College Hoops Weekend review

An absolutely horrible job by Boston College today at Georgia Tech. They scored 2 points in the first 8 minutes, found an incredible amount of ways to turn the ball over, and were behind by double digits the enitre game without anyone even coming close to step up. What seemed like a guaranteed tournament team just a few days ago now has to make sure it wins its opener of the ACC tournament just to assure itself of a slot in the field 0f 65. While they are all but in, there is a chance if they lose badly to a lower echelon ACC team. They nabbed the fourth seed and first round bye in the conference tourney, but could very easily draw on the rise Georgia Tech or Maryland teams and lose, putting their hopes on the line. If they play the way they played today in the ACC tournament, they might just be NIT bound. Lets hope that Dudley or Marshall or Rice steps up and carries us into the semifinals, which should get us into the field.

As for seeding, if BC does, as expected, get into the Big Dance, they could be looking at a whole bunch of different seeds depending on how they finish. Lose in the first round, and were probably looking at an 8 or a 9 seed. Win one game over a not bottom of the conference team, and I think that were most likely a seven. Win two games and get to the finals, it could go up to a six or even a five. Winning the conference tournament could, under extremely odd circumstances, propel us to a four seed, with our solid RPI(30) Strength of schedule(11) and record vs. RPI Top 50 opponents (7-7). However, it would take a lot of other teams falling and BC beating the very best the ACC has to offer. I think that we will probably end up as a six or seven seed, but am crossing my fingers for a five seed. We have beaten too many good teams to be given an eight seed.

A few other issues-In the Missouri Valley today, Creighton clinched the leagues automatice bid with a win over already tournament bound Southern Illinois. The Salukis, ranked as high as 15th in the country currently, had sealed up their bid by just getting to the finals, while Creighton was most likely in anyway, but made sure today. This leaves an interesting question for a few other teams in the MVC. 2 tourney teams from last year are already out all but out (Wichita State, Northern Iowa), leaving the league to ponder whether its Bradley and Missouri State, its third and fourth place teams respectively, will get in. Bradley's bubble has probably burst, as its all right 42 RPI is offset by a a lackluster 20-12 record, including sweeps by Northern Iowa and Missouri State. While they had only one truly bad loss(at Tennesse Tech), they failed to get it done against the best of its own conference, going 3-9 against the Top 6 of the conference. As for Missouri State, their 39 RPI and strength of schedule are respectable, and, coupled with wins over Wisconsin and Winthrop, should be enough to get them in, barely.

In the Colonial, a potential four seed conference, George Mason knocked off number two seed Old Dominion to put themselves in a position to earn an automatic bid with a win over the conferences regular season champion, Virginia Commonwealth. Old Dominion, which would have solidified a bid with a win over GMU, now has to sweat out Selection Sunday, hoping that their win over Georgetown and 33 RPI is enough to get them in. Virginia Commonwealth is probably in regardless of Monday nights title games results. But the team that VCU beat in the semifinals, Drexel, is extremely close to having their bubble burst. Though they can boast non conference wins over Villanova and Syracuse, the Dragons have an ugly 99th ranked schedule and were swept by VCU and Old Dominion. The Colonials fifth potential at large team, Hofstra, is more or less done due to their 70 RPI and lack of quality wins.

More updates this week as conference tournaments play themselves out and the Big Time Tourneys get under way.