Go to my "HOOPS ASSASSIN" by The SPORTZ ASSASSIN every morning as I update them every night.
ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE
I have Duke, NC State, Boston College and North Carolina as locks....with Florida State, Maryland and Virginia still fighting to get in.
All three of those bubble teams are on the road this weekend. Florida State, which has beaten both Virginia and Maryland recently, heads to Virginia Tech to face a team that had bubble-itis not too long ago. While FSU is looking pretty strong right now, they can't afford to lose this one with Duke on the horizon. Maryland heads to the white hot North Carolina. The Heels smacked down the Terps in College Park several weeks ago. Maryland has a better RPI and SOS than Florida State....but their record isn't too attractive right now and they have suffered beatdowns at the hands of both FSU and Virginia. Losing this one won't kill their chances....but may hinder them. Virginia heads to Clemson....and Littlejon Coliseum isn't an easy place to play.
THE BIG EAST
Sure, much of the buzz will surround the Villanova-UConn battle on Sunday....but they, along with Georgetown, West Virginia and Pittsburgh are locks. Their fight will be for whom gets the top seed in the Washington DC bracket....and who may end up out in another time zone.
Waiting on the bubble are Marquette, Cincinnati, Seton Hall and Syracuse. A Marquette win at Notre Dame would pretty much lock them in. The others have work to do. Cincinnati nearly pulled off that clinching upset of Villanova. Still, the close loss looks good to the committee and bumped their numbers up a bit more. They have a sort-of bracket buster game agaisnt Seton Hall next week. The Hall must go to DePaul first. Syracuse has a tough game at Georgetown. If anyone is a weak link right now...it is Seton Hall with the poorest RPI and SOS of the bunch. All three of these teams have a Big Dawg game left....Cincy gets West Virginia, Seton Hall gets Pitt, and Syracuse gets Villanova.
Convential wisdom is that with the soft bubble and the strength of the Big East...as long of none of these teams completely go down the toilet....they will all be in.
THE BIG TEN
Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan State and Illinois are gonna be dancin'. The rest is still up in the air. Iowa faces Illinois in the Big Ten's biggest game.
Michigan and Wisconsin are as close to being locks as you can get. Wisconsin gets surging Minnesota [which could make a late run for a NCAA bid] at home. A win in that game will most likely get them in. Michigan has to go to Ohio State. If they can come out with a win there....you bet they're in. Just as long as they don't get run outta the building...they'll be fine. Indiana faces Michigan State in Bloomington. This may be it. If Indiana wins, they look like they could be a tourny team. With a loss...well, their bubble burst.
BIG XII CONFERENCE
The big dogs are in. Texas, Kansas [who have a big game on Saturday] and Oklahoma are in the dance. The Big XII should be able to pry another bid out of their collection of brothers....but who deserves it?
I think Colorado. If they win their final two home games [starting with Missouri this weekend] they will be in. A slip...and it may not be. Nebraska just smacked Colorado and are trying to right their ship. They have an RPI in the 90s and have struggled down the stretch. Texas A&M is still around....and they [surprise] get Nebraksa at home on Saturday. The loser will most likely be done.
PACIFIC 10
I think UCLA and Washington are in. After that it is a crapshoot.
Arizona should get in....since they have a strong RPI and the 5th toughest schedule in the nation. Oh,and their final three games are all in Tuscon. California has a good shot....but must go to Washington this weekend. On the fringes is USC and Stanford. Most likely, both are done. If USC can run the table [they have Oregon State at home this weekend...then go to Stanford and Cal]....they have a legit chance. Stanford may not get a chance.
But, this is the Pac-10. Where Washington can beat UCLA twice.....then lose to Washington State twice. Where Cal is in 2nd place with just 4 conference losses.....but half of those losses came to the two worst teams, Oregon State and Arizona State. Yet, Stanford knows their place. They are 2-5 against UCLA, Washington, Cal and Arizona....and 7-1 against the teams behind them.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
Tennessee, Florida and LSU are all in. Probably Kentucky and Alabama too. Arkansas and Vanderbilt a little different.
And what a weekend this should be in the SEC.
Kentucky heads to LSU in the first of three horrid games for the Cats [they get Florida at home then at Tennessee]. With their numbers, Kentucky should get in. But if they, say, lose all three of these games and then get tripped early in the SEC tourny....an 18-14 record may not cut it. Even if you have an RPI and SOS that will improve with the sked. Alabama plays host to Florida...and this could be an attention grabbing win for the Tide. Sure, Florida is struggling a bit the past month or so....but a win by Bama puts them in. Arkansas is at Tennessee...and an upset there may get that 6th SEC team in. If not, Vanderbilt will try to take that spot by winning in South Carolina.
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