Basketball: The Conference Tournaments

I thought I'd start a new topic since we're done with the regular season.

Conference tournamets start this week, the Big East started tonight, the B12 will start on Wed.

The Irish defeated Rutgers tonight in a low scoring defensive battle, uncharacteristic of ND wins. We play WVA next, realistically we need a min of 3 wins or maybe even the conference finals to just get back on the bubble though. So I expect to be going to the NIT, but it would be nice to go into the NIT with 2 or 3 BET wins under our belt rather than 1 and done. So hopefully we can beat WVA but I'm not esp optimistic.

 

Cincinnati bows out in first round play losing to Depaul.

Big upset in Horizon League with Cleveland State beating Butler at Hinkel Fieldhouse and getting the automatic Bid to the Big Dance.

Don

 

Butler is in, so Cleveland State's win eliminates one bubble team.

 

Sid,

Probably Creighton?

Don

 

I'll bet there will be several more bubble busters, with no team ever being able to solidify it's rankings at the top you have to figure this year is ripe for upsets.

 

Irish solidly beaten by WVA tonight, ending any possible hope for the NCAA's. They will probably get a NIT invitation, although given how they have played in the 2nd half of the season it will be mainly on their name, not on being good enough.

 

That team doesn't belong in the NCAA. The first half was embarassing.

 

I imagine Scott is not very happy with the Aggies losing last night to Texas Tech? Singleterry had an unreal game hitting 14 of 20 from the field in a fantastic second half come back.

Don

 

SEC tournament starts today with the Gators playing Arkansas at 9:45 tonight. Winner gets Auburn tomorrow.

 

Auburn started pretty slow due to injuries but they are a threat now aren't they?

 

Auburn is a threat to win the SEC tourney in my opinion. I wouldn't be shocked in the least if they won it. Of course, I wouldn't be all that shocked if they got beat in their first game either. I like the Tigers' chances though. When Tennessee went into Auburn during the regular season and got beat, I thought it was a horrible loss for the Vols but that win seemed to energize the Tigers and they are playing as well as, or probably better than any team in the SEC right now. Including that win versus Tenn., Auburn is 8-1 over their last nine with the only loss coming @ LSU. Auburn avenged that loss this past weekend with a 69-53 win at home versus the Bayou Bengals.

 

I'm not happy Don, but it may work for us in the end.

We were probably going to be an 8 or 9 seed, but this could sink us to a 10 which usually works out better assuming you don't get an underrated 7 draw for the first game. You avoid playing the #1 seed in a second game if you win the first round.

 

Yikes!! Baylor has beaten KU in the B12 tournament. Huge Upset. If Baylor goes a long way in the tourney it could knock out a 1st round loser like Texas A&M.

 

Down goes Arizona...NCAA streak for Az is in doubt.

 

And I was there to see it. Ugh. Hopefully we'll get the sponsor's exemption.

 

LOL Syracuse and UConn are now going into OT number 3.

UCLA-Wazzu in the nightcap on Fox.

 

My gracious, upsets galore in yesterday's scores. UCONN, Pitt, Clemson, Kansas and Oklahoma all lose in conference tournaments.

Don

 

6 friggin OT's....and my stupid butt stayed up and watched everyone. It's gonna be a bad day at work today.....THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY!!

 

I'm glad I made the decision to go to bed after that shot in reg. was ruled no good.

 

I can't believe both Pitt and UConn are out in the BET and OU/KU the same in the B12 tourney. This leaves it wide open for Texas to win the B12 tourney which will end the season on a high note for Rick Barnes. I don't know who will win the BET now.