February 16, 2011 11:45 am ET by Kyle Whelliston |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- March really is here before we know it, because there's half a week missing out of February. This month wasn't designed that way -- and nothing was adjusted for our benefit or anything -- but it's still disorienting and disruptive to look at a calendar and realize that in two weeks, teams will be eliminated and seasons will be over. Just as the first spring training linescores start appearing, signaling hope of another kind, in Our Game the end will be just one loss away.
Conference Shootaround
Slightly different format today. Quick thumbnail sketch of each of the Other 25 races and remaining games (BracketBusters not included). There's always the chance I've missed an evolution in tourney format from last year; please kindly correct via The Form.(Briefly-published home/away transposition on upcoming games is fixed. Thanks!)
America EastThis race is pretty much sewn up for Vermont; all teams will meet in Hartford, beginning with the 8/9 eliminator and continuing through to a neutral-site semifinal round. Final will be held at the highest remaining seed.
1. UVM 12-2; 2. BU 10-4; 3. UME 8-5; 4. ALB 6-7; 5. UNH 6-8 SB 6-8; 7. HART 5-7; 8. UMBC 4-10; 9. BING 3-9
Vermont - 2/16 at UME 2/27 BU
Boston University - 2/24 at BING 2/27 at UVM
Maine - 2/16 UVM 2/22 at UNH 2/27 ALB
Albany - 2/20 at BING 2/23 UMBC 2/27 at UME
New Hampshire - 2/22 UME 2/27 at HART
Stony Brook - 2/23 at HART 2/27 BING
Hartford - 2/16 BING 2/19 at UMBC 2/23 SB 2/27 UNH
Maryland-Baltimore County - 2/19 HART 2/23 at ALB
Binghamton - 2/16 at HART 2/20 ALB 2/24 BU 2/27 at SB
Atlantic 10The A-14 becomes the Atlantic 12 for tourney purposes; after a campus-site first round between seeds Nos. 5 through 8, the Eastern 8 goes to Atlantic City and knocks each other off. Since there are probably three bids here, the urgency will be limited.
1. XU 9-1; 2. RICH 9-2 TU 9-2; 4. DUQ 8-2; 5. URI 7-4; 6. GW 6-5; 7. MASS 5-5 BONA 5-5; 9. UD 5-6; 10. LAS 4-7; 11. SLU 3-8; 12. CHAR 2-8 SJU 2-8; 14. FORD 0-11
Xavier - 2/16 at SJU 2/19 FORD 2/22 LAS 2/27 at UD 3/2 CHAR 3/5 at SLU
Richmond - 2/17 at TU 2/20 BONA 2/26 at CHAR 3/2 at SJU 3/5 DUQ
Temple - 2/17 RICH 2/20 SJU 2/26 at GW 3/2 at MASS 3/5 LAS
Duquesne - 2/16 at MASS 2/19 at UD 2/23 URI 2/26 at SLU 3/2 BONA 3/5 at RICH
Rhode Island - 2/19 MASS 2/23 at DUQ 2/26 at FORD 3/2 GW 3/5 at BONA
George Washington - 2/19 at LAS 2/23 CHAR 2/26 TU 3/2 at URI 3/5 UD
Massachusetts - 2/16 DUQ 2/19 at URI 2/23 SJU 2/27 at LAS 3/2 TU 3/5 at FORD
Saint Bonaventure - 2/16 SLU 2/20 at RICH 2/23 FORD 2/26 at SJU 3/2 at DUQ 3/5 URI
Dayton - 2/16 at CHAR 2/19 DUQ 2/27 XU 3/2 SLU 3/5 at GW
La Salle - 2/19 GW 2/22 at XU 2/27 MASS 3/2 FORD 3/5 at TU
Saint Louis - 2/16 at BONA 2/19 CHAR 2/26 DUQ 3/2 at UD 3/5 XU
Charlotte - 2/16 UD 2/19 at SLU 2/23 at GW 2/26 RICH 3/2 at XU 3/5 SJU
Saint Joseph's - 2/16 XU 2/20 at TU 2/23 at MASS 2/26 BONA 3/2 RICH 3/5 at CHAR
Fordham - 2/19 at XU 2/23 at BONA 2/26 URI 3/2 at LAS 3/5 MASS
Atlantic SunThere's still a ways to go, but this is Belmont's world. All teams are eligible for the national postseason this year. But only the top eight will go through to Macon, GA (the home of Mercer), where the tourney will be held.
1. BELM 15-1; 2. ETSU 14-3; 3. JAX 11-5; 4. LIP 10-6; 5. MERC 9-7; 6. UNF 7-9; 7. KENN 6-10; 8. CAMP 5-11 STET 5-11; 10. FGCU 3-12; 11. SCU 3-13
Belmont - 2/17 ETSU 2/19 SCU 2/24 at MERC 2/26 at KENN
East Tennessee State - 2/17 at BELM 2/19 at LIP 2/24 at CAMP
Jacksonville - 2/18 KENN 2/20 MERC 2/24 at FGCU 2/26 at STET
Lipscomb - 2/17 SCU 2/19 ETSU 2/24 at KENN 2/26 at MERC
Mercer - 2/18 at UNF 2/20 at JAX 2/24 BELM 2/26 LIP
North Florida - 2/18 MERC 2/20 KENN 2/24 at STET 2/26 at FGCU
Kennesaw State - 2/18 at JAX 2/20 at UNF 2/24 LIP 2/26 BELM
Campbell - 2/17 at STET 2/19 at FGCU 2/24 ETSU 2/26 SCU
Stetson - 2/17 CAMP 2/21 at FGCU 2/24 UNF 2/26 JAX
Florida Gulf Coast - 2/19 CAMP 2/21 STET 2/24 JAX 2/26 UNF
South Carolina-Upstate - 2/17 at LIP 2/19 at BELM 2/26 at CAMP
Big SkyThis is a league where the regular-season winner gets to hold the tourney's final two rounds. That might go down to a tiebreaker though, and it's still a messy situation.
1. UMT 10-3 NOCO 10-3; 3. WEB 8-4; 4. NAU 6-6; 5. EWU 5-7; 6. MTST 5-8; 7. POST 4-8 IDST 4-8; 9. SAC 4-9
Montana - 2/16 IDST 2/24 at POST 2/26 at EWU
Northern Colorado - 2/26 NAU 2/28 at IDST 3/2 SAC
Weber State - 2/16 POST 2/22 at IDST 2/26 at SAC 3/2 EWU
Northern Arizona - 2/16 EWU 2/24 at SAC 2/26 at NOCO 3/2 POST
Eastern Washington - 2/16 at NAU 2/24 MTST 2/26 UMT 3/2 at WEB
Montana State - 2/24 at EWU 2/26 at POST 3/2 IDST
Portland State - 2/16 at WEB 2/24 UMT 2/26 MTST 3/2 at NAU
Idaho State - 2/16 at UMT 2/22 WEB 2/28 NOCO 3/2 at MTST
Sacramento State - 2/24 NAU 2/26 WEB 3/2 at NOCO
Big SouthLast night was complete madness (see 360 below), with Coastal Carolina taking a first loss. But Liberty lost too (to VMI) and so the status quo continues. It's a three-round, campus-site tourney, and the bottom two will be dropped before the quarterfinal round.
1. CCU 15-1; 2. LIB 13-3; 3. UNCA 8-7; 4. VMI 8-8 CHSO 8-8 WINT 8-8; 7. HP 7-9; 8. PRES 6-10; 9. GWB 4-11; 10. RAD 2-14
Coastal Carolina - 2/22 UNCA 2/26 at CHSO
Liberty - 2/24 at WINT 2/26 at PRES
North Carolina-Asheville - 2/22 at CCU 2/24 HP 2/26 RAD
Virginia Military Institute - 2/24 at PRES 2/26 at WINT
Charleston Southern - 2/22 GWB 2/26 CCU
Winthrop - 2/24 LIB 2/26 VMI
High Point - 2/24 at UNCA 2/26 at GWB
Presbyterian - 2/24 VMI 2/26 LIB
Gardner-Webb - 2/22 at CHSO 2/24 RAD 2/26 HP
Radford - 2/24 at GWB 2/26 at UNCA
Big WestFour games to go, and a lot of questions still to be answered. The basement teams are trying to get out of the drop zone; No. 9 doesn't get to go to Anaheim for the elimination rounds.
1. LBSU 10-2; 2. POLY 8-4; 3. CSN 7-5; 4. PAC 6-5; 5. UCSB 6-6; 6. CSF 5-7; 7. UCR 4-7; 8. UCI 4-8; 9. UCD 3-9
Long Beach State - 2/16 UCR 2/24 POLY 2/26 UCSB 3/2 at UCR
Cal Poly - 2/16 CSN 2/24 at LBSU 2/26 at CSF 3/5 at UCSB
Cal State Northridge - 2/16 at POLY 2/24 UCSB 3/3 at UCD 3/5 at PAC
Pacific - 2/16 UCI 2/24 at UCR 2/26 at UCI 3/3 CSF 3/5 CSN
California-Santa Barbara - 2/16 CSF 2/24 at CSN 2/26 at LBSU 3/5 POLY
Cal State Fullerton - 2/16 at UCSB 2/26 POLY 3/3 at PAC 3/5 at UCD
California-Riverside - 2/16 at LBSU 2/24 PAC 2/26 UCD 3/2 LBSU 3/5 UCI
California-Irvine - 2/16 at PAC 2/24 UCD 2/26 PAC 3/5 at UCR
California-Davis - 2/24 at UCI 2/26 at UCR 3/3 CSN 3/5 CSF
ColonialMason has virtually sewn up the one-seed, but the tourney is, as always, in VCU's Richmond backyard. Everybody goes -- even you, Towson.
1. GMU 14-2; 2. ODU 12-4 VCU 12-4 HOFS 12-4; 5. JMU 9-7 DREX 9-7; 7. UNCW 7-9 DEL 7-9; 9. GSU 6-10; 10. NU 5-11; 11. CWM 3-13; 12. TOWS 0-16
George Mason - 2/24 NU 2/26 at GSU
Old Dominion - 2/24 at JMU 2/26 CWM
Virginia Commonwealth - 2/23 at DREX 2/26 JMU
Hofstra - 2/23 at UNCW 2/26 DEL
James Madison - 2/24 ODU 2/26 at VCU
Drexel - 2/23 VCU 2/26 at TOWS
North Carolina-Wilmington - 2/23 HOFS 2/26 at NU
Delaware - 2/23 TOWS 2/26 at HOFS
Georgia State - 2/23 at CWM 2/26 GMU
Northeastern - 2/24 at GMU 2/26 UNCW
William & Mary - 2/23 GSU 2/26 at ODU
Towson - 2/23 at DEL 2/26 DREX
Conference USAThis league goes deep into the first week of Championship Fortnight with its regular season, so the seeding stack order isn't clsoe to being set. Everyone will travel to El Paso.
1. UTEP 7-2; 2. UAB 8-3; 3. MEM 7-3; 4. USM 7-4; 5. SMU 6-4 TULS 6-4; 7. ECU 5-5; 8. MRSH 4-6 HOU 4-6; 10. RICE 3-7; 11. UCF 2-8; 12. TUL 2-9
Texas-El Paso - 2/16 at USM 2/19 HOU 2/23 at ECU 2/26 MEM 3/2 MRSH 3/5 at SMU
UAB - 2/16 at MEM 2/19 UCF 2/26 at HOU 3/2 at USM 3/5 ECU
Memphis - 2/16 UAB 2/19 at RICE 2/22 HOU 2/26 at UTEP 3/2 at ECU 3/5 TUL
Southern Mississippi - 2/16 UTEP 2/19 ECU 2/26 at UCF 3/2 UAB 3/5 at TULS
Southern Methodist - 2/16 at HOU 2/19 TULS 2/23 RICE 2/26 at MRSH 3/2 at UCF 3/5 UTEP
Tulsa - 2/16 ECU 2/19 at SMU 2/23 at MRSH 2/26 TUL 3/2 at RICE 3/5 USM
East Carolina - 2/16 at TULS 2/19 at USM 2/23 UTEP 2/26 at RICE 3/2 MEM 3/5 at UAB
Marshall - 2/16 RICE 2/19 at TUL 2/23 TULS 2/26 SMU 3/2 at UTEP 3/5 UCF
Houston - 2/16 SMU 2/19 at UTEP 2/22 at MEM 2/26 UAB 3/2 at TUL 3/5 RICE
Rice - 2/16 at MRSH 2/19 MEM 2/23 at SMU 2/26 ECU 3/2 TULS 3/5 at HOU
Central Florida - 2/16 at TUL 2/19 at UAB 2/26 USM 3/2 SMU 3/5 at MRSH
Tulane - 2/16 UCF 2/19 MRSH 2/26 at TULS 3/2 HOU 3/5 at MEM
Horizon LeagueOne of the first tourneys to start: 13 days away. There's still some stagger to be made up in the schedule, but the prize for finishing first is to play out of your own locker room in the final rounds. (See G!O!T!N! below.)
1. VALP 11-3; 2. CLST 11-4; 3. BUTL 11-5; 4. MILW 10-5; 5. WRIG 10-6; 6. UDM 8-8; 7. GB 6-9; 8. LOYO 5-10; 9. YSU 2-13 UIC 2-13
Valparaiso - 2/16 at MILW 2/21 at GB 2/24 LOYO 2/26 UIC
Cleveland State - 2/16 at WRIG 2/24 MILW 2/26 GB
Butler - 2/19 at UIC 2/26 LOYO
Milwaukee - 2/16 VALP 2/24 at CLST 2/26 at YSU
Wright State - 2/16 CLST 2/25 UDM
Detroit - 2/16 YSU 2/25 at WRIG
Green Bay - 2/21 VALP 2/24 at YSU 2/26 at CLST
Loyola (Ill.) - 2/16 at UIC 2/24 at VALP 2/26 at BUTL
Youngstown State - 2/16 at UDM 2/24 GB 2/26 MILW
Illinois-Chicago - 2/16 LOYO 2/19 BUTL 2/26 at VALP
Ivy LeagueLate to start, late to finish. No tourney, of course, but Princeton has a game on Harvard and nobody else is in position to win the Ancient Eight autobid.
1. PRIN 7-0; 2. HARV 7-1; 3. YALE 5-3; 4. COLU 4-4; 5. PENN 3-4; 6. BRWN 2-6 CORN 2-6; 8. DART 1-7
Princeton - 2/18 at YALE 2/19 at BRWN 2/25 CORN 2/26 COLU 3/4 at DART 3/5 at HARV 3/8 at PENN
Harvard - 2/18 at CORN 2/19 at COLU 2/25 at BRWN 2/26 at YALE 3/4 PENN 3/5 PRIN
Yale - 2/18 PRIN 2/19 PENN 2/25 DART 2/26 HARV 3/4 at COLU 3/5 at CORN
Columbia - 2/18 DART 2/19 HARV 2/25 at PENN 2/26 at PRIN 3/4 YALE 3/5 BRWN
Pennsylvania - 2/18 at BRWN 2/19 at YALE 2/25 COLU 2/26 CORN 3/4 at HARV 3/5 at DART 3/8 PRIN
Brown - 2/18 PENN 2/19 PRIN 2/25 HARV 2/26 DART 3/4 at CORN 3/5 at COLU
Cornell - 2/18 HARV 2/19 DART 2/25 at PRIN 2/26 at PENN 3/4 BRWN 3/5 YALE
Dartmouth - 2/18 at COLU 2/19 at CORN 2/25 at YALE 2/26 at BRWN 3/4 PRIN 3/5 PENN
MEACOne of the fiercest standings battles in Our Game this year. All 11 teams will converge on Winston-Salem, and hopefully there won't be as many empty seats and section wraps this year. Lots of exciting basketball to be seen at the MEAC tourney.
1. HAMP 9-3 BETH 9-3; 3. MORG 8-3; 4. COPP 7-4; 5. NCAT 7-5; 6. FAMU 6-6 NORF 6-6; 8. DEST 5-7; 9. UMES 3-9 HOW 3-9; 11. SCST 2-10
Hampton - 2/19 BETH 2/21 FAMU 2/26 at DEST 3/4 at HOW
Bethune-Cookman - 2/19 at HAMP 2/21 at HOW 2/26 SCST 3/3 FAMU
Morgan State - 2/21 UMES 2/23 DEST 2/26 at NORF 2/28 at NCAT 3/3 at COPP
Coppin State - 2/19 UMES 2/21 DEST 2/26 at NCAT 2/28 at NORF 3/3 MORG
North Carolina A&T - 2/19 at SCST 2/26 COPP 2/28 MORG 3/3 at NORF
Florida A&M - 2/19 at HOW 2/21 at HAMP 2/28 SCST 3/3 at BETH
Norfolk State - 2/21 at SCST 2/26 MORG 2/28 COPP 3/3 NCAT
Delaware State - 2/21 at COPP 2/23 at MORG 2/26 HAMP 3/3 at UMES
Maryland-Eastern Shore - 2/19 at COPP 2/21 at MORG 2/26 HOW 3/3 DEST
Howard - 2/19 FAMU 2/21 BETH 2/26 at UMES 3/4 HAMP
South Carolina State - 2/19 NCAT 2/21 NORF 2/26 at BETH 2/28 at FAMU
Metro AtlanticFairfield will be your one-seed. The pre-selected tourney site is Bridgeport this year, which gives the Stags a distinct advantage... much like that of Siena in previous seasons. Everybody goes, and the bottom four will take part in the time-honored tradition of "Pillowfight Friday."
1. FAIR 13-2; 2. RID 10-5 IONA 10-5 SPC 10-5; 5. LMD 9-6; 6. CANI 7-8 SIE 7-8; 8. NIAG 3-12 MAN 3-12 MAR 3-12
Fairfield - 2/16 MAR 2/25 SIE 2/27 at IONA
Rider - 2/16 at LMD 2/25 at MAR 2/27 SPC
Iona - 2/16 at MAN 2/25 at SPC 2/27 FAIR
Saint Peter's - 2/16 at SIE 2/25 IONA 2/27 at RID
Loyola (Md.) - 2/16 RID 2/25 at NIAG 2/27 at CANI
Canisius - 2/16 at NIAG 2/25 MAN 2/27 LMD
Siena - 2/16 SPC 2/25 at FAIR 2/27 MAR
Niagara - 2/16 CANI 2/25 LMD 2/27 MAN
Manhattan - 2/16 IONA 2/25 at CANI 2/27 at NIAG
Marist - 2/16 at FAIR 2/25 RID 2/27 at SIE
Mid-AmericanThe division crossover is complete, and the West once again looks like it will send the champion No. 2 seed that all the East teams will want to play. Campus-site first round will get things down to eight, then it's on to Cleveland.
East - 1. KENT 8-2; 2. MIO 8-3; 3. AKR 7-5 BUFF 7-5 BGSU 7-5; 6. OHIO 6-6 West - 1. WMU 7-4; 2. BSU 7-5; 3. CMU 4-7 EMU 4-7; 5. NIU 3-9; 6. TOL 1-11
Kent State - 2/16 at MIO 2/24 BUFF 2/26 OHIO 3/1 at BGSU 3/4 AKR
Miami (Oh.) - 2/16 KENT 2/23 at AKR 2/26 BGSU 3/2 at BUFF 3/4 OHIO
Akron - 2/23 MIO 2/26 BUFF 3/1 at OHIO 3/4 at KENT
Buffalo - 2/24 at KENT 2/26 at AKR 3/2 MIO 3/5 at BGSU
Bowling Green - 2/23 at OHIO 2/26 at MIO 3/1 KENT 3/5 BUFF
Ohio - 2/23 BGSU 2/26 at KENT 3/1 AKR 3/4 at MIO
Western Michigan - 2/23 TOL 2/27 at EMU 3/2 BSU 3/5 at CMU
Ball State - 2/23 EMU 2/26 at CMU 3/2 at WMU 3/5 NIU
Central Michigan - 2/16 EMU 2/23 at NIU 2/26 BSU 3/1 at TOL 3/5 WMU
Eastern Michigan - 2/16 at CMU 2/23 at BSU 2/27 WMU 3/2 at NIU 3/5 TOL
Northern Illinois - 2/23 CMU 2/26 at TOL 3/2 EMU 3/5 at BSU
Toledo - 2/23 at WMU 2/26 NIU 3/1 CMU 3/5 at EMU
Missouri ValleyArch Madness in St. Louis will likely be an exercise in setting up the Missouri State-Wichita State elimination game of our dreams: winner goes Dancing, loser goes to the NIT. But there are always surprises.
1. WICH 13-3 MOST 13-3; 3. UNI 10-6; 4. INST 9-6; 5. CREI 8-7; 6. EVAN 8-8; 7. DRKE 6-10; 8. SIU 5-10; 9. ILST 3-12; 10. BRAD 3-13
Wichita State - 2/23 CREI 2/26 at MOST
Missouri State - 2/23 at SIU 2/26 WICH
Northern Iowa - 2/22 INST 2/26 at CREI
Indiana State - 2/16 at SIU 2/22 at UNI 2/26 SIU
Creighton - 2/16 ILST 2/23 at WICH 2/26 UNI
Evansville - 2/23 at DRKE 2/26 ILST
Drake - 2/23 EVAN 2/26 at BRAD
Southern Illinois - 2/16 INST 2/23 MOST 2/26 at INST
Illinois State - 2/16 at CREI 2/22 BRAD 2/26 at EVAN
Bradley - 2/22 at ILST 2/26 DRKE
NortheastLong Island will likely wrap up the No. 1 seed in the next week or so, within that home stand. That's important, because it's a campus-site tourney and all games are held at the higher seed.
1. LIUB 11-2; 2. CCSU 10-4; 3. QUIN 9-5 WAG 9-5; 5. RMU 8-6 MSM 8-6; 7. BRY 7-7; 8. SFNY 6-8; 9. SFPA 5-8; 10. SH 4-10 MON 4-10; 12. FDU 2-12
Long Island - 2/17 at WAG 2/19 at MSM 2/24 BRY 2/26 CCSU
Central Connecticut State - 2/17 SH 2/19 QUIN 2/24 at SFNY 2/26 at LIUB
Quinnipiac - 2/17 at BRY 2/19 at CCSU 2/24 MON 2/26 FDU
Wagner - 2/17 LIUB 2/19 SFNY 2/24 at SFPA 2/26 at RMU
Robert Morris - 1/27 at SH 2/17 at FDU 2/19 at MON 2/24 MSM 2/26 WAG
Mount Saint Mary's - 2/17 SFNY 2/19 LIUB 2/24 at RMU 2/26 at SFPA
Bryant - 2/17 QUIN 2/19 SH 2/24 at LIUB 2/26 at SFNY
Saint Francis (NY) - 2/17 at MSM 2/19 at WAG 2/24 CCSU 2/26 BRY
Saint Francis (PA) - 2/17 at MON 2/19 at FDU 2/24 WAG 2/26 MSM
Sacred Heart - 1/27 RMU 2/17 at CCSU 2/19 at BRY 2/24 FDU 2/26 MON
Monmouth - 2/17 SFPA 2/19 RMU 2/24 at QUIN 2/26 at SH
Fairleigh Dickinson - 2/17 RMU 2/19 SFPA 2/24 at SH 2/26 at QUIN
Ohio ValleyAfter scaling back to a campus-site first round, the OVC is sending all of its top eight teams to "Music City Madness" in Nashville. That means two teams stay home, and there's a pitched battle for the privilege to be blasted by Morehead and Murray on March 2.
1. MURR 12-3; 2. MORE 11-4; 3. APSU 11-5; 4. TNT 11-6; 5. EKU 9-6; 6. TSU 8-8; 7. SEMO 5-10; 8. UTM 5-11; 9. EIU 4-12; 10. JXST 3-14
Murray State - 2/16 at SEMO 2/24 MORE 2/26 EKU
Morehead State - 2/16 at EKU 2/24 at MURR 2/26 at UTM
Austin Peay - 2/24 EIU 2/26 SEMO
Tennessee Tech - 2/26 JXST
Eastern Kentucky - 2/16 MORE 2/24 at UTM 2/26 at MURR
Tennessee State - 2/24 SEMO 2/26 EIU
Southeast Missouri - 2/16 MURR 2/24 at TSU 2/26 at APSU
Tennessee-Martin - 2/24 EKU 2/26 MORE
Eastern Illinois - 2/24 at APSU 2/26 at TSU
Jacksonville State - 2/26 at TNT
Patriot LeagueWe miss the Show Place Arena so much, but alas, it's a neutral site deal nowadays. Bucknell has a season sweep of American in the dubl-G!O!T!N! series this year, so make your plans to spend some time in Lewisburg. All eight teams get to play.
1. BUCK 9-1; 2. AMER 7-3; 3. LEH 5-5 LAF 5-5; 5. NAVY 4-6 HC 4-6; 7. ARMY 3-7 COLG 3-7
Bucknell - 2/16 at LAF 2/20 at COLG 2/23 LEH 2/26 ARMY
American - 2/16 at ARMY 2/20 HC 2/23 NAVY 2/26 at LAF
Lehigh - 2/16 COLG 2/20 LAF 2/23 at BUCK 2/26 at HC
Lafayette - 2/16 BUCK 2/20 at LEH 2/23 ARMY 2/26 AMER
Navy - 2/16 at HC 2/19 ARMY 2/23 at AMER 2/26 COLG
Holy Cross - 2/16 NAVY 2/20 at AMER 2/23 at COLG 2/26 LEH
Army - 2/16 AMER 2/19 at NAVY 2/23 at LAF 2/26 at BUCK
Colgate - 2/16 at LEH 2/20 BUCK 2/23 HC 2/26 at NAVY
SouthernChattanooga comes up in the rotation again this year as host, and that makes things very interesting because the South has been by far the dominant side. All 12 teams go.
North - 1. CHAT 10-5; 2. WCU 9-5; 3. APST 8-7; 4. UNCG 5-9; 5. ELON 5-10; 6. SAMF 4-10 South - 1. COFC 12-2; 2. FURM 11-4 WOFF 11-4; 4. DAV 7-8; 5. CITA 5-9; 6. GS 0-14
Chattanooga - 2/21 FURM 2/23 WOFF 2/26 at SAMF
Western Carolina - 2/17 at APST 2/21 at UNCG 2/24 CITA 2/26 COFC
Appalachian State - 2/17 WCU 2/24 COFC 2/26 CITA
North Carolina-Greensboro - 2/19 at ELON 2/21 WCU 2/24 at GS 2/26 at DAV
Elon - 2/19 UNCG 2/24 at DAV 2/26 at GS
Samford - 2/16 WOFF 2/19 FURM 2/21 at COFC 2/26 CHAT
Charleston - 2/17 at CITA 2/21 SAMF 2/24 at APST 2/26 at WCU
Furman - 2/19 at SAMF 2/21 at CHAT 2/26 WOFF
Wofford - 2/16 at SAMF 2/23 at CHAT 2/26 at FURM
Davidson - 2/16 GS 2/24 ELON 2/26 UNCG
The Citadel - 2/17 COFC 2/19 at GS 2/24 at WCU 2/26 at APST
Georgia Southern - 2/16 at DAV 2/19 CITA 2/24 UNCG 2/26 ELON
SouthlandAll 12 teams will go to Katy, Texas again to play out the bracket. After a race that has made no sense at all, I'm sure elimination games will represent sweet relief.
East - 1. MCN 7-3; 2. NWSU 7-4; 3. SELU 6-4; 4. NICH 5-6; 5. LAM 4-6; 6. UCA 1-10 West - 1. TXST 7-3; 2. SFA 6-4; 3. UTA 5-4; 4. SAMH 6-5; 5. UTSA 5-5; 6. TAMC 3-8
McNeese State - 2/16 at UTSA 2/19 NWSU 2/23 at UTA 2/26 NICH 3/2 SELU 3/5 LAM
Northwestern State - 2/19 at MCN 2/23 at SAMH 2/26 UTA 3/2 at NICH 3/5 SFA
Southeastern Louisiana - 2/16 LAM 2/19 UTA 2/23 at TXST 2/26 UCA 3/2 at MCN 3/5 NICH
Nicholls State - 2/19 UTSA 2/23 at UCA 2/26 at MCN 3/2 NWSU 3/5 at SELU
Lamar - 2/16 at SELU 2/19 TAMC 2/23 at SFA 2/26 SAMH 3/2 TXST 3/5 at MCN
Central Arkansas - 2/19 SAMH 2/23 NICH 2/26 at SELU 3/2 at UTSA 3/5 TAMC
Texas State - 2/19 at SFA 2/23 SELU 2/26 UTSA 3/2 at LAM 3/5 at SAMH
Stephen F. Austin - 2/16 at UTA 2/19 TXST 2/23 LAM 2/27 at TAMC 3/2 SAMH 3/5 at NWSU
Texas-Arlington - 2/16 SFA 2/19 at SELU 2/23 MCN 2/26 at NWSU 3/2 at TAMC 3/5 UTSA
Sam Houston State - 2/19 at UCA 2/23 NWSU 2/26 at LAM 3/2 at SFA 3/5 TXST
Texas-San Antonio - 2/16 MCN 2/19 at NICH 2/23 TAMC 2/26 at TXST 3/2 UCA 3/5 at UTA
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - 2/19 at LAM 2/23 at UTSA 2/27 SFA 3/2 UTA 3/5 at UCA
BadlandsBadlands Bop will take place at South Dakota State, which makes the Jackrabbits an interesting dark horse. That, of course, is all sorts of wrong in an equinolupine way, but mad science is really the only way Oakland can reasonably be vanquished and eliminated.
1. OAK 13-1; 2. IUPUI 10-4; 3. ORU 11-5; 4. IPFW 9-5; 5. SDST 9-6; 6. UMKC 8-6; 7. NDST 7-8; 8. SUU 4-10; 9. WIU 2-12; 10. CENT 0-16
Oakland - 2/17 NDST 2/19 SDST 2/24 at UMKC 2/26 at SUU
IUPUI - 2/17 SUU 2/19 UMKC 2/24 at ORU 2/26 at CENT
Oral Roberts - 2/24 IUPUI 2/26 WIU
IPFW - 2/17 SDST 2/19 NDST 2/24 at SUU 2/26 at UMKC
South Dakota State - 2/17 at IPFW 2/19 at OAK 2/25 at NDST
Missouri-Kansas City - 2/17 at WIU 2/19 at IUPUI 2/24 OAK 2/26 IPFW
North Dakota State - 2/17 at OAK 2/19 at IPFW 2/25 SDST
Southern Utah - 2/17 at IUPUI 2/19 at WIU 2/24 IPFW 2/26 OAK
Western Illinois - 2/17 UMKC 2/19 SUU 2/24 at CENT 2/26 at ORU
Centenary - 2/24 WIU 2/26 IUPUI
Sun BeltAll 12 teams from Florida to Colorado will travel the dark highways to Hot Springs, Arkansas again. The travel budgets have already taken this trip into account, but here's a warning on behalf of the NCAA: do not try to win back the plane ticket costs at the nearby pony track. Gambling is bad.
West - 1. ARST 8-4 DEN 8-4; 3. ULL 7-5; 4. UALR 6-5; 5. NTEX 5-6; 6. ULM 1-12 East - 1. FAU 10-3; 2. MTSU 9-4; 3. WKU 6-6; 4. TROY 5-7; 5. USA 4-8; 6. FIU 4-9
Arkansas State - 2/17 at ULL 2/19 at TROY 2/24 NTEX 2/26 UALR
Denver - 2/17 ULM 2/20 USA 2/24 at ULL 2/26 at NTEX
Louisiana-Lafayette - 2/17 ARST 2/19 WKU 2/24 DEN 2/26 at ULM
Arkansas-Little Rock - 2/17 WKU 2/19 MTSU 2/24 at USA 2/26 at ARST
North Texas - 2/17 USA 2/19 ULM 2/24 at ARST 2/26 DEN
Louisiana-Monroe - 2/17 at DEN 2/19 at NTEX 2/26 ULL
Florida Atlantic - 2/19 at FIU 2/24 TROY 2/27 at USA
Middle Tennessee - 2/17 at TROY 2/19 at UALR 2/26 WKU
Western Kentucky - 2/17 at UALR 2/19 at ULL 2/24 FIU 2/26 at MTSU
Troy - 2/17 MTSU 2/19 ARST 2/24 at FAU 2/26 at FIU
South Alabama - 2/17 at NTEX 2/20 at DEN 2/24 UALR 2/27 FAU
Florida International - 2/19 FAU 2/24 at WKU 2/26 TROY
SWACThe SWAC has found a solid home in Shreveport. It's usually an event full of upsets (the 2009 version going to seed was a big surprise) and there was an 8-over-1 last year, so Texas Southern can't feel safe. But the Maroon Tigers have shown they're the class of the league.
1. TXSO 11-1; 2. JSU 10-3 MVSU 10-3; 4. ALAM 7-5; 5. ALST 6-6; 6. UAPB 6-7; 7. GRAM 4-9; 8. PVAM 3-9; 9. SOU 3-10 ALC 3-10
Texas Southern - 2/19 UAPB 2/21 MVSU 2/26 at ALAM 2/28 at ALST 3/3 SOU 3/5 ALC
Jackson State - 2/19 GRAM 2/26 at MVSU 2/26 MVSU 2/28 UAPB 2/28 at UAPB 3/3 ALST 3/5 ALAM
Mississippi Valley State - 2/19 at PVAM 2/21 at TXSO 2/26 JSU 2/26 at JSU 2/28 GRAM 3/3 UAPB
Alabama A&M - 2/19 at ALC 2/21 at SOU 2/26 TXSO 2/28 PVAM 3/3 at GRAM 3/5 at JSU
Alabama State - 2/19 at SOU 2/21 at ALC 2/26 PVAM 2/28 TXSO 3/3 at JSU 3/5 at GRAM
Arkansas-Pine Bluff - 2/19 at TXSO 2/21 at PVAM 2/26 GRAM 2/28 at JSU 2/28 JSU 3/3 at MVSU
Grambling - 2/19 at JSU 2/26 at UAPB 2/28 at MVSU 3/3 ALAM 3/5 ALST
Prairie View - 2/19 MVSU 2/21 UAPB 2/26 at ALST 2/28 at ALAM 3/3 ALC 3/5 SOU
Southern - 2/19 ALST 2/21 ALAM 2/26 ALC 3/3 at TXSO 3/5 at PVAM
Alcorn State - 2/19 ALAM 2/21 ALST 2/26 at SOU 3/3 at PVAM 3/5 at TXSO
West CoastThe 2011 version of "Catholics in Sin City" will be notable for the likely No. 1 seed appearance of the Gaels, but the runup is intriguing because the No. 2 seed gets patched through to the semis in the WCC's stair-step bracket. Gonzaga having to play the quarters? Could happen. That game Saturday night at San Francisco will be crucial.
1. SMC 10-1; 2. GONZ 7-3 SF 7-3; 4. SCL 6-4; 5. PORT 5-5; 6. PEPP 5-6; 7. LMU 1-10 USD 1-10
Saint Mary's - 2/16 at USD 2/24 GONZ 2/26 PORT
Gonzaga - 2/17 SCL 2/19 SF 2/24 at SMC 2/26 at USD
San Francisco - 2/17 at PORT 2/19 at GONZ 2/24 PEPP 2/26 LMU
Santa Clara - 2/17 at GONZ 2/19 at PORT 2/24 LMU 2/26 PEPP
Portland - 2/17 SF 2/19 SCL 2/24 at USD 2/26 at SMC
Pepperdine - 2/16 at LMU 2/24 at SF 2/26 at SCL
Loyola Marymount - 2/16 PEPP 2/24 at SCL 2/26 at SF
San Diego - 2/16 SMC 2/24 PORT 2/26 GONZ
Western AthleticThe Blue Aggie Invitational will be held in Las Vegas, a neutral site for everybody. The primary drama will have to do with whether USU survives. The only way they could miss and go would be if they beat Saint Mary's in the BracketBuster this weekend. The secondary drama is finding out which among San Jose State and La Tech will be left out. This party train only seats eight.
1. USU 12-1; 2. NMSU 8-4; 3. NEV 7-5; 4. BOIS 7-6 ID 7-6; 6. HAW 5-7; 7. FRES 5-8; 8. SJSU 3-9; 9. LTU 2-10
Utah State - 2/26 ID 3/2 at NMSU 3/5 at LTU
New Mexico State - 2/23 at SJSU 2/26 at HAW 3/2 USU 3/5 NEV
Nevada - 2/24 ID 2/26 BOIS 3/3 at LTU 3/5 at NMSU
Boise State - 2/24 at FRES 2/26 at NEV 3/5 SJSU
Idaho - 2/24 at NEV 2/26 at USU 3/3 FRES
Hawaii - 2/24 LTU 2/26 NMSU 3/3 at SJSU 3/5 at FRES
Fresno State - 2/24 BOIS 3/3 at ID 3/5 HAW
San Jose State - 2/23 NMSU 2/26 LTU 3/3 HAW 3/5 at BOIS
Louisiana Tech - 2/24 at HAW 2/26 at SJSU 3/3 NEV 3/5 USU
Today on 360
Missouri Valley: Ben Smith leads Wichita State to 80-74 win over Evansville (G!O!T!N!)Big South: Coastal Carolina's 22-game win streak endsBig South: VMI 79, Liberty 69Colonial: Charles Jenkins' 35-footer helps Hofstra win in OTBig South: High Point Defeats Winthrop in 2OTSun Belt: Isiah Thomas kicks Alex Legion off Fla. International teamTuesday's Scoreboard | LinescoresGame! Of! The! Night!
Valparaiso at Milwaukee (Horizon League)
U.S. Cellular Arena - Milwaukee, WI
8:00 EST
When there are as many games left to play in the regular season as games necessary to win the tourney, you know that the hour is getting late. Last night, Butler's Matt Howard dunked on the last play of the game to lift the Bulldogs to a 64-62 win at Green Bay. They're tied for first -- in the win column, at least -- with just two games left. As fans of the league know, this is all quite important, because the team in first at the end gets to host the last two rounds of the lightning round. The rest of the conference will catch up the stagger shortly; Cleveland State has the potential of reassuming a half-game lead should they beat Wright State on the road tonight, but we're here to talk about the other megabattle at op the old MCC.
Valparaiso, a cute diversion six weeks ago, is hanging around. Like, the Horizon League final could be at the ARC hanging around. The Crusaders' only home league loss was a 63-61 squeeker against Green Bay on January 23, but they've beaten all the other top teams there. They're pretty good on the road, too: other than wide losses at Cleveland State and Butler, they've taken care of business. And that business is playing lockdown halfcourt defense and making a ton of mid-range jumpers. There's nothing particularly imposing about Valpo -- they're not the world's tallest team, and their rotation tops out at 6-foot-7, but they do lead the league in two-point field goal percentage at 53.8 percent. They need those shots to fall, because they're not going to get second chances very often. They're seventh in the 10-team collective in rebound percentage; they get about half of availables.
Milwaukee, < AHREF=http://www.midmajority.com/p/1860>an annoying wrench in an impossible math problem six weeks ago, is the Horizon League's hottest team. The Panthers have won six in a row, a streak that started at Hinkle Fieldhouse on January 23 with an 86-80 win over Butler (that was, incidentally, the last time Butler's lost). Despite the flat non-conference record and slow January, Rob Jeter's team is playing physical but smart lately, winning the boards but not sending teams to the line. This is also Senior Night for UWM's primary axis of Anthony Hill (14.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Tone Boyle (12.5 ppg). In our experience, we've found that teams tend to expend additional effort to secure wins on any evening when framed jerseys are involved. But with a victory tonight and an Ohio road sweep to complete the season, there's an outside-outside shot that 13-5 could win this league and send the tourney to Milwaukee... we're not so late that dreams like that aren't still possible.
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