HAPPY MARCH MADNESS EVERYBODY!!!!! We’ve got a huge slate of games, and that includes some elimination games, as well as some teams trying to lock up first place in their leagues.
-MIAMI, FL AT DUKE (ACC). This game has ACC title implications and #1 seed implications. Duke is still in the discussion for a #1 seed even though they haven’t beaten a tournament caliber team on the road. Miami has won games like that, and if they win today there is no way any reasonable person should think Duke should be ahead of them on the seed list. Miami won the first one in a blowout, but Duke has struggled on the road all year. They’ve been unstoppable at home, though.
-LOUISVILLE AT SYRACUSE (Big East). Both teams have great profiles, and the first meeting between these two was close. The way things have been going, it’s still possible for one or both of them to end up as high as the #1 line, but for that to happen they’d probably need to win out all the way through the Big East Tournament. The first meeting was a good game. It was a big road win for Syracuse, which is arguably their biggest win of the season. If Louisville were to pull this off, it would be their best win of the year as well.
-ROBERT MORRIS AT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT (NEC). Robert Morris has already clinched first place, and home court advantage throughout the conference tournament.
-MARYLAND AT WAKE FOREST (ACC). Maryland is on the outside looking in and can’t afford late season losses if they want any shot at all.
-OLD DOMINION AT NORTHEASTERN (Colonial). Northeastern has clinched first place in the Colonial, and the first round bye that comes with it.
-BUTLER AT VCU (Atlantic Ten). This is perhaps the showcase game of the year for the conference, and it features the two newest teams. Since Butler could be gone as soon as next year, this will not be a regular series. The last time these two met, it was in the Final Four. Both teams have solid resumes, but could use a big win such as this to enhance it even more.
-ALABAMA AT FLORIDA (SEC). Florida looks to be a protected seed and although they’ve struggled on the road, they’ve been unstoppable at home. Alabama is on the outside looking. They’re high in the SEC standings, but they need a big road win like this to get the attention of the committee. A win for Bama also forces a potential three way tie for first.
-MEMPHIS AT UCF (Conference USA). Memphis is severely lacking in notable wins, but should be okay for a bid if they hold serve and don’t stub their toes between now and the end.
-JACKSONVILLE STATE AT BELMONT (Ohio Valley). Belmont will clinch the best overall OVC record with a win today, and will get serious contention for an at-large bid if they happen to stumble in the conference tournament.
-IOWA STATE AT OKLAHOMA (Big Twelve). Oklahoma had a bad loss to Texas earlier this week, but it still safely in the field. Iowa State needs a big win and this is a very pivotal game for them.
-TENNESSEE AT GEORGIA (SEC). I believe Tennessee is still outside the bubble, but they are really playing well and if they can finish strong they can get in. They can’t afford to lose to teams that won’t be in the field, even if they are the road team.
-CONNECTICUT AT CINCINNATI (Big East). Cincinnati has really hit a skid and their profile has plummeted. They need a big win to turn things around, otherwise they may slip all the way out.
-GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT DAVIDSION (Southern). Davidson clinched the top seed long ago. They’ll need to win the conference tournament to get in, though.
-DETROIT AT ILLINOIS CHICAGO (Horizon League). Detroit is a game out of first, but Valpo would have to lose and a several other crazy things would have to happen in order for them to get the tiebreaker, so it isn’t likely.
-NOTRE DAME AT MARQUETTE (Big East). Marquette looks to be in better shape than Notre Dame, so a win for the Irish, especially as the road team, would really help them out. Marquette has gone unbeaten at home this year, so it won’t be easy for ND.
-WICHITA STATE AT CREIGHTON (Missouri Valley). These are the two best teams in the Valley. Both appear to be solidly in, but both could use a big win to improve their profile and this is one of the few remaining chances. The winner will be the outright first place finisher, which is something Creighton has not achieved since 2001.
-RHODE ISLAND AT TEMPLE (Atlantic Ten). Temple is on the bubble and can’t afford to lose at home to a weak Rhody team.
-WEST VIRGINIA AT KANSAS (Big Twelve). Kansas may not get a #1 seed, but the way things are going they could end up there if they finish strong.
-DUQUESNE AT LA SALLE (Atlantic Ten). La Salle appears to be in right now, but doesn’t want a bad home loss in a game like this.
-ARIZONA STATE AT USC (Pac Twelve). Arizona State has a razor thin margin for error and can’t afford to non-tournament teams even if they are the road team.
-VALPARAISO AT GREEN BAY (Horizon League). Valpo can clinch an outright first place finish with a win. This will award them a bye into the semifinals, and home court advantage throughout the conference tournament.
-UNLV AT NEVADA (Mountain West). UNLV is in good shape. Although Nevada has struggled, they have been tough at home and this is a rivalry game, so it won’t be an easy win at all for the Rebels.
-KENTUCKY AT ARKANSAS (SEC). I believe Kentucky is outside the bubble, but they are just a game behind Florida and will play Florida next week. Arkansas is not a tournament team, but they do have just one home loss. This would easily be Kentucky’s best win of the year at this point, and put them in a position to solidly play their way in if they can knock off Florida. If they lose both games, I don’t think they’re anywhere close to getting in.
-SAVANNAH STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL (MEAC). NC Central is just a game behind Norfolk in the standings and could end up clinching a share of the conference title, but since the site of the conference tournament is predetermined a first place finish does them no huge favors.
-BETHUNE COOKMAN AT NORFOLK STATE (MEAC). Norfolk State has a one game lead with three games remaining. If they win and NC Central loses, they’ll clinch at least a share of the MEAC title.
-TEXAS AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big Twelve). Okie State is looking like a protected seed. They just need to hold serve.
-SAINT LOUIS AT GEORGE WASHINGTON (Atlantic Ten). SLU is in first place and is in great shape for a bid. Their profile just keeps getting better. They’re playing so well it wouldn’t’ surprise me if they won out all the way through the conference tournament.
-LSU AT MISSOURI (SEC). Mizzou appears to be in, but is closer to the bubble than they are to a protected seed. They’re unbeaten at home and LSU isn’t a tournament team, so a win doesn’t help them much.
-OLE MISS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (SEC). Ole Miss is right on the bubble and would be absolutely sunk if they lose to a team as weak as Mississippi State.
-CALIFORNIA AT COLORADO (Pac Twelve). I think both these teams would be in if the season ended today. They’ve be somewhat close to the bubble, but I think both are in. Both have been playing well lately, especially Cal, so although the game is somewhat pivotal I think there is more to gain for the winner than there is to lose for the loser.
-PORTLAND AT GONZAGA (West Coast). Gonzaga has already clinched first place in the league, and will likely end up with the #1 ranking if they win today.
-WYOMING AT NEW MEXICO (Mountain West). New Mexico is in great shape for a good seed. Wyoming got off to a good start this year, but has fizzled out and will likely need to win the conference tournament to get in.
-NEBRASKA AT ILLINOIS (Big Ten). Illinois is in good shape and just needs to hold serve today.
-MERCER AT STETSON (Atlantic Sun). A win for Mercer gives them an outright first place finish. The conference tournament is also on their floor.
-HARVARD AT PENN (Ivy League). Harvard is in a tie for first with Princeton, whom they lost to last night. There is no conference tournament so it’s winner take all.
-AKRON AT BUFFALO (MAC). Arkon should be good for a bid if they win out the regular season. A win today clinches at least a share of the first place title, and since they’ve beaten Ohio twice, they own the tiebreaker.
-MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT WESTERN KENTUCKY (Sun Belt). Middle Tennessee is a full five games ahead of the second place team and had first place wrapped up long ago. I don’t know how much love the committee will give them because they lack quality wins. If they win today and avoid a quarterfinal loss in the conference tournament I think they deserve to be in, though, even if they don’t win the SBC tourney.
-LONG BEACH AT UC IRVINE (Big West). A win for Long Beach clinches first place in the Big West.
-CHARLOTTE AT SAINT BONAVENTURE (Atlantic Ten). Charlotte has lost five of six and will not get in if they don’t turn things around. They are essentially out of strikes and cannot afford another loss to a non-tournament team.
-BUCKNELL AT NAVY (Patriot League). Bucknell has clinched first place and home court advantage throughout the conference tournament. They have some good things on their profile, but will probably need to win the conference tournament to get in.
-NORTHWESTERN STATE AT STEPHEN F AUSTIN (Southland). Neither team is in position to get an at-large, but these are two teams that are tied for first place with just three games remaining.
-KANSAS STATE AT BAYLOR (Big Twelve). K State could still end up as a protected seed. It appears as though Baylor has fallen too far off the bubble to play their way back on. It would take a Herculean effort to get them back into the discussion.
-IOWA AT INDIANA (Big Ten). Iowa is outside the bubble. Winning this game would do obvious wonders for their case. Indiana should still end up getting a #1 seed. They’re also coming off a loss, and they have a tendency to play very well after a loss.
-COLORADO STATE AT BOISE STATE (Mountain West). Colorado State looks to be safely in. Boise Still has some work to do, and REALLY needs this one.
-EAST CAROLINA AT SOUTHERN MISS (Conference USA). Southern Miss continues to be everyone’s favorite bubble team that shouldn’t be on the bubble. A win today will keep them in that conversation, though.
-SAN JOSE STATE AT LOUISIANA TECH (WAC). LA Tech will likely be good for an at-large if they win out the regular season and finish in the rankings. They sorely lack quality wins, though, so even with the ranking they will be very close to the bubble.
-ARIZONA AT UCLA (Pac Twelve). Arizona is in good shape, but their profile has taken a few hits, most recently with their loss to USC the other night. This would be one of their more notable wins of the season if they’re able to pull it off.
-RUTGERS AT GEORGETOWN (Big East). Georgetown is very much in the discussion for a #1 seed, and their case was helped with a big win at UConn earlier in the week. Rutgers is just 3-7 on the road so they shouldn’t have much trouble today.
-MONTANA AT MONTANA STATE (Big Sky). Montana has a one game lead with four games to go. Their only loss was at Weber.
-SANTA CLARA AT SAINT MARY’S (West Coast). SMC has zero margins for error. Winning out to the conference final and losing to Gonzaga may not even be enough, but anything short of that certainly won’t be.
GRIGGS
