College basketball 2009-10 running thread No. 1

Someone made the point that the 8-9 game seems to match average/fading major teams, so I'm guessing that's where Texas is going to slot. They're definitely in, though it's amazing to see them fade the way they have after spending time at No. 1.

And C-USA fucked things up further today with UAB and Memphis losing. Either had a reasonable case for an at-large. Now the only way you're getting multiple bids out of that conference is by UTEP not winning the tournament. That, combined with Arizona State's imminent departure from the Pac-10 tourney, gives life to teams you wouldn't think warrant it, such as Minnesota and St. Louis.

 

Except if they win the Big 10 tourney, does it prove that they're a top-line team even if he's out? And is Onuaku's injury enough to make the committee give Syracuse the Kenyon Martin demotion?

Cincy's down 3 with a minute left. If they rally, then win tomorrow, does that get them in?

 

My wife is a BU grad. Watching this game with her tonight is like watching a Cubs game with me.

 

I could see Purdue getting consideration if they look impressive throughout the Big Ten tournament. Before Hummel went down they were a guaranteed number one seed in my mind. And as for Syracuse, Onuaku's MRI results could certainly change their seed if he's out for good.

Edit: And now Cinci is officially done. Damn, that's a tough way to lose one.

 

Man is Butler clutch.

Still, you're up 18-4 and need a buzzer beater to win it ... yep, this game was pretty much WVU's season in a nutshell.

 

I don't trust West Virginia any further than I can throw them. They will fuck up plenty of people's brackets in the coming weeks.

 

George Mason is going to the dance! The one they hold for the homeschoolers in some church's basement because they don't have their own prom to go to. Which is the roundabout way of saying they accepted a bid to the CIT, where they'll host a first round game ... but go on the road for any other games because the circus is in town.

 

The Big East tournament might be filled with upsets, but beating a couple more NCAA tournament teams to win it ought to count for something. Even with Syracuse, Villanova and Pitt losing, West Virginia still might go through three tougher opponents (Cincy, Notre Dame, Marquette/Georgetown) than Duke (Virginia, Virginia Tech/Miami, Maryland) this weekend to win a conference tournament.

 

ASU's loss coupled with UW's win has bubbly significance. But from what I've seen, neither would go far in the NCAA's. IF Pondexter is playing with the back end of the flu, and could play much better in the tourney, UW might surprise a team or two. First, better beat Stanford tonight.

 

Reminder, if you're a huge brackets nerd: NCAA.com has a Selection Sunday contest where you try to correctly fill out the bracket before it's released Sunday night. One point if you pick a team that makes the tournament, two more points if you get the right seed, three more on top of that if you get it in the right region.


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Memphis is 23-9. To lazy to look up other schools, but if you go 23-9 and don't make the tourney, maybe the idea of adding another round to the Big Dance is not a bad idea.

 

23-9, but most of those 23 came against lesser competition. Their best wins, such as they are, came against Oakland, UAB (twice), IUPUI and @Marshall. They lost to UMass and @SMU, and they were one and done in the C-USA tourney. Bubble's really going to have to do crazy things to get them in now, I reckon.

Wichita State, by comparison, is 25-9 with wins against Northern Iowa, Texas Tech and @Iowa, and I don't think they're in either.