Blowing or Bursting
Bubbles
NC State: NC State could really
help their cause with a win over Wake Forest this weekend.
They could also get an invite with a couple wins in
the ACC Tourney. Julius Hodge has seen the end of the
tunnel and he doesn't like the view of the NIT. He's
been doing his best to sneak the Wolfpack in at the
last second. NC State has shown some power, sweeping
G-Tech and Maryland. They've also lost to Florida State
and West Virginian at home. A win against Wake would
get them back to .500 in the ACC which could push them
in. Right now Hodge and crew has to play themselves
into the Tourney, they aren't gonna make it with the
status-quo.
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Texas:
Texas has all but eliminated themselves from Tourney
hopes. It's discouraging to see a team lose a player
like P.J. Tucker and sink as they have. The Longhorns
are 5-6 in their last 11 with nary a big win to show
for it. It's hardly seems right to penalize the rest
of the team and leave them out because of how they've
played after P.J. Tucker. But, it's even less fair to
put them in the Big Dance when another team, who has
played well lately, would get left home. A tough situation
in Texas, might leave the Longhorns out of the NCAA
Tournament.
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St.
Mary's: They might get in without a Conference Tournament
Championship, but why should they? They did beat Gonzaga
once, but after that there's nothing much to get excited
about, if anything at all. The Gaels are number 2 in
the WAC but what does that show? Not much. Besides the
Gaels and Zags, there isn't another team with a winning
record in conference. The same reason the Bulldogs get
a 4 seed could be why St. Mary's doesn't get a ticket
at all.
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St.
Joseph's: St. Joe's is going to win their conference
regular season championship, but could they still get
left out of the Tourney? Yes. Losses to Drexel, San
Francisco, Old Dominion, Bucknell, Ohio State, Dayton,
Pennsylvania, and the latest, Rhode Island could leave
the A-10 champs at home. Of course a Conference Tourney
victory gets their ticket punched. George Washington,
with big wins out of conference might take that crown
from the Hawks. If that happens, GW could be the lone
representative from the A-10.
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Georgetown:
There will not be 8 teams from the Big East, at least
I don't think so. So who will it be? Georgetown, West
Virginia, or Notre Dame? With a big slump in the middle
of their season West Virginia looks to be back on track
winning 6 of 7, with two wins against Pittsburgh, so
they're most likely in. That leaves G-Town and Notre
Dame. They're both on this list. This is hard; maybe
8 teams will get in? The Hoyas have beaten Pitt, 'Nova,
Notre Dame, and West Virginia, but have been the losers
of 4 straight. A loss against Providence, or an early
out in the Big East Tourney could be the final straw
for the Hoyas.
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Miami
(FL): If NC State plays into the Big Dance, they
might very well eliminate Miami from it. Miami has some
big wins this year, and might be the 6th team selected
from the ACC. If they beat Duke at Cameron Indoor today,
it could be an interesting selection day for the ACC.
If they end in a dead heat with NC State, I have to
believe NC State would get the nod. It's a tough place
to be; nobody said the ACC would be a breeze.
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Indiana:
Indiana played themselves into a possible Tourney situation
with a win over Michigan State, but promptly returned
to a bubble team with a close loss to Wisconsin. Looking
back on that game, I'm sure they're thinking they should
have just won, that would make it a lot easier. If Indiana
does nuzzle between the cracks, watch out for Bracey
Wright, he's really, really good. A good conference
tourney could widen the cracks.
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Notre
Dame: You wretched Fighting Irish, here we are again,
on the bubble. The Irish always seem to find a way through
the cracks if beyond the cracks is where they want to
be. The UCLA loss at home really hurts Chris Thomas
and company, but they are still in a good situation.
Win some games and get in. Don't win any games and fall
in through the Notre Dame only holes. A loss against
Pitt and an early exit from the Big East Tourney could
eliminate the Irish from the Tourney. They have big
wins though, and big losses, too.
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