As you may be able to tell, I'm the type of basketball nerd who gets excited about the conference tourneys. They're like warm-ups for the main event. As we get closer to tourney time, I'll continue to keep track of which teams are locking up top seeds in conference tourneys, so we won't be overly surprised at who populates our big bracket in late March.
Here are the conferences, rated by RPI. Stay tuned until the end for a look at the Bracket Busters television schedule, and what it means to Auto Bid Watch.
1. ACC
2. Big 12
3. Pac 10
4. Big East
5. SEC
6. Big Ten
7. A-10
8. MVC
9. Mountain West
10. C-USA
11. Horizon - Butler's still cruising at 14-2, heading into this weekend's marquee Buster matchup with the MVC's Drake (23-3 overall). If there is any justice in the world, this should be one of the best games of the year.
12. WCC - I guess Gonzaga (10-1) doesn't do Bracket Busters any more. How gauche. Saint Mary's (also 10-1) is in one of the premiere games, taking on the excellent and consistent Kent State (see below). In the meantime, we're all just holding our breath until the March 1 rematch in Spokane.
13. MAC - Like G-Money, I'm starting to think of the MAC as a possible two-bidder. The CAA and MVC just don't seem to be holding it down like they did last year. For that scenario to happen, someone has to upset the 22-5 (11-2) Kent State Golden Flashes in the MAC tourney, and I'd also venture to say that Kent State should endeavor to beat St. Mary's in Bracket Busters this weekend in order to shore up a potential at-large berth. Potential upsetters are Akron (9-4) and Western Michigan (Central Michigan? caught in the middle.), who beat the other half of the state to go to 9-3.
14. CAA - Slight stumble by Virginia Commonwealth (13-3) opened the door, but only a crack. George Mason and UNC-W are the closest at 11-5 each. William & Mary and ODU are at 10-6, and surprisingly still in the hunt for first-round byes in the CAA tournament.
15. Sun Belt - One of the few big-time mid games was played last night, as the rest of the field is busy preparing for Bracket Busters. South Alabama (14-2) and Western Kentucky (13-2) have been battling it out for a couple of weeks now, and last night Team USA completed the season sweep of the Hilltoppers to go back on top with tiebreaker in hand.
16. Patriot - American University (9-3) keeps working on nailing down the #1 conference seed, even as the role of "top challenger" keeps jumping from one team to the next. As of today, it's the United States Naval Academy hanging around at 7-4.
17. WAC - Boise State holds a slight lead, with their 10-3 going up against New Mexico State's 9-3. The Broncos have a televised Bracket Buster matchup coming this weekend, as they host Siena, who are mired in a four-way tie for the lead in the MAAC.
18. Big West - It's a Cal State world out west. Northridge is in the lead, with a solid 10-2 conference record, but Fullerton refuses to go away, with a 10-3 mark. Oddly enough, the TV spotlight this weekend goes to the third place UCSB Gauchos.
19. SoCon - Since Davidson hasn't lost in the Southern (18-0), we might as well mention that they will be hoping to shore up their emergency at-large profile in a great game at Winthrop, who are leading the Big South despite sending their coach to Wichita State at the end of last season.
20. MAAC - This one's insane. Four teams are tied at 11-5 atop the Metro. Niagara, Rider, Siena, and Loyola of Maryland each have a shot going into the final games. Rider is on a three-game loss streak, Siena has dropped two, and Loyola has been splitting often following a six-game win streak to get in this position in the first place. That leaves Niagara as the team on a hot streak.
21. Southland - This one's still two-sided. In the East division, it's a totally anonymous Lamar team holding steady at 10-1. In the West, Stephen F. Austin is upholding the honor of famous dead white guys everywhere. As if having the state capitol named after you wasn't enough, Steve.
22. Summit - Oral Roberts has withstood a challenge from IUPUI, which was knocked back a peg when the Jaguars lost a heartbreaker to Oakland (of Michigan) last night. ORU is now two full games up with a once-blemished 15-1 conference tally. They'll finally get a chance to match up with a worthy non-conference foe as they host Valley stalwarts Creighton on Saturday.
23. NEC - The NEC is coming along nicely, with Robert Morris and Wagner sharing the 13-2 summit. Sacred Heart is right behind at 12-3.
24. Ivy - Cornell (8-0) should clinch the first tournament bid of the season before the end of February, with some of our favorite eggheads predicting the Dartmouth contest on the 29th as D-day.
25. Big Sky - Portland State still rules the roost at 11-2.
26. Big South - Winthrop (9-3) is back on top after UNC-Asheville decided to rest Big Kenny for the tournament. The recent four-game flop without the big man might cost the Bulldogs too much, however.
27. AEC - I'm no mathemetician, but it looks like the UMBC Retrievers have this one sewed up, staying strong at 11-2 while Hartford labors to stay close at 9-5.
28. Ohio Valley - Still Austin Peay. They're 14-4 with Murray State a full two games back.
29. Atlantic Sun - Familiar double-digit NCAA seeds Belmont eked back into the lead at 11-2, while long-time league leader Jacksonville fell a game back. They won't meet again until a possible league tourney tilt, but Belmont holds the tiebreaker after a February 7th win.
30. MEAC - This one will likely go down to the wire. Morgan State and Norfolk State are still tied at 10-2 apiece, with no chance to get at one another directly in the remaining games.
31. Indies - Say a little prayer for NJIT, as they go into game #29 with a lame-duck coach and little chance of winning. Maybe one day they'll look back on this and laugh. Nah, probably not.
32. SWAC - Alabama State must really want to be team #65 on your bracket. They are lording over the SWAC with a 10-2 mark and their nearest foe 2 1/2 games back.
Bracket Busters
I've been talking about these teams for weeks now, so if you've conjured up any sort of curiousity about them, here's your chance to get a glimpse before Championship Week gets underway. The televised BB games are as follows:
Here are the conferences, rated by RPI. Stay tuned until the end for a look at the Bracket Busters television schedule, and what it means to Auto Bid Watch.
1. ACC
2. Big 12
3. Pac 10
4. Big East
5. SEC
6. Big Ten
7. A-10
8. MVC
9. Mountain West
10. C-USA
11. Horizon - Butler's still cruising at 14-2, heading into this weekend's marquee Buster matchup with the MVC's Drake (23-3 overall). If there is any justice in the world, this should be one of the best games of the year.
12. WCC - I guess Gonzaga (10-1) doesn't do Bracket Busters any more. How gauche. Saint Mary's (also 10-1) is in one of the premiere games, taking on the excellent and consistent Kent State (see below). In the meantime, we're all just holding our breath until the March 1 rematch in Spokane.
13. MAC - Like G-Money, I'm starting to think of the MAC as a possible two-bidder. The CAA and MVC just don't seem to be holding it down like they did last year. For that scenario to happen, someone has to upset the 22-5 (11-2) Kent State Golden Flashes in the MAC tourney, and I'd also venture to say that Kent State should endeavor to beat St. Mary's in Bracket Busters this weekend in order to shore up a potential at-large berth. Potential upsetters are Akron (9-4) and Western Michigan (Central Michigan? caught in the middle.), who beat the other half of the state to go to 9-3.
14. CAA - Slight stumble by Virginia Commonwealth (13-3) opened the door, but only a crack. George Mason and UNC-W are the closest at 11-5 each. William & Mary and ODU are at 10-6, and surprisingly still in the hunt for first-round byes in the CAA tournament.
15. Sun Belt - One of the few big-time mid games was played last night, as the rest of the field is busy preparing for Bracket Busters. South Alabama (14-2) and Western Kentucky (13-2) have been battling it out for a couple of weeks now, and last night Team USA completed the season sweep of the Hilltoppers to go back on top with tiebreaker in hand.
16. Patriot - American University (9-3) keeps working on nailing down the #1 conference seed, even as the role of "top challenger" keeps jumping from one team to the next. As of today, it's the United States Naval Academy hanging around at 7-4.
17. WAC - Boise State holds a slight lead, with their 10-3 going up against New Mexico State's 9-3. The Broncos have a televised Bracket Buster matchup coming this weekend, as they host Siena, who are mired in a four-way tie for the lead in the MAAC.
18. Big West - It's a Cal State world out west. Northridge is in the lead, with a solid 10-2 conference record, but Fullerton refuses to go away, with a 10-3 mark. Oddly enough, the TV spotlight this weekend goes to the third place UCSB Gauchos.
19. SoCon - Since Davidson hasn't lost in the Southern (18-0), we might as well mention that they will be hoping to shore up their emergency at-large profile in a great game at Winthrop, who are leading the Big South despite sending their coach to Wichita State at the end of last season.
20. MAAC - This one's insane. Four teams are tied at 11-5 atop the Metro. Niagara, Rider, Siena, and Loyola of Maryland each have a shot going into the final games. Rider is on a three-game loss streak, Siena has dropped two, and Loyola has been splitting often following a six-game win streak to get in this position in the first place. That leaves Niagara as the team on a hot streak.
21. Southland - This one's still two-sided. In the East division, it's a totally anonymous Lamar team holding steady at 10-1. In the West, Stephen F. Austin is upholding the honor of famous dead white guys everywhere. As if having the state capitol named after you wasn't enough, Steve.
22. Summit - Oral Roberts has withstood a challenge from IUPUI, which was knocked back a peg when the Jaguars lost a heartbreaker to Oakland (of Michigan) last night. ORU is now two full games up with a once-blemished 15-1 conference tally. They'll finally get a chance to match up with a worthy non-conference foe as they host Valley stalwarts Creighton on Saturday.
23. NEC - The NEC is coming along nicely, with Robert Morris and Wagner sharing the 13-2 summit. Sacred Heart is right behind at 12-3.
24. Ivy - Cornell (8-0) should clinch the first tournament bid of the season before the end of February, with some of our favorite eggheads predicting the Dartmouth contest on the 29th as D-day.
25. Big Sky - Portland State still rules the roost at 11-2.
26. Big South - Winthrop (9-3) is back on top after UNC-Asheville decided to rest Big Kenny for the tournament. The recent four-game flop without the big man might cost the Bulldogs too much, however.
27. AEC - I'm no mathemetician, but it looks like the UMBC Retrievers have this one sewed up, staying strong at 11-2 while Hartford labors to stay close at 9-5.
28. Ohio Valley - Still Austin Peay. They're 14-4 with Murray State a full two games back.
29. Atlantic Sun - Familiar double-digit NCAA seeds Belmont eked back into the lead at 11-2, while long-time league leader Jacksonville fell a game back. They won't meet again until a possible league tourney tilt, but Belmont holds the tiebreaker after a February 7th win.
30. MEAC - This one will likely go down to the wire. Morgan State and Norfolk State are still tied at 10-2 apiece, with no chance to get at one another directly in the remaining games.
31. Indies - Say a little prayer for NJIT, as they go into game #29 with a lame-duck coach and little chance of winning. Maybe one day they'll look back on this and laugh. Nah, probably not.
32. SWAC - Alabama State must really want to be team #65 on your bracket. They are lording over the SWAC with a 10-2 mark and their nearest foe 2 1/2 games back.
Bracket Busters
I've been talking about these teams for weeks now, so if you've conjured up any sort of curiousity about them, here's your chance to get a glimpse before Championship Week gets underway. The televised BB games are as follows:
Date Time (ET) Teams Network (conference leaders bolded)
Fri., 2/22 7 p.m. Davidson at Winthrop ESPN2
Fri., 2/22 9 p.m. UC Santa Barbara at Utah State ESPNU
Sat., 2/23 11 a.m. Virginia Commonwealth at Akron ESPN2
Sat., 2/23 1 p.m. George Mason at Ohio ESPN2
Sat., 2/23 3 p.m. Creighton at Oral Roberts ESPN2
Sat., 2/23 4:30 p.m Nevada at Southern Illinois ESPNU
Sat., 2/23 5 p.m. Drake at #10 Butler ESPN2
Sat., 2/23 6 p.m. Miami (Ohio) at Valparaiso ESPN Classic
Sat., 2/23 6:30 p.m. Marist at Cleveland State ESPNU
Sat., 2/23 9 p.m. Rider at Cal State Northridge ESPNU
Sat., 2/23 9 p.m. UW Milwaukee at Bradley ESPN360.com
Sat., 2/23 10 p.m. Siena at Boise State ESPN360.com
Sat., 2/23 11:59 p.m. Kent State at #21 Saint Mary’s ESPN2
Sun., 2/24 6:30 p.m. Wright State at Illinois State ESPNU
Enjoy as many as you can, though I think you can probably tell which games will have the most impact on our beloved game.
2 comments:
I'm totally down for Alabama State making the Dance.....more Cheif Kickingstallions
Hells yes - my best-case scenario would be both Big Kenny and Chief making the dance.
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