Posts Tagged ‘Southland’

WCC, Horizon, Summit, Sun Belt, and Patriot Conference Tournaments Preview

March 6th, 2010

 

In the five conference tournaments I am previewing today, we see the first two mid—major tournaments that will have a real impact on the bubble.

Gonzaga in the West Coast and Butler in the Horizon will both be in the tournament, but whether they get in as an automatic or at-large bid is yet to be determined.

West Coast (Las Vegas, NV)

Seeds: (1) Gonzaga (2) St. Mary's (3) Portland (4) San Francisco (5) Loyola Marymount (6) San Diego (7) Santa Clara (8) Pepperdine

2009 Tournament Champion: Gonzaga (Advanced to Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament)

Game Schedule:

Friday: (5) Loyola Marymount vs. (8) Pepperdine, (6) San Diego vs. (7) Santa Clara

Saturday: (4) San Francisco vs. 5/8 winner, (3) Portland vs. 6/7 winner

Sunday: (1) Gonzaga vs. four, five or eight seed, (2) St. Mary's vs. three, six or seven seed

Monday: Final

In one of the stranger tournament formats, West Coast fans get an extra round out of their conference tournament, but the action will not heat up until Sunday.

If Gonzaga does lose, the WCC will get two teams in the big dance, with St. Mary's being the ideal choice to join the Zags.

Horizon (Quarterfinals & Semifinals @ Indianapolis, First Round and Final @ Higher Seed)

Seeds: (1) Butler (2) Wright State (3) UW-Green Bay (4) UW-Milwaukee (5) Cleveland State (6) Valparaiso (7) Detroit (8) Loyola (IL) (9) UIC (10) Youngstown State

2009 Tournament Champion: Cleveland State (Upset Wake Forest in NCAA First Round)

Game Schedule:

Tuesday: (3) Green Bay 81, (10) Youngstown State 67, (4)Milwaukee 73, (9) UIC 67 (5) Cleveland St. 80, (8) Loyola (IL) 66, (7) Detroit 89, (6) Valpo 82

Friday: (3) Green Bay vs. (7) Detroit, (4)Milwaukee vs. (5) Cleveland State

Saturday:  (1) Butler vs. 4/5 winner, (2) Wright State vs. 3/7 winner

Tuesday 3/9: Final

In another unusual format that favors the higher seeds, the Horizon is also hoping to get two teams in the tournament, with Butler being a lock to get in.

Last year, that did happen with Cleveland State not only winning the tournament, but then beating Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Summit (Sioux Falls, SD)

Seeds: (1) Oakland (2) IUPUI (3) Oral Roberts (4) South Dakota St. (5) IPFW (6) North Dakota St. (7) Western Illinois (8) UMKC

2009 Tournament Champion: North Dakota State (lost to Kansas in NCAA First Round)

Game Schedule:

Saturday: (1) Oakland vs. (8) UMKC, (2) IUPUI vs. (7) W. Illinois

Sunday: (3) Oral Roberts vs. (6) North Dakota St., (4) South Dakota St. vs. (5) IPFW

Monday: Semifinals

Tuesday: Final

Last season, the Bison of North Dakota State dominated the conference and gave Kansas a run for their money in the first round of the tournament.

This year, look for Oakland or IUPUI to return to the Big Dance.

Sun Belt (Hot Springs, Arkansas)

Seeds: (1) Troy (2) North Texas (3) Middle Tennessee St. (4) Western Kentucky   (5) Arkansas St. (6) Denver (7) UL-Lafayette (8) FAU (9) South Alabama (10) UL-Monroe (11) FIU (12) Arkansas-Little Rock (13) New Orleans

2009 Tournament Champion: Western Kentucky (Upset Illinois in NCAA First Round)

Game Schedule:

Saturday: (4) Western Kentucky vs. (13) New Orleans, (5) Arkansas St. vs. (12)Arkansas-Little Rock, (6) Denver vs. (11) FIU, (7) UL-Lafayette vs. (10) UL-Monroe, (8) FAU vs. (9) South Alabama

Sunday: (1) Troy vs. 8/9 winner, (2) North Texas vs. 7/10 winner, (3) Middle Tennessee St. vs. 6/11 winner, 4/13 winner vs. 5/12 winner

Monday: Semifinals

Tuesday: Final

When the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky win this tournament, they are usually always picked as an upset team in the NCAAs, but teams like Troy and North Texas are looking to win and represent the Sun Belt.

Patriot (All Games @ Higher Seed)

Seeds: (1) Lehigh (2) Bucknell (3) Lafayette (4) American (5) Navy (6) Colgate (7) Holy Cross (8) Army

2009 Tournament Champion: American (Lost to Villanova in NCAA First Round)

Game Schedule:

Tuesday: (1) Lehigh 64 (8) Army 45, (7) Holy Cross 67 (2) Bucknell 64 (3) Lafayette 73 (6) Colgate 65, (4) American 62 (5) Navy 60

Sunday: (1) Lehigh vs. (4) American, (3) Lafayette vs. (7) Holy Cross

Next Friday: Final

The fans of Lehigh and Lafayette are hoping for a big rivalry game to decide the automatic berth for the Patriot and could happen with both teams playing at home in the semifinals.

But, Lehigh should not overlook American, who is always a contender in the Patriot tourney.

College Hoopla Conference Tournament Preview Schedule:

Wednesday: A-Sun, Big South, OVC and MVC Conferences

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/355918-college-hoopla-conference-tourney-preview-a-sun-big-south-ovc-mvc

Thursday: America East, NEC, Colonial, MAAC and SoCon Conferences

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/356539-america-east-neccaa-maac-socon-college-hoopla-tournament-preview

Today: WCC, Horizon, Summit, Sun Belt and Patriot Conferences

Monday Part 1: Big West, Big Sky, SWAC, Southland and MEAC Conferences

Monday Part 2: MAC, C—USA, Mountain West, WAC and A—10 Conferences

Tuesday: BCS Conferences

 

Frankie Telfort: The Would-Be Trojan Linebacker Is Still a Winner

February 26th, 2010

About eight months ago, I had the privilege, along with some others at a Trojan round-table chat, to interview Frankie Telfort, the 2009 Trojan linebacker recruit from Gulliver prep school in Miami, Florida.

While this opportunity marked the first time I had engaged Telfort, it was by no means the first time I had heard of the then-No. 8 prep linebacker as rated by Scout.com.

Most recruiting junkies were well aware of his exploits on the field, the eye-popping measurables such as the 4.4 40-yard dash times, and the multitude of highlight-film hits he regularly dispensed to unfortunate opponents.

What I wasn't aware of and what became abundantly clear after our chat was just how intelligent and focused this young man was.

When asked what he hoped to accomplish in his career at USC, Telfort didn't hesitate to respond, "I hope to get a great education."

Of course, he also expected to get playing time in his freshman season, particularly at the "will" or weakside linebacker position, but when asked if he had given thought to possibly switching to the safety position to utilize his tremedous speed, Telfort said no, he wanted to stay at linebacker where he could be in on as many plays as possible.

I then wrote an article on Telfort based on the interview and I wrapped that piece up with an observation: "Frankie Telfort would be a success in whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue."

Then, less than two moths later, Frankie Telfort's world came crashing down.

During a routine examination given to all USC athletes prior to playing, it was determined that Telfort had a heart condition that forced Frankie from the game he loves.

The condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, affects roughly one in every 500 people and is the leading cause of heart-related death among people under 30 years of age.

Many athletes have died of this disease, including Hank Gathers, Boston Celtic forward Reggie Lewis, and former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth.

Last year, Cuttino Mobley of the Clippers was forced to retire due to the condition.

When Telfort was advised of this, he, of course, was crushed.

But instead of hanging his head, Telfort moved on with the same stubborn conviction that allowed him to become the tremendous football player he was.

USC, to its credit, honored Telfort's scholarship, but, as part of the agreement, head coach Pete Carroll asked Frankie to help out the team.

Telfort tackled the assignment with all of the vigor that he used to dispense on opposing ball carriers.

Recently, Telfort, he was offered a coaching position on the east coast when he graduates.

However, don't be surprised if Telfort turns that job down.

After all, he is a pre-med student at USC with hopes of one day becoming a dermatologist or a cardiologist.

That cardiologist gig also has a story behind it.

In July of last year, Telfort travelled to Minnesota to undergo a second round of tests to see if his heart condition had abated enough to allow him to play.

Sadly, the news was the same. Frankie's heart just wasn't strong enough to play football.

But Frankie returned to the Southland with an offer from his cardiologist in Minnesota to intern there after his graduation from USC to see if he liked it.

If he goes that route, expect Telfort to tackle the heart problems of his patients like one of those poor ball carriers he routinely laid out in high school.

Like I said eight months ago, Frankie Telfort would be a success in whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue.

And I am more sure of it now than ever before.

March Madness Projections: Feb. 22

February 23rd, 2010

We're three weeks from Selection Sunday, so here's my second attempt at March Madness Projections. Conference winners are in CAPS and have the conference name next to them.

Midwest (1) vs. West (4)
East (2) vs. South (3)

Midwest (St. Louis)
Oklahoma City
1 KANSAS (Big 12) vs. 16 STONY BROOK (America East)
8 Virginia Tech vs. 9 Louisville 

San Jose
5 BYU vs. 12 St. Mary's
4 Vanderbilt vs. 13 UTAH STATE (WAC) 

Providence
6 Texas A&M vs. 11 UAB
3 Ohio State vs. 14 OAKLAND (Summit) 

Buffalo
7 NORTHERN IOWA (Missouri Valley) vs. 10 Marquette
2 West Virginia vs. 15 UC-SANTA BARBARA (Big West) 


West (Salt Lake City)
Milwaukee
1 Purdue vs. 16 CAMPBELL (Atlantic Sun)
8 Missouri vs. 9 Georgia Tech 

New Orleans
5 Texas vs. 12 SIENA (MAAC)
4 TEMPLE (Atlantic 10) vs. 13 MURRAY STATE (Ohio Valley) 

San Jose
6 Baylor vs. 11 Rhode Island
3 NEW MEXICO (Mountain West) vs. 14 WEBER STATE (Big Sky) 

Jacksonville
7 Richmond vs. 10 Illinois
2 DUKE (ACC) vs. 15 NORTH TEXAS (Sun Belt)
 

East (Syracuse)
Milwaukee
1 Kentucky (SEC) vs. 16 LEHIGH (Patriot)/JACKSON STATE (SWAC)
8 Clemson vs. 9 Oklahoma State

Spokane
5 GONZAGA (West Coast) vs. 12 Dayton
4 Wisconsin vs. 13 CORNELL (Ivy) 

New Orleans
6 Wake Forest vs. 11 OLD DOMINION (Colonial)
3 Georgetown vs. 14 MORGAN STATE (MEAC) 

Providence
7 Xavier vs. 10 UTEP (C-USA)
2 Villanova vs. 15 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (Southern) 


South (Houston)
Buffalo
1 SYRACUSE (Big East) vs. 16 ROBERT MORRIS (Northeast)
8 UNLV vs. 9 Florida State 

Spokane
5 Tennessee vs. 12 San Diego State
4 Michigan State vs. 13 KENT STATE (MAC) 

Jacksonville
6 BUTLER (Horizon) vs. 11 Florida
3 Pittsburgh vs. 14 SAM HOUSTON STATE (Southland) 

Oklahoma City
7 Maryland vs. 10 CALIFORNIA (Pac 10)
2 Kansas State vs. 15 COASTAL CAROLINA (Big South)

Last Four In: San Diego State, Dayton, St. Mary's, UAB
First Four Out: Ole Miss, Washington, Memphis, Connecticut

Feb. 22 Bracketology: Butler and Northern Iowa Move Up with Big Weekend Wins

February 22nd, 2010

This bracketology judges teams based on the current résumé. AP Top 25 teams get automatic bids. Conference champions will be determined to whoever is in first place in its respective conference. Conference champions have their conference in parenthesis next to the team. Other at-large bids are given to teams with résumés worthy of the NCAA Tournament.

Feel free to comment on the seedings.

No. 1 Seeds

Kansas (Big 12), Kentucky (SEC), Syracuse (Big East), Duke (ACC)

Kansas is undoubtedly No. 1 in the country right now. The Jayhawks are undefeated in the Big 12, possibly the toughest conference in college basketball. The Jayhawks have won 12 straight games.

Kentucky has continued to play great in the SEC. The Wildcats have won seven straight games and their magic number for a regular season SEC title is down to two. The Wildcats rematch with South Carolina, the one team to beat Kentucky this season, on Thursday.

Syracuse is in sole possession of first place in the Big East. The Orange have not lost away from home.

Duke warded off Virginia Tech on Sunday to get a commanding lead in the ACC.

No. 2 Seeds

Purdue (Big 10), Villanova, Kansas State, Michigan State

Purdue has a half-game lead in the Big 10. 

Villanova lost a close game at Pitt on Saturday and dropped into second place in the Big East. This is the first time that Villanova has lost back-to-back games since 2008.

Kansas State has won five straight games and is in second place in the Big 12. 

Michigan State lost a big game at home to Ohio State. The Spartans are now in third place in the Big 10. 

No. 3 Seeds

West Virginia, Pitt, New Mexico (MWC), Ohio State

West Virginia has won its last two games and is in fourth place in the Big East.

Pitt got a huge win over Villanova to move the Panthers to a No. 3 seed. The Panthers have won five straight games.

New Mexico has won 11 straight games. The Lobos only won by three against last place Air Force.

Ohio State is now in second place in the Big 10 with a win over Michigan State. Its RPI (41) is keeping it from moving to a No. 2 seed.

No. 4 Seeds

BYU, Vanderbilt, Temple, Tennessee

BYU has won three straight games and is in second place in the MWC. 

Vanderbilt is in second place in the SEC. The Commodores host Georgia, who is yet to win on the road, on Thursday.

Temple is in second place in the A-10. The Owls have won their last three games. 

Tennessee has won its last two games and is in third place in the SEC. 

No. 5 Seeds

Georgetown, Wisconsin, Butler (Horizon), Northern Iowa (MVC)

Georgetown has lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. After looking like it could be one of the best teams in the country, Georgetown has dropped a lot. The Hoyas stand in seventh place in the Big East.

Wisconsin rebounded from a rough loss at Minnesota with a win over Northwestern. The Badgers are in good shape with their next two games against Indiana and Iowa.

Butler is tied with Murray State for the longest win streak in the nation at 17. The Bulldogs have one regular season game remaining at Valpo. The Bulldogs' win against Siena has really helped their seeding. 

Northern Iowa had a big win over Old Dominion in the BracketBuster to help its seeding.

No. 6 Seeds

Texas A&M, Richmond (A-10), Gonzaga (WCC), Texas

Texas A&M has won five of its last six and is in third place in the Big 12.

Richmond has won eight straight games to take a half-game lead in the A-10. The Spiders play a huge game at Xavier next Sunday. 

Gonzaga's magic number for a regular season WCC championship is one. 

Texas continues to struggle. The Longhorns barely got past Texas Tech on Saturday. 

No. 7 Seeds

Maryland, Xavier, UTEP (C-USA), Oklahoma State

Maryland has won three straight games. Late game heroics got it past Georgia Tech. The Terps are now in second place in the ACC. 

Xavier is in third place in the A-10. The Musketeers have won three straight games. 

UTEP has a 10-game winning streak. The Miners have a one-game lead on Memphis, who they already beat in January. 

Oklahoma State has won three straight games following its three-game slide. The latest of these wins against Baylor was the most important for the Cowboys. 

No. 8 Seeds

Florida State, Illinois, Missouri, Baylor

Florida State has won three of its last four. 

Illinois lost back-to-back games this past week. The Fighting Illini need to win their next two games against Michigan and Minnesota.

Missouri has won back-to-back games. The Tigers are in fourth place in the Big 12. 

Baylor's three-game winning streak ended with an 82-75 loss at Oklahoma State

No. 9 Seeds

Wake Forest, Cal (Pac-10), Clemson, Virginia Tech

Wake Forest lost back-to-back games for the second time this season. The Demon Deacons are in desperate need of a win over UNC on Saturday.

Cal has a one-game lead on Arizona State in the Pac-10. The Pac-10 looks like it will almost definitely be a one-bid league this year. 

Clemson has won three straight games. The Tigers, who are 4-4 on the road, have to play three road games in their final four games of the regular season. 

Virginia Tech could not pull out a win at Duke. This loss ended a five-game winning streak. The Hokies are still in third place in the ACC and play a must win game at Boston College on Wednesday.

No. 10 Seeds

Florida, UNLV, Siena (MAAC), Louisville

Florida picked up a big win at Ole Miss on Saturday. 

UNLV ended a three-game slide with a win over Colorado State. UNLV might have to win its final three games (Texas Christian, @ Air Force, Wyoming) to stay an at-large team.

Siena really could have used a at Butler to move their seeding much farther up. The Saints finish a four-game road trip at Rider on Friday.

Louisville has come back with three straight wins, including wins over Syracuse and Notre Dame. The Cardinals are now in fifth place in the Big East. 

No. 11 Seeds

UAB, Memphis, Marquette, Georgia Tech

UAB is in third place in C-USA. The Blazers play two very winnable games against Central Florida and Houston before playing Memphis and UTEP to finish the regular season. 

Memphis has won four straight games and is in second place in C-USA. 

Marquette has won six out of its last seven. The Golden Eagles are in sixth place in the Big East.

Georgia Tech looked like a potential ACC champion early in the year, but now the Yellow Jackets are a bubble team. Georgia Tech's one road win in conference is over North Carolina, 73-71. 

No. 12 Seeds

St. Mary's, Rhode Island, Old Dominion, Utah State (WAC)

St. Mary's is one game out of first place in the WCC. The Gaels need to beat both Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount to stay in the bracket.

Rhode Island's three-game slide ended with a 101-75 win over Fordham. The Rams must win their next three games against Saint Bonaventure, Charlotte, and Massachusetts. 

Old Dominion's three-game winning streak ended with a loss at Northern Iowa. Old Dominion is still barely in the bracket.

Utah State has a 1.5 game lead on New Mexico State in the WAC. The Aggies are riding a 12-game winning streak.

No. 13 Seeds

Oakland (Summit), Murray State (OVC), Northeastern (CAA), Cornell (Ivy)

Oakland has won seven straight games and has won the regular season Summit championship. The Golden Grizzlies play IPFW in their final game of the season.

Murray State is tied with Butler for the nation's longest win streak at 17. Murray State has clinched first place in the OVC. The Racers undefeated season and win streak will be tested as they have to play tough games at Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky to finish the season.

Northeastern lost a heartbreaker to Louisiana Tech in the BracketBuster. The Huskies magic number for a regular season CAA title is two.

Cornell has a 1.5 game lead on Princeton. The Big Red play Princeton on Friday.

No. 14 Seeds

Charleston (SoCon), Weber State (Big Sky), Sam Houston State (Southland), Kent State (MAC)

Charleston beat George Mason 85-83 in the BracketBuster. The Cougars play a game for first place at Wofford on Thursday. A win would give them a regular season championship.

Weber State state has won four straight games to stretch its lead to 1.5 games over Northern Colorado. A Weber State win or a Northern Colorado loss gives the Wildcats the regular season title.

Sam Houston State had an 11-game winning streak snapped in overtime at Texas-San Antonio. The Bearkats magic number for a regular season championship is still one.

Kent State defeated Western Carolina in the BracketBuster. The Golden Flashes are tied with Akron, who they have already beaten, for first place. They don't play Akron again until the last game of the season.

No. 15 Seeds

Santa Barbara (Big West), Morgan State (MEAC), Troy (Sun Belt), Coastal Carolina (Big South)

Santa Barbara has won five straight games and has a half-game lead on Pacific in the Big West. 

Morgan State has lost two out of its last three. The Bears still have a multi-game lead on Delaware State, who they have beaten twice, with four games remaining.

Troy has won three straight games to move into first place in the Sun Belt.

Coastal Carolina can clinch a Big South regular season championship with a win over Liberty on Thursday.

No. 16 Seeds (Bucknell vs. Jackson State in Play-In Game)

Robert Morris (NEC), Campbell (A-Sun), Stony Brook (A-East), Bucknell (Patriot), Jackson State (SWAC)

Robert Morris lost to Quinnipiac on Saturday, but the Colonials are still in first place in the NEC.

Campbell is riding a six-game winning streak. The Camels finish the year with road games against Jacksonville and North Florida.

Stony Brook has nine straight wins. The Seawolves can clinch a regular season championship with a win over Vermont on Wednesday.

Bucknell has a four-game winning streak. 

Jackson State has won nine straight games to take a two-game lead in the SWAC. The Tigers' magic number for a conference championship is two.

Last Four In

Georgia Tech, St. Mary's, Rhode Island, Old Dominion

First Four Out

Ole Miss, Dayton, Charlotte, Mississippi State

Next Four Out

San Diego State, South Florida, UConn, Tulsa

Multi-Bid Conferences:

ACC—Seven

Big East—Seven

Big 12—Seven

Big 10—Five

A-10—Four

SEC—Four

C-USA—Three

MWC—Three

CAA—Two

WCC—Two

 

For more college basketball, follow Jesse Kramer on Twitter by clicking here.

March Madness Projections: Feb. 15

February 16th, 2010

We're four weeks from Selection Sunday, so here's my first attempt at March Madness Projections. Conference winners are in CAPS and have conference name next to them.


Midwest (1) vs West (4)
South (2) vs East (3)

Midwest (St. Louis)
Oklahoma City
1 KANSAS (Big 12) vs 16 STONY BROOK (America East)
8 Rhode Island vs 9 Clemson

Spokane
5 Wake Forest vs 12 CORNELL (Ivy)
4 Vanderbilt vs 13 UTEP (C-USA)

New Orleans
6 Texas A&M vs 11 Marquette
3 Wisconsin vs 14 OAKLAND (Summit)

Buffalo
7 NORTHERN IOWA (Missouri Valley) vs 10 Virginia Tech
2 West Virginia vs 15 CALIFORNIA-SANTA BARBARA (Big West)


West (Salt Lake City)
Buffalo
1 Syracuse vs 16 BELMONT (Atlantic Sun)
8 Missouri vs 9 Illinois

San Jose
5 BYU vs 12 Cincinnati
4 NEW MEXICO (Mountain West) vs 13 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (Southern)

New Orleans
6 Baylor vs 11 Dayton
3 Ohio State vs 14 WEBER STATE (Big Sky)

Milwaukee
7 Georgia Tech vs 10 Charlotte
2 PURDUE (Big Ten) vs 15 ARKANSAS STATE (Sun Belt)

 

South (Houston)
Milwaukee
1 KENTUCKY (SEC) vs 16 LEHIGH (Patriot)/JACKSON STATE (SWAC)
8 Maryland vs 9 Oklahoma State

San Jose
5 TEMPLE (Atlantic-10) vs 12 Florida
4 Texas vs 13 UTAH STATE (WAC)

Providence
6 Pittsburgh vs 11 OLD DOMINION (Colonial)
3 Georgetown vs 14 MORGAN STATE (MEAC)

Oklahoma City
7 Xavier vs 10 Mississippi
2 Kansas State vs 15 SAM HOUSTON STATE (Southland)


East (Syracuse)
Providence
1 VILLANOVA (Big East) vs 16 ROBERT MORRIS (Northeast)
8 Richmond vs 9 Florida State

Spokane
5 Tennessee vs 12 SIENA (Metro Atlantic)
4 GONZAGA (West Coast) vs 13 KENT STATE (MAC)

Jacksonville
6 BUTLER (Horizon) vs 11 Louisville
3 Michigan State vs 14 MURRAY STATE (Ohio Valley)

Jacksonville
7 UNLV vs 10 CALIFORNIA (Pac-10)
2 DUKE (ACC) vs 15 COASTAL CAROLINA (Big South)

Last Four In: Florida, Cincinnati, Dayton, Louisville
First Four Out: UAB, Mississippi State, Washington, St. Mary's



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