More crazy upsets abound in Day 11 of the 2009 CTC.\u00a0 It is extremely close from 2 through 8, Ina might be on her way to\u00a0her 2nd title in 3 years.\u00a0 Then again, there are a TON of points still up for grabs, so it really is anybody’s game.<\/p>\n
DAY 11 SCORES:
\nWaters-474
\nBry-426
\nIna-402
\nAlexi-390
\nStri-364
\nJ-350
\nLynch-338
\nDoogan-330<\/p>\n
OVERALL STANDINGS (points behind leader with 1876):
\nIna-0
\nBry-141
\nAlexi-174
\nWaters-207
\nLynch-232
\nDoogan-265
\nStri-303
\nJ-308<\/p>\n
PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP:<\/u><\/strong> FINAL PATRIOT LEAGUE STANDINGS: ATLANTIC 10 SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> BIG EAST SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> PAC 10 SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> BIG XII SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> ACC QUARTERFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> BIG TEN SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #1 Michigan State 64 – #8 Minnesota 50<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 In an ugly, ugly game, the Spartans take out the Gophers, putting Minnesota right on the bubble.\u00a0 The Spartans will move into the semifinals on Saturday.\u00a0 Everyone had MSU winning this game.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n SEC QUARTERFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #1W LSU 67 – #4E Kentucky 58<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 This should do it for the ‘Cats.\u00a0 Their 18-year streak of making the tournament is probably going to end this year.\u00a0 LSU moves on to the SEC semis on Saturday.\u00a0 Boy, this Trent Johnson guy can flat-out coach, huh?\u00a0 Bry is the only one to take UK, so everyone else got this right.\u00a0 Ina and J kept their champion alive.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #1E Tennessee 86\u00a0– #4W Alabama 62<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The Vols made a statement in their postseason opener.\u00a0 They will move on to the semis on Saturday.\u00a0 Everyone had UT winning this game.\u00a0 Bry, Doogan, Alexi, and Lynch all keep their champ alive.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #2W Auburn 61 – #3E Florida 58<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 In what might turn out to be a play-in game, Auburn came from behind to beat Florida.\u00a0 The Tigers will move on to face Tennessee in the semis on Saturday.\u00a0 Only Stri and Lynch actually took the favored Tigers in this one.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #3W Mississippi State 82 – #2E South Carolina 68<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 Pop goes another bubble, as S. Carolina is probably NIT-bound now.\u00a0 Mississippi St. will move on to the semis to face LSU on Saturday.\u00a0 Stri and Alexi got the nice upset pick.\u00a0 Bry and Doogan lost finalists; Waters lost his champion.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n CONFERENCE USA SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #1 Memphis 74\u00a0– #5 Houston 49<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 As predicted, Houston was “next” on the C-USA chopping block for Memphis.\u00a0 This wasn’t ever close.\u00a0 Everyone has Memphis winning this whole tournament, so this did nothing towards the overall CTC.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #2 Tulsa 70 – #3 UAB 67<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 A nice, big win for the Golden Hurricane and they are now “next.”\u00a0 They will get Memphis on Saturday in the C-USA finals.\u00a0 This was a big swing game in the CTC, as everyone had one of these two teams playing Memphis in the finals.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, and Doogan were on the winning side of this one.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n MAC SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #5 Akron 63 – #1 Bowling Green 55<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The Zips have completed a very unlikely run to the MAC finals, with yet another come-from-behind win–this one over the conference’s top seed.\u00a0 If they go on to win this tournament, it will be amazing, considering they were down big in all their games so far, including needing a last-second shot in overtime to beat the bottom-seeded Toledo Rockets in the first round.\u00a0 No one had this Akron team reaching the finals.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, and Doogan all lost their champion picks, so those who had Kent St. or Miami (OH) winning this tournament aren’t going to lose nearly as many points as they could have because of Akron’s run through the touranment.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #3 Buffalo 64 – #2 Ball State 52<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The Bulls move on to the finals of the MAC, with a nice 12-point win over Ball St. Friday in the quarters.\u00a0 Ina, J, and Doogan correctly predicted Buffalo reaching the finals.\u00a0 Waters and Lynch missed the Ball St. pick, with Waters losing his champ in the process.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n MOUNTAIN WEST SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #4 San Diego State 64 – #2 BYU 62<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The Aztecs have probably just clinced themselves an at-large bid to The Dance by knocking out #1 BYU in the M-West semis.\u00a0 Alexi and Waters both correctly predicted SDSU reaching the finals.\u00a0 Waters even has them winning the tournament.\u00a0 Ina lost her champion.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #2 Utah 68 – #6 Wyoming 55<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The Utes move on to the finals with a nice win over Wyoming in the semis on Friday night.\u00a0 Bry, J, Waters, and Lynch all correctly predicted that Utah would reach the finals.\u00a0 Bry, J, and Lynch all have them winning it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n WAC SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #1 Utah State 71 – #5 New Mexico State 70<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 Utah St., who was the last team to lose a game in D-1 this year, pulled out a huge win in the semis on Friday night over New Mexico St.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, J, and Waters all got this one right.\u00a0 Waters and J both have them winning this tournament.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #2 Nevada 77 – #6 Louisiana Tech 68<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The Wolfpack caught a break not having to face Idaho and took advantage in beating #6 La Tech to advance to the finals.\u00a0 Everyone except Waters got this pick correct.\u00a0 Everyone except Waters and J have Nevada winning the whole tournament.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n BIG WEST SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #1 Cal State-Northridge 67 – #4 UC-Santa Barbara 60<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 In a close game throughout, Northridge hangs on and advances to the Big West finals.\u00a0 Alexi and J both had UCSB in this one; everyone else got it right.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #3 Pacific 65 – #2 Long Beach State 60<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The Pacific Tigers upset LBSU and move on to the finals against CS-Northridge.\u00a0 Stri, Lynch, Bry, and Ina all got this pick correct.\u00a0 Stri and Lynch have the Tigers winning it all.\u00a0 J loses his champion here.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n MEAC SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #1 Morgan State 75 – #5 Coppin State 67<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 A game Coppin St. team falls short of upsetting Morgan St. in the semis.\u00a0 Maybe, if Morgan St. can win, they will not get placed in the play-in game and will, therefore, make the main draw.\u00a0 If so, it will be the first MEAC team in the main draw since 2005, as three straight years, the losing team in the play-in game has been the MEAC champ.\u00a0 Everyone had Morgan St. in this one.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #3 Norfolk State 74 – #2 South Carolina State 71<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 Norfolk St. is going to be the one that tries to spoil the party for Morgan in Saturday’s final, as they top S.C. State on Friday night.\u00a0 Waters and Lynch got this pick right, with Waters keeping his champion alive.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, and Doogan lost S.C. State in this one.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n SOUTHLAND SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #1 Stephen F. Austin 66 – #4 Texas A&M-Corpus Christie 63<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 It was close all the way through, but SFA pulled it out in the end.\u00a0 They move on to the title game.\u00a0 Everyone except J got this right.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #6 Texas-San Antonio 57 – #2 Nicholls State 55<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The Roadrunners of UTSA pull off their second upset in as many nights–they knocked off #3 Sam Houston St. in the quarters.\u00a0 Now, they take out #2 Nicholls St. in the semis, saving a lot of points for those who took Sam Houston\u00a0to the finals.\u00a0 No one had UTSA.\u00a0 Stri and Ina both had Nicholls St. in the finals.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n SWAC SEMIFINALS:<\/u><\/strong> #1 Alabama State 63 – #4 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 55<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 The top seed, ASU moves on to the finals, as expected, in a game against a ready Pine Bluff team.\u00a0 Everyone except Lynch got this one right.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n #2 Jackson State 66 – #3 Prairie View A&M 53<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 Jackson St. completes the destined finals matchup in the SWAC with a 13-point win over PVAM.\u00a0 Only Stri had Prairie View in this one; everyone else had Jackson St.\u00a0 Bry, J, Doogan, and Alexi all keep their champ alive here.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" More crazy upsets abound in Day 11 of the 2009 CTC.\u00a0 It is extremely close from 2 through 8, Ina might be on her way to\u00a0her 2nd title in 3 years.\u00a0 Then again, there are a TON of points still … Continue reading
\nIn a conference tournament that started on March 4th, we finally completed it and American University is going back to The Dance.<\/p>\n\n
\nAlexi-50
\nIna-44
\nBry-40
\nJ-32
\nStri-32
\nDoogan-28 (defending champ)
\nLynch-28
\nWaters-20<\/p>\n
\nWooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!\u00a0 Fight, fight, fight for the Cherry and the White, for the Cherry and the White, we’ll fight, fight, fight!!!\u00a0 One more win and we’re dancing again!\u00a0 MADNESS!!!\u00a0 No one picked this final.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe Big East final is set for Friday night in The Garden.\u00a0 It is Louisville and Syracuse.\u00a0 For all the talk in the regular season, with three in the preseason top 5 (Pitt, UConn, and Notre Dame) and one more in the Top 10 (Georgetown), it is Louisville and Syracuse playing for the conference title.\u00a0 Clearly no one in the CTC got this right.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe Pac 10 is looking good for four locked bids with the shot of as many as six, as USC stayed alive last night.<\/p>\n\n
\nIn what has been the most shocking of all the conference tournaments, the Big XII has an interesting finals matchup coming up on Saturday.\u00a0 They might get their 7th bid.\u00a0 The CTC contestants went 1-for-16 in their semifinal picks.\u00a0 Only Lynch got one right.\u00a0 No one has a champion left.<\/p>\n\n
\nAn exciting day in Atlanta gets us to the ACC Final Four.\u00a0 Waters went 4-for-4 on Friday here in the ACC.\u00a0 Doogan and Alexi lost their champions.\u00a0 Lynch, J, and Ina lost finalists.<\/p>\n\n
\nAn ugly quadruple-header in Indianapolis is pretty much par for the course in Big Ten basketball.\u00a0 Personally, I kind of like it because it’s tough, gritty, and defense-oriented.\u00a0 But, at times, it is also pretty awful to watch.\u00a0 Waters, Bry, Ina, and Stri did the best here–each getting 3 out of 4.\u00a0 Everyone else had two.\u00a0 Only Stri lost a champion.\u00a0 Alexi lost a finalist.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe SEC is having a down year, but it is still good basketball, especially in the tournament.\u00a0 The Final Four was decided on Friday and should be pretty good to watch.\u00a0 Stri actually nailed all four of these games.\u00a0 Bry only got 1 right.\u00a0 Waters was the only one to lose his champion.\u00a0 Doogan and Bry both lost finalists.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe top two seeds move on in the C-USA semis.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, and Doogan correctly predicted this finals matchup<\/p>\n\n
\nAnother interesting day in the interesting MAC.\u00a0 Ina, J, and Doogan are the only ones to even get one finalist correct, let alone both of them.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe Mountain West–a very underrated conference–had a couple good semifinals on Friday night.\u00a0 Only\u00a0Waters correctly predicted the\u00a0two semifinal winners.\u00a0 \u00a0Stri, Doogan, and Ina all got both wrong.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe top two seeds go to the finals in the WAC.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, and J all correctly predicted this final.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe top two seeds finally took the floor in the Big West tournament on Friday night, and they went 1-1.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, Stri, and Lynch all got the finals correct.\u00a0 Alexi and J got neither.<\/p>\n\n
\nThe MEAC finals are all set to go in Winston-Salem on Saturday.\u00a0 Waters and Lynch both got both finalists right.\u00a0 Doogan got neither, and is the only one to lose a champion here.<\/p>\n\n
\nOne team surprise and one no-surprise in the Southland on Friday.\u00a0 Only J got neither finalist, but no one got them both.\u00a0 Five of us still have our champion alive.<\/p>\n\n
\nIn a conference dominated by two teams, those two teams have advanced to the finals.\u00a0 Everyone except Lynch and Stri got this finals matchup correct.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n