re: Bracketology - UPDATED 3/15

KU and Mizzou are two of the hottest teams in the country.

Why so much hatred between those two? I get it...but it'd be like Auburn hating UGA more than Alabama. Why doesn't Kansas hate KSU more? Or...maybe it's like Michigan hating OSU more than they hate MSU....

goes all the way back to the civil war dude. when they call it the border war, that stems from actual civil war battles and fights between the two states around the border. rivalry has progressed ever since and also mizzou is much better than k state. kansas has beaten k state like 38 of the last 40 or something like that (not exact, but very close). mizzou can actually put up a fight.

I think they're ok, but that was unexpected for sure. I might move them to a 10 or 11.

Super bumped for Pisces:

Wednesday hoops recap and Thursday preview

CONGRATS
Go out to American University for clinching their second straight Patriot League championship with a win over Navy. They will now be the top seed in the league tournament and host a quarterfinal game next Wednesday night.

NOTRE DAME
Stayed in the hunt with a narrow win over Rutgers. No progress made here except for the fact that they didn't lose at home to a team with just one conference win this year (over the team that has none - DePaul). By the way, did I mention they were down eight at halftime? Far from convincing. Saturday at UConn will be the true test for the Irish.

DAYTON
The Flyers seemed to be a lock, and may still be, but a loss in overtime at Rhode Island does hurt them a bit. Meanwhile, URI is working their way onto the bubble. They are now 10-4 in the Atlantic 10, a half-game behind Xavier for the league lead. At 21-8, the Rams could be in the hunt if they can get hot.

MARQUETTE
Lost a tough one at home against UConn, and lost Dominic James for the season. It's going to hurt the Golden Eagles, but no one is sure how much it will hurt yet. Buzz Williams still has a lot of talent to work with. Let's wait until Sunday at Louisville to pass judgment (aka drop seeding).

KENTUCKY
Yuck. Got it handed to them by USC, and this could put them on the last five list before long. I know Pisces has had doubts about them before, and they could be getting nearer their end. 19-9, 8-5 and with losses to VMI and Miami (a fellow bubble team) could prove costly.

VIRGINIA TECH
Much like Kotter, they're back. They had finally worked their way out of everyone's projections, but a win at Clemson puts them back in the field. While we're at it, Clemson sucks. But everyone at TD already knew that.

VILLAOVA
Umm...what exactly were you doing nearly losing to DePaul? Might wanna wake up if you wanna get up to a 3 seed. Your tough stretch starts. Last three: vs. Georgetown, at Notre Dame, vs. Providence. All winnable, all losable. Good luck.

LOUISIANA TEAMS IN THE SOUTHLAND
Got stomped with the exception of Nicholls, which won late at Central Arkansas. I want to see the Colonels in badly. But Southeastern, Northwestern and McNeese are all out of the conference tournament if the season ended today. Wake up.

MARYLAND
Tough call after the loss to Duke, but I don't think we can drop them out quite yet. If they slip at NC State on Sunday, they are right back on the other side of the bubble. Vasquez getting in bad foul trouble did his team no favors against Duke.

UNLV
Officially gone bye-bye after dropping to 8-6 in the Mountain West with a loss at Utah. Utah is gone, but UNLV is losing far too many games to get them consideration for an at-large. New Mexico is the next best contender in that league now.

OKLAHOMA STATE
Got back over .500 in the Big 12 and has chances for quality wins in their last three games: vs. Texas, vs. Kansas State (O, BTW, KSU - GTFO...for you abbreviation whores...after they got trashed by Mizzou) and at Oklahoma to end the season.

WHAT TO WATCH ON THURSDAY
La Salle at Temple - The Owls are on the bubble and can't afford to drop this Big 5 showdown at home.

Minnesota at Illinois - The Gophers need this to keep up with the pace on the Big Ten bubble.

West Virginia at Cincinnati - The 'Neers are a lock, but the Bearcats are still hungry for a berth. One of their last two chances for a quality win (at Syracuse on Saturday).

Miami at Virginia - Bubble teams (Virginia Tech) can go to UVA to die, and Miami will be desperate to not be another victim.

Memphis at UAB - One of the big ones on Thursday. Memphis is fighting for a number 1 seed and UAB is firmly on the bubble, and a win likely tips them to the good side.

Purdue at Michigan - Michigan could replace Minnesota or Penn State in the field before it's all said and done. Doesn't get easier for them, though. They end with two on the road against Wisconsin and...Minnesota.

Arizona State at Washington - The game of the night with all kinds of Pac-10 title implications.

What benefits Miami/Penn State/etc this year, though, is the lack of multi-bid mid-major conferences. Or at least potential ones. The only mid-majors that are locks as at-larges are Butler. I used the plural form of the verb anticipating others, but they aren't there. Maybe Gonzaga, but St. Mary's could have a case themselves.

Siena, maybe, but if they even lose the tourney championship game, that could cost them.

IMO Kentucky has to beat LSU or they are done.

quote:

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IMO Kentucky has to beat LSU or they are done.

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Agreed and tonight didn't help them with the Vols beating a team that beat UK. If UK loses to LSU, they're going to have to win the SEC tourney...maybe just get to the finals. Billy G and Bruce P have done two of the worst coaching jobs in the country with the talent they have. UK and UT both deserve to go to the NIT. UT, though, did what they had to do by scheduling Hell. If UK doesn't make it, they'll join Notre Dame, Temple, and Maryland in Madison Square Garden come late March.

Updated Sweet 16:

EAST

1 North Carolina vs 4 Purdue
2 Memphis vs 3 Villanova

SOUTH

1 Pitt vs 5 Arizona State
7 Utah vs 3 Missouri

MIDWEST

1 U Conn vs 4 LSU
2 Louisville vs 3 Wake Forest

WEST

8 Utah State vs 5 Washington
2 Kansas vs 3 Duke