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Could Onuaku's injury cost Syracuse a No. 1 seed? [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 2:48 pm] The big question that emerged from Georgetown's Big East quarterfinal upset over Syracuse has nothing to do with the Orange's sudden struggles or the Hoyas maddening inconsistency.Those are both secondary issues until we learn the severity of Arinze Onuaku's right knee injury.Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim called Onuaku's injury a "strain" after the game but cautioned that nobody should breathe easy until the senior center undergoes an MRI on Friday morning. Onuaku sustained the injury battling Greg Monroe for a rebound late in the second half, landing awkwardly and crumbling to the ground clutching his knee."I think he'll be back unless something bad happens tomorrow," Syracuse team doctor Irving Raphael told the New York Times. "I've seen him worse." A major injury would have been the only Big East tournament scenario that could have cost Syracuse a No. 1 seed, but the absence of Onuaku would probably not be enough to jeopardize that.Whereas Kenyon Martin was a national player of the year candidate when Cincinnati dropped to a No. 2 seed after losing him in its conference tournament in 2000, Onuaku is more a role player, albeit a significant one.Whether Syracuse would still a national title favorite without Onuaku, however, is more legitimate question. The Orange only went seven deep even before the injury and they would miss Onuaku's low-post scoring, offensive rebounding and sturdy defense. Onuaku's mother was optimistic after the game when she spoke to the New York Times."He's fine," she said. "He will be back for the NCAA tournament." Welcome to The Dance, Robert Morris Colonials [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 2:47 pm] We're doing something a little different with this one seeing that I was actually at the game last night. HAMDEN, Conn. - The Northeast Conference is unlike many other mid- and low-major conferences for this reason: it doesn't facilitate dynasties. Robert Morris got a trip to its seventh trip to the NCAA tournament last night and its second straight auto bid. In the process, it became the first school since Rider in 1994 to do it in consecutive years. So why did it happen? "More than most teams at this level, we really care about and focus on the defense," RMU coach Mike Rice said. And the defense is what won them the game, a 52-50 outcome that was much more enthralling than that score would indicate. Quinnipiac had two shots in the final minute to win the game on its home floor - where it had not lost all season - but a tough pull-up shot from James Johnson with 44 seconds to go hit the front iron and a screen-and-shoot play, attempted by James Feldeine, was partially blocked by Dallas Green. After the shot-gone-awry came back down and deflected off of the Bobcats' Jonathan Cruz's leg, Quinnipac's chances to dance had about expired. QU coach Tom Moore nervously flicked his finger against his chin as Colonials freshman guard Karon Abraham shot two free throws in the final seconds. Abraham went 0 for 2, but the subsequent half-court desperation heave from Johnson wasn't even flirtatious enough to hit the backboard, yet alone the rim. "I was pleased with the last play. I was happy it was in his hands," Moore said of the Feldeine shot. "There's no two kids in the entire league I'd rather have running that action. It gives us great options and put sour two best players in great scoring positions." But the game was just as much won by Robert Morris as it was lost by Quinnipiac. Before Abraham, an 87-percent foul shooter, missed both at the stripe with a two-point lead, Green, a shaky foul shooter, sank both of his. "I wasn't nerv Welcome to The Dance, Montana Grizzlies [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 11:49 am] Anyone going to be able to top the story of Anthony Johnson this month? I doubt it. And even if it happens, good. These are the kinds of things - the human-interest pieces - that take us away from the bubble talk (which is admittedly fun) and make us say, "Hey, wow, now this is really something. This is worth forwarding to a friend." The Grizzlies got an automatic bid thanks to Johnson scoring two-thirds of the team's points last night. It was an epic comeback, one that had the Twitter world buzzing as it all unfolded. It its 109-year span of playing basketball, Montana has never been ranked. It did make one Sweet 16 - back in 1975, when the tournament was 32 teams deep and it lost in the second round to eventual champion UCLA - and got a first-round upset over Nevada a few years back. But the school is largely void of any rich basketball history. So this is the year. Johnson's heroics in defeating Weber State is the launching pad for a season unlike any other. Think about what the school is going through right now. Calls from around the country - including this very blog! - are flooding into the athletic offices, searching for Johnson and head coach Wayne Tinkle (avoiding sophomore puns at all costs here). You know about Johnson's backstory, so how can you not root for this team to pull off an upset? There would, seemingly, be no better club to win next Thursday or Friday than this one. Player to know: This is a joke, right? If you want to bare-bone stats on Johnson this season, here you go: 19.6 PPG; 50.6 percent from the field; 88 percent from the foul line; 46 percent from 3-point range. The Vitals: »Record: 22-9, 10-6 Big Sky »Team colors: copper, silver and gold »We're thinking: a 16-seed »KenPom ranking: 104 »RPI: 124 »Best win: @ Oregon (15-15) »Worst loss: Idaho State (7-22) »Notable stat: Montana shot the ball more effectively (49 percent from the floor; 40 percent from 3) and held oppo Bubble Watch: A must-win for Georgia Tech vs. UNC [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 9:45 am] Very few bubble teams can secure a bid on Thursday, but early-round losses for any of them would likely extinguish their hopes.Florida must beat Auburn. Georgia Tech must get by North Carolina. And Pac-10 contenders Washington and Arizona State must each avoid quarterfinal upsets to set up their crucial semifinal clash. The number of open spots in the tournament shrunk from eight to seven on Wednesday with Notre Dame pretty much securing an at-large bid with a fifth straight win. On the other hand, South Florida removed itself from contention with a loss to Georgetown and Seton Hall damaged its hopes by falling to the Irish.Last Five In, First Five Out 61. Illinois (18-12, 10-8, RPI: 75) Although it's hard to imagine a team with victories over Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and Wisconsin not making the field, Illinois is in jeopardy as a result of its bloated RPI and poor finish. The Illini have to avenge Sunday's loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals, or Selection Sunday will be very dicey. 62. Washington (21-9, 11-7, RPI: 50): The Huskies finished a game behind Arizona State in the Pac-10 standings, but victories over Cal and Texas A&M are more impressive than anything on the Sun Devils' resume. A Pac-10 title game appearance is a must for Washington, meaning the Huskies will probably have to defeat Arizona State in the semifinals to get there. 63. San Diego State (20-8, 11-5, RPI: 36): Unlike other bubble teams, San Diego State's NCAA tournament hopes can be summed up fairly simply. A win over likely Mountain West semifinal opponent New Mexico would put the Aztecs solidly in the field, while a quarterfinal or semifinal loss would likely knock them out. 64. Georgia Tech (18-11, 7-9, RPI: 44): Can a team that finished below .500 in the ACC and lost eight of nine road conference games make the NCAA tournament? This season, absolutely. The Yellowjackets' victory over Duke is keeping them afloat right now, but th Bubble Watch: A must-win for Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 9:45 am] Very few bubble teams can secure a bid on Thursday, but early-round losses for any of them would likely extinguish their hopes.Florida must beat Auburn. Georgia Tech must get by North Carolina. And Pac-10 contenders Washington and Arizona State must each avoid quarterfinal upsets to set up their crucial semifinal clash. The number of open spots in the tournament shrunk from eight to seven on Wednesday with Notre Dame pretty much securing an at-large bid with a fifth straight win. On the other hand, South Florida removed itself from contention with a loss to Georgetown and Seton Hall damaged its hopes by falling to the Irish.Last Five In, First Five Out 61. Illinois (18-12, 10-8, RPI: 75) Although it's hard to imagine a team with victories over Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and Wisconsin not making the field, Illinois is in jeopardy as a result of its bloated RPI and poor finish. The Illini have to avenge Sunday's loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals, or Selection Sunday will be very dicey. 62. Washington (21-9, 11-7, RPI: 50): The Huskies finished a game behind Arizona State in the Pac-10 standings, but victories over Cal and Texas A&M are more impressive than anything on the Sun Devils' resume. A Pac-10 title game appearance is a must for Washington, meaning the Huskies will probably have to defeat Arizona State in the semifinals to get there. 63. San Diego State (20-8, 11-5, RPI: 36): Unlike other bubble teams, San Diego State's NCAA tournament hopes can be summed up fairly simply. A win over likely Mountain West semifinal opponent New Mexico would put the Aztecs solidly in the field, while a quarterfinal or semifinal loss would likely knock them out. 64. Georgia Tech (18-11, 7-9, RPI: 44): Can a team that finished below .500 in the ACC and lost eight of nine road conference games make the NCAA tournament? This season, absolutely. The Yellowjackets' victory over Duke is keeping them afloat right now, but th Even better than Anthony Johnson's game: His back story [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 7:45 am] Had his future wife not finagled a tryout for him at a local junior college four years ago, Montana's Anthony Johnson never would have been in position to lead the Grizzlies to an improbable NCAA tournament berth on Wednesday night. In fact, he probably wouldn't be playing basketball at all. Johnson had all but given up on his hoops dreams in 2005 after a unspectacular high school career when he started dating a college point guard who saw untapped potential in him that others didn't. Shaunte Nance eventually decided to transfer to a school in the Tacoma, Wash. area so that she could be closer to Johnson, only choosing Yakima Valley Community College after the men's basketball coach agreed to give her boyfriend a chance to make the team as well.The bargain Nance brokered revived Johnson's basketball career and put him on a path toward blossoming into easily the most jaw-dropping story of March so far. The 6-foot-3 senior erupted for 34 of his Big Sky tournament record 42 points in the second half of Wednesday's 66-65 victory in the title game, singlehandedly willing Montana back from a 20-point halftime deficit to stun top-seeded Weber State."I feel like I'm kind of dreaming right now," Johnson told reporters after the game. "I'll probably end up watching on TV and it will sink in when we get back home." Although Johnson averaged a team-high 18.9 points per game for Montana this year, he'd never had a superhuman night like this before. On Wednesday, Johnson was simply unstoppable in the second half, beating two and three Weber State defenders by getting to the rim, pulling up for mid-range jumpers or sticking an occasional contested 3-pointer. To better understand what Johnson accomplished Wednesday, consider this for a moment:• He scored Montana's final 21 points of the night• He shot 11 of 15 in the second half and 14 of 14 from the free throw line• He buried the go-ahead shot with 10 seconds to go, weaving through defenders unti Even better than Montana guard's 42-point game: His back story [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 7:45 am] Had his future wife not finagled a tryout for him at a local junior college four years ago, Montana's Anthony Johnson never would have been in position to lead the Grizzlies to an improbable NCAA tournament berth on Wednesday night. In fact, he probably wouldn't be playing basketball at all. Johnson had all but given up on his hoops dreams in 2005 after a unspectacular high school career when he started dating a college point guard who saw untapped potential in him that others didn't. Shaunte Nance eventually decided to transfer to a school in the Tacoma, Wash. area so that she could be closer to Johnson, only choosing Yakima Valley Community College after the men's basketball coach agreed to give her boyfriend a chance to make the team as well.The bargain Nance brokered revived Johnson's basketball career and put him on a path toward blossoming into easily the most jaw-dropping story of March so far. The 6-foot-3 senior erupted for 34 of his Big Sky tournament record 42 points in the second half of Wednesday's 66-65 victory in the title game, singlehandedly willing Montana back from a 20-point halftime deficit to stun top-seeded Weber State."I feel like I'm kind of dreaming right now," Johnson told reporters after the game. "I'll probably end up watching on TV and it will sink in when we get back home." Although Johnson averaged a team-high 18.9 points per game for Montana this year, he'd never had a superhuman night like this before. On Wednesday, Johnson was simply unstoppable in the second half, beating two and three Weber State defenders by getting to the rim, pulling up for mid-range jumpers or sticking an occasional contested 3-pointer. To better understand what Johnson accomplished Wednesday, consider this for a moment:• He scored Montana's final 21 points of the night• He shot 11 of 15 in the second half and 14 of 14 from the free throw line• He buried the go-ahead shot with 10 seconds to go, weaving through defenders unti Even better than Montana hero's 42-point game: His back story [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 7:45 am] Had his future wife not finagled a tryout for him at a local junior college four years ago, Montana's Anthony Johnson never would have been in position to lead the Grizzlies to an improbable NCAA tournament berth on Wednesday night. In fact, he probably wouldn't be playing basketball at all. Johnson had all but given up on his hoops dreams in 2005 after a unspectacular high school career when he started dating a college point guard who saw untapped potential in him that others didn't. Shaunte Nance eventually decided to transfer to a school in the Tacoma, Wash. area so that she could be closer to Johnson, only choosing Yakima Valley Community College after the men's basketball coach agreed to give her boyfriend a chance to make the team as well.The bargain Nance brokered revived Johnson's basketball career and put him on a path toward blossoming into easily the most jaw-dropping story of March so far. The 6-foot-3 senior erupted for 34 of his Big Sky tournament record 42 points in the second half of Wednesday's 66-65 victory in the title game, singlehandedly willing Montana back from a 20-point halftime deficit to stun top-seeded Weber State."I feel like I'm kind of dreaming right now," Johnson told reporters after the game. "I'll probably end up watching on TV and it will sink in when we get back home." Although Johnson averaged a team-high 18.9 points per game for Montana this year, he'd never had a superhuman night like this before. On Wednesday, Johnson was simply unstoppable in the second half, beating two and three Weber State defenders by getting to the rim, pulling up for mid-range jumpers or sticking an occasional contested 3-pointer. To better understand what Johnson accomplished Wednesday, consider this for a moment:• He scored Montana's final 21 points of the night• He shot 11 of 15 in the second half and 14 of 14 from the free throw line• He buried the go-ahead shot with 10 seconds to go, weaving through defenders unti CBS announces NCAA tournament pairings [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 7:44 am] Familiarity is good. CBS seems to know that, which may be why its announcing teams for the NCAA tournament are almost identical to last year. We don't need surprises when we flip on the first round of the tournament next Thursday at noon EDT. I like the routine. There will be a brief, uninformative pre-game show in New York featuring Greg Gumbel; a slightly modified intro featuring at least one clip of Christian Laettner's shot playing over the familiar CBS NCAA basketball theme and then a cut to a far-flung locale for the first game of the day, probably with Ian Eagle announcing that he'll take us to our game as soon as it begins.It's as routine as going to fireworks on July 4th or watching the Detroit Lions lose on Thanksgiving. It's the greatest. Why mess with it? Thankfully, CBS didn't. Here's the network's list of announcer pairings for the first two rounds of the tournament. It looks quite similar to last year's: • Studio: Greg Gumbel, Greg Anthony, Seth Davis • Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg• Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas• Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery• Gus Johnson/Len Elmore• Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner• Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel• Tim Brando/Mike Gminski• Spero Dedes/Bob WenzelOther than our usual complaints about the bland Clark Kellogg, it's a fine list. (Although we do wish Greg Anthony was given something more to do rather than try to get a word in over Seth Davis in the studio.) Len Elmore is normally a pretty reserved dude, so it's nice that he's with the powder keg of excitement that is Gus Johnson. As much fun as it would be to have a Gus/Bill Raftery pairing, there's a reasonable fear that the two would spontaneously combust if they had to announce a buzzer beater together.Jay Bilas is given the job of keeping viewers from ignoring all the errors made by the 75-year old Dick Enberg, who is experiencing the inevitable decline that all legendary announcers go through. Enberg hasn't yet his Pat Summerall territory, but he's Video: Virginia Tech coach drains half-court shot at ACC tourney [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 11, 2010, 6:21 am] If you're like me, you frequently wonder how much game is still possessed by old college basketball coaches. There's little doubt young guys like Jeff Capel and Dane Fife still got game, but what of the older guard?We all know know Mike Krzyzewski is one of, if not the, greatest coach of all-time and that he also played guard at West Point. But how's his jumpshot at age 63? And Jim Boeheim teaches the zone defense to Syracuse players like Socrates taught philosophy to Plato. But can he still take away the high post in practice?There are no answers to these questions in this blog post, only a video to confirm that, yes, the skills of older basketball coaches have yet to fully erode. At an ACC tournament shoot-around Wednesday, Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg drained a half-court hookshot that looked, dare I say, Kareem-esque: Later on his Twitter page, Greenberg boasted that he "displayed his range" at practice and thinks he still "might have eligibility." (Eligibility questions? Too bad Tim Floyd isn't still at USC.)Virginia Tech will play the winner of Wake Forest-Miami in Friday's ACC quarterfinals. No word on whether Greenberg will suit up and come off the bench for the Hokies.Thanks, D.C. Sports Bog Harangody quiets talk that Notre Dame's better without him [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 9:27 pm] As Notre Dame reeled off season-saving win after season-saving win without injured star Luke Harangody to close the regular season, a once-unthinkable question surfaced in the minds of fans of the Fighting Irish. Could Notre Dame actually be better without Harangody?We now know the answer to that question is an emphatic "no" after watching Harangody lead the Irish to their biggest win of the season on Wednesday night. In just his second game back from a bone bruise in his right knee. Harangody came off the bench to score 20 points and grab 10 boards in 24 minutes, propelling Notre Dame to a 68-56 victory over Seton Hall that removed any remaining doubt that the Irish are at-large-worthy. If this victory brought sweet relief for Notre Dame, it will mean four anxious days for Seton Hall. The Pirates played their way into at-large consideration largely by winning the games they were supposed to this season, but they needed another marquee victory over a team like the Irish to feel comfortable at all about their chances. Seton Hall seemed to have a great chance to get that victory until Harangody checked into the game four minutes into the first half with tentative-looking Notre Dame already down 9-2. The senior ignited the Irish with his scoring, rebounding and hustle, posting 15 points and nine rebounds before the break to help give his team a 28-21 lead that it never relinquished.With the Irish now safely in the field, take a few seconds to reflect on what they've done to get there. After a Feb. 17 loss to Louisville, Notre Dame had an injured star, a 6-8 record in Big East play and no marquee wins besides a home victory over West Virginia in early January. Now the Irish have rattled off wins over Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Connecticut, Marquette and Seton Hall, a five-game win streak impressive enough that it might vault the Irish all the way to an eight or nine seed.You can credit coach Mike Brey for slowing down the tempo, getting his team to Kentucky's DeMarcus Cousins on Kevin Stallings: 'Who?' [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 3:41 pm] It's probably safe to assume that DeMarcus Cousins hasn't watched too much Vanderbilt basketball in his lifetime. Not only did Cousins question why Vanderbilt's Kevin Stallings won SEC coach of the year over John Calipari, the Kentucky big man also admitted that he wasn't sure who Stallings was prior to Tuesday."John Wall was like, 'who is that?' And I was like, 'I don't know,'" Cousins recalled. "I thought it was the coach from Tennessee -- I mean Georgia. I don't know. That was crazy."Stallings and Cousins could have an opportunity to get acquainted in the SEC title game on Sunday if top-seeded Kentucky and second-seeded Vanderbilt advance that far.Of course, Stallings probably needs no introduction to Cousins: The Kentucky freshman abused the Commodores for a total of 40 points and 15 boards in the Wildcats' two victories this season."A lot has been made of John Wall, but I think Cousins ... is just as much of a factor," Stallings said earlier this season. "He's really becoming a dominant inside player, maybe the dominant inside player in our league." Jennifer Hudson will sing this year's 'One Shining Moment' [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 3:18 pm] If loving "One Shining Moment" is wrong, then I've never wanted to be right. But with the recent announcement that Oscar and Grammy winner/over-singer Jennifer Hudson will take over the song for this year's NCAA tournament, I may have to reconsider that position.CBS announced this week that Hudson recorded a new rendition of "OSM" last month and that it will air at the conclusion of the men's national championship game on April 3. She will be the fourth artist to perform the song for the network, following singer/songwriter David Barrett (1987-1993, 2000-2002), Teddy Pendergrass (1994-1999) and Luther Vandross (2002-2009). It's a pretty obvious choice; Hudson is known for her soaring vocals and inspirational recordings, so "One Shining Moment" is right up her alley. Whether you like it or not, it's impossible to deny that the song is the height of schmaltz. My fear is that Hudson's voice will only intensify that feeling.To me, the ultimate rendition was from Pendergrass. Even if you thought the song was cheesy, what were you going to do about it? Say something to Teddy P? I think not. (Eddie Murphy summed it up best in "Delirious." Warning: NSFW language on that link.)Here's the classic Teddy rendition: rThat's smooth, silky and a little bit intimidating, sort of like a musical version of Randolph Childress. Considering that Pendergrass passed in January, running his version would have been a grand tribute. But, like I said, I get the Hudson thing. She's a big star. Plus, if the NCAA opts out of its contract and takes the tournament to ESPN, this might be the last time CBS shows "One Shining Moment". Perhaps I'm being unfair to Ms. Hudson though. Maybe I just miss Teddy P. Maybe I have an inherent bias against people who didn't even finish ahead of this guy on their season of 'American Idol.' Or maybe Hudson was so good in 'Dreamgirls' that I'm unfairly projecting my disdain for Effie upon her. It's probab Welcome to The Dance, Butler Bulldogs [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 2:20 pm] Earlier this season I wrote how I thought Butler just wasn't all that good.As usual — all together now! — I'm an idiot.Since I wrote that post the Bulldogs won 13 in a row. Oh, and they had won seven straight before that. Nobody enters the NCAA tournament with a longer winning streak than this team. It's possible Butler is very, very good. Wright State was a sneaky upset pick in last night's Horizon title game, but it stood no chance. Butler completed its perfect season in the league by roughing up the Raiders, 70-45. This group was the class of its league and proved so by kicking the last team into its grave with authority. Who knew Butler could blow someone out so effectively! Butler has moved up alongside Xavier and Gonzaga to create the troika of mid-major teams that have become a staple in March. The school has made the Sweet 16 twice since the tournament expanded in 1985 (2003 and 2007), but is this the year when it can get to the Elite Eight? Some might consider it a dark horse for the Final Four. But with the style they play, winning four straight games is a tall task. Player to know: Gordon Hayward. The sophomore is the team's best player (no disrespect to Matt Howard) and has such a high ceiling that he could be a First Team All-America by his senior year. Hayward puts up a team-best 15.4 points per game while snaring 8.5 rebounds and making 83 percent of his foul shots. A big man who can hit the freebies? Clutch. The Vitals: »Record: 28-4, 18-0 Horizon »Team colors: blue and white »We're thinking: a 4-seed »KenPom ranking: 25 »RPI: 17 »Best win: @ Ohio State (24-7) »Worst loss: Minnesota (18-12) »Notable stat: If the 20 consecutive wins doesn't do it for you, how about the defense across the board? Butler allows 59.7 points per, and that's 13th best in the country. Plus, it keeps foes to 30 percent from the 3-point line and 41 percent from the field. If you can't get out of the 50s, Welcome to The Dance, North Texas Mean Green [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 9:14 am] What defines "north" in Texas? Denton. That's the town these guys are from. Denton's 50 minutes north of Dallas. If North Texas rings a faint, hazy bell it's because you correctly picked Memphis to beat it three years ago, when it was a 15-seed. This season, the Mean Green (again, terrific nickname) reeled off 11 straight wins to end their Sun Belt season and catapult into the NCAAs. A win isn't likely, but never completely write off a team that's made a habit of collecting W after W in February and March.North Texas took out Troy, who also owned a 13-5 record in conference, in last night's title game. One of the closest championship games so far this week, it was Josh White who lifted his team to the win. White hit a pull-up jumper from just beyond the foul line to give the Mean Green a 65-63 lead with 20 seconds remaining. Good, good game, and we hope you didn't miss it. Player to know: White's the most dynamic player on the team, but he also was on the leaderboard for most turnovers per game in the Sun Belt. White shoots it well from the free throw line (83 percent) and will have to play at a level above what he's shown, most likely, to give UNT even a puncher's chance next week. The Vitals: »Record: 24-8, 13-5 Sun Belt »Team colors: green and white »We're thinking: a 16-seed »KenPom ranking: 166 »RPI: 120 »Best win: @ Western Kentucky (21-13) »Worst loss: Florida International (7-25) »Notable stat: Two players shoot better than 55 percent from the floor. George Odufuwa (61 percent) and Eric Tramiel (56 percent) pay rent in the paint and make the most of their chances. And last night they combined for 27 rebounds. How often do you see a mid-major team with effective bruisers adown low? We've got some here. »Most recent tournament history (two total appearances): -2007 (15-seed): L first round to Memphis, 73-58. Bubble Watch: Notre Dame-Seton Hall highlights Wednesday's slate [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 7:45 am] Bubble teams got good news on Tuesday night when Butler crushed Wright State to snatch the Horizon League's automatic bid and leave an at-large spot for somebody else. By my count, 57 of the 65 spots in the NCAA tournament are accounted for right now, either by automatic qualifiers or teams almost certain to earn at-large berths. About 20 teams are still in contention for the eight remaining at-large bids. Here's a look at the bubble picture as it stands on Wednesday morning:Tuesday's Bubble Recap• South Florida 58, DePaul 49 — The Bulls slogged to a win over the Big East's last place team to stay alive for an at-large bid. • Saint John's 73, UConn 51 — A fitting conclusion to a disastrous season for the underachieving Huskies. • Seton Hall 109, Providence 106 — The Pirates nearly let a 29-point second-half lead slip away in a must-win game. • Dayton 70, George Washington 60 — At minimum, the Flyers need an Atlantic 10 title game appearance to make up for an 8-8 conference record.• Rhode Island 87, Saint Josephs 76 — Another must-win game awaits the Rams in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals against Saint Louis. Wednesday's Bubble Look-ahead:• South Florida vs. Georgetown — The Bulls already beat Georgetown once this season behind 29 points from star Dominique Jones.• Seton Hall vs. Notre Dame — The surging Irish lock up a bid with a win; The Pirates need a win just to stay alive. • Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma — The Cowboys are probably fine no matter what, but a win here seals it. Last Five In, First Five Out:61. Illinois (18-12, 10-8, RPI: 75) Although it's hard to imagine a team with victories over Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and Wisconsin not making the field, Illinois is in jeopardy as a result of its bloated RPI and poor finish. The Illini have to avenge Sunday's loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals, or Selection Sunday will be very dicey. 62 Bubble Watch: Notre Dame-Seton Hall headlines today's slate [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 7:45 am] Bubble teams got good news on Tuesday night when Butler crushed Wright State to snatch the Horizon League's automatic bid and leave an at-large spot for somebody else. By my count, 57 of the 65 spots in the NCAA tournament are accounted for right now, either by automatic qualifiers or teams almost certain to earn at-large berths. About 20 teams are still in contention for the eight remaining at-large bids. Here's a look at the bubble picture as it stands on Wednesday morning:Tuesday's Bubble Recap• South Florida 58, DePaul 49 — The Bulls slogged to a win over the Big East's last place team to stay alive for an at-large bid. • Saint John's 73, UConn 51 — A fitting conclusion to a disastrous season for the underachieving Huskies. • Seton Hall 109, Providence 106 — The Pirates nearly let a 29-point second-half lead slip away in a must-win game. • Dayton 70, George Washington 60 — At minimum, the Flyers need an Atlantic 10 title game appearance to make up for an 8-8 conference record.• Rhode Island 87, Saint Josephs 76 — Another must-win game awaits the Rams in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals against Saint Louis.Wednesday's Bubble Look-ahead • South Florida vs. Georgetown — The Bulls already beat Georgetown once this season behind 29 points from star Dominique Jones.• Seton Hall vs. Notre Dame — The surging Irish lock up a bid with a win; The Pirates need a win just to stay alive. • Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma — The Cowboys are probably fine no matter what, but a win here seals it. Last Five In, First Five Out:61. Illinois (18-12, 10-8, RPI: 75) Although it's hard to imagine a team with victories over Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and Wisconsin not making the field, Illinois is in jeopardy as a result of its bloated RPI and poor finish. The Illini have to avenge Sunday's loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals, or Selection Sunday will be very dicey. 62. Washi Bubble Watch: Notre Dame-Seton Hall may be an elimination game [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 7:45 am] Bubble teams got good news on Tuesday night when Butler crushed Wright State to snatch the Horizon League's automatic bid and leave an at-large spot for somebody else. By my count, 57 of the 65 spots in the NCAA tournament are accounted for right now, either by automatic qualifiers or teams almost certain to earn at-large berths. About 20 teams are still in contention for the eight remaining at-large bids. Here's a look at the bubble picture as it stands on Wednesday morning:Last Five In, First Five Out 61. Illinois (18-12, 10-8, RPI: 75) Although it's hard to imagine a team with victories over Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and Wisconsin not making the field, Illinois is in jeopardy as a result of its bloated RPI and poor finish. The Illini have to avenge Sunday's loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals, or Selection Sunday will be very dicey. 62. Washington (21-9, 11-7, RPI: 50): The Huskies finished a game behind Arizona State in the Pac-10 standings, but victories over Cal and Texas A&M are more impressive than anything on the Sun Devils' resume. A Pac-10 title game appearance is a must for Washington, meaning the Huskies will probably have to defeat Arizona State in the semifinals to get there. 63. Seton Hall (19-11, 9-9, RPI: 54): The best aspect of Seton Hall's profile is no losses to teams outside the top 75 in the RPI, a trend that continued Tuesday as the Pirates survived a late Providence comeback bid in the first round of the Big East tournament. Up next for Seton Hall is a classic high-stakes bubble matchup against Notre Dame, likely a must-win for the Pirates if they want an at-large bid. 64. San Diego State (20-8, 11-5, RPI: 36): Unlike other bubble teams, San Diego State's NCAA tournament hopes can be summed up fairly simply. A win over likely Mountain West semifinal opponent New Mexico would put the Aztecs solidly in the field, while a quarterfinal or semifinal loss would likely knock them Bubble Watch: Notre Dame-Seton Hall winner should be in [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 7:45 am] Bubble teams got good news on Tuesday night when Butler crushed Wright State to snatch the Horizon League's automatic bid and leave an at-large spot for somebody else. By my count, 57 of the 65 spots in the NCAA tournament are accounted for right now, either by automatic qualifiers or teams almost certain to earn at-large berths. About 20 teams are still in contention for the eight remaining at-large bids. Here's a look at the bubble picture as it stands on Wednesday morning:Last Five In, First Five Out 61. Illinois (18-12, 10-8, RPI: 75) Although it's hard to imagine a team with victories over Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and Wisconsin not making the field, Illinois is in jeopardy as a result of its bloated RPI and poor finish. The Illini have to avenge Sunday's loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinals, or Selection Sunday will be very dicey. 62. Washington (21-9, 11-7, RPI: 50): The Huskies finished a game behind Arizona State in the Pac-10 standings, but victories over Cal and Texas A&M are more impressive than anything on the Sun Devils' resume. A Pac-10 title game appearance is a must for Washington, meaning the Huskies will probably have to defeat Arizona State in the semifinals to get there. 63. Seton Hall (19-11, 9-9, RPI: 54): The best aspect of Seton Hall's profile is no losses to teams outside the top 75 in the RPI, a trend that continued Tuesday as the Pirates survived a late Providence comeback bid in the first round of the Big East tournament. Up next for Seton Hall is a classic high-stakes bubble matchup against Notre Dame, likely a must-win for the Pirates if they want an at-large bid. 64. San Diego State (20-8, 11-5, RPI: 36): Unlike other bubble teams, San Diego State's NCAA tournament hopes can be summed up fairly simply. A win over likely Mountain West semifinal opponent New Mexico would put the Aztecs solidly in the field, while a quarterfinal or semifinal loss would likely knock them Welcome to The Dance, Oakland Golden Grizzlies [Yahoo! Sports: Blogs: March 10, 2010, 12:46 am] It's OK if I'm completely honest with you, right? I only saw Oakland play one time this year, and that one time was last night. Can you blame me? The Summtt League is never on television. So I can only go off what I saw and the numbers on paper tell me. What I do know: The Golden Grizzlies (the smaller schools have the best monikers) absolutely dominated the Summit this season. Ooeey-Pooey (IUPUI) was no match for Oakland last night (76-64), and while IUPUI would've been more fun to discuss for the next week, the right team got into the field. We're seeing a lot of that this year: The teams who owned the regular season are getting the job done in the conference playoffs. Player to know: Yeah, I'm going to go with the guy who had 36 points and nine rebounds with a tournament berth on the line. That would be Derick Nelson, who still hasn't gotten his nose completely healed yet after getting it broken in Oakland's first game of the conference tournament. The Vitals: »Record: 26-8, 17-1 Summit »Team colors: gold and black »We're thinking: a 14-seed »KenPom ranking: 147 »RPI: 61 »Best win: @ Oral Roberts (20-13) »Worst loss: Eastern Michigan (17-14) »Notable stat: Does five blocks per game do anything for you? That's not spectacular, but it was good enough to lead the Summit. Also: The team has a .500 NCAA tournament record! You'd never guess that, right? Well, here's the catch ... »Most recent tournament history (one total appearance): -2005 (15-seed): W opening-round game over Alabama A&M, 79-69; L first round to North Carolina, 96-68. |