News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Sunday, Feb 23rd

Posted on February 23, 2020 by David Griggs

SURVIVAL BOARD UPDATE

-WAGNER (Northeast) – Out with a loss AND wins by Bryant and Mount St Mary’s

NEWS AND NOTES

-If you missed yesterday, then I’m sorry.  People who say they can’t wait for The Tournament to start are really missing out if they want to just skip over days like yesterday.  One of the things that makes the NCAA Tournament so great is how the whole season plays out and shapes it.  Quite a bit of shaping took place yesterday!!

-Kansas got a big win at Baylor in what was a VERY impressive showing.  The game was close all throughout, but Kansas appeared to be in control.  Every time Baylor would pick up some momentum and get the bonkers crowd into it, Kansas would come up with a big play.  They held on to win 64-61 in one of the most singularly impressive wins that any team has managed this season.  Having said that, I don’t think it knocks Baylor off the #1 line, or for that matter even out of the second spot on the #1 line.  You just don’t move down when you lose to a team that’s ranked that high.

-Gonzaga also went down on the road as BYU pretty much led from tip to buzzer.  Every time the Zags looked like they were making a run to get control of the game, BYU would make a big play.  It’s a huge win for the Cougars and a notable loss for the Zags since winning out would have almost assured them the #1 seed in the West.  I think it is still likely that they can get a #1 seed if they win out through the WCC Tournament, but perhaps not the #1 seed in the West.  Then again…

-San Diego State suffered their first loss of the season when they fell at home to UNLV.  This was probably one of the bigger surprises of the day when you consider UNLV hadn’t even looked like an NIT team all that often, and that SDSU was at home.  This is where the hairsplitting starts.  This was a “worse loss” than the one Gonzaga suffered, but San Diego State has won at BYU, and now that win looks a lot better since it remains BYU’s only home loss.  Unlike the AP and Coaches Polls, the Selection Committee typically steers away from recency bias, and when you look at the top of San Diego State’s resume, it looks a lot better now.  They won at BYU and Gonzaga didn’t, they have a neutral floor win against a Creighton team that’s looking as good as Oregon (and maybe better), and they have another against Arizona State.  It will be interesting to see how this is sorted out, but in my personal opinion San Diego State has the better resume.

-Oregon came from behind at Arizona to force overtime, then held on to win 73-72 in what was a wild finish to a wild game.  Oregon hit what appeared (and ultimately was) a game winning shot with less than two seconds to go, but ended up fouling Arizona on the inbounds play, which sent the Wildcats to the line with a chance to win or tie.  They did neither, as they missed both freethrows.

-West Virginia lost to TCU, and one has to really start questioning how good the Mountaineers are.  They’re still a team that should easily land in the top half of the bracket, but perhaps not as a protected seed.

-Providence picked up another big win as they knocked off Marquette at home.  They have been outside the bubble all year long, but are getting closer and closer to it.

-Houston fell at Memphis.  Houston still looks like they will safely make the field, but they may not be wearing white in the Round of 64.

-Furman and UNC Greensboro held on for dear life as they both narrowly avoided what would have been damaging losses.  Their chances of making the field as at-larges are probably less than 50%, but they are still greater than zero.

-Michigan picked another really good road win at Purdue, so that part of Michigan’s resume is no longer a problem.  As for Purdue, it’s looking more and more like all of their resume is a problem.

-Oklahoma was blown out at Oklahoma State.  That’s just not a good look for a team that’s not all that far inside the bubble.

-We had carnage all over the Atlantic Ten yesterday as Rhode Island, who was inside the bubble (but barely) fell on the road to a rather weak Davidson team, and Richmond (who is squarely on the bubble) fell at Saint Bonaventure.  That’s a big setback for two teams that had been playing really well and whose chances of making the field seemed pretty good.  They can both still get in, but I’d say they are now out of strikes.

-Georgetown, another team that was squarely on the bubble, went on the road and lost to DePaul.  That will certainly set them back some, but I guess the good news for them is that they have so many chances at big wins that they fan offset it.  I guess the bad news for them is that every game they have remaining will be tough to win.

-Last and definitely not least, UCLA is on an absolute tear.  Their resume probably still isn’t NCAA Tournament caliber, but right now on the court they are playing like an NCAA Tournament team and have been for some time.  They won at Colorado last night, which is the second time they’ve beaten the Buffs.  They’re 9-2 in their last 11 games with road wins at Arizona and Colorado.  Their last three regular season games are against Arizona State, Arizona, and USC.  The chances are there for them to land inside the bubble.

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES

-PENN STATE AT INDIANA (Big Ten).  Penn State is still in the hunt for a first place finish in the Big Ten, and well within the range of earning a protected seed.  Indiana is trying to stay on the right side of the bubble and a win today could certainly help them out with that.

-WICHITA STATE AT CINCINNATI (American).  Wichita State is fading a little bit, has looked better in their last couple of games and a road win today would make them a lot safer.  Cincinnati is now outside our bubble and needs a big finish to the season, and probably needs a win today.

-RUTGERS AT WISCONSIN (Big Ten).  Rutgers needs another road win in order to make the field, and as tough as it is to win at Wisconsin, this is probably their best chance.  Wisconsin is pretty far inside our bubble, but isn’t exactly a lock yet.

-SAINT JOHN’S AT SETON HALL (Big East).  Seton Hall is still the first place team in the Big East, is a lock for the NCAA Tournament, and still has a solid chance of ending up as high as the #2 line if they can put together a strong finish to the season.

-SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT NORTHERN IOWA (Missouri Valley).  If Northern Iowa wins out they have a decent shot at getting an at-large, but it still isn’t necessarily a lock.  Any loss prior to the semis of the conference tournament probably knocks them out, though.

-MERRIMACK AT MOUNT SAINT MARY’S (Northeast).  A bit of history today as Merrimack can clinch at least a share of first place with a win today, making them (I think) the first ever team to finish in first place as a first year transitional program.

-MARYLAND AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten).  Maryland just keeps winning and has a pretty wide path to ending up as high as the #2 line.  Ohio State is relatively safe, but a win today would certainly help out their resume.

-BUTLER AT CREIGHTON (Big East).  Both teams are in the rankings, both teams are virtual locks to land in the top half of the bracket, and both could improve their resumes even more with a win today.  Creighton is just a game behind Seton Hall, so they’ve still got a chance at a first place finish.

-USC AT UTAH (Pac 12).  USC is inside our bubble and will remain safe so long as they can hold serve for the rest of the season.  That means winning games like today even if they are the road team.

-STANFORD AT WASHINGTON STATE (Pac 12).  Stanford isn’t off the board yet, but they’re 2-7 in their last nine games and pretty much need to win out.

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Under The Radar Game of the Day: Saturday, February 22nd

Posted on February 22, 2020 by John Stalica

For today’s News, Notes and Highlighted Games, including a big day of Survival Board ramifications – CLICK HERE

For Jon Teitel’s interview with former Green Bay/Wisconsin head coach Dick Bennett – CLICK HERE

Belmont (21-7, 12-3) at Eastern Kentucky (14-14, 11-4) – 7:00 PM EST (ESPN+)

Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day takes us to Richmond, Kentucky where the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky will host the Belmont Bruins. EKU got off to a surprising 9-2 start in conference play, although they have split their last four games. One of them was a loss at conference leader Austin Peay, and another one (like Belmont) was a surprising loss to SIU-Edwardsville.  Still, the Colonels are in good shape for a bye into the quarterfinals of the OVC Tournament that gets underway in a couple of weeks. Jomaru Brown has averaged over 19 points a game, and has been a clutch foul shooter (75.3%) in endgame situations.

Belmont is now tied for 2nd in the OVC after Murray State’s stunning 27-point collapse at Eastern Illinois on Thursday night. The Bruins are on a seven-game winning streak after getting swept on the road against both Murray State and Austin Peay back in January – two of those seven wins came at home against the aforementioned Govs and Racers. Adam Kunkel is averaging 17 points a game for Belmont; he is also shooting close to 40% from 3-point land with close to 2.5 made 3s per game.

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News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Saturday, Feb 22nd

Posted on February 22, 2020 by David Griggs

For Jon Teitel’s interview with Dick Bennett – CLICK HERE

SURVIVAL BOARD UPDATE!!! (Thanks to Chad Sherwood For Researching)

-COLUMBIA (Ivy) – out with a loss OR wins by Harvard, Brown and Princeton.

-CORNELL (Ivy) – out with a loss AND wins by Harvard and Princeton

-MIDDLE TENNESSEE (Conference USA) – out with a loss AND a Rice win

-SEMO (Ohio Valley) – out with a loss OR wins by EIU, Morehead and J’ville State

-UT MARTIN (Ohio Valley) – out with a loss AND wins by  EIU and Morehead

-SIUE (Ohio Valley) – out with a loss AND wins by EIU, Morehead and J’ville State

-NEW ORLEANS (Southland) – out with a loss

-SELA (Southland) – out with a loss and a McNeese win

-HOUSTON BAPTIST (Southland) – out with a loss and a McNeese win

UL MONROE (Sun Belt) – out with a loss

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES

-KANSAS AT BAYLOR (Big 12).  Both teams are being projected onto the #1 line, and I don’t think the outcome of this game will change that.  As big as this game is as a showcase, I don’t think it will really change the value of the losing team’s profile.

-TENNESSEE AT AUBURN (SEC).  Auburn has dropped a couple of games, both to teams that are seemingly outside the bubble, and needs to get things turned back around with a win at home today.

-MARQUETTE AT PROVIDENCE (Big East).  Providence is not in our field, but they are making a run at the bubble and a strong finish should be enough to get them in.  Marquette looks to be rather safe for now and adding another road win just helps them out even more.

-VIRGINIA AT PITTSBURGH (ACC).  Virginia is inside our bubble, but barely.  They need to hold serve in road games like this.

-UNC GREENSBORO AT VMI (SoCon).  If UNCG wins out, their chances of landing inside the bubble and getting a bid without winning the conference tournament aren’t great, but it’s not impossible either.

-MISSOURI AT ARKANSAS (SEC).  Arkansas has fallen outside the bubble and really needs to win this game.

-DUQUESNE AT DAYTON (Atlantic Ten).  Dayton continues to roll, and if they win out the real committee will likely give them a #2 seed.

-WEST VIRGINIA AT TCU (Big 12).  West Virginia has had their struggles, but they’ve still got a solid team and a solid resume with a good chance of ending up as a protected seed.  Holding serve and picking up this road win will get them one step closer.

-HOUSTON AT MEMPHIS (American).  Houston appears to be running away from the American, but can’t exactly put it on cruise control yet, especially if they want to end up with a favorable seed.  This is a winnable road game that a team that lands in the top half of the bracket should be able to pick up.

-MICHIGAN AT PURDUE (Big Ten).  Michigan has been looking better, and has even started playing better on the road lately.  If they finish strong, which they are capable of doing, then they could still end up as a protected seed.  Purdue continues to be schizophrenic and just needs some wins to help assure that they land on the right side of the bubble.

-VILLANOVA AT XAVIER (Big East).  Villanova has been locked into our field and remains on pace to end up with a protected seed.  Xavier has played their way inside the bubble and is trying to continue to play their way toward a tournament lock.  So, both teams have something to gain from a win today.

-SMU AT TULSA (American).  SMU is outside the bubble and is almost out of strikes.  They basically need to win out and have a strong showing in the American Tournament in order to land inside the bubble.

-EAST TENNESSEE STATE AT SAMFORD (SoCon).  It’s not a guarantee, but I think East Tennessee State will be inside the bubble, and in the field, if they win out the regular season but fail to make the conference tournament.

-MISSISSIPPI STATE AT TEXAS A&M (SEC).  Mississippi State is outside of our bubble and cannot afford to lose this one, even if it is a road game.

-FLORIDA STATE AT NC STATE (ACC).  NC State just obliterated Duke in their last game, which certainly helps their case.  If they can knock off another likely protected seed today, it will strengthen their case even more.  Florida State, on the other hand, is in a three way tie for first and can probably play their way up to a #2 seed if they finish strong.

-LOUISVILLE AT NORTH CAROLINA (ACC).  After a bad week last week, Louisville is still in a tie for first place and a strong finish will earn them a protected seed, and perhaps even a #2 seed.  They need to avoid bad losses in games like this (which is a really strange thing to say).

-UCLA AT COLORADO (Pac 12).  I like Colorado’s chances of winning the Pac 12.  Having said that, UCLA has been playing much better in the last few weeks, and while they don’t have a resume that can get them to the tournament, they can make quite a bit of noise down the stretch.

-OKLAHOMA AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big 12).  Bedlam!!!!  Oklahoma is looking to remain inside the bubble, which means holding serve in games like this.  That may be easier said than done since it’s a rivalry game on the road.

-WYOMING AT AIR FORCE (Mountain West) (Front Range).  This game has major opening round implications in the Mountain West Tournament, brought to you by ConExpo-Con/AGG!!  And, we at Hoops HD love the Front Range!!

-RHODE ISLAND AT DAVDSON (Atlantic Ten).  Rhode Island continues to hover around inside the bubble.  They’ve done a good job of holding serve and need to keep that up today.

-FLORIDA AT KENTUCKY (SEC).  Kentucky needs this win to help them end up with a protected seed, and Florida needs this win to help them end up safely inside the bubble.

-TEXAS TECH AT IOWA STATE (Big 12).  This is the kind of game Texas Tech should be expected to win.  If they’re able to hold serve, then they should end up in the top half of the bracket.

-LSU AT SOUTH CAROLINA (SEC).  LSU is very much safely in the field and will likely end up in the top half of the bracket despite hitting a slump recently.  South Carolina is still outside the bubble and needs this win (and a bunch of others) in order to make the field.

-RICHMOND AT SAINT BONAVENTURE (Atlantic Ten).  Richmond is squarely on the bubble, so every game has a pivotal feel to it.  This is a game they need to win, and should win, but it may be tough.  The Bonnies have been playing well recently (albeit not in their last game, but just prior to that they had been).

-SAN DIEGO STATE AT UNLV (Mountain West).  San Diego State is a lock in the field and will end up as a #1 seed if they win out.  It’s never easy to go on the road, but SDSU has been able to do things that weren’t easy all year long, which is why they are where they are.

-VIRGINIA TECH AT DUKE (ACC).  Duke was crushed in their last game, and normally when that happens they do a good job of regrouping.  They shouldn’t have too much trouble washing that taste out of their mouths tonight and maintaining a very strong resume.

-SAN DIEGO AT SAINT MARY’S (West Coast).  Saint Mary’s appears to be inside the bubble (although I personally am not sure why) and should make the field if they can hold serve the rest of the way.

-OREGON STATE AT ARIZONA STATE (Pac 12).  Arizona State continues to play better and better, and they have another winnable game tonight.  They are on pace to land in the top half of the bracket and be wearing white (or whatever their home uniform color is) in the Round of 64.

-OREGON AT ARIZONA (Pac 12).  Oregon is coming off a loss to Arizona State.  As good as their resume is, they probably need a few more good road wins to catch up with the rest of the protected seeds.  This would qualify, but this is also easier said than done.  Arizona has won six of their last seven and is very tough to beat at home.

-GEORGETOWN AT DEPAUL (Big East).  Georgetown is straddling the bubble.  Every game will have a pivotal feel to it the rest of the way, including this one on the road tonight.  It would be a great story if they were able to make the tournament given how beat up they’ve been.

-GONZAGA AT BYU (West Coast).  BYU has cracked the rankings and some are starting to place them in the top half of the bracket.  This is a rare chance for Gonzaga to pick up a road win against a team that’s in the top half of the bracket this late in the year.  If they lose, then they probably stay on the #1 line if they win out, but they also probably fall below San Diego State.  So, it’s a big game for the Zags.

UNDER THE RADAR NOTES (Potential First Place Finishers)

-VERMONT – has already clinched a share of first place in the America East.  They will win it out right with just one more win (face UMBC on Saturday), which means they will get home court advantage throughout the conference tournament.

-LIBERTY – Picked up a big win against North Florida this week, and now have a one game lead in the ASun with three games to go.  If they finish first, they face Stetson today and can get one step closer

-WINTHROP and RADFORD are tied in the Big South with three games to go.  They split with each other during the season.  The first place finisher gets home court advantage.  Winthrop hosts Hampton today, and Radford hosts SC Upstate

-UC IRVINE can clinch at least a share of first place in the Big West if they beat Cal State Northridge today.  One more win and they win it outright.

-HOFSTRA has a two game lead in the Colonial with three games to go.  A win at Delaware today clinches at least a share of first place, and one more will give it to them outright.

-WRIGHT STATE has a one game lead with two games to go.  If they win at Cleveland State they clinch at least a share of first place

-COLGATE has a two game lead in the Patriot League with three games to go.  If they beat Holy Cross today (which is VERY likely) they will clinch at least a share of first place.  One more win and they win it outright and earn home court advantage throughout the Patriot League Tournament.

-NEW MEXICO STATE will clinch an outright first place finish in the WAC if they beat UTRGV today

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Happy Tourney-versary!: HoopsHD interviews former coach Dick Bennett

Posted on February 22, 2020 by Jon Teitel

With the 2020 NCAA tourney tipping off next month, we will spend this month taking a walk down memory lane with a choice collection of players/coaches who are celebrating an awesome anniversary this year. From some game-winning FTs in the 1955 tourney (65th anniversary) through a 17-PT comeback win in the 2015 1st 4 (5th anniversary), these legends have all carved out a little piece of history in past Marches. We continue our series with Dick Bennett, who devised the “pack-line” defense that his son Tony worked to perfection while leading Virginia to an NCAA title last spring. He was 1984 NAIA national COY at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, made 5 postseason appearances in his final 6 years at Green Bay, then took the Badgers to the 2000 Final 4 before losing to eventual champ Michigan State. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Dick about the 20th anniversary of his great run in the 2000 NCAA tourney and having so many coaches in the family.

In 1976 you led Eau Claire Memorial High School to the Class A state title game (a 2-PT loss to South Milwaukee): how dominant was Rockets’ star 6’10” Kurt Nimphius back in the day (32.3 PPG in 3 state tourney games)? They were the only undefeated team in the state and he was the difference in that game. I had a very young team that surprised everyone by getting to the title game, but we did not really have an answer for him.

In 1984 you were named NAIA national COY after going 28-4 and leading Wisconsin-Stevens Point to the NAIA title game (NAIA national POY Terry Porter scored 22 PTS and was named tourney MVP despite a 2-PT OT loss to Fort Hays State): how did it feel to keep making it to a championship game before falling just short of winning it all? I felt like a big loser! I played 3rd base for my high school baseball team, and in the last game of my career I had to fill in on the mound and was the losing pitcher in the state title game, so I know what it is like to lose the big ones. We were a non-scholarship school in the NAIA: most of our opponents had scholarships. Terry was a great player but missed a shot to win it at the end of regulation.

In the 1990 NIT as coach at Green Bay, Anthony Bonner had 18 PTS/17 REB in a 4-PT win by eventual runner-up St. Louis: how close did you come to winning the game? It was a tight game. They had a nice club and it was tough to play them at their place: we could just not get over the hump. The most painful games were the NCAA tourney games that we always seemed to lose at the end.

In the 1991 NCAA tourney Steve Smith scored 19 PTS including an 18-footer at the buzzer in a 2-PT win by Michigan State: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? I remember outsmarting myself. We mostly played man-to-man defense but I decided to switch to a 1-3-1 “victory” defense toward the end of the game…and when we switched to that they hit a pair of 3-PT shots to tie it. My son Tony missed a shot toward the end and then Smith made a great change-of-pace move and made the game-winning shot over our best defender.

In the 1992 NIT Tony scored 36 PTS/9-10 3PM but turned the ball over to Carey Edwards for a dunk with 2 seconds left in a 2-PT loss to Manhattan: how much pain was Tony in while playing with a muscle pull in his back? We went 25-3 and won our conference but did not make it into the NCAA tourney because they thought that we had too many injuries. Tony was not even supposed to play in that game but he demanded to play after we fell behind early. He probably did not come within 20 feet of the basket all night but still shot the lights out.

Take me through the 1994 NCAA tourney:
Jason Kidd went 4-17 from the field with 6 turnovers in a 4-PT loss by Cal: how was your defense able to keep the future Hall of Famer in check? We built a wall in front of him and decided that the only way he would beat us was over the top of our defense or by giving it up to someone else. We tried to pinch the gap and it worked well. I think they just took us lightly.

Lawrence Moten scored 17 PTS in a 5-PT win by Syracuse: what was the reaction like when you got back to campus? It was very positive, but Green Bay was largely a commuter school so there was not as much reaction as you would think. We had a 3-PT play in the final minute but got called for a charge which wiped out the basket.

What are your memories of the 1995 NCAA tourney (Eric Jackson missed a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer in a 1-PT loss to Purdue)? That was 1 of the most remarkable groups I ever had. We were leading Big 10 champion Purdue in the final 15 seconds but got called for a block and then Cuonzo Martin made 2 FT to win it. That was my final year in Green Bay and the next year they had the best year in school history under my former assistant Mike Heideman.

Take me through the magical 2000 NCAA tourney as coach at Wisconsin:
Andy Kowske had 10 PTS/12 REB in a 7-PT win over #1-seed Arizona: where does that rank among the greatest upsets of your career? That was 1 of them, for sure. Coach Lute Olson did not take us lightly but I think that some of his players might have and we jumped on them early. That was as good a defensive team as I have ever coached and was 1 of the best I have ever seen.

Jon Bryant scored 18 PTS (5-9 3PM) in a 4-PT win over Purdue: did you do anything differently as a coach when playing a team for the 4th time in a 2½ month span? I did not do anything differently as a coach but the players had a better understanding on the defensive end (when to close out on a guy, which direction a guy prefers to go, etc.). They are little things but when you play a team so many times you start to learn a lot about them.

Your team only scored 41 PTS in a loss to eventual champion Michigan State: did the Spartans play great defense, or did your offense just have a cold shooting night, or a little of both? That was 1 of the best Spartan teams I have ever seen. With Mateen Cleaves running the break and Charlie Bell/Morris Peterson out on the floor our only chance was to make it a half-court slug-fest, but they were also comfortable playing that style.

In 2009 Wisconsin-Stevens Point renamed its basketball court Bennett Court to honor both you and your brother Jack (who won back-to-back D-3 national titles in 2004/2005): what did it mean to your family to receive that recognition? To this day I look at it as something that was earned for us by the quality teams we had. Any coaching honor is really a team honor and the best part was to have many of my players come back for it. I have only been back to campus a few times since retiring but I am happy for Jack because that is where he closed out his career. I am not as big on honors as some might think but it is a nice reflection on the teams I had.

Your son Tony is head coach at Virginia and your daughter Kathi was head coach of the women’s team at Northern Illinois: how much influence did you have on their own decisions to go into coaching, and who is the best coach in the family? Very little: I would have been satisfied had they not gone into coaching because I know about all the heartbreaks that go along with being a coach. Kathi was a great PG until she got hurt, and she and Tony lived in the gym as kids so it was easy to see them pursuing a career in basketball. Kathi is the best coach in the family: her teams never come out of their stance on defense because she really motivates them and has an incredible command of the game. Tony is the best at making use of his resources/assistant coaches.

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Under The Radar Game of the Day: Friday, February 21st

Posted on February 21, 2020 by John Stalica

SURVIVAL BOARD UPDATE!!!

-Kennesaw State became the first team that is eligible for the NCAA Tournament to be removed from the Survival Board last night (linked above).  Tonight in the Northeast Conference, if Central Connecticut loses at Wagner, AND Bryant wins at Saint Francis Brooklyn, Central Connecticut will be Eliminated

LINKS

For yesterday’s Hoops HD Bracket Rundown where the panel builds a seed list on air – CLICK HERE

For Jon Teitel’s interview with former Wake Forest/South Carolina head coach Dave Odom – CLICK HERE

Sacred Heart (16-11, 9-5) at Merrimack (18-10, 12-3) – 5:00 PM EST (CBS Sports Network)

Today’s UTR Game of the Day takes us to North Andover, Massachusetts for a matchup between one of the major surprises of this college season – the Merrimack Warriors host the Sacred Heart Pioneers in a matchup of teams in the top half of the Northeast Conference. Merrimack had a 9-game winning streak in conference play at one point from early January onward through early February, although the Warriors have gone 2-2 in their last four games. Merrimack beat SHU 65-57 when Juvaris Hayes went off for 17 points, 8 steals, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Matchups have been pivotal to Sacred Heart’s success in the NEC this season – or lack thereof in the case of their record against the top of the conference. In addition to their loss to Merrimack, the Pioneers are a combined 0-4 against Saint Francis (PA) and Robert Morris but are 9-0 against other teams in the conference. EJ Anosike is averaging 15.8 points a game and 11.3 rebounds a game for the Pioneers thus far this season.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES

-Northern Iowa was in good shape to land inside the bubble.  All they needed to do was win out, which required them beating sub-NIT caliber teams the rest of the way.  Last night, they failed to do that as they fell to Indiana State.  They still have a shot at makign the field if they don’t win the conference tournament, but not nearly as good as the shot that they had before losing that game.

-Arizona State picked up another big win at home last night against Oregon and continues to look better and better as the season winds down.  If they keep this up, then not only will they be inside the bubble, but in the top half of the bracket.

-Iowa remains hot after knocking off Ohio State and picking up another big win last night.

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Hoops HD BRACKET RUNDOWN: February 20th

Posted on February 20, 2020 by David Griggs

The show was recorded on Thursday, February 20th at 10pm, est.  None of the games that tipped at 11pm were considered

Chad and the panel build a seedlist line by line, and debate, discuss, and assess each team as they go.  Check out who they think the #1 seeds are, who the other protected seeds are, who’s in the field, and who’s on the bubble.  As you will see, not all of the opinions are unanimous.  This is not an attempt to guess what the selection committee will do on Selection Sunday, nor does it suppose what the committee would do if they were making the bracket today.  It is how our committee would select and seed the teams if they were the committee.

Below is the bracketed seedlist, but don’t look at it until you’ve watched the show!! (As discussed during the show, Colorado and Oregon were flipped after the show when the games went final.  In addition, BYU was moved to the 6 line for bracketing reasons.)

 

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

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