SYRACUSE AT DUKE (ACC). This is the showcase game of the day. Everyone is expecting a great game because of what happened the first time they met, but it wouldn’t shock me if Duke won big. Both teams are coming off losses and looking to rebound, but Syracuse lost to a really bad Boston College team, and hadn’t been playing all that well prior to that loss. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t end up on the #1 line. Having said that, if they win tonight, it’s hard to say that they shouldn’t be a #1 seed.
-XAVIER AT GEORGETOWN (Big East). I think both of these teams are on the bubble, but Xavier is probably in better shape than Georgetown. They desperately need a decent road win, though. Georgetown desperately needs a win of any kind. It’s a very pivotal and very important game for both teams.
-FLORIDA AT OLE MISS (SEC). Florida will likely get the top #1 seed if they win out.
-LOUISVILLE AT CINCINNATI (American). The big knock on Louisville is a lack of quality wins. This would be HUGE quality win if they’re able to pull it off.
-WISCONSIN AT IOWA (Big Ten). Really good showcase game between two teams with great profiles that could both end up as protected seeds.
-WAKE FOREST AT NORTH CAROLINA (ACC). UNC’s win streak will likely continue, and if it does their profile will continue to improve.
-CLEMSON AT GEORGIA TECH (ACC). Clemson is outside the bubble, and making the field will require a strong finish to the season.
-SAINT JOHN’S AT VILLANOVA (Big East). I believe Saint John’s is outside the bubble, but a win like this could get them inside of it really quick. The problem is that they’re not going to be at full strength. The other problem is that even if they were at full strength, winning at Nova isn’t easy.
-TEXAS TECH AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big Twelve). This is pretty much a must win for Oklahoma State. They can’t afford to lose any more regular season games.
-BAYLOR AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big Twelve). Both teams are on the bubble, so this is hugely important.
-NOTRE DAME AT VIRGINIA (ACC). The way the season is playing out, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Virginia finished first in the ACC.
-MARQUETTE AT DEPAUL (Big East). I don’t even think Marquette is on the bubble, but some do. If they want to make the field, they’re pretty much down to their last strike.
-DAYTON AT DUQUESNE (Atlantic Ten). Dayton needs to continue their win streak if they want to land inside the bubble.
-FORDHAM AT SAINT JOSEPH’S (Atlantic Ten). Saint Joe’s shouldn’t have any trouble getting the win and improving to 9-3 in the league.
-SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE (Summit League). North Dakota State is a long shot for an at-large bid, but they have a healthy RPI and a first place finish should at least get them a look. This is a big game for them at home against an SDSU that is just a game behind them in the standings.
-TENNESSEE AT TEXAS A&M (SEC). Tennessee’s margin for error is pretty much zero.
-IOWA STATE AT TCU (Big Twelve). Iowa State is in great shape and shouldn’t have trouble avoiding the bad loss.
-LSU AT KENTUCKY (SEC). Kentucky is safe and can lock up a good seed if they hold serve. LSU needs to win a game like this if they want to get any sort of a serious look.
-KANSAS STATE AT OKLAHOMA (Big Twelve). K State has been awful on the road, and could really improve their profile if they could get a road win against a tournament caliber team.
-LA SALLE AT RICHMOND (Atlantic Ten). I feel Richmond is outside the bubble and because they’re shorthanded I don’t see them getting the wins they need to get back inside of it. But, as of now, they’re still in the discussion.
-UCLA AT STANFORD (Pac Twelve). This is a big game for UCLA, who could really improve their resume with a good road win, and a bigger game for Stanford, who is on the bubble and needs a notable win.
-MINNESOTA AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten). Minnesota is inside the bubble, but at the rate they’re going they’re going to cut it close….unless they can pick up a huge road win in a game like this.
-UTEP AT SOUTHERN MISS (Conference USA). This has suddenly become a log-jammed conference with five teams who could win it. These are two of the five teams.
-NORTHWESTERN STATE AT SFA (Southland). A win for SFA gets them to 25-2 on the year.
-TEXAS AT KANSAS (Big Twelve). Kansas hasn’t looked as good as we’re used to seeing lately, but this is a showcase game at home for them, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they snapped out of it in a big way. I still think the Jayhawks are on track to get a #1 seed.
-DRAKE AT WICHITA STATE (Missouri Valley). If Wichita State wins out, they’ll get a #1 seed.
-GEORGE WASHINGTON AT SAINT LOUIS (Atlantic Ten). I think GW is pretty safely inside the bubble, so they’re playing with house money tonight. A win would be tremendous, and a loss won’t hurt them at all. SLU will likely end up as a protected seed if they win out.
-HARVARD AT PRINCETON (Ivy League). It’s a two horse race in the Ivy between Harvard and Yale.
-MISSOURI AT ALABAMA (SEC). Missouri isn’t the best road team, but they desperately need this one.
-ARIZONA AT COLORADO (Pac Twelve). This is a really important game. It’s a chance for Colorado to show they are a solid tournament team, and it’s a chance for Arizona to show they should still be a #1 seed despite being shorthanded.
-PORTLAND AT BYU (West Coast). BYU is coming off a big win against Gonzaga, but they’re still right on the bubble and can’t afford a slip up to a weak team like Portland.
-TEMPLE AT MEMPHIS (American). Memphis should win easily.
-SAN DIEGO STATE AT NEW MEXICO (Mountain West). It’s the game of the year in the Mountain West. San Diego State is clearly the better team, but New Mexico may be the better team when the game is in New Mexico. San Diego State is likely a protected seed either way, but a win tonight would pretty much solidify it.
-GONZAGA AT SAN DIEGO (West Coast). I think Gonzaga’s margin for error is small, and they don’t have another home game the rest of the year, so it may not be the easiest finish in the world.
The Sins of the Father – Southern University’s Ineligibility
Damien Goodwin, Trelun Banks, Keith Davis, Michael Harrel, Cameron Monroe, Bryce Clark, Calvin Godfrey, Frank Snow, YonDarius Johnson, Elex Carter, Tre Lynch, Dechriston McKinney, Malcolm Miller, Javan Mitchell and Christopher Hyder.
The roster for the 2013-14 Southern University-Baton Rouge Jaguars.
None of these kids broke any NCAA rules. Their grades have been sufficiently within NCAA guidelines. And they are all on the roster of a Division I school with a legitimate chance for an NCAA tournament bid this season. However, the NCAA may not let them play.
The NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR) rules have been out there for enough time now that most people are aware that failure to meet the guidelines can get a team a postseason ban, most notably last year’s UConn Huskies team. Typically, in April or May of each year the NCAA announces the penalties for any schools that fail to meet the guidelines. An appeal process of the penalties is permitted (for example Alabama State filed and won an appeal this year). After the appeals are exhausted, the penalties kick in.
The NCAA list of teams facing APR bans this season did not include Southern. The Jaguars were the defending SWAC tournament champions and played the first few months of the season well enough to be considered the favorites to repeat. Then, in mid-December, the NCAA apparently contacted Southern and advised that there were some discrepancies and/or deficiencies in the school’s academic data from 2003-2009…from a time before any current player had even decided to attend the school! Last week, the NCAA announced that Southern, due to these discrepancies, would not be allowed to participate in this year’s postseason, not only in Men’s Basketball, but for all winter sports, including their first place women’s basketball team, indoor track and field, and others. Southern’s AD’s office is still working hard to comply with the NCAA’s requests and the ban could possibly be lifted before ths start of conference tournament play. But it may not be.
In other words, this season’s Southern U team may not be allowed to play in the NCAA tournament or even the SWAC tournament because someone in the front offices at Southern U messed up transmitting data to the NCAA from 2003-2009. Is compliance with NCAA rules and transmittal of accurate information important? YES. Should we penalize these kids for the “sins of their fathers”? NO.
When the Connecticut Huskies received their APR probation, every player on the team had a chance to transfer to another school. They could simply walk out the door, find another college and have a chance at playing in the Big Dance. The same has applied to every player on every other team to get a postseason ban. Except for Southern.
Damien Goodwin, Trelun Banks, Keith Davis, Michael Harrel, Cameron Monroe, Bryce Clark, Calvin Godfrey, Frank Snow, YonDarius Johnson, Elex Carter, Tre Lynch, Dechriston McKinney, Malcolm Miller, Javan Mitchell and Christopher Hyder entered this season believing they had a chance to play in the NCAA tournament. But now that chance may be disappearing, without even giving them the opportunity to play somewhere else. Five of them are seniors who may never play another meaningful basketball game the rest of their lives. This was their last chance at the excitement of hearing their name called on Selection Sunday and seeing their team listed on everyone’s brackets. And now, for something none of them had anything to do with, the NCAA has decided to end their season early.
At this point, whether a fan of the Jaguars or not, all anyone can do is hope the ban is lifted before the SWAC tournament starts on March 11. If it isn’t, a grand jury should investigate the NCAA for cruel and unusual punishment. This is a complete disgrace, NCAA. LET THEM PLAY!