Hoops HD

Happy March Madness Everybody!!!

You can stop searching the internet!!  You don’t need to go anywhere else!!  HOOPS HD HAS MARCH COVERED!!!  We are now in full blown March Mode!  We will be recording our Championship Week Video Notebooks every night, and keeping you updated with all of the action each day with our articles.

LINKS

-For the Final Hoops HD Report of the season, where the staff runs through the nine multi-bid leagues and discusses the other teams that are inside the bubble – CLICK HERE

-For Jon Teitel’s Conference Tournament Previews (Part 1) – CLICK HERE

-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day, featuring the Team of the People against Saint Mary’s #LopesWaiver – CLICK HERE

-For the Hoops HD NCAA Tournament Survival Board, which is the most valued and reliable resource that is available to the Selection Committee – CLICK HERE

-For all the Conference Tournament Info you need, including dates, times, networks, and matchups – CLICK HERE

-For our latest Bracket Projections – CLICK HERE

NEWS AND NOTES

-Even in Texas, the things that Kansas did last night to the Longhorns should be considered abusive and illegal.  Kansas had strong seasons the past two years where they appeared to taper off a little down the stretch.  This season, Kansas does not appear to be tapering off.

-The chalk pretty much held last night.  Chattanooga avoided what would have been a complete death blow to their at-large chances when they came back to beat VMI.  The problem is that they may already be on the outside looking in and will need to win the automatic bid.

CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK

ATLANTIC SUN QUARTERFINALS

-#8 South Carolina Upstate @ #1 North Florida (7:30 PM, ESPN3)
-#5 Kennesaw State @ #4 Florida Gulf Coast (7:05 PM, ESPN3)
-#7 Stetson (ineligible for NCAA Tournament) @ #2 NJIT (7:30 PM, ESPN3)
-#6 Lipscomb @ #3 Jacksonville (7:00 PM, ESPN3)

PATRIOT LEAGUE OPENING ROUND

-#9 Holy Cross @ #8 Loyola MD (7:30 PM, patriotleague.tv) – winner gets Bucknell
-#10 Lafayette @ #7 Navy (7:00 PM, patriotleague.tv) – winner gets Lehigh

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES

-KENTUCKY AT FLORIDA (SEC).  Kentucky has been very inconsistent on the road.  They need a strong finish to the season, which includes picking up more wins away from home, if they want to end up as a protected seed.

-TENNESSEE AT VANDERBILT (SEC).  Vandy has been playing really well all of a sudden.  They’re suddenly on the bubble, and should make the field if they keep going like they have been.  They need to hold serve in home games against non-tournament teams, which means taking care of business against their rivals.

-VIRGINIA AT CLEMSON (ACC).  Virginia is on the cusp of a #1 seed.  Their only losses have been close road losses against likely protected seeds.  If they really are a #1 seed then this is the kind of road game that you would expect them to win.

-DEPAUL AT VILLANOVA (Big East).  Nova is atop the Big East, and should be able to end up as a #1 seed so long as they hold serve the rest of the way.

-DAYTON AT RICHMOND (Atlantic Ten).  Dayton has lost three out of their last four, and their profile has slipped somewhat.  The sooner they get the ship righted, the better.  They don’t want to add another loss to a non-tournament team to their profile.

-BAYLOR AT OKLAHOMA (Big Twelve).  I still think Oklahoma can end up on the #1 line, but they probably need to win out the regular season.  Baylor is a solid tournament team that should get in on the initial ballot, but this is a very tall order.  Oklahoma win the first meeting rather handily.

-WAKE FOREST AT DUKE (ACC).  Duke is coming off a loss at Pitt where they looked really sluggish.  Fortunately for them they have a very winnable game tonight against Wake, which should help get them back on the right track.

-PURDUE AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten).  Purdue has a solid profile and should end up below the protected seeds, but in on the initial ballot.  Nebraska isn’t the easiest place to win on the road, but it’s the kind of road game that a solid NCAA Tournament team should be able to win.

-GEORGIA TECH AT LOUISVILLE (ACC).  Georgia Tech is outside the bubble, but they’ve been playing well these past couple of weeks and are a few big wins away from landing in the field.  Now, having said that, the question is whether or not they’re good enough to pick up the few big wins that they need.

-GEORGE MASON AT GEORGE WASHINGTON (Atlantic Ten).  GW is just outside our bubble, and a home loss to a weak team could serve as a bit of a death blow to their at-large chances.

-ARKANSAS STATE AT LITTLE ROCK (Sun Belt).  Little Rock should land inside the bubble so long as they win out and avoid an early loss in the SBC Tournament.  They’ve had a good year and I’d hate to see them stub their toes and suffer a bad loss this close to the end.  This game also has Survival Board implications as an Arkansas State win would eliminate conference-mate Appalachian State from being able to make the Sun Belt Tournament.

-TEXAS A&M AT AUBURN (SEC). This is a winnable road game for a TAMU team that appears to be below the protected seeds, but still in on the initial ballot.

-INDIANA AT IOWA (Big Ten).  The schedule isn’t balanced, but Indiana has clinched a least of share of first place in the Big Ten.  This would probably be their most impressive win of the year if they pull this one out on the road.  Iowa is still a protected seed, but they’ve been tapering off in recent weeks.

-SAN DIEGO STATE AT NEW MEXICO (Mountain West).  I can’t say for certain whether or not San Diego State will land inside the bubble, but if they win out and avoid an early loss in the MWC Tourney they should get a serious look.