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March 8th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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We’re at the very last week before Selection Sunday, and here at Cappers Info, we’re taking some time out to view the six big conference tournaments, what you should watch for, and projecting the winners of each, as we head on the road to March Madness betting action!

ACC Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

Favorite: Duke Blue Devils
NCAA Tournament Locks: Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, Florida State Seminoles
Work To Do: Clemson Tigers, Boston College Eagles, Virginia Tech Hokies


The bottom line here in the ACC Tournament is all about how long you can survive. Clemson and Boston College are likely to be playing a March Madness elimination game on Friday. The winner is probably going to be in the field without any problems, but the loser is going to be sweating. Virginia Tech probably just needs to take care of Georgia Tech on Thursday to get into the field, but beating Florida State would really be smart and would seal the deal. The Noles are hoping to get Chris Singleton back in the lineup by then. North Carolina might be the top seed in this tournament, but we aren’t going to be counting out the Dookies. Don’t be surprised if this ultimately comes down to Duke and Carolina for the ACC title, and potentially for a No. 1 seed in the dance as well. Coach K isn’t losing to the same team twice in a matter of just a week. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Duke Blue Devils (-140 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big 10 Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

Favorite: Ohio State Buckeyes
NCAA Tournament Locks: Ohio State Buckeyes, Purdue Boilermakers, Wisconsin Badgers
Work To Do: Michigan Wolverines, Illinois Fighting Illini, Penn State Nittany Lions, Michigan State Spartans


Everyone thinks that Ohio State is just going to roll right into the finale of this tournament and walk away with yet another Big Ten title, but we’re really not all that sure that that is the case. The winner of that Michigan/Illinois 4/5 battle is going to be giving OSU a tough time and could take the Buckeyes out just two games into the tournament. Keep in mind that either the Wolverines or Illini will probably be in the field for sure with that win on Friday against the other, but there is a chance that the other could backdoor its way in. There’s probably no such luck for Michigan State and Penn State. The Spartans, at bare minimum, need a win over Iowa and a competitive game against Purdue, while Penn State needs to beat Indiana and Wisconsin to even think about having a chance. We love the chances of the Boilers in this one though, as they are playing close to home and have a lot to prove. They’ve beaten down Wisconsin this year at home (and granted, also lost on the road), and have owned Michigan State in two games. If the Buckeyes are out of the picture before that point, we tend to believe that Purdue is the team that will pick up the pieces. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Purdue Boilermakers (+285 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big 12 Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO

Favorite: Kansas Jayhawks
NCAA Tournament Locks: Kansas Jayhawks, Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, Kansas State Wildcats, Missouri Tigers
Work To Do: Colorado Buffaloes, Baylor Bears, Nebraska Cornhuskers


If you want to talk about a perfect setup for a tournament, this is it! The Big XII will have its three bubble teams playing against three teams that really have already locked down their bids to the dance. There is really nowhere to go but up for many of them as well, as losses to bubble teams aren’t going to hurt. Nebraska has played Kansas tough in the past, and that could make for a very, very interesting second round duel on Thursday. However, the far more interesting battle to us is the one between Texas the potentially Baylor. This will be the third go around for these two this year, and it’ll be the second chance for the Bears to try to take down the Horns and earn a signature win for the road to the NCAA Tournament. The forgotten team? What about Texas A&M? It’s going to get a relatively easy draw in Round 2, and it should love a prospective game in the semifinals against either Texas or a very weary Baylor team that would have just won its game of the year. These are great, great odds on a fantastic team. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Texas A&M Aggies (+900 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Big East Tournament Preview: March 8-12
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Favorite: Pitt Panthers
NCAA Tournament Locks: Pitt Panthers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Louisville Cardinals, Syracuse Orange, St. John’s Red Storm, West Virginia Mountaineers, Cincinnati Bearcats, Georgetown Hoyas, Connecticut Huskies, Villanova Wildcats
Work To Do: Marquette Golden Eagles


About the only real question left in the minds of the Selection Committee is whether Marquette will make for the 11th team in the NCAA Tournament out of the Big East. It’s likely that the Golden Eagles will get in with a win over Providence on Tuesday, and a win over WVU on Wednesday certainly wouldn’t hurt any. There are just so many teams in this field that are not playing great ball right now. Notre Dame has some solid odds because it will probably end up drawing a tired team that really isn’t all that great in Cincy or Villanova, while Pittsburgh should get a free pass to the semis after facing Georgetown or UConn, both of which are struggling as well. The interesting battle is the one between St. John’s and Syracuse is that’s how the seeds play out in the quarterfinals. The ‘Cuse are one of the hotter teams in this league, while obviously, the Johnnies have figured out how to beat anybody and everybody in the Big East here at MSG. It wouldn’t surprise us if the winner of that game ended up taking down all of the marbles in this tournament. We’d buy into taking the Redbirds at +550, but instead, we’ll take our chances on the ‘Cuse in a game a heck of a lot closer to their backyard. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Syracuse Orange (+425 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Pac-10 Tournament Preview: March 9-12
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Favorite: Arizona Wildcats
NCAA Tournament Locks: Arizona Wildcats, UCLA Bruins
Work To Do: Washington Huskies, USC Trojans, Washington State Cougars


If there’s a major conference tournament this year where someone is going to come out of absolutely nowhere to win the whole enchilada, this is it. Arizona is a great team, but it has shown its flaws, and it really doesn’t need to win this tournament to look great to the Selection Committee. UCLA doesn’t need any more wins, and we’re not all that sure that the team really has the desire to last that long when the team is that thin. Three games in three days would be very hard on this team. USC is the team that really needs wins the most, as getting into the semifinals of the Pac-10 Tournament might be enough to get into the field, while getting into the finale would certainly do the job. Washington State is in a very similar boat, but it’s problem is that it is playing a Washington team that really needs at least one more win just to be sure as well. U-Dub figured out how to underachieved most of last season and then all of a sudden turn it on in the Pac-10 Tournament, and we think that that is what is going to happen again this year. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Washington Huskies (+270 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

SEC Tournament Preview: March 10-13
Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

Favorite: Kentucky Wildcats
NCAA Tournament Locks: Florida Gators, Kentucky Wildcats, Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt Commodores
Work To Do: Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide


This is a mighty interesting tournament because there are two teams that are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack in this conference, but neither one we really feel is capable of winning the whole thing due to a lack of depth. We certainly don’t buy Kentucky doing it, as this is one of the most inconsistent teams in America. That leaves us first, a slew of bubble teams. Alabama and Georgia are the two that are legitimately on the bubble, and there are several others from the West that think they can get themselves back into the bubble discussions by winning some games. Tennessee is a scary team, as we know that it has the talent to get through this entire tournament. Vandy has a slightly better draw. However, the team that we are going to go with is the Tide. You might want to place some hedge bets on Vandy and Tennessee, but we really feel significantly more comfortable backing a team that doesn’t have to play on Thursday in order to win this tournament. Rotnei Clarke and company get the job done with a stifling defense that will wear down a ton of the best teams in this conference one right after the other. NCAA Basketball Free Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide (+1200 @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

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March 6th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

CI’s College Basketball Top 25 Rankings

Our staff has developed college basketball power ratings with up to date rankings and how we as handicappers see these teams. We will list our NCAA basketball team rankings on a week by week basis and as much as possible. You can check this page for up to date NCAA basketball power ratings from Cappersinfo Sports Handicapping. Thanks for visiting and don’t forget to check out all the free sports picks in the forums and free picks monitor, other sports betting information, and college basketball predictions for sports handicappers!

Cappersinfo Current NCAA Basketball Power Rankings
(Through Games Completed 3/6/11)

1: Ohio State Buckeyes (29-2) (LW: 1) – There is absolutely no doubt in our minds anymore that the Buckeyes have the top team in the country right now. They blew through the end of their regular season schedule without any difficulties, including that big win over Wisconsin to end the regular season on a fine note. The next question: How much does OSU have to do to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament? Right now, we’re not so sure that there is anything that has to be done. Ohio State is that far ahead of the curve right now.

2: Kansas Jayhawks (29-2) (LW: 3) – It doesn’t really seem to matter what pieces to the puzzle are missing for the Jayhawks. They always seem to figure out how to get through all of these hassles without missing a beat. You know that the Big XII Tournament is going to be key for this team, as getting revenge on Texas would be sweet. Still, KU can’t take its eye off of the prize. Topping out in the Big 12 tourney would be dangerous, just as we saw last year when Northern Iowa swept this team off of the dance floor far too prematurely.

3: Pittsburgh Panthers (27-4) (LW: 4) – The Panthers might have lost that game at the KFC Yum! Arena, but we know that there is no shame in that. U-Pitt still has a great squad that is sure to be making a ton of noise, not only this coming week in the Big East Tournament, but in the big dance for the whole enchilada as well. The question is whether Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker really have what it takes to lead a team to the Final Four. This is a No. 1 seed in the making as long as it gets to the Big East finale.

4: San Diego State Aztecs (29-2) (LW: 7) – Has all of the carnage around the Top 25 in the land set up the Aztecs to take back a No. 1 seed again? It’s quite possible, though it still seems like a bit of a long shot to actually happen. The better case scenario is getting to stay on the West Coast somewhere as No. 2 seed. Certainly, winning the MWC is a prerequisite for a top seed. Beating BYU for the first time in three tries would also help out dramatically.

5: Duke Blue Devils (27-4) (LW: 5) – Instead, at least for the current moment, the Dookies probably hold the last top seed in spite of the fact that they were beaten by North Carolina on Tobacco Road on Saturday. The Blue Devils still know that there is a lot of basketball to be played. It will be hard to take this team out of the ACC Tournament next week, and as long as that remains the case, the defending champs have to really be in consideration for that top seed in Charlotte.

6: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (25-5) (LW: 9) – It’s fairly clear that Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough make up a great tandem, but is this the group that can really win the NCAA Tournament this year? We’re really not all that sure to be quite honest. What we do know is that this is a great team that was built to win in the Big East. But what happens when these little guys all come gunning for Notre Dame? Will Irish eyes still be smiling? There might be a big time difference in this team’s seeding depending on what happens next week at Madison Square Garden.

7: BYU Cougars (28-3) (LW: 2) – It’s really hard to punish this BYU team for the way that it has played of late. Let’s be real here. San Diego State can’t beat BYU. BYU can’t beat New Mexico immediately after playing San Diego State. It happens to be if the Lobos were a little better this year, maybe things would be different. But the truth of the matter is that the Cougs are getting punished for those two losses and for the loss of Brandon Davies for his off the court issues.

8: Texas Longhorns (25-6) (LW: 8) – We know that wins against bubble teams generally aren’t necessarily the greatest things in the world for teams that should be contending for top seeds, but the Longhorns have to know that that victory at Baylor was a huge stepping stone. First off, it kept them in the Top 10 in the land, as a loss would have surely knocked them out, and it also kept alive that chance for a No. 1 seed. Jordan Hamilton still has the ability to be an amazing athlete down the stretch, and Head Coach Rick Barnes has to impress upon his team that it has weathered the storm and is now ready to swarm on the rest of the country again.

9: Syracuse Orange (25-6) (LW: 12) – The Orange are one of the hottest teams in the Big East coming into Madison Square Garden this week, and this is a really dangerous proposition for the rest of this conference. Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, and company have that massive beat down of DePaul to rally around for the Big East Tournament. Earning that double bye was crucial. Head Coach Jim Boeheim and company know that this is a big chance to make a huge move up in the bracket.

10: North Carolina Tar Heels (24-6) (LW: 13) – First a huge comeback. Then an ACC regular season crown. Is the ACC Tournament title next for a team that was outside of the Top 25 just a few weeks ago? If it is, UNC might actually be on its way to being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in amazing fashion.

11: Purdue Boilermakers (25-6) (LW: 8) – Kiss any hopes of a top seed good bye for the Boilermakers, as they were absolutely stunned by Iowa on the final weekend of the regular season. Fortunately for Purdue, it didn’t cost it the No. 2 slot in the Big Ten Tournament, but it has to be a real confidence killer to get drained in a circumstance such as that against the worst team in the conference.

12: Wisconsin Badgers (23-7) (LW: 10) – We can’t say that we didn’t see Wisconsin getting whooped by Ohio State from a mile away, but it’s really hard to argue now that this is really one of the best 10 teams in the country. Head Coach Bo Ryan has a team that plays fantastic defense, but if Jordan Taylor isn’t at his best, the rest of this team is really going to struggle.

13: Louisville Cardinals (23-8) (LW: 11) – That tremendous signature win for the Cardinals over U-Pitt was only the beginning for Head Coach Rick Pitino and company. The ‘Ville earned its double bye in the Big East Tournament, giving it a huge advantage. Terrence Knowles and company are the real deal, especially defensively. Now, if the stupid cheerleaders just stay off of the court…

14: Florida Gators (24-6) (LW: 15) – The Gators didn’t really need to take out the Commodores on Saturday to make us feel good about their chances in the SEC Tournament, but they did so anyway. There is a great chance that this is a team that is moving up in a hurry, and if UF can successfully end up in the finale of the SEC Tournament, it could be all the way up on the No. 2 line by the time Selection Sunday rolls around.

15: Arizona Wildcats (25-6) (LW: 19) – An outright Pac-10 title was crucial for the Wildcats this year, and that’s exactly what they got when they took care of Oregon on Saturday night at McKeon Pavilion. Derrick Williams might be the best player in an underrated conference, but he certainly isn’t just a one man band. The Cats are deep… very deep, in fact. And when push really comes to shove, the U of A could be moving a long way up in these brackets as well.

16: St. John’s Red Storm (20-10) (LW: 16) – Head Coach Steve Lavin’s team finally suffered its first really terrible loss in quite some time when it was beaten at Seton Hall during the week, but this should have little bearing on what happens to this club for the rest of the year. The Johnnies have made their point, they’re in the NCAA Tournament, and heck, they might even win the darn thing when push comes to shove.

17: Connecticut Huskies (21-9) (LW: 14) – If we were Kemba Walker, we would be absolutely irate right now. Walker went out and scored 34 against Notre Dame at home on Senior Day on Saturday, and the rest of the team couldn’t even match that effort as the whole rest of the squad combined. UConn had better do some damage this year, because once Walker steps outside of that gym in Storrs for the final time, this program might be down the drain with him.

18: Georgetown Hoyas (21-9) (LW: 17) – The body of work suggests that the Hoyas are a Top 25 team, but recent form surely doesn’t indicate that. Georgetown has lost three straight, finished just 10-8 in the Big East, and only just barely ended up hanging on for a bye in the first round of this Big East Tournament starting this coming week. Just one win would do miracles for this team and its psyche heading into the NCAA Tournament, as it doesn’t want another very, very quick exit once again.

19: Kentucky Wildcats (22-8) (LW: 24) – No team in a major conference might have come up with a bigger win this weekend than when Kentucky knocked off Tennessee in Rocky Top. The win preserved a first round bye in the SEC Tournament, which is a crucial thing to have when you have a team that legitimately only goes six players deep (and sometimes, not even that deep). The talent is definitely there, but there is only so much that this team can really do without Enes Kanter in the fold.

20: Utah State Aggies (28-3) (LW: 23) – The Aggies are absolutely in the NCAA Tournament at this point in spite of the fact that everyone would love to take them out of the field of 68. They’re moving further up the charts because of the demise of so many other teams around them. After all, take a look at our power rankings and check out how many teams lost since the last time that we took a looksie at this. USU just keeps on winning, and sometimes, that’s all that you have to do to get into the show.

21: Xavier Musketeers (24-6) (LW: NR) – Xavier has kept its slot in the Top 25, and at the same time, it locked up that regular season A-10 title. With an outrageous set of computer numbers and that 15-1 mark in conference, the X-Men are absolutely set for a great seed in March Madness. But how far can they move up? They’re not San Diego State, but if they win the A-10 title, they could be BYU, believe it or not.

22: Texas A&M Aggies (23-7) (LW: 21) – The Aggies are potentially the sneakiest team in the Big XII Tournament this season because they have a fantastic draw. They’re not playing the greatest ball right now in the world, but let’s be realistic. Who in this conference is aside from Kansas? We don’t have to worry about A&M running into the Jayhawks until the Big 12 finale, and if that’s what happens, even a 50 point loss in that game wouldn’t upset anyone in College Station.

23: Villanova Wildcats (21-10) (LW: 18) – Is it time to say goodnight to Villanova? That’s four straight losses and eight out of 12 for the Cats, and they are really just in a world of hurt right now. They’re going to have to play in the very first round of the Big East Tournament next week, which basically dooms any chances of actually winning the conference title. Right now though, Head Coach Jay Wright would just take a win of any kind.

24: Temple Owls (24-6) (LW: NR) – The Owls are back in the Top 25 this week in spite of the fact that they are dealing with a ton of injuries that are probably going to ultimately end up crippling their season. But give the boys from the City of Brotherly Love some credit. Any time you can go 14-2 in the A-10, you’ve definitely accomplished something, even if the conference is down just a tad this season.

25: Old Dominion Monarchs (26-6) (LW: NR) – We welcome one of the best defensive teams in the land to our NCAA basketball power ratings this week, as the Monarchs are clearly the best team right now in one of the most underappreciated conferences in America. The problem with ODU is that the world will be done seeing it play after Monday night in the CAA finale. There are many bubble teams that are hoping this team just gets the job done and doesn’t swipe another bid out from under them.

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February 26th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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March Madness picks are nearly here, as we are just a couple of weeks away from the start of the big dance. Here at Cappers Info, we’re narrowing down some of the biggest teams that you might not be thinking about that can be the next Butler Bulldogs or George Mason Patriots to bust your bracket and to get into the Final Four.

Old Dominion Monarchs (200 to 1 @ Hollywood Sportsbook): The Monarchs were good enough to take down the Xavier Musketeers, Clemson Tigers, Richmond Spiders, Dayton Flyers, Cleveland State Vikings, and a ton of big time teams from the CAA, so there’s no reason that this team can’t do a heck of a lot of damage come the dance. The problem with the Monarchs is that they really don’t have that outrageous shooter that can just nail three pointer after three pointer against anyone in the land. However, this defense is as good as it gets in the nation, averaging 58.0 points per game allowed, No. 4 in the country.

Butler Bulldogs (200 to 1 Hollywood Sportsbook): We know that Butler has had a hellacious, rough season, probably due to the fact that they not only are the bosses in the Horizon League, but the national runner up from last season as well. Nine losses shows just that. However, there’s nothing that says that this year’s Bulldogs can’t be… well… the Bulldogs! Sure, it would’ve helped immensely had Gordon Hayward come back to school for his senior season, but there are still some great names hanging around on this roster like Shelvin Matt and Matt Howard that now have a ton of experience at this level. There really aren’t many of those “Wow Factor” wins on the slate, but when push really comes to shove, we know that this team can ball with the best. The Horizon League was significantly better this season than it has been in years past, and it might show come Selection Sunday. It’s not a slam dunk for Butler to be in the field, but if it gets there, look out!

Missouri State Bears (200 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook): The Bears are going to be hanging around the bubble for the rest of the season, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t believe in them. First off, there is probably about a 40% chance or so that they win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, which would earn them an automatic bid to the dance, and as we saw last year with the Northern Iowa Panthers, just getting to the dance is good enough to do some real damage. Just like that UNI team that had a ton of sharpshooters from long range, so do these Bears. Kyle Weems, Jermaine Mallett, and Nafis Ricks can all shoot better than 40 percent from beyond the arc, and if that is what these guys are going to do in the dance, SMS is going to be a very, very difficult team to knock out.

Philadelphia Eagles 20 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook: The Eagles really had a coming of power this year, winning the rough and tumble NFC East and coming together with QB Michael Vick. RB LeSean McCoy had a great season to bust out as one of the best backs in the game, and we already know that WR DeSean Jackson and WR Jeremy Maclin are amongst the best in the fold in the division, the conference, and the game. There are still definitely some holes on this defense, but we know that Head Coach Andy Reid and company can get that shored up, both through the NFL Draft and just the general nature that this young unit is going to only get better and better. We have to think that there is better than a 20 to 1 chance that the Eagles are going to fly high and capture that elusive Super Bowl triumph.

BYU Cougars (30 to 1 at Hollywood Sportsbook): Sure, the Cougars aren’t exactly this surprise team to deal with, but if they can get past the San Diego State Aztecs either on Saturday on the road or in the MWC Tournament over the course of the next two weeks, there’s a pretty darn good chance that they are going to be a No. 1 seed in the tournament. Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in America, and though he isn’t going to be sneaking up on anyone this season like he might have in years past, he is still going to put up his points and will be a crowd favorite wherever he goes. This BYU team is for real, and there is just no doubting that fact. Don’t be shocked if this is a Final Four team that legitimately can win the whole enchilada with ease.

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February 13th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor
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It's been a wild few weeks in NCAA basketball betting action, but we're finally getting closer to figuring out who the 68 teams will be in the field, while figuring out who will be left home in the NIT. Check out our Bracketology and our college basketball free picks through the conclusion of the games on Saturday, February 13th.

ACC

Locks: Duke Blue Devils
Almost There: North Carolina Tar Heels
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, Boston College Eagles
Just On The Outside: Clemson Tigers
Lots Of Work To Do: Maryland Terrapins, Miami Hurricanes
What To Expect: Eventually, the ACC really has to become a five bid league, right? We can't picture this conference doing less damage than that in the dance, but really, outside of Duke and Carolina, everyone else keeps finding ways to shoot itself in the foot. Florida State is going to have the resume to get into the dance, but Chris Singleton just fractured his foot in the win on Saturday. Clemson blew a chance to get into the dance as of right now by losing at home against UNC. Virginia Tech is in right now, merely because the Selection Committee will be okay with all of these injuries that Head Coach Seth Greenberg has had to endure, but when push comes to shove, 12-13 losses will certainly leave VT right there on the bubble again, a place where it has popped over the course of the last few seasons. Maryland and Miami are definitely on life support. If the Canes don't beat Duke on Sunday, their season is probably over.

Big 12

Locks: Kansas Jayhawks, Texas Longhorns
Almost There: Texas A&M Aggies, Missouri Tigers
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: Kansas State Wildcats, Baylor Bears
Just On The Outside: Oklahoma State Cowboys
Lots Of Work To Do: Colorado Buffaloes, Nebraska Cornhuskers
What To Expect: The Big 12 is a goofy conference right now because it just has a lot of mediocre teams and a few dynamos. Once A&M and Mizzou get to their 20th wins of the year, they'll be on the lock line for sure, but we aren't going to count out a late season collapse, especially for teams that are 6-4 and 5-5 in the Big 12 respectively. Baylor didn't do enough scheduling in out of conference play, the Selection Committee might ultimately frown upon that, but if it can get to 20 wins, thus giving it 10 in the Big 12, it would have no choice but to put the Bears in, especially after the Elite 8 run last year. K-State is only in the field right now based upon name and the fact that the tourney wants to see Jacob Pullen again. However, the prospects of finishing 7-9 in the Big 12 aren't good for this team. Okie State has the most average computer numbers in the world and is likely going to be one of the last four teams in or out no matter how to slice it come Selection Sunday. The Pokes have to get to 20 to have a chance. Colorado and Nebraska are both thinking the same thing, but getting to 20 might not be enough for either team.

Big East

Locks: Pitt Panthers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Georgetown Hoyas, Louisville Cardinals, Villanova Wildcats, Syracuse Orange, Connecticut Huskies
Almost There: West Virginia Mountaineers
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: Cincinnati Bearcats, St. John's Red Storm, Marquette Golden Eagles
Just On The Outside: None
Lots Of Work To Do: Providence Friars
What To Expect: We tend to believe that Marquette is going to get back in this tournament when it's said and done, and that the Big East will field a record 11 teams in the dance this year. They can all thank the Johnnies for that, as that win over Duke really gave the entire conference a shot in the arm. The problem that this conference faces is that it really won't be in a spot to have any No. 1 seeds if U-Pitt doesn't win the conference title (sorry, Notre Dame, we just don't buy you as a 1 seed). However, when you look at the No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 lines in this year's field, you're going to see a heck of a lot of Big East teams floating around. Providence really needs to find six wins in its last seven games to have a shot, but a loss on Sunday to UConn would pretty much be damning. The schedule isn't all that tough though, and it's not unbelievable to think that the Friars could get near 20 and make things interesting. It's amazing that there might be nine teams winning at least 20 games in this conference.

Big 10

Locks: Ohio State Buckeyes, Wisconsin Badgers, Purdue Boilermakers
Almost There: Illinois Fighting Illini, Minnesota Golden Gophers
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: Michigan State Spartans
Just On The Outside: None
Lots Of Work To Do: Michigan Wolverines, Northwestern Wildcats, Penn State Nittany Lions
What To Expect: Trying to get Northwestern or Penn State into March Madness is going to be awfully difficult, as these teams both have losing records in a conference that, outside of the very top, has been very iffy. Beating Wisconsin for any team in this conference looks a lot better now that the Badgers have beaten the Buckeyes. Illinois and Minnesota just need to hang in there, though both definitely have holes in their resumes right now. Michigan State really doesn't deserve to be here right now, as it really doesn't have the resume to go dancing. However, knowing Head Coach Tom Izzo, he'll figure out how to get the job done. What about Michigan, though? The Wolverines are probably the most interesting case here. Imagine what would have happened if Big Blue had beaten Jayhawks when they were ranked No. 1 in the land instead of losing in OT? Oh well. As it is, Michigan has the talent, but it just doesn't have the resume right now to get the job done.

Pac-10

Locks: Arizona Wildcats
Almost There: None
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: UCLA Bruins, Washington Huskies
Just On The Outside: None
Lots Of Work To Do: Washington State Cougars
What To Expect: It's not exactly a banner year for the Pac-10 once again, but at least Arizona is bringing a level of respectability to the conference that has been buried since UCLA was dominating. The Bruins won't be a Final Four team this year, but they really should get into the field of 68 relatively comfortably as long as they win a dozen games in conference and don't suffer an embarrassing first round defeat in the Pac-10 Tournament. Washington needs to be careful to not fall flat too many more times, just like its brethren did from Washington State when it lost at home to Stanford. There are only five games left in the regular season, and the only ways that Wazzu goes dancing is if it upsets Arizona on the road or wins its other four regular season games and makes a deep run into the Pac-10 Tournament. Anything less leaves the Cougs out without the auto bid from the league.

SEC

Locks: Florida Gators
Almost There: Kentucky Wildcats, Vanderbilt Commodores
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: Tennessee Volunteers, Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide
Just On The Outside: None
Lots Of Work To Do: Arkansas Razorbacks, Mississippi Rebels
What To Expect: This is probably the best case scenario for the SEC this year, as six teams seems to be the max that are getting in from this conference unless someone crops up and steals the league's auto bid. UF has definitely been head and shoulders above the rest of the field this year, while Kentucky has slacked off and legitimately has come down off of the lock line with two bad losses this week. Vandy has the better case right now to be certainly in. Both teams have work to be done. Tennessee, thanks to a great strength of schedule and that awesome win essentially on the road at Pittsburgh is the only 10 loss team that we feel good about right now, though these close losses in the SEC might come back to bite the boys from Rocky Top. Alabama is going to be an interesting case. It really is going to need to prove that it can beat some of the big boys from the East, as beating up on the lame West isn't going to get the job done. Arkansas and Ole Miss might both get to 20 wins, and even if they do, both might not even be on the bubble picture come Selection Sunday.

Atlantic 10

Locks: None
Almost There: Temple Owls
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: Richmond Spiders, Xavier Musketeers
Just On The Outside: None
Lots Of Work To Do: Duquesne Dukes
What To Expect: The A-10 is down this year, and it is really going to show come Selection Sunday when there are only three teams at best that end up getting into the field. Dayton has really played its way out with a 5-6 record in an iffy conference, while teams like Rhode Island and UMass are only living pipe dreams if they think that they're dancing. Temple and Xavier both have great cases, though we know that the Owls don't have the greatest computer numbers in the world. Still, winning a dozen games in this conference is usually good enough to get into the NCAA Tournament, and that's something that all three of these teams will do. Duquesne has no choice but to get to at least 21, maybe even 22 wins to get into the field, and that would mean 14 wins in total in conference play.

Colonial

Locks: None
Almost There: None
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: George Mason Patriots, Old Dominion Monarchs
Just On The Outside: VCU Rams
Lots Of Work To Do: Drexel Dragons
What To Expect: Realistically, probably only two of the three of George Mason, VCU, and ODU are going to get into the NCAA Tournament, and the only reason we leave Drexel on this list is because of that win over Louisville. All three of the big boys in the CAA have spotty resumes at best, but it's hard to argue the fact that all three already have 20 wins, and there are very few bad losses to talk about with the three of them. Virginia Commonwealth was dealt a horrifying loss at home to Old Dominion on Saturday which almost certainly put the Monarchs in as of right now. There are only four games left for the Rams, and a win over Wichita State in BracketBusters is an absolute must to be able to get into the field without a deep run into the CAA Tournament.

Mountain West

Locks: San Diego State Aztecs, BYU Cougars
Almost There: UNLV Rebels>Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: Colorado State Rams
Just On The Outside: None
Lots Of Work To Do: New Mexico Lobos
What To Expect: History will tell us that the Mountain West is going to get shafted in the NCAA Tournament, which is why it really is going to be so important for one of these three bubble teams in the conference to win the league title. We tend to believe that UNLV will get in one way or the other, even though it lost a chance to really seal its dance ticket by losing to San Diego State this week. Colorado State and New Mexico have good chances to get in the field, but both still have horrifying schedules to deal with. The Rams won the bubble battle of these two teams on Saturday, and with a better resume with computer numbers, they're in good shape if they can pick up one or two of these big time scalps along the way.

Other Conferences

Locks: None
Almost There: Utah State Aggies, St. Mary's Gaels
Would Be In If The Tourney Started Today: Wichita State Shockers
Just On The Outside: Missouri State Bears, Butler Bulldogs, Belmont Bears, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
Lots Of Work To Do: Memphis Tigers, UAB Blazers, UTEP Miners, Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, Harvard Crimson, Princeton Tigers, Gonzaga Bulldogs
What To Expect: The good news is that we have to remember that a lot of these teams will win their conference crowns and take automatic bids, something that Utah State, Belmont, and Coastal Carolina should all do with ease. Beyond that though, the only lower level mid-major that looks to be in good shape is St. Mary's, and if it beats USU this coming weekend in BracketBusters, there is almost certainly no doubt. Utah State needs the win more than St. Mary's does from the standpoint that it now has a very glaring loss to Idaho on the resume and can't really afford too many more slips. We know that neither Princeton nor Harvard is getting into the field without the auto bid from the Ivy League, but both at least have remotely compelling resumes. Butler and Gonzaga have both become tourney mainstays, but the truth of the matter is if these two teams had any other names, they wouldn't even be in the discussion. Conference USA is very interesting, because we know that one of these four teams is probably going to take the league's automatic bid. All four make relatively compelling arguments to go dancing, but right now, none of them would make the cut. Wichita State and Missouri State will probably both end up in the dance if they can win out and meet each other in the MVC finale, but things aren't, by any means, certain for either one.

At Large Bid Breakdown (Note: There are 31 automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament)

ACC: 4
Big 12: 5
Big East: 10
Big 10: 5
Pac-10: 2
SEC: 5
Atlantic 10: 2
Colonial: 1
Mountain West: 3
Other Conferences: 0

Last Four In: Boston College Eagles, Marquette Golden Eagles, Michigan State Spartans, Colorado State Rams
First Four Teams Out: Clemson Tigers, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Missouri State Bears, Butler Bulldogs

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March 14th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

The NCAA Tournament brackets have been set, and here at Cappers Info, we're going to give you our free bracket contest picks as well as a blank bracket for you to fill out!

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March 14th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Teams that are already in the NCAA Tournament…

Cornell Big Red (27-4, Ivy League), Winthrop Eagles (19-13, Big South), Murray State Racers (30-4, Ohio Valley), East Tennessee State Buccaneers (20-14, Atlantic Sun), Northern Iowa Panthers (28-4, Missouri Valley), St. Mary's Gaels (26-5, West Coast), Siena Saints (27-6, Metro Atlantic), Old Dominion Monarchs (26-8, Colonial), Wofford Terriers (26-8, Southern), Oakland Golden Grizzlies (26-8, Summit), Butler Bulldogs (28-4, Horizon), North Texas Mean Green (24-8, Sun Belt), Robert Morris Colonials (23-11, Northeast), Montana Grizzlies (22-9, Big Sky), Lehigh Mountain Hawks (22-10, Patriot), Houston Cougars (19-15, Conference USA), Vermont Catamounts (25-9, America East), Morgan State Bears (27-9, MEAC), Sam Houston State Bearkats (25-7, Southland), Kansas Jayhawks (32-2, Big XII), Ohio Bobcats (21-14, MAC), San Diego State Aztecs (25-8, Mountain West), Washington Huskies (24-9, Pac-10), Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions (17-15, SWAC), West Virginia Mountaineers (27-6, Big East), Santa Barbara Gauchos (20-9, Big West), New Mexico State Aggies (22-11, WAC)

Teams that clinched automatic bids on Sunday…

Kentucky Wildcats (32-2, SEC): G John Wall missed the shot right at the end of regulation that ultimately ended up being stuck back in to send the Cats' game with the Bulldogs to overtime, but he changed his fortunes with an acrobatic three-pointer that may have ultimately kept MSU out of the NCAA Tournament. Now, Kentucky has made a gripe to be the #1 overall seed. Expect to see this team make a huge run into April.

Temple Owls (29-5, Atlantic 10): The Owls won one of the toughest conferences in America that no one paid attention to most of the season. This is a team with a stifling defense that seemingly holds down every one of its opponents under 60 points. The A-10 champs deserve some preferential treatment in the brackets, and anything less than #3 seed would be a brutal disappointment.

Ohio State Buckeyes (27-7, Big Ten): Blowing out Minnesota was impressive for the Buckeyes on Sunday, but even winning the Big Ten probably won't be good enough to put HC Thad Motta's team on the #1 line. F Evan Turner is clearly one of the best players in the entire country, and he had three major games at Conseco Fieldhouse for the Buckeyes. Depth could become an issue though, as four of the starting five each averaged over 40 minutes per game over the L/3 days.

Duke Blue Devils (29-5, ACC): Have the Blue Devils earned a #1 seed? We think so, even though they ultimately never really got challenged by one of the better teams in the ACC. This was a down conference this year at the top, but save North Carolina and Boston College, there were really never any off nights. Duke's top three scorers are all lethal, and after putting forth a good effort at getting rid of the Yellow Jackets in the ACC Finale, it is a team that is in fine form going into March Madness.

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March 14th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Teams that are already in the NCAA Tournament…

Cornell Big Red (27-4, Ivy League), Winthrop Eagles (19-13, Big South), Murray State Racers (30-4, Ohio Valley), East Tennessee State Buccaneers (20-14, Atlantic Sun), Northern Iowa Panthers (28-4, Missouri Valley), St. Mary's Gaels (26-5, West Coast), Siena Saints (27-6, Metro Atlantic), Old Dominion Monarchs (26-8, Colonial), Wofford Terriers (26-8, Southern), Oakland Golden Grizzlies (26-8, Summit), Butler Bulldogs (28-4, Horizon), North Texas Mean Green (24-8, Sun Belt), Robert Morris Colonials (23-11, Northeast), Montana Grizzlies (22-9, Big Sky), Lehigh Mountain Hawks (22-10, Patriot)

Teams that clinched automatic bids on Saturday…

Houston Cougars (19-15, Conference USA): And the bubble shrinks… The Cougars upset UTEP on Saturday afternoon to take the Conference USA automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It wasn't a particularly strong game for a lot of players on the #7 seed in the C-USA Tourney, but if guys like G Kelvin Lewis are scoring 28 points, this is going to be a tough team to bounce. One of the best scorers in America, G Aubrey Coleman, won't be held to 4/20 shooting every night. Look for the Cougs to be on the 14 line come Sunday.

Vermont Catamounts (25-9, America East): The Catamounts used a great offensive effort to take care of Boston U and advance to the NCAA Tournament. F Marqus Blakely had one heck of a championship game, scoring 24 points and bringing down 18 rebounds. He's going to probably be in for a heck of a test regardless of who he has to go up against in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. A #15 seed probably awaits Vermont.

Morgan State Bears (27-9, MEAC): The top team in the MEAC all season long earned its way into the dance on Saturday afternoon in the conference championship. Even though leading scorer G Reggie Holmes had his third straight subpar game, three other Bears scored in double digits. This could be a potentially dangerous team if all of the offensive weapons are clicking, but it's only going to leave Morgan State as a #14 at best.

Sam Houston State Bearkats (25-7, Southland): The Bearkats are dancing for the first time since 2003, and they did so by putting together a solid effort to dismiss of Stephen F. Austin. The defense has been hit or miss for this team of late, but it was certainly a hit on Saturday, winning 64-48. Now, SHSU is going to find itself as a #13 seed that is going to need a big effort to take out a #4 in the dance next week.

Kansas Jayhawks (32-2, Big XII): Kansas has certainly earned its way to the #1 seed in the Midwest Region after winning the Big XII over Kansas State on Saturday. Rock Chalk has one of the most talented teams in the country, and it has made a case to be the #1 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. HC Bill Self is going to have one of the hefty favorites to win the whole enchilada.

Ohio Bobcats (21-14, MAC): In a conference where both Kent State and Akron dominated all season long, the Bobcats are the one team dancing from the bunch. No one can say that Ohio didn't deserve its spot in the field, as it took out both the Golden Flashes and the Zips en route to the MAC's automatic bid. The Bobcats may only be destined to be a #15 seed in the field of 65, but at least they're dancing, which is more than anyone else can say in this conference.

San Diego State Aztecs (25-8, Mountain West): San Diego State was a bubble team coming into the Mountain West Tournament, and it seemed like all that was going to be needed to get into the field of 65 was a win over New Mexico in the league semifinals. Instead, the Aztecs removed all doubt by taking the whole tournament, beating not only the Lobos, but also the Rebels on their home court in Sin City to get the job done. Now, a #10 seed awaits the fourth team out of the MWC.

Washington Huskies (24-9, Pac-10): Just like the Aztecs, the Huskies successfully went from a team just barely hanging on to the bubble to a team that was probably just on the right side of the bubble to a team with an automatic ticket to the tournament in a span of three days. Washington used a potent offense and a deep bench to knock off California for the second time this season, both of which are going to need to be out in full force for the Huskies to get out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a #11 seed.

Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions (17-15, SWAC): The defense for the Golden Lions came to play in what amounted to be an ugly SWAC Championship on Saturday night. Still, Pine Bluff's 12-point victory isn't going to take away from the fact that its body of work is still pretty miserable, even for a conference championship. That being said, this is certainly going to be a team that has to play its way into the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday.

West Virginia Mountaineers (27-6, Big East): The Mountaineers certainly made their case to grab a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament by knocking off the Hoyas right at the death thanks to F Da'Sean Butler. Now, WVU will play the waiting game. HC Bob Huggins doesn't think that his squad is deserving of a top seed, but if both Duke and Ohio State lose on Sunday, the 'Neers will probably be going West as the top seed up there.

Santa Barbara Gauchos (20-9, Big West): The Gauchos are going to have one of the youngest teams in the NCAA Tournament, but they took care of business in the Big West final on Saturday night against the 49ers. Santa Barbara has taken nine of its L/10 games going into the dance. It was smacked by 20+ points against the two Pac-10 teams that it played this year, so seeing it do any damage as a #15 or #16 seems highly unlikely.

New Mexico State Aggies (22-11, WAC): Was this the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of the bubble? Several bubble teams went to bed on Saturday night thinking that they were going to be okay for the dance that will wake up on Sunday only to find that another bid went down the drain. New Mexico State earned its way into the field by stopping the 17-game winning streak of Utah State on Saturday. The Aggies are going to be an interesting placement, but they'll probably end up as a #13 or so.

 

Teams vying for automatic bids on Sunday…

Kentucky Wildcats (31-2, SEC): If anyone thought that the Wildcats were going to take their foot off of the gas pedal en route to the SEC Championship Game, they were sorely mistaken. Kentucky absolutely obliterated the Volunteers, making amends for its most recent loss. It's hard to cross this team right now, and as has been proven all season long, if G John Wall, F DeMarcus Cousins, and F Patrick Patterson are on their game, this, at least to date, has been an impossible team to defeat.

Mississippi State Bulldogs (23-10, SEC): Most seasons, winning 23 games and reaching the SEC Final would be good enough to easily put any team in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are still sweating though, and they'll need to beat Kentucky on Sunday to remove any sense of doubt. It was a huge defensive effort for MSU that put it in this position, as Vanderbilt only shot 34.6%, and F Jarvis Varnado blocked six shots in the 62-52 win.

Temple Owls (28-5, Atlantic 10): All season long, the Owls have been talked about as a team that can make a major difference in the NCAA Tournament. Now, one of the best defenses in the nation has made a case to move up into the Top 4 seeds in the NCAA Tournament after absolutely crushing two A-10 foes in this tournament. Temple has the fourth best defense in college basketball, allowing just 56.3 points per game.

Richmond Spiders (26-7, Atlantic 10): The Spiders weren't on the radar for potential March Madness teams at the outset of the season, but a win over Florida in November really helped set the stage for this team to have a rocket of a rise up the charts in the country. Richmond cracked the Top 25 for awhile this year and may ultimately finish the season there as well, especially if it can find a way to knock off the Owls and capture the A-10 title.

Ohio State Buckeyes (26-7, Big Ten): There are still a host of teams that believe that they can be a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and the Buckeyes are amongst them. It took double overtime to finally get Illinois out of the Big Ten Tournament though, and there's a big question about how much fight OSU will have in it in Sunday's final after a pair of very, very tough games. F Evan Turner turned the ball over ten times on Saturday, but he did have a double-double with 31 points and ten boards.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (21-12, Big Ten): If the Selection Committee is determined to reward teams that do well in their conference tournaments,the Golden Gophers may already be in the NCAA Tournament. Regardless, this is a team that was left for dead just three days ago, and now, Minnesota is on the verge of ditching and bubble doubt. HC Tubby Smith's team absolutely destroyed Purdue on Saturday, which has set up a heck of a finale against OSU on Sunday.

Duke Blue Devils (28-5, ACC): It seems largely accepted that the Dookies, in spite of the fact that they have struggled in the NCAA Tournament, look to be the team that can play its way into the final #1 seed with a win over Georgia Tech on Sunday. Miami and Virginia both gave the Blue Devils a heck of a time, but in the end, Coach K's club did what it does best: It just keeps finding ways to win games.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (22-11, ACC): G-Tech has rumbled its way into the NCAA Tournament without a doubt after taking three games in the ACC Tournament. However, none of these games against UNC, Maryland, or NC State were anything like what the Blue Devils are going to bring on Sunday. HC Paul Hewitt will want to see a far less sloppy game than he saw on Saturday against the Wolfpack to continue to raise his team's confidence level going into the NCAA Tournament.

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March 13th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Teams that are already in the NCAA Tournament…

Cornell Big Red (27-4, Ivy League), Winthrop Eagles (19-13, Big South), Murray State Racers (30-4, Ohio Valley), East Tennessee State Buccaneers (20-14, Atlantic Sun), Northern Iowa Panthers (28-4, Missouri Valley), St. Mary's Gaels (26-5, West Coast), Siena Saints (27-6, Metro Atlantic), Old Dominion Monarchs (26-8, Colonial), Wofford Terriers (26-8, Southern), Oakland Golden Grizzlies (26-8, Summit), Butler Bulldogs (28-4, Horizon), North Texas Mean Green (24-8, Sun Belt), Robert Morris Colonials (23-11, Northeast), Montana Grizzlies (22-9, Big Sky)

Teams that clinched automatic bids on Friday…

Lehigh Mountain Hawks (22-10, Patriot): The Mountain Hawks reached March Madness for the fourth time in school history when they took out Lafayette without any real consequence on Friday afternoon. This is a team that can rain down three pointers like it's no one's business (40.2% on the season), but unless there is an upset of absolutely epic proportions, this team won't make it to see the weekend. Expect to see Lehigh either as a #16 seed or in the play-in game.

Teams vying for automatic bids on Saturday…

Boston Terriers (19-12, America East): The Terriers were slight favorites against the top team in this conference, Stony Brook, in the America East League semifinals, and they didn't disappoint. Now, leading scorer, F John Holland (19.3 PPG) will look to lead the way for BU to make it to its first NCAA Tournament since 2001. This will be the Terriers' first appearance in the America East finale since 2003.

Vermont Catamounts (24-9, America East): Vermont has one of the most well-rounded players in the entire nation in F Marqus Blakely. Not only is Blakely leading the team in scoring (17.2 points per game), but he is also one of the best defensive players in the conference, as he is averaging 9.1 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game, all team highs. The Catamounts haven't been dancing since HC Tom Brennan was on the sidelines, but they're the clear choices to go to March Madness this year.

UTEP Miners (26-5, Conference USA): UTEP already knows that it's got its spot to the NCAA Tournament on lock down, as it is probably going to be a middle seed in the dance thanks to a great season in C-USA play. G Randy Culpepper is one of the elite scorers in the entire nation, and he has the ability to take over an entire game very, very quickly. He put up 21 points as his team bounced Tulsa from the conference tournament on Friday, and his scoring average over the L/8 games is a solid 22.4 points per game.

Houston Cougars (18-15, Conference USA): G Aubrey Coleman put on a heck of a show in the Conference USA semifinal against Southern Miss on Friday, scoring 27 points. He's the conference's leading scorer at 25.9 points per game. No one expected the Cougs to reach this point in the season, but after pulling off the upset of Memphis and taking down Southern Miss, they'll have an improbable chance of making the NCAA Tournament.

Sam Houston State Bearkats (24-7, Southland): The Bearkats are going to have their hands full in the Southland final. SHSU has limped to a pair of victories in the conference tournament, which is uncharacteristic for a team that is now 16-2 against divisional foes. F Gilbert Clavell will have to do a better job staying out of foul trouble than he did in the Southland semis. Even though he only played 24 minutes though, the team's leading scorer (17.6 points per game) still managed 16 points.

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (23-8, Southland): Playing second fiddle to a crosstown rival never sits well, but that's where Stephen F. Austin found itself all season in relation to the Bearkats. The Lumberjacks will get their chance to use their fantastic defense to make their way to the NCAA Tournament out of the Southland Conference. Four of the team's L/5 foes have been held under 55 points. With another effort like that, SFA will be dancing next week.

Akron Zips (24-9, MAC): There aren't any real prolific scorers on this team, but what the Zips do well is spread the scoring options around. Eight scorers are putting up at least five points per game. Now that Kent State is out of the MAC Tournament, there's no reason for Akron, who was clearly one of the top two teams in this conference all season long, to not grab the automatic bid from this conference.

Ohio Bobcats (20-14, MAC): At the beginning of the MAC Tournament, you probably didn't have the Bobcats in the finals. Alas, after going just 7-9 in conference play this year, Ohio is here, just one step away from dancing. The Bobcats picked a great time to have their best defensive half of the season, as they held the Redhawks to just 12 points in the first frame in Friday's semifinal. It's going to take another Herculean effort to take care of the Zips to go to March Madness.

Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions (16-15, SWAC): This hasn't been a great year for SWAC basketball, but the Golden Lions did go 14-2 in conference and are deservedly playing for a right to play in the play-in game in the NCAA Tournament. Senior F Terrance Calvin put up a double-double with a dozen points and a dozen rebounds in the semifinals. The team's leading scorer is averaging 10.6 points per game this season.

Texas Southern Tigers (17-15, SWAC): If the Tigers are going to find a way to make it to March Madness, they're going to need a great game out of their big three. G Deandre Hall, G Whitworth Treasure, and F Travele Jones combine to average a whopping 44.5 of the team's 69.1 points per game. Texas Southern caught a major break when Jackson State was bounced out of this tournament, as eliminating Grambling was significantly easier than beating a team that went 17-1 in conference would've been.

Morgan State Bears (26-9, MEAC): The Bears have been the best team in the MEAC all season long, and anything less than a conference crown and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament would be brutally disappointing. G Reggie Holmes has been off of his game in this tournament, scoring just 28 points in two conference tournament contests, which would be great if not for the fact that he averaged 22.1 points per game during the regular season. He'll need to pick it up to the get the conference's automatic ticket.

South Carolina State Bulldogs (18-13, MEAC): Whatever has gotten into the Bulldogs' defense had better keep up for one more game to get SCSU into the NCAA Tournament. The Dogs would've kept five straight foes under 65 points, if not for the fact that they had to play overtime against Delaware State to reach this point of the MEAC Tournament. This is a miserable three-point shooting team though, as 30.4% just isn't going to cut it for a team that is hoping to make it to the dance.

Georgetown Hoyas (23-9, Big East): Many were down on the Hoyas coming into the Big East Tournament, but if there were any doubts about how good this team is, those were erased over the past few days. Blowing out South Florida and Marquette and sandwiching a win over Syracuse between them took this team from a potential #5 seed up to possibly a #2 with a win at MSG in the finale of this tournament on Saturday night.

West Virginia Mountaineers (26-6, Big East): Could West Virginia earn a #1 seed to the NCAA Tournament with a win on Saturday night? It's not likely, but it's certainly a possibility. The Mountaineers have stormed through the Big East tourney at Madison Square Garden thanks in large part to the play of leading scorer F Da'Sean Butler. WVU's star scored 24 in the semifinal against the Fighting Irish, and he'll look to carry that momentum into Saturday's finale.

Kansas Jayhawks (31-2, Big XII): The #1 team in the country continues to get up off the mat when it is down. On both Thursday and Friday, Rock Chalk not only stormed back from a deficit, but they ultimately put away their foes by double digits. Now, HC Bill Self's team has its sights set on another conference title, but the top seed in the Midwest Region has virtually already been wrapped up.

Kansas State Wildcats (26-6, Big XII): Kansas State is one of at least seven or eight teams that believes that it can be a #1 seed when Sunday rolls around. The Wildcats have looked awfully impressive on the offensive side of the court in this tournament, rolling up 80+ points against both Baylor and Oklahoma State. It's going to take a very similar performance to be able to stick with the Jayhawks on Saturday night in Kansas City.

San Diego State Aztecs (24-8, Mountain West): The Aztecs were one of the teams that was sitting firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble before conference tournaments started, but when other teams fell flat, they excelled. The win against New Mexico absolutely sealed the deal. There's going to be a question about motivation for this team, but it's hard to go against a team that just stopped the squad with the longest winning streak in the MWC.

UNLV Rebels (25-7, Mountain West): UNLV has seemingly been the forgotten team in the MWC all season long, but it has a chance to take down the conference crown after both New Mexico and BYU bit the dust in the league semifinals. No one has crossed 70 points on this team since February 10th. Considering the fact that this is the host team for this tournament, the Rebels are going to be hard to take out, no matter how hot the Aztecs are.

Utah State Aggies (27-6, WAC): All of the carnage around the bubble has probably made the Aggies a tournament team for certain, but don't tell that to them! Utah State came out and absolutely annihilated Louisiana Tech on Friday night, which sets the stage for it to take the league's automatic bid to the tournament and save a slot on the bubble for someone else. The Aggies ride into Saturday night on a 17-game winning streak and don't look to be stopped.

New Mexico State Aggies (21-11, WAC): The odds were stacked up against the Aggies in the WAC semifinals on Friday night, as they had to play in Reno against the host school, Nevada. However, a gritty performance down the stretch led New Mexico State to the conference final with an 80-78 victory. The question is going to be whether or not a team that largely relies on just six players can find a way to win the battle of the Aggies in the WAC Championship.

California Golden Bears (23-9, Pac-10): For the duration of the season, the Golden Bears have looked like the only team that really could make the NCAA Tournament without the league's automatic bid. However, the Pac-10 crown is up for grabs at this point, and Cal is the favorite for the title. After a pair of double digit victories in the conference tourney, is anyone going to pick against this team? Leading scorer G Jerome Randle has had a great tourney, scoring 20+ points in both games.

Washington Huskies (23-9, Pac-10): The Huskies did what the Sun Devils couldn't do: Get rid of Stanford. There's still a big question whether or not U-Dub really needs to win the Pac-10 to make the NCAA Tournament. If the bubble shrinks any more, it's plausible to think that the Huskies could get left home if they get blown out by Cal. Still, this team has too good of a resume to ignore right now. Washington has won six straight games and takes one of the highest scoring marks in the land into the Pac-10 finale (79.8 points per game).

Santa Barbara Gauchos (19-9, Big West): The Gauchos took advantage of a first round bye in the Big West Tournament and bounced UC-Davis with ease on Friday night to get within one step of the NCAA Tournament. This can be a lethal three-point shooting team, as it is shooting 37.9% from downtown this year. Leading scorer G Orlando Johnson is the main candidate for long balls, as he shot a shade under 40% from beyond the arc. That's why he's averaging 18.0 points per game.

Long Beach State 49ers (17-15, Big West): No one really saw the 49ers making it to the finals of the Big West Tournament, but they stepped on the gas pedal right from the get go and dismissed the top seeded Tigers on Friday night. Now, after going just 8-8 in conference play this year, leading scorer and rebounder F TJ Robinson (15.7 points, 10.2 rebounds per game) will lead Long Beach State into battle in the Big West Championship.

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March 11th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

 

Teams that are already in the NCAA Tournament…

Cornell Big Red (27-4, Ivy League), Winthrop Eagles (19-13, Big South), Murray State Racers (30-4, Ohio Valley), East Tennessee State Buccaneers (20-14, Atlantic Sun), Northern Iowa Panthers (28-4, Missouri Valley), St. Mary's Gaels (26-5, West Coast), Siena Saints (27-6, Metro Atlantic), Old Dominion Monarchs (26-8, Colonial), Wofford Terriers (26-8, Southern), Oakland Golden Grizzlies (26-8, Summit), Butler Bulldogs (28-4, Horizon), North Texas Mean Green (24-8, Sun Belt)

Teams that clinched automatic bids on Wednesday…

Robert Morris Colonials (23-11, Northeast): It went right down to the wire, but the Colonials locked up the NEC's bid to the NCAA Tournament by the final count of 52-50 over Quinnipiac. G Karon Abraham shot 7/14 from the floor on a night where shots came at a premium to score 16 to lead Robert Morris to victory. Now, it will probably be subjected to sitting on the #15 or #16 line, which almost certainly means a first round exit from the NCAA Tournament.

Montana Grizzlies (22-9, Big Sky): We warned you to keep an eye on G Anthony Johnson, and if you missed his ridiculous performance in the second half against Weber State on Wednesday, you missed a doozy. He led Montana back from down 40-20 at halftime by scoring a whopping 42 points on 13/22 shooting and 14/14 from the foul line. He'll be the only hope for the Grizzlies to move their way into the second round of the NCAA Tournament, but in all likelihood, it's not going to happen as a #14 or #15.

Teams vying for automatic bids on Friday…

Lafayette Leopards (19-12, Patriot): The Leopards only went 8-6 in the regular season in Patriot League action, but they've successfully made it to the final of their conference tournament behind the scoring prowess of G Jim Mower. Mower has scored 36 points in his two postseason  games. The problem is going to be trying to figure out how to stop Lehigh from beyond the arc, where Lafayette is allowing opposing teams to shoot 38.7%.

Lehigh Mountain Hawks (21-10, Patriot): That's bad news against a Lehigh team that shoots 40.2% from three-point land. The leading sharpshooter for a squad that scores 75.2 points per game is G CJ McCollum. Not only is McCollum shooting 43% from long range, but he is also the top scorer in the conference at 18.9 points per game. The Mountain Hawks also need to work on their defense, as they allow 70.4 points per game.

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March 10th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

Teams that are already in the NCAA Tournament…

Cornell Big Red (27-4, Ivy League), Winthrop Eagles (19-13, Big South), Murray State Racers (30-4, Ohio Valley), East Tennessee State Buccaneers (20-14, Atlantic Sun), Northern Iowa Panthers (28-4, Missouri Valley), St. Mary's Gaels (26-5, West Coast), Siena Saints (27-6, Metro Atlantic), Old Dominion Monarchs (26-8, Colonial), Wofford Terriers (26-8, Southern)

 Teams that clinched automatic bids on Tuesday…

Oakland Golden Grizzlies (26-8, Summit): Oakland is going back to the NCAA Tournament, and it enters March Madness as one of the hottest teams in college basketball, losing just one game since the end of December. Still, the Golden Grizzlies took their shots at some of the big boys in college basketball this season and ultimately was trounced by Syracuse, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Memphis. That's going to make it hard for this team to advance out of a #14 seed or so.

Butler Bulldogs (28-4, Horizon): Bubble teams can breathe a bit easier. The Bulldogs came through in a big way in the Horizon League final, hammering Wright State to finish up at 20-0 in conference play. Depending on how the Selection Committee views mid-majors this year, Butler could reasonably finish anywhere from a #3 to a #8 in the brackets. Either way, there are going to be some unhappy teams that have to face this very lethal bunch of Bulldogs.

North Texas Mean Green (24-8, Sun Belt): It took a big second half effort, but the Mean Green prevailed over the Trojans to win the Sun Belt and take a spot in the NCAA Tournament. This wasn't a conference that was particularly strong for the majority of the season, and North Texas will probably be punished for it. Consider this team good enough for a #15 seed, but not much more than that.

Teams vying for automatic bids on Wednesday…

Robert Morris Colonials (22-11, Northeast): This is old hat to a Robert Morris team which has played in the NEC Championship seven times in school history. The Colonials were awfully inconsistent down the stretch of the regular season, losing two of its L/3 before dominating two conference tournament foes. Free throw shooting is a major issue for this team. Only converting on 66.7% of its charity shots would be a recipe for disaster with a berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line.

Quinnipiac Bobcats (23-8, Northeast): It's the exact opposite situation for the Bobcats, who are only playing in their second NEC finale and have never even played in a postseason tournament of any kind, let alone an NCAA Tournament. That will change this year, as the NIT will be calling Quinnipiac's name if it doesn't win this game. F Justin Rutty has logged seven straight double-doubles, and he'll be expected to come up big yet again for the Bobcats to go dancing.

Montana Grizzlies (21-9, Big Sky): G Anthony Johnson scored 19 points to lead the Grizzlies to the Big Sky final last night, and he'll be the cog in the lineup if Montana is to win this game against the conference powerhouses. Look out for a barrage of three-pointers from the Grizz, as they are shooting a stellar 40.2% from downtown this year, good enough for sixth in the country.

Weber State Wildcats (20-9, Big Sky): The regular season Big Sky champs have their sights set on yet another NCAA Tournament appearance. A high-flying offense which scored 77.0 points per game this year is going to be on display.  Weber State hasn't been to the dance since 2007, but this marks the team's fourth regular season championship since 2002-03.

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