Daily rants and opinions...because we're THAT bored.
by Spaen - Monday, March 6
The A-10 finally gets the spotlight this week as GW not only runs the table, but might have a chance at a #1 seed, depending what happens in the tourney. There's no doubting that GW deserves it though. Charlotte was a Top 25 preseason favorite, and actually won 6 of their last 7 games. Many people believed that Charlotte could knock off GW, and they really should have. In the closing seconds of the 2nd half, GW continued to miss their 3-pointers, and after 11 straight misses, they finally drill one to tie the game. As the game goes into overtime, both teams contested each other throughout, and it looked like Charlotte would win when they rebounded the ball with less than 5 seconds to go and a 2-point lead. However, the BALP will have to go to Leemire Goldwire (what an awesome name) for elbowing GW's Mike Hall not once, but two times in the face. One gives him a technical, but Hall is called for a personal. Charlotte gets 2 free throws, but only gets one, while GW makes both and gets the ball down by one. GW still goes for the 3, even though it's been unsuccessful for the most part, but Carl Elliott (pictured above left) catches it and lofts it into the hoop has time expires to win it. The crowd exploded, and Elliott strips off his jersey in mayhem to celebrate with his team. Anyone that says GW shouldn't be a #1 seed should have their eyes gouged out.
Game of Bode: Horizon League Tournament
The only thing worse than watching Bode Miller were the semifinals of the Horizon League. In the entire tournament, only one game was decided with a single-digit difference (Loyola-Chicago over Detroit by 9, 2nd round) and all the higher seeds have won. At the rate it's going, WI-Milwaukee will beat Butler in the final by 25. Yeah, this league lost A LOT of attention once Bruce Pearl jolted to Tennessee.
Duke
North Carolina
Boston College
North Carolina St - first round win
Florida St - first round win
Maryland - reach semifinals
Clemson - reach finals
Virginia
Miami (FL)
Virginia Tech
Big East:
Connecticut
Villanova
West Virginia
Pittsburgh
Georgetown
Marquette - first round win
Seton Hall - first round win
Cincinnati - reach semifinals
Syracuse
Rutgers
Big Ten:
Ohio St
Illinois
Iowa
Wisconsin
Indiana - reach finals
Michigan St - reach semifinals
Michigan
Big 12:
Texas
Kansas
Oklahoma
Texas A&M
Colorado - reach semifinals
Nebraska
Pac-10:
UCLA
Washington
California - reach semifinals
Arizona - reach semifinals
Stanford
USC
East
Tennessee
Florida
Kentucky - reach finals
Vanderbilt - reach finals
West
LSU
Arkansas
Alabama - reach quarterfinals
Atlantic 10:
George Washington
Charlotte - reach semifinals
La Salle - reach finals
St. Louis - reach finals
Xavier - reach finals
St. Joseph's
Fordham
Temple
Conference USA:
Memphis
UAB
UTEP - reach finals
Houston
Colonial Athletic:
UNC-Wilmington
George Mason
Hofstra
MAC:
Kent St
Akron - reach finals
Miami (OH)
Missouri Valley:
Southern Illinois
Wichita St
Missouri St
Creighton
Northern Iowa
Bradley
Mountain West:
Air Force
San Diego St - reach finals
BYU - reach finals
WAC:
Nevada
Utah St - reach semifinals
Louisiana Tech - reach finals
All Season
Best Major Conference: Big East
Bode's Major Conference: Pac-10
Best Mid-Major: Missouri Valley
Mid-Major Bode: MEAC / SWAC
Underrated Major: ACC
Major that is comparable to Bode: SEC
Underrated Mid-Major: Atlantic 10
Best Team: Connecticut (Big East)
Team Bode: Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun)
This Past Weekend
Best Mid-Major Game: Boise St 85, Idaho 80 (2OT) (WAC)
Mid-Major Game like Bode's performance: Davidson 80, UT-Chattanooga 55 (SoCon)
Biggest Blowout: Ohio 85, Bowling Green 48 (MAC)
Bode's Offensive Performance: Southern Illinois 55, UNI 46 (OT) (Missouri Valley)
Bode's Defensive Performance: UC Riverside 94, UC Davis 87 (OT) (Big West)
Biggest Upset: South Florida 63, 20)Georgetown 56 (Big East)
Best Major Team: Texas A&M
Major Team Bode: Syracuse
Who deserves to be in Top 25 (AP):
Arkansas, Marquette, Texas A&M, Southern Illinois
Bodes in the Top 25 (AP):
North Carolina St
Overrated in the Top 25 (AP):
Nevada, Georgetown, LSU, UCLA, Washington
THOUGHTS ON THE WEEK:
UNC gets a huge boost of confidence not only heading into the conference tourney, but the big dance. Who thought they would have rebounded this huge after losing most of their team? Roy Williams is the man. Oh, and a note on the whole ESPNU Full Cycle thing...pretty interesting stuff, I hope to see it more. I kinda found the game to be more fun to watch with those cameras on the backboards. - Did you see that Bode-like thumping DePaul did over Syracuse? The Blue Demons need to be in the Big East tourney. - Did anyon else think the Missouri Valley tourney kind of looked like Bode's Olympic performance? Yeah, I know it's a defensive conference, but I think there's just not enough offense to make any team reach the Sweet 16. - Don't look now, but The Valley could possibly be overrated. It only deserves 3 teams in. - The Sun Belt might have an argument with getting Western Kentucky and South Alabama in...but it will at least be an entertaining conference final barring an upset along the way. - My #1 seeds? Duke = lock. Connecticut = lock. The other 2 will have to be fought between: Memphis, Gonzaga, Texas, and Ohio St. - The SoCon started off awesome with lots of crazy games like expected, but the final blew chunks. What the hell, Chattanooga? - Texas A&M shot themselves right into the big dance handing Texas a big Bode. Don't let anyone tell you any different. - Who did a Bode for getting automatic bids for dance this week? Michigan Bode-in it against Indiana, UCLA giving the Bode to Stanford, Arizona getting the Bode from Washington, Colorado barely getting a 1-1 record this week, Syracuse getting trounced against DePaul and losing at home to Villanova (that's a bigger choke than 2 Bodes can do at once), and Kentucky getting a Bode at home. - Don't take the Big 10 conference picks seriously. Since the conference is overrated, I have to let 4 in. Wisconsin SHOULD NOT be an automatic bid, and Iowa and Illinois will Bode it in the first round. Ohio St is the only legit team in this conference. - Texas is the new home of dominance as the toughest place to play, even though the overall season award will go to Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena. - Bobby Knight better get some good recruiting from his new show or he may have to wait two more years for that milestone. - Kent State deserves to be an automatic bid. It's win over Akron gives it to them. - RPI rules all, and if The Valley is only getting 3 in, the Pac-10 will only get 3 in. - Bob Huggins who? Barring an Bode in the tourney, Cincy is in it to keep the streak alive.