The Sun Belt is the only 11-team tournament this year, as\u00a0LA-Monroe was disqualified from the tournament.\u00a0 I’m not sure why, and I really hope it wasn’t due to recruiting infractions because if they’re cheating, they really need to cheat on better players.\u00a0 The Warhawks (just another amazing nickname in, by far, the greatest conference of nicknames in the country) were terrible.\u00a0 It’s probably good news for Yours Truly because I’m a real sucker for those last-place teams pulling upsets in the first round, so I’m saved from myself in this one.\u00a0 #1 Middle Tennessee and #3 Denver have been the best two teams in the league this year, and that is shown by<\/p>\n
Championship Picks Biggest Upsets Previous CTC Champions<\/em> #6 S. Alabama vs. #11 Troy<\/em> #7 W. Kentucky vs. #10 Florida-International<\/em> #8 Florida-Atlantic vs. #9 Arkansas St.<\/em> The Sun Belt is the only 11-team tournament this year, as\u00a0LA-Monroe was disqualified from the tournament.\u00a0 I’m not sure why, and I really hope it wasn’t due to recruiting infractions because if they’re cheating, they really need to cheat on … Continue reading
\n<\/em>10 for #1 Middle Tennessee
\n1 for #2 AR-Little Rock (Mac)
\n8 for #3 Denver (Alexi, J, KA, Lohse, Lynch, RDoc, Stri, Waters)
\n1 for #4 LA-Lafayette (Gersh)<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>R1 – #11 Troy (Bry, Dave, Doogan, J, KA, Lynch, Waters)
\nQF – #11 Troy (Dave, Doogan)
\nSF – #7 W. Kentucky (RSmith, Teddy)<\/p>\n
\n2011 – J
\n2010 – Stri
\n2009 – Ina
\n2008 – Alexi<\/p>\n
\nThe Trojans are one of the more underrated nicknames in this amazing conference.\u00a0 Trojans, by itself, is a good, but not great nickname.\u00a0 But, when you consider that it’s the Troy Trojans, it makes it amazing.\u00a0 That’s like if American University’s nickname was the “Americans.”\u00a0 Anyway, Troy finished in 11th, but it was a wide-open Sun Belt this year and they are not a doormat.\u00a0 USA, on the other hand, had some rough breaks this year, losing two conference games in overtime, and four more by 5 points or fewer.\u00a0 They are much better than their conference record may indicate.\u00a0 #3 Denver awaits the winner of this game in the quarters tomorrow.\u00a0 Troy is a live ‘dog in this one, as 7 people (Bry, Dave, Doogan, J, KA, Lynch, Waters) has this big upset.\u00a0 Dave and Doogan have them winning again in the quarters.\u00a0 Gersh and RSmith have USA going to the semis.<\/p>\n
\nWhat a hire FIU made a couple years back!\u00a0 Bringing in the great Isiah Thomas to coach their team, FIU has skyrocketed from perennial last-place team to, well, perennial last-place team.\u00a0 What don’t people understand about Isiah?\u00a0 He was an amazing point guard – one of the five best to ever play the game.\u00a0 And, he is a dreadful, dreadful head coach…at any level!\u00a0 Well, his Golden Panthers take on a Sun Belt royalty that has fallen on hard times, W. Kentucky.\u00a0 The Hilltoppers (another great one) had to fire their head coach halfway through the season – that’s how bad it is.\u00a0\u00a0(For the record, they were three places above FIU, who, for some reason, did not fire their <\/em>coach.)\u00a0 But, WKU has played better under new leadership.\u00a0 The Hilltoppers are a popular pick every year in this tournament, and this year is no exception.\u00a0 6 people have them in the semis (Alexi, Gross, Lohse, Lynch, RSmith, Teddy), with RSmith and Teddy having them in the finals.\u00a0 FIU is also a somewhat popular upset pick, as 8 people have them winning this game (Bry, Dave, Doogan, J, KA, Lil Lohse, Primm, Waters).\u00a0 Waters even has them in the semis.<\/p>\n
\nThese two teams thought they had contenders, and at least FAU looked like a contender early on before falling apart midseason.\u00a0 Arkansas St. (the Red Wolves…not bad) just muddled their way through a disappointing season.\u00a0 One of these teams will win tonight and get to play #1 Middle Tennessee tomorrow in the quarters.\u00a0 11 people actually have the upset with Ark State here.\u00a0 The other 9 (Alexi, Dave, Gersh, Lynch, Primm, RDoc, RSmith, Scott, Waters) have FL-Atlantic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"