Conf. Tourney look-aheads
By Bruce Marshall
Following is our annual mid-February look at the major "board" conferences and their chances of sending multiple entries to the NCAA Tournament, with specific previews of upcoming conference tournament action. . We have divided the teams into three categories--Solid, Looking Good, and Bubble. Solid is self-explanatory. Looking Good teams can expect an NCAA invitation as long as they don't slump badly in the next few weeks. Bubble teams, however, remain at the mercy of the Tourney Committee, and desperately need every win to keep their Big Dance hopes alive.
Keep in mind that nearly every Division I team can qualify for an automatic Big Dance berth by winning its conference tournament. With the Big Ten finally relenting early in the last decade, and the Pac-Ten re-instituting its tourney in 2002 after a 12-year hiatus, the Ivy League remains the lone conference tourney holdout--and even the Ivies are now talking about conducting their own postseason bash in the near future! Stay tuned for further developments. In the meantime, as always, the number of upsets in conference tournaments can alter the look of the Big Dance. Also included below are conference tourney sites and dates; Conference Power Rankings (thru Feb. 13); and last year's postseason participants, including NCAA, NIT, CBI, and CIT action.
ACC--Solid...Duke, North Carolina. Looking Good. ..Florida State, Virginia Tech. Bubble.. .Clemson, Boston College, Maryland, Miami-Florida. Conference Power Rating-4th. Notes.. .Tourney March 10-13 at Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC. Last year. ..NCAA-6 (Duke-Champion, Maryland-2nd round, Wake Forest-2nd round, Georgia Tech-2nd round, Clemson, Florida State); NIT-3 (North Carolina-2nd place, Virginia Tech-quarterfinals, NC State-2nd round).
ATLANTIC TEN--Solid.. .Temple. Looking Good.. .Xavier, Richmond. Bubble. ..Duquesne, Dayton. Conference-9th. Notes...Tourney first round March 8 at campus sites; quarters, semis, and final March 11-13 at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ. Last year...NCAA-3 (Xavier-Sweet 16, Richmond, Temple); NIT-2 (Dayton-Champs, Rhode Island-semifinals); CBI-3 (Saint Louis-2nd place, Duquesne, George Washington).
BIG EAST--Solid.. .Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Georgetown, UConn, Villanova, Syracuse, Louisville. Looking Good.. .Cincinnati, West Virginia. Bubble...Marquette, St. John's. Conference-1st. Notes...Tourney March 8-12 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY. Last year...NCAA-8 (West Virginia-Final Four, Syracuse-Sweet 16, Villanova-2nd round, Pittsburgh-2nd round, Notre Dame, Marquette, Louisville, Georgetown); NIT-5 (UConn-2nd round, Cincinnati-2nd round, Seton Hall, South Florida, St. John's).
BIG TEN--Solid...Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin. Looking Good...Illinois, Minnesota. Bubble...Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State. Conference-2nd. Notes...Tourney March 10-13 at Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN. Last year...NCAA-5 (Michigan State-2nd place, Purdue-Sweet 16, Ohio State-Sweet 16, Wisconsin-2nd round, Minnesota); NIT-2 (Illinois-3rd round, Northwestern).
BIG XII--Solid...Kansas, Texas, Missouri. Looking Good...Texas A&M. Bubble .. .Baylor, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Kansas State. Conference-3rd. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO. Last year...NCAA-7 (Kansas State-Elite Eight, Baylor-Elite Eight, Kansas-2nd round, Missouri-2nd round, Texas A&M-2nd round, Oklahoma State, Texas); NIT-1 (Texas Tech-quarterfinals).
BIG WEST--Conference tourney champ will be league's only NCAA rep. Conference-20th. Notes...Tourney March 10-12 at Honda Center, Anaheim, CA. Last year...NCAA-1 (UC Santa Barbara); CIT-1 (Pacific-2nd place).
COLONIAL--Looking Good...George Mason. Bubble...Virginia Commonwealth, Old Dominion. Conference-11th. Notes...Tourney March 4-7 at Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA. Last year...NCAA-1 (Old Dominion-2nd round); NIT-2 (William & Mary, Northeastern); CBI-2 (Virginia Commonwealth-Champs, Hofstra); CIT-1 (George Mason).
CONFERENCE USA--Looking Good...UTEP. Bubble...Memphis, Southern Miss, UAB. Conference-8th. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Don Haskins Center, El Paso, TX. Last year...NCAA-2 (Houston, UTEP); NIT-3 (UAB-quarterfinals, Memphis-2nd round, Tulsa); CIT-2 (Marshall-2nd round, Southern Miss).
HORIZON--Looking Good...Cleveland State. Bubble...Butler, Valparaiso. Conference-10th. Notes...Tourney March 1 at campus sites (first round); quarters and semis March 4-5 at home of regular-season champions, also the number one seed; Final March 8 at home of highest-remaining seed. Last year...NCAA-1 (Butler-2nd place); CBI-1 (UW-Green Bay-2nd round).
MAC--Conference tourney champ will be only NCAA rep. Conference-17th. Notes...Tourney March 8 at campus sites (first round); quarters, semis, and Final March 10-12 at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH. Last year...NCAA-1 (Ohio-2nd round); NIT-1 (Kent State-2nd round); CBI-1 (Akron).
MISSOURI VALLEY--Looking Good...Wichita State. Bubble...Missouri State. Conference-13th. Notes...Tourney ("Arch Madness") March 3-6 at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO. Last year...NCAA-1 (Northern Iowa-Sweet 16); NIT-2 (Illinois State, Wichita State); CBI-1 (Indiana State); CIT-2 (Missouri State-Champs, Creighton-Semifinals).
MOUNTAIN WEST--Solid...San Diego State, BYU. Bubble...Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico. Conference-5th. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV. Last year...NCAA-4 (BYU-2nd round, New Mexico-2nd round, UNLV, San Diego State); CBI-1 (Colorado State).
PAC 10--Solid...Arizona. Looking Good...UCLA, Washington. Bubble...Washington State. Conference-7th. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA. Last year...NCAA-2 (Washington-Sweet 16, California-2nd round); NIT-1 (Arizona State); CBI-1 (Oregon State).
SEC--Solid...Florida, Vanderbilt, Kentucky. Looking Good...Georgia, Tennessee. Bubble...Alabama. Conference-6th. Notes...Tourney March 10-13 at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA. Last year...NCAA-4 (Kentucky-Elite Eight, Tennessee-Elite Eight, Florida, Vanderbilt); NIT-2 (Ole Miss-semifinals, Mississippi State-2nd round).
SUN BELT--Conference tourney champ will be only NCAA rep. Conference-22nd. Notes...Tourney March 5-8 at Summit Arena, Hot Springs, AR. Last year...NCAA-1 (North Texas); NIT-1 (Troy); CIT-1 (Middle Tennessee).
WEST COAST--Solid...Saint Mary's. Bubble...Gonzaga. Conference-12th. Notes...Tourney March 4-7 at Orleans Hotel Arena, Las Vegas, NV. Last year...NCAA-2 (Saint Mary's-Sweet 16, Gonzaga-2nd round)); CIT-2 (Loyola Marymount, Portland).
WAC--Solid...Utah State. Conference-14th. Notes...Tourney March 9-12 at Orleans Hotel Arena, Las Vegas, NV. Last year...NCAA-2 (New Mexico State, Utah State); NIT-1 (Nevada-2nd round); CIT-1 (La Tech-quarterfinals).