MEAC

Saturday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 06:40:33 -0800

Pac-12 - Title Game
#4 Arizona vs. #6 Colorado, 6:10 p.m. (CBS)

With Selection Sunday just a day away, one of the big questions out there is how the selection committee will deal with the Pac-12. The league that's underachieved in historic fashion this season will get at least one team into the field (since that's the rule), but how many more? Regular season champion Washington and runner-up California have both been eliminated, leaving them at the mercy of the committee. The best thing for a team to do is make sure they remain in control of their own fate, which is what Arizona and Colorado have done by reaching the conference title game.

Colorado, in their first season in the Pac-12, has exceeded all expectations and that's that a credit to the job that Tad Boyle has done. Picked to finish in a tie for tenth in October, the Buffaloes managed to win 11 league games despite some major personnel losses and now sit one game away from their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2003. A balanced effort, with four players reaching double figures, is what got them past Cal on Friday night and a similar performance will be needed if they're to beat Arizona.

As for the Wildcats they've reached the final despite having to suspend point guard Josiah Turner, but to be fair was the personnel loss that big? Sean Miller's team may not have a "perfect" option at the point but they've got some versatile guys who can help with the duties. Nick Johnson has played some point as has Jordin Mayes, and senior Kyle Foog has been a "jack of all trades" kind of player on the perimeter. Add in forwards Jesse Perry and Solomon Hill and you've got a solid nucleus than can give opposing teams fits.

The home team won both of the regular season meetings, with Arizona putting forth the better performance in their victory than CU did in theirs. If Carlon Brown can continue his solid play for one more game the Buffs are more than capable of winning and grabbing that automatic bid, and forward Andre Roberson is a warrior on the glass. Last year's game went down to the wire, with Washington's Isaiah Thomas providing a moment that few will ever forget. With there not being much separating Arizona and Colorado we could be headed towards a similar finish today.

America East - Title Game
#2 Vermont at #1 Stony Brook, 11:02 a.m. (ESPN2)

The top two seeds in America East meet for a trip to the NCAA tournament, and it's interesting that Vermont's loss to Binghamton ended up being the difference. The home team won both meetings, and in a tight gym like Stony Brook's the Seawolves likely hold an advantage there. But with Matt Glass and Four McGlynn among other players, the Catamounts are more than capable of leaving Long Island with the title. For Stony Brook they need a good day at the point from Bryan Dougher, but he's going to have his hands full with Sandro Carissimo being one of the conference's best on-ball defenders.

ACC - Semifinals
#1 North Carolina vs. #5 NC State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network)
#2 Duke vs. #3 Florida State, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network)

The team with the most to gain in Atlanta is NC State, who may have sealed their trip to the NCAA tournament with their win over Virginia on Friday afternoon. But a win over the Tar Heels, who may not have John Henson (wrist), would be quite the achievement due not only to their NCAA hopes but also he fact that Carolina won both regular season meetings by comfortable margins. In game two it's the rematch of a thriller at Cameron, won by the Seminoles on a Michael Snaer three as time expired (Duke did win the return meeting in Tallahassee).

Florida State's coming off one of the best offensive performances of the season, turning the ball over just 11 times and finishing their win over Miami with an efficiency of 122.1. Ian Miller and company will need to take care of the ball against Duke if they're to win, and with Ryan Kelly out this weekend the Seminole big men will have an edge from a depth standpoint.

Atlantic 10 - Semifinals
#8 Massachusetts vs. #4 St. Bonaventure, 1:00pm (CBS SN)
#2 Saint Louis vs. #3 Xavier, 3:30pm (CBS SN)

Xavier may be in following their win over Dayton last night but why leave anything to chance? In order to reach Sunday's final they're going to have to beat Saint Louis, who is one of the most disciplined teams in America. Rick Majerus has done an outstanding job with the Billikens, and players such as Brian Conklin and Kwamain Mitchell have played well all year long. In the first semifinal it's UMass and St. Bonaventure, which should provide an interesting contrast in styles. Point guard Chaz Williams has been outstanding for the Minutemen, and the same goes for the Bonnies' Andrew Nicholson. If St. Bonaventure can take care of the ball and not end up in a track meet, which is what UMass wants, they'd likely be the favorite to advance.

Big 12 - Title Game
#4 Baylor vs. #2 Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Both teams have a lot to gain from this one. Baylor, who knocked off Kansas on Friday night, could pick up wins over the top two teams in the conference in consecutive days and that would be quite some confidence boost heading into the Big Dance. As for the Tigers, a win could put them in line for a one-seed if not at the very least having their road to the Final Four goiing through St. Louis. A.J. Walton has been a bit of an unsung hero for the Bears this week, and they're going to need more of the same from him against Missouri's talented backcourt. And it's safe to say that Marcus Denmon is going 0-for-10 as he did in the Tigers' win over Texas.

Big East - Title Game
#4 Cincinnati vs. #7 Louisville, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Despite their shared history throughout the years, this is just the second time that the Bearcats and Cardinals have met in a conference tournament final (1981 as members of the Metro Conference). The transformation made by Mick Cronin's team throughout the season has been something else, and with the Bearcats playing as they are a Big East title is definitely possible. The same goes for Louisville with point guard Peyton Siva playing as well as he has in New York. One more solid performance from Yancy Gates could be enough to push Cincinnati to the Big East title, but he'll have his hands full with Chane Behanan and Gorgui Dieng. Look for this one to go right down to the wire.

Big Ten - Semifinals
#1 Michigan State vs. #4 Wisconsin, 1:40 p.m. (CBS)
#3 Michigan vs. #2 Ohio State, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)

The top four seeds all advanced to the semifinals for the first time in the history of the Big Ten tournament and neither matchup should disappoint. Michigan State swept the regular season series with the Badgers, and as it's been pointed out the 2000 national champions beat the Badgers four times on their way to the title. That's going to be far easier said than done this time around, especially with Rob Wilson playing his best basketball at just the right time. In game two Ohio State and Michigan meet for the third time, with the home team winning both meetings. Jared Sullinger was outstanding in the Buckeyes' win over Purdue and the same goes for Michigan's Trey Burke in their win over Minnesota.

Big West - Title Game
#1 Long Beach State, #3 UCSB, 10:00 pm (ESPN2)

Remains to be seen whether or not the 49ers can grab an at-large bid, but at the very least they'd want to win this one for pride. UCSB has won the last two Big West tournaments, and with Orlando Johnson a third is possible.

Conference USA - Title Game
#6 Marshall vs. #1 Memphis, 11:35 a.m. (CBS)

A Memphis win could make C-USA a two-bid league with Southern Miss being the other team. Should Marshall win, the league is likely looking at three bids. Bubble team will be tuned into this one. Will Barton's played at an All-America level this season, and Marshall's got an experienced group led by Damier Pitts and DeAndre Kane.

Great West - Title Game
#4 NJIT vs. #2 North Dakota, 5:00 p.m.

The winner gets an automatic berth to the CIT, and with North Dakota having won the league last season they'll likely be motivated by the prospects of a repeat. NJIT brings Chris Flores and Isaiah Wilkerson to the table, and a tournament title would be quite the achievement for a program just a few years removed from one of the longest losing streaks in Division I history.

MAC - Title Game
#1 Akron vs. #3 Ohio, 8:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The winner goes to the Big Dance while the loser is likely NIT-bound. Zeke Marshall has played well for Akron and the same goes for Ohio point guard D.J. Cooper. Keith Dambrot's team won the regular season title but the Bobcats are more than capable of knocking them off, evidenced by their resounding win over the Zips in Athens just a couple weeks ago.

MEAC - Title Game
#4 Bethune-Cookman vs. #2 Norfolk State, 1:00 PM (ESPN2)

Regular season champ Savannah State may not be here but the team many expected to win the conference, Norfolk State, is. Kyle O'Quinn is a force inside for the Spartans, and BCC is going to need to account for him if they're to win. On the other side Clifford Reed has relied on a balanced attack, with Adrien Coleman and Kevin Dukes leading four players in double figures with an average of 11.5 points per game.

Mountain West - Title Game
#1 San Diego State vs. #2 New Mexico, 7:00 p.m.(NBC SN)

The top two seeds in the Mountain West meet for the third time this season, with the road teams winning both meetings. UNM's victory came during their huge week that also included a resounding home win over UNLV. The key for SDSU defensively is simple yet difficult to carry out: keep Drew Gordon from consistently establishing position in the paint. Tim Shelton, Garrett Green and DeShawn Stephens will be key in this regard. UNM's going to need their guard to play well given the fact that the Aztecs lean on MWC Player of the Year Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley. Demetrius Walker has played well off the bench for the Lobos, averaging 15.5 points per game off the bench this week.

SEC - Semifinals
#1 Kentucky vs. #4 Florida, 1:00 p.m. (ABC)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #3 Vanderbilt, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

Similar to NC State in the ACC tournament there's one team with a lot to gain and three others who have a good idea where they're headed. Ole Miss moved a step closer to an NCAA berth on Friday night with their win over Tennessee, and a win over Vanderbilt this afternoon would likely put them into the field. Game one is all about confidence, as Kentucky won both regular season meetings by solid margins. If Florida can win that would be quite a boost for Billy Donovan's team, but he's going to need solid play from Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker in order to get the desired result.

Southland - Title Game
#3 Lamar vs. #4 McNeese St., 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Much was made of Pat Knight's scathing critique of his senior class, but the fact of the matter is that Lamar hasn't lost a game since. Senior Mike James can score with the best of them provided he exercises good shot selection, and he'll need to do so against a McNeese State team that knocked off top-seed UT Arlington in Thursday's semifinals.

SWAC - Title Game
#2 Texas Southern vs. #1 Mississippi Valley State, 8:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

The top two seeds meet but there's quite the gap between the Delta Devils and Texas Southern, who would be the three seed had Southern been eligible to compete. Paul Crosby and Cor-J Cox lead the way for MVSU, who dominated the SWAC and play a style similar to what their head coach (Sean Woods) played under Rick Pitino at Kentucky. It would be a major surprise if Mississippi Valley State didn't win this one.

WAC - Title Game
#2 New Mexico State vs. #5 Louisiana Tech, Midnight (ESPN2)

Louisiana Tech pulled off the upset of the night on Friday as they knocked off top-seed Nevada, possibly relegating the Wolf Pack to the NIT. Next up is two-seed New Mexico State, who features Wendell McKines and freshman Daniel Mullings has played good basketball over the last month. The key for Marvin Menzies' team: no mental letdown. One would think that they came into the weekend expecting another shot at Nevada, but they can ill-afford to go into the game underestimating Louisiana Tech.

Friday Conference Tournament Predictions

Greg Mengelt — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:15:17 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every remaining conference tournament including today's loaded schedule. Games listed in order with later rounds on top and earlier rounds at the bottom. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

BIG 12 SEMIFINALS: AT KANSAS CITY

(1) Kansas (27-5, 16-2) vs. (4) Baylor (26-6, 12-6)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 16 – Baylor 92-74; Feb. 8 – 68-54*. RPI: Kansas 6, Baylor 9. Analysis: Beating a team three times in a season isn’t that difficult. Beating a team three times with as much talent as the Bears have – that is. Line: Kansas -5½. Pick: Baylor 72, Kansas 67.

(2) Missouri (28-4, 14-4) vs. (6) Texas (20-12, 9-9)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Missouri 84-73; Jan. 30 – Missouri 67-66*. RPI: Missouri 16, Texas 58. Analysis: Missouri has come to play in the Big 12 tourney. Pick: Missouri 80, Texas 65.

BIG EAST SEMIFINALS: AT NEW YORK CITY

(1) Syracuse (31-1, 17-1) vs. (4) Cincinnati (23-9, 12-6)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 23 – Syracuse 60-53*. RPI: Syracuse 1, Cincinnati 69. Analysis: Was all set to take Cincinnati. Then double-overtime happened. Expect a more impressive performance from the Orange today. Line: Syracuse -7 ½. Pick: Syracuse 63, Cincinnati 52.

(3) Notre Dame (22-10, 13-5) vs. (7) Louisville (24-9, 10-8)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Notre Dame 67-65 (2OT). RPI: Louisville 21, Notre Dame 38. Analysis: Louisville’s offense was better Thursday and its defense will give the Irish fits. Pick: Louisville 59, Notre Dame 51.

BIG WEST SEMIFINALS: AT ANAHEIM

(3) Cal-Santa Barbara (19-9, 12-4) vs. (7) Cal-Irvine (12-19, 6-10)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – UCSB 74-56; Feb. 15 – UCSB 85-62. RPI: UCSB 127, UCI 270. Analysis: It looks like Santa Barbara and Long Beach are on a crash course again. Pick: Cal-Santa Barbara 74, Cal-Irvine 51.

(1) Long Beach State (23-8, 15-1) vs. (4) Cal Poly (18-14, 8-8)

Tipoff: Midnight. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – LBSU 55-50; Jan. 19 – LBSU 78-69. RPI: LBSU 35, Cal Poly 226. Analysis: Long Beach will win this tournament, but the Mustangs are undervalued and will cover Friday. Pick: Long Beach State 67, Cal Poly 59.

CONFERENCE USA SEMINFINALS: AT MEMPHIS

(2) Southern Mississippi (25-7, 11-5) vs. (6) Marshall (20-12, 9-7)

Tipoff: 4 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Southern Miss 67-63; March 3 – Marshall 79-75. RPI: Southern Miss 17, Marshall 56. Analysis: Southern Miss got a huge break after the Herd played double-overtime Thursday and will now have to play for a third straight day. Pick: Southern Mississippi 65, Marshall 54.

(1) Memphis (20-12, 9-7) vs. (4) Central Florida (22-9, 10-6)

Tipoff: 6:30 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 18 – Central Florida 68-67; Feb. 28 – Memphis 84-55. RPI: Memphis 18, UCF 61. Analysis: The Knights do a lot well. Upsetting the Tigers in Memphis will be tough, but they should cover. Pick: Memphis 75, Central Florida 72.

MAC SEMIFINALS: AT CLEVELAND

(1) Akron (21-10, 13-3) vs. (4) Kent State (20-10, 10-6)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: STO. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Akron 84-75; March 2 – Akron 61-55*. RPI: Akron 62, Kent State 105. Analysis: Akron goes 3-for-3 against its rival. Pick: Akron 70, Kent State 63.

(2) Buffalo (19-9, 12-4) vs. (3) Ohio (24-7, 11-5)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: STO. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Ohio 60-52; Feb. 22 – Ohio 88-77*. RPI: Ohio 70, Buffalo 76. Analysis: The Bobcats are the class of the MAC and they’ll prove it Friday. Pick: Ohio 73, Kent State 63.

MEAC SEMIFINALS: AT WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

(8) Hampton (12-20, 6-10) vs. (4) Bethune-Cookman (17-16, 11-5)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 27 – Bethune-Cookman 74-64. RPI: Hampton 305, Bethune-Cookman 254. Analysis: Haven’t seen either team. Grain of salt here. Pick: Bethune-Cookman 71, Hampton 67.

(2) Norfolk State (23-9, 13-3) vs. (11) Florida A&M (10-22, 6-10)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 27 – Norfolk State 79-70*. RPI: Norfolk State 133, Florida A&M 324. Analysis: Norfolk State led the MEAC all season before being passed by Savannah State late for the regular-season league title. The Spartans are not going to let another opportunity slip away. Pick: Norfolk State 80, Florida A&M 62.

MOUNTAIN WEST SEMIFINALS: AT LAS VEGAS

(1) San Diego State (25-6, 10-4) vs. (4) Colorado State (19-10, 8-6)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Colorado State 77-60; Feb. 25 – San Diego State 74-66. RPI: San Diego State 26, Colorado State 19. Analysis: The Rams may be the better team overall. Pick: Colorado State 75, San Diego State 71.

(2) New Mexico (25-6, 10-4) vs. (3) UNLV (25-7, 9-5)

Tipoff: 11:30 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – UNLV 80-63; Feb. 18 – New Mexico 65-45. RPI: UNLV 14, New Mexico 35. Analysis: Both teams looked really good on Thursday. The homecourt advantage should be the difference. Pick: UNLV 71, New Mexico 67.

PAC-12 SEMIFINALS: AT LOS ANGELES

(4) Arizona (22-10, 12-6) vs. (9) Oregon State (19-13, 7-11)

Tipoff: 9:10 p.m. TV: Fox Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 12 – Arizona 81-73 (OT). RPI: Arizona 85, Oregon State 140. Analysis: The Beavers are due for a sub-par performance. Pick: Arizona 68, Oregon State 59.

(2) California (24-8, 13-5) vs. (6) Colorado (21-11, 11-7)

Tipoff: 11:40 p.m. TV: Fox Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 12 – Cal 57-50; Feb. 26 – Colorado 70-57. RPI: Cal 34, Colorado 86. Analysis: Calling another Pac-12 tournament upset. Pick: Colorado 67, Cal 62.

SWAC SEMIFINALS: AT GARLAND, TEXAS

(2) Texas Southern (14-17, 12-6) vs. (6) Alcorn State (10-21, 6-12)

Tipoff: 1:30 p.m. TV: SWAC TV. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 3 – Texas Southern 87-52; March 1 – Texas Southern 56-54*. RPI: Texas Southern 239, Alcorn State 339. Analysis: Alcorn looks like a different team in the second half of the season. Pick: Texas Southern 70, Alcorn State 65.

(1) Mississippi Valley State (19-12, 17-1) vs. (5) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11-21, 9-9)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: SWAC TV. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 3 – MVSU 82-67; March 1 – MVSU 78-67. RPI: MVSU 154, UAPB 309. Analysis: The Delta Devils better be careful. This one has upset possibilities. Pick: Mississippi Valley State 66, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 64.

WAC SEMINFINALS: AT LAS VEGAS

(2) New Mexico State (24-9, 10-4) vs. (6) Hawaii (16-15, 6-8)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: WSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 22 – Hawaii 91-87; Feb. 23 – New Mexico State 115-73. RPI: New Mexico State 67, Hawaii 217. Analysis: These two teams have scored nearly 400 combined points in two games this season. Should be fun. Should be close. Pick: New Mexico State 81, Hawaii 78.

(1) Nevada (26-5, 13-1) vs. (5) Louisiana Tech (17-15, 6-8)

Tipoff: 11:30 p.m. TV: WSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Nevada 65-63*; March 3 – Nevada 79-69. RPI: Nevada 45, Louisiana Tech 177. Analysis: Tech played the Pack well both times season. Why should Friday be different? Pick: Nevada 64, Louisiana Tech 63.

ACC QUARTERFINALS: AT ATLANTA

(1) North Carolina (27-4, 14-2) vs. (8) Maryland (17-14, 6-10)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 4 – North Carolina 83-74*; Feb. 29 – North Carolina 88-70. RPI: UNC 3, Maryland 110. Analysis: No contest. Line: North Carolina -15½. Pick: North Carolina 78, Maryland 53.

(4) Virginia (22-8, 9-7) vs. (5) North Carolina State (21-11, 9-7)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Virginia 61-60*. RPI: Virginia 43, NC State 53. Analysis: The Pack wins it outright. Line: Virginia -2½. Pick: North Carolina State 66, Virginia 60.

(2) Duke (26-5, 13-3) vs. (10) Virginia Tech (16-16, 4-12)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 2 – Duke 75-60*; Feb. 25 – Duke 70-65 (OT). RPI: Duke 4, Virginia Tech 119. Analysis: Duke needed overtime to beat the Hokies last time. They’ll challenge the Blue Devils again. Pick: Duke 68, Virginia Tech 63.

(3) Florida State (21-9, 12-4) vs. (6) Miami (19-11, 9-7)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 11 – Florida State 64-59; Feb. 26 – Miami 78-62. RPI: FSU 20, Miami 49. Analysis: The Hurricanes probably have the better talent – at least offensively – and they’ll solve the Seminole D enough to get the win. Pick: Miami 61, Florida State 58.

ATLANTIC 10 QUARTERFINALS: AT ATLANTIC CITY

(1) Temple (24-6, 13-3) vs. (8) Massachusetts (21-10, 9-7)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 29 – Temple 90-88 (OT). RPI: Temple 12, UMass 80. Analysis: Expected the Owls to win by eight or more points is a lot to ask in what should be a low-scoring game. Line: Temple -7½ . Pick: Temple 60, Massachusetts 55.

(4) St. Bonaventure (17-11, 10-6) vs. (5) Saint Joseph’s (20-12, 9-7)

Tipoff: 2:30 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 29 – St. Bonaventure 98-93 (2OT). RPI: St. Bonaventure 91, Saint Joseph’s 52. Analysis: Andrew Nicholson will be the best player on the floor, but the Hawks are the better team. Line: Saint Joseph’s -1. Pick: Saint Joseph’s 68, St. Bonaventure 62.

(2) Saint Louis (24-6, 12-4) vs. (7) LaSalle (21-11, 9-7)

Tipoff: 6:30 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 11 – Saint Louis 59-51*. RPI: SLU 30, LaSalle 78. Analysis: The Billikens have been up-and-down, but you have to believe they’ll enter Atlantic City ready to roll. Line: Saint Louis -6. Pick: Saint Louis 63, LaSalle 52.

(3) Xavier (19-11, 10-6) vs. (6) Dayton (20-11, 9-7)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Dayton 87-72; Feb. 18 – Xavier 86-83 (OT). RPI: Xavier 56, Dayton 73. Analysis: Kevin Dillard will not let the Flyers lose. Line: Xavier -2. Pick: Dayton 73, Xavier 70.

BIG TEN QUARTRFINALS: AT INDIANAPOLIS

(1) Michigan State (24-7, 13-5) vs. (8) Iowa (17-15, 8-10)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 10 – Michigan State 95-61. RPI: Michigan State 5, Iowa 133. Analysis: Avoid betting this line. If you insist on taking the bait, go with Sparty. Line: Michigan State -11. Pick: Michigan State 73, Iowa 61.

(4) Wisconsin (23-8, 12-6) vs. (5) Indiana (25-7, 11-7)

Tipoff: 2:25 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 26 – Wisconsin 57-50. RPI: Indiana 12, Wisconsin 22. Analysis: The loss of Verdell Jones – Indiana’s heart and soul – will hurt, but it won’t keep the Hoosiers from rolling to the semis. Line: Indiana -1½. Pick: Indiana 65, Wisconsin 58.

(2) Michigan (23-8, 13-5) vs. (10) Minnesota (19-13, 6-12)

Tipoff: 6:30 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 1 – Michigan 61-56. RPI: Michigan 13, Minnesota 89. Analysis: The Gophers may not pull off another upset, but it’s doubtful that the Wolverines will cover. Pick: Michigan 58, Minnesota 55.

(3) Ohio State (25-6, 13-5) vs. (6) Purdue (21-11, 10-8)

Tipoff: 8:55 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 7 – Ohio State 87-84. RPI: Ohio State 8, Purdue 40. Analysis: Purdue’s near-win at Columbus in early February set off a really good stretch for the Boilermakers. Pick: Ohio State 79, Purdue 76.

SEC QUARTERFINALS: AT NEW ORLEANS

(1) Kentucky (30-1, 16-0) vs. (8) LSU (18-13, 7-9)

Tipoff: 1 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Kentucky 74-50*. RPI: Kentucky 2, LSU 89. Analysis: Probably would avoid betting this one with the Tigers getting so many points, but there aren’t enough points to actually bet LSU. Line: Kentucky -16½. Pick: Kentucky 71, LSU 54.

(4) Florida (22-9, 10-6) vs. (5) Alabama (21-10, 9-7)

Tipoff: 3:30 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 14 – Florida 61-52*. RPI: Florida 28, Alabama 32. Analysis: It’s hard to take the Tide the way they’re playing. Pick: Florida 78, Alabama 61.

(2) Tennessee (18-13, 10-6) vs. (7) Mississippi (19-12, 8-8)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 22 – Tennessee 73-60. RPI: Tennessee 74, Mississippi 51. Analysis: Tennessee is playing as well as anyone in the SEC (No. 1 Kentucky excepted) and could get to the title game. Pick: Tennessee 72, Mississippi 63.

(3) Vanderbilt (21-10, 10-6) vs. (11) Georgia (15-16, 5-11)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan 14 – Vandy 77-66; Feb. 19 – Vandy 61-52. RPI: Vanderbilt 27, Georgia 108. Analysis: Another line that’s too close to play. Avoid it. Maybe take the over. Pick: Vanderbilt 82, Georgia 70.

*Road win

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 162-127-3

Thursday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:29:32 -0800

Big 12 - Quarterfinals
#4 Baylor vs. #5 Kansas State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
#1 Kansas vs. #9 Texas A&M, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
#2 Missouri vs. #7 Oklahoma State, 7:00 p.m. (Big 12 Network)
#3 Iowa State vs. #6 Texas, 9:30 p.m. (Big 12 Network)

The most important game in the Big 12 has to be the final game of the day in Kansas City, as Texas could really use a win over Iowa State on their resume. Rick Barnes' Longhorns are either just in or just out based on which projections you follow, but a win over the Cyclones would get them to the semifinals and that may end up being enough to punch their ticket. What remains to be seen is how Texas will defend 6'8" Royce White, who has a forward's build but point guard skills...and responsibilities. The Minnesota transfer is called on by Fred Hoiberg to get things going for the likes of Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen, and Melvin Ejim is another dangerous option Texas will need to account for.

As for Texas there's no secret that J'Covan Brown is their most important player, because when he plays well their young perimeter players can gradually work their way into the flow of the game. Point guard Myck Kabongo has matured throughout the course of the season, and while he's still got a way to go before reaching the status of former UT point guards such as T.J. Ford and D.J. Augustin the talent is definitely there. The key for Texas will be what they can get out of big men Clint Chapman and Alexis Wangmene, because if those two are productive in the paint the Longhorns are an entirely different team. That could prove to be difficult however given White's unique skill set, and Texas could have to go small to deal with him on the perimeter.

Kansas and Missouri are both still part of the battle for a top seed in the NCAA tournament, and while that may be a longshot for the Tigers a Big 12 tournament title would go a long way in changing that. Marcus Denmon and Phil Pressey have been two of the best guards in the country this season, but they'll need Ricardo Ratliffe to stay out of foul trouble if they're to have success this weekend. The matchup with Oklahoma State may play right into Missouri's hands with Le'Bryan Nash injured and the Cowboys not always displaying the best decision-making.

Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor will look to lead the Jayhawks to the tournament crown after winning the regular season title outright, but keep an eye on players such as Elijah Johnson and Jeff Withey this weekend. The play of those two will be very important in the NCAA tournament, and if they can go in with some positive momentum that would be even better for Bill Self and his team. The 4/5 matchup kicks things off, and big men other than Quincy Acy are going to have to bring it physically if the Bears are to beat Kansas State. K-State on the other hand needs sound decisions from Angel Rodriguez, and he's been a work in progress in that area all season long.

ACC - First Round
#8 Maryland vs. #9 Wake Forest, Noon (ESPNU/ACC Network)
#5 NC State vs. #12 Boston College, 2:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network
#7 Clemson vs. #10 Virginia Tech, 7:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network)
#6 Miami vs. #11 Georgia Tech, 9:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network)

Just like in the Big 12 the bubble teams will be the ones to watch in Atlanta, with NC State and Miami both needing to do some work in order to have their names called on Selection Sunday. That four-game skid that NC State hit, beginning with their tough loss at Duke, could be what ultimately sends Mark Gottfried's team to the NIT, but with talented players such as Lorenzo Brown, C.J. Leslie and Scott Wood the Wolfpack are more than capable of winning a couple games (a depleted Virginia awaits the winner of their game in the quarterfinals).

As for Miami they likely have less work to do than NC State despite finishing beneath them in the standings, and while they play Georgia Tech don't expect much of a home-court advantage for the Yellow Jackets. Reggie Johnson and Kenny Kadji make up a solid interior tandem, and with thei talented guards the Canes don't lack for pieces. A win over the Jackets would mean a third meeting with Florida State, and their half of the bracket looks more conducive to a run to the finals due to State's matchup issues with North Carolina.

Big East - Quarterfinals
#1 Syracuse vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN)
#4 Cincinnati vs. #5 Georgetown, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#2 Marquette vs. #7 Louisville, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#3 Notre Dame vs. #6 USF, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Seven of the top eight seeds will take part in the Big East quarters, with nine-seed UConn being the "party-crasher" in that regard. The Huskies, according to many, punched their ticket with a win over West Virginia on Wednesday, but until their name is actually called on Sunday the best strategy would be to simply keep winning. Syracuse swept the regular season series, winning by two in Storrs, and with their many weapons Jim Boeheim's team is also one of the two clear favorites to make a run all the way to New Orleans. Shabazz Napier has to make sound decisions with the basketball if UConn is to win; they're not going to get away with the same number of mistakes that they did against DePaul and WVU.

The only teams on the slate who may still have work to do: Cincinnati and USF. Mick Cronin's Bearcats should be an NCAA tournament team but it's difficult to tell just how much emphasis the selection committee will place on a team's computer numbers, so the best move for Cincinnati would be to go out and beat Georgetown. As for USF, a win over Notre Dame would give them the win over a top-level Big East team that their resume is missing, and with Notre Dame also preferring to slow things down the final game of the night may not surpass 60 possessions. Anthony Collins is going to be key on both ends of the floor, as in addition to running the offense he'll have to slow down Eric Atkins.

Big Ten - First Round
#8 Iowa vs. #9 Illinois, 11:30 a.m. (BTN)
#5 Indiana vs. #12 Penn State, 1:55 p.m. (BTN)
#7 Northwestern vs. #10 Minnesota, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
#6 Purdue vs. #11 Nebraska 7:55 p.m. (ESPN2)

With Purdue most likely in the Field of 68 and Illinois not looking like a tournament team at this point, most of the attention on day one in Indianapols will focus on Northwestern. Bill Carmody's Wildcats are still in search of the first NCAA berth in school history, and wings Drew Crawford and John Shurna are more than capable of getting hot and leading the Wildcats on a run. But they first have to get past Minnesota, who is wrapping up a season that really hasn't lived up to what many were hoping for even with Trevor Mbakwe going down with a torn ACL. Ralph Sampson III is banged up and if he can't go that limits the Golden Gophers even more when it comes to frontcourt depth. Iowa/Illinois looks to be a toss-up, and that fact is why Bruce Weber's seat is scalding at this point. Matt Gatens is a tough matchup, and if the Hawkeyes can get Melsahn Basabe going inside it could be them who faces top-seed Michigan State on Friday.

Big West - Quarterfinals
#3 UC Santa Barbara vs. #6 Pacific, 3:00 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#2 Cal State Fullerton vs. #7 UC Irvine, 5:30 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#1 Long Beach State vs. #8 UC Davis, 9:00 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#4 Cal Poly vs. #5 UC Riverside, 11:30 p.m. (BigWest.TV)

The concern for top-seed Long Beach State isn't so much what will happen against UC Davis today but rather the remainder of the weekend as wing Larry Anderson will miss the conference tournament with a sprained knee suffered in their loss at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. To lose a player of Anderson's caliber is a huge issue, especially when considering the fact that he's the Big West Defensive Player of the Year. Dan Monson's 49ers don't lack for talent with Casper Ware and T.J. Robinson leading the way, but it will be a tough adjustment throughout the weekend from a defensive standpoint.

UCSB has won the last two Big West tournament crowns, and with Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally the Gauchos are definitely capable of making it three straight, and Fullerton has done a very good job all season with their transfers being more than ready to take over. Johnson and Fullerton's Kwame Vaughn are the two players not at LBSU with the best chance of taking over in Anaheim, but keep an eye on UC Riverside's Phil Martin as well.

Conference USA - Quarterfinals
#2 Southern Miss vs. #10 East Carolina, 1:00 p.m. (CBS SN)
#3 Tulsa vs. #6 Marshall, 3:30 p.m. (CBS SN)
#1 Memphis vs. #8 UTEP, 7:30 p.m. (CBS SN)
#4 UCF vs. #5 UAB, 10:00 p.m. (CBS SN)

The day in Memphis appropriately tips off with Southern Miss, who despite their gaudy record still needs a strong conference tournament to feel comfortable with their NCAA tournament hopes. Larry Eustachy's team has very good computer numbers (17 RPI, 60 SOS) but there have been questions about the validity of those numbers. Whether or not that's fair is a conversation for another day, but the least that Neil Watson and company can do is simply keep winning. UCF likely needs to win the automatic bid, or at the very least reach Saturday's title game, to get to the Big Dance and the individual battle between Keith Clanton and UAB's Cameron Moore will go a long way in determining the outcome. Memphis takes on UTEP, and given the Miners' struggles on the offensive end of the floor the Tigers should advance provided Joe Jackson stays under control.

Great West - First Round
#5 Houston Baptist vs. #4 NJIT, 3:30 p.m.
The winner of the Great West Tournament gets an automatic bid to the CIT, and top seed Utah Valley is the favorite to get that done. The Wolverines take on the winner of HBU/NJIT, and the tandem of Chris Flores and Isaiah Wilkerson will need to play well if the Highlanders are to advance. Marcus Davis leads the way for Houston Baptist, and with the two teams splitting the regular season series it's anyone's guess as to who wins.

MAC - Quarterfinals
#8 Western Michigan vs. # 4 Kent State, 7:00 p.m. (STO)
#7 Toledo vs. # 3 Ohio, 9:30 p.m. (STO)

Ohio and Kent State make their debuts at the 2012 edition MAC tournament tonight, as they take on Toledo and Western Michigan respectively. The top four seeds all hail from the East Division, which underlines how much better it was than the West throughout the course of the season. D.J. Cooper has led the way at the point for John Groce's Bobcats, and his presence along with that of other key scoring options means that Ohio winning the tournament wouldn't be a shock. The same can be said for Rob Senderoff's Golden Flashes, who have four players averaging at least 9.8 points per game with Justin Greene leading the way. Akron and Buffalo await the winners in Friday's semifinals.

MEAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Delaware State vs. #11 Florida A&M, 6:00 p.m.
#5 North Carolina Central vs. #4 Bethune-Cookman, 8:00 p.m.

With top-seed Savannah State going down on Wednesday things have opened up at the top of the bracket, something that both Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina Central hope to take advantage of. NCCU is led by the tandem of Dominique Sutton and Ray Willis, as they're averaging 31.4 points per game. Guards Adrien Coleman and Kevin Dukes pace the Wildcats, who are also capable of not just winning tonight but getting to the NCAA tournament. On the other side of the bracket Delaware State and Florida A&M meet with the winner taking on Norfolk State tomorrow night, and the Hornets haven't disappointed in the suspense department this season. Don't be surprised if tonight's game goes down to the wire as well.

Mountain West - Quarterfinals
#1 San Diego State vs. #8 Boise State, 3:00 p.m. (The Mtn.)
#4 Colorado State vs. #5 TCU, 5:30 p.m. (The Mtn./CBS SN)
#2 New Mexico vs. #7 Air Force 9:00 p.m. (The Mtn.)
#3 UNLV vs. #6 Wyoming 11:30 p.m. (The Mtn./CBS SN)

The Mountain West has the look of a four-bid league at this point, but could there be a fifth team with the ability to pop up and grab the automatic bid? If so, TCU may be that team provided they take some of their mojo from Daniel Meyer Arena with them to Las Vegas. The Horned Frogs lost just one home conference game this season (SDSU), and with point guard Hank Thorns they have the best distributor in the conference. Their 4/5 battle with Colorado State should be highly entertaining given the caliber of CSU's guards, and while the Frogs have a little more size inside a lack of it hasn't prevented Pierce Hornung from out-toughing the opposition many times this season. SDSU, New Mexico and host UNLV are all playing to improve their NCAA tournament seeding, which should make for great semifinal action on Friday provided they all advance.

Pac-12 - Quarterfinals
#9 Oregon State vs. #1 Washington, 3:10 p.m. (FSN)
#5 UCLA vs. #4 Arizona, 5:40 p.m. (FSN)
#7 Stanford vs. #2 California, 9:10 p.m. (FSN)
#6 Colorado vs. #3 Oregon, 11:40 p.m. (FSN)

Thanks to Wednesday's action there's a new record for the teams to avoid: 94 points, as in the lowest combined point total in a Pac-12 tournament game (Colorado/Utah did that just hours after UCLA/USC established a "new" mark of 95 points). That's the way this season has gone for the conference, which will need some excellent basketball for its NCAA prospects. Washington won the regular season title and Cal has the best resume, but the Huskies would be well-served to not get bounced by Oregon State. Arizona suspended Josiah Turner for the tournament and UCLA had to bench Joshua Smith for the first half on Wednesday due to his tardiness in getting to the team bus. Colorado may have been poor offensively but both of their games with Oregon have been exciting contests that didn't lack for scoring. Any one of these teams can grab the automatic bid at this point, and that parity's been a bit of a curse for the Pac-12 this season.

SEC - First Round
#8 LSU vs. #9 Arkansas, 1:00 p.m. (SEC Network)
#5 Alabama vs. #12 South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #10 Auburn, 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
#6 Mississippi State vs. #11 Georgia, 10:00 p.m. (SEC Network)

Seeds five through seven have the most on the line today in New Orleans, with the Crimson Tide looking to be the safest bet to go dancing. Mississippi State has faltered down the stretch and despite their individual talent it remains to be seen if they've got the mental toughness (and focus) required to turn things around. And while Ole Miss hasn't been discussed a great deal nationally in regards to the NCAA tournament bubble, Andy Kennedy's Rebels are still alive and a good showing this weekend could punch their ticket. Ole Miss also suspended Jelan Kendrick for the weekend due to his, shall we say interesting, actions before the Rebels' regular season finale. The key players today: Alabama's Trevor Releford and Mississippi State's Dee Bost. Those two play well and their teams will win; don't and both the Tide and Bulldogs will be headed home.

SWAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Prairie View A&M vs. #6 Alcorn State, 1:30 p.m. (SWAC TV)
#4 Alabama State vs. #5 UAPB, 9:00 p.m. (SWAC TV)

Top-seed Mississippi Valley State avoided disaster last night, advancing to the semis with a three-point win over Jackson State. Both they and texas Southern await the winners of today's quarterfinals, which begins with Prairie View A&M battling Alcorn State. Prairie View won by three in their last meeting...five days ago, with Jordan Demuynck going off for 27 points to lead the Panthers. Alabama State and UAPB both finished 9-9 in conference play, which makes it anyone's guess as to who wins tonight.

WAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Idaho vs. #6 Hawai'i, 3:00 p.m.
#2 New Mexico State vs. #7 Fresno State, 5:30 p.m.
#1 Nevada vs. #8 San Jose State, 9:00 p.m.
#4 Utah State vs. #5 Louisiana Tech, 11:30 p.m.

There are two conference tournaments in Las Vegas this weekend with the WAC taking over Orleans Arena this weekend. Nevada has been the best team all season long in the WAC but that would all be for naught if they were to get upset. New Mexico State is the team best equipped to grab the automatic bid if the Wolf Pack don't thanks to Wendell McKines, and Idaho handed Nevada their lone conference loss this season. As for the disappointing team that may be capable of making a run look no furthern than Hawai'i, who can call on Vander Joaquim and Joston Thomas inside.

Wednesday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:13:22 -0800

Day two of the Big East Championship features four teams looking to improve their chances of reaching the NCAA tournament, with the biggest game of the day being the first. Nine-seed Connecticut, who opener their tournament with an 81-67 win over DePaul on Tuesday, takes on eight-seed West Virginia with the winner likely locking up a tournament berth. These two teams met once during the regular season, a 64-57 UConn victory at the XL Center on January 9th, and with so much change over the nearly two months since that game there may not be a whole lot to take from it.

But there is rebounding, something the Mountaineers did extremely well in defeat and had they not gone cold in the second half Bob Huggins' team likely wins the game. WVU grabbed 20 offensive rebounds in the Januar meeting...twenty. The Mountaineers have been a very good team at hitting the offensive glass for most of Huggins' tenure at his alma mater, with the big men expected to give maximum effort in that department. This season West Virginia averages 14.7 offensive rebounds per game, which works out to the Mountaineers grabbing 40.7% of their misses per statsheet.com.

Kevin Jones, who led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season, has led the way and maybe he uses the slight of not being a unanimous All-Big East selection as motivation (this is the injustice Mountaineer fans should be upset about as opposed to the Player of the Year award). UConn clearly will try to account for Jones with their stable of big men, but if Deniz Kilicli brings the effort as well it will be tough for the Husky big men from a toughness standpoint. Roscoe Smith has played well of late and at this point is a key figure in the rotation, while getting the likes of Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi to play well on a consistent basis has remained an issue.

Guard play will be critical as well, especially with the Mountaineers calling on freshman guards Gary Browne and Jabarie Hinds in addition to senior Truck Bryant. Bryant needs to consistently make sound decisions if WVU is to be successful, and the same can be said for UConn's Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier. The guards who play smarter will lead the winning team in this one.

Also on the bubble "stage" are Seton Hall and USF, with both teams likely needing wins albeit for different reasons. The Pirates looked to be a safe bet for the Field of 68 before dropping games to Rutgers and DePaul, so a win over Louisville would do a great deal for their hopes. USF simply needs to keep playing, as their unbalanced league slate has devalued their 12 league wins in the eyes of many.

Big East - Second Round
#8 West Virginia vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN)
#5 Georgetown vs. #13 Pittsburgh, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#7 Louisville vs. #10 Seton Hall, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#6 USF vs. #14 Villanova, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big 12 - First Round
#8 Oklahoma vs. #9 Texas A&M, 7:00 p.m. (Big 12 Network)
#7 Oklahoma State vs. #10 Texas Tech, 9:30 p.m. (Big 12 Network)

Not a whole lot to see here, other than the fact that the two winners will move on to face Kansas and Missouri on Thursday. Oklahoma likely has the most to gain from today's action, as a win would guarantee a .500 (or better) finish and put them in line for a postseason berth in Lon Kruger's first season. The extra game and practice action can do a great deal for the Sooners, almost akin to what bowl practices can do for college football teams. The other three will need to win the conference tournament to either guarantee a .500 finish (Oklahoma State) or go to the postseason.

Big Sky - Title Game
#2 Weber State at #1 Montana, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The two best teams in the Big Sky all season long meet in Missoula with the winner getting the NCAA berth and the loser headed to the NIT. Weber State and Montana split the regular season series, with the home team winning both by double digits. The backcourt battle could be the best in the country on today's schedule, with Weber State's Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth battling Montana's Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. One area to watch tonight will be offensive rebounding, something the Wildcats have done well in both meetings. If Darin Mahoney and Kyle Tresnak can control the boards once again they can win in Missoula, and with the Grizzlies not being the best rebounding team that's definitely possible. Unlike the first two meetings, look for the rubber match to go right down to the wire.

Conference USA - First Round
#7 Rice vs. #10 East Carolina, 1:00 p.m. (CSS)
#6 Marshall vs. #11 SMU, 3:30 p.m. (CSS)
#8 UTEP vs. #9 Houston, 7:30 p.m. (CSS)
#5 UAB vs. #12 Tulane, 10:00 p.m. (CSS)

Similar to the Big 12's first round there's not much to see in Memphis in regards to who will make the NCAA tournament out of Conference USA (Memphis, who will reach the Sweet 16, is a lock. Who joins them?). UAB, Marshall, Rice and Houston are all playing for postseason berths, with the Thundering Herd having the best shot at finding somewhere to play next week. The other three all need multiple wins to ensure finishing .500 or better, and outside of the Herd (led by DeAndre Kane and Damier Pitts) and UAB (Cameron Moore is a player) it's tough to find any team capable of making a run to either Friday or Saturday.

MAC - Second Round
#12 Northern Illinois vs. #8 Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m. (STO)
#7 Toledo vs. #11 Central Michigan, 9:30 p.m. (STO)

The winners of tonight's action in Cleveland move on to battle Ohio and Kent State on Thursday night in the newly recorfigured MAC tournament, and for the Huskies and Chippewas to reach this point is a surprise in itself. NIU takes on a Western Michigan team that swept the regular season series, with the game in Kalamazoo being the closer of the two. CMU looks to be in better shape from a competitive standpoint in their matchup with Toledo, as the Chips lost to the Rockets by just five in their second meeting. Rian Pearson leads the way for the Rockets, and if CMU finds away to neutralize him they've got a shot at the win.

MEAC - Opening Round/Quarterfinals
# 1 Savannah State vs. #8 Hampton, 6:00 p.m.
# 2 Norfolk State vs. #10 Howard, 8:00 p.m.

The top two seeds begin their march towards the MEAC's automatic bid, and both Savannah State and Norfolk State will be favored to get to the semifinals. Horace Broadnax's Tigers won the regular season title outright, quite the achievement for a team not only picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll but also in its first season as a full Division I (and MEAC) member. NSU, who many expected to win the league, finished a game out of first and has the MEAC's best player in forward Kyle O'Quinn. Hampton may be able to give Savannah State some trouble and the same goes for Howard, but both favorites should move on.

NEC - Title Game
#3 Robert Morris at #1 LIU Brooklyn, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The NEC delivers a rematch of last season's title game, a battle that went right down to the wire with the home team (LIU Brooklyn) winning by a basket. The rematch should be just as close, with Velton Jones leading the Colonials and forwards Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere pacing the Blackbirds. LIU has to rebound, something they haven't always done consistently this season, if they're to defend their home floor and make a return trip to the Big Dance. RMU has done a solid job defensively of late, and that will be the ticket for them if they're to win an NEC title on the road for the second time in three seasons.

Pac-12 - First Round
#8 Washington State vs. # 9 Oregon State, 3:10 p.m. (FSN)
# 5 UCLA vs. # 12 USC, 5:40 p.m. (FSN)
# 7 Stanford vs. # 10 Arizona State, 9:10 p.m. (FSN)
# 6 Colorado vs. # 11 Utah, 11:40 p.m. (FSN)

The Pac-12 is essentially a tournament where one could toss two NCAA bids in the middle of the Staples Center and let all 12 teams fight to the death for them. The resumes are that bad, and without any true separation there isn't a clear favorite either. Colorado and Utah kick off their first Pac-12 tournament experiences and the Buffs will be favored to beat the Utes in the final game of the day. But a sleeper to grab the automatic berth may lie in the second game, as UCLA is coming off of a home sweep of the Washington schools as they brushed off the Sports Illustrated article that painted the program in a negative light. If Joshua Smith can stay on the floor and be a factor, there's no reason why the Bruins can't win the tournament. Oregon State and Stanford could also make a run, with the Cardinal likely being the better choice despite the presence of OSU's Jared Cunningham.

Patriot - Title Game
#2 Lehigh at #1 Bucknell, 7:00 p.m. (CBS SN)

The road team won both meetings during the regular season, with a C.J. McCollum dagger giving the Mountain Hawks the win in the second meeting. McCollum and Bucknell's Mike Muscala were the two best players in the Patriot League this season, with McCollum winning Player of the Year. But the key for the Mountain Hawks may be to make sure that Joe Willman doesn't have a big night alongside Muscala. Willman averaged 10.8 points per game and was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection, as was guard Cameron Ayers. Inside for Lehigh Gabe Knutson and Holden Grenier have both played well this season, providing good frontcourt scoring to balance out what McCollum brings to the table.

Southland - Quarterfinals
# 2 Stephen F. Austin vs. # 7 Sam Houston St, 1:00 p.m.
# 3 Lamar vs. # 6 Northwestern St., 3:30 p.m.
# 1 UT Arlington vs. # 8 Nicholls St., 6:00 p.m.
# 4 McNeese St. vs. # 5 UTSA, 8:30 p.m.

The Southland tournament gets going today (there's an off day between the semifinals and title game), and regular season champ UT-Arlington enters as the favorite. LaMarcus Reed III was one of the leaders for a team that lost just one game in conference play, but they won't go unchallenged in Katy either. Reigning tournament champion UTSA returned a number of key players from last season's team, most notable Melvin Johnson III and reserve Kannor Burrage leading the way. Pat Knight's Lamar Cardinals are another possible winner, provided seniors like Mike James take the reins from a leadership standpoint. Look for there to be an upset or two on our way to the championship.

SWAC -Quarterfinals
#2 Texas Southern vs. #7 Alabama A&M, 1:30 p.m. (SWAC TV)
#1 Mississippi Valley State vs. #8 Jackson State, 9:00 p.m. (SWAC TV)

MIssissippi Valley State begins tournament play with Jackson State, and while they ran through the SWAC without much fuss, the Delta Devils' overall record will make them a 16-seed should they get the automatic bid. Paul Crosby, Terrence Joyner and company have taken nearly a third of their shots from beyond the arc this season, and if those shots are falling MVSU is a tough team to beat. Jackson State played them close in both meetings, so the question for tonight is whether or not they have enough to get over the hump. Texas Southern gets the two-seed due to Southern's ineligibility, and they swept Alabama A&M during the regular season with both wins by double digits.

Tuesday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:03:10 -0800

While there's plenty of conference tournament action on Tuesday's schedule, and three bids to be distributed, there's also a huge game in the Ivy League as Penn (19-11, 11-2) visits rival Princeton (18-11, 9-4). What's on the line for the Quakers? A share of the Ivy League title with Harvard, which would force a one-game playoff between the two teams at a site to be determined. Jerome Allen's Quakers are led by the outstanding senior guard triumvirate of Zack Rosen, Tyler Bernardini and Miles Cartwright, with Rosen being the likely choice for Ivy League Player of the Year.

Rosen (18.5 ppg, 5.3 apg) has scored 20 points or more in four of Penn's last six games, and in Penn's 82-67 win over Princeton back on January 30th he scored 28 and dished out five assists. Job one for any team taking on Penn is to limit Rosen's impact on the game, but that's a task that's far easier said than done. And in most instances this season it's fallen short. Bernardini had to deal with foul trouble in that game yet still managed to score 14 points in 25 minutes, and the Quakers will need him to snap out of his current slump tonight if they're to force a playoff.

While Penn's won seven straight it isn't as if the Tigers come in playing poorly, as they've won seven of their last eight. Forward Ian Hummer's been a critical factor all season long for Mitch Henderson, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding and ranking second on the team with three assists per game. Hummer's a versatile forward who can be a difficult matchup for teams, and he combined with center Brendan Connolly to score 36 points in the first meeting (21 for Hummer).

Those two got their points but rebounding was a problem at the Palestra, as Penn grabbed 13 offensive boards and out-rebounded the Tigers 33-19. Pretty easy to figure out what Princeton needs to change from that first meeting if they're to defend their home floor. Princeton also has senior Douglas Davis in the backcourt, who averages 13.0 points per game, and point guard T.J. Bray has proven himself to be effective as both a distributor (3.6 apg) and a rebounder (4.5 rpg) at his position. If Penn wins the battle on the glass and shoots 10-for-18 from three as they did at The Palestra, there will likely be a playoff this weekend. But with Princeton playing better now than they were at the end of January, look for the rematch to be a 40-minute dogfight.

Atlantic 10 - First Round
#9 Duquesne at #8 Massachusetts, 7:00 p.m.
#12 Charlotte at #5 Saint Joseph's, 7:00 p.m.
#10 Richmond at #7 La Salle, 7:00 p.m.
#11 George Washington at #6 Dayton, 7:00 p.m.

The four winners will advance to the quarterfinals in Atlantic City, where the top four seeds await. Tonight's action is most important for Saint Joseph's and Dayton, two teams clinging to hopes of making a run at an NCAA tournament bid. For that to happen one would think that the Hawks and Flyers need to get to Sunday's final given recent missteps, but the simplest thing to do at this point is go out and win; live to fight another day.

Carl Jones, Langston Galloway and C.J. Aiken have the ability to lead Saint Joseph's on a run, and it's not like Archie Miller's Flyers lack for talent either. But keep an eye on La Salle, who has one of the best point guards in the conference in Tyreek Duren, and that 8/9 matchup could be the most entertaining given the pressure applied by both Duquesne and UMass.

Big East - First Round
# 16 DePaul vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN2)
# 13 Pittsburgh vs. # 12 St. John's, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
# 15 Providence vs. # 10 Seton Hall, 7:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
# 14 Villanova vs. # 11 Rutgers (ESPNU)

So, UConn begins their Big East Championship in the same spot they began their "five games in five days" run last season. But it's an entirely different scenario for the Huskies, who were safely in the NCAA tournament last season, and they had an assertive leader in Kemba Walker. That guy hasn't stepped up yet for the Huskies, who are also taking a DePaul team that despite their last place finish has improved since last season. Cleveland Melvin and Brandon Young are both very good sophomores, and freshman Jamee Crockett has improved his play. UConn can't afford to stumble, but they're likely in better shape than a slumping Seton Hall squad that dropped games to Rutgers and DePaul to end the regular season. Providence lacks depth but with Bryce Cotton, Vincent Council and LaDontae Henton the Friars can definitely scare the Pirates if not win.

Big Sky - Semifinals (at Montana)
#3 Portland State vs. #2 Weber State, 7:30 p.m. (Altitude)
#4 Eastern Washington at #1 Montana, 10:00 p.m. (Altitude)

The top four teams in the Big Sky meet up in Missoula, and few are expecting anything less than a Weber State/Montana rubber game on Wednesday night. Tyler Geving's Portland State team has won four straight and seven of their last eight game, and with Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott he's got two of the better players in the Big Sky. But the question for PSU is whether or not they can limit Damian Lillard, and if the two regular season meetings are any indication of what could happen tonight their chances aren't good. Lillard's two point totals against the Vikings this season: 38 points on the road, 40 at home.

Eastern Washington has won three of their last four games, but in a weird scheduling quirk all three wins came at the expense of Idaho State (two regular season games, then their conference tournament meeting on Saturday). And they're running to a Montana squad that swept the two regular season meetings, and the Grizzlies are hot right now as well with a streak of 12 straight wins. Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar have played well on the perimeter all season long, and even with Cliff Colimon it's going to be tough for the Eagles to win on the Grizzlies' home floor.

Horizon League - Title Game
#3 Detroit at #1 Valparaiso, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Valparaiso hosts a Detroit team that's gotten things going at just the right time, winning four straight and nine of their last ten heading into tonight's title game. The two regular season meetings were close but Bryce Drew's Crusaders won both, most recently beating the Titans at home on February 2nd. It was a tale of two halves, as Detroit shot 61% and scored 45 points in the first half, only to see VU clamp down and limit them to 34.5% shooting in the second half. Ray McCallum Jr. and Eli Holman are two key figures for Detroit but it's important to point out that five Titans finished that game in double figures.

The key for Detroit: slow down Horizon League Player of the Year Ryan Broekhoff, who scored 26 points in the second meeting (6-6 3PT). Kevin Van Wijk has done well inside for the Crusaders, averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in Valpo's last two games, and if he can come close to those numbers tonight Valparaiso will have a better shot at returning to the Big Dance for the first time since 2004.

MEAC - Opening Round
# 8 Hampton vs. # 9 Morgan State, 11:00 a.m.
# 7 North Carolina A&T vs. #10 Howard, 1:30 p.m.
# 5 North Carolina Central vs. # 12 UMES, 4:00 p.m.
# 4 Bethune-Cookman vs. # 13 South Carolina State, 6:30 p.m.
# 6 Coppin State vs. # 11 Florida A&M, 9:00 p.m.

Given the nature of the MEAC race beneath regular season champion Savannah State and second-place finisher Norfolk State this could be a wild five days in Winston-Salem. The top three seeds take Tuesday off, and Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina Central shouldn't have much trouble with South Carolina State and UMES, respectively.

But beginning with Coppin State/FAMU things could get interesting, especially considering the fact that somehow the two teams didn't meet during the regular season. Tony Gallo leads four Eagles in double figures, and with both teams having issues defensively this could be a wild contest that goes down to the wire. Hampton/Morgan State shouldn't lack for entertainment value either with the two teams splitting their regular season meetings, but neither winner reached 70 points so don't expect offensive fireworks.

Summit League - Title Game
#4 Western Illinois vs. #2 South Dakota State, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Many expected the top two seeds to meet for the Summit League crown, but the Leathernecks took care of those plans with a 54-53 win over Oral Roberts on Monday night. Defending Dominique Morrison was tough enough and he still finished with 23 points, but just as it was on Monday the key for WIU in beating the Jackrabbits will be to make Nate Wolters' teammates don't go off as well.

Wolters, who led SDSU to a 63-47 win over Southern Utah with 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists, has an impact in all facets of the game for the Jackrabitts, and if he's able to get his teammates going offensively there's no telling how many points they could end up scoring (they hung 93 on Washington earlier this season). Ceola Clark III and Obi Emegano lead the way offensively for WIU, who will need a low-scoring (and low-possession) game if they're to pull off the upset.

Sun Belt - Title Game
#5 North Texas vs. #7 Western Kentucky, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2 - Summit Arena)

When Ken McDonald was fired on January 6th, few people thought that a young Western Kentucky squad would have enough left to make a run at a Sun Belt title. But thanks in large part to new head coach Ray Harper and a freshman in Derrick Gordon who is going to win a conference Player of the Year award before his career's over, the Hilltoppers find themselves one win away from an improbable NCAA tournament appearance. On the other side of the floor is North Texas, a team many pegged as a team that could win the league thanks to the addition of one-time Missouri signee Tony Mitchell.

North Texas won the lone regular season meeting 84-67 back on January 12th, but this is a far different WKU team than the one that set foot in Denton on that night. Does WKU have enough left in the tank, playing their fourth game in four days, to win the title? It will be tough, but there's no reason to assume that can't at this point.

Conference Tournament Schedules, Week 2

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:37:50 -0800

Week One Conference Tournament Schedules

ACC (March 8-11 in Atlanta)
Regular season champion: North Carolina
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 Maryland 82, #9 Wake Forest 60
#5 NC State 78, #12 Boston College 57
#10 Virginia Tech 68, #7 Clemson 63
#6 Miami 54, #11 Georgia Tech 36

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 North Carolina 85, #8 Maryland 69
#5 NC State 67, #4 Virginia 64
#2 Duke 60, #10 Virginia Tech 56
#3 Florida State 82, #6 Miami 71

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 North Carolina vs. #5 NC State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3
#2 Duke vs. #3 Florida State, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3)

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3)

Atlantic 10 (March 6 (at higher seeded teams), 9-11 in Atlantic City)
Regular season champion: Temple
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - First Round
#8 Massachusetts 92, #9 Duquesne 83
#5 Saint Joseph's 80, #12 Charlotte 64
#7 La Salle 80, #10 Richmond 72
#6 Dayton 67, #11 George Washington 50

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#8 Massachusetts 77, #1 Temple 71
#4 St. Bonaventure 71, #5 Saint Joseph's 68
#2 Saint Louis 78, #7 La Salle 71
#3 Xavier 70, #6 Dayton 69

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#8 Massachusetts vs. #4 St. Bonaventure, 1:00pm (CBS SN)
#2 Saint Louis vs. #3 Xavier, 3:30pm (CBS SN)

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00pm (CBS)

Big 12 (March 7-10 in Kansas City)
Regular season champion: Kansas
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#9 Texas A&M 62, #8 Oklahoma 53
#7 Oklahoma State 76, #10 Texas Tech 60

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#4 Baylor 82, #5 Kansas State 74
#1 Kansas 83, #9 Texas A&M 66
#2 Missouri 88, #7 Oklahoma State 70
#6 Texas 71, #3 Iowa State 65

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Baylor 81, #1 Kansas 72
#2 Missouri 81, #6 Texas 67

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Baylor vs. #2 Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big East (March 6-10 in New York City)
Regular season champion: Syracuse
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - First Round
#9 Connecticut 81, # 16 DePaul 67
# 13 Pittsburgh 73, # 12 St. John's 59
# 10 Seton Hall 79, #15 Providence 47
# 14 Villanova 70, 11 Rutgers49

Wednesday, March 7 - Second Round
#9 Connecticut 71, #8 West Virginia (OT)
#5 Georgetown 64, #13 Pittsburgh 52
#7 Louisville 61 #10 Seton Hall 55
#6 USF 56, #14 Villanova 47

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#1 Syracuse 58, #9 Connecticut 55
#4 Cincinnati 72, #5 Georgetown 70 (2OT)
#7 Louisville 84, #2 Marquette 71
#3 Notre Dame 57, #6 USF 53

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Cincinnati 71, #4 Syracuse 68
#7 Louisville 64, #3 Notre Dame 50

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Cincinnati vs. #7 Louisville, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big Ten (March 8-11 in Indianapolis)
Regular season champions: Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 Iowa 64, #9 Illinois 61
#5 Indiana 75, #12 Penn State 58
#10 Minnesota 75, #7 Northwestern 68
#6 Purdue 79, #11 Nebraska 61

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 Michigan State 92, #8 Iowa 75
#4 Wisconsin 79, #5 Indiana 71
#2 Michigan 73, #10 Minnesota 69 (OT)
#3 Ohio State 88, #6 Purdue 71

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 Michigan State vs. #4 Wisconsin, 1:40 p.m. (CBS)
#3 Michigan vs. #2 Ohio State, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)

Sunday, March 11, 2012 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Big West (March 8-10 in Anaheim, CA)
Regular season champion: Long Beach State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#3 UC Santa Barbara 72, # 6 Pacific 52
#7 UC Irvine 65, #2 Cal State Fullerton 59
#1 Long Beach State 80, #8 UC Davis 46
#4 Cal Poly 66, #5 UC Riverside 54

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#1 Long Beach State 68, #7 UC Irvine 57
#3 UCSB 64, #4 Cal Poly 52

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#1 Long Beach State, #3 UCSB, 10:00 pm (ESPN2)

Conference USA (March 7-10 in Memphis, TN)
Regular season champion: Memphis
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#10 East Carolina 68, #7 Rice 66
#6 Marshall 74, #11 SMU 56
#8 UTEP 67, #9 Houston 62 (OT)
#5 UAB 72, #12 Tulane 64

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#2 Southern Miss 81, #10 East Carolina 78 (OT)
#6 Marshall 105, #3 Tulsa 100 (3OT)
#1 Memphis 65, #8 UTEP 47
#4 UCF 64, #5 UAB 54

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#6 Marshall 73, #2 Southern Miss 62
#1 Memphis 83, #4 UCF 52

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#6 Marshall vs. #1 Memphis, 11:35 a.m. (CBS)

Great West (March 8-10 in Chicago, IL)
Regular season champion: Utah Valley
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#4 NJIT 65, #5 Houston Baptist 64

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 NJIT 88, #1 Utah Valley 78 (OT)
#2 North Dakota 63, #3 UT-Pan American

Saturday, Mar 10 - Title Game
#4 NJIT vs. #2 North Dakota, 5:00 p.m.

Mid-American (March 5 (campus sites), 7-10 in Cleveland, OH)
Regular season champion: Akron
.pdf bracket

Monday, March 5 - First Round
#12 Northern Illinois 55, # 5 Eastern Michigan 52
#8 Western Michigan 69, #9 Ball State 63
#7 Toledo 60, Miami (OH) 53
#11 Central Michigan 54, # 6 Bowling Green 53

Wednesday, March 7 - Second Round
#8 Western Michigan 71, #12 Northern Illinois 54
#7 Toledo 75, #11 Central Michigan 72

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#4 Kent State 76, #8 Western Michigan 72
#3 Ohio 65, #7 Toledo 57

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
# 1 Akron 78, #4 Kent State 74
#3 Ohio 77, # 2 Buffalo 74

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#1 Akron vs. #3 Ohio, 8:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

MEAC (March 6-10 in Winston-Salem, NC)
Regular season champion: Savannah State
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - Opening Round
#8 Hampton 69, # 9 Morgan State 65
#10 Howard 51, # 7 North Carolina A&T 50
#5 North Carolina Central 60, # 12 UMES 43
#4 Bethune-Cookman 62, # 13 South Carolina State 53
#11 Florida A&M 74, # 6 Coppin State 72

Wednesday, March 7 - Opening Round/Quarterfinals
#8 Hampton 59, #1 Savannah State 46
#2 Norfolk State 71, #10 Howard 61

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#11 Florida A&M 65, #3 Delaware State 55 (OT)
#4 Bethune-Cookman 60, #5 North Carolina Central 59

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Bethune-Cookman 81, #8 Hampton 72
#2 Norfolk State 58, #11 Florida A&M 46

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Bethune-Cookman vs. #2 Norfolk State, 1:00 PM (ESPN2)

Mountain West (March 8-10 in Las Vegas)
Regular season champions: New Mexico and San Diego State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#1 San Diego State 65, #8 Boise State 62
#4 Colorado State 81, #5 TCU 60
#2 New Mexico 79, #7 Air Force 64
#3 UNLV 56, #6 Wyoming 48

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#1 San Diego State 79, #4 Colorado State 69
#2 New Mexico 72, #3 UNLV 67

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#1 San Diego State vs. #2 New Mexico, 7:00 p.m.(NBC SN)

Pac-12 (March 7-10 in Los Angeles)
Regular season champion: Washington
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#9 Oregon State 69, #8 Washington 64
#5 UCLA 55, #12 USC 40
#7 Stanford 85, #10 Arizona State 65
#6 Colorado 53, #11 Utah 41

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#9 Oregon State 86, #1 Washington 84
#4 Arizona 66, #5 UCLA 58
#2 California 77, #7 Stanford 71
#6 Colorado 63, #3 Oregon 62

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Arizona 72, #9 Oregon State 61
#6 Colorado 70, #2 California 59

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Arizona vs. #6 Colorado, 6:10 p.m. (CBS)

SEC (March 8-11 in New Orleans)
Regular season champion: Kentucky
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 LSU 70, #9 Arkansas 54
#5 Alabama 63, #12 South Carolina 57
#7 Ole Miss 68, #10 Auburn 54
#11 Georgia 71, #6 Mississippi State 61

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 Kentucky 60, #8 LSU 51
#4 Florida 66, #5 Alabama 63
#7 Ole Miss 77, #2 Tennessee 72 (OT)
#3 Vanderbilt 63, #11 Georgia 41

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 Kentucky vs. #4 Florida, 1:00 p.m. (ABC)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #3 Vanderbilt, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00 p.m. (ABC)

Southland (March 7-8, 10 in Katy, TX)
Regular season champion: UT Arlington
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - Quarterfinals
#2 Stephen F. Austin 68, #7 Sam Houston St 46
#3 Lamar 76, #6 Northwestern St. 69
#1 UT Arlington 96, #8 Nicholls St. 48
#4 McNeese St. 78, #5 UTSA 78 (OT)

Thursday, March 8 -Semifinals
#3 Lamar 55, #2 Stephen F. Austin 44
#4 McNeese St. 92, #1 UT Arlington 72

Saturday March 10 - Title Game
#3 Lamar vs. #4 McNeese St., 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

SWAC (March 7-10 in Garland, TX)
Regular season champion: Mississippi Valley State
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 -Quarterfinals
#2 Texas Southern 75, #7 Alabama A&M 62
#1 Mississippi Valley State 63, #8 Jackson State 60

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#6 Alcorn State 103, #3 Prairie View A&M 79
#5 UAPB 60, #4 Alabama St. 56

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#2 Texas Southern 60, #6 Alcorn State 55
#1 Mississippi Valley State 71, #5 UAPB 64

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#2 Texas Southern vs. #1 Mississippi Valley State, 8:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

WAC (March 8-10 in Las Vegas)
Regular season champion: Nevada
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#6 Hawai'i 72, #3 Idaho 70
#2 New Mexico State 65, #7 Fresno State 49
#1 Nevada 54, #8 San Jose State 44
#5 Louisiana Tech 72, #4 Utah State 72

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#2 New Mexico State 92, #6 Hawai'i 81
#5 Louisiana Tech 78, #1 Nevada 73

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#2 New Mexico State vs. #5 Louisiana Tech, Midnight (ESPN2)

Jon Teitel's All-Conference Teams, Part Two

Jon Teitel — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:01:39 -0800

Last week CHN writer Jon Teitel unvelied part one of his CollegeHoops.net All-Conference selections, featuring the fourteen conferences that begain conference tournament play at that time. The final seventeen teams are here, with the Player of the Year in each league in italics.

Atlantic 10
G Ramone Moore (Temple)
G Tu Holloway (Xavier)
G Khalif Wyatt (Temple)
F Chris Gaston (Fordham)
F Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure)

ACC
G Terrell Stoglin (Maryland)
G C.J. Harris (Wake Forest)
F Tyler Zelller (North Carolina)
F Mike Scott (Virginia)
F John Henson (North Carolina)

Big 12
G J'Covan Brown (Texas)
G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
G Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas)
F Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
F Royce White (Iowa State)

Big East
G Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette)
G Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut)
F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
F Jae Crowder (Marquette)
F Herb Pope (Seton Hall)

Big Ten
G Tim Frazier (Penn St.)
G Drew Crawford (Northwestern)
F John Shurna (Northwestern)
F Jared Sullinger (Ohio St.)
F Draymond Green (Michigan St.)

Big West
G Orlando Johnson (UCSB)
G Phil Martin (UC Riverside)
G Casper Ware (Long Beach St.)
F Stephan Hicks (Cal-State Northridge)
F T.J. Robinson (Long Beach St.)

Conference USA
G Will Barton (Memphis)
G DeAndre Kane (Marshall)
G Miguel Paul (East Carolina)
F Cameron Moore (UAB)
F Arsalan Kazemi (Rice)

Independents
G Mitch Albers (Nebraska-Omaha)
G Isaiah Wilkerson (NJIT)
F Aaron Broussard (Seattle)
F Jeremy Robinson (Chicago St.)
C Antwan Carter (Longwood)

Ivy
G Zack Rosen (Pennsylvania)
G Brian Barbour (Columbia)
G Sean McGonagill (Brown)
F Greg Mangano (Yale)
F Ian Hummer (Princeton)

Mid-American
G Rian Pearson (Toledo)
G Trey Ziegler (Central Michigan)
F Julian Mavunga (Miami (OH))
F Jarrod Jones (Ball St.)
F Mitchell Watt (Buffalo)

MEAC
G Darrion Pellum (Hampton)
G Tony Gallo (Coppin St.)
G Jay Threatt (Delaware St.)
F Brandon Riley (South Carolina St.)
C Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk St.)

Mountain West
G Wes Eikmeier (Colorado St.)
G Jamal Franklin (San Diego St.)
G Chase Tapley (San Diego St.)
F Mike Moser (UNLV)
F Drew Gordon (New Mexico)

Pac-12
G Jared Cunningham (Oregon St.)
G Tony Wroten (Washington)
G Devoe Joseph (Oregon)
F Brock Motum (Washington St.)
F Andre Roberson (Colorado)

SEC
G John Jenkins (Vanderbilt)
G Dee Bost (Mississippi St.)
F Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt)
F Arnett Moultrie (Mississippi St.)
F Anthony Davis (Kentucky)

Southland
G Mike James (Lamar)
G Anthony Miles (Lamar)
F Patrick Richard (McNeese St.)
F LaMarcus Reed III (UT-Arlington)
C William Mosley (Northwestern St.)

SWAC
G Quincy Roberts (Grambling St.)
G Savalace Townsend (UAPB)
G Terrence Joyner (Mississippi Valley St.)
F Quinton Doggett (Southern)
C Paul Crosby (Mississippi Valley St.)

WAC
G Kevin Olekaibe (Fresno St.)
G James Kinney (San Jose St.)
G Deonte Burton (Nevada)
F Wendell McKines (New Mexico St.)
C Vander Joaquim (Hawai'i)

Consensus Conference Ranking: February vs January

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 07:56:23 -0800

Although the conference table was mostly set back in January when we last updated the Consensus Conference Ranking, there have been some changes since. As you'll see below, the Mountain West dropped from 4th to 6th since January 3rd, while the Colonial and Ivy have jumped 2 spots. This often has to do with the benefits conferences get from regularly playing a Top ranked team: ie, Murray St's ranking rubbing off on the rest of the OVC teams, or Kentucky rubbing off on the SEC.

Below is the Consensus Conference Ranking as of today, as well as January's ranking below for reference. The difference in standings can be seen in green/red.

Rank	Conference	RPI	KenPom	Sagarin	Avg	Change
1	Big Ten	1	1	1	1.0
2	Big 12	3	2	2	2.3
3	Big East	2	3	3	2.7
4	SEC	4	4	4	4.0	+1
5	ACC	6	5	5	5.3	+1
6	Mountain West	5	6	6	5.7	-2
7	Atlantic 10	7	7	8	7.3	+2
8	Pac 12	10	8	7	8.3	-1
9	Missouri Valley	8	9	9	8.7	-1
10	CUSA	9	10	10	9.7
11	WCC	11	11	11	11.0
12	WAC	12	12	12	12.0	+1
13	Horizon	13	15	13	13.7	-1
14	Colonial	15	13	14	14.0	+2
15	Ivy	14	14	16	14.7	+2
16	MAC	17	17	15	16.3	-2
17t	Summit	16	18	19	17.7	-2
17t	Atlantic Sun	20	16	17	17.7
19	Sun Belt	19	19	18	18.7	-1
20	MAAC	18	20	20	19.3
21	Big West	24	21	21	22.0
22t	Patriot	22	22	23	22.3
22t	Ohio Valley	21	24	22	22.3	+2
24	Southern	23	23	25	23.7	-2
25	Big Sky	26	26	24	25.3	+1
26	Big South	27	25	26	26.0	+2
27	Northeast	25	27	28	26.7	+1
28	Southland	28	28	27	27.7	-1
29	America East	29	29	29	29.0
30	MEAC	30	30	30	30.0	-1
31	Independent	31	31	31	31.0
32	SWAC	32	32	32	32.0	-1

	January 3rd
1	Big Ten	1	1	1	1.0
2	Big 12	3	2	2	2.3
3	Big East	2	3	3	2.7
4	Mountain West	4	6	4	4.7
5	SEC	6	4	5	5.0
6	ACC	5	5	6	5.3
7	Pac 12	9	7	7	7.7
8	Missouri Valley	7	9	8	8.0
9	Atlantic 10	8	8	9	8.3
10	CUSA	11	10	10	10.3
11	WCC	10	11	11	10.7
12	Horizon	12	13	13	12.7
13	WAC	18	12	12	14.0
14	MAC	14	15	14	14.3
15	Summit	13	17	15	15.0
16	Colonial	20	14	16	16.7
17	Ivy	17	16	19	17.3
18	Sun Belt	15	20	17	17.3
19	Atlantic Sun	19	18	18	18.3
20	MAAC	16	19	21	18.7
21	Big West	21	21	20	20.7
22t	Patriot	23	22	26	23.7
22t	Southern	22	24	25	23.7
24t	Ohio Valley	24	25	24	24.3
24t	Big South	27	23	23	24.3
26	Big Sky	28	26	22	25.3
27	Southland	25	28	27	26.7
28	Northeast	26	27	28	27.0
29t	America East	31	29	29	29.7
29t	MEAC	29	30	30	29.7
31t	Independent	32	31	31	31.3
31t	SWAC	30	32	32	31.3

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats": North Carolina A&T's Don Corbett

Jon Teitel — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:22:11 -0800

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Don Corbett, one of the greatest coaches in North Carolina A&T history. Corbett won 254 games at the school and led the Aggies to seven NCAA tournament appearances.

Jon Teitel: You led North Carolina A&T to seven straight MEAC tournament titles from 1982-1988 (tied with Kentucky for most consecutive tournament titles in NCAA history). How were you able to remain so consistent over such a long stretch of time?

Don Corbett: We were able to maintain our consistency because of our ability to recruit quality players and develop them for four years. The playing experience gained from their freshmen year through their senior year was a huge advantage for us. I think you can see how college basketball's parity is changing because of mid-major programs playing with juniors/seniors, in comparison to high-major schools playing with talented freshmen/sophomores. Experience makes a difference and it was a large factor in our success.

JT: What are your memories of the 1982 NCAA tournament (Joe Binion had 17 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to West Virginia)?

DC: We were extremely excited about playing in the Big Dance, but we were too excited to be representing our school in the way we would have liked to play. West Virginia was just as strong back then as they are now.

JT: What are your memories of the 1983 NCAA tournament (President Obama's future brother-in-law Craig Robinson scored 15 points to lead Princeton to the win)?

DC: We felt more comfortable because I thought we matched up better with Princeton. I observed an improved mental attitude but unfortunately we came up short again. I had no idea Robinson was on that team. I am sure I knew back then, but was unaware of that connection now.

JT: Eric Boyd scored 23 points in a one-point loss to Morehead State in the 1984 NCAA tournament, which was both the first play-in game and the first use of instant replay in tournament history (to settle a dispute regarding who was supposed to attempt a pair of free throws late in the game). What was your reaction like when one of your worst free throw shooters was fouled and another of your players stepped to the line, and do you think that the video evidence cost you the win?

DC: I felt that we should have won the game even though we both had equal personnel. Boyd was fouled in a multi-player collision. I think that game set a precedent for the use of instant replay in sports. You can see how instant replay had an effect in recent tournaments. Even so, this game was our best shot to get a win in the tournament.

JT: What are your memories of the 1985 NCAA tournament (Wayman Tisdale had 28 points and 12 rebounds in an Oklahoma victory)?

DC: Playing the Sooners in Oklahoma was a tall order. Tisdale was tremendous that night, as were their wing players. I think we started three freshmen. We played very tough the entire game and never backed down from them.

JT: What are your memories of the 1986 NCAA tournament (Danny Manning scored 15 (7-9 FG) in a Kansas victory)?

DC: This was the only game where I felt we were extremely over-matched. They could have beaten us by 50 if they wanted to, but Coach Larry Brown was generous and called off the dogs. Having to follow up Tisdale with Manning (who played high school ball here in Greensboro) was a monumental task for us.

JT: What are your memories of the 1987 NCAA tournament (Derrick McKey had 25 points and 14 rebounds in the Alabama win)?

DC: It was a tough environment again, as we were playing the Tide in Alabama. We played tough for the first 16 minutes but had too many mental errors late in the first half. Alabama shot the ball very well that day.

JT: What are your memories of the 1988 NCAA tournament (Rony Seikaly had 20 points and 16 rebounds to lead Syracuse to the win)?

DC: Seikaly led a very talented squad; Derrick Coleman and Sherman Douglas were on that team as well. We played our best tournament game that year because of our prior tournament experience. Once we tied the score late in the game I felt we had a legitimate shot to win, but they used their size down the stretch and pulled away from us.

JT: You held the record for most consecutive losses in the NCAA tournament until former Penn coach Fran Dunphy lost his eighth straight tournament game in 2006. What is the biggest difference between coaching in the regular season and coaching in the postseason?

DC: My coaching philosophy is to prepare for the regular season. The postseason is just a bonus for a successful regular season.

JT: Your team had a 37-game home winning streak from 1986-1988. How big a factor were your home fans, and did it reach a point where you expected to win every time you stepped out on your home court?

DC: We expected to win every time we played, whether at home or on the road. We wanted our opponents to fear a trip to our place and for the most part they did during that era. It was hard to get non-conference opponents to come play a game in our gym because they knew the type of environment they were going to face. Our attendance and school spirit were second to none. We did not want to let our fans down due to their loyalty.

JT: Five members of your team were placed on probation for their part in a brawl in a 1990 game against North Carolina Central (the game was declared a no-contest after being suspended with eight minutes left due to a fight involving 200 fans after Jimmy Humphries fouled Derrick Leak). How bad was the foul, and how did things get so out of hand?

DC: The competitive nature of A&T and NCCU is both great and historic. It is one of the biggest rivalries in the state so we felt there was a lot of pride on the line in that game. We wanted to control the tempo of the game but as always it was a physical contest. I do not remember the foul being flagrant, but what happened afterwards took away from the fact that it was a great game. Only recently have they resumed playing a home-and-home series on campus. I am glad to see the games being
played again.

JT: You were named conference Coach of the Year six times. What did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors?

DC: Whatever honors I received were a direct reflection of the players on the court. I had some great players so any accolades I earned were because of them and I am forever grateful.

JT: In 2005, the North Carolina A&T basketball court was named the Cal Irvin/Don Corbett basketball court. What did it mean to you when you learned about the decision to name it after you and Coach Irvin?

DC: It is truly an honor to have shared the name of the court with Cal Irvin but again, my players are the reason for that honor.

JT: Your son Darren is currently a high school coach. How proud are you of his success, and did you have any influence on his career choice?

DC: Darren grew up on my bench and wanted to coach, even though I tried to discourage him from doing so. Sometimes coaching can be a stressful profession so I did not want him to have to go through some of the things I went through. I am very proud of his successes and the relationships he has developed with his players. He is a hard worker and is mentally coaching year-round, which is a good sign of a commitment to excellence.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

DC: I want to be remembered as a coach who was fair to his players and committed to making young men into outstanding citizens.

Corbett is also on Jon's list of best coaches in MEAC history.

Bethune-Cookman: Jack "Cy" McClairen (1961-1993) 397-427, 1-time conference COY
Coppin State: Ron "Fang" Mitchell (1986-present) 408-369, 4 NCAA tourneys, 10 conference titles, 6-time conference COY
Delaware State: Greg Jackson (2000-present) 177-180, 1 NCAA tourney, 3 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Florida A&M: Mike Gillespie (2001-2007) 90-94, 2 NCAA tourneys, 2-time conference COY
Hampton: Steve Merfeld (1997-2002) 90-57, 2 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Howard: Frankie Allen (2000-2005) 52-93
Maryland Eastern Shore: Kirkland Hall (1976-1984) 79-131
Morgan State: Chris Fuller (1995-2001) 53-115
Norfolk State: Charles Christian (1973-1978, 1981-1990) 319-95, 7 conference titles, 4-time conference COY
North Carolina A&T: Don Corbett (1979-1993) 254-145, 7 NCAA tourneys, 7 conference titles, 6-time conference COY
North Carolina Central: John McLendon (1940-1952) 239-68, 8 conference titles
Savannah State: Russell Ellington (1976-1985) 148-91, 3 conference titles
South Carolina State: Cy Alexander (1987-2003) 276-200, 5 NCAA tourneys, 6 conference titles, 3-time conference COY

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Savannah State's Johnny Mathis

Jon Teitel — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:12:03 -0800

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Savannah State great Johnny Mathis, who was a two-time all-conference selection during his time at the school. Mathis would go on to play professionally in the ABA, Eastern League and in Spain, and is currently a highly successful high school coach at John F. Kennedy High in the Bronx.

Jon Teitel: You share a same name with the famous singer. Have you found that to be a good thing or a bad thing during your life?

Johnny Mathis: It has not been bad at all.

JT: One of your mentors was the legendary NYC playground director Holcombe Rucker. How did you end up meeting him, and what impact has he had on your life?

JM: I met him when I played in the Rucker League back in the summer of 1959. His greatest impact was teaching me how to dribble despite the fact that I was a big guy back then. He told me that one day guards would be 6'5" like me, and he turned out to be right!

JT: You were a two-time All-SEAC performer at Savannah St. How good was the competition in the SEAC back in the day, and did you feel like you were the best player in the conference?

JM: It was a very tough conference at the time, as there were not a lot of African-American players going to Division I programs. I was not the best, but I thought I was one of the best.

JT: After graduating in 1965 you played professionally in Spain. Why did you decide to go abroad, and what did you learn from the experience?

JM: It was a great experience because it gave me the opportunity to continue to play. I got to travel and even learned how to speak Spanish. I also got to develop physically. I went from 190 pounds when I arrive to 210 pounds by the time I left.

JT: In 1967 you returned to the US to play for Coach Max Zaslofsky (who led the BAA in scoring in 1948) of the New Jersey Americans in the brand-new ABA. What was it like to play for Zaslofsky, and what is your fondest memory of the ABA?

JM: It was tough to create good chemistry at first but it got better after we settled down. I had a reputation of being able to defend the best guys on the other team (starting from my days in the Rucker), and I guarded Connie Hawkins as well as anyone did.

JT: After one season in the ABA you left to play in various pro leagues in Pennsylvania. Why did you leave the ABA, and how good was the competition in Pennsylvania?

JM: I actually went back to Savannah that summer to graduate. The Eastern League was tough back then. There were only 10-12 teams in the ABA and only eight in the Eastern League, so it was hard to find a job back then. We had so much depth that even a great player like All-American Tom Riker had to come off the bench.

JT: You have spent over two decades as coach at John F. Kennedy Hight in New York City, where you have won 500+ games and had the gym named after you. What is the key to being a great coach, and how much longer do you plan on doing it?

JM: I would like to stick around as long as I enjoy it. The key is being able to relate to the younger generation and bring the best out of them. I enjoy coaching and teaching, both on and off the court.

JT: You run a camp in the Bronx every summer for boys and girls entering high school. What makes your camp different from other camps, and what is the biggest thing that players should know before starting high school?

JM: Naturally it is important to learn fundamentals, but we teach them what is expected in high school. For example, how to run the weave, things like cutting and moving without the ball, etc. A lot of players do not understand organized basketball and how to run specific plays.

JT: Your son JC played for you in high school before moving on to college at Virginia. How did you like coaching him, and how proud are you of his success?

JM: I am very proud of him. I think coaching him was one of the best things that ever happened to me and was one of my most rewarding experiences in basketball. He has accomplished so much as a young man. He went on to get his master's degree and later played in the NBDL and overseas. He even ended up meeting one of my old coaches in Europe! My other son Jarrett also played for me before going to Dartmouth.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

JM: I would like to be remembered as someone who was able to help a lot of young men and women. Each day I got up and tried to be the best human being I could be.

Mathis is on Jon's list of best pro players in MEAC history.

Bethune-Cookman: Carl Fuller (1971)
Coppin State: Larry Stewart (1992)
Delaware State: Emanual Davis (1997)
Florida A&M: Clemon Johnson (1979)
Hampton: Rick Mahorn (1981)
Howard: Larry Spriggs (1982)
Maryland-Eastern Shore: Talvin Skinner (1975)
Morgan State: Marvin Webster (1976)
Norfolk State: Bob Dandridge (1970)
North Carolina A&T: Warren Davis (1968)
North Carolina Central: Sam Jones (1958)
Savannah State: Johnny Mathis (1968)
South Carolina State: Frank Card (1969)