Wednesday and Thurday of Championship Week are about as good as it gets in this sport.\u00a0 So, buckle your seatbelts, put in your vacation requests, and turn on the TV, as there is wall-to-wall basketball for the next 72+ hours.<\/p>\n
NEC CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (16 points):<\/em><\/u> #2 Robert Morris vs. #1 Quinnipiac<\/em>.\u00a0 Quinnipiac has won two tough games to get here, while Robert Morris just pounded Mt. St. Mary’s in the semis.\u00a0 But, this one in on the home floor of QU, where they are 14-0 this season.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, Doogan, Stri, and KA all have Quinnipiac.\u00a0 Lil Lohse is the only one with Robert Morris and will take the NEC title if they win.<\/p>\n BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (16 points):<\/em><\/u> #4 Montana\u00a0at #1 Weber St.\u00a0 <\/em>Weber St., on the heels of their regular season title, gets to play the semis and finals of the conferent tournament on their home floor.\u00a0 Montana, who hammered N. Arizona, at home, in the quarterfinals, and then knocked off #2 N. Colorado in the semis last night.\u00a0 Tonight, they get a shot at #1 Weber St.\u00a0 Lohse has Montana.\u00a0 Lil Lohse, Waters, Alexi, Stri, J, Ina, and Bry all have Weber St.<\/p>\n BIG EAST SECOND ROUND <\/strong>(10 points each):<\/em><\/u> #9 S. Florida vs. #8 Georgetown (10-8)<\/em>.\u00a0 USF, after a closer-than-should-have-been first round game with DePaul now get to take on one of the best #8-seeds you will ever see in the Georgetown Hoyas, with the winner taking on Syracuse tomorrow in the quarters.\u00a0 Doogan, Lynch, and KA all have USF in the upset.\u00a0 Everyone else has G’town.\u00a0 No one has either of these teams beating the ‘Cuse next round.<\/p>\n #13 St. John’s vs. #5 Marquette (11-7)<\/em>.\u00a0 In the most unexpected result of the Big East first round, St. John’s hammered UConn, setting up a second-round matchup with Marquette.\u00a0 For those of you who know a guy named Kaplan, he promised that if St. John’s wins this tournament, he will wax his entire body and grow a comb-over in time for his wedding on Labor Day.\u00a0 So, everyone root like hell for the Johnnies…PLEASE.\u00a0 Anyway, the winner of this game will take on Villanova tomorrow in the quarters.\u00a0 Since KA was the only one that correctly had SJU winning the first round, no one has SJU winning this one.\u00a0 However, Bry, Alexi, J, and Waters all have UConn winning here, so they have already lost this game.\u00a0 Everyone else has Marquette.\u00a0 Doogan and Lil Lohse have the most at stake with Marquette, as they both have them in the semis.\u00a0<\/p>\n #10 Seton Hall vs. #7 Notre Dame (10-8)<\/em>.\u00a0 In a thriller last night, Seton Hall nearly blew a THIRTY-point lead, but hung on to knock off Providence, 109-106.\u00a0 Their reward is a second round date today with Notre Dame.\u00a0 The winner of this game will play Pitt tomorrow.\u00a0 Waters, Lil Lohse, and KA all have Seton Hall in this upset.\u00a0 Everyone else has Notre Dame.\u00a0 This is a big game for J, Lynch, Lohse, and Teddy, who all have ND in the semis.\u00a0 Lohse has them all going all the way to the finals.<\/p>\n #11 Cincinnati vs. #6 Louisville (11-7)<\/em>.\u00a0 Cincinnati, despite atrocious free throw shooting down the stretch, did get one FT to fall when it mattered most and knocked off Rutgers in the nightcap last night.\u00a0 They will cap off tonight with a date with Louisville for the right to face West Virginia in the quarters.\u00a0 J, Alexi, and Teddy all have the Bearcats in a nice upset pick.\u00a0 Everyone else has Louisville, except Waters, who had Rutgers winning here.\u00a0 Lohse and KA both have Louisville going to the semis.<\/p>\n BIG XII OPENING ROUND<\/strong> (10 points each):<\/em><\/u> #9 Texas Tech (4-12) vs. #8 Colorado (6-10)<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0The Buffs have started to put the pieces together down the stretch, while the Red Raiders have been pretty terrible all season long.\u00a0 The winner of this game gets a shot at #1-seed (and #1 ranked, nationally) Kansas.\u00a0 Ina, J, Alexi, and Waters all went with the minor upset of Texas Tech.\u00a0 No one has either of these teams beating Kansas in the next round.<\/p>\n #12 Nebraska (2-14) vs. #5 Missouri (10-6)<\/em>.\u00a0 The Missouri Tigers have made a nice follow-up year to a great season last year, even though they lost a ton of talent.\u00a0 Nebraska has become the doormat of this league, winning only 2 conference games all season.\u00a0 The winner of this game will get the 4-seeded Texas A&M Aggies.\u00a0 No one has Nebraska winning this game.\u00a0 Doogan, Lynch, and Lil Lohse all have Mizzou going to the semifinals.<\/p>\n #10 Oklahoma (4-12) vs. #7 Oklahoma St. (9-7)<\/em>.\u00a0 The battle of the Sooner State has gone against the Sooners twice already this year, as they try to avoid what would be a rough 3-game sweep at the hands of their in-state rivals.\u00a0 The Cowboys are probably in, regardless, but should sew up an at-large bid with a win tonight.\u00a0 The winner of this game will get #2 Kansas St. tomorrow.\u00a0 J is the only one who has the Sooners pulling off the upset here.\u00a0 In fact, the CTC’ers tend to have a LOT of faith in the Cowboys.\u00a0 Seven entries (Bry, Doogan, Waters, Lynch, both Lohses, and Teddy) have OSU beating K-State in the quarters.\u00a0 Three of them (Waters, Lynch, and Lohse) have them going to the finals.<\/p>\n #11 Iowa St. (4-12) vs. #6 Texas (9-7)<\/em>.\u00a0 It has hard to say what has happened in Amex this year.\u00a0 The Cyclones have a load of talent, but they have just had a terrible season.\u00a0 But, March brings redemption chances and theirs begins tonight against the Longhorns, with the winner advancing to the quarters to play #3 Baylor.\u00a0 Texas has had a well-documented rollercoaster of a season thus far.\u00a0 Well, not exactly a roller coaster, as it hasn’t kept going up and down, up and down.\u00a0 It is more like a mountain–both sides–as it started going straight up, reached the ultimate pinnacle (#1 in the country) and has been steadily falling ever since (possibly becoming the first team ever to be #1 that late in the season and then finish the season unranked).\u00a0 It should be interesting what they do here in the Big XII tournament going into the NCAA tournament.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bry, Stri, and Lohse all have Iowa St. in the upset.\u00a0 KA, Waters, and J all have Texas winning two games in this tournament.<\/p>\n PAC-10 OPENING ROUND<\/strong> (10 points):<\/em><\/u> #9 Washington St. (6-12) vs. #8 Oregon (7-11)<\/em>.\u00a0 The only game of the night is a battle between the bottom two teams in the conference.\u00a0 The winner of this game will play #1 Cal in the quarters tomorrow.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, Doogan, and Alexi have the minor upset with Wazzu in this one.\u00a0 Waters has Oregon going to the semis.<\/p>\n MOUNTAIN WEST OPENING ROUND<\/strong> (8 points):<\/em><\/u> #9 Air Force (1-15) vs. #8 Wyoming (3-13)<\/em>.\u00a0 The two worst teams in the M-West tip-off its conference tournament in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, with the winner taking on #1 New Mexico tomorrow in the quarters.\u00a0 KA, Waters, Ina, and Bry all have the\u00a0Air Force in the mild upset.\u00a0 No one has either team beating New Mexico tomorrow.\u00a0<\/p>\n CONFERENCE USA OPENING ROUND<\/strong> (6 points each):<\/em><\/u> #10 E. Carolina (4-12) vs. #7 Houston (7-9)<\/em>.\u00a0 The opening game of the tournament is ECU vs. the Houston Cougars, with the winner getting Memphis tomorrow afternoon.\u00a0 Even though it is only a 7-10 matchup, no one took the underdog Pirates.\u00a0 Lohse, Lynch, and J all have enough faith in Houston to have them beating Memphis tomorrow as well as ECU today.<\/p>\n #11 Tulane (3-13) vs. #6 S. Mississippi (8-8)<\/em>.\u00a0 The Green Wave of Tulane have a struggling program, as they finish another poor year in C-USA.\u00a0 They open their postseason against S. Miss, with the winner to face #3 UAB.\u00a0 Stri, Waters, and KA all have Tulane beating S. Miss here.\u00a0 Doogan and Lohse both have S. Miss going to the semis; Lohse has them winning again and reaching the C-USA finals.<\/p>\n #12 Rice (1-15) vs. #5 Tulsa (10-6)<\/em>.\u00a0 The Golden Hurricane of Tulsa get (a) to play the tournament in their home city and (b) to get to play the hapless Rice Owls in the first round.\u00a0 The winner of this game will play the upstart Marshall Thundering Herd.\u00a0 KA has the big upset pick of Rice in this one.\u00a0 Teddy, Lil Lohse, Alexi, Stri, Doogan, Ina, and Bry all have Tulsa going to the semis.<\/p>\n #9 C. Florida (6-10) vs. #8 SMU (7-9)<\/em>.\u00a0 A very disappointing season for the SMU Mustangs, as they were supposed to have a very talented squad this year, yet they finished in the middle of a mediocre conference.\u00a0 UCF has also taken a downturn after it looked like they might establish themselves as a serious program.\u00a0 The winner of this game will get the C-USA’s top-seed, UTEP, in the quarters.\u00a0 Teddy, KA, Alexi, and J all have UCF winning this game.\u00a0 No one has either of these teams knocking off UTEP in the quarters.<\/p>\n SOUTHLAND QUARTERFINALS <\/strong>(4 points each):<\/em><\/u> #7 UT-Arlington (8-8) vs. #2 Stephen F. Austin (11-5)<\/em>.\u00a0 The Lumberjacks of SFA take on the Mavericks of UTA in the opening game of the Southland Conference.\u00a0 All 12 CTC’ers picked the Lumberjacks in this one (probably because of the amazing nickname).\u00a0 Waters has the most at stake here, as he has SFA winning this tournament.<\/p>\n #6 Texas St. (9-7) vs. #3 SE Louisiana (10-6)<\/em>.\u00a0 In the second game of the day, SE La will play Texas St.\u00a0 These two teams were only separated by one game in the standings, so it should be a good game.\u00a0 (Can you tell that I have absolutely NOTHING to say about this one?)\u00a0 Less than half the field (Teddy, KA, Lohse, Lynch, and Waters) have the favored SE Louisiana in this one.\u00a0 But, two of those five (Lohse and KA) believe enough in the Lions to have them winning the entire tournament.\u00a0 J has Texas St. in the finals.<\/p>\n #8 Nicholls St. (7-9) vs. #1 Sam Houston St. (14-2)<\/em>.\u00a0 The first game of the night portion of the double-header features the regular-season champ, Sam Houston St. taking on Nicholls St. who barely even qualified for the SL tournament.\u00a0 KA is the only one who took Nicholls St. in this nice upset pick.\u00a0 Most of the CTC has SHSU winning this whole tournament.<\/p>\n #5 UT-San Antonio (9-7) vs. #4 Texas A&M – Corpus Christie (10-6)<\/em>.\u00a0 Just when you thought that the Lumberjacks was the best nickname in the conference, you are introduced to the Roadrunners of UT-San Antonio.\u00a0 They take on Texas A&M – CC tonight in the nightcap of the MUCH-anticipated Southland quadruple-header.\u00a0 Only KA, Waters, Alexi, and Stri have the favorites in this one.\u00a0 Obviously, they didn’t know the nickname.\u00a0 KA has Texas A&M – CC in the finals.<\/p>\n SWAC QUARTERFINALS <\/strong>(4 points each):<\/em><\/u> #7 Mississippi Valley St. (8-10) vs. #2 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (14-4)<\/em>.\u00a0 The first game of the night is AR-Pine Bluff versus the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley St.\u00a0 I’m already sick of typing Mississippi Valley St., so I hope they lose.\u00a0 Doogan and Stri have MVSU not only winning this game, but going to the finals.\u00a0 Everyone else has UAPB in this one.<\/p>\n #8 Grambling St. (4-14) vs. #1 Jackson St. (17-1)<\/em>.\u00a0 JSU dominated the SWAC this year and they open the tournament tonight against Grambling.\u00a0 All 12 CTC’ers have Jackson St. taking care of business tonight.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, Doogan, Stri, Alexi, Lynch, and Waters all have JSU winning the SWAC.<\/p>\n GREAT WEST QUARTERFINALS <\/strong>(4 points each<\/em>):<\/em><\/u> #5 Texas-Pan American (4-8) vs. #4 Utah Valley (5-7)<\/em>.\u00a0 In a conference that spreads from Texas to\u00a0North\u00a0Dakota and Utah to New Jersey, the Utah Valley Wolverines get to play the conference tournament in their home state.\u00a0 They open the tournament tonight against TX-Pan American, with the winner having to face #1 South Dakota.\u00a0 J, Doogan, Lynch, KA, and Teddy all have Texas-Pan American in this mild upset.\u00a0 Teddy and KA both have UTPA going to the finals.<\/p>\n #7 Chicago St. (4-8) vs. #2 Houston Baptist (9-3)<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0In the second game, the only above-.500 team in the conference playing tonight, Houston Baptist, takes on the bottom seed, Chicago St.\u00a0 Alexi and J both have Chicago St. in a nice upset pick.\u00a0 KA has Houston Baptist winning this tournament.<\/p>\n #6 N.J. Tech (4-8) vs. #3 North Dakota (5-7)<\/em>.\u00a0 NJIT has had quite the road schedule this year playing in a conference called “the Great West.”\u00a0 They come all the way across the country again for the tournament and they give them the latest game on the schedule, facing North Dakota.\u00a0 J, Doogan, Alexi, Waters, and Lohse all have NJIT in this upset.\u00a0 J, Waters, and Alexi even have them going to the finals.<\/p>\n MEAC OPENING ROUND\/QUARTERFINALS <\/strong>(2 points each\/4 points each):<\/em><\/u> #11 Coppin St. (3-13) vs. #6 MD-Eastern Shore (8-8)<\/em>.\u00a0 In the holdover opening round game, Coppin St. (who went 3-13 this year despite building a huge new arena–good job, guys) takes on MD-Eastern Shore, who didn’t finish last in the MEAC for the first time in the history of the CTC.\u00a0 Bry, Stri, Alexi, Waters, and Lil Lohse all have the Coppin St. upset pick here.\u00a0 Stri and Waters took it even further with Coppin St. going to the semis.<\/p>\n #7 Bethune-Cookman vs. #2 Delaware\u00a0St. (11-5)<\/em>.\u00a0 Bethune-Cookman, who won an opening round game last night takes on the #2-seeded Delaware St. squad.\u00a0 No one has Bethune-Cookman in this one, but Teddy and J have already lost it, having picked FAMU to win this one.\u00a0 Lynch and Waters have the most at stake here with DSU, as they have them winning the title.<\/p>\n #9 N.C. A&T vs. #1 Morgan St. (15-1)<\/em>.\u00a0 N.C. A&T, the other opening round winner last night, gets rewarded with the MEAC juggernaut, Morgan St.\u00a0 Everyone has Morgan in this one.\u00a0 More than half of the field has Morgan St. winning this tournament.<\/p>\n BIG WEST OPENING ROUND<\/strong> (2 points each):<\/em><\/u> #8 CS-Northridge (6-10) vs. #5 CS-Fullerton (8-8)<\/em>.\u00a0 The Matadors versus the Titans in a great clash tonight in Anaheim.\u00a0 Less than half of the field (KA, Waters, Alexi, Stri, and Ina) actually took the favorite here.\u00a0 J, Doogan, and Teddy all have Northridge going to the finals.\u00a0 Waters and KA both have Fullerton winning this whole tournament.<\/p>\n #7 UC-Irvine (6-10) vs. #6 Cal Poly (7-9)<\/em>.\u00a0 And, finally it’s Cal Poly versus the Anteaters of UC-Irvine.\u00a0 Stri, Lynch and Teddy are the only three with Cal Poly in this one.\u00a0 Stri has them going to the finals.\u00a0 Both Lohses have the Anteaters making the finals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wednesday and Thurday of Championship Week are about as good as it gets in this sport.\u00a0 So, buckle your seatbelts, put in your vacation requests, and turn on the TV, as there is wall-to-wall basketball for the next 72+ hours. … Continue reading
\nThe NEC conference had center stage with the quarters last Thursday and the semis on Sunday, but now with the big conferences stepping up, their championship game is put down a rung.\u00a0 Either way, this should be a great game between the conference’s two best teams.\u00a0 Bry, Doogan, and Stri all have a shot at a perfect NEC bracket needing top-seeded Quinnipiac to come through tonight.\u00a0 If not, Lil Lohse will sneak in and take the 2010 NEC title.<\/p>\n
\nThe Big Sky championship is set, and it hasn’t struck midnight yet on the Grizzlies.\u00a0 Tonight is the biggest test they will face, however.\u00a0 Lohse, the current leader in the Big Sky standings, is the only one with Montana winning this tournament, so if they do, he will finish a Big Sky domination.\u00a0 If not, Bry, Ina, and Lil Lohse will share the 2010 Big Sky crown.<\/p>\n
\nAfter the first of three straight MSG quadruple-headers yesterday, the second one takes place today.\u00a0 The four winners from yesterday are all back today to take on the #5- through 8-seeds, who enter the tournament today.<\/p>\n
\n2009-10 may be the best year in the history of the great conference known as the Big XII.\u00a0 And, the conference tournament should be amazing to go along with this historic year for the conference.\u00a0 They probably have 6 NCAA tournament bids locked up, with the 7th just about locked up.\u00a0 So, as far as qualification for the Big Dance goes, the drama is over here, but there are some incredible matchups that will take place over the next couple of days in Kansas City, starting tonight.\u00a0 Lynch is the defending Big XII champ, while Bry won in ’08 with a near-perfect bracket (only missing on opening round game).<\/p>\n
\nThe worst regular season in the history of the Pac-10 has ended, and it’s time to crown a champion of all unranked teams.\u00a0 Defending champion USC (thanks to O.J. Mayo) is on probation and will not be competing.\u00a0 Alexi is the defending Pac-10 champ.\u00a0 Doogan won it back in ’08.<\/p>\n
\nThe Mountain West, maybe the most top-heavy league in the country, has its one opening round game tonight between its two worst teams.\u00a0 Lynch took the Mountain West title last year; J won it in ’08.\u00a0 Doogan has finished last in the M-West in back-to-back seasons, so he’s trying to turn it around.<\/p>\n
\nThe conference formerly known as The Memphis Conference tips off tonight for the first time in recent memory without Memphis being the overwhelming favorite to take the title.\u00a0 Then again, the Tigers are the #2 seed and have a great shot at continuing their dominance of this tournament here in Tulsa.\u00a0 After Ina took the 2008 C-USA title, Bry took it away last year with 204 points in a near perfect bracket.<\/p>\n
\nThe Southland Conference (who I have no idea why they don’t play their tournament a week earlier) opens their tournament today with a quadruple-header in Katy, TX, today.\u00a0 Waters is the defending Southland champion.\u00a0 Bry won the conference title in ’08 with a whole\u00a011 points, and exactly zero correct picks after the first round.<\/p>\n
\nAnd another conference where I have no idea why they don’t play last week, but, well, they don’t.\u00a0 And, they split up their quarters, with the top two seeds playing the first night and the 3- and 4-seeds playing tomorrow.\u00a0 Waters won the SWAC in ’08, but then Ina went perfect last year.<\/p>\n
\nIn the first ever Great West tournament, the top seed gets a bye to the semis, while the other six battle it out in the quarters.\u00a0 This conference does not provide an automatic bid to the tournament, but they might play hard anyway.\u00a0 Since this is the inaugural year of the GW, there is no defending champ.\u00a0 Don’t expect much analysis from me on this conference.\u00a0 Sorry all you Great West fans.<\/p>\n
\nIn the strangest scheduled tournament of the bunch, the MEAC plays one opening round game and two quarterfinals tonight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nThe Big West opens their pointless second week tournament tonight.\u00a0 Sorry, it’s not pointless, but it should not be played in the second week.\u00a0 Bry is coming off a perfect Big West bracket.\u00a0 Doogan dominated (almost perfect) the Big West in ’08.<\/p>\n