Bracketology 2022: March Madness Predictions (Version 10.7)

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Jon Teitel

CLICK HERE for our final CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK VIDEO NOTEBOOK where we review all of the day’s action and discuss how it could potentially impact the bracket

The day has finally arrived as we continue to make our NCAA tourney predictions: Happy Selection Sunday! HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel correctly picked 67 of the 68 teams that made the 2021 tourney, 62 of which were within 1 spot of their actual seed, including 47 right on the money. He will spend the day predicting which 68 teams will hear their names called tonight. See below for his list of who would make the cut if they picked the field right now, and if you agree or disagree then feel free to tweet us. To see how we stack up with other websites (ranked 19th out of 135 entries over the past 5 years), check out: www.bracketmatrix.com
*FINAL VERSION COMING LATER TONIGHT



SEED: TEAM (CONFERENCE)
1: Gonzaga (WCC): AUTO BID
1: Arizona (Pac-12): AUTO BID
1: Kansas (Big 12): AUTO BID
1: Baylor (Big 12)

2: Kentucky (SEC)
2: Auburn (SEC)
2: Villanova (Big East): AUTO BID
2: Tennessee (SEC)

3: Duke (ACC)
3: Purdue (Big 10)
3: Texas Tech (Big 12)
3: Wisconsin (Big 10)

4: UCLA (Pac-12)
4: Arkansas (SEC)
4: Illinois (Big 10)
4: Providence (Big East)

5: Houston (AAC)
5: Connecticut (Big East)
5: Iowa (Big 10)
5: St. Mary’s (WCC)

6: Texas (Big 12)
6: LSU (SEC)
6: Alabama (SEC)
6: Colorado State (MWC)

7: USC (Pac-12)
7: Ohio State (Big 10)
7: Michigan State (Big 10)
7: Murray State (OVC): AUTO BID

8: Boise State (MWC): AUTO BID
8: Seton Hall (Big East)
8: San Diego State (MWC)
8: TCU (Big 12)

9: North Carolina (ACC)
9: Creighton (Big East)
9: Marquette (Big East)
9: Iowa State (Big 12)

10: Memphis (AAC)
10: San Francisco (WCC)
10: Davidson (A-10)
10: Loyola-Chicago (MVC): AUTO BID

11: Miami (ACC)
11: Michigan (Big 10)
11: Indiana (Big 10)
11: Wyoming (MWC)

12: Virginia Tech (ACC): AUTO BID
12: Texas A&M (SEC)
12: Notre Dame (ACC)
12: Rutgers (Big 10)
12: UAB (C-USA): AUTO BID
12: South Dakota State (Summit): AUTO BID

13: Chattanooga (SoCon): AUTO BID
13: Vermont (America East): AUTO BID
13: New Mexico State (WAC): AUTO BID
13: Princeton (Ivy)

14: Akron (MAC): AUTO BID
14: Montana State (Big Sky): AUTO BID
14: Longwood (Big South): AUTO BID
14: Colgate (Patriot): AUTO BID

15: St. Peter’s (MAAC): AUTO BID
15: Delaware (CAA): AUTO BID
15: Jacksonville State (Atlantic Sun): AUTO BID
15: Georgia State (Sun Belt): AUTO BID

16: Fullerton (Big West): AUTO BID
16: Norfolk State (MEAC): AUTO BID
16: Bryant (NEC): AUTO BID
16: Wright State (Horizon): AUTO BID
16: Texas Southern (SWAC): AUTO BID
16: Texas A&M CC (Southland): AUTO BID

1ST 4 OUT
Oklahoma (Big 12)
SMU (AAC)
Wake Forest (ACC)
Xavier (Big East)

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Championship Week Video Notebook: Day 13

Posted on March 13, 2022 by David Griggs

WELCOME SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS!!  Today is Selection Sunday!!  We have enjoyed being your guide and resource as you’ve gone through this process!!  We are here to help you all the way until the end!!

CLICK HERE to check out the HOOPS HD SURVIVAL BOARD to see who is a lock, who is under consideration, who needs the automatic bid, and who has been elimianted

CLICK HERE for our latest BRACKET PROJECTIONS

CLICK HERE for the CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT INFO TAB, which has all the brackets, match-ups, and tip times

CLICK HERE to see what our HOOPS HD MOCK SELECTION COMMITTEE has been up to

It was a very busy day with a lot of conference championship games being played and automatic bids being earned.  Virginia Tech pulled off a huge shocker in the ACC, we saw thrillers in Conference USA, the Big Ten, the Big West, and several other leagues.  We go through all of today’s action and preview the last five games taking place tomorrow.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP:

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP:

ATLANTIC TEN CHAMPIONSHIP:

AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP:

IVY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP:

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The Hoops HD Selection Committee – Saturday, March 12th

Posted on March 13, 2022 by John Stalica

Tonight was our third meeting with the Hoops HD Selection Committee – it was our longest night as we filled out the remaining at-large spots and contingency spots in our field.

We began by discussing in length each of the teams remaining Under Consideration – once we finished debate, we voted on six teams apiece (matching the spots open at the time of voting) to add to the three carryover teams (Rutgers, Texas A&M and Wyoming). The top three teams that were added were Xavier, Notre Dame and Michigan. After we ranked those teams 1 through 6, we added three teams to the field – Texas A&M, Rutgers and Michigan. This subsequently meant that a bid thief would no longer be possible in the SEC and opened up another at-large spot. Wyoming was also moved back to Under Consideration since they missed the cut on consecutive ballots.

We then repeated the process and chose 6 teams individually for the next round of balloting – the four teams selected to join Xavier and Notre Dame would be Virginia Tech (who had not won the ACC yet), Oklahoma, Wyoming and BYU. When we ranked these teams 1 through 6, Wyoming and Notre Dame finished in a tie for first. Our committee voted in Wyoming in the tiebreaking vote. This was important in that Notre Dame and Oklahoma (who finished 3rd) won the two contingency spots into the field. At the time, the First Four Out ended up being Xavier, BYU, Virginia Tech and SMU.

However, because of Virginia Tech’s ACC Championship run, we are now assured of at least one bid thief since Virginia Tech was not one of the teams we had voted in as an at-large and thus relegated Oklahoma to First Four out. This meant that our First Four Out ended up being Oklahoma, Xavier, BYU and SMU.

Our next order of business was to finish seeding the remainder of the field – we ended up seeding 71 teams in total to account for Richmond and both teams from the Big West and Ivy League who were still alive at the time the seed list was built.

Our final business for the evening was to begin scrubbing the Master Seed List – we made it through the top ten lines before finishing for the evening. When we meet tomorrow afternoon, we will finish the initial scrub and likely do one more scrub once results come in from the Ivy League, the SEC and especially the A-10 with a potential bid thief in Richmond still lurking. We will not need a contingency bracket once the A-10 game goes final. Be on rhe lookout tomorrow for our projected bracket – this will be separate from Jon Teitel’s final bracket projection where he attempts to guess the Selection Committee.

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All-Access at the A-10 Tournament: Semifinal Saturday

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Jon Teitel

Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The A-10 Tournament is taking place in Washington, DC, this weekend and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD will be covering all of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel keeps it going with a recap of the semifinal doubleheader on Saturday.

Yet another delicious pregame meal: chicken fajitas/rice/potatoes/salad/brownie!
Let’s tip it off:
PHOTO

GAME #1: Davidson vs. St. Louis
There was plenty of red in the crowd: was it Davidson fans showing up on time, or Dayton/Richmond fans showing up early, or both?

The Wildcats made 8-13 shots from behind the arc in the 1st half while also outrebounding St. Louis 20-10 en route to building a 44-24 halftime lead. They had a very balanced scoring effort and they had it early, with 5 guys in double-figures with 15 minutes remaining in the game. Billiken big man Francis Okoro had a double-double in each of his 2 prior tourney games but did very little today for St. Louis with 3 PTS/0-5 FG/5 REB. In contrast, conference POY Luka Brajkovic did very little for the Wildcats on Friday afternoon but finished with a double-double on Saturday with 14 PTS/10 REB/5 AST. The X-factor was Grant Huffman, who scored a season-high 12 PTS with 2 STL/0 TO in 22 minutes off the bench (and did not miss a single shot!) as Davidson won 84-69. JR F Hyunjung Lee is from South Korea and some fans in the front row held up his native flag in his honor:

In the postgame press conference I asked Davidson G Foster Loyer about Huffman’s performance off the bench: he said that his teammate did a phenomenal job last month when Loyer was out due to injury and that he gives them energy/defensive intensity.


GAME #2: Dayton vs. Richmond
I do not know if mascots are supposed to frighten you…but when they have 6 arms it is a little creepy!

The Spiders made 11 threes on Friday night to beat VCU but came out as cold as the snowy weather outside today with 0-12 3PM through the 1st 26 minutes, which allowed the Flyers to take a 33-25 halftime lead. SO F Toumani Camara had a double-double in his Dayton debut last November and did it again tonight with 17 PTS/14 REB. His team led 57-53 with 5 minutes left, and entering this game they were 22-1 this season when leading with 5 minutes to go. Somehow, some way, Richmond used their veteran leadership to claw all the way back, take the lead, and pull off the 68-64 upset behind 18 PTS/9 REB from Grant Golden.

In the postgame press conference I asked Richmond coach Chris Mooney if Sunday could end up being the greatest afternoon of his life: his alma mater (Princeton) plays for an Ivy title at 12PM and his current team plays for an A-10 title at 1PM! He directed my attention to his 2 boys standing in the back of the room, who of course were born on 2 of the best days of his life. He confirmed that the Tigers have a great team and he will send them his best wishes from DC.


That is a wrap for Saturday, check back tomorrow for a recap of the Davidson-Richmond title game to see whether or not this is a 1-bid league.

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Tourney Talk: HoopsHD interviews South Dakota State dancer Jenna Skaggs

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Jon Teitel

Last Tuesday South Dakota State beat North Dakota State 75-69 in the Summit League tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Jackrabbits are the hottest team in the nation, having won 21 straight games during the past 3 months as they made the NCAA tourney for the 1st time since 2018. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with South Dakota State dancer Jenna Skaggs about being a captain and that amazing winning streak.

You were born in Minnesota: what made you choose South Dakota State? After touring 14 different schools I decided on South Dakota State because it gave me a small-town feel that I was used to growing up with. After meeting with the faculty within HDFS (Human Development/Family Science) at SDSU I had determined that this school was the best fit for my education.

You have been a member of the dance team for 3 years: how did you 1st get into dancing, and what is the best part? I first got into dance in kindergarten when my mom signed me up for a local dance clinic. I had a great time there and was very excited to learn new skills. After this experience I joined a studio in my hometown and have been dancing ever since. The best part about this sport is performing routines in front of people that you have worked on for months at a time. Being that dances are so short you only have about two minutes to show the crowd what you have worked so hard on.

What do you think the role of a college dancer is today, and how has it changed over time? The primary role of a college dancer is to cheer on and support the other teams during the games that we attend. It is extremely important to attend these events with a professional stance and cheer on the teams to victory. Outside of events the role of a college dancer is to perfect choreography and tricks that we are given to compete in routines at competitions such as at nationals. These are other opportunities we have to represent our school so it is important to remain professional and portray good sportsmanship.

You are 1 of the team’s captains this year: what is the key to being a good leader? One key to being a good leader that I have learned throughout this year is keeping a positive mindset at every practice and event. When a leader has a negative mindset, it is contagious to the entire team and makes it almost impossible to accomplish our goals. Staying positive and focusing on the goals we have set as a team is something that I try to do each day to be a good leader.

You are majoring in Human Development/Family Science and double-minoring in Mental Health Services and Psychology: why did you pick those subjects, and what do you plan to do after graduating? The reason I picked these topics is because I have a big heart for advocating for others and working with children. Growing up I had many situations where I was advocated for, and I would love to give back by helping other children who may need the same help. After graduation I plan to begin working as a Behavioral Technician and work my way up to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

Last Tuesday in the Summit tourney title game the Jackrabbits had a 6-PT win over North Dakota State: how excited was everyone to make the NCAA tournament for the 1st time since 2018? Last Tuesday’s game was something I had never experienced before. The school pride that each Jackrabbit fan brought to the court was what made the game so exciting. All of our fans were on their feet for every point that the players scored, which made the experience so amazing. The dance team was very excited for the players and to get another opportunity to travel with the team to support SDSU basketball. We are very grateful for the opportunity to travel to the NCAA tournament and cannot wait to show off our Jackrabbit pride!

Since losing at Missouri State in mid-December your team has won 21 games in a row: has it reached a point where everyone just expects them to win every time that they step onto the court? This year our men’s basketball team has been very successful…but I do not think that people expect them to just walk on the court and win. The determination and dedication of this team is different than teams from the past: you can tell how hard they are working both on and off the court. I believe that this is why the team has been so successful this year.

How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing their thing in front of a national TV audience? Our athletic department generously switches travel between the dance team and cheer team. When the dance team has its opportunity to travel the first people that are chosen are upperclassmen. For this tournament the dance team will be bringing 12 girls. I think that this is an opportunity that is very unique so it will be exciting to perform in front of this audience. Many girls have never traveled with the team due to COVID so we are grateful for this opportunity.

Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for the NCAA tournament? The special thing that we have planned for the NCAA tournament is performing our favorite hip hop routine!

Any predictions for the NCAA tourney? Jacks all the way!

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Happy Anniversary!: HoopsHD interviews former Howard coach AB Williamson

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Jon Teitel

This weekend is about teams earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tourney. For the blue bloods it is no big deal, as many of them are good enough to receive an at-large bid if they cannot win their conference tourney, but for the teams in the smaller conferences it is a case of win-or-go-home. AB Williamson spent almost 15 years as head coach at Howard but his only NCAA tourney appearance came almost 40 years ago: he won 3 games in 3 days at the MEAC tourney, then got to travel across the country to Pauley Pavilion to face Wyoming. It did not go well…but the point is that he made it to the Madness, which only 68 coaches get to do each year. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with AB about his coaching tree and his 1 shining moment. Today is the 41st anniversary of that NCAA tourney game on March 12, 1981, so we take this time to remember that remarkable achievement.

You were hired as coach at Howard in 1975: why did you take the job, and how did you 1st get into coaching? I got interested in coaching by watching Dr. Roundtree. I was an average player in high school, but watched the great Cal Irving coach at North Carolina A&T. I loved developing my own concepts. I guess I was about 22 years old when I became head coach at Eastern. We were about .500 my 1st year but got better after that. I got an anonymous call from Howard to apply, and got the job at age 29 despite not knowing about all the NCAA rules: it was a learning experience.

What are your memories of the 1981 NCAA tourney, the 1st in school history (Charles Bradley scored 20 PTS in a win by Wyoming)? To be honest, we had a better team the previous year but our league did not get an automatic bid. I think if we had made the tourney in 1980 then we would have had a good chance to win a game. Wyoming had a very tall team and we did not have the depth to match up with them after getting into foul trouble. We were the 1st team from our conference to make the NCAA tourney, which I am proud of.

You were a 3-time conference COY: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? After you look back and reflect on your career, I am proud of that. I left coaching early to focus on my family. I am proudest of making the MEAC and Howard Halls of Fame.

You lost 8 conference tourney finals: you obviously know what it takes to get the title game, but what is the key to winning it all? You have to have a little luck and both you and your kids need to come through in the end. There was a different factor every year: North Carolina A&T just seemed to have our #. 1 time we had a pair of 85-90% FT shooters going to the line at the end but we just missed a lot of FTs. Everyone has an Achilles heel. If I had to do it again I might do a few different things. Just look at LeBron James: the Heat should have lost to a few teams in the playoffs when he was in Miami, but he was able to come through in the clutch.

You had several players who went on to become D-1 coaches (including Dennis Felton/Milan Brown/Cy Alexander): what character traits do you see in players who end up being coaches? You can always tell very early when a kid has leadership ability. We had some others as well. Dennis was a very smart kid. Mike Jones came from a basketball family. Milan is a great kid from a great basketball family. We had quite a few come through the ranks and do a good job on all levels.

You remain the winningest coach in school history: what made you such a good coach, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? The way the game is now I do not think that anyone will stick around for 15 years like I did. All records are made to be broken, but I do not see anyone right now who will break the record. You need longevity and you need to win, but I am sure that someone will come along and do a great job. I just tried to graduate my kids and teach them to be good citizens.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? Just as a guy who learned and worked very hard. I had a good rapport with my student athletes so it makes me feel good when they keep in touch. I did the best I could at all times despite a lack of resources. I have no regrets and I held my own.

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