You have to hate basketball not to love this day.\u00a0 Wall-to-wall hoops with some of the best teams and matchups and rivalries in the country.\u00a0 I think my head might explode.\u00a0 Also, the CTC is getting really tight, and today might be the day<\/p>\n
BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (80 points):<\/em><\/u> #3 West Virginia vs. #8 Georgetown<\/em>.\u00a0 G’town is trying to win their fourth game in four nights, and they will have to do it against Huggy Bear’s Mountaineers.\u00a0 Bry is the only one with a chance at points here, as he has WVU.<\/p>\n BIG XII CHAMPIONSHIP <\/strong>(80 points):<\/em><\/u> #1 Kansas vs. #2 Kansas St<\/em>.\u00a0 How does it feel to be a K-State fan?\u00a0 Ever since Wilt Chamberlain dominated for Kansas in the 50’s, K-State has been the lowly Mets to KU’s Yankees.\u00a0 Then, they get the best recruit in the country (the #2 overall NBA draft pick) and beat Kansas once that year…but,\u00a0K-State and Michael Beasley lose in the first round, while KU wins the national title.\u00a0 Fast forward a two years and now K-State is having the best year in the history of the program….but, KU is #1 in the country and has beaten the Wildcats twice already, including a crushing OT win in Manhattan.\u00a0 Now, when the Jayhawks roll the Wildcats in the Big XII title game, they will clinch the top overall seed, completely overshadowing a possible 2-seed for K-State.\u00a0 Ouch.\u00a0 For the CTC, the overall leader, Doogan, is the only one that can’t get points here.\u00a0 KA is the only one with K-State.\u00a0 Everyone else has Kansas.<\/p>\n PAC-10 CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (80 points):<\/em><\/u> #1 California vs. #3 Washington<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0Both teams should be dancing, but there is\u00a0still\u00a0something to be said for a Pac-10 title.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, and Doogan all have Cal in this one.\u00a0 Stri, Lynch,\u00a0both\u00a0Lohses, and Teddy all have UW.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n ATLANTIC 10 SEMIFINALS<\/strong> (40 points each):<\/em><\/u> #1 Temple vs. #5 Rhode Island<\/em>.\u00a0 The #1 Temple Owls are two wins from a third consecutive tournament title.\u00a0 What a job by Fran Dunphy.\u00a0 And, another great coaching job by Jim Baron (probably the most underrated coach in the A-10).\u00a0 A win here and URI should clinch a bid, though if it were up to me, they’d be in regardless, but I may be a little biased towards the A-10.\u00a0 Stri and Lohse had St. Louis winning this game, so they have already lost the points here.\u00a0 KA will try and stay perfect with URI.\u00a0 Everyone else has Temple.\u00a0 Lynch, Doogan, J, and Bry all have TU winning this tournament.<\/p>\n #2 Xavier vs. #3 Richmond<\/em>.\u00a0 In the nightcap, we’ve got another good one.\u00a0 The Muskateers of Xavier survived a wild game with Dayton last night, while Richmond held on against UMass’s furious comeback.\u00a0 Now, they play for the right to go to the finals tomorrow.\u00a0 Only Lynch cannot get points here, and since the rest of the field is pretty split between these two teams, this game has GIGANTIC CTC ramifications–maybe the biggest CTC ramifications of any one game all day.\u00a0 Five entries have Xavier here (Bry, Ina, Doogan, Lil Lohse, and KA).\u00a0 Six have Richmond (Teddy, Lohse, Waters, Alexi, Stri, and J).\u00a0 Three people (Ina, Lil Lohse, and KA) have Xavier winning it all.\u00a0 Five (Stri, Alexi, Waters, Lohse, and Teddy) have Richmond winning it all.\u00a0 Needless to say, with the CTC so close right now, this game might go a long way in determining the overall winner in 2010.<\/p>\n ACC SEMIFINALS<\/strong> (40 points each):<\/em><\/u> #1 Duke vs. #12 Miami (FL)<\/em>.\u00a0 Duke did not exactly look incredible yesterday against UVa, while Miami has looked more like the top-seed than the bottom-seed through two games in this tournament, absolutely pasting #5 Wake and then handling #4 Va Tech.\u00a0 But, it just gets harder, as Duke is still very much in the running for a #1-seed in next week’s tournament.\u00a0 Alexi (Va Tech) and KA (Wake) have already lost this game, but everyone else has Duke here.\u00a0 J is the only one of those ten that does not have Duke winning the ACC, so he’d probably be okay with an upset here, even though he’d lose points to his ladyfriend (oh, and Alexi).<\/p>\n #7 Georgia Tech vs. #11 N.C. State<\/em>.\u00a0 Why does Sidney Lowe only seem to coach in the ACC tournament?\u00a0 Honestly, every year, it seems like we hear “N.C. State pulls of another tournament upset, possibly saving Sidney Lowe’s job.”\u00a0 Ridiculous.\u00a0 And, on the other side, how can you possibly turn the ball over 18 times in the second half and still beat the #2-seed in the ACC tournament?\u00a0 Isn’t Paul Hewitt incredibly overrated as an X’s and O’s guy?\u00a0 They have Final Four talent over at Ga Tech, but they play like they’ve never even been at a practice together in their lives.\u00a0 It’s actually kind of embarrassing how talented they are and how atrocious they play.\u00a0 Either way, it looks like they might sneak into the Dance, and I sure as hell don’t want them as Temple’s draw, that’s for sure.\u00a0 Obviously, no one has either of these teams winning this game.<\/p>\n SEC SEMIFINALS<\/strong> (40 points each):<\/em><\/u> #1E Kentucky vs. #3E Tennessee<\/em>.\u00a0 The ‘Cats looked, well, youthful in their SEC opener yesterday against ‘Bama.\u00a0 Tennessee looked, well, under-talented yet incredibly well-coached in their win yesterday over Ole Miss.\u00a0 And, honestly, I think both of those things are absolutely true.\u00a0 Doogan, Lynch, and Lohse all have Tennessee in this upset here.\u00a0 Lynch has them winning the title.\u00a0 KA has already lost this game (Ole Miss).\u00a0 The other eight have UK winning the SEC title.<\/p>\n #1W Mississippi St. vs. #2E Vanderbilt<\/em>.\u00a0 Does Mississippi St. always have the exact same season?\u00a0 It seems like they always win the SEC West VERY unimpressively.\u00a0 Then they use their #1W seed to catapult them to an SEC tournament run that sneaks them in as like an 8- or 9-seed in the tournament.\u00a0 Then they win that first round game and give the #1 a scare, before faltering down the stretch.\u00a0 Well, they have a shot to get themselves another 8- or 9-seed, but they might have to win this tournament again.\u00a0 Vandy is in one of those precarious positions, where they could be anywhere from 4 to 8–a HUGE difference if you’re looking for a Sweet 16 run.\u00a0 Ina, Teddy, and Waters have already lost this one.\u00a0 KA is the only one with Miss St.\u00a0 Everyone else has Vandy.\u00a0 Doogan and Lohse have the Commodores winning the SEC.<\/p>\n BIG TEN SEMIFINALS<\/strong> (40 points each):<\/em><\/u> #1 Ohio St. vs. #5 Illinois<\/em>.\u00a0 The Buckeyes are still alive after one of the best shots I have ever seen in my life.\u00a0 Enough with the criticism of Beilein for not putting a guy on the inbounds.\u00a0 Take your hat off to Evan Turner for an incredibly shot.\u00a0 Illinois probably secured their at-large bid yesterday with an impressive\u00a0win over Wisconsin.\u00a0 Stri, Lohse, KA, and Teddy have already lost this game with Wisconsin.\u00a0 Everyone else has OSU.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, Alexi, and Waters all have the Buckeyes winning this tournament.<\/p>\n #2 Purdue vs. #6 Minnesota<\/em>.\u00a0 Tubby Smith has his guys playing well a the right time.\u00a0 But, they have a tough road still.\u00a0 Purdue looked just okay yesterday without Hummel.\u00a0 Stri, Ina, Alexi, KA, and Lil Lohse all have Purdue here.\u00a0 No one has Minnesota.\u00a0 Stri, Lil Lohse, and KA have Purdue winning this tournament.<\/p>\n MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (32 points):<\/em><\/u> #3 UNLV vs. #4 San Diego St<\/em>.\u00a0 What an amazing semifinal double-header yesterday.\u00a0 I found myself watching more M-West than any other tournament yesterday because it was so good.\u00a0 Tonight should be just as good, as both teams could use this win, though personally, I think they should both make the tournament.\u00a0 Doogan and Teddy both have UNLV here.\u00a0 Lynch and KA both have the Aztecs.<\/p>\n MAC CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (24 points):<\/em><\/u> #3 Akron vs. #9 Ohio<\/em>.\u00a0 No matter who wins this game, it is going to be a ridiculous story for how they got to The Dance.\u00a0 Akron won in double-OT in the quarters, then came back from way behind to win in a buzzer-beater yesterday in the semis.\u00a0 #9 Ohio needed to go on the road and beat Ball St. in OT on Sunday.\u00a0 Then, they had to beat the #1-seed Kent St. in the quarters, and #4 Miami in the semis.\u00a0 Now, they are one win from the title and the auto-bid.\u00a0 Half of the field (J, Waters, Lynch, Lohse, KA, and Teddy) have Akron here.\u00a0 Clearly, no one has Ohio.<\/p>\n CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (24 points):<\/em><\/u> #1 UTEP vs. #7 Houston<\/em>.\u00a0 Tom Penders is one win away from gonig back to the Dance.\u00a0 But, his Cougars will have to beat the best team in C-USA today.\u00a0 Bry, Ina, J, Doogan, Alexi, and both Lohses all have UTEP here.\u00a0 The others are just rooting for Houston to zero out these 24 points.\u00a0<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n WAC CHAMPIONSHIP <\/strong>(32 points):<\/em><\/u><\/p>\n #1 Utah St. vs. <\/em><\/p>\n AMERICA EAST CHAMPIONSHIP <\/strong>(16 points):<\/em><\/u> #2 Vermont vs. #4 Boston U<\/em>.\u00a0 The America East rewards regular season success by giving the higher seed of the two finalists a home game.\u00a0 This year it’s UVM that gets it on their home floor.\u00a0 I really like that because it gives the students a shot to go to the final without travelling too far.\u00a0 I got to see UMBC win the auto-bid on their home floor two years ago.\u00a0 Ina, Stri, Lynch, and the two Lohses all have UVM in this one.\u00a0 Bry and Doogan both have BU in a nice upset pick.<\/p>\n MEAC CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (16 points):<\/em><\/u> #1 Morgan St. vs. #3 S.C. State<\/em>.\u00a0 Morgan St. has dominated this conference in recent years, but they have looked vulnerable in this tournament so far, with two close wins to get here.\u00a0 S.C. State is poised and ready, after a good finish to the season and tough wins over MD-E. Shore and Delaware St, the latter in OT.\u00a0 KA has S.C. State.\u00a0 Stri, Waters, Lynch, and Teddy have all lost this game with either Norfolk St. or Delaware St.\u00a0 Everyone else has Morgan St. winning this tournament.<\/p>\n BIG WEST CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (16 points):<\/em><\/u> #1 UC-Santa Barbara vs. #3 Long Beach St.<\/em>\u00a0 The Gouchos will try and get to the Dance against Dan Monson’s LBSU squad.\u00a0 No one has LBSU here, but half the field (Lil Lohse, Lynch, Stri, Doogan, J, and Ina) has UCSB.<\/p>\n SOUTHLAND CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (16 points):<\/em><\/u> #1 Sam Houston St. vs. #2 Stephen F. Austin<\/em>.\u00a0 A great match of offense versus defense…that no one will actually watch.\u00a0 Waters is the only one with Stone Cold Stephen F. Austin.\u00a0 KA and Lohse have already lost it.\u00a0 The other nine have SHSU.<\/p>\n SWAC CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (16 points):<\/em><\/u> #2 AR-Pine Bluff vs. #5 TX-Southern<\/em>.\u00a0 No one has TX-Southern in this one.\u00a0 Ina, J, KA, and Teddy all have AR-Pine Bluff.<\/p>\n GREAT WEST CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong> (16 points):<\/em><\/u> #1 South Dakota vs. #2 Houston Baptist<\/em>.\u00a0 South Dakota dominated the regular season and now they’re a win away from the tournament title as well.\u00a0 Ten entries have S. Dakota winning this, as only KA (Houston Baptist) and Teddy (eliminated North Dakota) do not.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You have to hate basketball not to love this day.\u00a0 Wall-to-wall hoops with some of the best teams and matchups and rivalries in the country.\u00a0 I think my head might explode.\u00a0 Also, the CTC is getting really tight, and today … Continue reading
\nAnd, the Big East comes down to West Virginia and Georgetown.\u00a0 Not exactly what we were thinking when this thing started, huh?\u00a0 Bry is the only one that get any points in this final, but he is so far behind that he won’t be winning this conference.\u00a0 Teddy has actually already clinched the 2010 Big East title, edging J by just five points.<\/p>\n
\nKansas – Kansas St.:\u00a0 Round Three.\u00a0 This one is for the Big XII conference tournament.\u00a0 This one is gonna be good.\u00a0 Stri and J will take the Big XII title this year if Kansas wins.\u00a0 If K-State wins, KA will win her second conference title.<\/p>\n
\nThe Pac-10 should avoid being a 1-bid league regardless of what happens today, so they have that going for them.\u00a0 If Cal wins, Doogan will repeat, along with Bry and Ina for this year’s Pac-10 title.\u00a0 If yoo-dub wins, Stri and Teddy will share the title.<\/p>\n
\nAll in all, the A-10 has had a decent tournament, as far as what they needed for at-large bids.\u00a0 Yes, Charlotte played themselves completely out of the at-large discussion, but it looks like Rhode Island may be in (and definitely will be with a win today).\u00a0 Dayton had Xavier on the ropes, but a stupid, stupid technical foul by the senior point guard (he was goaded to throw a punch with less than a minute left and the ball, down by two) cost them the game.\u00a0 But, it looks more and more like the A-10 should get at least five bids.\u00a0 The semifinal double-header today in AC should be fantastic.\u00a0 KA is still perfect in this conference, so we’ll see if she can continue this dominance.<\/p>\n
\nRaise your hand if you predicted this final four in the ACC.\u00a0 Now, put your hand down, you filthy liar.\u00a0 Not only are the bottom two teams in the ACC still alive in the semifinals, but the red-hot #2-seeded Terrapins are out, as well.\u00a0 It looks tailor-made for the Dukies to take yet another ACC tournament title home to Durham–at least that’s what all the bubble teams around the country are hoping for.\u00a0 Ga Tech might\u00a0get an at-large (I\u00a0think they should) if they win today and lose a tough one to Duke tomorrow.\u00a0 But, N.C. State and Miami\u00a0clearly have\u00a0all their eggs in the auto-bid basket.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nThe SEC is down to its final four, and it should be a good one.\u00a0 The only thing that Alexi can do this year to top last year’s SEC title is to win this year with a perfect bracket.\u00a0 Well, through eight games, he’s got a shot at it.\u00a0 He’ll do it if Kentucky beats Vandy in the finals.<\/p>\n
\nThe Big Ten’s final four is interesting, as you have some interesting storylines all around.<\/p>\n
\nAfter the best double-header of the great Friday yesterday, we’ve got another great final coming up.\u00a0 Doogan will take the M-West title with a UNLV victory.\u00a0 If SDSU wins, KA will win it.<\/p>\n
\nOkay, Teddy, what the hell is going on?\u00a0 No, seriously.\u00a0 This is getting ridiculous.\u00a0 Let’s recap.\u00a0 The opening round had one minor upset, as Lil Lohse, Ina, Lynch, and Teddy all got all four picks right.\u00a0 Not a huge deal there.\u00a0 Then, in the quarterfinals.\u00a0 The #1- and #2-seeds both got upset, plus the #4- beat the #5-seed, and most people had the #5.\u00a0 Teddy got all four.\u00a0 THEN…yesterday in the semis, that #9 that beat the #1 won again–and, yep, Teddy got it again.\u00a0 Oh, and we have had 4 OTs and two more games that were 1-point games in regulation.\u00a0 Yes, this is the tournament that Teddy is 10-for-10.\u00a0 He has Akron tonight, in case you’d like to wager.<\/p>\n
\nThe whole bubble world is rooting for Tony Barbee and the Miners today.\u00a0 Lohse has clinched the 2010 C-USA title for his second conference title of the year.<\/p>\n
\nThe Am East hasn’t played a game in almost a week, but they pick it up again today, as they will decide their auto-bid in Burlington, VT today at noon.\u00a0 A BU win will give Doogan only his second conference title of the year, despite being the overall leader.\u00a0 If UVM takes this title, Stri and Lynch will share the title.<\/p>\n
\nThe MEAC has made it through their crazy format to get a nice final game.\u00a0 KA is the MEAC leader, and she has S.C. State winning this tournament, so if they do, she will take the MEAC title.\u00a0 If Morgan wins, Bry and Ina will share this year’s crown.<\/p>\n
\nWe finally got an upset in the Big West last night, and it was a pretty big one.\u00a0 Long Beach took out one of the regular season co-champs, Pacific in the second semifinal.\u00a0 They now get to take out the other today.\u00a0 Since no one has Long Beach winning this tournament, the current leader, Alexi, will take the title if they do.\u00a0 If UCSB does win, Stri will take this title.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nThe Southland took six games to tell us what everyone knew.\u00a0 That the best offensive team (Sam Houston St.) and the best defensive team (Stephen F. Austin) were the best of the bunch.\u00a0 Now, once and for all, we will find out what’s better a good offense or a good defense.\u00a0 Yes, the 2010 Southland title game will answer that question certifiably.\u00a0 Waters, who is still perfect here, will win his first conference if Stephen F. Austin takes this title.\u00a0 If Sam Houston wins, there will be a four-way tie between Stri, Alexi, Lynch, and Teddy.<\/p>\n
\nAnd, the SWAC will conclude its tournament today in Shreveport.\u00a0 Defending champion Ina will repeat in the SWAC if AR-Pine Bluff wins.\u00a0 Teddy will be the co-champ.\u00a0 If TX-Southern wins, Lohse will take the SWAC.<\/p>\n
\nAnd the first ever Great West championship game will be contested by the top two seeds.\u00a0 KA will win this title if Houston Baptist wins today.\u00a0 If not, Stri will complete a perfect Great West bracket and take the first ever title.<\/p>\n