Getting Mad for March

I wanted to get this out before the tournaments began butbecause of schoolwork I did not have the time so please forgive me.  I am watching the Syracuse-Villanovagame right now (I tivoed it) so I do not have any extra information than Iwould have had last night.  Let’sget right to it, just a quick preview of the six major conference tournaments(ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, SEC and PAC-10) and my predictions for themall.

SEC- it is a very down year in this conference, which is toobad because after the football season this conference has you expect more.  The major story going on during thistournament is whether Florida can do enough to get themselves into the NCAATournament.  Tennessee should withthis tourney; they are the best team in the SEC and have dominated all yearlong.  I think Kentucky willcontinue to play well and assure themselves the NCAA Tourney bid by getting tothe finals before losing to the Vols. I have Florida winning one game and in the end, probably not doingenough to get into the big dance next week.

Big 10- First off, this conference has 11 teams and I hatethe fact that they still call themselves the Big 10 but whatever.  This tournament is the one I honestlydon’t care about.  I don’t see atrue contender in this conference and the basketball is numbingly boring towatch.  The only real bubble teamhere is Ohio St. who I don’t think should get in unless they get to the finalsof this tourney but who knows.  Ihave Indiana winning this conference tournament behind Eric Gordon and DJWhite.

Big East- Finally a tournament that has some stringsattached to it.  TheVillanova-Syracuse game is basically a play-out game, NOT play-in.  Whichever team wins will probably haveto beat Georgetown too.  WestVirginia should be in, unless they loose in the first round but don’t worry,they won’t.  The other question iswho is going to actually win this thing. It is wide open.  I willtake Louisville.  I like they waythey have been playing late in the season.  Look out for Marquette to make a run from the first round; Ithink they are one team playing on the first day that could actually win thewhole thing.  The Cuse will beatNova but it won’t matter, they will loose to Georgetown and end up in the NIT.

ACC- This is a very interesting tournament, not because ofwho may win it but because of who could play their way into the “bigdance.”  Miami will get in unlessthey loose to NC State in round one. Maryland and Virginia Tech are on the bubble big time though.  Maryland needs to beat BC on Thursdayand if they can then beat Clemson is round two they will be in.  If not, it will be a long wait to hearwhat the committee says on Sunday. V-Tech has the first round bye and gets the Miami-NC. State winner inthe 2^nd round.  Miami issaid to be in, so V-Tech, even though they are the higher seed, needs to beatthem on Friday.  The winner comesdown to North Carolina and Duke.  Ihave a feeling one of these two teams gets lazy and gets knocked out before thefinal game and we all get robbed of UNC-Duke Round III.  I got Duke being the one that gets lazyand UNC winning this tourney. 

Big 12- Baylor and Kansas State are in, take them off thebubble ESPN.  Unless of courseBaylor looses to Colorado in round 1 but they won’t.  K-State is in because the committee can’t keep the bestplayer in college basketball out (That’s Michael Beasley, not TylerHansbrough).  Texas A+M is on thebubble though and will need two wins (in my opinion) to get in.  That’s a win over Iowa St. in round 1(which will happen) and beating The Beasley’s in round 2 (may happen).  I, as a fan, hope we get to see Texasand Kansas match-up on Sunday for the conference title.  Whether or not that happens I thinkKansas will win this tourney.

Pac 10- Finally a conference that’s calls themselvessomething 10 and actually has 10 teams. This is a very tough conference and should get the most bids, but theywon’t (eats coast bias).  Arizona shouldget in based on their schedule. They will win round 1 and if they can beat Stanford in round 2 theyguarantee themselves a bid.  Oregonand Arizona St. are also on the bubble and both need round 1 wins, I don’texpect either of them to get it and they will be sweating it out come Sunday.  I am hoping USC can ride their hot waveand win this tournament but I don’t think it will happen, UCLA will knock themout and then go on and win the whole thing and get their 1 seed out west.

People, enjoy this weekend.  It is the appetizer to next week’s “big dance.”  There are other tournament going on allweek too but I don’t know enough about them to cover them.  It is now time to sit back, relax andenjoy some basketball.

Until next time, I’m gone, like the The Cuse’s NCAAtournament hopes.