March Madness at Memeticians

Editor's Note: James J. Jamison, Joe's brother, is going to be previewing and following March Madness as it progresses. We're giving Jimbo free reign of this page to update as he sees fit. Check back often. I think I speak for everyone here in saying that March Madness, in all it's glory, is the epitome of unadulterated sports pleasure. There is nothing to compare it to. Madness!

NCAA Tournament

03.25.08 - 1:30 PM

The tournament never fails to deliver, and this year's opening weekend was no different. Buzzer-beater upset? Check. #1 seed taken to the wire? Check. Guy you never heard of lighting it up? Check. Who in the heck wouldn't have wanted to be in Tampa this weekend? All four double digits seeds win on Friday? Are ya kiddin' me? Every year there's a dream team, and this year Western Kentucky and Davidson fit the bill. If I told you of the 8 Big East teams in the tournament, two of the three playing on the 2nd weekend would be the 7th (West Virginia) and 8th (Villanova) place teams, would you have believed me? How good is North Carolina? They made Arkansas look like 8th graders. UCLA struggled with A&M, needing a blatant foul/no-call to advance. Memphis, well, my 11 year old cousin shoots better from the stripe. Gonna catch up to them eventually. Kansas has looked downright nasty so far, pummeling a hot UNLV team in the 2nd round. Georgetown fell victim to the player of the tournament so far, Davidson's Stephen Curry. This kid can flat out play. Good call by Virginia Tech in asking him to walk-on by the way...think they could've used him this year? Needless to say...I think it's obvious I can't wait for Thursday.

East Region

Chalk. Best way to summarize this region. There were a total of zero upsets (9's over 8's don't count for all you Captain Technicalities out there - history shows that more 9's have advanced anyway).

#1 UNC vs #4 Washington State

No one has looked better so far than North Carolina. Washington State has allowed 81 points combined in their first two games, that's amazing. Battle of styles (as it will mostly be whenever the Cougars play). UNC just has too much talent here. Ty Lawson is getting back to his old form, and the Tar Heels have the ability to play at any tempo. UNC is the pick.

#2 Tennessee vs #3 Louisville

Tennessee is lucky to be here, Butler had them beat and missed too many free throws. Louisville has looked absolutely dynamite in dismantling both Boise State and Oklahoma. This has the potential to be an absolute classic. Both teams will likely push the issue and let their athletes take over. In the end, Tennessee's lack of a true point guard is going to hurt them. Louisville is the pick.

Midwest Region

Topsy turvy region. My bracket was certainly blown up. I drank the Kool-Aid on USC...eerily similiar to my father's own luck with the Trojans in 1992 (sorry for the reminder Dad). We have vowed to never pick them again. Seeds 10-13 all won their first round games. #10 Davidson and #12 Villanova advanced to this weekend's play, with the dream still very much in tact.

#1 Kansas vs #12 Villanova

Scottie Reynolds has been absolute terrific to this point in getting the underdog Wildcats to the Sweet 16 for the 3rd time in 4 years. Kansas has been Kansas, shooting it well and forcing teams to take bad shots. Villanova will hang around, they don't quit and should be plucky enough to make this a game, but in the end, too much to handle on the perimeter from the veteran Jayhawks. Kansas is the pick.

#3 Wisconsin vs #10 Davidson

The Badgers have actually been scoring points so far, which is a scary proposition given their defensive prowess. Davidson is the story of the tournament. They've beaten Gonzaga and Georgetown in two absolute gems. They will have to get yet another amazing performance from Stephen Curry to advance, but I think Michael Flowers is the star here...forcing Curry into an average (read: not heroic) game. Wisconsin is the pick.

South Region

Another chalk region. Michigan State did an amazing job getting Drew Neitzel shots in the 2nd half against BET Champion Pittsburgh, ending the Panthers run. With 4 games decided by 3 points or less in the 2nd round, the South proved it's anyone's for the taking.

#1 Memphis vs #5 Michigan State

I had Pittsburgh beat Memphis here in my bracket. I'm not changing my thoughts on Memphis. It's like watching the AND-1 mix tape. Sure, Derrick Rose is a joy to watch. He'll be a great NBA player. But this team just flat lacks discipline. Maybe it's my heart talking here, but I don't care. Free throws catch up to the Tigers. Let's go Spartans. Michigan State in the upset.

#2 Texas vs #3 Stanford

I was impressed with Stanford's guards vs Marquette. They held serve...overcoming their coach being tossed, and subsequently advanced. Texas was in control vs Miami (FL) most of the game. Things got a little exciting at the end, questioning whether or not the Longhorns can close out opponents. Stanford is a little tempting here with the Lopez twins...but I'm sticking with my original selection. Texas is the pick.

West Region

Duke is out. Duke is out. Glad everyone got the memo. UCLA has played great defense, but is struggling to find ways to score. Western Kentucky has earned their Cinderella shoes in two great games vs Drake and San Diego. West Virginia has looked dangerous...and Xavier has gone about their business. Should be an interesting weekend. Oh, and if you hadn't heard yet...DUKE IS OUT. Isn't it fun to hate Duke?

#1 UCLA vs #12 Western Kentucky

UCLA has been spotty at best. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is banged up with the ankle, Kevin Love is still battling back spasms and Josh Shipp is now fighting strep throat. Yet they keep winning...referee help not withstanding. Can Courtney Lee and his Hilltoppers pull the upset over the Walking Wounded of Westwood? Ahh, no. UCLA is the pick.

#3 Xavier vs #7 West Virginia

Xavier has used strong efforts down the stretch (unlike last year's collapse against Ohio State) to advance to this point. West Virginia has been able to harass good shooting teams into poor performances on their way to the Sweet 16. Xavier has unbelievable balance, West Virginia relies on Joe Alexander to set the tone. This, to me, is a complete coin flip. My quarter landed on tails, which in this scenario was Xavier.

Enjoy the games everyone. Look for an Elite 8 preview sometime Saturday.

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NCAA Tournament

03.20.08 - 10:00 AM

West Region

Matchups:

#1 UCLA vs #16 Mississippi Valley State
#2 Duke vs #15 Belmont
#3 Xavier vs #14 Georgia
#4 UConn vs #13 San Diego
#5 Drake vs #12 Western Kentucky
#6 Purdue vs #11 Baylor
#7 West Virginia vs #10 Arizona
#8 BYU vs # 9 Texas A&M

One possible upset to watch:

#11 Baylor vs #6 Purdue

Baylor is in the tournament for the first time since 1988. They've come a long way, overcoming the murder of one player by another player a few years back. One of the great stories of this tournament. Purdue is extremely young, and although their well coached, I think Baylor pulls the upset. Baylor's little guards should create havoc for the Boilermakers. Look for the Bears to push the tempo and take Purdue's bigger guards to the cylinder.

Cinderella watch:

#14 Georgia

Can the Bulldogs keep up their amazing run? First glance I say no, but it takes a special team to win 3 games in 2 days like Georgia did. Tough matchup with a very well balanced Xavier team. If Sundiata Gaines can get it going against A-10 DPOY Stanley Burrell, anything is possible.

Name you probably don't know:

Courtney Lee, 6'5 Sr. G, Western Kentucky

Lee can do it all. Defends well, rebounds, shoots the 3 and can get to the rim. He'll likely have a job at the next level. The Sun Belt POY of the year must have a big game to beat fellow mid-major Drake...and I think he's gonna do just that. If Lee plays well, the Hilltoppers have a legitimate chance to be playing on the second weekend.

Forecast:

This West region appears to be UCLA and everyone else. Duke isn't as good as they have been in the past. Xavier is deep and talented, but really haven't beaten a top-flite team all year. UConn is very inexperienced, but had they drawn a 6 seed I think they could've made a run to the Elite 8. It's very unlikely the rest of the region could get hot enough...so the pick is UCLA.

Final Four

#1 UNC vs #1 Kansas

Talk about a battle of superpowers and overwhelming talent. Kansas is better at the guard position, but likely have no answer for ACC POY Tyler Hansbrough. UNC wins by 5.

#2 Texas vs #1 UCLA

In a rematch of Texas' early season win at Pauley Pavilion, the Bruins get their revenge. UCLA locks down on the perimeter, Texas doesn't make enough 3s to stay in the game, UCLA wins going away.

Championship

#1 UNC vs #1 UCLA

Great matchup. Kevin Love vs Hansbrough, two bangers in the paint. Darren Collison vs Ty Lawson, two lightning quick point guards. Danny Green vs Russell Westbrook, two extremely athletic players. In the end, UNC has too much offense for UCLA...winning a tight game that goes to the wire.

Enough talking about it already - let's get these games started!!

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NCAA Tournament

03.19.08 - 10:00 AM

South Region

Matchups:

#1 Memphis vs #16 UT-Arlington
#2 Texas vs #15 Austin Peay
#3 Stanford vs #14 Cornell
#4 Pittsburgh vs #13 Oral Roberts
#5 Michigan State vs #12 Temple
#6 Marquette vs #11 Kentucky
#7 Miami (FL) vs #10 St. Mary's
#8 Mississippi State vs #9 Oregon

One possible upset to watch:

#14 Cornell vs #3 Stanford

Cornell ranks 3rd in the country in 3 point shooting at a 41.4% clip. Stanford's guard play is suspect at best. Stanford will try to pound the ball inside to the 7'0 Lopez twins, but if Cornell is making their shots...look out. Big Red hasn't lost since Jan 6th at Duke and also beat MAAC champ Siena, so we know they can play a little. Rebounding will be the key, as Cornell doesn't have a ton of size. Like their Ivy predecessors, expect Cornell to put a scare into the Cardinal, possibly even upset them.

Cinderella watch:

#6 Marquette

Guards win in March...and the Golden Eagles have plenty of them. Dominic James has had a big season for Marquette, improving his jumper and subsequently, his NBA stock. The team is not an excellent 3 point shooting team, but all 3 starting guards have the ability to get to the rim. If they can get decent production from their front line, they could make some noise. I expect at minimum for Marquette to get out of the first weekend, possibly even make a surprise Final Four appearance.

Name you probably don't know:

Patrick Mills, 5'11 Fr. G, St. Mary's

The lightning-quick, Australian import is one of the more overshadowed freshman in the country. As he goes, so do the Gaels. He leads the team in scoring, assists and steals. In an early season game, he scored 37 points against NCAA tournament team Oregon, putting the country on notice that St. Mary's was legit. In order to beat athletic Miami (FL), Mills will need to be at his best.

Forecast:

The South region, to me, is a crapshoot. Memphis will rely heavily on athleticism, freshman guard Derrick Rose and defensive pressure in their wide open style. Stanford will attempt to slow it down, get the ball in the post and play solid defense. Pittsburgh is hot coming in, having won 4 straight games and manhandling Georgetown to win the Big East Tournament. Michigan State might be a little too green (pun intended, thank you) to win the region. Texas will rely on their dynamic one-two punch at guard in DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams. In the end, I see Pittsburgh continuing their hot streak...but falling in the Elite 8 to the Longhorns of Texas.

Tomorrow:

West Region and Final Four picks.

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NCAA Tournament

03.18.08 - 2:00 PM

Midwest Region

Matchups:

#1 Kansas vs #16 Portland State
#2 Georgetown vs #15 UMBC
#3 Wisconsin vs #14 Cal State Fullerton
#4 Vanderbilt vs #13 Siena
#5 Clemson vs #12 Villanova
#6 USC vs #11 Kansas State
#7 Gonzaga vs #10 Davidson
#8 UNLV vs #9 Kent State

One possible upset to watch:

#11 Kansas State over #6 USC.

This is the "made for TV" marquee matchup of the first round. USC seems to be a trendy pick to make a long run in this bracket. Usually, trendy means bye-bye early. Freshman sensation Michael Beasley is the best frontcourt and probably overall player in the country for the Wildcats, who are gonna need some kind of performance from their guards to deal with USC's own dynamic freshman, Guard OJ Mayo. If they can get it, Bill Walker and Beasley should be more than enough up front to take care of the Trojans.

Cinderella watch:

#5 Clemson

The Tigers came oh-so-close against North Carolina in the ACC Championship after defeating Duke in the semifinals. Clemson also lost 2 overtime games to the Tar Heels during the regular season. This team is extremely athletic, talented and has an outstanding coach in Oliver Purnell. Could be feast or famine for the sometimes sporadic Tigers though, as free throw shooting has been an their achillies heel all season. They will need to press effectively and make teams play their up-tempo style.

Name you probably don't know:

Wink Adams, 6'0 Jr. G, UNLV

Adams has been the go-to-guy for a UNLV team which lost 4 of their top 5 scorers off last year's Sweet 16 team. The diminutive guard was the MVP of the Mountain West Tournament for the champion Rebels. He scored 23 points on 4-5 3-pt shooting in the final, including a stretch of 14 consecutive Rebel points late in the 2nd half to turn a close game into a blowout. UNLV will undoubtably need another strong performance from the junior star if they want to advance past the first weekend.

Forecast:

You could make an argument for any one of the top 6 seeds in this region to reach the Final Four. It's that deep. With the up-tempo style of the #1 seed Kansas Jayhawks, the snail's pace of Wisconsin or the Princeton style offense of Georgetown, the region is sure to provide a test of wills to all contenders. I'm buying into the notion that this USC team has the right pieces and draw to make a long run in this tournament...but in the end, they will fall in the Elite 8 to an overdue Kansas team.

Tomorrow:

South Region

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NCAA Tournament

03.17.08 - 12:00 PM

The committee, I thought, did a very good job this year. There are teams out there with legitimate gripes, but that happens every year. Heartbreak in Virginia Tech, Arizona State and Illinois State. Virginia Tech's lack of quality wins seemed to do them in. Arizona State had great wins, but also an RPI in the 80s and played essentially high school teams (sans Xavier) in their OOC. Illinois State had no wins against tournament teams. Villanova, St. Joe's, Baylor and Kansas State seemed to be the last four teams in. Villanova benefited from late season wins over UConn and West Virginia, winning the elimination game in the Big East Tournament over Syracuse, and by Temple/George Mason winning their conference tournaments. St. Joe's beat Xavier twice in 8 days and made a run to the A-10 conference final. Baylor and Kansas State both flamed out early in the Big 12 tournament, but overall had more quality to their resume than other bubble teams. So we stand with our 65 teams...and over the next 4 days, I'll be previewing each region and making my predictions.

East Region

Matchups:

#1 UNC vs #16 Play-winner (Coppin State/Mt. St. Mary's)
#2 Tennessee vs #15 American
#3 Louisville vs #14 Boise State
#4 Washington State vs #13 Winthrop
#5 Notre Dame vs #12 George Mason
#6 Oklahoma vs #11 St. Joe's
#7 Butler vs #10 South Alabama
#8 Indiana vs #9 Arkansas

One possible upset to watch:

#11 St. Joe's over #6 Oklahoma

St. Joe's better be ready for a grind it out style game, or they'll be sent packing. Oklahoma's guards are suspect, if St. Joe's can push the tempo early, could be an upset. Depth, however, has been the Hawks achillies heel all season...Sooners could take over late.

Cinderella watch:

#7 Butler

Made the Sweet 16 last season with a lot of the same pieces. Tough draw with Tennessee in Round 2...but Tennessee's style of play lends to upsets from well disciplined teams. All bets are off if the Bulldogs can win that one.

Name you probably don't know:

Reggie Larry, 6-6 Sr. F, Boise State.

Not sure if anyone saw it, but the WAC final on Saturday was a thriller as the Broncos prevailed over New Mexico State in 3 OTs. Larry was out of his mind, scoring 31 points and grabbing 16 boards, both season highs. Can shoot the 3 as well. Unlikely the Broncos pull the upset, but if they do, Larry should play a major role.

Forecast:

The Tar Heels arguably have the toughest region, with a dangerous 8/9 winner lying in the wake before the first weekend is over. Excellent draw, however, in the 4/5 seeds...Washington State doesn't have enough offense and Notre Dame doesn't play enough defense. I could see either Louisville or Tennessee coming out of this region, but in the end...the pick is North Carolina.

Tomorrow:

Midwest Region

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Final 65

03.16.08 - 1:30 PM

Who's in and who's out? Probably the most asked question in the country over the last day or two. Well, I'm gonna take a crack at it. Can I beat Joe Lunardi of ESPN? Man, do I hope so.

Conference Automatic Bids:

America East - UMBC
ACC - North Carolina/Clemson
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
Atlantic 10 - Temple
Big East - Pittsburgh
Big Sky - Portland State
Big South - Winthrop
Big Ten - Wisconsin/Illinois
Big 12 - Kansas/Texas
Big West - Cal State Fullerton
Colonial - George Mason
Conference USA - Memphis
Horizon - Butler
Ivy - Cornell
MAAC - Siena
MAC - Kent State
MEAC - Coppin State
MVC - Drake
MWC - UNLV
Northeast - Mount St. Mary's
Ohio Valley - Austin Peay
Pac-10 - UCLA
Patriot - American
SEC - Arkansas/Georgia
Southern - Davidson
Southland - UT-Arlington/Northwestern State (one bid league)
SWAC - Mississippi Valley State
Summit - Oral Roberts
Sun Belt - Western Kentucky
West Coast - San Diego
WAC - Boise State

At-large "lock" bids:

ACC - North Carolina/Clemson loser, Duke, Miami (FL)
Atlantic 10 - Xavier
Big East - Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Marquette, UConn, West Virginia
Big Ten* - Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue
Big 12 - Kansas/Texas loser, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Texas A&M
MWC - BYU
Pac-10 - Stanford, USC, Washington State
SEC^ - Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State
Sun Belt - South Alabama
West Coast - Gonzaga, St. Mary's

* - Wisconsin is a lock if Illinois wins the Big Ten.
^ - Arkansas is a lock if Georgia wins the SEC.

That's a total of 58 bids...which leaves 7 remaining, assuming no upsets.

Bubble teams:

ACC - Virginia Tech
Atlantic 10 - St. Joseph's, Massachusetts
Big East - Villanova, Syracuse
Big Ten - Ohio State
Big 12 - Baylor
C-USA - UAB
Colonial - VCU
MVC - Illinois State
MWC - New Mexico
Pac-10 - Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon
SEC - Kentucky, Mississippi, Florida

In order, I will take Baylor, Kentucky and St. Joseph's for the first three spots.

Final Four IN (in order):

Arizona
Villanova
Oregon
Illinois State

Final Four OUT (in order):

Arizona State
Virginia Tech
Massachusetts
Ohio State

Next Four OUT (in order):

VCU
New Mexico
Syracuse
Dayton

Remember, this is what I believe the committee will do, not who I actually believe should be in (ehh hem, Illinois State). Fans of Baylor, Kentucky, St. Joseph's, Arizona, Villanova, Oregon and Illinois State will be sweating the Big Ten and SEC Championships today. One upset - Illinois State is out. Two upsets - Illinois State and Oregon are out. We'll see how it plays out. Selection show is at 6 pm tonight on CBS. Starting tomorrow I'll be discussing bubble snubs and previewing the regions for the NCAA Tournament. I, for one, am anxiously awaiting the 6 pm show...I'm nervous about my Villanova Wildcats!

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Bubble Report

03.15.08 - 1:00 PM

Conference Tournament Action:

America East
Top seed UMBC squares off against 2nd seed Hartford today in Baltimore for the championship.

ACC
Top 4 seeds all advanced to the semifinals, which take place today in Raleigh. UNC battles Virginia Tech and Duke squares off against Clemson.

Atlantic 10
Wow. St. Joe's upsets top seeded Xavier, thereby solidifying their claim to an at-large bid. Temple also defeated Charlotte in the other semifinal. The All-Big 5 Championship is tonight in Atlantic City, guaranteeing a Big 5 team will make the dance for the 31st consecutive year.

Big East
Pittsburgh's recent dominance in New York continues. They advanced to tonight's final at Madison Square Garden by defeating Marquette. Top seeded Georgetown will be their opponent

Big Ten
Ut oh. Bubble nation is in a frenzy as Illinois and Minnesota pull upsets in the bottom half of the bracket, beating Purdue and Indiana, respectively. Ohio State blew a huge opportunity by losing to Michigan State, long wait for the Buckeyes. Check out this shot by Minnesota's Blake Hoffarber! Watch the entire clip...this kid won an ESPY for a shot back in 2005...think he's clutch? Semifinals get underway today, with top seeded Wisconsin facing Michigan State in the other game.

Big 12
Only upset was Texas A&M beating Kansas State...Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma all advanced. Texas faces Oklahoma and Kansas plays Texas A&M in the semifinals tonight at the Sprint Center in Kansas City.

Big West
Whoa! Both top seeds fall in the semifinals. #5 UC Irvine and #3 Cal State Fullerton square off tonight for the championship in Anaheim.

Conference USA
Memphis won. Shocker. They play Tulsa today for the championship. Chance they lose? 1%. Actually, just saw an update. Tigers are up 51-22 in the second half. Wow.

Mid-American
Top seeded Kent State all but locked up a bid by advancing to the finals, where they will face Akron in a rematch of the season finale that decided the regular season crown. Game will be tonight in Cleveland. Bubble teams are pulling for Kent State.

Mid-Eastern
#7 Coppin State continues their miracle run, winning 3 games by a combined 4 points. They will face top seed Morgan State tonight in Raleigh.

MWC
Top seed BYU advanced to finals by handling San Diego State, while #2 UNLV all but locked up a bid by squeezing past Utah. The teams will square off tonight in Las Vegas for the auto bid.

Pac-10
Seeds held as UCLA and Stanford advanced to the final, which takes place tonight in Los Angeles.

Patriot
Congrats to American, who earned their first ever NCAA bid by defeating Colgate 52-46. Expect a 15-16 seed for the Eagles.

SEC
Talk about a weird night. Holes in the Georgia Dome, last second shots...wow. Seeds held, but not without drama. Tennessee needed a late three to defeat pesky South Carolina 89-87, Arkansas beat Vanderbilt 81-75, Alabama's three at the buzzer went in and out as they fell to Mississippi State 69-67...and Kentucky/Georgia was postponed, being played as this article is being written. Tournament has been moved to the campus of Georgia Tech, semifinals tonight...with the winner of Kentucky/Georgia having to play 2 games.

Southland
Oh boy. Top seeds fall as UT-Arlington and Northwestern State pull the upsets, will square off tonight in Katy, Texas for the conference crown.

SWAC
Top seed Alabama State fell to Jackson State, who will face Mississippi Valley State in the championship tonight in Birmingham.

WAC
Tough to call them upsets being they all tied at 12-4 for the title, but #3 New Mexico State and #4 Boise State advanced to the final tonight in Las Cruces, NM.

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Bubble Report...Are you kidding me?

03.14.08 - 10:00 AM

Does anyone want to make this tournament? Just when you thought the bubble was shrinking...a slew of teams that needed win yesterday to help their cause just didn't get it done. The list is astounding: Villanova, Dayton, UAB, Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, Florida, Oregon, UMass, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico and Arizona. Amazing. It's gonna be a REALLY long wait for some of these teams. Also opens the door for teams like VCU and Illinois State, both of which ended their seasons in questionable fashion. Kudos to St. Joe's, Miami (FL), Kent State, Temple, UNLV and Texas A&M for getting big wins and improving their resumes.

Conference Tournament Action:

ACC
Maryland's NCAA chances disappeared when they were upset by 11th seeded Boston College. Miami (FL), Georgia Tech and Florida State all advanced with wins. Florida State could really play their way back into consideration with a win today over top-seeded UNC. Quarterfinal action resumes all day today in Charlotte, NC.

Atlantic 10
Charlotte ended UMass' hopes of an NCAA at-large yesterday, while St. Joe's, Temple and Xavier all advanced. Semifinal action resumes tonight in Atlantic City, NJ. St. Joe's could be in great shape with an upset of Xavier after yesterday's bubble debacle...can the Hawks get it done?

Big East
Top seeded Georgetown put a damper on Villanova's tournament hopes, but the other Top 4 seeds all were upset. West Virginia locked themselves into a bid by upending UConn. Pittsburgh and Marquette also advanced. Semifinal action resumes tonight in Madison Square Garden.

Big Ten
Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota advances to the quarterfinal round today in games which had really no NCAA bubble implications. Quarterfinals get underway today in Indianapolis at the Conseco Fieldhouse. Probably better hoops than the NBA team residing there anyway...

Big 12
Whoops. Colorado made history and became the first #12 seed to beat the #5 by outlasting Baylor in double OT. The Bears could be in a little bit of trouble, not exactly the last impression you want to give the committee. Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Texas A&M advanced as well, with the Aggies getting a crucial win on a day so many couldn't. Quarterfinal action resumes today in Kansas City.

Big West
Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine advanced to the semifinals, which begin today in Anaheim.

Conference USA
Well, so much for an at-large out of "Memphis and the rest," barring a miracle upset of said Tigers. Houston and UAB suffered crippling losses yesterday to UTEP and Tulsa, respectively. Tulane and Southern Miss also advanced to the semifinals, which get underway today at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN.

MAC
Top seeded Kent State advanced to the semifinals, likely solidifying an at-large in the process. Western Michigan, Akron and Miami (OH) also won yesterday and advanced to the semifinals, which take place tonight in Cleveland, OH. Best wishes to long-time Miami (OH) coach Charlie Coles, who is still hospitalized following a heart procedure. Can the Redhawks keep winning for their coach?

Mid-Eastern
Norfolk State and Delaware State picked up victories in the quarterfinals yesterday. Semifinal action begins tonight in Raleigh, NC.

MWC
Utah bested New Mexico in OT, ending the Lobos at-large hopes. BYU, San Diego State and UNLV advanced to the quarterfinals. Semifinal action gets underway tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV.

Pac-10
Three bubble teams in action yesterday...and three losses. Oregon, Arizona and Arizona State couldn't pull off upsets as the Top 4 seeds all advanced. Semifinals get underway tonight as UCLA faces USC and Stanford battles Washington State at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Patriot
#3 Colgate travels to face #1 American tonight in Washington, DC for the right to represent the conference in the NCAA's.

SEC
Trend continues. Mississippi and Florida needed wins to keep their at-large hopes alive...and they both lost to become NIT-bound. South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Georgia all advanced to the quarterfinals, which begin today at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Southland
#2 Lamar was upset in first round action by #7 UT-Arlington. Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State advanced to the semifinals, which resume tonight at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.

SWAC
Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Jackson State advanced to the semifinals, which resume today in Birmingham, AL.

WAC
All 4 top seeds, which coincidentally tied for the regular season crown at 12-4, advanced to the quarterfinals. Semifinal action gets underway tonight at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, NM on the campus of New Mexico State.

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Bubble Report

03.13.08 - 8:00 AM

Conference Tournament Action:

Atlantic 10
Seeds hold as Dayton, St. Joe's, LaSalle and Charlotte advanced. Intriguing matchups today as the quarterfinals get underway. Dayton and Xavier square off in an all-Ohio battle, while LaSalle and Temple face each other for the 2nd time in the last week. Can the Explorers pull the upset?

Big East
All seeds held as Villanova squeezes the Orange to the NIT, West Virginia all but locked up a bid in a 58-53 win over Providence, Pittsburgh beat pesky Cincinnati and Marquette overwhelmed Seton Hall. Quarterfinal action continues today as the 8 NCAA tournament hopeful teams are all in action. Villanova likely needs to beat Georgetown in the first game to get on the correct side of the bubble.

Big Sky
Portland State punched their first-ever NCAA bid last night with a convincing 67-51 defeat of Northern Arizona. The Vikings will likely be no higher than a 15 seed.

Big West
First round action saw UC-Irvine and UC-Riverside advance. 2nd round action today pits Cal State Fullerton vs UC-Riverside and Pacific vs UC-Irvine in Anaheim, CA.

Conference USA
Tulsa, UTEP, Tulane and Southern Miss advance to the quarterfinals with victories yesterday. #1 seed Memphis squares off against Tulane tonight at 7...but besides that, who really cares?

Mid-American
Becoming a theme today...but all seeds held as Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Toledo and Miami (OH) advanced to the quarterfinals. Play resumes today in Cleveland, OH.

Mid-Eastern
FINALLY! #7 Coppin State upends #2 Hampton in overtime while #1 Morgan State advanced as well. The second set of quarterfinals takes place today in Raleigh, NC.

Mountain West
Colorado State, all of 0-16 in the conference, beats Wyoming 68-63 in the play-in game to advance. Quarterfinal play resumes today at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV.

Northeast
Mount St. Mary's goes into Sacred Heart and defeats the Pioneers 68-55 to punch their ticket to the dance. The Mountaineers are looking at a 15-16 seed for the NCAA's.

Pac-10
California and Arizona advance to the quarterfinals with victories last night. Bubble enthusiasts everywhere need to have their eyes fixed on the Pac-10 today, as Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon are in battling for bids at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

SWAC
Quarterfinal play saw #1 Alabama State and #2 Mississippi Valley State advance to the semifinals. The second set of quarterfinals resume today in Birmingham, AL.

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Bubble Report:

03.12.08 - 8:00 AM

Bubble dwellers everywhere rejoice! All teams who were supposed to win got the job done last night. The bubble remains precarious at best as we head in BCS conference tournament action. First tip off is in the Big East at noon, a game with major bubble implications as Syracuse and Villanova square off in what amounts to an elimination game.

Conference Tournament Action:

Sun Belt

Western Kentucky gets it done, overwhelming the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State 67-57. The Hilltoppers advance to the Big Dance, while regular season champion and now bubble team South Alabama awaits it's fate.

Summit
In a game I actually watched, Oral Roberts made key plays down the stretch and defeated IUPUI 71-64. The Golden Eagles are probably looking at a 14-15 seed. Quick shout out to George Hill of the defeated Jaguars - kid never quit and is quite a scorer. He'll be a name to watch for next season in the Summit.

Horizon
Butler takes over in the 2nd half and defeats the 2nd seeded Vikings of Cleveland State 70-55. Conference player of the year and Philadelphia product Mike Green led the way with 24 points. The 12th ranked and 29-3 Bulldogs are probably looking at about a 4-5 seed.

Mid-Eastern
Seeds held as 7th seeded Coppin State defeated 10th seeded Howard 55-54 and 8th seeded South Carolina State used 53 2nd half point to defeat 9th seeded Bethune Cookman 78-69. Tournament resumes tonight in Raleigh, NC.

Big Sky
Top seeds again held as #1 Portland State advanced to the championship game with a 72-61 victory over Idaho State. They will square in the final tonight against 2nd seeded Northern Arizona, who defeated Weber State 75-70.

WAC
In the first round play-in game, 8th seeded San Jose State squeaked by the 9th seeded Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech 62-60. Quarterfinal action will resume Thursday at the Pan American Center on the campus of New Mexico State.

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Bubble Report:

03.11.08 - 10:00 AM

Just when you thought the bubble couldn't possibly become more complicated....Middle Tennessee State shocks regular season Sun Belt Champion South Alabama in the semifinals AND San Diego upsets NCAA-lock Gonzaga in the West Coast Championship. NCAA bubble mid-majors like Illinois State, St. Mary's and VCU are crying in their Cheerios this morning. A ton of BCS conference teams have a lot of work to do if they want to impress the committee and receive one of the final at-large bids. Such is life on the NCAA bubble my friends.

Conference Tournament Action:

Colonial

Cinderella is BACK! George Mason takes over in the 2nd half and defeats upstart William & Mary 68-59. William & Mary fought hard in their efforts to secure a first-ever NCAA bid, but 4 games in 4 days caught up to the Tribe. The Patriots are probably looking at a 12-13 seed, possibly squaring off against Drake or Butler.

MAAC
Oh when those Saints....go marching in. I know, I know...I sound like a Visa commercial. Ehh, Sing it Louie! Siena drills Rider 74-53 and goes back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. Siena likely is a 13-14 seed...and with their speed on perimeter, could give a bigger team some problems.

Sun Belt
Whoops. Top seed South Alabama stubs it's toe in the semis, losing 82-73 to Middle Tennessee State. NCAA bubble team Western Kentucky advances to the final by beating the Trojans of Arkansas-Little Rock 70-55. The Hilltoppers could do a lot of teams a favor by beating the Blue Raiders tonight in Moblie, Alabama, eliminating a possible bubble team. Oh...and exactly what is the mascot for the Hilltoppers? Looks like a creepy red blob if you ask me...apparently people love it. I don't get it. Different, sure. Dumb, you betcha.

Southern
The Phoenix of Elon hung around for a little while...but eventually were overtaken by league bully Davidson 65-49. The 23rd ranked Wildcats are back for the 3rd straight tournament appearance...and are probably looking at a possible 7-10 or 8-9 matchup. The last two tournaments have been near misses for the Wildcats, taking 4th seeded Maryland to the wire in 2007 and 2nd seeded Ohio State in 2006. Davidson is now more experienced and has a stud scorer in sophomore Stephen Curry, son of legendary NBA marksman Dell Curry. They could win a game or two this time around.

Summit
Top seeds hold again...as Oral Roberts defeats IPFW 58-42 and IUPUI beat Oakland 80-65. The Golden Eagles and Jaguars will square off tonight in Tulsa, OK for the right to represent the conference in the Big Dance.

West Coast
The bubble shrinks. 20th ranked Gonzaga loses to San Diego on the Toreros floor 69-62. Speaking of which, I have a little bone to pick with all the mid-major conferences and this "rotating tournament host" concept. It's stupid. Gonzaga goes 13-1 in the WCC this year...and their reward? An essential road game in the championship. Yes, I understand that it's a coincidence, everyone gets a chance, blah blah blah. Yes, I understand their are budgetary concerns and they can't have the conference championship at Madison Square Garden like the Big East, Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis like the Big Ten or the Staples Center like the Pac-10. I DON'T CARE. Do what some other middies do and have the regular season champion host the tournament. Gonzaga got screwed because of an easily preventable circumstance...and as a result, another bubble team who will likely be more qualified and rewarding than San Diego will be in the NIT. And yes, my team is on the bubble. I need a hug.

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Bubble Report:

03.10.08 - 8:00 PM

Guaranteed 1 bid leagues
(current leader listed - bold is clinched):

America East - UMBC
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
Big Sky - Portland St.
Big South - Winthrop
Big West - CSU Northridge
Ivy - Cornell
MAAC - Rider/Siena
MEAC - Morgan St.
N'East - Mt. St. Mary's/Sacred Heart
Ohio Valley - Austin Peay
Patriot - American/Colgate
Southland - Lamar
SWAC - Alabama St
Summit - Oral Roberts
WAC - Utah St.

That is 15 bids.

Teams in "Lock" status:

BCS Conferences:

ACC - Duke, UNC, Clemson

Big East - Louisville, G'Town, Notre Dame, UConn, Marquette, Pittsburgh
Big Ten - Michigan St, Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue
Big 12 - Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma
Pac-10 - UCLA, Stanford, Washington St, USC
SEC - Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi St.

Non-BCS Conferences:

A-10 - Xavier

C-USA - Memphis
Horizon - Butler
MVC - Drake
MWC - BYU
Colonial - George Mason/William & Mary
WCC - Gonzaga

That is 45 bids.

The Bubble Teams:

ACC - Maryland, Miami, Virginia Tech

Atlantic 10 - Temple, St. Joe's, UMass, Dayton
Big East - West Virginia, Villanova, Syracuse
Big Ten - Ohio State
Big 12 - Kansas State, Baylor, Texas A&M
Colonial - VCU
C-USA - UAB
MAC - Kent St.
MVC - Illinois St.
MWC - UNLV, New Mexico
Pac-10 - Arizona, Arizona St, Oregon
SEC - Mississippi, Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas
Southern - Davidson
Sun Belt - Western Kentucky, South Alabama
WCC - St. Mary's

We'll again make the assumption that the mid-major bubble teams lose their conference tournaments (MAC, Southern, Sun Belt), which leaves 20 bids remaining:

Bubble Top 16 IN:

Miami

UMass
West Virginia
Kansas State
Baylor
Texas A&M
Kent St.
Illinois St.
UNLV
Arizona
Arizona St.
Kentucky
Arkansas
Davidson
South Alabama
St. Mary's

Final Four IN:

Syracuse

Ohio State
Mississippi
Western Kentucky

Final Four OUT:

Virginia Tech

VCU
Oregon
Dayton

Next Four OUT:

Villanova

Temple
UAB
Florida

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Bubble Report:

03.10.10 - 11:15 AM

Conference Tournament Action:

Colonial

Ut oh. Top seed Virginia Commonwealth throws itself squarely on the bubble by losing in the semis. William & Mary squares off against 2006 Cinderella George Mason in the Championship tonight at 7 pm.

Missouri Valley
Top seed Drake does the bubble a favor, pounds Illinois State 79-49 in yesterday's championship game. The Redbirds have 6 long days until Selection Sunday to await their fate. Nice prediction by me with Southern Illinois by the way, who couldn't even win a game. Thanks Salukis, enjoy the NIT. Jerks.

Southern
Top seeded Davidson continues to cruise through SoCon, advancing to the final tonight against Cinderella #7 Elon. Bubble enthusiasts everywhere are hoping for a Wildcat victory.

Horizon
Top seeds again hold true, #1 Butler squares off against the #2 Vikings of Cleveland State @ Butler in Indianapolis. Little movie knowledge for ya (no one ever said I wasn't versatile people)...the gym where the 1951 Indiana High School State Final was played between Hickory and South Bend in the movie Hoosiers? None other than Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University.

Ohio Valley
The miracle run by the Tigers of Tennessee State comes to a screeching halt. The top seeded Governors of Austin Peay advance to the dance with an 82-64 victory on Saturday.

Atlantic Sun
Belmont defends their title, makes the dance for the third straight season.

America East
Top seeds hold true - #1 UMBC squares off against #2 Hartford Saturday in Baltimore, MD.

Metro Atlantic
Top seeds Siena and Rider square off tonight in Albany for a ticket to the dance.

West Coast
The #3 Toreos of San Diego stormed back from 13 down at the half and upset the #2 St. Mary's Gaels 75-69 in double overtime. They move on to face top seeded Gonzaga tonight at their own gym (as luck would have it, the tournament is in San Diego this year), giving bubble teams everywhere indigestion.

Big Sky
Semifinals start Tuesday, with all top 4 seeds, including #1 Portland State, still alive.

Big South
#2 Winthrop is back in the tournament, upsetting #1 UNC-Asheville in Asheville on Saturday 66-48.

Northeast
#3 Sacred Heart and #4 Mount St. Mary's both upset higher seeds, face off in the Final Wednesday in Fairfield, CT on the campus of Sacred Heart.

Patriot
Top seeded American squares off against #3 Colgate Friday in Washington, DC.

Summit
Semifinals start tonight in Tulsa, with top seeded Oral Roberts still alive.

Sun Belt
Top seeds all advance to the semifinals tonight, but not before #1 seed South Alabama survives a scare from #8 New Orleans 81-77. Another mid-major that bubble teams have to watch.

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Bubble Report:

03.07.08 - 9:15 AM

Movement in both directions for teams last night. Big winner? St. Joe's scored an ENORMOUS victory over Top 10 Xavier in a must win situation. Not quite in the field of 65 yet, but this win certainly doesn't hurt matters - crucial game at Dayton to close the regular season. Arizona State was last night's biggest loser, losing 67-61. Three-way tie in the Pac-10 for fifth place (Arizona St, Oregon and Arizona), with the Ducks and Wildcats squaring off in Eugene, OR on Saturday. The Sun Devils can't afford to lose to the Beavers; that could be the final nail in the coffin.

Bubble Up:

St. Joe's
Wildcats bury the Beavers
USC squeaks by California in OT (win locks the Trojans into the dance)

Bubble Neutral:

-None-

Bubble Down:

Arizona State

Games of importance tonight:

Missouri State vs Illinois State, quarterfinals of the MVC Tournament. Redbirds can ease the committee's mind with a win here.

Northern Iowa vs Southern Illinois, quarterfinals of the MVC Tournament. Salukis need to get to the conference final to have a chance.

Conference Tournament action:

Atlantic Sun

#6 Gardner-Webb sends home #3 Stetson. Semifinals today in Nashville, TN.

Big South
#1 UNC-Asheville and #2 Winthrop advances to the Finals, to be played Saturday morning in Asheville, NC.

Northeast
Top 4 seeds all advanced to the semifinals, to be played Sunday. #4 Mt. St. Mary's at #1 Robert Morris and #3 Sacred Heart at #2 Wagner.

Missouri Valley
#7 seed Missouri State and #8 seed Indiana State advanced to the quarters. Tournament resumes today, with all 4 quarterfinal games being played in St. Louis.

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Bubble Report:

03.06.08 - 8:30 PM

Most teams kept pace last night, getting wins over inferior competition that were absolutely necessary. Last night's big winners were the Aggies of Texas A&M, who went into Waco, TX and defeated bubble-buddy Baylor handily. They move into the field of 65, which will be posted later on today. Last night's big losers? The defending champion Florida Gators, who blew a 16 point first half lead and fell to #4 Tennessee 89-86. A team sorely lacking in big wins couldn't afford that loss. Enormous game at Kentucky on Sunday, possible elimination game for both teams.

Bubble Up:

Kentucky wins at South Carolina
Dayton beats the Bonnies
Syracuse wins at Seton Hall
UMass destroys LaSalle
Houston squeaks by UCF
Villanova buries the Bulls
UAB beats Tulsa
Oklahoma wins at Oklahoma State
Texas A&M beats the Bears of Baylor

Bubble Neutral:

Miami (FL) clips the Eagles of Boston College

Bubble Down:

Baylor
Florida

Games of importance tonight:

Arizona St @ Oregon. Sun Devils have a golden opportunity to cement a nice road win, Ducks need a sweep of the Arizona teams to re-enter the bubble discussion...and then some.

Arizona @ Oregon St. The team with the #1 rated SOS couldn't possibly miss the dance, could they? Losing to the league whipping boy in March makes it a possibility.

Xavier @ St. Joseph's. The Hawks need a big win...and bad. Lose and it's auto-bid or bust.

California @ USC. Trojans need to win the games they should and they'll be fine. Here's one.

Conference Tournament Action:

Atlantic Sun
Top seeded Belmont and #2 seed Jacksonville advance. Tournament resumes today in Nashville, TN.

Patriot League
Top seeded American received a scare from Holy Cross, but the real story was #7 seed Bucknell upsetting #2 Navy in 3 OTs on a 40 footer at the buzzer. Who says those smart kids can't provide thrills on the hardwood! Tournament resumes Sunday at campus sites.

Sun Belt
Top 4 seeds have byes to the quarters. #12 seeded Troy upset the #5 Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette (I'm upset b/c I can't type Ragin' Cajuns anymore). Tournament resumes Sunday on the campus of top seeded South Alabama.

The Northeast and Missouri Valley Conference Tournaments get under way today. Amazingly, the last #1 seed in the Missouri Valley to win the conference tourament was the 1998 Illinois State Redbirds. My prediction? The #3 seed Southern Illinois Salukis find a way back into the tournament.

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Bubble Report

03.05.08 - 12:45 PM

Bubble Up

Ohio State scored a big win over Purdue
Mississippi defeated Arkansas to remain alive
New Mexico pounded UNLV to close the gap in the MWC race for 2nd place
Virginia Tech smoked Wake Forest to stay in the discussion

Bubble Neutral

Kansas State beat Colorado
Kent State beat Miami (OH)

Bubble Down

Arkansas
UNLV

Conference Tournament Action

Ohio Valley

Top seeded Austin Peay advances, only upset is #3 seed Morehead State. Tournament resumes Friday in Nashville, TN.

Horizon

Top seeded Butler and #2 seed Cleveland State have byes until the semis. #8 Loyola (IL) beat #5 UW-Milwaukee, all other seeds stay true. Tournament resumes Friday in Indianapolis, IN.

Big South

Top seeded UNC-Asheville advances, no upsets. Tournament resumes Thursday in Asheville, NC. Speaking of UNC-Asheville, they have Division I's tallest player in 7'7" Kenny George. Why wouldn't a high-major DI team take a chance on a 7'7 guy? Here's why!

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Exhale (and Feel The Madness)

03.05.08 - 6:00 AM - Everyone... all together now... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. The gap of boredom from the end of the Super Bowl until March Madness has finally coming to a close. There is no greater event on a yearly basis than the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. It never fails to disappoint. But first, we have the conference tournaments. This is a time where the only Bruins you'll hear about aren't from UCLA... but from tiny Belmont University in Nashville. Back-door cuts, perfect spacing, three-point shooting, and six-foot-five SF's you played against in high school and broke your heart become factors. (That's right Gabe Lewullis of Allentown Central Catholic/Princeton fame, don't think I forgot) This is a time where Pirates tame Cyclones and father/son Crusaders take down the Rebels. Who's excited? THIS GUY! Over the next few weeks, I'll be popping the proverbial "bubble," making predictions, and covering the greatest spectacle in all of sport.

Guaranteed bid leagues
(current leader listed - bold is clinched):

America East - UMBC
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
Big Sky - Portland St.
Big South - UNC-Asheville
Big West - CSU Northridge
Ivy - Cornell
MAAC - Rider
MEAC - Morgan St.
N'East - Robert Morris
Ohio Valley - Austin Peay
Patriot - American
Southland - Lamar
SWAC - Alabama St
Summit - Oral Roberts
WAC - Boise St.

That is 15 bids.

Let's go over the "locks."

ACC - Duke, UNC, Clemson
Atlantic 10 - Xavier
Big East - Louisville, G'Town, Notre Dame, UConn, Marquette
Big Ten - Michigan St, Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue
Big 12 - Texas, Kansas
C-USA - Memphis
Horizon - Butler
MVC - Drake
MWC - BYU
Pac-10 - UCLA, Stanford, Washington St.
SEC - Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi St.

That is 40 bids.

This is where the bubble gets tricky. There are several conferences with teams that would be on the bubble if they lost their conference tournament.

In with a win

Colonial - VCU
Mid-American - Kent St.
Southern - Davidson
Sun Belt - S. Alabama
WCC - Gonzaga, St. Mary's

That is 45 bids.

With those conference champions, it leaves 20 bids.

Up for consideration

ACC - Virginia Tech, Maryland, Miami
Atlantic 10 - Temple, UMass, St. Joe's, Rhode Island, Dayton
Big East - Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Villanova, Syracuse
Big Ten - Ohio State
Big 12 - Baylor, Kansas St, Texas A&M, Oklahoma
C-USA - UAB, Houston
Colonial - VCU
Mid-American - Kent St.
MVC - Illinois St, So. Illinois
MWC - UNLV, New Mexico
Pac-10 - USC, Arizona St, Arizona, Oregon
SEC - Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi
Southern - Davidson
Sun Belt - S. Alabama, Western Kentucky
WCC - Gonzaga, St. Mary's

That said, alongside here are some stats (via ESPN.com) on the teams battling for those 20 spots (D-1 wins ONLY).

First by record, Second by RPI, third by record vs. top 25 in RPI. (Click any to enlarge)

Given the data provided and with the assumptions already made...

Here are my Top 16 bubble teams
(no particular order)

Miami (FL)
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
Oklahoma
Baylor
Kansas St.
Illinois St.
UNLV
USC
Arizona St.
Arizona
Arkansas
S. Alabama
Gonzaga
St. Mary's
Kent St.

Final Four IN

Davidson
Maryland
Texas A&M
UAB

Final Four OUT
(hoping Cinderella doesn't make the ball)

VCU
Florida
Dayton
Kentucky

Next Four OUT

So. Illinois
Syracuse
St. Joe's
Virginia Tech

Stay tuned. jjj