The Bracket Is Set!
The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee has released the official bracket for the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, and here's how it looks, courtesy of CBS Sports:
Showing posts with label Selection Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Selection Sunday. Show all posts
13 March, 2016
A Final Bubble Watch Before Selection Sunday
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| The NCAA Tournament gets underway this week with the First Four on Wednesday in Dayton. First round action starts the following day. |
Peter Solari Follow @4PeteSakeNY
Over the past couple of weeks, The Monday Morning Quarterback has examined the resumes of potential NCAA Tournament teams who find themselves on the bubble. With selection Sunday upon us, today we will present the updated resumes of all those teams, as well as a couple of other schools whose fates now lie in the hands of the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
We will re-examine the tournament resumes of four teams previously discussed on this site (Monmouth, Valparaiso, Wichita State, George Washington) and a couple of other mid-majors who were favored to win their respective leagues' automatic bids, but stumbled in their conference tournaments, like Saint Mary's and perhaps even Arkansas-Little Rock.
Arkansas-Little Rock still controls their own destiny. They're the top seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, and they're set to play second seeded Louisiana-Lafayette in Sunday's final. However, the Trojans were being seriously discussed as an at-large team until they lost their regular season finale to a bad Appalachian State team, and should they stumble in the Sun Belt championship game, their future will be uncertain, and they'll definitely be on the bubble.
We will also take a look at the Saint Bonaventure Bonnies, who according to most projections, will be in the tournament. However, their case isn't as cut-and-dry as some are making it out to be. They could very well get in on selection Sunday, but they aren't a lock just yet.
Finally, we'll take a look a school who isn't getting talked about much these days, if at all, though they probably should be. Hofstra is a long-shot to get into the big dance, but there have been some rumblings amongst Pride fans, so we'll take a look at them too.
Arkansas-Little Rock still controls their own destiny. They're the top seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, and they're set to play second seeded Louisiana-Lafayette in Sunday's final. However, the Trojans were being seriously discussed as an at-large team until they lost their regular season finale to a bad Appalachian State team, and should they stumble in the Sun Belt championship game, their future will be uncertain, and they'll definitely be on the bubble.
We will also take a look at the Saint Bonaventure Bonnies, who according to most projections, will be in the tournament. However, their case isn't as cut-and-dry as some are making it out to be. They could very well get in on selection Sunday, but they aren't a lock just yet.
Finally, we'll take a look a school who isn't getting talked about much these days, if at all, though they probably should be. Hofstra is a long-shot to get into the big dance, but there have been some rumblings amongst Pride fans, so we'll take a look at them too.
This post won't include any analysis or opinion. We will just present the raw data on each team so you, the readers, can stack them up side by side, and make your own decisions. Here are eight schools that could find themselves on the bubble this selection Sunday. All statistics were compiled from Real Time RPI.
Monmouth Hawks: 27-7 (17-3 1st, MAAC), RPI: 53, SOS: 166, Coach: King Rice
Monmouth Hawks: 27-7 (17-3 1st, MAAC), RPI: 53, SOS: 166, Coach: King Rice
NCAA Tournament teams
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W @ UCLA (RPI: 103)
- W VS USC (RPI: 51) - Neutral site
- W VS #17 Notre Dame (RPI: 33) - Neutral site
- W @ Siena (RPI: 106)
- W VS Siena (RPI: 106)
- W @ Georgetown (RPI: 104)
- L @ USC (RPI: 51)
- L VS Dayton (RPI: 19) - Neutral site
- W @ Iona (RPI: 78)
- L VS Iona (RPI: 78)
- L VS Iona (RPI: 78) - MAAC Final
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Canisius (RPI: 222)
- L @ Army (RPI: 212)
- L @ Manhattan (RPI: 226)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 1-1
- VS RPI 51-100: 2-3
- VS RPI 101-150: 7-0
- VS RPI 151-199: 1-0
- VS RPI 200+: 16-3
- Current Projections:
- Joe Lunardi, ESPN:
- Last four in (South Carolina, Temple, San Diego State)
- East Region: #11 Monmouth VS #11 Temple (First Four) - Dayton, OH
- Winner to face #6 Seton Hall in Brooklyn, NY
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports:
- Last four in (Wichita State, Temple, Syracuse)
- West Region: #11 Monmouth VS #11 Syracuse - Dayton, OH
- Winner to face #6 Baylor in Des Moines, IA
- Peter J. Solari, The Monday Morning Quarterback:
- IN
Valparaiso Crusaders: 26-6 (16-2 1st, Horizon), RPI: 50, SOS: 162, Coach: Bryce Drew
Valparaiso Crusaders: 26-6 (16-2 1st, Horizon), RPI: 50, SOS: 162, Coach: Bryce Drew
NCAA Tournament teams
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W @ Oregon State (RPI: 34)
- W VS IPFW (RPI: 69)
- W VS Iona (RPI: 78) - Neutral site
- W @ Rhode Island (RPI: 117)
- W VS Belmont (RPI: 94)
- L @ Belmont (RPI: 94)
- W @ Oakland (RPI: 118)
- W VS Oakland (RPI: 118)
- L @ Oregon (RPI: 3)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Ball State (RPI: 157)
- L VS Wright State (RPI: 147)
- L @ Wright State (RPI: 147)
Wichita State Shockers: 24-8 (16-2, 1st MVC), RPI: 46, SOS: 105, Coach: Gregg Marshall
Wichita State Shockers: 24-8 (16-2, 1st MVC), RPI: 46, SOS: 105, Coach: Gregg Marshall
NCAA Tournament teams
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
Teams on the bubble
Teams on the bubble
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS #25 Utah (RPI: 6) - Neutral site
- W @ Evansville (RPI: 93)
- W VS Evansville (RPI: 93)
- W @ Northern Iowa (RPI: 68)
- L VS Northern Iowa (RPI: 68)
- L VS Northern Iowa (RPI: 68) - Missouri Valley tournament.
- L @ Tulsa (RPI: 61)
- L VS USC (RPI: 51) - Neutral site
- L VS Iowa (RPI: 28) - Neutral site
- L VS Alabama (RPI: 73)
- L @ Seton Hall (RPI: 23)
- Season Lowlights:
- L @ Illinois State (RPI: 117)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 1-2
- VS RPI 51-100: 3-5
- VS RPI 101-150: 6-1
- VS RPI 151-199: 2-0
- VS RPI 200+: 11-0
- VS Division II Teams: 1-0
- Current Projections:
- Joe Lunardi, ESPN:
- South Region: #9 Wichita State VS #8 USC - St. Louis, MO
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports:
- Last four in (Temple, Monmouth, Syracuse)
- Midwest Region: #11 Wichita State VS #11 Temple (First Four) - Dayton, OH
- Winner to face #6 Iowa State in St. Louis, MO
- Peter J. Solari, The Monday Morning Quarterback:
- IN
George Washington Colonials: 23-10 (11-7, 5th A10) RPI: 67, SOS: 99, Coach: Mike Lonergan
George Washington Colonials: 23-10 (11-7, 5th A10) RPI: 67, SOS: 99, Coach: Mike Lonergan
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
*[Note: VCU and Saint Joseph's will meet in the A10 championship game Sunday.]
*[Note: VCU and Saint Joseph's will meet in the A10 championship game Sunday.]
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS #6 Virginia (RPI: 2)
- W VS Seton Hall (RPI: 23)
- W @ VCU (RPI: 42)
- L VS VCU (RPI: 41)
- L @ Dayton (RPI: 19)
- L VS Saint Joseph's (RPI: 27)
- L VS Saint Joseph's (RPI: 27) - A10 Tournament
- L @ Saint Bonaventure (RPI: 30)
- L VS Cincinnati (RPI: 47) - Neutral Site
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ St. Louis (RPI: 203)
- L @ DePaul (RPI: 197)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 3-6
- VS RPI 51-100: 1-1
- VS RPI 101-150: 4-1
- VS RPI 151-199: 6-1
- VS RPI 200+: 9-1
- Current Projections:
- Joe Lunardi, ESPN:
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports:
- First four out (Vanderbilt, San Diego State, Saint Mary's)
- Peter J. Solari, The Monday Morning Quarterback:
- OUT
Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans: 27-4 (17-3, 1st Sun Belt) RPI: 49, SOS: 248, Coach: Chris Beard
NCAA Tournament teams
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
Teams on the bubble
*[Note: The Trojans will play in the Sun Belt championship game Sunday. Should they lose, they will find themselves on this very bubble.]
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
Teams on the bubble
*[Note: The Trojans will play in the Sun Belt championship game Sunday. Should they lose, they will find themselves on this very bubble.]
- Schedule Highlights:
- W @ San Diego State (RPI: 32)
- W @ Tulsa (RPI: 61)
- W @ Texas-Arlington (RPI: 97)
- W VS Texas-Arlington (RPI: 97)
- L @ Texas Tech (RPI: 35)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Arkansas State (RPI: 283)
- L @ Appalachian State (RPI: 258)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 1-1
- VS RPI 51-100: 3-0
- VS RPI 101-150: 1-1
- VS RPI 151-199: 5-0
- VS RPI 200+: 15-2
- VS Division III: 1-0
- VS NAIA: 1-0
- Current Projections:
- Joe Lunardi, ESPN:
- South Region: #12 Arkansas-Little Rock (AUTO-BID) VS #5 Iowa State - Oklahoma City, OK
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports:
- Midwest Region: #12 Arkansas Little Rock (AUTO-BID) VS #5 Texas A and M - Oklahoma City, OK
- Peter J. Solari, The Monday Morning Quarterback:
- IN if they win Sunday, just barely OUT if they lose
Saint Mary's Gaels: 27-5 (15-3, T-1st West Coast Conference) RPI: 37, SOS: 148, Coach: Randy Bennett
NCAA Tournament teams
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
Teams on the bubble
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
Teams on the bubble
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS Stanford (RPI: 84)
- W VS UC-Irvine (RPI: 75)
- W VS Brigham Young (RPI: 76)
- L @ Brigham Young (RPI: 76)
- W @ Gonzaga (RPI: 43)
- W VS Gonzaga (RPI: 43)
- L VS Gonzaga (RPI: 43)
- W VS Grand Canyon (RPI: 91)
- L @ California (RPI: 15)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Pepperdine (RPI: 130)
- W VS Pepperdine (RPI: 127)
- W VS Pepperdine (RPI: 127) - WCC Tournament
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 2-2
- VS RPI 51-100: 4-1
- VS RPI 101-150: 2-2
- VS RPI 151-199: 0-0
- VS RPI 200+: 18-0
- Current Projections:
- Joe Lunardi, ESPN:
- First four out (Michigan, Vanderbilt, Syracuse)
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports:
- First four out (Vanderbilt, San Diego State, George Washington)
- Peter J. Solari, The Monday Morning Quarterback:
- OUT
Hofstra Pride: 24-9 (14-4, T-1st CAA) RPI: 55, SOS: 106, Coach: Joe Mihalich
*The Trojans will play in the Sun Belt championship game. Should they lose, they will find themselves on this very bubble.
NCAA Tournament teams
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
Teams on the bubble
- Schedule Highlights:
- W @ Saint Bonaventure (RPI: 30)
- W VS Florida State (RPI: 79)
- W @ William and Mary (RPI: 64)
- W VS William and Mary (RPI: 64)
- W @ UNC-Wilmington (RPI: 44)
- L VS UNC-Wilmington (RPI: 44)
- L VS UNC-Wilmington (RPI: 44) - CAA Finals
- L VS South Carolina (RPI: 62)
- L @ Stony Brook (RPI: 65)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L VS Indiana State (RPI: 172)L @ College of Charleston (RPI: 135)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 2-2
- VS RPI 51-100: 4-2
- VS RPI 101-150: 3-4
- VS RPI 151-199: 4-1
- VS RPI 200+: 10-0
- Current Projections:
Saint Bonaventure Bonnies: 22-8 (14-4, T-1st A10) RPI: 30, SOS: 78, Coach: Mark Schmidt
NCAA Tournament teams
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
Teams on the bubble
*[Note: VCU and Saint Joseph's will meet in the A10 championship game Sunday.]
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS Davidson (RPI: 57)
- L VS Davidson (RPI: 57) - A10 Tournament
- W @ Saint Joseph's (RPI: 27)
- W VS Saint Joseph's (RPI: 27)
- W @ Dayton (RPI: 19)
- L VS Dayton (RPI: 19)
- W VS George Washington (RPI: 67)
- W VS Ohio (RPI: 80)
- L @ Syracuse (RPI: 70)
- L VS Hofstra (RPI: 55)
- L @ VCU (RPI: 41)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ LaSalle (RPI: 232)
- L @ Duquesne (RPI: 161)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 3-2
- VS RPI 51-100: 4-3
- VS RPI 101-150: 3-1
- VS RPI 151-199: 5-1
- VS RPI 200+: 7-1
- Current Projections:
- Joe Lunardi, ESPN:
- East Region #10 Saint Bonaventure VS #7 Notre Dame - Brooklyn, NY
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports:
- West Region: #9 Saint Bonaventure VS #8 Texas Tech - Spokane, WA
- Peter J. Solari, The Monday Morning Quarterback:
- IN
BUBBLE TEAMS: PAST VS PRESENT
Just for fun, and in case you're looking for something to compare these resumes to, here are the NCAA Tournament resumes of four mid-major teams from the past, who earned at-large bids to the big dance, some of whom, made the most of their opportunities. Hopefully, this will help put into context what many of these bubble teams are facing Sunday, as well as help the readers understand just what it takes for a mid-major program to receive an at-large bid to the most popular tournament in the world. A number of these teams were featured in our two-part series, "Monmouth On The Bubble Part II: How The Hawks Stack Up Historically." Check it out if you haven't done so already. If you have, you should go read it again. The below statistics were compiled from Real Time RPI, unless otherwise noted.
2012-13 Wichita State Shockers: 26-8 (12-6, 2nd Missouri Valley), RPI: 37, SOS: 91, Coach: Gregg Marshall, NCAA Tournament: #9 Seed
NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS #12 Creighton (RPI: 24)
- L @ Creighton (RPI: 24)
- L VS. Creighton (RPI: 24) - Conference final
- W @ VCU (RPI: 25)
- W VS Iowa (RPI: 81) - Neutral site
- W @ Air Force (RPI: 79)
- W VS Southern Mississippi (RPI: 31)
- W VS Northern Iowa (RPI: 83)
- L @ Northern Iowa (RPI: 83)
- W @ Indiana State (RPI: 72)
- L VS Indiana State (RPI: 72)
- W VS Detroit (RPI: 64)
- L @ Tennessee (RPI: 59)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Southern Illinois (RPI: 193)
- Summary
- VS Top 50 RPI: 3-2
- VS RPI 51-100: 5-3
- VS RPI 101-150: 6-2
- VS RPI 151-199: 5-1
- VS RPI 200+: 7-0
- NCAA Tournament, #9 Seed (All neutral site games):
- Round of 64 W VS #8 Pittsburgh
- Round of 32: W VS # 1 Gonzaga
- Sweet 16: W VS #13 LaSalle
- Elite Eight: W VS #2 Ohio State
- Final Four: L VS #1 Louisville
2011-12 Iona Gaels: 25-7 (15-3 1st, MAAC), RPI: 40, SOS: 145, Coach: Tim Cluess, NCAA Tournament: #14 Seed (First Four)
NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS Maryland (RPI: 105) - Neutral site
- W VS Saint Joseph's (RPI: 69)
- W VS Long Island (RPI: 80)
- W @ Denver (RPI: 93)
- W VS Nevada (RPI: 67)
- W @ Vermont (RPI: 135)
- W VS Loyola-Maryland (RPI: 78)
- L @ Loyola-Maryland (RPI: 78)
- L VS Purdue (RPI: 47) - Neutral site
- L @ Marshall (RPI: 44)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Hofstra (RPI: 254)
- L @ Siena (RPI: 223)
- L VS Manhattan (RPI: 148)
- L VS Fairfield (RPI: 114) - MAAC Tournament
- Summary
- VS Top 50 RPI: 0-2
- VS RPI 51-100: 5-1
- VS RPI 101-150: 6-2
- VS RPI 151-199: 2-0
- VS RPI 200+: 12-2
- NCAA Tournament, #14 Seed (First Four) [All neutral site games]:
- First Four: L VS #14 Brigham Young
2010-11 VCU Rams: 23-11 (12-6, 4th CAA), RPI: 49, SOS: 85, Coach: Shaka Smart, NCAA Tournament: #11 Seed (First Four)
NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W @ UCLA (RPI: 44)
- W @ Wichita State: (RPI: 60)
- W VS #25 George Mason (RPI: 24) - CAA Tournament
- L VS George Mason (RPI: 24)
- W @ Old Dominion (RPI: 20)
- L VS Old Dominion (RPI: 20)
- L VS Old Dominion (RPI: 20) - CAA Tournament
- W VS Wofford (RPI: 109)
- W @ UAB (RPI: 31)
- W @ Drexel (RPI: 74)
- W VS Drexel (RPI: 74) - CAA Tournament
- L VS Tennessee (RPI: 33)
- L @ Richmond (RPI: 41)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Georgia State (RPI: 223)
- L @ Northeastern (RPI: 178)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 3-6
- VS RPI 51-100: 5-2
- VS RPI 101-150: 2-0
- VS RPI: 151-199: 1-2
- VS RPI 200+: 12-1
- NCAA Tournament, #11 Seed (All neutral site games):
- First Four: W VS #11 USC
- Round of 64: W VS #6 Georgetown
- Round of 32: W VS #3 Purdue
- Sweet 16: W VS #10 Florida State
- Elite Eight: W VS #1 Kansas
- Final Four: L VS #8 Butler
2010-11 George Mason Patriots: 26-6 (16-2, 1st CAA), RPI: 24, SOS: 91, Coach: Jim Larranaga, NCAA Tournament: #8 Seed
NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS Harvard (RPI: 35)
- W @ Dayton (RPI: 70)
- W VS Old Dominion (RPI: 20)
- L @ Old Dominion (RPI: 20)
- W @ VCU (RPI: 49)
- L VS VCU (RPI: 49)
- W VS Drexel (RPI: 74)
- W VS Hofstra (RPI: 86)
- L @ Hofstra (RPI: 86)
- W @ James Madison (RPI: 88)
- W VS James Madison (RPI: 88)
- L VS Wofford (RPI: 109)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L VS North Carolina State (RPI: 125)
- Summary
- VS Top 50 RPI: 3-2
- VS RPI 51-100: 4-2
- VS RPI 101-150: 6-2
- VS RPI 151-199: 4-0
- VS RPI 200+: 9-0
- NCAA Tournament, #8 Seed (All neutral site games):
- Round of 64 W VS #9 Villanova
- Round of 32: L VS # 1 Ohio State
2008-09 Butler Bulldogs: 26-5 (15-3, 1st Horizon League), RPI: 24, SOS: 96, Coach: Brad Stevens, NCAA Tournament: #9 Seed
NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS Northwestern (RPI: 78)
- W @ Xavier (RPI: 17)
- W VS Evansville (RPI: 96)
- W @ Cleveland State (RPI: 52)
- W VS Cleveland State (RPI: 52)
- L VS Cleveland State (RPI: 52) - Horizon Tournament
- W @ Bradley (RPI: 98)
- W @ Davidson (RPI: 69)
- W @ Wright State (RPI: 93)
- W VS Wright State (RPI: 93)
- W VS Wright State (RPI: 93) - Horizon Tournament
- W VS Wisconsin-Green Bay (RPI: 71)
- L @ Wisconsin-Green Bay (RPI: 71)
- L @ Ohio State (RPI: 32)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L VS Loyola-Chicago (RPI: 214)
- L @ Wisconsin-Milwaukee (RPI: 134)
- Summary
- VS Top 50 RPI: 2-1
- VS RPI 51-100: 10-2
- VS RPI 101-150: 1-1
- VS RPI 151-199: 3-0
- VS RPI 200+: 9-1
- VS NAIA: 1-0
- NCAA Tournament, #8 Seed (All neutral site games):
- Round of 64 L VS #8 LSU
2006-07 Butler Bulldogs: 27-6 (13-3, 1st Horizon League), RPI: 27, SOS: 110, Coach: Todd Lickliter, NCAA Tournament: #5 Seed
NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W @ Notre Dame (RPI: 31)
- W VS Indiana (RPI: 28)
- W VS Kent State (RPI: 87)
- W VS Wright State (RPI: 73)
- L @ Wright State (RPI: 73)
- L @ Wright State (RPI: 73) - Horizon Tournament
- W @ Tennessee (RPI: 13)
- W VS Gonzaga (RPI: 60)
- W VS Purdue (RPI: 44)
- L VS Southern Illinois (RPI: 7)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Illinois-Chicago (RPI: 162)
- L @ Indiana State (RPI: 139)
- Summary
- VS Top 50 RPI: 4-1
- VS RPI 51-100: 3-2
- VS RPI 101-150: 4-2
- VS RPI 151-199: 8-1
- VS RPI 200+: 6-0
- VS Division II: 2-0
- NCAA Tournament, #5 Seed (All neutral site games):
- Round of 64: W VS #12 Old Dominion
- Round of 32: W VS #4 Maryland
- Sweet 16: L VS #1 Florida
2005-06 George Mason Patriots: 23-7 (15-3, T-1st CAA), RPI: 27, SOS: 89, Coach: Jim Larranaga, NCAA: #11 Seed
NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W @ Wichita State (RPI: 19)
- W VS UNC-Wilmington (RPI: 28)
- L @ UNC-Wilmington (RPI: 28)
- W VS Old Dominion (RPI: 66)
- L @ Old Dominion (RPI: 66)
- W VS VCU (RPI: 81)
- W @ VCU (RPI: 81)
- W @ Manhattan (RPI: 86)
- W @ Northeastern (RPI: 89)
- W VS Northeastern (89)
- W VS Hampton (RPI: 284)
- L VS #18 Wake Forest (RPI: 84)
- L VS Creighton (RPI: 41)
- L @ Hofstra (RPI: 22)
- L VS Hofstra (RPI: 22) - CAA Tournament
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Mississippi State (RPI: 113)
- Summary
- VS RPI Top 50: 2-4
- VS RPI 51-100: 6-2
- VS RPI 101-150: 2-1
- VS RPI 151-199: 2-0
- VS RPI 200+: 11-0
- NCAA Tournament, #11 Seed (All neutral site games):
- Round of 64: W VS #6 Michigan State
- Round of 32: W VS #3 North Carolina
- Sweet 16: W VS #7 Wichita State
- Elite Eight: W VS #1 Connecticut
- Final Four: L VS #3 Florida
1999-2000 Pepperdine Waves: 24-8 (12-2, 1st West Coast Conference), RPI: 52, SOS: 137, Coach: Jan van Breda Kolff, NCAA Tournament: #11 Seed
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS Fresno State (RPI: 25)
- W VS Long Beach State (RPI: 70)
- W VS Louisiana-Lafayette (RPI: 66) - Neutral site
- W VS Gonzaga (RPI: 35)
- L @ Gonzaga (RPI: 35)
- L VS Gonzaga (RPI: 35) WCC Tournament final
- L VS UNC-Charlotte (RPI: 57)
- L @ Kansas (RPI: 17)
- L VS Auburn (RPI: 33) - Neutral site
- L @ UCLA (RPI: 28)
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ Pacific (RPI: 247)
- L @ San Diego (RPI: 109)
- W VS San Diego (RPI: 109)
- Summary
- VS Top 50 RPI: 2-5
- VS RPI 51-100: 2-1
- VS RPI 101-150: 8-1
- VS RPI 151-199: 1-0
- VS RPI 200+: 11-1
- NCAA Tournament, #11 Seed (All neutral site games):
- Round of 64: W VS #6 Indiana
- Round of 32: L VS #3 Oklahoma State
1994-95 Manhattan Jaspers: 25-4 (12-2, 1st MAAC), RPI: 50, SOS: 200, Coach: Fran Fraschilla, NCAA Tournament: #13 seed.
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS Eastern Michigan (RPI: 69)
- W @ Florida International (RPI: 227)W VS Colgate (RPI: 122)
- W VS Rutgers (RPI: 104)
- W VS St. Peter's (RPI: 100)
- W @ St. Peter's (RPI: 100)
- L VS St. Peter's (RPI 100)
- W @ Canisius (RPI: 88)
- L VS Canisius (RPI: 88)
- L VS #25 St. John's (RPI: 78)
- Season Lowlights:
- L @ Iona (RPI: 254)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 0-0
- VS RPI 51-100: 4-3
- VS RPI 101-150: 4-0
- VS RPI 151-199: 5-0
- VS RPI 200+: 12-1
- NCAA Tournament, #13 Seed:
- Round of 64: W VS #4 Oklahoma
- Round of 32: L VS #5 Arizona State
It's important to remember that every season is different, every bubble is different, and every selection committee is different. This shouldn't be taken as gospel. If anything, think of this more as a point of reference. In reality, however, it's just fun to compare teams from the past with their present-day counterparts. Obviously nothing is set-in-stone. You can see significant disparagies between the teams we've highlighted, but all of them made the tourney, anyway. At the very least, you'll probably be able to make a strong historical argument for any of this year's bubble teams, based on their counterparts from seasons past.
The selection show is set to air on CBS at 5:30 PM eastern time. This year's show will be expanded to two hours; up from hour in previous years, which means not only will the brackets finally be revealed, and all our questions be answered, but after two weeks of non-stop speculation, we'll be saddled with plenty of analysis of that very speculation.
Enjoy it, everyone. The madness is just getting started.
12 March, 2016
Big East Semis From The Garden, A10 Quarterfinals At Barclays, And GW On The Bubble
March 12, 2016
Peter Solari Follow @4PeteSakeNY
New York - Before we get to the A10 and Big East tournaments, have a look at Friday's shot of the day, courtesy on UConn's Jalen Adams against Cincinnati in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Orlando, Florida. It looked like the Bearcats were on their way to a hard-fought victory when Kevin Johnson hit a three-pointer with less than a second left in the third overtime, which put Cincinnati up 88-85. With 0.8 seconds left, the Huskies inbounded the ball to Adams, who heaved it about 60 feet, from beyond half court, for a miraculous three that sent the game into a fourth overtime. Check out the video, courtesy of ESPN. This is why they call it March madness:
Peter Solari Follow @4PeteSakeNY
New York - Before we get to the A10 and Big East tournaments, have a look at Friday's shot of the day, courtesy on UConn's Jalen Adams against Cincinnati in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament in Orlando, Florida. It looked like the Bearcats were on their way to a hard-fought victory when Kevin Johnson hit a three-pointer with less than a second left in the third overtime, which put Cincinnati up 88-85. With 0.8 seconds left, the Huskies inbounded the ball to Adams, who heaved it about 60 feet, from beyond half court, for a miraculous three that sent the game into a fourth overtime. Check out the video, courtesy of ESPN. This is why they call it March madness:
UConn (22-10) outscored Cincinnati (22-10) 16-9 in the fourth and final overtime, and escaped with a 104-97 victory. The Huskies will play top seeded Temple (21-10) in Saturday's semifinal. Daniel Hamilton led the way for the sixth-seeded Huskies with 32 points, while Adams chipped in 22. Cincinnati Troy Caupain had a career and game high 37 points for the fourth-seeded Bearcats. For complete coverage of this game, check out The Score.
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Game recap from The Score
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In the first semifinal of the 2016 Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Providence (23-10) gave Villanova (29-4) a run for their money, but at the end of the day, the top-seeded Wildcats, ranked #3 in AP Top 25 (#2 in the USA Today Coaches Poll), proved too much for the fourth-seeded Friars. Villanova clawed their way to a 76-68 victory and move on to Saturday's Big East final, where they will meet Seton Hall, who knocked off Xavier, #5 in both the Top 25 and Coaches Polls, for the second time in the last two weeks. Seton Hall walloped Xavier 90-81 on February 28th in Newark, New Jersey.
This is a pretty big upset, but not if you ask Pirates coach Kevin Willard or Seton Hall's fans. Seton Hall has flown under the radar for most of the season, but they're certainly capable of doing some damage in the NCAA Tournament, which they will undoubtedly make, regardless of Saturday's outcome.
This is a pretty big upset, but not if you ask Pirates coach Kevin Willard or Seton Hall's fans. Seton Hall has flown under the radar for most of the season, but they're certainly capable of doing some damage in the NCAA Tournament, which they will undoubtedly make, regardless of Saturday's outcome.
Here's a look at all of Friday's semifinal action from The Garden. All scores and game recaps are brought to you by The Score.
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| Game recap from The Score |
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| Game recap from The Score |
Friday's semifinals featured the Big East's four best teams and they showed us why. We were treated to some great action from some really good teams. None of them will have to sweat it out on selection Sunday as they are all locks to make the field of 68. Saturday's final could have implications on potential seeding, however.
Tip-off for Saturday's Big East championship game between Villanova and Seton Hall is set for 5:30 PM at Madison Square Garden. This will be Seton Hall's first Big East championship game appearance since 1993, when the top-seeded Pirates schalacked third-seeded Syracuse 103-70.
On Saturday, Seton Hall will be looking for some magic, in order to beat their second top five team in as many days. However, they are riding an incredible wave of momentum, and they're playing their best basketball of the season. And they're confident, too, so don't count them out just yet.
Saturday's game will be televised nationally by Fox. This will be the first time since 1995 that the Big East championship game will air on broadcast television.
On Saturday, Seton Hall will be looking for some magic, in order to beat their second top five team in as many days. However, they are riding an incredible wave of momentum, and they're playing their best basketball of the season. And they're confident, too, so don't count them out just yet.
Saturday's game will be televised nationally by Fox. This will be the first time since 1995 that the Big East championship game will air on broadcast television.
A10 Down To Their Final Four
The quarterfinals of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship at Barclays Center are in the books and like the Big East, there weren't many surprises. Top seeded Dayton (25-6) took care of ninth-seeded Richmond (16-16), and second-seeded VCU (23-9) dominated tenth seeded UMass (14-18). Sixth seeded Davidson (20-11) was the only underdog to win in Brooklyn Friday, knocking off third-seeded Saint Bonaventure (22-8) in the evening's final game. This could certainly be considered an upset, but it isn't terribly surprising to anyone familiar with the Davidson program.
The Wildcats are a very good team that has kind of gotten lost in the shuffle of a pretty deep A10 this year. Nobody was talking about them making the NCAA Tournament heading into the league championship, but if they make a run and win the conference's automatic bid, things could get pretty interesting on the bubble.
Also, keep on eye on where the projections for Saint Bonaventure go from here. A loss to a 20-win team with an RPI of 63, like Davidson, shouldn't be a killer for the Bonnies, but you really never know.
In what was the tournament's most interesting game of the day, fourth seeded Saint Joseph's (25-7) overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to knock off fifth seeded George Washington (23-10). The victory was St. Joe's coach Phil Martelli's 400th of his career. Martelli is in his 21st season as the Hawks' head coach.
Here are all Friday's scores and game recaps from Brooklyn, brought to you courtesy of The Score:
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| Game recap from The Score |
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| Game recap from The Score |
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| Game recap from The Score |
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| Game recap from The Score |
In their latest projections, bracketologists Joe Lunardi from ESPN, and Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, both have Dayton, VCU, Saint Bonaventure, and Saint Joseph's in their fields of 68. Palm has George Washington included as well, but Lunardi doesn't.
George Washington coach Mike Lonergan said he was confident his team would be in the tournament after their win over Saint Louis (11-21) on Thursday, but not everyone agrees. With GW squarely on the bubble, let's take a look at their resume and see if they've got enough to get into the big dance. All of these statistics were compiled by RealTimeRPI and are reflective of the timing of this post.
George Washington Colonials: 23-10 (11-7, 5th A10) RPI: 61, SOS: 110, Coach: Mike Lonergan
Expected NCAA Tournament teams
- Schedule Highlights:
- W VS #6 Virginia (RPI: 2)
- W VS Seton Hall (RPI: 28)
- W @ VCU (RPI: 42)
- L VS VCU (RPI: 42)
- W VS Penn State (RPI: 117
- W VS Tennessee (RPI: 136) - Neutral site
- L @ Dayton (RPI: 18)
- L VS Saint Joseph's (RPI: 32)
- L VS Saint Joseph's (RPI: 32) - A10 Tournament
- L @ Saint Bonaventure (RPI: 25)
- L VS Cincinnati (RPI: 40) - Neutral Site
- Schedule Lowlights:
- L @ St. Louis (RPI: 203)
- L @ DePaul (RPI: 197)
- Summary:
- VS RPI Top 50: 3-6
- VS RPI 51-100: 1-1
- VS RPI 101-150: 4-1
- VS RPI 151-199: 6-1
- VS RPI 200+: 9-1
- Current Projections:
- Joe Lunardi, ESPN:
- Out
- Jerry Palm, CBS Sports:
- Last four in
- West Region: #11 GW VS #11 Tulsa (First Four) - Dayton, OH
- Winner to face #6 Iowa State in Raleigh, NC
The Colonials have quietly put together a pretty strong resume. The victory over Virginia and Seton Hall are huge wins. Winning in Richmond over VCU isn't too shabby either. However, at this point, GW appears just a little short of an NCAA Tournament bid. Another win over one of the A10's top four teams could have really solidified their chances. The Colonials were in a position to do just that on Friday against Saint Joseph's, but they blew a golden opportunity that could cost them mightily. A win over a top-50 team like Saint Joe's could have given GW a real boost, but instead, they'll have to sweat it out Sunday, and it wouldn't be all that surprising if the Colonials' bubble bursts.
By now, you're probably aware that the madness of March, doesn't wait for selection Sunday to commence. And we've still got two more days of this, before all of our questions will finally be answered. Bear with me, my friends. We're almost there.
