SOUTH
1. Baylor vs. 3. Duke- In a rematch of the 2010 Elite 8 matchup, Duke won this one in simpler fashion with an 81-66 win. Duke jumped out early and though Baylor would threaten from time-to-time, they never really made Duke sweat. Tre Jones continued his brilliant March with 19 points and 7 assists and no turnovers. Duke would be returning to the Final 4 for the first time since 2015.
WEST
1. Gonzaga vs. 3. Creighton- In one of the great tourney games in history, Gonzaga held off Creighton, winning 106-102 in triple overtime and became the first team ever to make a Final 4 while playing 3 separate overtime games. The Zags held a 13-point halftime lead but the BlueJays kept coming in the 2nd half. They finally tied it at the buzzer on a Ty-shon Alexander 3. Creighton grabbed a 6-point lead with 1:37 left in the second overtime only for missed free throws to doom them.
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Elite 8: Midwest and East
MIDWEST
1. Kansas vs. 7. Houston- It appeared for a long stretch that the Cougars were going to be the latest team to steal a Final Four from Bill Self and the Jayhawks. Instead, KU used a 10-2 run over the final minute plus to shock Houston and earn Bill Self and his Jayhawks another Final 4. Kansas 72-66 win meant a 4th Final 4 for Self. Udoka Azubuike battled foul trouble all game but Devon Dotson kept the Jayhawks in the game and cemented himself in Jayhawks history with a 26-point effort.
EAST
2. Florida State vs. 5. BYU- BYU was looking to get to its first Final 4 in program history and despite shooting well, they couldn’t slow down the Seminoles enough who got Leonard Hamilton his first ever Final Four. The game was tied at half but FSU steadily pulled away over the final 8 minutes, winning 82-75. BYU has now played in 30 tournaments without making the Final 4. This was their 4th Elite 8 but first since 1981 when Danny Ainge was playing. This would be the Seminoles 2nd Final 4, having made it in 1972.
1. Kansas vs. 7. Houston- It appeared for a long stretch that the Cougars were going to be the latest team to steal a Final Four from Bill Self and the Jayhawks. Instead, KU used a 10-2 run over the final minute plus to shock Houston and earn Bill Self and his Jayhawks another Final 4. Kansas 72-66 win meant a 4th Final 4 for Self. Udoka Azubuike battled foul trouble all game but Devon Dotson kept the Jayhawks in the game and cemented himself in Jayhawks history with a 26-point effort.
EAST
2. Florida State vs. 5. BYU- BYU was looking to get to its first Final 4 in program history and despite shooting well, they couldn’t slow down the Seminoles enough who got Leonard Hamilton his first ever Final Four. The game was tied at half but FSU steadily pulled away over the final 8 minutes, winning 82-75. BYU has now played in 30 tournaments without making the Final 4. This was their 4th Elite 8 but first since 1981 when Danny Ainge was playing. This would be the Seminoles 2nd Final 4, having made it in 1972.
Friday, March 27, 2020
SWEET 16: SOUTH AND WEST
SOUTH
1. Baylor vs. 5. Butler- In a rematch of an early season matchup, Baylor prevailed once again, using its size to dominate inside, winning 62-57. Kamar Baldwin kept Butler within shouting distance throughout the game in his final appearance as a Bulldog. He scored 23 but Baylor made it to the Elite 8 for the first time in a decade.
2. Maryland vs. 3. Duke- In the Sweet 16 game that generated the most buzz, Duke overcame a double-digit halftime deficit to beat the Terps 80-76. Tee Jones continued his sizzling March, scoring 17 with 11 assists and clamping down on Anthony Cowan who had a miserable second half. It was deja vu for Terps fans who saw this game many times in the ACC.
WEST
1. Gonzaga vs. 4. Oregon- The matchup between Pacific Northwest combatants did not disappoint as the Zags won another overtime thriller, 93-89. The lead changed hands a dozen times in the final ten minutes and overtime before Gonzaga went up 88-85 with a minute left in overtime on a 3 by Corey Kispert. The Zags move on to their 4th Elite 8 since 2015.
3. Creighton vs. 7. Iowa- The West region provided another thriller as Creighton held off Iowa, 95-92 in overtime. Marcus Zegarowski made 3 3’s in overtime to pace the BlueJays as his comeback from knee surgery continued to inspire. Hawkeyes big man extraordinaire, Luke Garza had 40 and 20 for the Hawkeyes but it wouldn’t be enough. Creighton’s electric March moved on.
1. Baylor vs. 5. Butler- In a rematch of an early season matchup, Baylor prevailed once again, using its size to dominate inside, winning 62-57. Kamar Baldwin kept Butler within shouting distance throughout the game in his final appearance as a Bulldog. He scored 23 but Baylor made it to the Elite 8 for the first time in a decade.
2. Maryland vs. 3. Duke- In the Sweet 16 game that generated the most buzz, Duke overcame a double-digit halftime deficit to beat the Terps 80-76. Tee Jones continued his sizzling March, scoring 17 with 11 assists and clamping down on Anthony Cowan who had a miserable second half. It was deja vu for Terps fans who saw this game many times in the ACC.
WEST
1. Gonzaga vs. 4. Oregon- The matchup between Pacific Northwest combatants did not disappoint as the Zags won another overtime thriller, 93-89. The lead changed hands a dozen times in the final ten minutes and overtime before Gonzaga went up 88-85 with a minute left in overtime on a 3 by Corey Kispert. The Zags move on to their 4th Elite 8 since 2015.
3. Creighton vs. 7. Iowa- The West region provided another thriller as Creighton held off Iowa, 95-92 in overtime. Marcus Zegarowski made 3 3’s in overtime to pace the BlueJays as his comeback from knee surgery continued to inspire. Hawkeyes big man extraordinaire, Luke Garza had 40 and 20 for the Hawkeyes but it wouldn’t be enough. Creighton’s electric March moved on.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Sweet 16: Midwest & East
MIDWEST
1. Kansas vs. 13. Stephen F. Austin- It’s always great when a 13 or 12 seed makes a Sweet 16 until they get themselves a 1-seed. That proved true again as Kansas coasted to a stress-free, 85-54 victory.
3. Kentucky vs. 7. Houston- In a matchup that saw multiple lead changes, Houston eventually pulled the upset, 68-67. Kentucky had a possession late to get the lead but a wild shot from Nate Sestina was the best they could do. Houston, now a top-10 KenPom team, reached their first Elite 8 since 1984.
EAST
1. Dayton vs. 5. BYU- BYU and Dayton player a thriller, with BYU winning in overtime, 87-86. Despite 49 points from Obi Toppin, BYU’s TJ Haws scored 33 points himself. Dayton lead by 14 at half but BYU made 12 3’s in the second half including one by Jake Toolson at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
2. Florida State vs. 11. East Tennessee State- ETSU wouldn’t go down without a fight, pushing the Seminoles to the limit before FSU put the game away at the line late, winning 79-72. Trent Forrest made 8 free throws in the final minute plus. FSU made their 4th Elite 8 and 2nd in 3 years.
1. Kansas vs. 13. Stephen F. Austin- It’s always great when a 13 or 12 seed makes a Sweet 16 until they get themselves a 1-seed. That proved true again as Kansas coasted to a stress-free, 85-54 victory.
3. Kentucky vs. 7. Houston- In a matchup that saw multiple lead changes, Houston eventually pulled the upset, 68-67. Kentucky had a possession late to get the lead but a wild shot from Nate Sestina was the best they could do. Houston, now a top-10 KenPom team, reached their first Elite 8 since 1984.
EAST
1. Dayton vs. 5. BYU- BYU and Dayton player a thriller, with BYU winning in overtime, 87-86. Despite 49 points from Obi Toppin, BYU’s TJ Haws scored 33 points himself. Dayton lead by 14 at half but BYU made 12 3’s in the second half including one by Jake Toolson at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
2. Florida State vs. 11. East Tennessee State- ETSU wouldn’t go down without a fight, pushing the Seminoles to the limit before FSU put the game away at the line late, winning 79-72. Trent Forrest made 8 free throws in the final minute plus. FSU made their 4th Elite 8 and 2nd in 3 years.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Round of 32, Midwest & East
MIDWEST
1. Kansas vs. 9. Marquette- The Markus Howard experience came to a crashing end as Kansas pummeled Marquette in a fashion similar to their 2003 Final 4 matchup. Kansas jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead and cruised to an easy 87-63 win.
5. Auburn vs. 13. Stephen F. Austin- The Lumberjacks Cinderella run continued as they shocked Auburn at the buzzer, winning 71-70. Auburn has played over their record for most of the season but this was still a shock. SFA senior Kevon Harris hit a runner at the horn and March proved its madness.
3. Kentucky vs. 6. West Virginia- Kentucky and West Virginia played a physical, shot-making averse game that saw UK come out with a 55-50 victory in a game no one will ever watch again.
2. Villanova vs. 7 Houston- In a mild upset, Houston beat Villanova 75-72 in a back and forth game where no team had more than a 6 point lead.
EAST
1. Dayton vs. 8. Virginia- A popular pick to make a deep run despite evidence to the contrary, Virginia was never in the game and failed to break 40 points in an embarrassing 71-38 loss. Any questions about Dayton were put to rest in this rout.
4. Michigan State vs. 5. BYU- Michigan State had made a bad habit of falling behind by many throughout the year and did so again against the Cougars, who jumped out to a 17-point halftime lead. The Spartans narrowed it to a single possession game with a minute left but BYU made their free throws and won 72-68.
11. East Tennessee State vs. 14. New Mexico State- Only 7 people picked this matchup in ESPN’s Bracket Challenge but all 7 had East Tennessee winning as well. Sure enough, the Buccs, like their NFL counterparts good week continued with a relatively stress-free 73-62 win and advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1997.
2. Florida State vs. 7. St. Mary’s- In one of the better games of the opening weekend, FSU held off St. Mary’s in overtime, 85-82. Florida State had a ten point lead with five minutes left before the Gaels rallied.
1. Kansas vs. 9. Marquette- The Markus Howard experience came to a crashing end as Kansas pummeled Marquette in a fashion similar to their 2003 Final 4 matchup. Kansas jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead and cruised to an easy 87-63 win.
5. Auburn vs. 13. Stephen F. Austin- The Lumberjacks Cinderella run continued as they shocked Auburn at the buzzer, winning 71-70. Auburn has played over their record for most of the season but this was still a shock. SFA senior Kevon Harris hit a runner at the horn and March proved its madness.
3. Kentucky vs. 6. West Virginia- Kentucky and West Virginia played a physical, shot-making averse game that saw UK come out with a 55-50 victory in a game no one will ever watch again.
2. Villanova vs. 7 Houston- In a mild upset, Houston beat Villanova 75-72 in a back and forth game where no team had more than a 6 point lead.
EAST
1. Dayton vs. 8. Virginia- A popular pick to make a deep run despite evidence to the contrary, Virginia was never in the game and failed to break 40 points in an embarrassing 71-38 loss. Any questions about Dayton were put to rest in this rout.
4. Michigan State vs. 5. BYU- Michigan State had made a bad habit of falling behind by many throughout the year and did so again against the Cougars, who jumped out to a 17-point halftime lead. The Spartans narrowed it to a single possession game with a minute left but BYU made their free throws and won 72-68.
11. East Tennessee State vs. 14. New Mexico State- Only 7 people picked this matchup in ESPN’s Bracket Challenge but all 7 had East Tennessee winning as well. Sure enough, the Buccs, like their NFL counterparts good week continued with a relatively stress-free 73-62 win and advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1997.
2. Florida State vs. 7. St. Mary’s- In one of the better games of the opening weekend, FSU held off St. Mary’s in overtime, 85-82. Florida State had a ten point lead with five minutes left before the Gaels rallied.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Round of 32, West and South
SOUTH
1. Baylor vs. 8. LSU- In a tightly fought game, Baylor survived to the Sweet 16 with a 63-61 victory. While the offenses struggled, it was a fairly clean game with both teams exchanging the lead a dozen times.
5. Butler vs. 13. Vermont- After upsetting Louisville, Vermont came crashing back to earth as Butler won comfortably 70-55.
3. Duke vs. 11. Texas Tech- In a tightly fought game, Duke eventually pulled away from Texas Tech, winning 68-61. Tre Jones was brilliant again and Vernon Carey scored 26 for the Blue Devils.
2. Maryland vs. 10. Utah State- Another outstanding game from Sam Merrill wasn’t enough for the Aggies who had a 3 point halftime lead. Merrill scored 32 points but Maryland pulled away late for a 73-64 victory, setting up a tantalizing matchup against former archenemy, Duke.
WEST
1. Gonzaga vs. 8. Arizona- In a role reversal of their classic 2003 Round of 32 game, the 1-seed Zags held off Arizona in overtime, 91-88. Arizona threw the first punch, jumping out to a 10-point halftime lead before the Zags went ahead by 10 at the 8 minute mark of the second half. Foul trouble doomed the Wildcats late and the Zags won the game at the line.
4. Oregon vs. 12. Yale- The Ivy League champs were game, never trailing by more than a few possessions but could never tie or take the lead against the Ducks. Oregon held on in a well-played game, 75-70.
3. Creighton vs. 6. Penn State- The Nittany Lions had no answer for the BlueJays hot shooting. Creighton won comfortably, 90-76, and advanced to their first Sweet 16 since 1974.
2. San Diego State vs. 7. Iowa- The Hawkeyes stunned the Aztecs, 83-82 in what was the best game of the tournament up to this point. Luke Garza was simply too much for the Aztecs. Connor McCaffrey’s 3 with :07 left gave the Hawkeyes the lead and Malachi Flynn’s dash to the rim rolled out as the horn sounded.
1. Baylor vs. 8. LSU- In a tightly fought game, Baylor survived to the Sweet 16 with a 63-61 victory. While the offenses struggled, it was a fairly clean game with both teams exchanging the lead a dozen times.
5. Butler vs. 13. Vermont- After upsetting Louisville, Vermont came crashing back to earth as Butler won comfortably 70-55.
3. Duke vs. 11. Texas Tech- In a tightly fought game, Duke eventually pulled away from Texas Tech, winning 68-61. Tre Jones was brilliant again and Vernon Carey scored 26 for the Blue Devils.
2. Maryland vs. 10. Utah State- Another outstanding game from Sam Merrill wasn’t enough for the Aggies who had a 3 point halftime lead. Merrill scored 32 points but Maryland pulled away late for a 73-64 victory, setting up a tantalizing matchup against former archenemy, Duke.
WEST
1. Gonzaga vs. 8. Arizona- In a role reversal of their classic 2003 Round of 32 game, the 1-seed Zags held off Arizona in overtime, 91-88. Arizona threw the first punch, jumping out to a 10-point halftime lead before the Zags went ahead by 10 at the 8 minute mark of the second half. Foul trouble doomed the Wildcats late and the Zags won the game at the line.
4. Oregon vs. 12. Yale- The Ivy League champs were game, never trailing by more than a few possessions but could never tie or take the lead against the Ducks. Oregon held on in a well-played game, 75-70.
3. Creighton vs. 6. Penn State- The Nittany Lions had no answer for the BlueJays hot shooting. Creighton won comfortably, 90-76, and advanced to their first Sweet 16 since 1974.
2. San Diego State vs. 7. Iowa- The Hawkeyes stunned the Aztecs, 83-82 in what was the best game of the tournament up to this point. Luke Garza was simply too much for the Aztecs. Connor McCaffrey’s 3 with :07 left gave the Hawkeyes the lead and Malachi Flynn’s dash to the rim rolled out as the horn sounded.
West Region
1. Gonzaga vs. 16. North Carolina Central- Gonzaga won easily over North Carolina Central who beat Prairie View in the play-in game. Filip Petrusev has 20 and 20 in a 102-62 win.
8. Arizona vs. 9. Florida- In a wild, seesaw game, Arizona won on a 3-pointer at the buzzer by super frosh, Nico Mannion. The Wildcats walked away with a 75-72 victory.
5. Michigan vs. 12. Yale- Yale got the 12-5 upset as they bombed away from deep hitting 14 3’s in a game that all Michigan fans could do was shake their heads. Yale jumped out to a 44-26 halftime lead and held on for dear life, winning 69-65.
4. Oregon vs. 13. North Texas- After watching Michigan get upset in the game before them, the Ducks would have none of it, throttling North Texas 88-63.
6. Penn State vs. 11. Oklahoma- Penn State senior Lamar Stevens was the star of the game, scoring 25 points and adding 12 boards. Oklahoma and Austin Reeves kept it close but could never get ahead of Penn State who won, 75-70.
3. Creighton vs. 14. Hofstra- The BlueJays held Marcus Zegarowski our for another game but it didn’t matter as the Jays cruises to a 95-69 win. The Jays made 16 3-pointers and put on an offensive clinic.
7. Iowa vs. 10. Arizona State- For anyone in America who wasn’t aware of Luke Garza, they got the full show. Garza scored 37 and grabbed 13 boards. The Sun Devils had no answer for him as the Hawkeyes coasted to an 89-70 victory.
2. San Diego State vs. 15. North Dakota State- The Aztecs didn’t mess around and won 76-53.
8. Arizona vs. 9. Florida- In a wild, seesaw game, Arizona won on a 3-pointer at the buzzer by super frosh, Nico Mannion. The Wildcats walked away with a 75-72 victory.
5. Michigan vs. 12. Yale- Yale got the 12-5 upset as they bombed away from deep hitting 14 3’s in a game that all Michigan fans could do was shake their heads. Yale jumped out to a 44-26 halftime lead and held on for dear life, winning 69-65.
4. Oregon vs. 13. North Texas- After watching Michigan get upset in the game before them, the Ducks would have none of it, throttling North Texas 88-63.
6. Penn State vs. 11. Oklahoma- Penn State senior Lamar Stevens was the star of the game, scoring 25 points and adding 12 boards. Oklahoma and Austin Reeves kept it close but could never get ahead of Penn State who won, 75-70.
3. Creighton vs. 14. Hofstra- The BlueJays held Marcus Zegarowski our for another game but it didn’t matter as the Jays cruises to a 95-69 win. The Jays made 16 3-pointers and put on an offensive clinic.
7. Iowa vs. 10. Arizona State- For anyone in America who wasn’t aware of Luke Garza, they got the full show. Garza scored 37 and grabbed 13 boards. The Sun Devils had no answer for him as the Hawkeyes coasted to an 89-70 victory.
2. San Diego State vs. 15. North Dakota State- The Aztecs didn’t mess around and won 76-53.
South Region
1. Baylor vs. 16. Winthrop- Baylor struggled to make shots early allowing Winthrop to hang around as they only trailed by 3 at half. Baylor eventually pulled away late, winning an ugly game, 70-59.
8. LSU vs. 9. Rutgers- Rutgers away from home reared its ugly head as LSU used their 4th ranked offense to out score the Knights, 82-72.
5. Butler vs. 12. Liberty- As we know, Liberty was down to 4 scholarship players as the university failed to heed government warnings about coronavirus and Butler cruised to a 84-49 victory.
4. Louisville vs. 13. Vermont- Louisville continued its inconsistent season as they were shocked by the Catamounts 64-63. Vermont won a last second put back by Anthony Lamb in one of the tournaments more exciting opening round games.
6. Illinois vs. 11. Texas Tech- Tech won a second straight game, upsetting Illinois 61-59. In the defense of the Illini, Tech was a better KenPom team and one of the more underseeded teams in history. Tech had defeated a distracted Wichita State team on Wednesday.
3. Duke vs. 14. UC-Irvine- Irvine gave Duke fits, being within 4 with 5 minutes left but a 15-0 burst by Duke put the game away. The final score was 83-69 as Tre Jones had a big game.
7. Providence vs. 10. Utah State- The Aggies continued Providence opening weekend blues by beating them 73-66. Sam Merrill was spectacular, dropping 34 points as the Friars had no answer for him.
2. Maryland vs. 15. UALR- The Terps came out sharp and handled Little Rock with ease, 99-66.
8. LSU vs. 9. Rutgers- Rutgers away from home reared its ugly head as LSU used their 4th ranked offense to out score the Knights, 82-72.
5. Butler vs. 12. Liberty- As we know, Liberty was down to 4 scholarship players as the university failed to heed government warnings about coronavirus and Butler cruised to a 84-49 victory.
4. Louisville vs. 13. Vermont- Louisville continued its inconsistent season as they were shocked by the Catamounts 64-63. Vermont won a last second put back by Anthony Lamb in one of the tournaments more exciting opening round games.
6. Illinois vs. 11. Texas Tech- Tech won a second straight game, upsetting Illinois 61-59. In the defense of the Illini, Tech was a better KenPom team and one of the more underseeded teams in history. Tech had defeated a distracted Wichita State team on Wednesday.
3. Duke vs. 14. UC-Irvine- Irvine gave Duke fits, being within 4 with 5 minutes left but a 15-0 burst by Duke put the game away. The final score was 83-69 as Tre Jones had a big game.
7. Providence vs. 10. Utah State- The Aggies continued Providence opening weekend blues by beating them 73-66. Sam Merrill was spectacular, dropping 34 points as the Friars had no answer for him.
2. Maryland vs. 15. UALR- The Terps came out sharp and handled Little Rock with ease, 99-66.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
East Region
1. Dayton vs. 16. Northern Kentucky- Any questions of Dayton shrinking from the pressure of being a 1-seed quickly evaporated as Obi Toppin scored the games first 10 points and the Flyers coasted to a 101-58 win.
8. Virginia vs. 9. USC - Virginia held off USC, 48-45 in one of the worst games in tournament history.
5. BYU vs. 12. Akron- There was no 12-seed upset here as BYU coasted pass the Zips with relative ease, 76-62.
4. Michigan State vs. 13. Bradley- A year after giving Michigan State fits, the Braves were overwhelmed by a bigger and faster Spartans team this year, losing 79-59. Cassius Winston cut up the Bradley squad for 14 points and added 14 assists in a brilliant performance.
6. Wisconsin vs. 11. East Tennessee State- In a mild upset, the Buccs beat the Badgers 64-62 with the help of some late technical foul free throws courtesy of Brad Davison called for a second flop. Badger media and fans went wild after the game saying the kid quotes the Bible but it didn’t matter.
3. Seton Hall vs. 14. New Mexico State- In the biggest shocker thus far of the tournament, New Mexico State beat Seton Hall in triple overtime, 89-81. Seton Hall mounted a furious comeback late to force the first overtime but ran out of gas in a stunning result.
7. St. Mary’s vs. 10. Cincinnati - The WCC made it 2-0 in the East as the Gaels won a game that went to the buzzer, winning 71-69. Cincinnati had a chance late but couldn’t get a shot off despite three timeouts and a clock check that caused the final 1:00 of game to take 26 minutes in real time. We did see plenty of Enterprise Commercials.
2. Florida State vs. 15. Eastern Washington- Fresh off an ACC Tournament win, the Noles chopped apart Eastern Washington 93-55.
8. Virginia vs. 9. USC - Virginia held off USC, 48-45 in one of the worst games in tournament history.
5. BYU vs. 12. Akron- There was no 12-seed upset here as BYU coasted pass the Zips with relative ease, 76-62.
4. Michigan State vs. 13. Bradley- A year after giving Michigan State fits, the Braves were overwhelmed by a bigger and faster Spartans team this year, losing 79-59. Cassius Winston cut up the Bradley squad for 14 points and added 14 assists in a brilliant performance.
6. Wisconsin vs. 11. East Tennessee State- In a mild upset, the Buccs beat the Badgers 64-62 with the help of some late technical foul free throws courtesy of Brad Davison called for a second flop. Badger media and fans went wild after the game saying the kid quotes the Bible but it didn’t matter.
3. Seton Hall vs. 14. New Mexico State- In the biggest shocker thus far of the tournament, New Mexico State beat Seton Hall in triple overtime, 89-81. Seton Hall mounted a furious comeback late to force the first overtime but ran out of gas in a stunning result.
7. St. Mary’s vs. 10. Cincinnati - The WCC made it 2-0 in the East as the Gaels won a game that went to the buzzer, winning 71-69. Cincinnati had a chance late but couldn’t get a shot off despite three timeouts and a clock check that caused the final 1:00 of game to take 26 minutes in real time. We did see plenty of Enterprise Commercials.
2. Florida State vs. 15. Eastern Washington- Fresh off an ACC Tournament win, the Noles chopped apart Eastern Washington 93-55.
Midwest Region: Round One
1. Kansas vs. 16. Siena - Siena dispatched Robert Morris in Dayton but were not match for the Jayhawks who were methodical in a 77-44 win over the Saints. Udoka Azubuike went for 20 and grabbed 18 rebounds.
8. Colorado vs. 9. Marquette- Markus Howard dropped 47 points on Colorado as the Golden Eagles survived Colorado in overtime, 86-84. Howard iced the game in overtime making 8 free throws.
5. Auburn vs. 12. Richmond- Richmond beat Texas in the play-in game but couldn’t handle Auburn’s athleticism in this game. Auburn was a popular upset pick as a 5-seed but survived a tough Spiders team, 61-58. The Spiders had a chance at the buzzer but a Jacob Gilyard 3 spun out as the clock ran out.
4. Ohio State vs. 13 Stephen F. Austin - The inconsistent Buckeyes picked a bad day for one of their erratic performances getting run off the court by the Lumberjacks. The Southland Champs who lead the nation in forcing turnovers, turned over Ohio State 19 times and won 74-67.
6. West Virginia vs. 11. NC State- West Virginia cleaned up on the glass and were too physical for the Wolfpack who were one of the last non-bye teams to make the tournament. West Virginia, under seeded because of a late season swoon, flashed signs of the team they were earlier in the year winning this rock fight 58-54
3. Kentucky vs. 14. Belmont- Kentucky fans had to sweat this one a bit more than they originally hoped when the bracket was revealed, holding off a feisty Belmont team, 68-62. Belmont lead by 5 at half and Kentucky’s biggest lead came with about a minute left.
7. Houston vs. 10. Indiana - The Kelvin Sampson bowl wasn’t much of a game as Indiana fell behind by 20 early on and despite getting within 8 with about 10 minutes left, they could never overcome their poor start as the Cougars pulled away, winning 81-66. Houston who finished 14th in KenPom, ahead of a few teams in this region, looked like a threat to win the whole region.
2. Villanova vs. 15. Boston- Villanova came out and took care of business in a clinical dissection of Boston, 93-60.
8. Colorado vs. 9. Marquette- Markus Howard dropped 47 points on Colorado as the Golden Eagles survived Colorado in overtime, 86-84. Howard iced the game in overtime making 8 free throws.
5. Auburn vs. 12. Richmond- Richmond beat Texas in the play-in game but couldn’t handle Auburn’s athleticism in this game. Auburn was a popular upset pick as a 5-seed but survived a tough Spiders team, 61-58. The Spiders had a chance at the buzzer but a Jacob Gilyard 3 spun out as the clock ran out.
4. Ohio State vs. 13 Stephen F. Austin - The inconsistent Buckeyes picked a bad day for one of their erratic performances getting run off the court by the Lumberjacks. The Southland Champs who lead the nation in forcing turnovers, turned over Ohio State 19 times and won 74-67.
6. West Virginia vs. 11. NC State- West Virginia cleaned up on the glass and were too physical for the Wolfpack who were one of the last non-bye teams to make the tournament. West Virginia, under seeded because of a late season swoon, flashed signs of the team they were earlier in the year winning this rock fight 58-54
3. Kentucky vs. 14. Belmont- Kentucky fans had to sweat this one a bit more than they originally hoped when the bracket was revealed, holding off a feisty Belmont team, 68-62. Belmont lead by 5 at half and Kentucky’s biggest lead came with about a minute left.
7. Houston vs. 10. Indiana - The Kelvin Sampson bowl wasn’t much of a game as Indiana fell behind by 20 early on and despite getting within 8 with about 10 minutes left, they could never overcome their poor start as the Cougars pulled away, winning 81-66. Houston who finished 14th in KenPom, ahead of a few teams in this region, looked like a threat to win the whole region.
2. Villanova vs. 15. Boston- Villanova came out and took care of business in a clinical dissection of Boston, 93-60.
Friday, March 13, 2020
OC MARCH MADNESS FAKE TOURNAMENT
I took Brian’s final bracket and placed the teams into regions and will run a mock tournament beginning next Thursday. No doubt, it will match the excitement and grandeur of the real thing. Consider it poorly written virtual reality.
The goal is to offend as many fanbases as possible (looking at you Big Ten fans) and get to a Final Four only I would enjoy. After last years awful Final Four of uninteresting and wholly unlikable teams, the basketball gods will have to endure with whatever my sick mind concocts.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading fake recaps I conjure. I’ll run them on what would have been the tournament schedule. I won’t match the TV schedule and will instead do it on a region-by-region basis. I don’t get paid to do this, so pump the brakes on your unwarranted anger at this malfeasance.
Until then, use Lysol wipes on any and all Duke paraphernalia you may own.
The goal is to offend as many fanbases as possible (looking at you Big Ten fans) and get to a Final Four only I would enjoy. After last years awful Final Four of uninteresting and wholly unlikable teams, the basketball gods will have to endure with whatever my sick mind concocts.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading fake recaps I conjure. I’ll run them on what would have been the tournament schedule. I won’t match the TV schedule and will instead do it on a region-by-region basis. I don’t get paid to do this, so pump the brakes on your unwarranted anger at this malfeasance.
Until then, use Lysol wipes on any and all Duke paraphernalia you may own.
Final Bracket
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Thursday, March 12, 2020
Bubble - or what's being played...or not
I'm going to post this anyway because I wrote it before everybody got paranoid and cancelled everything.
Early afternoon Bubble Watch:
Michigan vs Rutgers – I believe Rutgers is safe but if they
get blown out of the water it could get dicey
Clemson vs Florida St – Clemson needs a lot of help; nothing
short of an ACC Tournament appearance
Texas Tech vs Texas – simple one here; loser is out, winner
is safe for the day and we talk about them tomorrow
Mid-Afternoon Bubble Watch:
NC State vs Duke – NC State needs to win or stay
close. A 10+ loss could sway the committee to keep them out.
Arizona vs USC – I have USC as a 9 seed so that appears safe
and this wouldn’t be a bad loss. Worth keeping an eye on.
Early-Evening Bubble Watch:
Purdue vs Ohio State – it’s ridiculous that we are still
talking about Purdue but crazy things happen
Notre Dame vs Virginia – everybody is falling back in love
with Virginia. Notre Dame has slim hopes still.
Indiana vs Penn State – Indiana is a 10 seed with about 6
teams between them and the cut line. They would appear to be safe…..but
Archie Miller is a douche
Late Bubble Watch:
California vs UCLA – Palm and Lunardi have UCLA in; I
don’t. A 7 game win streak doesn’t cancel out a NET and KenPom in the
70’s and a NCSOS north of 200. Those Quad 3 and Quad 4 losses don’t help
Syracuse vs Louisville – Syracuse, see Clemson above
Oklahoma vs West Virginia – Oklahoma is nestled in between
Indiana and NC State on the bracket. Like them they appear to be safe but
don’t get slaughtered tonight
Arkansas vs South Carolina – Arkansas is unique in that they
went 1-5 without Isaiah Joe. Can they make a run with him back?
Marquette vs Seton Hall – are the Warriors really on the
bubble? The past couple weeks haven’t been kind.
Washington St vs Arizona St – ASU is probably
safe….probably.
Bracketology
|
1
seed vs 16 seed
|
|
Kansas
(B12) vs Siena (MAAC)/Bob Morris(NEC)
|
|
Gonzaga
(WCC) vs NCCU (MEAC)/PV A&M (SWAC)
|
|
Baylor
vs Winthrop (Bsouth)
|
|
Dayton
(A10) vs N.Kentucky (Hor)
|
|
2
seed vs 15 seed
|
|
San
Diego St vs N.Dakota St(Summt)
|
|
Florida
St (ACC) vs E.Wash (Bsky)
|
|
Villanova
vs Boston (Patriot)
|
|
Maryland
(B1G) vs UALR (Sbelt)
|
|
3
seed vs 14 seed
|
|
Kentucky
(SEC) vs Belmont (OVC)
|
|
Duke
vs UC-Irvine(Bwest)
|
|
Creighton
(Beast) vs Hofsta (Col)
|
|
Seton
Hall vs New Mexico St (WAC)
|
|
4
seed vs 13 seed
|
|
Michigan
St vs Bradley (Mvalley)
|
|
Louisville
vs Vermont (Aeast)
|
|
Oregon
(P12) vs North Texas (Cusa)
|
|
Ohio
State vs SFA (Sland)
|
|
5
seed vs 12 seed
|
|
BYU
vs Akron (MAC)
|
|
Michigan
vs Yale (Ivy)
|
|
Butler
vs Liberty (Asun)
|
|
Auburn
vs Texas/Richmond
|
|
6
seed vs 11 seed
|
|
Wisconsin
vs ETSU (SoCon)
|
|
Illinois
vs Texas Tech/Wichita State
|
|
Penn
State vs NC State
|
|
West
Virginia vs Oklahoma
|
|
7
seed vs 10 seed
|
|
Providence
vs Utah State (Mwest)
|
|
Iowa
vs Arizona State
|
|
Houston
vs Indiana
|
|
St.Mary's
vs Cincinnati (AAC)
|
|
8
seed vs 9 seed
|
|
Arizona
vs Florida
|
|
LSU
vs Rutgers
|
|
Colorado
vs Marquette
|
|
Virginia
vs USC
|
|
First Four Out
|
|
Stanford
|
|
Xavier
|
|
UCLA
|
|
Purdue
|
|
Next Four Out
|
|
N.Iowa
|
|
Arkansas
|
|
Mississippi
State
|
|
Rhode
Island
|
|
Also Considered
|
|
Memphis
|
|
Notre
Dame
|
|
Tulsa
|
Early Morning Update
Congrats to Boston who upset Colgate last night to grab the last auto-bid before Saturday. I need to see where they fit in but I'm guessing a 16 seed.
The biggest losers of the night were Xavier and Stanford. I already had Stanford out so they stay that way. Xavier was just about the play in game. I'd think after all is said and done they are out as well.
Colorado lost to Wazzou and is falling down the bracket. They project as an 8 or 9 and if they figure things out they could be dangerous to a 1 seed.
Indiana hangs on and is now probably safely in the field.
Tons of games today. New Bracket soon then bubble updates.
The biggest losers of the night were Xavier and Stanford. I already had Stanford out so they stay that way. Xavier was just about the play in game. I'd think after all is said and done they are out as well.
Colorado lost to Wazzou and is falling down the bracket. They project as an 8 or 9 and if they figure things out they could be dangerous to a 1 seed.
Indiana hangs on and is now probably safely in the field.
Tons of games today. New Bracket soon then bubble updates.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Tonight
Bids Tonight:
Patriot
League – Colgate vs Boston
Bubble Games:
Pittsburgh vs North Carolina St – The Wolfpack is my last
team in. If they lose they fall
out. If they win they stay for at least
1 more day
Nebraska vs Indiana – Indiana is on my 10 line but this
would be a bad loss. Maybe enough to
fall out.
California vs Stanford – I have the Cardinals out right now
but most people have them in. I think
they need this game.
Depaul vs Xavier – Xavier is the 5 team from the
cutoff. This would be a bad loss and
probably drop them out.
Vanderbilt vs Arkansas – The Razorbacks are far from the
bubble but could still play it’s way in by stringing together a bunch of wins.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
AMERICAN
I almost forgot, the AAC begins conference tournament play on Wednesday as well. They are playing their games in Fort Worth. UConn can not wait to get the hell out of this league.
Cincinnati is the 1-seed, Houston the 2-seed and Tulsa the 3-seed. In Brian’s latest bracket, only Houston and Cincinnati are in. Tulsa isn’t even considered and they shared the league title. Wichita State and Memphis are on the bubble.
Wichita State is the 4-seed, so they can make their case by winning in the quarters and then beating Houston. Memphis is the 6-seed and if they advance, they’ll play Tulsa. I’m not sure if that helps or not. Either way, it’s not inconceivable one of them steals a bid late.
I’m picking UConn because it would be hilarious
Cincinnati is the 1-seed, Houston the 2-seed and Tulsa the 3-seed. In Brian’s latest bracket, only Houston and Cincinnati are in. Tulsa isn’t even considered and they shared the league title. Wichita State and Memphis are on the bubble.
Wichita State is the 4-seed, so they can make their case by winning in the quarters and then beating Houston. Memphis is the 6-seed and if they advance, they’ll play Tulsa. I’m not sure if that helps or not. Either way, it’s not inconceivable one of them steals a bid late.
I’m picking UConn because it would be hilarious
Tonight
We have 5 bids going out tonight and no bubble action at
all. Tomorrow all the fun starts with
that.
Horizon: #2 N.
Kentucky vs #4 Illinois-Chicago – probably a 16 seed to the winner, possible
play in game
NEC: #1 Robert Morris vs #2 St. Francis –PA – definitely a
16 seed, probably play in game
Summit: #1 North
Dakota St vs #6 North Dakota – State could be a 15 seed; ND would play Tuesday
or Wednesday
Colonial: #1 Hofstra vs #6 Northeastern – Hofstra might get
a 14 seed while Northeastern would be a fringe 15/16
West Coast: #1 Gonzaga vs #3 St. Mary’s – Gonzaga is the #1
out west even if they lose. St. Mary’s
is a 8 seed maybe 7 with a win
Bracketology
I feel very not confident at this point. I don't feel anybody I have out really deserves to be in but there are teams in that I feel dirty putting in.
|
1
seed vs 16 seed
|
|
Kansas
(B12) vs Siena (MAAC)/Robert Morris (NEC)
|
|
Gonzaga
(WCC) vs NCCU (MEAC)/PV A&M (SWAC)
|
|
Baylor
vs Winthrop (Bsouth)
|
|
Dayton
(A10) vs E.Wash (Bsky)
|
|
2
seed vs 15 seed
|
|
San
Diego St vs N.Dakota St(Summt)
|
|
Florida
St (ACC) vs Colgate (Patriot)
|
|
Villanova
vs UALR (Sbelt)
|
|
Maryland
(B1G) vs N.Kentucky (Hor)
|
|
3
seed vs 14 seed
|
|
Kentucky
(SEC) vs Belmont (OVC)
|
|
Duke
vs UC-Irvine(Bwest)
|
|
Creighton
(Beast) vs Hofsta (Col)
|
|
Seton
Hall vs New Mexico St (WAC)
|
|
4
seed vs 13 seed
|
|
Michigan
St vs Bradley (Mvalley)
|
|
Louisville
vs Vermont (Aeast)
|
|
Oregon
(P12) vs North Texas (Cusa)
|
|
Ohio
State vs SFA (Sland)
|
|
5
seed vs 12 seed
|
|
BYU
vs Akron (MAC)
|
|
Michigan
vs Yale (Ivy)
|
|
Butler
vs Liberty (Asun)
|
|
Auburn
vs ETSU (SoCon)
|
|
6
seed vs 11 seed
|
|
Wisconsin
vs Texas Tech/NC State
|
|
Illinois
vs Richmond/Wichita State
|
|
Penn
State vs Xavier
|
|
West
Virginia vs Oklahoma
|
|
7
seed vs 10 seed
|
|
Providence
vs Utah State (Mwest)
|
|
Iowa
vs Arizona State
|
|
Houston
vs Rutgers
|
|
St.Mary's
vs Cincinnati (AAC)
|
|
8
seed vs 9 seed
|
|
Arizona
vs Florida
|
|
LSU
vs Indiana
|
|
Colorado
vs Marquette
|
|
Virginia
vs USC
|
|
First Four Out
|
|
Stanford
|
|
Texas
|
|
UCLA
|
|
Purdue
|
|
Next Four Out
|
|
N.Iowa
|
|
Arkansas
|
|
Mississippi
State
|
|
Rhode
Island
|
|
Also Considered
|
|
Memphis
|
|
Notre
Dame
|
Big West & WAC
Big West
The Big West tournament tips-off Thursday in Anaheim, CA. UC-Irvine won the regular season title. They’re 106th in KenPom. The only other top 200 KenPom team is UC-Santa Barbara.
This Anteater team isn’t as good as last years team but they continue an impressive stretch of very good seasons. Have to think Russell Turner deserves a shot a bigger job. If they come out of this league, they’ll be a pest for someone in the first round.
The Pick: UC-Irvine
WAX
The WAC tournament also tips-off on Thursday. All games will be played in Las Vegas, the college basketball capital of the west. New Mexico State won the league, going 16-0. 2nd place Cal Baptist finished 10-6. NMSU is 91st in KenPom.
The Aggies will have to win the tournament to dance. They didn’t do anything out of conference outside a win against Colorado State. No other team is in the KenPom top 200. Like UC-Irvine, New Mexico State has been an impressive program for awhile now and won’t be an easy out in the first round, regardless of seed.
The Pick: New Mexico State
The Big West tournament tips-off Thursday in Anaheim, CA. UC-Irvine won the regular season title. They’re 106th in KenPom. The only other top 200 KenPom team is UC-Santa Barbara.
This Anteater team isn’t as good as last years team but they continue an impressive stretch of very good seasons. Have to think Russell Turner deserves a shot a bigger job. If they come out of this league, they’ll be a pest for someone in the first round.
The Pick: UC-Irvine
WAX
The WAC tournament also tips-off on Thursday. All games will be played in Las Vegas, the college basketball capital of the west. New Mexico State won the league, going 16-0. 2nd place Cal Baptist finished 10-6. NMSU is 91st in KenPom.
The Aggies will have to win the tournament to dance. They didn’t do anything out of conference outside a win against Colorado State. No other team is in the KenPom top 200. Like UC-Irvine, New Mexico State has been an impressive program for awhile now and won’t be an easy out in the first round, regardless of seed.
The Pick: New Mexico State
Monday, March 9, 2020
SEC
The SEC begins tournament play on Wednesday in Nashville. The league should have 4-seeds locked up. Mississippi State is probably outside looking in right now and South Carolina is certainly under consideration.
Mississippi State does have the double bye and should get a crack at Florida in the quarterfinals. South Carolina is the 6-seed and plays the Vandy-Arkansas winner. Win that and they’d play LSU. Both probably need to make the semifinals.
Kentucky is looking at the 3-line and a couple wins should solidify that.
The Pick: Kentucky
Mississippi State does have the double bye and should get a crack at Florida in the quarterfinals. South Carolina is the 6-seed and plays the Vandy-Arkansas winner. Win that and they’d play LSU. Both probably need to make the semifinals.
Kentucky is looking at the 3-line and a couple wins should solidify that.
The Pick: Kentucky
Big XII and Pac-12
Since these two leagues are destined to merge, let’s put them together now.
Big XII
Our friends in the Big XII start its conference tournament this Wednesday. All games will be played in Kansas City. Kansas and Baylor are 1-seeds as of now. Winning the tournament would wrap that up. Thanks, Captain Obvious. Texas is squarely on the bubble. Texas Tech is as well.
Remarkably, Texas and Texas Tech play each other on Thursday. Tech is the better team but the results haven’t been there. This may not be an elimination game but the loser is going to have a long wait to Sunday’s reveal.
The Pick: Kansas
PAC-12
The PAC-12 has been fun this year. After a few years of a lot of mediocre basketball, the PAC-12 was competitive and dare I say, good. They start their conference tournament on Wednesday. All games will be played in Las Vegas.
It could be a 7-bid league. Stanford is the 7-seed and plays Cal on Wednesday. A win gets them a matchup against UCLA. A loss to Cal probably knocks them out. Colorado opens against Washington State. Like Stanford, a loss would be bad.
Though UCLA is the 2-seed, they’re not a lock. A win in the quarters should do it. A loss may not knock them out but again, a long weekend awaits if they lose. Arizona State as the 3 isn’t a lock either. I think they’re safer than the Bruins.
Oregon is the 1-seed and currently on the 4-line. They can maybe push to the 3 with a win here.
The Pick: Arizona State
Big XII
Our friends in the Big XII start its conference tournament this Wednesday. All games will be played in Kansas City. Kansas and Baylor are 1-seeds as of now. Winning the tournament would wrap that up. Thanks, Captain Obvious. Texas is squarely on the bubble. Texas Tech is as well.
Remarkably, Texas and Texas Tech play each other on Thursday. Tech is the better team but the results haven’t been there. This may not be an elimination game but the loser is going to have a long wait to Sunday’s reveal.
The Pick: Kansas
PAC-12
The PAC-12 has been fun this year. After a few years of a lot of mediocre basketball, the PAC-12 was competitive and dare I say, good. They start their conference tournament on Wednesday. All games will be played in Las Vegas.
It could be a 7-bid league. Stanford is the 7-seed and plays Cal on Wednesday. A win gets them a matchup against UCLA. A loss to Cal probably knocks them out. Colorado opens against Washington State. Like Stanford, a loss would be bad.
Though UCLA is the 2-seed, they’re not a lock. A win in the quarters should do it. A loss may not knock them out but again, a long weekend awaits if they lose. Arizona State as the 3 isn’t a lock either. I think they’re safer than the Bruins.
Oregon is the 1-seed and currently on the 4-line. They can maybe push to the 3 with a win here.
The Pick: Arizona State
Tonight
Only 1 bid goes out tonight and that is in the SoCon where
1. East Tennessee State takes on 7.
Wofford. ETSU is at-large worthy so they
take a bid away should they lose tonight.
Crappy Big Ten teams should be cheering for them.
One bid conferences, the Horizon, Colonial, and Summit are
in their Semi-Finals while the West Coast Conference showcases all three of its
tournament teams, Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, and BYU.
New Bracket comes out tomorrow after tonight’s action.
Big Ten and Big East
These two leagues really gamed the system this year, so they belong together.
Big Ten
The league that prides itself on academics has a 5-day tournament beginning Wednesday. All games are to be played in Indianapolis.
The tournament matters most for two teams and seeding purposes for the top seeds. The two teams that need to get some wins are Indiana and Purdue. Both are on the bubble. Purdue gets a bye into Thursday games but draws Ohio State. It’s a must win. That would get them a matchup with Michigan State. There’s a path for Purdue. The same holds true for Indiana. Indiana opens on Wednesday against Nebraska. Again, that’s a must win. There path is a little easier. Penn State would be next up and then a date against Maryland.
Michigan State has established itself as a national title contender. Sigh. They’re a likely 3-seed and if they run the table in Indy, a 2-seed is possible.
The Pick: Michigan State
Big East
The Big East also tips-off in Wednesday from Madison Square Garden. The regular season had a 3-way tie for 1st place between Seton Hall, Villanova and Creighton. Seton Hall lost their last two games. First at home against Nova and then at Creighton. You hate to see it.
Xavier is probably out at the moment. They must beat DePaul on Wednesday and probably need to beat Villanova. Good luck. Marquette gets Seton Hall in Thursday. A loss in that game and they should probably be at least a little nervous, though they should be safe.
No one is playing for a 1-seed. Creighton is probably safe as a 3, though a win here would solidify a 2-seed. Nova and Seton Hall are playing to stay on the 3-line. Whoever loses in a 2-3 matchup probably slides to the 4-line.
I’m assuming Providence is in but a win over Butler should lock it up.
The Pick: Villanova
Big Ten
The league that prides itself on academics has a 5-day tournament beginning Wednesday. All games are to be played in Indianapolis.
The tournament matters most for two teams and seeding purposes for the top seeds. The two teams that need to get some wins are Indiana and Purdue. Both are on the bubble. Purdue gets a bye into Thursday games but draws Ohio State. It’s a must win. That would get them a matchup with Michigan State. There’s a path for Purdue. The same holds true for Indiana. Indiana opens on Wednesday against Nebraska. Again, that’s a must win. There path is a little easier. Penn State would be next up and then a date against Maryland.
Michigan State has established itself as a national title contender. Sigh. They’re a likely 3-seed and if they run the table in Indy, a 2-seed is possible.
The Pick: Michigan State
Big East
The Big East also tips-off in Wednesday from Madison Square Garden. The regular season had a 3-way tie for 1st place between Seton Hall, Villanova and Creighton. Seton Hall lost their last two games. First at home against Nova and then at Creighton. You hate to see it.
Xavier is probably out at the moment. They must beat DePaul on Wednesday and probably need to beat Villanova. Good luck. Marquette gets Seton Hall in Thursday. A loss in that game and they should probably be at least a little nervous, though they should be safe.
No one is playing for a 1-seed. Creighton is probably safe as a 3, though a win here would solidify a 2-seed. Nova and Seton Hall are playing to stay on the 3-line. Whoever loses in a 2-3 matchup probably slides to the 4-line.
I’m assuming Providence is in but a win over Butler should lock it up.
The Pick: Villanova
Sunday, March 8, 2020
A-10 & Southland
The A-10 conference tournament begins Wednesday in Brooklyn. This is an important tournament for a few reasons. Dayton is playing to lock up a 1-seed, Richmond is playing while squarely on the bubble and other bubble teams are watching to see if there is a bid-thief.
Dayton finished undefeated in the regular season and is 4th in KenPom. I don’t care what league you play in, that’s impressive. Richmond finished 2nd and is 46th in KenPom. The Spiders have won 9 of 10 and own a victory over UW-Madison.
The concern over a bid thief is legit. The A-10 cannibalized itself a bit. The middle of the league is good. 3rd place Rhode Island is 65th in KenPom, 4th place St. Louis is 60th, 7th place Davidson is 68th and 8th place VCU is 73rd.
I’m feeling a bid-thief in this league.
The Pick: St. Louis
Southland
The Southland starts its conference tournament on Wednesday as well. Like CUSA, they will be playing in Katy, TX. Stephen F. Austin went 19-1 and 28-3 overall and has that win at Duke. They’re 102nd in KenPom. Only two other teams are in the top 200 of KenPom. Abilene Christian is 186 and Nichols State is 193.
The Lumberjacks lone loss was a 1-point home loss to Texas A&M-Chorpus Christi. They’ve won 15 in a row. They’re a menace.
The Pick: Stephen F. Austin
Dayton finished undefeated in the regular season and is 4th in KenPom. I don’t care what league you play in, that’s impressive. Richmond finished 2nd and is 46th in KenPom. The Spiders have won 9 of 10 and own a victory over UW-Madison.
The concern over a bid thief is legit. The A-10 cannibalized itself a bit. The middle of the league is good. 3rd place Rhode Island is 65th in KenPom, 4th place St. Louis is 60th, 7th place Davidson is 68th and 8th place VCU is 73rd.
I’m feeling a bid-thief in this league.
The Pick: St. Louis
Southland
The Southland starts its conference tournament on Wednesday as well. Like CUSA, they will be playing in Katy, TX. Stephen F. Austin went 19-1 and 28-3 overall and has that win at Duke. They’re 102nd in KenPom. Only two other teams are in the top 200 of KenPom. Abilene Christian is 186 and Nichols State is 193.
The Lumberjacks lone loss was a 1-point home loss to Texas A&M-Chorpus Christi. They’ve won 15 in a row. They’re a menace.
The Pick: Stephen F. Austin
Big Sky and Conference USA
Big Sky
Big Sky conference tournament tips-off Wednesday night live from beautiful Boise. Eastern Washington won the regular season title, finishing 16-4. They’re 124th in KenPom. Second place Northern Colorado went 15-5 and is 76th in KenPom. Eastern swept Northern Colorado but the total point difference was just 9 points. Eastern is on a 7-game winning streak.
Montana finished 3rd and is capable of winning this tournament as well. They’re 135th in KenPom. They swept Eastern Washington in the regular season but were swept themselves by Northern Colorado. Montana has won the last two Big Sky tournaments. The 1-seed has won every tournament since 2016.
The pick: Northern Colorado
Conference USA
Conference USA begins its tournament on Wednesday as well. The tournament is being held in Katy, TX. North Texas finished 14-4 and won the regular season league title. They’re 77th in KenPom. Louisiana Tech finished in a tie for second with Western Kentucky. They’re 72nd in KenPom. Western Kentucky is 111th in KenPom.
8 of the 11 other teams are top 200 KenPom teams but Marshall is the only other one in the top 150.
Western Kentucky swept LaTech and split with North Texas. North Texas and LaTech split the regular season.
The Pick: Louisiana Tech
Big Sky conference tournament tips-off Wednesday night live from beautiful Boise. Eastern Washington won the regular season title, finishing 16-4. They’re 124th in KenPom. Second place Northern Colorado went 15-5 and is 76th in KenPom. Eastern swept Northern Colorado but the total point difference was just 9 points. Eastern is on a 7-game winning streak.
Montana finished 3rd and is capable of winning this tournament as well. They’re 135th in KenPom. They swept Eastern Washington in the regular season but were swept themselves by Northern Colorado. Montana has won the last two Big Sky tournaments. The 1-seed has won every tournament since 2016.
The pick: Northern Colorado
Conference USA
Conference USA begins its tournament on Wednesday as well. The tournament is being held in Katy, TX. North Texas finished 14-4 and won the regular season league title. They’re 77th in KenPom. Louisiana Tech finished in a tie for second with Western Kentucky. They’re 72nd in KenPom. Western Kentucky is 111th in KenPom.
8 of the 11 other teams are top 200 KenPom teams but Marshall is the only other one in the top 150.
Western Kentucky swept LaTech and split with North Texas. North Texas and LaTech split the regular season.
The Pick: Louisiana Tech
Sunday Update
The first two bids went out last night. Congrats to Utah State and Belmont. I'm thinking 10 seed and 14 seed.
Today 3 more go out:
Big South - 2. Winthrop vs 5. Hampton
A-Sun - 1. Liberty vs 3. Lipscomb
Missouri Valley - 4. Bradley vs 7. Valpo
Lot's of low seeds right there....eh Liberty could be a 12 I suppose.
Not much bubble action today as most teams finished up their season yesterday. Memphis at Wichita St is the big one; loser is probably out unless they make it to the AAC championship game. Winner hangs around the first four out.
ETSU needs to keep winning in the SoCon; best to just grab the auto bid and the 2 and 3 seed got upset yesterday.
Speaking of yesterday, there were a lot of losses by teams on the bubble.
Xavier, Purdue, Stanford, Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina.
It's the same thing every year, a lot of teams play themselves off the bubble then play on to it.
New bracket tomorrow after all regular seasons end.
Today 3 more go out:
Big South - 2. Winthrop vs 5. Hampton
A-Sun - 1. Liberty vs 3. Lipscomb
Missouri Valley - 4. Bradley vs 7. Valpo
Lot's of low seeds right there....eh Liberty could be a 12 I suppose.
Not much bubble action today as most teams finished up their season yesterday. Memphis at Wichita St is the big one; loser is probably out unless they make it to the AAC championship game. Winner hangs around the first four out.
ETSU needs to keep winning in the SoCon; best to just grab the auto bid and the 2 and 3 seed got upset yesterday.
Speaking of yesterday, there were a lot of losses by teams on the bubble.
Xavier, Purdue, Stanford, Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina.
It's the same thing every year, a lot of teams play themselves off the bubble then play on to it.
New bracket tomorrow after all regular seasons end.
SWAC and MEAC
SWAC
The SWAC starts its conference tournament on Tuesday. All games are played on campus until the final, which will be played in Birmingham. Prairie View A&M won the regular season title. They’re 218th in KenPom. Only 3 other teams are in the top 300. This is 16-seed play-in tournament for all except maybe Prairie View.
The Pick: Prairie View A&M
MEAC
The MEAC also starts Tuesday. The league plays its tournament in Norfolk. North Carolina Central won the regular season title and are 272nd in KenPom. Norfolk State finished in a tie for 2nd are 254th in KenPom. They tied with North Carolina A&T who is 284th. The winner will be a 16-seed and probably in the play-in round.
The Pick: Norfolk State
The SWAC starts its conference tournament on Tuesday. All games are played on campus until the final, which will be played in Birmingham. Prairie View A&M won the regular season title. They’re 218th in KenPom. Only 3 other teams are in the top 300. This is 16-seed play-in tournament for all except maybe Prairie View.
The Pick: Prairie View A&M
MEAC
The MEAC also starts Tuesday. The league plays its tournament in Norfolk. North Carolina Central won the regular season title and are 272nd in KenPom. Norfolk State finished in a tie for 2nd are 254th in KenPom. They tied with North Carolina A&T who is 284th. The winner will be a 16-seed and probably in the play-in round.
The Pick: Norfolk State
ACC Tournament
The ACC starts its conference tournament on Tuesday from beautiful Greensboro. I hope Jom Boeheim can cope.
It hasn’t been a banner year for the ACC. As of now, the top 4 seeds are the only locks for the big dance. NC State is the first four out or last four in according to most brackets. They get the winner of Wake-Pitt and a loss assures them of being left out. A win won’t move the needle much but it’ll give them another shot at Duke. A win in that game would go a long way.
Florida State won the regular season title and is the 1-seed. Virginia, Louisville and Duke fill out the rest of the top 4. Syracuse is the 6-seed and Notre Dame is the 7-seed. Between the two of them, Notre Dame has a more realistic shot at the tournament. Getting past Virginia, the 2-seed, isn’t as daunting as the national media seems to think. They’re still averaging less than a point per possession and in this current winning streak, they’ve only won one game by double digits. Can I bet on them losing on the opening weekend while scoring less than 40? I’d take that bet.
The Pick: Duke
It hasn’t been a banner year for the ACC. As of now, the top 4 seeds are the only locks for the big dance. NC State is the first four out or last four in according to most brackets. They get the winner of Wake-Pitt and a loss assures them of being left out. A win won’t move the needle much but it’ll give them another shot at Duke. A win in that game would go a long way.
Florida State won the regular season title and is the 1-seed. Virginia, Louisville and Duke fill out the rest of the top 4. Syracuse is the 6-seed and Notre Dame is the 7-seed. Between the two of them, Notre Dame has a more realistic shot at the tournament. Getting past Virginia, the 2-seed, isn’t as daunting as the national media seems to think. They’re still averaging less than a point per possession and in this current winning streak, they’ve only won one game by double digits. Can I bet on them losing on the opening weekend while scoring less than 40? I’d take that bet.
The Pick: Duke
Saturday, March 7, 2020
MAC-tion and MAAC-tion
MAC
The MAC begins its conference tournament on Monday. The games will be played in Cleveland. Akron was the regular season champion, going 14-4 in the league. They’re 83rd in KenPom and the only team in the top 100.
The MAC begins its conference tournament on Monday. The games will be played in Cleveland. Akron was the regular season champion, going 14-4 in the league. They’re 83rd in KenPom and the only team in the top 100.
Technically, Akron won the East. Ball State and Northern Illinois went 11-7 and won the West. Ball State swept NIU. Bowling Green went 12-6 and finished 2nd in the East to Akron. Ball State is the 2nd best team with regard to KenPom at 114.
The Pick: Akron
MAAC
My sweet baby, the MAAC begins its conference tournament on Tuesday night from Atlantic City. Siena won the regular season title, finishing 15-5. They’re 150th in KenPom. Siena is on an 8-game winning streak. Their last loss came at St. Peter’s on Groundhog’s Day.
Speaking of St. Peter’s, they finished 2nd in the league. They’re also coached by Shaheen Holloway. They are 196th in KenPom. The only other top 200 KenPom team is Rider who finished 3rd. Iona has won the last 4 tournaments. If they win this year, they’ll be in the play-in round.
The Pick: St. Peter’s
MAAC
My sweet baby, the MAAC begins its conference tournament on Tuesday night from Atlantic City. Siena won the regular season title, finishing 15-5. They’re 150th in KenPom. Siena is on an 8-game winning streak. Their last loss came at St. Peter’s on Groundhog’s Day.
Speaking of St. Peter’s, they finished 2nd in the league. They’re also coached by Shaheen Holloway. They are 196th in KenPom. The only other top 200 KenPom team is Rider who finished 3rd. Iona has won the last 4 tournaments. If they win this year, they’ll be in the play-in round.
The Pick: St. Peter’s
Bracketology
|
1
seed vs 16 seed
|
|
Kansas
(B12) vs R.Morris(NEC)/Siena(MAAC)
|
|
Gonzaga
(WCC) vs NCCU(MEAC)/PV A&M(SWAC)
|
|
Baylor
vs Winthrop (Bsouth)
|
|
SanDiegoSt
(Mwest) vs Montana (Bsky)
|
|
2
seed vs 15 seed
|
|
Dayton
(A10) vs N.Dakota St(Summt)
|
|
Florida
St (ACC) vs Colgate (Patriot)
|
|
Villanova
vs UALR (Sbelt)
|
|
Seton
Hall (Beast) vs Wright St (Horizon)
|
|
3
seed vs 14 seed
|
|
Kentucky
(SEC) vs Belmont (OVC)
|
|
Maryland
(B1G) vs Bradley (Mvalley)
|
|
Duke
vs Hofsta (Col)
|
|
Louisville
vs New Mexico St (WAC)
|
|
4
seed vs 13 seed
|
|
Michigan
St vs Tulsa (AAC)
|
|
Creighton
vs UC-Irvine(Bwest)
|
|
Oregon
vs North Texas (Cusa)
|
|
Ohio
State vs SFA (Sland)
|
|
5
seed vs 12 seed
|
|
BYU
vs Vermont (Aeast)
|
|
Michigan
vs Akron (MAC)
|
|
Penn
St vs Liberty (Asun)
|
|
Auburn
vs N.Iowa/Oklahoma
|
|
6
seed vs 11 seed
|
|
Butler
vs Yale (Ivy)
|
|
Iowa
vs UCLA (P12)
|
|
Colorado
vs ETSU (SoCon)
|
|
Wisconsin
vs Utah St/Xavier
|
|
7
seed vs 10 seed
|
|
Arizona
vs Rutgers
|
|
West
Virginia vs Arizona State
|
|
Houston
vs Texas Tech
|
|
Providence
vs Cincinnati
|
|
8
seed vs 9 seed
|
|
St.Mary's
vs Florida
|
|
Marquette
vs Indiana
|
|
Illinois
vs Virginia
|
|
LSU
vs USC
|
|
First
Four Out
|
|
NC
State
|
|
Richmond
|
|
Purdue
|
|
Stanford
|
|
Next
Four Out
|
|
Wichita
St
|
|
Texas
|
|
Arkansas
|
|
South
Carolina
|
|
Also
Considered
|
|
Rhode
Island
|
|
Memphis
|
|
Mississippi
St
|
|
Notre
Dame
|
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