News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Saturday, Mar 7th

Posted on March 7, 2020 by David Griggs

CLICK HERE for our CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK VIDEO NOTEBOOK: DAY 4

-Outside of conference tournament play, there will be three more teams eliminated from the Survival Board today:

-IVY LEAGUE: Brown is out if they lose (at Dartmouth) or if Penn wins (home vs Columbia).  If Brown wins and Penn loses, Penn is out.
-SOUTHLAND: One of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, McNeese State, Northwestern State or Central Arkansas will be eliminated.  The tiebreakers are so complicated, they are not worth trying to figure out; however, essentially anyone that wins today has a great shot at remaining alive and anyone that loses has a good chance to be the team eliminated.
-BIG WEST: Cal Poly is eliminated with a loss or with a win by Cal State-Fullerton.  If Cal Poly wins and Fullerton loses, either team may be eliminated based on tiebreakers that will depend on the results of all four games in the league today.  It appears that Cal Poly’s only path to a berth in the Big West tournament may to be win today, have Fullerton lose, and have both Hawai’i and UC-Riverside win as well.

-13 conferences will end their regular seasons today: ACC, A10, Big East, Big Sky, Big 12, Big West, Conference USA, Ivy League, Pac 12, SEC, Souuthland, SWAC and WAC.  Keep an eye on the Conference Tournaments tab for bracket announcements.

-VILLANOVA AT GEORGETOWN (Big East).  Villanova is one of several teams that is fighting for a spot on the #2 line.  This could be a tough road game as Georgetown has pulled off several surprises this year, but if they pick it up and avoid an early exit in the Big East Tournament then they have a strong case for the #2 line.

-AUBURN AT TENNESSEE (SEC).  Auburn has been slipping some, but they are still safely in the top half of the bracket.  Tennessee is coming off a huge win against Kentucky, and they still have an outside shot at making the field if they can win this game and then pick up some big wins in the SEC Tournament.

-WISCONSIN AT INDIANA (Big Ten).  Wisconsin has been on fire for the last several weeks with six straight wins, and can pick up another big one before they head into the Big Ten Tournament.  It’s not outrageous to think the Badgers could end up as a protected seed if they keep winning like they have been.

-MARQUETTE AT SAINT JOHN’S (Big East).  Marquette still appears to be very safely in the field, but they have been slipping.  This is a winnable road game that will help them shore things up if they’re able to pull it off.

-SOUTH CAROLINA AT VANDERBILT (SEC).  It will require some big wins in the SEC Tournament, but South Carolina still has a chance of landing inside the bubble.

-BAYLOR AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big 12).  West Virginia has been slipping, but they are coming off a win at Iowa State that snapped a stretch where they had lost six out of seven.  A win today would have them completely back on track.  Baylor still looks like they will land on the #1 line, and I think a win today would basically lock it up no matter what happens in the Big 12 Tournament next week.

-KENTUCKY AT FLORIDA (SEC).  Kentucky is coming off a somewhat surprising loss to Tennessee, but it won’t set them back too much, especially if they can pull off a road win like this at Florida.  The Gators look to be pretty safe and still have a strong path to the top half of the bracket if they can finish strong, but they still haven’t played up to the level we were expecting this year.

-KANSAS AT TEXAS TECH (Big 12).  Kansas is already a virtual lock for a #1 seed, and a win today would probably make them an actual lock.  If they win today and miss the bus to the Big 12 Tournament, they’re probably still on the #1 line.  Texas Tech has been slipping, but is still relatively safe.  A win today would really help their seeding, though.

-GEORGIA AT LSU (SEC).  LSU has been slipping, but is still safely inside the bubble and will be fine so long as they hold serve today.  They still have a chance to really improve their seed if they can play well in the SEC Tournament.

-RUTGERS AT PURDUE (Big Ten).  This may be the single most important game of the day in regards to how much it means to the two teams.  I think both teams need the win to have a strong case to make it to the NCAA Tournament without the auto-bid.  Rutgers has just one win away from home.  No team has ever been selected with fewer than two true road wins and fewer than three wins away from home, and in looking at the bubble last year the committee strongly favored teams that had won away from home.  Purdue has a good resume, but the number of losses may give the committee pause.  However, a win today puts them in really good shape heading into the Big Ten Tournament.

-SETON HALL AT CREIGHTON (Big East).  Both teams are likely protected seeds and both have a shot at ending up on the #2 line.  Seton Hall can win the Big East outright with a win today.  Creighton can at least tie for it if they win.

-COLORADO AT UTAH (Pac 12).  Colorado has digressed a little bit in the last week or so, but they are still a very strong team and are capable of playing at a very high level.  If they win this game and play well in the Pac 12 Tournament they should easily land in the top half of the bracket.

-UCLA AT USC (Pac 12).  UCLA still isn’t a unanimous pick among those who do bracketology, but It looks to me like they belong in for sure if they’re able to win today.  They have been one of the hottest teams in the country.  USC appears to be in the field, but in the bottom half of the bracket.  A win today would really help out their seeding as well.  This is also a rivalry game, so there’s that too.

-LOUISVILLE AT VIRGINIA (ACC).  Virginia keeps winning ugly, but they keep winning.  If they knock off Louisville at home today I think it actually puts them not just inside the bubble, but perhaps makes them a lock.  Louisville will likely end up as a protected seed barring a bunch of unforeseen craziness whether they win this one or not, but it is the kind of road win that would look really nice on their resume and would help move them up the seedlist.

-PENN STATE AT NORTHWESTERN (Big Ten).  This is a winnable road game for Penn State who has been struggling a little bit, but is still in very good shape and could still end up as a protected seed if they can give a strong showing in the Big Ten Tournament.

-OKLAHOMA STATE AT TEXAS (Big 12).  Texas looks like they are on the verge of playing their way into the field.  If they avoid stubbing their toes today and can pick up a win in the Big 12 Tournament, I think they’re in.

-BOSTON COLLEGE AT FLORIDA STATE (ACC).  Florida State is on fire and could end up as high as the #2 line.  They just need to hold serve until the NCAA Tournament.

-ARKANSAS AT TEXAS A&M (SEC).  Arkansas has a steep uphill climb, but they can still land inside the bubble.  I think they need to win today, and then win at least two in the SEC Tournament.

-SAM HOUSTON STATE AT STEPHEN F AUSTIN (Southland).  If SFA wins this game and doesn’t win in the Southland Tournament they will have at least an outside shot of making the field.

-NORTH CAROLINA AT DUKE (ACC).  This edition of the rivalry doesn’t have the splash that it usually does.  North Carolina is just trying to salvage part of their season, and Duke is playing for seeding the rest of the way.  In this case, at least on paper, it’s a game where Duke just needs to hold serve.  But, like they say, this rivalry has a tendency to always deliver!

-OKLAHOMA AT TCU (Big 12).  This is a hugely important game for an Oklahoma team that looks to be squarely on the bubble.  A road win helps assure that they land on the right side of it.

-DEPAUL AT PROVIDENCE (Big East).  Some experts are still not putting Providence in because of what a rough start they had to the season, but they have been thundering down the stretch and if they hold serve today I almost think they should be in regardless of what happens in the conference tournament.  I guess we will see what happens and if the committee agrees.

-OLE MISS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (SEC).  Mississippi State appears to be outside the bubble.  They need to avoid a loss in this game and then pick up at least one (and probably more) big wins in the SEC Tournament.

-WASHINGTON STATE AT ARIZONA STATE (Pac 12).  Arizona has lost three straight and needs to stop the bleeding.  If they hold serve today and pick up at least one win in the Pac 12 Tournament then they should be safe for a bid.

-GEORGE WASHINGTON AT DAYTON (Atlantic Ten).  Dayton is a lock for a protected seed, will likely end up on the #2 line, and could end up on the #1 line if everything breaks right.

-SAINT BONAVENTURE AT SAINT LOUIS (Atlantic Ten).  I think SLU is outisde the bubble, but I think if they can win out and play their way into the A10 Championship game that they will get a serious look and that the committee will end up taking them.

-TEMPLE AT CINCINNATI (American).  Cincinnati is squarely on the bubble and basically can’t afford any slipups to non-tournament teams and also needs some big wins in the conference tournament.

-BUTLER AT XAVIER (Big East).  Butler is safely in the field, but they are still playing for seeding and have slipped a little bit.  Xavier is inside the bubble and I think is just one win away from becoming a virtual lock.  A win today and a win in the Big East Tournament may even get them into the top half of the bracket.

-WASHINGTON AT ARIZONA (Pac 12).  Arizona is a virtual lock for The Dance, but their seed and profile could use some improvement If they hold serve today and play well in the conference tournament next week it will help improve their resume.

-STANFORD AT OREGON (Pac 12).  Stanford is right outside the bubble and I think they need to win this game to have a serious chance of getting in.  Oregon is trying to lock up a protected seed and should be able to do that with a win today.

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Championship Week Video Notebook: Day 4

Posted on March 7, 2020 by David Griggs

WELCOME SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS!!!  It is our pleasure to give you guidance on what you need to be doing!!

CLICK HERE to check out the Hoops HD Survival Board

CLICK HERE to view the Conference Tournament Page

It was a crazy day in the Missouri Valley with three of the top four seeds losing, most notably Northern Iowa, who may have seen their NCAA Tournament hopes completely crash.  Wyoming’s run through the Mountain West came to an end tonight as Utah State squeaked by, and they’ll face San Diego State tomorrow.  We look at that and run through all of the other conference tournament action..

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

MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP

OHIO VALLEY CHAMPIONSHIP

MISSOURI VALLEY SEMIFINALS

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

SOCON QUARTERFINALS

WEST COAST QUARTERFINALS

AMERICAN EAST QUARTERFINALS

SUMMIT QUARTERFINALS

COLONIAL OPENING ROUND

SUN BELT OPENING ROUND

Posted in Bracketology, Championship Week Video Notebook, Podcasts, Videocasts | Comments Off on Championship Week Video Notebook: Day 4

All-Access at the CAA Tournament: HoopsHD interviews UNC Wilmington assistant coach Jackie Manuel

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Jon Teitel

Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The CAA 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 continues our series with UNC Wilmington assistant coach Jackie Manuel as he talked about winning an NCAA title with North Carolina in 2005 and surviving a mid-season coaching change in January.

In the 2005 NCAA title game as a tri-captain at UNC you had 3 REB in a 5-PT win over Illinois: what did it mean to you to win a title, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? It was 1 of those moments where you remember how you started (going 8-20): it was priceless to win it all. We wanted to get back to campus that night but when we headed back the next day it turned out to be a celebration for the rest of the semester.

Your coach on that team was Roy Williams: what makes him such a great coach, and how do you think he is dealing with the worst season of his life this year (13-17 entering tomorrow night’s regular season finale at Duke)? He knows himself and what he is good at. He has been doing it for so long that he knows what works and sticks with it. I think this year has been challenging for a competitor like him but it has been a great opportunity to evolve. There is so much you can learn from when you go through failures: you can see the team getting better every game and they are starting to play well. It is the same process I went through as a freshman: by the time I was a senior my maturity level was very high. You would think there is nothing to learn after 30 years but there is always something.

You were a 2-time member of the All-ACC Defensive Team: what is the key to playing good defense? Just a passion to want to do it. You have to learn the personnel as well.

After graduating you spent a few years in the D-League/Japan: what is the biggest difference between college basketball and pro basketball? The poise of a pro player: they did not get riled up over much. It is a long game and people make mistakes but you just continue to do what you have worked on and everything will be all right. In college everything goes 100 miles/hour.

Your non-conference schedule this season included a home game vs. your alma mater and a road game at Stanford: what was it like to have the Tar Heels visit Trask Coliseum, and how good is Cardinal big man Oscar da Silva (who had 26 PTS/11-14 FG against your team)? This is my 4th or 5th time playing against the Tar Heels…and I hate it every time! It is wonderful to see everybody but as a competitor someone has to win and someone has to lose, and I have been on the losing side way too often. If we could end the game in a tie it would be the best thing to ever happen. Every time I see Coach Williams I try to pick his brain. What made da Silva good is that he just plays hard/consistent.

After starting the season 5-3 you had a 12-game losing streak that saw your boss (and former assistant on your 2005 title team at UNC) CB McGrath fired: were you surprised to learn of his firing, and how was Coach Rob Burke able to step in and stop the losing streak? I think that it was a shock to everybody, but when you are not playing well then anything can happen. Coach Burke has done a great job of getting the team to rally around an unfortunate situation since they all came here to play for Coach McGrath. We have tried to make the best of the situation: it has not been easy but it has shown the character of our program.

You have 1 of the youngest teams in the country: how difficult is it to have a 10-man rotation that does not include a single senior? It depends on how you look at it. It would be nice to have more experience now, but in 2 years we will give people a lot of hell. These guys will go through some growing pains and learn a lot about themselves, but it could give them a chance to win the league in the future. You need those kinds of moments to understand how important it is to play together/compete/play hard. Once you go through some adversity you will learn that you cannot do it by yourself, and now they understand that if everyone does their job then we will be all right.

Earlier today FR PG Shykeim Phillips was named to the conference All-Rookie team: how has he been able to come in and contribute right from the start? It has been a process for him. Shy was our #3 guard to start the year but an injury to another guy gave him some more playing time, and after another guy left the team Shy realized that there was nobody else.  He made some mistakes and played through them. The 1 thing he does really well is play toward his strengths all of the time.

You have a birthday coming up later this month: any plans for the big day? I really do not know: last year it was the same week as the Final 4 but this year I will leave it up to my wife to plan something for me.

You begin postseason play Saturday afternoon with a 1st round game vs. Drexel (who you just beat by double-digits last week): any predictions? We have to come out and play. The previous week does not matter: it is about who has the best enthusiasm and does all of the little things. I have been watching some other conference tourneys the past few days and have noticed the sense of urgency in the teams who win. Drexel will be ready to play after losing to us: I think they will be super-focused and ready to remove the bad taste from their mouths. You just never know who will go on a run but you hope you get all of the good bounces/calls.

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All-Access at the CAA Tournament: HoopsHD interviews Elon band captain Nate Miller

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Jon Teitel

Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The CAA 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 continues our series with Elon band captain Nate Miller as he talked about playing the trumpet and facing the Tar Heels.

What made you choose Elon? I did not know about Elon until late in my high school career but it was a really good coincidence for me. My mom worked at my school and was in charge of getting high school students into college. She told me to look at Elon and once I did so and then scheduled a tour I just knew that I wanted to be here.

What is the atmosphere like on campus now that the conference tournament is starting tomorrow? Unfortunately I do not feel the students are as excited as they should be, probably because not enough of the student body shows up to see how good the team is and how fun the games are. However, I assure you that the band is VERY excited to go to DC!

What instrument do you play, and how did you 1st get into playing it? I play the trumpet. Growing up I had a friend who listened to a lot of jazz musicians like Miles Davis/Dizzy Gillespie. When I learned that they both played the trumpet I knew that I wanted to do so as well.

What is the best part of being in the band? There are so many great things! There is an overwhelming sense of friendship: after everyone comes together to bond you end up with 30 best friends in the basketball band and 60 best friends in the marching band.

You are 1 of the band captains this year: what sort of responsibilities does that entail? I am captain of the brass section, which means that I oversee all of the brass instruments to ensure they stay on task. I am super-excited because I love being in this band so much and it gives me a chance to give back to my school.

What kind of music does the band play at basketball games, and will we see your group do anything extra-special for the CAA Tournament this weekend? Our typical lineup consists of many musical genres: some Jonas Brothers, some Blues Brothers, etc. That variety helps to get fans of any age at the arena into the game. We may have some surprises in store this weekend…but you will just have to show up and find out!

What do you think the role of a college band is today, and how much time/energy is involved? I see the role as joined with that of the cheer/dance/spirit organizations as another 6th man. We try to pump up the fans as well as the team itself. We try to maintain an air of positivity and make sure that everyone is having fun. I try to give the most energy I can at every game I attend. The morning after every game I wake up with a sore throat, and I think that is how it should be: I get hyped for the dunks and mad at the bad calls.

How does the band decide who gets to go to DC, and what does it mean to you to see your group doing their thing in front of a national TV audience? The selection process is based on how many games you attend: the more you go to, the higher chance you have to attend the postseason tourney. I am incredibly excited for the band to be on TV. We have not been nationally-recognized very much but in the past few years we have really started to put ourselves on the map.

What has been your favorite moment so far this season: playing at Michigan/North Carolina, Senior Night, other? I am a big UNC fan as well so I got to go to the game at Chapel Hill. 1 of our players stole the ball from 1-and-done guy Cole Anthony and then found a teammate for a transition dunk on the other end: it really energized us for the rest of the season. We pushed the Tar Heels that night (the Phoenix were ahead at halftime) and it lit a spark in the team by showing that they can do great things if they put their minds to it.

Any predictions for Saturday’s game vs. James Madison (whom your school has already beaten twice this season by single-digits)? I think the regular season speaks for itself! Our team is young/hungry and will enter the tourney with the right mindset. They will go in with an attacking mentality and I think it is time for a new era in Elon basketball.

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REPOST: HoopsHD interviews Selection Committee Member Mike O’Brien

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Chad

With Selection Sunday just a little over a week away, it is a good time to revisit our discussion from October with Toledo AD and Selection Committee member Mike O’Brien.  Chad, David and Rocco discuss his experience of being on the committee, talk about how teams from conferences like the MAC (which he works in) and other non-power leagues get looked at by the committee, and once again learn about all the work that goes into the process and all the data they have at their fingertips.  If you want to really know what goes on with the selection committee, then the best people to talk to are those that are on the selection committee!!

 

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Under The Radar Game of the Day: Friday, March 6th

Posted on March 6, 2020 by John Stalica

For Day 3 of Hoops HD’s Championship Week Coverage – CLICK HERE

For the latest Hoops HD BRACKET RUNDOWN – CLICK HERE

Siena (18-10, 14-5) at Monmouth (18-12, 12-7) – 7:00 PM EST (ESPN+)

Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day takes us to the Jersey Shore for the regular season finale in the MAAC for both teams – the Siena Saints hit the road to West Long Branch to take on the hometown Monmouth Hawks. Siena is the hottest team in the league with wins in eight straight games and 11 out of their last 12. The Saints clinched at least a tie for first place thanks to a 77-55 win at home on Senior Day against Niagara; they can win the league outright along with the #1 seed with a win tonight (or a Saint Peter’s loss). Jalen Pickett is averaging over 15 points a game and is hitting 38.9% (56-for-144) from 3-point territory.

Monmouth comes into tonight in 3rd place in the conference; a win tonight would clinch the #3 seed for the Hawks. (Even if they tie for Saint Peter’s in the standings, the Peacocks would own the tiebreaker for 2nd.) Should they lose, Rider would own the tiebreaker and Monmouth would be the #4 seed in the conference tournament in Atlantic City. The Hawks have not trailed in their last two games – in wins over Manhattan and Fairfield, they have led for 78 out of a possible 80 minutes. Both Deion Hammond (16.0 PPG) and Ray Salnave (14.6 PPG) lead the way for Monmouth.

OTHER NEWS NOTES AND GAMES

-Houston, who has the strongest case for a bid out of the American, lost on the road to UConn.  The loss in and of itself isn’t that bad, but Houston’s resume is rather flimsy when compared to other teams that are ranked in the top 25.  It wouldn’t shock me at all if they don’t end up in the top half of the bracket.

-Stanford needed a strong finish.  What they did not need was a loss at Oregon State, but that’s what happened.  The game at Oregon this weekend could end up making the difference of whether or not they make it into the field.

-Wichita State lost on the road to Memphis.  They are suddenly in danger of falling outside the bubble if they can’t shore things up and pick up a few more wins.

-Arizona State lost their third straight game.  This one was kind of a surprise as they went down at home to a Washington team that had really been struggling.  ASU still looks to be inside the bubble, but if they lose their last game to Wazzu and then lose their first conference tournament game they will be sweating a little bit.

–Survival Board Update: 284 teams remain alive entering today.  In addition to conference tournament play, Dartmouth can be eliminated in the Ivy League with a loss AND a win by either Brown or Penn.

-WAKE FOREST AT NC STATE (ACC).  NC State remains squarely on the bubble and needs to hold serve in this one.

-RICHMOND AT DUQUESNE (Atlantic Ten).  Richmond is also squarely on the bubble.  A win tonight puts another decent win on their resume, and a loss could keep them on the wrong side of the fence.

 

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