rutgers vs Penn State
Delaware State vs. No. Arizona
Georgia Southern vs. Charlotte
Akron vs Temple
Lipscomb vs. UTEP
Virginia vs Stanford
Farleigh Dickinson vs. Manhattan

The most intriguing matchups tonight are Rutgers/Penn State, Akron/Temple, Miami OH/Butler, UVA/Stanford, and FDU/Manhattan.

NIT Bracket and Schedule

2006-03-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Opening round
Tuesday
Fairleigh Dickinson (20-11) at Manhattan (18-10), 7 p.m.
Miami (Ohio) (18-10) at Butler (19-12), 7 p.m.
Akron (22-9) at Temple (17-14), 7 p.m.
Georgia Southern (20-9) at Charlotte (18-12), 7:30 p.m.
Rutgers (18-13) at Penn State (15-14), 8 p.m.
Delaware State (20-13) at Northern Arizona (21-10), 9:30 p.m.
Lipscomb (21-10) at UTEP (20-9), 9 p.m.
Virginia (15-14) at Stanford (15-13), 9:30 p.m.

First round
Wednesday
Western Kentucky (23-7) at South Carolina (18-15), 7 p.m.
Vanderbilt (17-12) at Notre Dame (15-13), 7 p.m.
Louisiana Tech (20-12) at Clemson (18-12), 7 p.m.
Wake Forest (17-16) at Minnesota (15-14), 7 p.m.
BYU (20-8) at Houston (20-9), 8:30 p.m.
Oklahoma State (17-15) at Miami (16-15), 9 p.m.
Old Dominion (21-9) at Colorado (20-9), 9 p.m.

Thursday
Nebraska (19-13) at Hofstra (24-6), 7 p.m.
Rutgers-Penn State winner at Saint Joseph's (18-13), 7 p.m.
Lipscomb-UTEP winner at Michigan (18-10), 7 p.m.
Akron-Temple winner at Creighton (19-9), 8 p.m.

Friday
Butler-Miami (Ohio) winner at Florida State (19-9), 7 p.m.
Delaware State-Northern Arizona winner at Louisville (18-12), 7 p.m. Virginia-Stanford winner at Missouri State (20-8), 8 p.m.
Georgia Southern-Charlotte winner at Cincinnati (19-12), TBA

Saturday
Fairleigh Dickinson-Manhattan winner at Maryland (19-12), 11 a.m.

Second round
Saturday
Rutgers-Penn State-Saint Joseph's winner vs. Nebraska-Hofstra winner

Monday, March 20
Fairleigh Dickinson-Manhattan-Maryland winner vs. Old Dominion-Colorado winner
Lipscomb-UTEP-Michigan winner vs. Vanderbilt-Notre Dame winner
Akron-Temple-Creighton winner vs. Oklahoma State-Miami winner
Delaware State-Northern Arizona-Louisville winner vs. Louisiana Tech-Clemson winner
Virginia-Stanford-Missouri State winner vs. BYU-Houston winner

Tuesday, March 21
Butler-Miami (Ohio)-Florida State winner vs. Western Kentucky-South Carolina winner, 7 p.m.
Georgia Southern-Charlotte-Cincinnati winner vs. Wake Forest-Minnesota winner, 9 p.m.

Quarterfinals
Wednesday, March 22
TBA

Semifinals
Tuesday, March 28
At Madison Square Garden, New York
Semifinal, 7 p.m.
Semifinal, 9:30 p.m.

Championship
Thursday, March 30
At Madison Square Garden
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

NCAA Tournament Predications

2006-03-12T22:36:00.000-05:00

Advancing to the Round of 32
(subject to change before Tuesday)
Opening Round Game: Monmouth over Hampton

Duke
UNC-Wilmington
Syracuse
LSU
Southern Illinois
Northwestern State
Cal
Texas

Memphis
Bucknell
Pitt
Kansas
Indiana
Gonzaga
Alabama
UCLA

UConn
UAB
Washington
Illinois
Michigan State
UNC
Wichita State
Tennessee

Villanova
Wisconsin
Nevada
Boston College
Oklahoma
Florida
Georgetown
Ohio State

Sweet 16
Duke
LSU
Southern Illinois
Texas

Memphis
Pitt
Gonzaga
UCLA

UConn
Illinois
UNC
Tennessee

Villanova
BC
Florida
Georgetown

Elite Eight
Duke
Texas
Pitt
Gonzaga
UConn
UNC
Villanova
Georgetown

Final Four
Texas
Pitt
UConn
Villanova

Championship Game
Texas vs. UConn

Champion
UConn

Weakest Region
Oakland

Strongest Region
Washington DC

Biggest First Round Upset
Northwestern State over Iowa

First One Seed to Exit
Memphis, too young and settling for way too many threes.

First Two Seed to Exit
Surprisingly, Ohio State, who will run into a solid Georgetown team in the second round.

Best First Round Games
West Virginia vs Southern Illinois
LSU vs Iona
Arkansas vs. Bucknell
Indiana vs San Diego State
Marquette vs. Alabama
Kentucky vs. UAB
Nevada vs. Montana
Oklahoma vs. UW-Milwaukee
Florida vs. South Alabama

One Seed Most Likely to Get a Scare from a 16 Seed
Memphis vs Oral Roberts
(ORU might be the best 16 seed in the last 5 years)

Two Seed Most Likely to Get a Scare from a 15 Seed
Tennessee vs. Winthrop

Best Bet
As soon as an MVC or CAA team wins a first round game, Jim Nantz will be the first to proclaim them a "cinderella" team, despite the fact he was ignorantly bashing midmajor conferences with multiple bids. The man's a fool.

Players to Watch
These are a list of players who could break out onto the national scene with strong tourney showings...
Joseph Jones, Texas A&M
Steve Burtt Jr., Iona
Clifton Lee, Northwestern State
Patrick O'Bryant, Bradley
Marcus Slaughter, San Diego State
Ronald Steele, Alabama
Dominic James, Marquette
Brandon Roy, Washington
Nate Harris, Utah State
Jai Lewis, George Mason
Paul Miller, Wichita State
Torrell Martin, Winthrop
Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Kevin Criswell, Montana
Mario Jointer, South Alabama
Brandon Bowman, Georgetown

Coaches Most Likely to Benefit from a Deep Tourney Run
Mark Fox, Nevada
Mike Davis, Indiana
Chris Lowery, Southern Illinois
Greg McDermott, Northern Iowa
Steve Alford, Iowa
Rob Jeter, UW-Milwaukee
Billy Gillespie, Texas A&M
Jim Les, Bradley

Top 10 Things to Watch Out for in the First Round
1. Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl sweating out a close game against Winthrop
2. Tyrus Thomas' ankle- without Thomas, LSU might be a first round upset victim to Iona, with him, they are a potential Final Four team.
3. Kentucky vs UAB part deux- Two years ago, Kentucky was the top overall seed, but they were denied in the second round by UAB and their full court pressure defense.
4. Air Force- Can they justify their inclusion by hanging with Illinois, who was disrespected with a four seed?
5. Northwestern State and South Alabama- I believe these are the two teams most likely to pull off the big upset. The Demons are the most close-knit team in the field, and that chemistry could lead them to an upset over Iowa, who might fall behind early by underestimating NW State and settling for threes.
6. Can Gerry McNamara and the Orange keep up their hot streak? Often, the hottest teams who have to win to get in run out of gas and have a feeling of accomplishment already, and are therefore not prepared for the first round.
7. Georgetown's passing- This team passes the ball and finds open shots better than any other team in the field. I'm looking for a deep run from the Hoyas, who also play great defense.
8. Leon Powe and Nick Fazekas- These two big men are incredible, but both face stiff first round competition in NC State and Montana, respectively.
9. Craig Smith vs Christian Maraker- I like BC a lot, but Maraker vs Smith will be a great match up.
10. Saluki defenders sticking like glue to WV's shooters.

Initial Thoughts on the 2006 Bracket

2006-03-12T18:47:00.000-05:00

I have a few major problems with the selection committee's job this year. So here goes...
Biggest head scratchers
1. Air Force's inclusion in the field. How is this possible? Look at the resumes of Michigan, Missouri State, Cincy, and even Florida State. Putting Air Force in the field is absolutely mind-boggling. This is quite possibly the most blatant oversite in the committee's history.

2. Tennessee as a two seed. This makes no sense as well. It seems Tennessee's seed actually improved as they played worse.

3. Pitt as a five seed. With the teams Pitt beat, they should be no lower than a four seed.

4. Illinois as a four seed. Same as Pitt, their resume was too impressive to be any lower than a three seed.

5. This has nothing to do with the committee, but is Billy Packer insane? How can you possibly field a tournament based on five to ten year performances? What does that even mean? Is Billy suggesting that a team's performance in 1996 should affect their inclusion in this year's field?

I will be posting extensive previews and predictions on the tournament shortly.

Official 2006 NCAA Bracket

2006-03-12T18:46:00.000-05:00

Final NCAA 2006 Bracket Projection

2006-03-12T10:22:00.000-05:00

This is my final bracket projection

#1 Seeds
Duke
UConn
Villanova
Memphis

#2 Seeds
Ohio State
Texas
Illinois
Gonzaga

#3 Seeds
Pitt
UCLA
BC
UNC

#4 Seeds
Iowa
Florida
Kansas
LSU

#5 Seeds
Tennessee
George Washington
Washington
West Virginia

#6 Seeds
Nevada
Michigan State
Georgetown
Oklahoma

#7 Seeds
Indiana
Syracuse
NC State
Wichita State

#8 Seeds
Marquette
Wisconsin
Cal
UNC Wilmington

#9 Seeds
Southern Illinois
Arkansas
UAB
Kentucky

#10 Seeds
Arizona
Northern Iowa
Bucknell
Bradley

#11 Seeds
San Diego State
Seton Hall
Texas A&M
Cincy

#12 Seeds
Alabama
Michigan
George Mason
Kent State

#13 Seeds
Northwestern State
UW Milwaukee
Iona
Xavier

#14 Seeds
South Alabama
Winthrop
Montana
Murray State

#15 Seeds
Penn
Pacific
Davidson
Albany

#16 Seeds
Oral Roberts
Belmont
Monmouth
Hampton
Southern

Just Missed the Cut
Missouri State
Florida State
Creighton
Utah State
Maryland
Hofstra
Western Kentucky
Air Force

Tickets Already Punched
NC Wilmington
Penn
Davidson
Murray State
Belmont
Iona
Gonzaga
Southern Illinois
Winthrop
Oral Roberts
UW-Milwaukee
South Alabama
Monmouth
Montana
Bucknell
Hampton
Pacific
Syracuse
Memphis
Albany
Xavier
Southern
San Diego State
Nevada
UCLA
Northwestern State
Florida
Duke
Kansas
Iowa

Conference Tournament Recaps and Previews

2006-03-12T09:48:00.000-05:00

America East Championship
Vermont 67 Albany 80

Atlantic 10 Championship
Xavier 62 St. Joe's 61

Big East Championship
Syracuse 65 Pitt 61

Big West Championship
Long Beach State 70 Pacific 78

Conference USA Championship
UAB 46 Memphis 57

MAC Championship
Toledo 66 Kent State 71

MEAC Championship
Hampton 60 Delaware State 56

MWC Championship
Wyoming 64 San Diego State 69 OT

Pac-10 Championship
Cal 52 UCLA 71

SWAC Championship
Ark-PB 44 Southern 57

WAC Championship
Utah State 63 Nevada 70 OT

ACC Semis
Wake Forest 66 Duke 78
BC 85 UNC 82

Championship
Duke vs. BC
The first meeting was a classic, and a game BC probably would have won without poor officiating. Craig Smith has been unstoppable lately, but they will need contain Redick. Paulus has become a legitimate option when Redick is being guarded tight.

Big 12 Semis
Texas A&M 70 Texas 74
Nebraska 65 Kansas 79

Championship
Texas vs. Kansas
The one and two seeds meet in the finals. PJ Tucker is almost impossible to guard when he's driving to the basket consistently. LaMarcus Aldridge will be tough for any Jayhawk big man to stop on the offensive and defensive ends of the court.

Big Ten Semis
Indiana 51 Ohio State 52
Michigan State 48 Iowa 53

Championship
Iowa vs. Ohio State
The Buckeyes have been ice cold all tournament from three point range, yet they're still winning. Expect this one to be a three point contest, as both teams will be tired. Dials vs. Brunner should be a tough battle down low, but it may not make much of a difference. Ohio State is a lock for a two regardless of the outcome today, while Iowa will probably be a three at highest with a win.

SEC Semis
UPSET ALERT South Carolina 65 Kentucky 61
Florida 81 LSU 65

Championship
South Carolina vs. Florida
Bubble teams survived the MWC and WAC finals last night, but they have one more scare to endure. If SC wins this one, that takes away one final bubble spot. Florida is looking for an SEC title repeat.

Southland Championship
Sam Houston State vs. Northwestern State
If the Demons win this one, I think they're the team most likely to knock off a three or four seed in the first round.

Saturday's Top Peformers

2006-03-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

1. Jamar Wilson, Albany- Albany's star guard carried the Danes to their first NCAA appearance with 29 and 8 in the championship win over Vermont.

2. Craig Smith, BC- Smith has been a beast for the Eagles in the ACC tournament, as he put up 23 and 15 against UNC yesterday.

3. PJ Tucker, Texas- Tucker led the Longhorns into the finals with his 26, 13, and 4 stat line against Texas A&M.

4. Nick Fazekas, Nevada- Fazekas has made the most appearances on this list, so it's fitting that he does it again in Nevada's last game before the NCAAs. The Big Freak put up 23 and 14 as Nevada edged Utah State in OT in the the WAC finals.

5. (tie) Christian Maraker, Pacific and JJ Sullinger, Ohio State- Maraker put up 23 and 11 as Pacific clinched their third straight NCAA appearance, while Sullinger's 19 and 13 rescued the Buckeyes against the Hoosiers. Sullinger scored the first 13 OSU points in the second half.

Saturday's Bracket Projection

2006-03-11T11:50:00.000-05:00

I will be providing a daily projection every day leading up to Selection Sunday.

#1 Seeds
UConn
Duke
Villanova
Memphis

#2 Seeds
Ohio State
Texas
UNC
Illinois

#3 Seeds
Pitt
UCLA
Gonzaga
LSU

#4 Seeds
Iowa
Boston College
Florida
Tennessee

#5 Seeds
Kansas
George Washington
Washington
West Virginia

#6 Seeds
Nevada
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Oklahoma

#7 Seeds
Georgetown
Indiana
NC State
Wichita State

#8 Seeds
Marquette
Southern Illinois
Cal
UNC Wilmington

#9 Seeds
Syracuse
Cal
UAB
Kentucky

#10 Seeds
Arkansas
Arizona
Northern Iowa
Bucknell

#11 Seeds
San Diego State
Bradley
Texas A&M
Cincy

#12 Seeds
George Mason
Alabama
Michigan
Kent State

#13 Seeds
Northwestern State
UW Milwaukee
Iona
Atlantic 10 Winner

#14 Seeds
South Alabama
Winthrop
Montana
Murray State

#15 Seeds
Penn
Pacific
Davidson
Albany

#16 Seeds
Oral Roberts
Belmont
Delaware State
Monmouth
Southern

Just Missed the Cut
Seton Hall
Missouri State
Hofstra
Florida State
Creighton
Maryland
Utah State
Air Force

Tickets Already Punched
NC Wilmington
Penn
Davidson
Murray State
Belmont
Iona
Gonzaga
Southern Illinois
Winthrop
Oral Roberts
UW-Milwaukee
South Alabama
Monmouth
Montana
Bucknell

Conferece Tournament Recaps and Previews

2006-03-11T10:55:00.000-05:00

America East Championship
Albany vs. Vermont
Top seeded Albany is looking to gain an NCAA berth, and dethrone defending champion Vermont in the process.

ACC Tournament
Recap of Quarterfinals
Miami FL 76 Duke 80
UPSET ALERT Wake Forest 82 NC State 71
Virginia 67 UNC 79
Maryland 66 BC 80

Semifinals
Wake Forest vs. Duke
Can the Deacs keep up their run? Probably not. In instances like this, where a surprise team makes a run, they historically falter in the third game. Duke wins this one.

BC vs. UNC
This could be a great game. UNC has to match the physical play of Smith and Dudley, while continuing to excel in the transition game. People knock the Heels for their turnovers, but the uptempo transition game lends itself to a high turnover rate.

Atlantic 10 Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
Temple 59 St. Joe's 73
Xavier 70 Fordham 59

A10 Championship
Xavier vs. St. Joe's
The 10 and 5 seeds will battle it out. Interestingly, both teams had high expectations, but St. Joe's failed to live up to them, while Xavier lost Brian Thornton and Dedrick Finn. Xavier will have to contain Stachitas, Lee, and Jalloh to win this one. The Hawks have been winning with amazing defense.

Big 12 Tournament
Recap of Quarterfinals
Texas Tech 70 Texas 77
Colorado 53 Texas A&M 86
Oklahoma State 62 Kansas 63
UPSET ALERT Nebraska 69 Oklahoma 63

Semifinals
Texas A&M vs. Texas
The Aggies have probably played their way in, but they probably don't want to be blown out today. Of course, the Aggies did beat Texas in their biggest win of the year.

Nebraska vs. Kansas
Barry Collier is trying to save his job, while the young Jayhawks are looking to improve their seeding. The freshmen for the Huskers have really been stepping up lately.

Big East Tournament
Semifinals
Syracuse 58 Georgetown 57
Pitt 68 Villanova 54

Championship
Syracuse vs. Pitt
Regardless of who wins, this will be the first champion to have played all four games in the tournament. GMac is rewriting his legacy at Syracuse before our eyes with miracle finish after miracle finish.

Big Ten Tournament
Recap of Quarterfinals
Penn State 56 Ohio State 63
Indiana 61 Wisconsin 56
Minnesota 57 Iowa 67
Michigan State 61 Illinois 56

Semifinals
Michigan State vs. Iowa
The Spartans seem to have finally clicked. Expect them to get by Iowa today.

Ohio State vs. Indiana
The Hoosiers have won five in a row, and are tough to beat when Killingsworth is playing with his head in the game. Let's assume Dials and Killingsworth cancel each other out, that leaves it up to two stellar three point shooting perimeters to win the game.

Big West Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
Cal Poly 57 Pacific 68
Long Beach State 75 UC-Irvine 73

Championship
Long Beach State vs. Pacific
Aaron Nixon hit a buzzer beater for LB State to advance. To get to the dance, they'll need to contain both Gray and Maraker.

CUSA Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
Houston 54 Memphis 68
UTEP 60 UAB 63

Championship
UAB vs. Memphis
It will be tough for the Blazers to repeat the upset that likely got them into the dance. Bubble teams don't have sweat this one, because UAB is now a lock.

MAC Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
Ohio 59 Kent State 72
Toledo 77 Akron 69

Championship
Kent State vs. Toledo
Kent State has been the dominant team in the MAC, and they should beat Toledo. Should Toledo win, Kent State does not have a strong enough resume for an at-large bid.

MEAC Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
SC State 51 Delaware State 63
Norfolk State 56 Hampton 73

Championship
Delaware State vs. Hampton
The Hornets, who dominated league play, should win this one against sixth seeded Hampton. The winner will be a 16 seed. If Hampton wins, they will likely be in the play in game.

MWC Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
UNLV 60 San Diego State 63
Utah 47 Wyoming 60

Championship
Wyoming vs. San Diego State
Bubble teams will be watching this one anxiously, as San Diego State probably has an at-large bid locked up should they lose. That means the MWC moves from a one bid league to a two bid league, which would be bad news for Creighton, Florida State, Maryland, Hofstra, etc.

Pac-10 Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
Arizona 59 UCLA 71
Cal 91 Oregon 87 2OT

Championship
Cal vs. UCLA
The Pac-10 is now a lock for four teams with Cal's entrance into their first Pac-10 title game.

SEC Tournament
Recap of Quarterfinals
UPSET ALERT South Carolina 79 Tennessee 71
Vanderbilt 73 LSU 92
Kentucky 68 Alabama 61
Arkansas 71 Florida 74

Semifinals
South Carolina vs. Kentucky
The Gamecocks are finally playing the ball I thought they would all year long. Kentucky was unbelievable down the stretch against Alabama, a loss which will make the Tide very nervous about their fate Sunday.
Florida vs. LSU
Even without Tyrus Thomas, the Tigers are the team to beat in this tournament. Big Baby Davis cannot be stopped as of late.

SWAC Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
UPSET ALERT Ark-PB 61 Grambling 49
Jackson State 59 Southern 66

Championship
Ark-PB vs. Southern
Pine Bluff has upset their way to the finals, although the semifinal win was against a Brion Rush-less Grambling squad. Southern is the top seed and should win this one. Regardless of who wins, they will play in the play-in game.

WAC Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
LA Tech 64 Utah State 68
New Mexico State 59 Nevada 70

Championship
Utah State vs. Nevada
Bubble teams will be up late watching the MWC and WAC finals, because those are the only games tonight that could destroy bubble chances. You have to believe that Utah State is not an at-large team with a loss, but they are more than capable of ending Nevada's nation long 13 game winning streak. Cass Matheus did an incredible job against Paul Millsap last night. He'll need to do the same against Nick Fazekas for the Aggies to have a chance.

Friday's Top Performers

2006-03-11T10:49:00.000-05:00

1. Leon Powe, Cal- Powe singlehandedly propelled the Bears into the Pac-10 finals with a 41 point performance (a tournament record) in the double OT win over Oregon.

2. Craig Smith, BC- Smith dismantled the Terps' interior defense for 21 and 15 in the Eagles' blowout win over Maryland, which probably sent the Terps to the NIT.

3. LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas- Aldridge put up 20 and 16 as Texas advanced to the semis with a not-so-easy win over Texas Tech.

4. Glen Davis, LSU- "Big Baby" has been unstoppable as of late. Vandy had no answer for the 300 pounder, as he put up 28 and 11 as LSU won easily. And that was without Tyrus Thomas in the lineup.

5. (tie) Tre' Kelley, South Carolina and Marco Killingsworth, Indiana- Kelley had 25 points and 8 assists in the Gamecocks' upset over Tennessee, while Marco put up 20 and 12, as the Hoosiers won their fifth straight.

Friday's Bracket Projection

2006-03-10T11:24:00.000-05:00

I will be providing a daily projection every day leading up to Selection Sunday.

#1 Seeds
UConn
Duke
Villanova
Memphis

#2 Seeds
Ohio State
Illinois
Texas
UNC

#3 Seeds
Gonzaga
UCLA
LSU
Tennessee

#4 Seeds
Pitt
Boston College
Iowa
Florida

#5 Seeds
George Washington
Kansas
Washington
West Virginia

#6 Seeds
Nevada
NC State
Wisconsin
Oklahoma

#7 Seeds
Georgetown
Michigan State
Indiana
Wichita State

#8 Seeds
Marquette
Southern Illinois
Arkansas
UNC Wilmington

#9 Seeds
Alabama
UAB
Cal
Northern Iowa

#10 Seeds
Kentucky
Arizona
Bucknell
Syracuse

#11 Seeds
San Diego State
Bradley
Seton Hall
Cincy

#12 Seeds
Missouri State
Michigan
George Mason
Kent State

#13 Seeds
Northwestern State
UW Milwaukee
Iona
Atlantic 10 Winner

#14 Seeds
South Alabama
Winthrop
Montana
Murray State

#15 Seeds
Penn
Pacific
Davidson
Albany

#16 Seeds
Oral Roberts
Belmont
Delaware State
Monmouth
Southern

Just Missed the Cut
Texas A&M
Maryland
Hofstra
Florida State
Creighton
Colorado
Utah State
Air Force

Tickets Already Punched
NC Wilmington
Penn
Davidson
Murray State
Belmont
Iona
Gonzaga
Southern Illinois
Winthrop
Oral Roberts
UW-Milwaukee
South Alabama
Monmouth
Montana

Conferece Tournament Recaps and Previews

2006-03-10T10:13:00.000-05:00

It was a bad day for teams languishing on the bubble, as the Atlantic 10 suddenly became a two bid league, and Syracuse, who was out when the day started, vaulted themselves in with a win over UConn. Florida State, Air Force, and Michigan all shot themselves in the foot with first tourney losses. Of the three, Michigan has the best resume and is the most likely to stay in the field.

Atlantic 10 Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
UPSET ALERT Temple 68 George Washington 53
St. Joe's 56 St. Louis 37
UPSET ALERT Xavier 54 Charlotte 55
Fordham 64 LaSalle 62

Semifinals
With the top four seeds already eliminated, this tournament is anyone's to claim. I would love to see upstart Fordham get in.
Temple vs. St. Joe's
Xavier vs. Fordham

ACC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Clemson 63 Miami FL 66
UPSET ALERT Wake Forest 75 Florida State 66
Virginia Tech 56 Virginia 60
Georgia Tech 64 Maryland 82

Today's Games
Miami FL vs Duke
Harassing Redick until he's forced to settle for bad shots has seemed to work for the last few Duke opponents. Miami certainly has the perimeter man power to stick to that plan.

Wake Forest vs. North Carolina State
Wake could finally be "waking" up now. The Pack should be careful here.

Virginia vs. UNC
The Tarheels owned the Cavs the last time these two met, so expect UVA to be a little more fired up this time around, although the Heels should still advance.

Maryland vs. BC
Simply put, a must win for the Terps, especially as the bubble gets smaller and smaller with conference tournament upsets.

Big 12 Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Texas Tech 73 Kansas State 65
Baylor 61 Colorado 65
Iowa State 70 Oklahoma State 79
Missouri 64 Nebraska 71

Today's Games
Texas Tech vs. Texas
Colorado vs. Texas A&M
A potential bubble eliminator game? One would have to think so.
Oklahoma State vs. Kansas
The Cowboys seem to be revitalized under Sean Sutton. This is my upset pick.
Nebraska vs. Oklahoma
Without Joe McCray, Nebraska will come up just short in the firepower department, although Aleks Maric can battle with Bookout and Gray.

Big East Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
UPSET ALERT Syracuse 86 UConn 84 OT
Georgetown 62 Marquette 59
Rutgers 55 Villanova 87
Pitt 68 West Virginia 57

Semifinals
Syracuse vs. Georgetown
The Orange are safely in now, but this classic Big East battle should be a slugfest.
Pitt vs. Villanova
Aaron Gray and Sam Young can dominate down low, but can Krauser match the vaunted Nova backcourt? Probably not. Villanova is looking good at the right time.

Big Ten Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Northwestern 42 Penn State 60
Purdue 58 Michigan State 70
UPSET ALERT Minnesota 59 Michigan 55

Today's Games
Penn State vs. Ohio State
You can't sleep on the Nittany Lions, who are capable of the upset and have a game under their belts. Expect the Buckeyes to come out rusty, but to eventually pull away. OSU will get a one seed if they win the Big Ten Tournament.
Indiana vs. Wisconsin
The Hoosiers are a lock, but they can really move up some spots with a win. Wisconsin destroyed the Hoosiers in their only meeting.
Minnesota vs. Iowa
This could be a replica of the PSU/OSU game. Minnesota was my tournament sleeper pick.
Michigan State vs. Illinois
The Spartans were defeated at Breslin by Illinois the last game of the regular season. MSU could pull off the upset here, but Illinois would still remain a 2 seed in my eyes.

Big West Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Fullerton 91 Long Beach State 94
UCSB 50 Cal Poly 57

Semifinals
Cal Poly vs Pacific
Long Beach State vs. UC-Irvine
Expect LB State to win this one easily and face Pacific in the finals.

Conference USA Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
SMU 55 UAB 69
So. Miss. 47 UTEP 66
Tulane 56 Memphis 75
Central Florida 52 Houston 71

Semifinals
Houston vs Memphis
Houston came close to knocking off Memphis on the road the last day of the regular season. Memphis relies too heavily on the three to make a deep run in the NCAAs. That's particularly shameful because of their athleticism.
UTEP vs. UAB
The Blazers can seal the deal on an invite, if they haven't done so already.

MAC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Toledo 78 Northern Illinois 77
Western Michigan 57 Akron 72
Buffalo 67 Kent State 76
UPSET ALERT Ohio 73 Miami OH 58

Semifinals
Ohio vs Kent State
The Bobcats are primed for the upset, as they're finally playing the basketball everyone expected from them.
Toledo vs. Akron
Now Toledo has a chance to knock off the real two seed of this tournament.

MEAC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Hampton 57 Bethune Cookman 55
Florida A&M 52 SC State 60

Semifinals
Norfolk State vs Hampton
Expect Norfolk to win this one.
SC State vs Delaware State
The top seed should prevail.

MWC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Colorado State 52 San Diego State 64
New Mexico 64 UNLV 65
UPSET ALERT Wyoming 57 Air Force 55
UPSET ALERT Utah 74 BYU 70

Semifinals
UNLV vs. San Diego State
After the Air Force and BYU losses last night, the only way the MWC has a shot at two bids is if San Diego State reaches the finals and then lose.
Utah vs. Wyoming

Pac-10 Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Stanford 68 Arizona 73
Oregon State 47 UCLA 79
USC 67 Cal 82
UPSET ALERT Oregon 84 Washington 73

Semifinals
Arizona vs. UCLA
The Cats are a lock now after their win over Stanford without Hassan Adams.
Cal vs. Oregon
Oregon won after an incredible comeback over Washington, who I considered the team to beat in this tournament. Unfortunately, Aaron Brooks was ejected for throwing an elbow to the nose of Ryan Appleby, and he will be suspended for tonight's game. Chances are the Ducks' run comes to an end tonight without Brooks in the lineup. This might be Ernie Kent's last game at Oregon as well.

Patriot League Championship
Holy Cross vs. Bucknell
These two rivals should play a tight one, as they usually do. The question is, is Bucknell in with a loss? I would think so, especially after Syracuse's resurgence, a team that the Bison beat on the road. Michigan, Air Force, Creighton, Missouri State, Colorado, Texas A&M, Maryland, Florida State, and Utah State will all become huge Bucknell fans tonight.

SEC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Ole Miss 57 Kentucky 71
South Carolina 59 Mississippi State 44
Auburn 71 Vanderbilt 76
Georgia 67 Arkansas 80

Today's Games
South Carolina vs. Tennessee
The Vols need to get back on track.
Kentucky vs. Alabama
Kentucky could improve their seed to single digits with a win.
Vanderbilt vs. LSU
The Comms still have a life as an at-large if they reach the final.
Arkansas vs. Florida
A big game seeding wise for both teams, as Arkansas continues to climb faster than any other team.

SLC Tournament
Recap of Semifinals
Lamar 66 Northwestern State 80
SFA 72 Sam Houston St. 78

SWAC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Alcorn State 52 Southern 73
MVSU 49 Grambling 50
UPSET ALERT Alabama A&M 54 Ark-Pine Bluff 64
Jackson State 83 Alabama State 65

Semifinals
Jackson State vs. Southern
Jackson State is more than capable of pulling off this upset.
Ark-PB vs. Grambling
Brion Rush may not be back for Grambling, which means Pine Bluff could upset their way to the championship game.

WAC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Thursday's Games
Boise State 64 LA Tech 75
San Jose State 69 Utah State 76
Idaho 55 Nevada 68
New Mexico State 58 Hawaii 57

Semifinals
LA Tech vs. Utah State
Utah State has to win this one to keep their at-large hopes alive.
New Mexico State vs. Nevada
Reggie Theus has done a phenomenal job at Las Cruces this year. Don't be surprised to see both of these coaches, Theus and Mark Fox, move on to bigger programs.

Friday's Trivia

2006-03-10T10:12:00.000-05:00

Who was Ole Miss's star player the year Valpo upset them in the first round of the NCAA tourney?

Answer to Thursday's trivia: Chris Jackson

Thursday's Top Performers

2006-03-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

1. Gerry McNamara, Syracuse- The embattled Orange point guard was the most clutch player in the country for the second straight day after nailing an NBA range three to help defeat UConn, and send the Cuse into the dance. McNamara finished with 17 points and 13 assists.

2. Leon Powe, Cal- Powe probably took Cal off the bubble with his 22 and 20 performance against USC in the Pac-10 tourney.

3. Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech- A typical game for Millsap, 19 and 17 and a win over Boise State.

Thursday's Bracket Projection

2006-03-09T11:16:00.000-05:00

I will be providing a daily projection every day leading up to Selection Sunday.

#1 Seeds
UConn
Duke
Villanova
Memphis

#2 Seeds
Ohio State
Illinois
Texas
UNC

#3 Seeds
Gonzaga
UCLA
George Washington
Tennessee

#4 Seeds
LSU
Boston College
Pitt
Washington

#5 Seeds
Iowa
Kansas
West Virginia
Florida

#6 Seeds
Nevada
Marquette
Wisconsin
Oklahoma

#7 Seeds
NC State
Michigan State
Indiana
Wichita State

#8 Seeds
Southern Illinois
Seton Hall
Arkansas
Georgetown

#9 Seeds
UNC Wilmington
Northern Iowa
Alabama
UAB

#10 Seeds
Bradley
Michigan
Bucknell
Cal

#11 Seeds
San Diego State
Cincy
Florida State
Arizona

#12 Seeds
Missouri State
Kentucky
Hofstra
Texas A&M

#13 Seeds
Kent State
Northwestern State
UW Milwaukee
Iona

#14 Seeds
South Alabama
Winthrop
Montana
Murray State

#15 Seeds
Penn
Pacific
Davidson
Albany

#16 Seeds
Oral Roberts
Belmont
Delaware State
Monmouth
Southern

Just Missed the Cut
Air Force
George Mason
Creighton
Colorado
Syracuse
BYU
Utah State
Maryland

Tickets Already Punched
NC Wilmington
Penn
Davidson
Murray State
Belmont
Iona
Gonzaga
Southern Illinois
Winthrop
Oral Roberts
UW-Milwaukee
South Alabama
Monmouth
Montana

Conferece Tournament Recaps and Previews

2006-03-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

NEC Championship
UPSET ALERT Monmouth 49 Fairleigh Dickinson 48

Big Sky Championship
Montana 73 Northern Arizona 60

Atlantic 10 Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Wednesday's Games
Temple 79 Rhode Island 45
Richmond 37 Fordham 45
Dayton 55 St. Joe's 67
Xavier 75 UMass 66

Today's Games
#9 Temple vs. #1 George Washington
GW has to be careful here against a Temple team regaining their confidence. Don't be shocked to see the upset.

#5 St. Joe's vs. #4 St. Louis
#10 Xavier vs. #2 Charlotte
If Temple doesn't knock off GW, Charlotte will.
#6 Fordham vs. #3 LaSalle

ACC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Duke
Top Seed: Duke
Site: Greensboro, NC

Today's Games
#9 Clemson vs. #8 Miami FL
Winner gets Duke in the second round.
#12 Wake Forest vs. #5 Florida State
The Seminoles have to win this one to get in the dance, while Wake can provide some satisfaction to one of the most disappointing seasons by knocking FSU out.
#10 Virginia Tech vs. #7 Virginia
#11 Georgia Tech vs. #6 Maryland
Gary Williams delusionally believes his Terps are legit at-large contenders even with a loss to Tech. He has even gone as far as to call out Missouri State and state that his team could beat the Bears three out of three on a neutral site. Not only is Gary wrong about being in regardless of today, he would need a victory over Tech, a victory over BC in the second round, and a victory over UNC to reach the ACC finals, which would then, and only then, put the Terps in the dance.

Big 12 Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champions: Oklahoma State
Top Seed: Texas
Site: Dallas, TX

Today's Games
#11 Missouri vs. #6 Nebraska
#9 Kansas State vs. #8 Texas Tech
#12 Baylor vs. #5 Colorado
The Buffs are on the outside looking in right now. If they beat Baylor, it sets up a showdown with Texas A&M, which could decide who gets the Big 12's fourth bid, because both probably won't go.
#10 Iowa State vs. #7 Oklahoma State
The Cyclones have been a major disappointment this season.

Big East Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Wednesday's Games
Syracuse 74 Cincy 73
Louisville 56 Pitt 61
Notre Dame 63 Georgetown 67
UPSET ALERT Rutgers 61 Seton Hall 48

Today's Games
#9 Syracuse vs. #1 UConn
Win this one, and the Orange are in. If they lose, maybe we'll see Jim Boeheim go off another cussing tirade.
#5 Georgetown vs. #4 Marquette
When the Hoyas are spreading the court, they are the best passing team in the country. Look for them to beat the Eagles today.
#10 Rutgers vs. #2 Villanova
The Knights just don't have enough firepower outside of Douby to stay with the Cats.
#6 Pitt vs. #3 West Virginia
The Backyard Brawl part III could be the best game of the day.

Big Ten Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champions: Illinois
Top Seed: Ohio State
Site: Indianapolis, IN

Today's Games
#9 Northwestern vs. #8 Penn State
#10 Minnesota vs. #7 Michigan
A Michigan loss here would put them on a very precarious bubble situation. A win has them in for sure. However, expect the Wolverines to choke in this one.
#11 Purdue vs. #6 Michigan State
The Spartans should win this one, but who knows with this team. A loss would have them at 8-9 in conference play. If they weren't Michigan State, they would be on the bubble with a loss today.

Big West Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Wednesday's Games
UCSB 76 Riverside 44
Fullerton 73 Northridge 63

Today's Games
#6 Fullerton vs. #3 Long Beach State
Don't be surprised to see Jamaal and Bobby Brown pull off the upset in a high scoring and entertaining game.
#5 UCSB vs. #4 Cal Poly

Conference USA Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Wednesday's Games
SMU 61 Rice 59
UPSET ALERT So. Miss 66 Tulsa 61
Marshall 58 Tulane 64
East Carolina 52 Central Florida 65

Today's Games
#5 Central Florida vs. #4 Houston
Houston needs to win this one, and then beat Memphis to have their name mentioned as an at-large at this point.
#10 SMU vs. #2 UAB
The Blazers are the most likely to beat Memphis in the finals, but they can't look past the Mustangs.
#11 So. Miss. vs #3 UTEP
The Miners are without John Tofi, and have no chance at winning this tournament.
#8 Tulane vs. #1 Memphis
Memphis, in all reality, should win this tournament easily.

MAC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Today's Games
#7 Toledo vs. #2 Northern Illinois
#6 Western Michigan vs. #3 Akron
#8 Buffalo vs. #1 Kent State
#5 Ohio vs. #4 Miami OH
For more info see Hoops Junkie

MEAC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Wednesday's Games
Hampton 63 Morgan State 51
Howard 47 Delaware State 59
UPSET ALERT Norfolk State 79 Coppin State 67

Today's Games
#6 Hampton vs. #3 Bethune Cookman
#5 Florida A&M vs. #4 South Carolina State

MWC Tournament
Updated Bracket
#8 Colorado State vs. #1 San Diego State
The Aztecs are on the bubble, so it looks like however wins this tournament gets in and that's it. Although Air Force is in much better shape to receive an at-large bid if they reach the finals and lose to San Diego State. That's really the only way the MWC can receive two bids, although SD State is looking for leniancy on some early season stumbles because of injury problems.
#5 New Mexico vs. #4 UNLV
#7 Wyoming vs. #2 Air Force
#6 Utah vs. #3 BYU
BYU has slim at-large hopes.

Pac-10 Tournament
Updated Bracket
Recap of Wednesday's Games
Oregon State 71 Arizona State 68
Washington State 55 Oregon 66

Today's Games
#7 Oregon vs. #2 Washington
The Huskies are my pick to win this tournament.
#6 USC vs. #3 Cal
Ben Braun feels like his Bears have done enough to be in even with a loss to USC, but I don't think so. A loss today, and the Bears are out.
#5 Stanford vs. #4 Arizona
How will the suspension of Hassan Adams affect the Wildcats' at-large hopes. A loss today, and the Cats will be sweating come Sunday.
#9 Oregon State vs. #1 UCLA
UCLA should reach the finals versus Washington.

SEC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champions: Florida
Top Seed: LSU
Site: Nashville, TN

Today's Games
5E South Carolina vs. 4W Miss State
6W Ole Miss vs. 3E Kentucky
Kentucky has to win this one to feel safe on Sunday.
5W Auburn vs. 4E Vanderbilt
6E Georgia vs. 3W Arkansas

SLC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Today's Games
#6 Lamar vs. #1 Northwestern State
#4 SFA vs. #2 Sam Houston State

SWAC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champions: Alabama A&M
Top Seed: Southern
Site: Birmingham, AL

Today's Games
This tournament is wide open, with Southern, A&M, Grambling, Alabama State, and Jackson State all legit contenders.
#5 Jackson State vs. #4 Alabama State
#6 Miss. Valley State vs. #3 Grambling
Brion Rush has to be contained, or else the Delta Devils will have trouble pulling this one out.
#7 Ark-Pine Bluff vs. #2 Alabama A&M
Obbie Trotter and the Bulldogs are primed for a repeat performance.
#8 Alcorn State vs. #1 Southern
Alcorn is capable of knocking off the regular season champs.

WAC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champions: Nevada
Top Seed: Nevada
Site: Reno, NV
Nevada is red hot, and has an at-large spot locked up should they falter. Utah State is the WAC's only shot at two bids, and they need to reach the finals to have a legitimate hope of returning to the dance in their first year in the WAC.

Today's Games
#6 Boise State vs. #3 Louisiana Tech
Paul Millsap is unstoppable.
#7 San Jose State vs. #2 Utah State
Big game for the Aggies.
#5 New Mexico State vs. #4 Hawaii
Both are probable NIT teams.
#8 Idaho vs. #1 Nevada
The Vandals played Nick Fazekas and the Pack tough in their last game, but don't expect the upset.

Thursday's Trivia

2006-03-09T09:46:00.000-05:00

What was Mahmoud Abdul Rauf's name while at LSU?

Answer to Wednesday's trivia: Marko Lokar from Seton Hall set the single game Big East record for most points by a freshman with 41 against Pitt in 1989. The Italian pacifist had to eventually quit the team in 1991 after refusing to wear an American flag on his uniform during the Gulf War.

Wednesday's Top Performers

2006-03-09T09:41:00.000-05:00

1. Jordan Hasquet, Montana- On a night when Kevin Criswell and Andrew Straight combined for just 10 points, the Grizzlies were still able to win their second straight Big Sky championship, thanks in large part to Hasquet, who finished with 20 and 13.

2. Brandon Bowman, Georgetown- Bowman had a great floor game in the first round win over Notre Dame, finishing with 25 points and 6 rebounds, along with some stellar passes.

3. Quincy Douby, Rutgers- Douby and the Knights are still NIT bound, but they may have taken Seton Hall with them. I still think the Pirates are in, but they will definitely have to sweat it out until Sunday. Douby put up 18, 8, and 7, as Rutgers destroyed their in state rivals, despite playing for nothing and with a lame duck coach on the bench.

Wednesday's Bracket Projections

2006-03-08T10:20:00.000-05:00

I will be providing a daily projection every day leading up to Selection Sunday.

#1 Seeds
UConn
Duke
Villanova
Memphis

#2 Seeds
Ohio State
Illinois
Texas
UNC

#3 Seeds
Gonzaga
UCLA
George Washington
Tennessee

#4 Seeds
LSU
Boston College
Pitt
Washington

#5 Seeds
Iowa
Kansas
West Virginia
Florida

#6 Seeds
Nevada
Marquette
Wisconsin
Oklahoma

#7 Seeds
NC State
Michigan State
Indiana
Wichita State

#8 Seeds
Southern Illinois
Seton Hall
Arkansas
Georgetown

#9 Seeds
Cincy
Northern Iowa
Florida State
Michigan

#10 Seeds
UNC Wilmington
Cal
Bucknell
UAB

#11 Seeds
San Diego State
Bradley
Alabama
Arizona

#12 Seeds
Missouri State
Kentucky
Hofstra
Texas A&M

#13 Seeds
Kent State
Northwestern State
UW Milwaukee
South Alabama

#14 Seeds
Iona
Winthrop
Pacific
Penn

#15 Seeds
Murray State
Northern Arizona
Davidson
Oral Roberts

#16 Seeds
Albany
Fairleigh Dickinson
Delaware State
Belmont
Southern

Just Missed the Cut
Air Force
George Mason
Creighton
Colorado
Syracuse
BYU
Utah State
Maryland

Tickets Already Punched
NC Wilmington
Penn
Davidson
Murray State
Belmont
Iona
Gonzaga
Southern Illinois
Winthrop
Oral Roberts
UW-Milwaukee
South Alabama

Wednesday's Top Games to Watch

2006-03-08T09:41:00.000-05:00

Big Sky Championship
Montana @ Northern Arizona
This one could be a shootout, as the high scoring Lumberjacks take on the preseason favorite Montana Grizzlies. Let by Andrew Strait and Kevin Criswell, the Grizz can definitely score with NAU, but they need to contain Bazy's penetration and limit kickouts for open looks by Sir and Golob.

NEC Championship
Monmouth @ Fairleigh Dickinson
The Knights are the defending champs and have experienced starts with Gordon Klaiber and Chad Timberlake. Third seeded Monmouth is certainly capable of pulling off the upset, but don't expect it.

Atlantic 10 Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: George Washington
Top Seed: George Washington
Site: Cincy

This tournament isn't necessarily in the books already for GW. They have struggled to win lately, and should have lost the Charlotte game if not for Leemire Goldwire's flailing elbows. Without Brian Thornton, Xavier isn't a lagit contender. Watch out for Temple, Fordham, and Charlotte to make some noise, with Charlotte and Temple being the most likely to upset the Colonials.

#9 Temple @ #8 Rhode Island
#12 Dayton @ #5 St. Joe's
#10 Xavier @ #7 UMass
#11 Richmond @ #6 Fordham

Big East Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Syracuse
Top Seed: UConn
Site: New York, New York

Always one of the most entertaining tournaments, this year should be no different. Without mentioning the possibility of a potential third meeting in the finals between Nova and UConn, there are great matchups from start to finish. Syracuse has to beat Cincy and UConn to beat a legit at-large contender, while Georgetown could really see their seed take a beating with a first round loss to Notre Dame. Don't be shocked to see Louisville upset Pitt, I'm calling it here. Seton Hall is still in with a loss to Rutgers, but they would be advised not to if they want a single digit seed.

#9 Syracuse @ #8 Cincy
#12 Notre Dame @ #5 Georgetown
#10 Rutgers @ #7 Seton Hall
#11 Louisville @ #6 Pitt

Big West Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Pacific
Top Seed: Pacific
Site: Anaheim, CA

UC Irvine was undefeated for the first two months of the conference, and then faded badly, giving Pacific the top seed by two games. Christian Maraker and Johnnie Gray III should lead the Tigers to a repeat title. The sleeper team is Fullerton, lead by Jamaal and Bobby Brown.

#8 UC Riverside @ #5 UC Santa Barbara
#7 CS Northridge @ #6 CS Fullerton

Conference USA Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Louisville
Top Seed: Memphis
Site: Memphis, TN

Memphis should run away with this tournament, without having to rely on Darius Washington Jr. to hit free throws. Sleeper teams to watch: UAB isn't really a sleeper, but they could pull off the upset run, while Rice and high scoring Morris Almond could turn some heads.

#10 SMU @ #7 Rice
#11 So. Miss @ #6 Tulsa
#9 Marshall @ #8 Tulane
#12 E. Carolina @ #5 Cen. Florida

MEAC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Morgan State @ Hampton
Howard @ Delaware State
Norfolk State @ Coppin State

Pac-10 Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Washington
Top Seed: UCLA
Site: Los Angeles, CA

Hassan Adams won't be available for Arizona after being suspended for suspicion of DUI. It remains to be seen if this will affect the Cats NCAA at-large chances. UCLA has to be the favorite to win this, but Washington could easily repeat as champs. Sleeper team, look no further than Cal, who is looking to solidify their at-large resume.

#9 Oregon State vs. #8 Arizona State
#7 Oregon vs. #10 Washington State

Wednesday's Trivia

2006-03-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

Who holds the record for most points scored in a Big East game by a freshman? Why did this player eventually leave his school before graduating?

Answer to Tuesday's trivia: Kee Kee Clark, St. Peter's

Tuesday's Top Performers

2006-03-08T09:26:00.000-05:00

1. Karandick Ogunride, Norfolk State- Ogunride put up 18 and 16 as Norfolk State narrowly escaped UMES in first round MEAC play.

2. John Gardiner, Sam Houston State- Gardiner put up 18 and 13, but more importantly hit the game winning shot in double OT, as the Bearkats avoided the upset against UT-Arlington in the first round of SLC play.

3. Alan Daniels, Lamar- The high scoring guard led Lamar to an upset of defending SLC champs SE Louisiana by scoring a game high 26 points, including the last five of the ball game.

Recap of Tuesday's Games

2006-03-08T09:16:00.000-05:00

Mid Continent Championship
Oral Roberts 85 Chicago State 72

Sun Belt Championship
Western Kentucky 70 South Alabama 95

Horizon Championship
Butler 71 Wisconsin-Milwaukee 87

MEAC Tournament
Maryland-ES 71 Norfolk State 73
Howard 62 NC A&T 52

Big Sky Semifinals
Sacramento State 83 No. Arizona 98
Eastern Washington 71 Montana 73 OT

Southland Tournament
UT-Arlington 84 Sam Houston State 86 2OT
UTSA 61 Northwestern State 75
McNeese State 70 Stephen F. Austin 72
UPSET ALERT Lamar 68 SE Louisiana 65

MWC Tournament
TCU 60 Colorado State 64

Ivy
Penn 59 Princeton 60 OT

Tuesday's Bracket Projections

2006-03-07T09:49:00.000-05:00

I will be providing a daily projection every day leading up to Selection Sunday.

#1 Seeds
UConn
Duke
Villanova
Memphis

#2 Seeds
Ohio State
Illinois
Texas
UNC

#3 Seeds
Gonzaga
UCLA
George Washington
Tennessee

#4 Seeds
LSU
Boston College
Pitt
Washington

#5 Seeds
Iowa
Kansas
West Virginia
Florida

#6 Seeds
Nevada
Marquette
Wisconsin
Oklahoma

#7 Seeds
NC State
Michigan State
Indiana
Wichita State

#8 Seeds
Southern Illinois
Seton Hall
Arkansas
Georgetown

#9 Seeds
Cincy
Northern Iowa
Florida State
Michigan

#10 Seeds
UNC Wilmington
Cal
Bucknell
UAB

#11 Seeds
San Diego State
Bradley
Alabama
Arizona

#12 Seeds
Missouri State
Kentucky
Hofstra
Texas A&M

#13 Seeds
Western Kentucky
Kent State
Northwestern State
UW Milwaukee

#14 Seeds
Iona
Winthrop
Pacific
Penn

#15 Seeds
Murray State
Northern Arizona
Albany
Oral Roberts

#16 Seeds
Davidson
Fairleigh Dickinson
Delaware State
Belmont
Southern

Just Missed the Cut
Air Force
George Mason
Creighton
Colorado
Syracuse
BYU
Utah State
Maryland

Tickets Already Punched
NC Wilmington
Penn
Davidson
Murray State
Belmont
Iona
Gonzaga
Southern Illinois
Winthrop

Tuesday's Top Games to Watch

2006-03-07T09:28:00.000-05:00

MCC Finals
Chicago State @ Oral Roberts
Upset minded Chicago State will have to be near perfect to beat the formidable Caleb Green and the Golden Eagles of ORU.

Horizon Finals
Butler @ Wisconsin-Milwaukee
The one versus the two seed here. Butler has to be kicking themselves for losing to Detroit on the final day of the season. If they had won that game, they would be playing for a trip to the NCAAs at Hinkle. If Milwaukee loses, they have no chance at an at-large bid. Tigert, Davis, and Tucker have to be dominant for the Panthers, while Sheets, Polk, and Graves have to provide the punch for the Bulldogs. This could be a great game.

SBC Finals
South Alabama @ Western Kentucky
The Hilltoppers have been favored to win this all year long, and nothing has changed. Look for it to be close for much of the game, but Winchester and Lee should make it a somewhat comfortable victory.

MWC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Utah
Top Seed: San Diego State
Site: Denver, CO

There is a lot riding on this tournament, as San Diego State and Air Force, the top two seeds, are probable at-large teams. BYU, the three seed, is also in the discussion, but they have to reach the finals and play well to be considered realistically. A first round upset loss by any of these three teams will destroy their at-large hopes. Look for the methodical offense of the Falcons to ultimately come out on top over San Diego State in the finals, which would definitely allow two bids from the MWC.

#8 Colorado State vs. #9 TCU
This is the only first round meeting, with the winner getting top seeded SD State. Expect Jason Smith to be too much for the Frogs.

SLC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: SE Louisiana
Top Seed: Northwestern State
Site: At Higher Seed's home court

The Demons of Northwestern State should win this tourney, and I have them pegged as the 13 seed to beat a 4 seed in the NCAAs. Clifton Lee and all the fresh legs that NW State employs will be a style unseen by many of the BCS teams. Other contenders are Sam Houston State and defending champs SE LA. The first round match up of Lamar and SE LA will feature two the conference's top scorers in Alan Daniels and Ricky Woods, respectively.

#8 UT-SA @ #1 Northwestern State
#5 McNeese State @ #4 Stephen F. Austin
#6 Lamar @ #3 SE LA
#7 UT-Arlington @ #2 Sam Houston State

MEAC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Delaware State
Top Seed: Delaware State
Site: Raleigh, NC

Hornets guard Jahsa Bluntt, at 6-6, is an unrivaled talent in the MEAC, and he should be enough to carry Del State to a repeat run. Former dynasty Coppin State and South Carolina State are contenders to pull off the upset of the Hornets.

#10 UM-ES @ #7 Norfolk State
#11 Morgan State @ #6 Hampton
#9 Howard @ #8 NC A&T

Big Sky Semis
Updated Bracket
Eastern Washington @ Montana
Sac State @ N. Arizona

We should see Montana and No. Arizona in the finals.

Tuesday's Trivia

2006-03-07T09:27:00.000-05:00

Who is the Division I all-time leader in three point field goals made?

Answer to last trivia: Illinois State, 1998

Monday's Top Performers

2006-03-07T09:17:00.000-05:00

1. TJ Carter, UNC Wilmington- Carter almost singlehandedly has the Seahawks dancing again after his 23 and 13 performance in the CAA finals against Hofstra. There was a key stretch where Carter simply took over, scoring 12 points in a row.

2. Steve Burtt Jr, Iona- In a showdown of former Rice High standouts, Burtt was victorious over St. Peter's Kee Kee Clark. Burtt led the Gaels back to the NCAAs with a 28 point effort.

3. Anthony Winchester, Western Kentucky- Winchester and the Hilltoppers will be a team to fear in the first round of the NCAAs if they get past S. Alabama in the SBC finals tonight. In WKU's semifinal win over the Cajuns, Winchester poured in 33. With Winchester and Courtney Lee, WKU could be this year's UW-Milwaukee.

Recap of Monday's Games

2006-03-07T08:57:00.000-05:00

UNC Wilmington greatly improved their seed with the win over Hofstra. The question now is, does the CAA still have a shot at three bids? I think the answer is probably no, turning the question into, is the second bid Hofstra or George Mason? George Mason really hurt their chances with two losses to Hofstra in 10 days, and Tony Skinn has been suspended for one game for his crotch punch of Loren Stokes. That really might affect the Pats' chances. Right now, Hofstra is in, George Mason is out.
Texas A&M, Florida State, Syracuse, Colorado, and Air Force were watching the WCC title game with defibrillators handy, but Gonzaga pulled the game out, keeping those teams' bubbles intact. Iona easily handled Kee Kee Clark and St. Peter's in the MAAC title game. It's unfortunate that Kee Kee received about 1/100 of the fanfare JJ Redick received when he broke the three point record. Redick will probably gain the title back, but still, it would have been nice to see one of the greatest scorers in collegiate history get his due. In the MCC semis, IUPUI choked again and lost to 6 seed Chicago State. Oral Roberts appears set to do what they should have done last year and win the MCC's auto bid. The MAC tourney got underway with no surprises, while a much anticipated SBC final of S. Alabama and Western Kentucky is set.

CAA Championship
Hofstra 67 UNC Wilmington 78

MAAC Championship
Iona 80 St. Peter's 61

WCC Championship
Loyola MMY 67 Gonzaga 68

MAC Tournament
Ball State 72 Buffalo 80
C Michigan 53 Ohio 82
Bowling Green 52 Toledo 77
E Michigan 55 W Michigan 60

MCC Semis
Valpo 58 Oral Roberts 77
UPSET ALERT Chicago State 57 IUPUI 53

SBC Semis
Denver 68 South Alabama 75
UL Lafayette 72 Western Kentucky 80

Monday's Top Games to Watch

2006-03-06T20:23:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the abbreviated and belated posts, but I've been travelling recently, and have had limited access and time for computer use. Tuesday will resume with the usual previews, recaps, trivia, and top performers. But for now, here's a quick rundown of what to watch for today.

CAA Championship
Hofstra @ UNC Wilmington
Both might be in already, but a sleepless Saturday would surely follow for the loser.

WCC Championship
Loyola MMY @ Gonzaga

MAAC Championship
St. Peter's @ Iona

MAC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Ohio
Top Seed: Kent State
Site: Cleveland, OH

#8 Buffalo @ #4 Ball State
#5 Ohio @ #12 C. Michigan
#6 W Michigan @ # 11 E Michigan
#7 Toledo @ #10 Bowling Green

MCC Tournament
Updated Bracket

Oral Roberts @ Valpo
Chicago State @ UMKC

SBC Tournament
Updated Bracket
So. Alabama @ Denver
UL-Lafayette @ W. Kentucky

Updated NCAA Bracket Projections

2006-03-05T22:56:00.000-05:00

#1 Seeds
UConn
Duke
Villanova
Memphis

#2 Seeds
Ohio State
Illinois
Texas
UNC

#3 Seeds
Gonzaga
UCLA
George Washington
Tennessee

#4 Seeds
LSU
Boston College
Pitt
Washington

#5 Seeds
Iowa
Kansas
West Virginia
Florida

#6 Seeds
Nevada
Marquette
Wisconsin
Oklahoma

#7 Seeds
NC State
Michigan State
Indiana
Wichita State

#8 Seeds
Southern Illinois
Seton Hall
Arkansas
Georgetown

#9 Seeds
Cincy
Northern Iowa
Florida State
Michigan

#10 Seeds
George Mason
Cal
Bucknell
Bradley

#11 Seeds
San Diego State
Arizona
Alabama
Kentucky

#12 Seeds
Missouri State
NC Wilmington
Hofstra
UAB

#13 Seeds
Western Kentucky
Kent State
Northwestern State
UW Milwaukee

#14 Seeds
Iona
Winthrop
Pacific
Penn

#15 Seeds
Murray State
Northern Arizona
Albany
Oral Roberts

#16 Seeds
Davidson
Fairleigh Dickinson
Delaware State
Belmont
Southern

Just Missed the Cut
Texas A&M
Air Force
Creighton
Colorado
Syracuse
BYU
Utah State
Maryland

Sunday's Top Games to Watch

2006-03-05T14:45:00.000-05:00

America East Tournament
Updated Bracket
Vermont @ Binghamton
Hew Hampshire @ Albany

CAA Tournament
Updated Bracket
Northeastern @ UNC Wilmington
Hofstra @ George Mason

MAAC Tournament
Updated Bracket
St. Peter's @ Manhattan
Iona @ Marist

MCC Tournament
Updated Bracket
So. Utah @ Valpo
Chicago State @ UMKC

MVC Finals
Bracket
Bradley @ Southern Illinois

NEC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Monmouth @ CCSU
Robert Morris @ Fairleigh Dickinson

Patriot Tournament
Updated Bracket
American @ Bucknell
Lehigh @ Holy Cross

So Con Finals
Bracket
Chattanooga @ Davidson

Sun Belt Tournament
Updated Bracket
Troy @ UL Lafayette
UALR @ So Alabama
New Orleans @ Western Kentucky
Denver @ Mid Tenn State

WCC Tournament
Updated Bracket
San Diego @ Gonzaga
St. Mary's @ Loyola MMY

ACC
Florida State @ Miami FL
Maryland @ Virgina

Big East
Villanova @ Syracuse

Big 12
Oklahoma @ Texas

Big Ten
Purdue @ Ohio State

SEC
Florida @ Kentucky
Arkansas @ Georgia

Sunday's Trivia

2006-03-05T14:44:00.000-05:00

When is the last time the top seed won the MVC tournament? Who was the team?

Answer to Saturday's trivia: Southern Conference

Saturday's Top Performers

2006-03-05T14:41:00.000-05:00

1. Justin Hare, Belmont- Hare led the Bruins to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance by scoring 32 in the ASUN finals over top seeded Lipscomb.

2. Marcellus Sommerville, Bradley- Sommerville and the Braves clinched a likely at-large spot with their win over Wichita State in the MVC semifinals. Sommerville finished with 17 and 14.

3. Solomon Jones, South Florida- Jones put up 23 and 9 in the Bulls' first Big East win of the season, which came at the expense of Georgetown.

Recap of Saturday's Games

2006-03-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

America East Tournament
Maine 62 Binghamton 71
UPSET ALERT Boston 61 Vermont 64
Albany 79 UMBC 65
New Hampshire 66 Hartford 62

Atlantic Sun Championship
Lipscomb 69 Belmont 74 OT

Big East
West Virgina 75 Cincy 78
Louisville 80 UConn 84
UPSET ALERT Georgetown 56 So. Florida 63

ACC
UPSET ALERT UNC 83 Duke 76
VA Tech 57 BC 59
NC State 63 Wake Forest 76

Atlantic 10
Charlotte 85 GW 86 OT

Big Sky Tournament
Sac State 71 Montana State 70
Portland State 75 Eastern Washington 81

Big South Championship
Coastal Carolina 50 Winthrop 51

Big Ten
Wisconsin 44 Iowa 59
Indiana 69 Michigan 67
Illinois 75 Michigan State 68

Big 12
Texas A&M 75 TX Tech 59
Iowa State 82 Colorado 84

CAA Tournament
Delaware 56 NC Wilmington 69
NE 71 Old Dominion 63
George Mason 61 Georgia State 56 OT
Hofstra 72 VCU 66

Conference USA
Houston 62 Memphis 69

Horizon Tournament
UW Green Bay 51 Butler 73
Loyola Chicago 66 UW Milwaukee 80

MAAC Tournament
St. Peter's 63 Siena 62
Iona 80 Niagara 54
Canisius 62 Marist 68

MAC
Akron 67 Kent State 75

MCC Tournament
Oral Roberts 60 Western Illinois 53
Oakland 63 IUPUI 69

MVC Tournament
Wichita State 52 Bradley 60
Southern Illinois 55 No. Iowa 46 OT

OVC Championship
Murray State 74 Samford 57

Pac-10
Washington 70 Arizona 67
USC 60 Cal 71

SEC
Alabama 58 Mississippi State 71
Tennessee 68 Vandy 59

So Con Tournament
Chattanooga 78 App. State 75
Elon 58 Davidson 65

WCC Tournament
San Diego 62 San Francisco 59
Santa Clara 72 St. Mary's 76 OT

Saturday's Top Games to Watch

2006-03-04T13:08:00.000-05:00

Atlantic Sun Finals
#2 Belmont vs. #1 Lipscomb
The two top seeds and Nashville rivals square off for the ASun title and a trip to the NCAA tournament. The two schools are located just three miles apart. It should be a serious battle.

Big South Finals
#2 Coastal Carolina vs. #1 Winthrop
Winthrop lost three conference games this year, and two were to Buzz Peterson's Chanticleers. This should be a great game to see if Torrell Martin and the Eagles have figured out how to stop the Chants' high powered offense.

OVC Finals
#2 Samford vs. #1 Murray State
The Racers take on Samford in the OVC finals, in what should be another great conference final. Murray State has been here before, so expect their experience to prevail over the Merritt's grit. Hopefully for Samford, Peterson and Gulina are availabe.

America East Tournament
Updated Bracket
#8 UMBC @ #1 Albany
UMBC absolutely shot the lights out in the second half against Stony Brook, as they went 18-21. Don't expect the same type of performance against the Wilson's and top seeded Albany.

#4 Hartford @ #5 New Hampshire
Expect do-everything forward Kenny Adeleke to lead Hartford to the win.

#3 Boston @ #6 Vermont
The defending champs will have a tough time with a proud Boston team.

#2 Binghamton @ #7 Maine
Maine could pull off the upset here.

Big Sky Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Montana
Top Seed: Northern Arizona
Site: Flagstaff, Arizona

#4 Montana State @ #5 Sacramento State
The Hornets have struggled lately. Expect MT State to advance.

#3 Eastern Washington @ #6 Portland State
Last year's top seed is looking for revenge. Expect an the Vikings to upset Stuckey and EWU.

CAA Tournament
Updated Bracket
Delaware @ UNC Wilmington
Top seeded Wilmington only has to shut down Harding Nana to advance. The Seahawks probably need to reach the conference finals to feel safe about an at-large bid.

Northeastern @ Old Dominion
The Monarchs are probably feeling disrespected at this point, so don't be surprised to see them win this whole thing again. Of course slowing down the Huskies and Barea and Shawn James is easier said than done.

Georgia State @ George Mason
George Mason probably just needs this win to feel safe about an at-large spot.

VCU @ Hofstra
Hofstra is right on the bubble, and if they can reach the conference finals, they might have a good shot, but they would be better advised to win the tournament. Hopefully for the Pride's sake, Loren Stokes' ankle is ready to go.

Horizon Tournament
Updated Bracket
Wisconsin Green Bay @ Butler
Loyola Chicago @ UW Milwaukee
Both the top seeds should advance to the finals, but Green Bay is the most likely to pull the upset off.

MAAC
Updated Bracket
St. Peter's @ Siena
Kee Kee Clark passed Oscar Robertson on the alltime scoring list last night, so expect him to be playing with confidence against a tough Saints team.

Niagara @ Iona
Second seeded Iona has been something of an enigma this season, losing crucial games at crucial times. Burtt and Solliver need to take control of this team and lead them to the semifinals.

Canisius @ Marist
The Red Foxes have the talent with Jordan, Smith, and Stilphen to win this whole thing. The Golden Griffins are coming off a buzzer beating win last night against Loyola.

Mid Continent Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Oakland
Top Seed: Oral Roberts
Site: Tulsa, OK

Western Illinois @ Oral Roberts
ORU snuck into the top seed in the last days of the season, and it should be beneficial. With a healthy Ken Tutt and the dominant Caleb Green, the Eagles should do what they couldn't do last year, win the MCC tourney.

Oakland @ IUPUI
IUPUI blew a one seed, and now they have to play at Tulsa as a result. The defending champs won't go down easy, but they don't have Rawle Marshall anymore.

MVC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Wichita State @ Bradley
Both teams are probably in right now, but the Braves would be feeling much better with a win. MVC POY Paul Miller vs Patrick O'Bryant should be a great match up.

Southern Illinois @ Northern Iowa
Both teams got neccessary wins yesterday, so both are probably in at this point. Southern won at home on a last second Jamal Tatum shot in the last regular season game of the year.

Southern Conference Tournament
Updated Bracket
Chattanooga @ App State
ASU is hoping the magic continues against the defending champions.

Elon @ Davidson
Davidson is looking like the team to beat now with GA Southern out.

WCC Tournament
Updated Bracket
San Diego @ San Francisco
The Dons have been playing solid ball lately and should get by San Diego.

Santa Clara @ St. Mary's
It was a very physical game the last time these two played. Expect Niesen to come out with unmatched fire.

Atlantic 10
Charlotte @ George Washington
Without Bonsu, Curtis Withers and Nance might be able to take advantage and give the Colonials their first conference loss.

St. Louis @ LaSalle
A big seeding game for the A10 tourney.

ACC
Virginia Tech @ BC
BC is still playing for the two seed.

NC State @ Wake Forest
NC State is looking to get off the schnide against a Deacs team that has checked out on Skip Prosser.

UNC @ Duke
The rematch of a great game and a great rivalry. Cameron should be insane tonight, as usual. UNC is holding on to the second seed, while Duke is looking to avoid two straight losses after the FSU game.

Big 12
Iowa State @ Colorado
A must win for the Buffs, after they saw TAMU probably steal their at large spot.

Texas A&M @ Texas Tech
The Aggies can't rest on the Texas win.

Kansas @ Kansas State
The Jayhawks are looking to avenge the Cats' win at Lawrence.

Big East
West Virginia @ Cincy
A big game for Cincy, who is clinging to an at large spot.

Providence @ Marquette
With the Pitt loss, Marquette could be the fifth seed with a win today.

Big Ten
Illinois @ Michigan State
Michigan State needs to prove themselves today against the Illini. The Spartans are perhaps the most overrated team in the country, and with another home loss, they should probably be an 8 or 9 seed in the NCAAs.

Indiana @ Michigan
Indiana has finally got it going again with a three game win streak. A win today and a win over Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten tournament will seal the deal. A loss today and a first round win still probably has the Hoosiers in.

Wisconsin @ Iowa
A big game for both teams seeding wise for the NCAAs and Big Ten tournament. Expect Brunner, Haluska, and Horner to have big games on senior day.

CUSA
Marshall @ UAB
Like Texas A&M, the Blazers can't rest after the Memphis win. They still have work to do.

Houston @ Memphis
Memphis is looking to recover after the UAB loss. A Cougar win will have some folks talking at-large.

MAC
Northern Illinois @ Western Michigan
Kent State @ Akron
Both games are important battles for the top spot in the East and West divisions respectively.

MWC
Air Force @ Colorado State
The Falcons are probably sweating a bit after big wins from Florida State, UAB, and Texas A&M.

New Mexico @ BYU
The Cougars still have at-large aspirations, but it's tough to see three teams from the MWC going to the dance.

Pac-10
UCLA @ Stanford
The Bruins have clinched at least a share of the Pac 10 title, and are looking at a three seed right now for the NCAAs.

Washington @ Arizona
The first meeting was a double OT thriller. Look for Brandon Roy to be huge again today. Zona has probably locked up their at-large spot.

USC @ Cal
Cal really can't afford to lose this one at home. They have really played themselves into a corner.

SEC
Tennessee @ Vanderbilt
Tennessee has lost two straight, and have probably played themselves out of a two seed and maybe the top seed in the SEC tourney. Vandy still has slim at large hopes.

Ole Miss @ LSU
Tyrus Thomas probably won't play in this one, but the Tigers should still win easily.

Alabama @ Miss State
The Tide still have to win this one. They certainly aren't a lock quite yet.

WAC
LA Tech @ Hawaii
A big battle for WAC seeding. Paul Millsap vs Julian Sensley will be a great match up.

Saturday's Trivia

2006-03-04T13:06:00.000-05:00

What conference has the oldest conference tournament in DI?

Answer to Friday's trivia: South Florida of the Big East is the only team without a conference win.

Friday's Top Performers

2006-03-04T13:01:00.000-05:00

1. Jeremy Clayton, Appalachian State- Clayton has been huge in the SoCon tourney. First, he hit the game winning shot in App State's first round game against Wofford, and last night he put up 16 and 14 as ASU knocked off top seeded Georgia Southern to advance to the semifinals tonight against defending champs UT Chattanooga.

2. Grant Stout, Northern Iowa- Stout and the Panthers probably re-sealed an at-large bid with their win over Missouri State in MVC tourney play last night. Stout put up 16 and 10.

3. Cedric Jackson and Boo Ramsey, Troy- Led by Jackson and Ramsey's combined 54 points, Troy scored 107 total points as they defeated Arkansas State in first round SBC play. Troy also set a season high for three's in a game with 23.

Recap of Friday's Games

2006-03-04T11:36:00.000-05:00

America East Tournament
Stony Brook 70 UMBC 88

Atlantic Sun Semifinals
Lipscomb 70 Gardner Webb 51
Belmont 72 Stetson 59

CAA Tournament
Delaware 52 Drexel 49
VCU 62 William & Mary 59
Northeastern 74 James Madison 56
Georgia State 72 Towson 64

Horizon Tournament
Illinois-Chicago 66 UW-Green Bay 76
Detroit 55 Loyola-Chicago 64

MAAC Tournament
Rider 51 St. Peter's 80
Fairfield 77 Niagara 84
Canisius 74 Loyola MD 72

MVC Tournament
Indiana State 63 Wichita State 81
Bradley 54 Creighton 47
Evansville 55 Southern Illinois 71
Northern Iowa 57 Missouri State 42

OVC Semifinals
Jacksonville State 64 Murray State 69
Tenn Tech 66 Samford 73

Patriot League Tournament
Lafayette 62 American 75
Colgate 44 Lehigh 48
Bucknell 59 Army 47
Navy 50 Holy Cross 78

Southern Conference Tournament
Chattanooga 65 C of C 63
UPSET ALERT Appalachian State 74 GA Southern 61
UNC Greensboro 61 Elon 64
The Citadel 73 Davidson 79

Sun Belt Tournament
Florida International 56 New Orleans 76
North Texas 55 Ark-LR 72
Troy 107 Arkansas State 83

WCC Tournament
Pepperdine 72 San Diego 85
Portland 68 Santa Clara 72

Big East
UPSET ALERT Seton Hall 65 Pitt 61

Friday's Top Games to Watch

2006-03-03T12:23:00.000-05:00

America East Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Vermont
Top Seed: Albany
Site: Vestal, New York

#8 Maryland-Baltimore County @ #9 Stony Brook
This is the only first round matchup in the Am East Tourney, with the winner to face top seeded Albany. Stony Brook was a bit of a disappointment in conference play, and they'll have to keep Zito off the boards if they want to win this one.

Atlantic Sun Tournament Semifinals
Updated Bracket

Gardner Webb @ Lipscomb
Gardner Webb needed a great last second basket on an inbounds play to get past ETSU and conference player of the year Tim Smith. Lipscomb outran Mercer in their first round game. This should be a close one, but Lipscomb will probably pull away and earn a berth in the championship game.

Stetson @ Belmont
Belmont turned it on in the second half against Campbell, while the Hatters pulled off the upset against Florida Atlantic. Expect Belmont to run away with this one and face top seeded Lipscomb in the finals.

CAA Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Old Dominion
Top Seed: UNC Wilmington
Site: Richmond, VA

#8 Drexel @ #9 Delaware
Drexel really showed some promise early in the season, but struggled for long stretches in the grueling CAA regular season schedule. Delaware is led by double double machine Harding Nana. This is a tough first round match up for Bruiser Flint's squad.

#5 Northeastern @ #12 James Madison
Last place JMU will have their hands full trying to stop Jose Juan Barea and Huskies.

#6 VCU @ #11 William & Mary
If the Rams could have held on to a few leads against top seeds George Mason and Wilmington, they probably would have been a top 4 seed. Instead, they're a sixth seed and have to play Hofstra if and when they get past W&M. Nick George and BA Walker are more than capable of carrying this team to a surprise run.

#7 Towson @ #10 Georgia State
Without Gary Neal, the Terriers will struggle to beat GA State.

Horizon Quarterfinals
Updated Bracket

#5 Detroit @ #4 Loyola Chicago
Detroit blew by Cleveland State in the first round, and Loyola was led by a strong performance by Blake Schilb. This should be a close game, with the winner getting Milwaukee in the semifinals tomorrow. Shutting down Schilb is a neccessity, while the Ramblers will struggle to control both Cotton and Goode.

#6 Illinois-Chicago @ #3 UW-Green Bay
Bowen and Jeffers could lead the Flames past a very young Phoenix team to face Butler in the semifinals.

MAAC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion:Niagra
Top Seed: Manhattan
Site: Albany, NY

#5 St. Peter's @ #10 Rider
Kee Kee Clark and the Peacocks can easily reach the semifinals with a win over Rider and a second round win over Siena.

#7 Niagra @ #8 Fairfield
Niagra is without top scorer and leader Charron Fisher, while the Stags are led by the explosive Terrence Todd. Look for the Stags to advance fairly easily against the defending champs.

#6 Loyola-MD @ #9 Canisius
The Golden Griffins will to stop Andre Collins to have a shot at advancing and facing third seeded Marist.

MVC Tourney
Updated Bracket

#9 Indiana State @ #1 Wichita State
The Sycamores scored only 10 points in the first half against Drake, and still won. They are capable of shocking the Shockers, but they need to be able to at least partially contain Paul Miller, while the Schnitker and Moss have to dominate the perimeter.

#4 Creighton @ #5 Bradley
Bradley has really played themselves into being the 6th MVC team to gain an at-large bid, and they could really help themselves with a win tonight. Patrick O'Bryant and the Braves have been destroying their opponents as of late, and I consider them the team to beat in this tournament. Creighton is probably still in the dance with a loss, but they would feel a lot more comfortable with a win.

#3 Missouri State @ #6 Northern Iowa
Just a few weeks ago, these seeds would have been reversed, but the Panthers have not played well at all down the stretch. In fact, their poor play has landed them on the bubble. The loser of this game will really be sweating come selection Sunday, although it would be difficult to leave either of these teams out at this point.

#2 Southern Illinois @ #7 Evansville
The Salukis, despite poor play down the stretch, secured the second seed in the MVC. They haven't missed the dance since 2001, but they could be in real trouble with another loss to Evansville.

OVC Semifinals
Updated Bracket

#1 Murray State @ #4 Jacksonville State
Jax State beat the defending champions Eastern Kentucky, but they probably won't score an upset against the top seeded Racers, who have been here before.

#3 Tennessee Tech @ #2 Samford
Samford should run away with this in the second half behind the play of J. Robert Merritt. If Samford should win, they are capable of beating Murray State.

Patriot League Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Bucknell
Top Seed: Bucknell
Site: Lewisburg, PA and Worcester, MA

#8 Army @ #1 Bucknell
No way the Bison lose this game.

#5 Lafayette @ #4 American
The winner gets to play Bucknell in the second round. Look for American to win this game.

#6 Colgate @ #3 Lehigh
This is the most likely candidate for a first round upset.

#7 Navy @ #2 Holy Cross
Holy Cross should advance to finals against Bucknell.

Southern Conference Quarterfinals
Updated Bracket

#8 Appalachian State @ #1 Georgia Southern
App State won on a buzzer beater against Wofford, and could have enough confidence to upset Elton Nesbitt and top seeded GA Southern.

#5 Chattanooga @ #4 Charleston
Dontaye Draper and C of C could easily handle GA Southern in the semifinals, but they have to get past the Mockingbirds first.

#11 The Citadel @ #3 Davidson
The Citadel scored the biggest upset of all the conference tourneys so far with just their second win of the season against SoCon opponents when they beat Furman. Davidson, as the three seed, is still considered by many the team to beat, but they have been known to choke in the big games. That being said, expect them to easily handle The Citadel tonight.

#10 UNC-Greensboro @ #2 Elon
Chalko will need to hit some big shots, or else Greensboro could win this one behind another strong performance from Kyle Hines.

Sun Belt Conference Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: UL-Lafayette
Top Seed: Western Kentucky (East) and South Alabama (West)
Site: Murfreeboro, TN

4E Arkansas Little Rock @ 5W No. Texas
The winner gets top seeded So. Alabama.

3E Arkansas State @ 6W Troy
The winner gets defending champion Lafayette.

4W New Orleans @ 5E Florida International
Led by Ivan Almonte, FIU can beat a Bo McCalebb-less New Orleans team, who still managed to finish 4th in the West.

West Coast Conference Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Gonzaga
Top Seed: Gonzaga
Site: Spokane, Washington

#5 San Diego @ #8 Pepperdine
The Waves have been playing better as of late.

#6 Santa Clara @ #7 Portland
Pooh Jeter and the Pilots can be tough to beat when they play their game. Santa Clara is an inconsistent team who is capable of making a run to the finals.

Big East
Seton Hall @ Pitt
Seton Hall's loss at DePaul doesn't look so bad after the Blue Demons demolished Syracuse last night. If the Pirates keep it close in a loss, it shouldn't hurt them too bad in the eyes of the selection committee.

Friday's Trivia

2006-03-03T12:21:00.000-05:00

Who is the only DI team without a win in their respective conference?

Answer to Wednesday's trivia: Phil Ford

Thursday's Top Performers

2006-03-03T12:15:00.000-05:00

1. Kyle Hines, UNC Greensboro- Hines put up 26 and 10 as Greensboro upset Western Carolina in the first round of the SoCon tourney, a team that had beat them in both regular season meetings.

2. Aaron Afflalo, UCLA- Afflalo scored 25 and snared 7 boards as UCLA clinched at least a share of the Pac-10 title.

3. David Moss, Indiana State- The Sycamores scored just 10 points, that's right 10 points, in the first half, and still beat Drake in the first round of the MVC tourney. Moss led the resurgent Sycamores with 24 points. ISU is capable of upsetting Wichita State tonight in the second round.

Recap of Thursday's Games

2006-03-03T12:03:00.000-05:00

Atlantic Sun Tournament
Gardner-Webb 64 East Tennessee State 63
Mercer 62 Lipscomb 78
Campbell 76 Belmont 90
UPSET ALERT Stetson 54 Florida Atlantic 44

Big South Tournament
Updated Bracket
High Point 65 Winthrop 77
Charleston Southern 67 Coastal Carolina 73

MVC Tournament
Indiana State 72 Drake 63
Illinois State 45 Evansville 52

NEC Tournament
Updated Bracket
Quinnipiac 65 Fairleigh Dickinson 66
Sacred Heart 68 Central Conn. State 86
Robert Morris 67 Mt. St. Mary's 66
LIU-Brooklyn 63 Monmouth 74 OT

Southern Conference Tournament
Wofford 65 Appalachian State 66
UNC Greensboro 69 Western Carolina 68
UPSET ALERT The Citadel 65 Furman 53

Big East
Syracuse 69 DePaul 108

Big Ten
Wisconsin 65 Michigan State 74

CUSA
UPSET ALERT Memphis 74 UAB 80

Pac-10
UCLA 67 Cal 58 OT

Thursday's Top Games to Watch

2006-03-02T09:04:00.000-05:00

More conference tourneys get under way today, with the Atlantic Sun, So Con, NEC, and the mother of all midmajor conference tournaments, the Missouri Valley, set to begin first round play. The Big South continues as well with semifinal play.

Atlantic Sun Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Central Florida (now in CUSA)
Top Seed: Lipscomb
Site: Johnson City, TN

#8 Mercer @ #1 Lipscomb
The final ASUN standings were as bunched at the top as any conference in the country, but Lipscomb prevailed as the top seed. Led by Brian Fisk and Eddie Ard, the Bisons are the team to beat. Mercer has a chance with 6-10 Will Emerson patrolling the paint.

#7 Campbell @ #2 Belmont
Both of these teams can score points, but with Justin Hare, the Bruins can probably score just a few more. This could be the most entertaining game of the tournament.

#5 East Tennessee State @ #4 Gardner Webb
The Runnin Bulldogs started the season on fire with some big wins, including at Minnesota. They then hit a rough stretch, but have recently regrouped and finished the season strong. They are one of five teams with a legitimate shot at winning this tournament. ETSU also is a valid contender if just because of Tim Smith, who has the experience and skills to put the Bucs on his back and carry them to another NCAA berth like he did two years ago.

#6 Stetson @ #3 Florida Atlantic
Matt Doherty did a tremendous job with the Owls, who have been led by Rodney Webb's hot play recently.

Predictions: Lipscomb, Belmont, G-W, FAU

Big South Tournament
Updated Bracket
Semifinals
#5 High Point @ #1 Winthrop
High Point was able to withstand Whit Holcomb Faye and Radford, but they won't be able to stop the variety of options and experience of the Eagles.

#6 Charleston Southern @ #2 Coastal Carolina
The Chanticleers should roll to the semifinals to face Winthrop for the third time, and hopefully for Buzz Peterson, beat them for the third time.

Predictions: Winthrop and Coastal Carolina

MVC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Creighton
Top Seed: Wichita State
Site: St. Louis

#9 Indiana State @ #8 Drake
The Sycamores are capable of beating any team in the league, as evidenced by wins over Northern Iowa and at Southern Illinois. However, if David Moss is shutdown, they struggle to find other scoring options. Drake is a tough matchup for the Sycamores in the first round because of their ability to defend the perimeter, which is ISU's strength with Schnitker and Moss.

#10 Illinois State @ #7 Evansville
Evansville is filled with confidence after winning over Southern Illinois and Indiana State. Look for them to easily handle Illinois State.

Predictions: ISU and Evansville

NEC Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Fairleigh Dickinson
Top Seed: Fairleigh Dickinson
Site: At Higher Seed's Home Court

#8 Quinnipiac @ #1 Fairleigh Dickinson
The Knights should repeat as champions, but they might have put it into cruise control too early, as they stumbled a bit down the stretch and had to beat Monmouth to secure the one seed. Gordon Klaiber and Chad Timberlake should have this team ready to go.

#5 Robert Morris @ #4 Mt. St. Mary's
Robert Morris started the season strong, but faltered down the stretch. Mt. St. Mary's should win this one after a surprisingly strong conference season.

#6 Long Island @ #3 Monmouth
Overall, Monmouth is probably the second best team in the conference and should reach the final against FDU.

#7 Sacred Heart @ #2 Central Connecticut State
Kibwe Trim can take over games for the Pioneers, and CCSU is weak in the paint. Look for a potential first round upset here.

Predictions: FDU, MSM, Monmouth, and SH

Southern Conference Tournament
Bracket
Defending Champion: Chattanooga
Top Seed: Georgia Southern
Site: North Charleston, SC

#9 Wofford @ #8 Appalachian State
With Davidson being the three seed, this tournament is wide open. Wofford and App State are both capable of beating top seeded Georgia Southern in the second round.

#10 UNC Greensboro @ #7 Western Carolina
The Catamounts struggled down the stretch, but should be able to handle Greensboro.

#11 The Citadel @ #6 Furman
Furman is a dangerous team as the sixth seed, and could very well knock off Davidson in the second round.

Predictions: Wofford, WC, Furman

Big East
Syracuse @ DePaul
The Cuse can't look past DePaul on the road. Just ask Seton Hall.

Prediction: Cuse by 3

Big Ten
Wisconsin @ Michigan State
The Spartans need to prove that they're not the most overrated team in the country. Wisconsin is looking to remain at five losses and keep their slim regular season co-title hopes alive.

Prediction: Michigan State by 4

CUSA
Memphis @ UAB
This is UAB's chance to earn an invite into the Big Dance. A win tonight secure's an NCAA beth, it's that simple. A loss, and the Blazers might be out, especially with the resurgent Hoosiers back in the picture and Florida State seemingly stamping their ticket last night as well.

Prediction: Memphis by 8

Pac-10
UCLA @ Cal
UCLA is looking to control the Pac-10 and solidify themselves as the team to beat in the conference tournament. Cal is looking for another big win for a weakening NCAA resume.

Prediction: UCLA by 4

WAC
Fresno State @ Utah State
The Aggies probably conrolled their own destiny in terms of an NCAA berth, with most believing they had an easy road to an at-large bid. Simply put, they choked, and now they probably have to win out and reach in WAC finals to even have a chance.

Prediction: USU by 11

Wednesday's Top Performers

2006-03-02T08:59:00.000-05:00

1. Joakim Noah, Florida- Noah, the son of former French tennis star Yannick Noah, put up 37 and 11 as the Gators got back on the winning track with an 11 point victory over Georgia at home.

2. Al Thornton and Alexander Johnson, Florida State- My pre-game preview for FSU/Duke said that Thornton and Johnson had to be big for the Seminoles to get a big win that could parlay itself into an NCAA invite. They were and the Seminoles won in another wild game with the Dukies. Thornton and Johnson combined for 48 points and 19 rebounds.

3. Akin Akingbala, Clemson- The Tiger bigman put up 21 and 16 in a five point win over Virginia Tech.

Recap of Wednesday's Games

2006-03-02T08:49:00.000-05:00

ACC
UPSET ALERT Duke 74 Florida State 79
Virginia 54 UNC 99
Miami FL 61 Maryland 65

Big 12
Texas 43 Texas A&M 46
Colorado 54 Kansas 75

Big East
Marquette 60 Louisville 67 OT

Big Ten
Ohio State 56 Northwestern 53
Penn State 38 Iowa 65
Indiana 70 Purdue 59

MAC
Akron 71 Buffalo 83

MWC
Colorado State 64 BYU 77
Wyoming 72 San Diego State 91

SEC
UPSET ALERT Kentucky 80 Tennessee 78
Auburn 61 Alabama 71
Mississippi State 70 Arkansas 80
Vanderbilt 77 Ole Miss 62

Wednesday's Top Games to Watch

2006-03-01T10:31:00.000-05:00

ACC
Duke @ Florida State
FSU has to win this one to get an at-large bid. It's possible, considering the wild one that had at Cameron. Al Thornton and Alexander Johnson have to be dominant. Look for JJ Redick to break out of his two game slump now that he has the ACC scoring record.

Miami FL @ Maryland
An elimination game for two bubble teams, if they both weren't eliminated already.

Virginia @ North Carolina
UNC is going to have trouble holding on to that two seed with the Duke game coming up and BC winning last night and having Virginia Tech in their finale. A win by UNC tonight is a must for seeding purposes in both tourneys.

Predictions: Duke by 5, Maryland by 4, UNC by 12

Big 12
Texas @ Texas A&M
This is an NCAA bid game for the Aggies. They must win this one to prove they belong in the field of 65, because right now they're probably the 66th-68th team.

Colorado @ Kansas
Same deal for the Buffs as for A&M. Colorado needs a big road win, and this is their chance. Colorado is probably in a better position than A&M right now, so if they both happen to pull off the upset, Colorado is likely to be the fourth and final Big 12 team in the dance. However, if just one wins, that team is likely to be the final Big 12 team. Colorado was demolished at home in the first meeting.

Predictions: Texas by 8, Kansas by 7

Big East
Marquette @ Louisville
Marquette can afford a loss tonight after winning against Georgetown and Pitt, but a loss would be detrimental to both their seeds. Louisville is officially playing for the NIT.

St. John's @ Villanova
Nova has to bounce back from the UConn loss. Luckily, they got St. John's to do it against.

Prediction: Marquette by 6, Nova by 12

Big Ten
Ohio State @ Northwestern
Ohio State can clinch a share of the Big Ten title tonight with a win at Northwestern. NW has been playing well at home, and played the Buckeyes close at Columbus, so they have confidence that they can beat this team. It should be a close one, but look for Dials to again be the difference maker. Ohio State is a solid two seed right now.

Indiana @ Purdue
An absolute must win for the Hoosiers, who have some confidence back after two straight wins. A loss tonight probably sends them to the NIT, while a win takes the pressure off the Michigan game, because they'll be 8-7, and probably in the NCAAs, which makes a loss at Michigan not detrimental.

Penn State @ Iowa
Iowa has to win to keep pace with Ohio State and Illinois. Iowa has dropped two straight since the Steve Alford to Indiana talk began.

Predictions: Ohio State by 4, Indiana by 5, Iowa by 10

MAC
Akron @ Buffalo
Kent State has already clinched a share of the MAC title, so the Zips are just trying to keep pace. Buffalo would like to finish a disappointing season on a high note.

Prediction: Akron by 9

MWC
Colorado State @ BYU
BYU has silently climbed on to the bubble. They basically would have to reach the championship game of the MWC tourney, while winning every game before that, to even have a chance. That being said, it's an entirely possible scenario.

Wyoming @ San Diego State
The Tecs have clinched a share of the title, but surely Heath and Slaughter want the whole thing. SD State is also playing for an at-large spot, and a loss to Wyoming at home would not look good.

Predictions: BYU by 9, SD State by 11

SEC
Georgia @ Florida
Florida is trying to get off the schnide against a capable Georgia team. The Gators' NCAA seed has really taken a beating.

Vanderbilt @ Ole Miss
The Comms have the slimmest of hopes for an at-large spot, but it still can be done. They have to win out and reach the SEC title game, and they're in.

Auburn @ Alabama
The Tide can't afford a letdown loss to their rivals after a big win against Florida.

Kentucky @ Tennessee
Kentucky is still looking for a trademark win, while Tennessee is desperately battling LSU for the top overall seed in the SEC tourney. Kentucky hasn't sealed an at-large spot, and a blowout loss here would hurt.

Mississippi State @ Arkansas
The Hogs are in the same boat as Alabama. They're solidly in at this point, but they can't afford a letdown loss at home to an inferior team.

Predictions: Florida by 8, Vandy by 7, Bama by 14, Tenn by 6, Ark by 16

Wednesday's Trivia

2006-03-01T10:26:00.000-05:00

Who is the player shooting the layup?

Answer to Tuesday's trivia: Elgin Baylor transferred from the College of Idaho to Seattle.

Tuesday's Top Performers

2006-03-01T10:22:00.000-05:00

1. Walker Russell, Jacksonville State- Russell had his biggest game in J-Ville State's biggest game. Russell put up a triple double (21, 11, and 11) as they dethroned defending champs Eastern Kentucky in the first round of the OVC tournament.

2. Donald Copeland, Seton Hall- Copeland put up 28 on Senior Night as the Pirates got a huge win over Cincy, a win that probably put them back in the NCAA field.

3. Blake Schilb, Loyola Chicago- Schilb led the Ramblers to a first round Horizon win over Youngstown State with a 23, 6, and 4 effort.

Recap of Tuesday's Games

2006-03-01T10:08:00.000-05:00

Big South Tournament
Updated Bracket
UNC Asheville 62 Coastal Carolina 78
Liberty 52 Winthrop 93
High Point 87 Radford 84
UPSET ALERT Charleston Southern 97 Birmingham Southern 76

Horizon League Tournament
Update Bracket
Cleveland State 58 Detroit 92
Wright State 64 Illinois Chicago 77
Youngstown State 61 Loyola Chicago 76

Ohio Valley Tournament
Updated Bracket
Eastern Kentucky 59 Jacksonville State 86
Tennessee Martin 52 Murray State 65
Tennessee State 67 Samford 78
Austin Peay 74 Tennessee Tech 78

ACC
Wake Forest 65 BC 80

Big East
Cincy 62 Seton Hall 72

Big Ten
Illinois 71 Minnesota 65

MAC
Ohio 58 Kent State 78

SEC
LSU 64 South Carolina 61

Tuesday's Top Games to Watch

2006-02-28T10:54:00.000-05:00

Three conference tournaments begin today, the Big South, the Horizon, and the Ohio Valley. Ultimate College Hoops will provide you with previews of every game of every conference tournament. So let's start with the Big South.

Big South
Bracket
Defending Champion: Winthrop
Top Seed: Winthrop
Site: Played at Higher Seed's home court

#8 Libery @ #1 Winthrop
The Eagles didn't have as easy a road to the number one seed as they thought they would have, but they earned it nonetheless with a win over Birmingham Southern Saturday. Liberty, led by Larry Blair, upset Winthrop just over a week ago, but the Eagles were coming off a double OT win over N. Illinois in BracketBuster play. Don't expect another upset.

#5 High Point @ #4 Radford
This one is a toss up, but I give the edge to Radford because of the explosive Whit HOlcomb-Faye.

#6 Charleston Southern @ #3 Birmingham Southern
The Panthers surprised some folks with their play this season, and should easily get past Charl So.

#7 UNC-Asheville @ #2 Coastal Carolina
With Jack Leasure and Pele Pealay, some might consider CC to be the team to beat. With Buzz Peterson's new high scoring offense, the Chanticleers have won 10 straight, and beat #1 seed Winthrop in both meetings.

Predictions: Winthrop, Radford, Birm So., and Co Carolina

Horizon League
Bracket
Defending Champion: UW-Milwaukee
Top Seed: UW-Milwaukee
Site: At Higher Seed's home court
Note: The top three seeds all receive byes. Milwaukee and Butler advance to the semifinals, while Green Bay, as the three seed, advances to the quarterfinals.

#9 Youngstown State @ #4 Loyola Chicago
Blake Schilb and the Ramblers are capable of beating any team in the conference. Youngstown State, led by do it all guard Quin Humphrey, has lost eight in a row.

#8 Cleveland State @ #5 Detroit
Detroit is a solid team with great leadership in Brandon Cotton and Jon Goode. Coach Perry Watson has been here many times, so the Titans should advance to the quarterfinals.

#7 Wright State @ #6 Illinois-Chicago
The Flames are a streaky team, and with Bowen and Jeffers, they can get it going and make a run at UW-Milwaukee. Wright State is equally streaky, and are led by Dashaun Wood, and outstanding combo guard. This should be the closest game of the night.

Predictions: Loyola, Detroit, Ill-Chi

Ohio Valley
Bracket
Defending Champion: Eastern Kentucky
Top Seed: Murray State
Site: Nashville

#8 Tennessee Martin @ #1 Murray State
The Racers beat UT Martin easily in the final OVC regular season game, so Murray holds the psychological advantage. The Racers rely on balanced scoring, with Witherspoon being their player who averages double figures. Murray State easily won the regular season title, but they were far from invincible.

#5 Eastern Kentucky @ #4 Jacksonville State
Jacksonville State has dropped three in a row, not good when you're facing the defending champs in the first round.

#6 Austin Peay @ #3 Tennessee Tech
This should be the most closely contested first round game, as both are capable of making a run.

#7 Tennessee State @ #2 Samford
Samford is a solid team who could defeat Murray State in the finals.

Predictions: Murray State, EKU, Austin Peay, Samford

ACC
Wake Forest @ BC
The Eagles are looking to keep the momentum going after the double OT win over NC State. They are also looking to keep pace with UNC for second place in the ACC.

Prediction: BC by 14

Big East
Cincy @ Seton Hall
A big game for the Pirates, who probably need to finish with at least a .500 conference record to have a realistic shot at an at-large bid. Cincy probably stays in with a loss, but their seed will drop to a 10 or an 11, making them perilously close to the bubble and creating a slimmer margin for error in the Big East tournament. Seton Hall really shot themselves in the foot with that loss at DePaul, but they have to get it over and focus on a very physical Bearcat team.

Prediction: Seton Hall by 3

Big Ten
Illinois @ Minnesota
Illinois' dreams of a three-peat will come to an end tonight when they lose at Minnesota, a team that's playing good basketball and could be a sleeper in the Big Ten tournament.

Prediction: Minnesota by 5

MAC
Ohio @ Kent State
The Flashes are looking to maintain the number one seed and the East title. Ohio has been one of the biggest disappointments in the country, and are without Jeremy Fears, who left the team.

Prediction: Kent State by 9

SEC
LSU @ South Carolina
The Tigers are looking to be the No. 1 overall seed in the SEC tournament, but winning at South Carolina will be tough, especially with Tyrus Thomas, who hurt his ankle against Kentucky.

Prediction: LSU by 3

Tuesday's Trivia

2006-02-28T10:45:00.000-05:00

Where did Elgin Baylor go to college?

Answer to Monday's trivia: Ben Braun has coached Cal for 9 seasons.

Monday's Top Performers

2006-02-28T10:36:00.000-05:00

1. Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virgina- Pittsnogle racked up 26 points in the Mountaineers' big win over Pitt. The 67-62 win sealed a first round bye in the Big East tournament for WV, and also gave them back to back 20 win seasons.

2. Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech- The nation's leading rebounder continues to do his thing, as he put up 20 and 18 in the Bulldogs' blowout win over Idaho.

3. Obie Trotter, Alabama A&M- Trotter and A&M are getting hot at the right time, as they enter the SWAC tournament as the defending champs. Trotter put up 30 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in a win over Texas Southern.

Recap of Monday's Games

2006-02-28T10:32:00.000-05:00

Big East
Pitt 62 West Virginia 67

Big Sky
Northern Arizona 83 Montana 96

MEAC
Delaware State 71 Bethune Cookman 72

NEC
Monmouth 62 Fairleigh Dickinson 74

WCC
San Francisco 72 Gonzaga 75
Loyola MMY 70 St. Mary's 82

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