And, now we’re really moving, as most conferences are getting set up\u00a0for the second best weekend in sports (not coincidentally a week before the BEST weekend in sports).\u00a0 There are quadruple-headers all over the country, many of which are with the nation’s best teams.\u00a0 Let’s get right to it.<\/p>\n
NEC CHAMPIONSHIP:<\/u><\/strong> BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP:<\/u><\/strong> BIG EAST SECOND ROUND:<\/u><\/strong> PAC-10 OPENING ROUND:<\/u><\/strong> BIG XII OPENING ROUND:<\/u><\/strong> ATLANTIC TEN OPENING ROUND:<\/u><\/strong> CONFERENCE USA OPENING ROUND:<\/u><\/strong> BIG WEST OPENING ROUND:<\/u><\/strong> MEAC OPENING ROUND & QUARTERFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> And, now we’re really moving, as most conferences are getting set up\u00a0for the second best weekend in sports (not coincidentally a week before the BEST weekend in sports).\u00a0 There are quadruple-headers all over the country, many of which are with … Continue reading
\nIn a tournament that started with the quarterfinals last Thursday and then continued with the semifinals on Sunday, the finals are Wednesday night on the campus of Robert Morris College.\u00a0 Stri and Bry are going for the perfect bracket tonight.<\/p>\n\n
\nAfter last night’s surprising semifinal double-header, the Big Sky is thrown for a loop.\u00a0 The leader, right now, has TWELVE points, and there is a chance that that is the winning score here.<\/p>\n\n
\nAfter a historic first round in the Big East, we have the “second round,” and this is the only time we refer to a second round because all other second rounds are either quarterfinals or semifinals.\u00a0 The next four Big East teams (seeds 5-8) take the court on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n
\nComing off the season they had last year, it is hard to think that the Pac-10 could improve, or even stay as good–and they didn’t.\u00a0 But, this is still one of the best conferences in the country, probably only behind the Big East and the ACC.\u00a0 They do not have a clear title contender, but I am on the record as picking my dark horse Final Four team out of the Pac-10.\u00a0 Aside from UNC, Oklahoma, and Louisville, I picked\u00a0Arizona St. as a Final Four participant when I did a professional presentation on March Madness this week.\u00a0 Doogan will try and repeat as the CTC Pac-10 champ (270 points).\u00a0 J will try and improve upon his 180-point last place finish, though within 90 of the winner means that it was a very close race top to bottom.<\/p>\n\n
\nUsually, the Big XII plays on Thursday – Sunday, but I guess they got tired of their champions not getting rewarded in the seedings because their finals went too late, so they moved it up this year to Wednesday, and the final will be on Saturday.\u00a0 This year in the Big XII, it was certainly a three-team race, with Kansas, Oklahoma, and Mizzou.\u00a0 All three should get high seeds in the big tourney, but this tournament will go a long way to see just how high.\u00a0 Also, a lot of eyes will be on bubble teams like Texas, Kansas St., and Texas A&M to see if they can get off the bubble and into the tournament.\u00a0 Last year, Bry won this conference pretty convincingly, with 320 points.\u00a0 Ina and Stri had nice efforts with 270.\u00a0 J really struggled, with 90 points–110 fewer than the next lowest.<\/p>\n\n
\nAnother good year in the A-10 ends this weekend with the conference tournament.\u00a0 Xavier is certainly the team to beat, but there is also the defending champion Temple Owls, plus a very strong Dayton team, a surprising, red-hot Rhode Island team, and the always feisty St. Joe’s Hawks.\u00a0 Waters is trying to defend his A-10 title (310 points last year), while the non-Philadelphians, Alexi (40) and Stri (80) will try and improve upon last year’s bottom two finishes in the Philly-centric conference.\u00a0 The opening round gets going on Wednesday, with the top four seeds (Xavier, Rhode Island, Dayton, and Temple) getting a bye into Thursday’s quarterfinals.\u00a0 Bry took all four underdogs in this round.<\/p>\n\n
\nNo team has dominated their conference quite like the Memphis Tigers over the past three years.\u00a0 They have won 57 straight conference games and they will try and stretch it to 60 and another C-USA title this weekend.\u00a0 But, before we get to see C-USA’s best team, we have an opening round\u00a0quadruple-header to take care of, setting us up for the quarterfinals on Thursday.\u00a0 Last year, Ina dominated the C-USA with 162 points.\u00a0 J lost this conference last year, with 84.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe Big West gets going tonight with the opening round.\u00a0 The top two seeds get double-byes.\u00a0 The next two seeds get single-byes.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe strange MEAC setup has an opening round game and two quarterfinals on the same night.<\/p>\n\n