Automatic Bids (31): Stony Brook (American East), St. Louis (Atlantic10), North Carolina (ACC), Belmont (Atlantic Sun), Kansas (BigXII), Syracuse (BigEast), Weber State (BigSky), UNC-Asheville (BigSouth), Michigan State (B1G), Long Beach State (BigWest), VCU (CAA), Memphis (CUSA), Cleveland State (Horizon), Pennslyvania (Ivy), Iona (MAAC), Akron (MAC), Norfolk State (MEAC), Missouri State (MVC), UNLV (MWC), Long Island (Northeast), Murray State (OVC), California (Pac12), Bucknell (Patriot), Kentucky (SEC), Davidson (Southern), UT-Arlington (Southland), Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), Oral Roberts (Summit), Middle Tennessee State (SunBelt), Saint Mary’s (WCC), Nevada (WAC)

At-Large Bids (37): Temple (Atlantic10), Xavier (Atlantic10), Duke (ACC), Florida State (ACC), Virginia (ACC), Miami (FL) (ACC), Missouri (BigXII), Baylor (BigXII), Iowa State (BigXII), Kansas State (BigXII), Marquette (BigEast), Notre Dame (BigEast), Georgetown (BigEast), Louisville (BigEast), Cincinnati (BigEast), Seton Hall (BigEast), Ohio State (B1G), Michigan (B1G), Wisconsin (B1G), Indiana (B1G), Purdue (B1G), Northwestern (B1G), Drexel (CAA), George Mason (CAA), Southern Miss (CUSA), Harvard (Ivy), Wichita State (MVC), Creighton (MVC), New Mexico (MWC), San Diego State (MWC), Washington (Pac12), Arizona (Pac12), Florida (SEC), Vanderbilt (SEC), Alabama (SEC), Gonzaga (WCC), BYU (WCC)

Conference Breakdown:

7 – Big East: Syracuse, Marquette, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Louisville, Cincinnati, Seton Hall
7 – Big Ten: Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern
5 – BigXII: Kansas, Missouri, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State
5 – ACC: North Carolina, Duke, Florida State, Virginia, Miami (FL)
4 – SEC: Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama
3 – Atlantic10: St. Louis, Temple, Xavier
3 – Colonial: VCU, Drexel, George Mason
3 – Missouri Valley: Missouri State, Wichita State, Creighton
3 – Mountain West: UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State
3 – Pacific 12: California, Washington, Arizona
3 – West Coast: Saint Mary’s, Gonzaga, BYU
2 - Ivy: Pennslyvania, Harvard
2 – Conference USA: Memphis, Southern Miss
1 – America East: Stony Brook
1 – Atlantic Sun: Belmont
1 – Big Sky: Weber State
1 – Big South: UNC-Asheville
1 – Big West: Long Beach State
1 – Horizon: Cleveland State
1 – Mid-Atlantic: Iona
1 – Mid-American: Akron
1 – Mid-Eastern: Norfolk State
1 – Northeast: Long Island
1 – Ohio Valley: Murray State
1 – Patriot: Bucknell
1 – Southern: Davidson
1 – Southland: UT-Arlington
1 – SWAC: Mississippi Valley State
1 – Summit: Oral Roberts
1 – Sun Belt: Middle Tennessee State
1 – WAC: Nevada

Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky: The Commodores are talented, but is there any chance they can take down the Wildcats at Kentucky? Vandy would jump in the seeding with a win.

Syracuse vs. Connecticut: The Huskies are teetering with bubble status. They could reconcile all of that if they beat the Orange, who have looked shaky as of late.

Missouri vs. Kansas: The rematch is here! Whichever team wins this will be on the fast track to a #1 seed and the Big 12 title.

North Carolina vs. Virginia: Once a sure thing, the Cavaliers are falling in the seeding order. A win over the Tar Heels at home with bring them back up.

Florida vs Georgia: The Gators have been rather inconsistent and don’t want to drop a road game to the Bulldogs.

Drake vs. Wichita St.: The Bulldogs beat Wichita St. in triple overtime in their previous meeting. The Shockers will be out for revenge.

Temple vs. St. Joseph’s: The Hawks are walking a thin line on the bubble. After losing to Richmond earlier this week, they need to beat the Owls.

Colorado St. vs. San Diego St.: The Aztecs had dropped three in a row before beating Wyoming. The Rams are desperate for another big win, so San Diego St. needs to right ship quickly.

Iowa St. vs. Kansas St.: The Wildcats have solidified their tournament spot, and they would love to hurt the rival Cyclones’ chances.

Rutgers vs. Seton Hall: After beating Georgetown, the Pirates are in. If they lose to Rutgers, their status may be a bit cloudier.

Mississippi St. vs. Alabama. Even without JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell, the Tide seem like a solid bet to make the tournament. Mississippi St.’s recent struggles don’t make them a certain thing.

George Mason vs. VCU: This is a huge matchup in the CAA. The winner will keep pace with Drexel.

Pennsylvania vs. Harvard: The Crimson doesn’t want to make the Ivy League race any closer than it already is.

#1 Seeds: Kentucky, Syracuse, Duke, Michigan St.

#2 Seeds: Kansas, North Carolina, Missouri, Ohio St.

#3 Seeds: Michigan, Baylor, Marquette, Georgetown

#4 Seeds: Wisconsin, UNLV, Notre Dame, Wichita St.

#5 Seeds: Temple, Indiana, Louisville, Vanderbilt

#6 Seeds: Florida St., Florida, Murray St., New Mexico

#7 Seeds: Creighton, San Diego St., Memphis, Kansas St.

#8 Seeds: Seton Hall, Connecticut, Alabama, Saint Louis

#10 Seeds: Purdue, St. Mary’s, Iowa St., Virginia

#11 Seeds: California, Mississippi St., Northwestern, Harvard vs. UCF

#12 Seeds: Cincinnati, South Florida, Washington, Xavier vs. BYU

#13 Seeds: Long Beach St., Iona, Oral Roberts, Drexel

#14 Seeds: Middle Tennessee, Nevada, Akron, Belmont

#15 Seeds: Weber St., Valparaiso, Davidson, Long Island

#16 Seeds: Bucknell, UNC-Asheville, Texas-Arlington vs. Mississippi Valley St., Savannah St. vs. Stony Brook

Dropped Out from Last Week: Minnesota, Illinois, Texas, Miami (FL)

Last Four In: Harvard, Xavier, BYU, UCF

First Four Out: St. Joseph’s, Miami (FL), Illinois, Texas

Other Bubble Teams to Watch: Dayton, VCU, Massachusetts, N. C. St., Arizona, Arkansas

Southern Miss: It’s not time to panic for the Golden Eagles yet, but the loss to Houston hurts. Sure, Memphis lost too, and if they win Conference-USA, it doesn’t matter, but if they don’t, they could be in trouble. Right now, Southern Miss is on the right side of the bubble, but with only two RPI top 50 wins and losses to UAB and the aforementioned Cougars, they must return to their winning ways.

Creighton: Knock on wood, but the Blue Jays have probably played themselves off the bubble for good. The win over Long Beach St. is not only a resume builder, but also a momentum builder. If they can take care of Evansville and Indiana St. this week, they should be a lock, regardless of what happens in the Missouri Valley tournament.

Connecticut: My how the Huskies have fallen. The home rout by Marquette shows just how unstable this team is. It’s hard to watch a team with this much talent get manhandled like that. Because of their strong computer numbers and early season play, Connecticut is still very much in the tournament, but they are teetering. They play Villanova on the road tonight and Syracuse at home later on in the week. An 0-2 record or even a 1-1 record in those games will greatly cripple the Huskies.

Seton Hall: The Pirates have an enormous game against Georgetown this week that could erase their previous loss to Cincinnati. Seton Hall plays great at home, so an upset of the Hoyas could be in store. However, that would not lock the Pirates into the tournament. They must face in-state rival Rutgers on Saturday, never an easy matchup. After that, they end the season at DePaul. Win all three and they’re tournament bound. Drop one, and the Big East tournament is where they need to make noise.

Alabama: It’s a shame when you see a team as talented as Alabama not only struggle, but also lose their two best players to violations of conduct. The Tide has yet to beat an RPI top 50 team since the early weeks of the season. They won against Tennessee which was a must, but a make or break stretch is coming up. They face Arkansas on the road, where the Razorbacks are incredibly tough, and then they get struggling but dangerous Mississippi St. Time to put up or shut up.

Mississippi St.: Speaking of the Bulldogs, they are in a huge funk. With losses to Georgia, LSU, and Auburn in the past few weeks, the wheels are coming off. Mississippi St. still has a spot in the tournament, but a late season collapse could erase that. They still must play Kentucky, at Alabama, at South Carolina, and Arkansas. Go 0-4 in those games and they could be toast, but win one or two and the Bulldogs will at least limp into the big dance.

West Virginia: Speaking of slumps, the Mountaineers are currently mired in one. Losers of five of their past seven, it’s shocking to see a team with this much talent struggle this much. They have some solid wins so things still look good, but they need to improve their resume. This week is crucial. They travel to Notre Dame and then have a home date against Marquette. If they lose both, West Virginia could be in trouble.

Saint Louis: With six straight wins, the Billinkens have played themselves off of the bubble and now are focused on seeding. The most impressive thing about Saint Louis’ surge is that they’ve won all but two of their conference road games. The RPI is great for this team and with a fairly easy schedule to end the season; they will challenge Temple for the A-10 title.

Illinois: The Illini have dropped near the cellar of the Big Ten. Their current slump wasn’t entirely too bad until this Saturday…when they got walloped by Nebraska. Nebraska. This team looks lost and it doesn’t get better when they travel to Ohio St. tomorrow to face the angry Buckeyes. Aside from that, they play Iowa, which is a must win, and then get Michigan at home, which may also turn into a must win. Illinois needs to put it all on the line in these final weeks.

Texas: The Longhorns had won four in a row before dropping a tough one to Oklahoma St. Texas is squarely on the bubble. They have only two RPI top 50 wins (Temple and Iowa St.) and really could use this game against struggling Baylor tonight, which is at home. If they can pull that off, all they have to do is avoid any more bad losses and they should be tournament bound.

Northwestern: The Wildcats have been up and down all year, but they just picked up a must win against Minnesota. They now have two home games remaining (Michigan and Ohio St.) that they need to win one of, along with two road games (Penn St. and Iowa) that they need to win both of. Northwestern has their work cut out for them, so these last four games will prove if they are tournament worthy.

Iowa St.: Many have been high on Iowa St. this year, and they are a good team, but they really only have one very good win this year (Kansas). Royce White has led them to an impressive season, and they are still on the right side of the bubble. If they can finish the season at least 2-2 and not get knocked out too early in the Big 12 tournament, then they won’t have to sweat on the selection Sunday.

Kansas St.: The Wildcats are no longer sweating after they picked up a huge road win against Baylor. This game proved that they were tournament worthy. Kansas St. will certainly make a jump in my bracketology and although they have a bit of a difficult schedule to end the season, anything but a complete collapse will get them to the postseason.

New Mexico: What a week for the Lobos. After knocking off San Diego St. and UNLV convincingly, they are no longer a bubble team. In fact, they’re probably the best team in the Mountain West. If New Mexico can end the season without another loss, they could hit their ceiling, which may be a #4 seed.

Colorado St.: The Rams needed that win over Wyoming, but that doesn’t erase recent losses to Boise St. and TCU. Their computer numbers are strong, but their only RPI top 50 win is over San Diego St. They have a brutal upcoming stretch: vs. New Mexico, @ San Diego St., vs. UNLV. Colorado St. must win at least one of these games, maybe two, or their tournament hopes will vanish.

California: If the Golden Bears can win the Pac-12 title, they’ll be fine. However, even if they don’t win it, they will still probably make the tournament. Cal has been the best team in their conference this season. They end the year with road trips to Utah, Colorado, and Stanford, but wins in all of those may lock up a tournament spot.

BYU: The Cougars have a good team and have been having a good season, but since they probably won’t win the WCC, they need to get a few more big wins. If they can beat Gonzaga on the road this Thursday, it may not matter what they do in the WCC tourney.

Minnesota: You have to feel bad for Minnesota. After losing Trevor Mbakwe, they managed to stay competitive, but in recent weeks, it has not been enough. They are currently on the outside looking in, and desperate for a big win or two. They still have home games coming up against Michigan St. and Indiana, but if they can’t finish the season strong, they won’t be in the tournament. Tubby Smith’s squad may be NIT bound.

Arizona: The Wildcats surged back onto the bubble with five straight wins, but after a loss to rival Washington, they still have work to do. Unfortunately for Arizona, their remaining games are against USC, UCLA, and Arizona St. If the Wildcats want to dance, they’ll need to make a nice run in the Pac-12 tournament. Then again, they may just want to win the whole thing to play it safe.

Purdue: Purdue has been playing pretty well as of late but cannot afford any more slip-ups. Their reaming schedule includes Nebraska, Michigan, Penn St., and Indiana. 3-1 in those games will likely end in a tournament bid, but if not, there’s always the Big Ten tournament to do some damage.

Miami (FL): The Hurricanes are right on the bubble, and need a strong finish to relieve any pressure on Selection Sunday. They don’t have much on their resume besides the Duke win, so their last four games will be crucial. They play at Maryland, vs. Florida St., at N. C. St., and vs. Boston College. The game against the Wolfpack may be a play-in game. If Miami can win all four of those, they will be dancing.

Washington: The Huskies are another team that’s right on the bubble that doesn’t have any resume building games left (Washington St., USC, UCLA). For Washington, it’s pretty simple. Unless they win all three of those and make it to at least the Pac-12 tournament finals, they will not play in the NCAA tournament.

Arkansas: The Razorbacks’ home triumphs came to a screeching halt as Florida smacked them around this past Saturday. They are not where they want to be and are certainly in trouble. They face a couple of bubble teams in their last few games (Alabama, Mississippi St.) so they’ll need to win those, but they’re probably going to have to knock off a big dog in the SEC tournament. Anything short of beating Vanderbilt, Florida, or Kentucky will probably send Arkansas to the NIT.

Xavier: The Musketeers are trying to make a late push and the overtime win against Dayton was big for them. However, they are still one of the first few teams out. A week from tomorrow, they travel to Saint Louis. That game could be the clincher for them. Otherwise, they’ll need to win the A-10 tournament to go dancing.

N. C. St.: The Wolfpack is 0-2 in big games this past week. Losing to Duke was rough and the Florida St. game was throwing salt in the wounds. Now they face UNC in a must win. If they can’t beat the Tar Heels, their only way into the tournament is winning the ACC tournament. The Wolfpack just does not have enough big wins to be considered for an at-large berth.

UCF: UCF is entering a crucial stretch. They are on the bubble now, but unless they beat Memphis before the season is over, they would need to win the Conference-USA tournament. Their win against Connecticut is looking worse and worse so they would like to sweep the Tigers.

St. Joseph’s: The Hawks have won six of eight with their two losses coming to Temple and Saint Louis. They have been impressive as of late, but still have work to do. A home win against Temple this Saturday could put them over the edge because their computer numbers are certainly there.

Cincinnati: The win over Georgetown is nice, but the Bearcats’ resume does not make up for their weak computer numbers. Many people have them in the tournament but I can’t see how a team that lost to Presbyterian can be given the benefit of the doubt. If they can beat Louisville and Marquette before the season ends, then I’ll put them in, but other than that, Cincinnati is out.

Dayton: Dayton is another team that needs to win their conference tournament in order to dance in March. See the trend here? The Flyers have lost five of seven and have too many bad losses right now. Right now, the Flyers are in the same position as the next team on this list.

Massachusetts: That’s right, the Minute Men need to win the A-10 tournament as well. They are a solid team but don’t have much outside of a win over Saint Louis. Maybe if they finish the season undefeated, they can get an at-large berth, but that’s a big if.

South Florida: The Bulls are in an interesting situation. They have only one win in the RPI top 50 (Seton Hall), but are 10-4 in the Big East. Their remaining schedule is tough (Syracuse, Cincinnati, Louisville, West Virginia), but if they can win a couple of those games, they may get a double bye and be put in a nice position in the Big East tournament. Could the Bulls win the Big East? Anything is possible.

Pittsburgh: Pitt’s bubble has burst. They lost their fourth in a row and second to South Florida. Many people may consider the Panthers the biggest bust of the season. For Ashton Gibbs, he will move onto the NBA and probably get drafted. For Jamie Dixon, his fate may not be as nice.

George Mason: The Patriots picked up a big win over VCU. However, that was really their only good win of the season. George Mason is in a three-way race for the CAA title with VCU and Drexel. If they don’t come out on top, they’ll probably be heading to the NIT.

VCU: The Rams are in a little better of a spot than George Mason as that loss was their first since January 8^th. They have wins over USF, Akron, and a season sweep over Old Dominion. That isn’t much, but if they can get a few more big wins, it’s possible for VCU to make it to March without winning the CAA tournament.

Oregon and Colorado: Things are not looking good for these two teams. Both Colorado and Oregon have weak computer numbers and not enough big wins. The Ducks and Buffaloes will have to win the Pac-12 tournament to make it to March Madness, meaning there is a slim chance one of them will get in and no chance both of them will get in.

Drexel: The Dragons are the hottest mid-major in the nation. After blowing out Cleveland St., they are now winners of 21 of their last 22, losing only once in 2012. They may have the best chance out of the three CAA teams vying for an at-large berth to actually get one, but I’m sure they would love to end their season with their winning streak still intact, making them a scary team in the tournament.

Murray St. 65, St. Mary’s 51: What was expected to be the best game of the bracket busters actually turned into a blowout. Matthew Dellavedova was the only Gael to score in double figures, as he got 17 points on a bum ankle. Meanwhile, the Racers picked up the signature win they needed behind five three pointers by Isaiah Canaan.

For Murray St., I’m now convinced that they are for real and can do some damage in the tournament. At first I was iffy because they had not beaten anyone, but I can tell that the players on this team can certainly contend with some of the bigger schools in the nation. Andy Katz said that Canaan has Kemba Walker-like ability, and while that may be a stretch, he is certainly one of the best point guards in the nation. As for the Gaels, I’m not too high on them. I don’t think they’re going to win the West Coast Conference and they’ll probably get a low seed, so don’t be shocked if St. Mary’s makes an early exit.

Drexel 69, Cleveland St. 49: The Dragons wiped the floor with the host Vikings as we saw an incredibly hot team beat one that’s slumping. Damion Lee led Drexel with 18 points while Trevon Hamon’s 23 points for Cleveland St. was the only bright spot for the Vikings. Drexel has now won 21 of 22 games while Cleveland St. has lost four in a row.

At this point, Cleveland St. is very much still in the Horizon League race, but with Valparaiso in the lead and Detroit and Butler right on their tails, I don’t expect them to come out of that conference. As for Drexel, they still need to fend off George Mason and VCU, but if they can get into the tournament, they’ll be one of the hottest teams in the nation and one nobody wants to face.

Wichita St. 91, Davidson 74: You can read my full recap of this game in the archive of our site, but I’ll give a quick recap here. Davidson played the Shockers close for the first half, but they shot lights out in the second behind 30 points from Joe Ragland. The Wildcats did look impressive however, especially the inside-outside presence of Jake Cohen (25 points).

I think Wichita St. is the best mid major team in the country. They are incredibly balanced and have multiple prolific scorers. Expect a deep run in March. Davidson isn’t too shabby either. They showed some promising signs against the Shockers and they did beat Kansas earlier this season, so watch out for them in the dance.

South Dakota St. 86, Buffalo 65: The nation got a treat as Nate Wolters was on national television, scoring 22 points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out eight assists as the Jack Rabbits dominated the Bulls. Mitchell Watt led Buffalo with 15 points.

There isn’t a very good chance that Buffalo makes it to the Dance. They have to contend with Akron, Kent St., and Ohio in the MAC. However, South Dakota St has a shot. They will need to beat Oral Roberts and win the Summit League tournament, but if they do the world will get to see Wolters in postseason play.

Oral Roberts 67, Akron 61: The Golden Eagles fended off the feisty Zips to pick up a big nonconference win. Dominique Morrison had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Oral Roberts. The key for the Golden Eagles was holding Akron’s Zeke Marshall to only one rebound.

Right now, both of these teams lead their conferences, but face tough challengers. Oral Roberts may have an easier route because all they really have to worry about it South Dakota St. For the Zips, they must go through Ohio, Kent St., and Buffalo. If Marshall plays the way he did yesterday, they won’t win the conference tournament.

New Mexico St. 71, Drake 55: Ever since Drake was selected for Bracket Busters, they have been in a slump. Losers of six of their last nine, they are now six games back in a loaded Missouri Valley Conference. Wendell McKines led the way for New Mexico St. with 25 points and 12 rebounds. Drake struggled from the field, shooting only 34%.

Like I said, the Bulldogs are in the tough Missouri Valley Conference and barring a miracle, won’t be in the NCAA tournament. As for the Aggies, they have a tough road too. Unless they can knock off Nevada in the WAC conference tournament, they will be NIT bound.

Iona 90, Nevada 84: A back and forth game between two very talented mid majors saw the Gaels just edge out the Wolfpack at home. The balanced effort of Iona was a huge factor as they were led by Momo Jones with 18 points and Scott Machado with 15 assists. Five Gales scored in double figures. 49 combined points from Olek Czyz and Deonte Burton was not enough for Nevada.

Both of these teams should be in the tournament, but Iona is the one I expect to make the most noise. The Gaels will probably wind up with a 13 seed and could pull off an upset if they get the right matchup.

Ohio 81, UNC-Asheville 62: The Bobcats showed that they are still a contender in the MAC by defeating the Bulldogs of UNC-Asheville. Walter Offutt led Ohio with 19 points. The Bobcats did a good job of limiting UNC-Asheville’s Matt Dickey and J. P. Primm to a combined 4 of 19 shooting.

Ohio has a tough road in the MAC as I mentioned already, but it’s not a cakewalk for UNC-Asheville by any means. Coastal Carolina isn’t too far behind them, and the Chanticleers won’t forget how Dickey and the Bulldogs spoiled their season last year.

Creighton 81, Long Beach St. 79: What better way to end the night than a bracket buster buzzer beater. Talk about alliteration. Antoine Young’s buzzer beater led the Blue Jays to a come from behind victory over the 49ers. Doug McDermott was unstoppable with 36 points and 11 rebounds. 21 points from Casper Ware and 20 from T. J. Robinson were not enough as Creighton overcame a sloppy end game to pick up a huge win.

The win for Creighton showed that they are never out of a game and that McDermott can carry them for stretches. While they may rely on him too much, they need to be taken seriously in March. Long Beach St. needs to be taken seriously as well. Their battle-tested schedule will serve them well in the Big Dance.

• Murray State passes the Bracketbusters test Saturday.
• New Mexico upsets No. 11 UNLV.
• Antoine Young lifts Creighton over Long Beach State.

Right now, Wichita St. looks like the best mid-major team in the country, and one that could make a serious run in March. Their best player, center Garrett Stutz, was held to only eight points (most of them coming in garbage time) and they still blew out the Wildcats. Joe Ragland exploded for 30 points and paced the Shockers who shot an outstanding 64.6% from the field as a team. Wichita St. played great team basketball, did not get phased by a very good defense from Davidson, and pulled away in the second half. This is a team to look out for.

As for Davidson, there were certainly things to like. They did an amazing job of beating their man to the spot and taking charges, which are momentum builders and can really frustrate the other team. Jake Cohen scored 25 points and was a scoring machine from both in the paint and from the perimeter. However, the Wildcats were outrebounded 33-22, and only had 2 bench points. Combine that with Wichita St.’s efficiency on offense and you see why Davidson did not put themselves in a position to win.

Both of these teams look like ones that could cause some problems in March. Wichita St. is a lock for the tournament and Davidson should win their conference tournament and be in. Wichita St. is the real deal and like I said, could win a few games. Davidson has already beaten Kansas this year and they have a history of slaying Goliaths, so they may be a popular upset pick as well.

#1 Kentucky 69, Vanderbilt 63: The Commodores fought hard, but Kentucky showed just why it’s the best team in the nation. On the road in one of the toughest places to play, the Wildcats played great defense as always, and passed a big SEC test. On a night when Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was off, the rest of the team was very on. Terrence Jones, Anthony Davis, Doron Lamb, and Marquis Teague all scored in double figures. Davis’ defensive presence (seven blocks) was the difference. Vanderbilt was led by 15 points from John Jenkins, but have now lost three of their past four, and need some more SEC wins to improve their seeding.

#2 Syracuse 85, Connecticut 67: The Huskies looked like the team we thought they would be for most of the game, but the Orange put on a clinic in the final minutes and pulled away in a big way. Scoop Jardine had one of the best shooting performances of his career,  getting 21 points on eight of nine shooting and six assists. C. J. Fair and Dion Waiters combined for 32 points off the bench. Connecticut was led by their solid guard trio of Jeremy Lamb, Ryan Boatright, and Shabazz Napier, but the inefficiency of Alex Oriakhi has continued to plague them.

#12 Michigan St. 58, #3 Ohio St. 48:1The Spartans proved to all the nonbelievers that they are for real with a dominating win over the Buckeyes. Michigan St.’s defensive pressure was stellar as they forced Jared Sullinger into five of 15 shooting and 10 turnovers. Ohio St. also shot 26.4 % from the field, an awful figure. Adreian Payne had a perfect shooting night with 15 points, while guards Branden Dawson and Brandon Wood combined for 17 rebounds. The win tied the two teams atop the Big Ten standings, and also made the Spartans a legitimate national title contender.

#4 Missouri 72, #6 Baylor 57: The Tigers made 14 three pointers and shot 50% from behind the arc to dismantle the Bears. This is the second time Baylor has lost this week, the other one coming to Kansas, showing that they are not quite in the same league as the two teams. Baylor now sits at third in the Big 12 and although they are very talented, probably won’t win the conference title with their only losses coming to both Kansas and Missouri twice. Phil Pressey led the way with 19 points and Missouri showed why its balanced attack is nearly impossible to stop, especially at home. For the Tigers, they now sit as the third best team in the nation, but the Bears are now in danger of dropping to a #3 seed.

#5 North Carolina 70, #20 Virginia 57: The Tar Heels rebounded from their heartbreaking loss at Duke to pick up a quality win against Virginia. Mike Scott did a nice job for the Cavaliers, but could not compete with the rebounding trio of Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Tyler Zeller who combined for 30 boards. Zeller responded from his late game meltdown with another solid effort of 25 points. The win kept pace with Duke and Florida St.

Tennessee 75, #7 Florida 70: Just when it seemed like the Gators were proving themselves to be elite, they dropped a home game against Tennessee. There is still work to do for Florida. Brad Beal shot an abysmal two for eight from the field and the Gator bench only scored 10 points. Jeronne Maymon’s 15 points and 11 rebounds were a big reason why the young Vols were able to pull off the upset. They are a team to keep on upset alert for the rest of the season.

#7 Murray St. 82, Austin Peay 63: The Racers rebounded from their first loss of the season with a dominating win over Austin Peay. Isaiah Canaan was brilliant again, scoring 23 points. Murray St. outrebounded the Governors 33-22. The loss had many people questioning whether Murray St. was in trouble, but they bounced back nicely and should roll through the Ohio Valley Conference.

#9 Duke 73 Maryland 55: The Blue Devils stayed hot as they knocked off Maryland behind 19 points from Seth Curry and 22 rebounds from Miles Plumlee. The Plumlees combined had as many rebounds as the entire Maryland team. Aside from their usual three pointers and top notch rebounding, Duke was able to succeed in stopping the ACC’s leading scorer who only had 13 points on four of sixteen shooting. The Terrapins really could have used this win, as their tournament hopes may have faded for good.

#10 Kansas 81, Oklahoma St. 66: Despite their best efforts, the Cowboys were no match for the Jayhawks. Markel Brown and Keiton Page combined for 40 points, but a two of 10 shooting performance for Le’Bryan Nash hurt Oklahoma St. When Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey are both dominant together, Kansas is near impossible to stop. Robinson had 24 points and 14 rebounds while Withey had 18 points and 20 rebounds.

#13 Saint Mary’s 82, Santa Clara 67: After losing to Gonzaga, the Gaels had no trouble dispatching Santa Clara. Rob Jones exploded for 25 points and 12 rebounds while Matthew Dellavedova had 16 points and 10 rebounds. St. Mary’s shot over 50% from the field and outrebounded the Broncos by 10 as they attempt to improve their seeding and win the WCC.

#16 UNLV 65, #14 San Diego St. 63: In what was a tight Mountain West battle, the Runnin’ Rebels squeaked out a win over the Aztecs. It was two incredibly evenly matched team, but UNLV’s defense turned it up by forcing 17 turnovers. Mike Moser was all over the place for the Rebels with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 6 steals, and 4 blocks. Chase Tapley led the Aztecs with 22 points.

Wichita St. 89, #15 Creighton 68: Watch out for the Shockers! Wichita St.’s defense sent Creighton to its third straight loss and has the Shockers in first place in the Missouri Valley Conference. Doug McDermott was held to just 13 points as the Blue Jays were beaten bad, especially on the boards, on their home floor. Joe Ragaland had 24 points and Ben Smith had 22 as the Shockers now look like real players in March. As for Creighton, they’re still trying to recapture their early season form.

#17 Florida St. 64, Miami (FL) 59: Miami’s five game win streak came to an end as they were downed by the Seminoles on the road. Malcolm Grant and Reggie Johnson combined for 13 points and six rebounds, something that can’t happen if the Hurricanes want to win. Bernard James had 18 points and Michael Snaer had 12 as Florida St. showed why they are one of the toughest teams in the nation.

Georgia 70, #18 Mississippi St. 68 OT: So the Bulldogs follow up a home rout of Ole Miss with a home loss to Georgia? Mississippi St. is incredibly talented, but also very inconsistent. Arnett Moultrie had an off night with only 12 points and the Bulldogs were outdone by freshman sensation Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Mississippi St. is still in the middle of the pack with not too many big wins, so they will need to prove themselves against the best of the SEC.

#19 Marquette 95, Cincinnati 79: Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder scored 23 points each as the Golden Eagles rolled past Cincinnati. Despite being outrebounded 39-28, Marquette shot 56.7 percent from the field which ultimate gave them the victory. The Bearcats, still searching for some signature wins, need more out of big man Yancy Gates, who only had 11 points.

Princeton 70 #21 Harvard 62: Harvard received its first Ivy League loss against the Princeton Tigers. Ian Hummer had 20 points for the Tigers. The Crimson were forced to play back to back nights, this game being on the road. Their play was a notch under their usual level, but they should get back on track and win the league.

#23 Louisville 77, West Virginia 74: The struggling Mountaineers gave up another game as they narrowly lost to Louisville. The problem with the Mountaineers is that aside from Kevin Jones (22 points), Darryl Bryant (13 points), and Deniz Kilicli (17 points), they don’t get production anywhere else. Louisville had Russ Smith and Wayne Blackshear come off the bench for double digit points each. The Mountaineers have a very talented team and beat the Cardinals in many aspects of the game, but their depth is their downfall. A Big East team needs to have more contributors to be successful.

#1 Seeds: Syracuse, Kentucky, Ohio St., Missouri

#2 Seeds: Baylor, North Carolina, Kansas, Duke

#3 Seeds: Michigan St., Georgetown, Wisconsin, Michigan

#4 Seeds: Indiana, Marquette, Florida, Florida St.

#5 Seeds: Louisville, Southern Miss, UNLV, San Diego St.

#6 Seeds: Temple, Murray St., Mississippi St., Vanderbilt

#7 Seeds: Creighton, West Virginia, Memphis, Gonzaga

#8 Seeds: Colorado St., Wichita St., St. Mary’s, Connecticut

#9 Seeds: Kansas St., Alabama, Notre Dame, Virginia

#10 Seeds: Illinois, BYU, Minnesota, Harvard

#11 Seeds: Seton Hall, Iowa St., Miami (FL), Washington vs.Northwestern

#12 Seeds: Saint Louis, California, Arizona, New Mexico vs. Purdue

#13 Seeds: Long Beach St., Iona, VCU, Cleveland St.

#14 Seeds: Davidson, Middle Tennessee, Nevada, Weber St.

#15 Seeds: Akron, Oral Roberts, Mercer, Texas-Arlington

#16 Seeds: LIU-Brooklyn, UNC-Asheville, Norfolk St. vs. Mississippi Valley St., Bucknell vs. Stony Brook

Dropped Out From Last Week: Xavier, Ole Miss, Dayton, Massachusetts

Last Four In: Washington, New Mexico, Purdue, Northwestern

First Four Out: Xavier, Colorado, Dayton, St. Joseph’s

Other Bubble Teams to Watch: N. C. State, Texas, Northern Iowa, Pittsburgh, UCF

Top Matchups

#3 Ohio St. vs. #20 Wisconsin: The Buckeyes face a huge road test in the red hot Badgers. If Ohio St. wins, they could be considered a #1 seed. If Wisconsin wins, they would be firmly planted as a #3 seed.

#8 Kansas vs. #4 Missouri: These two top squads are not only battling for a #1 seed, but the Big 12 championship as well.

Vanderbilt vs. #11 Florida: Despite the ranking, both these teams are evenly matched in this battle for second in the SEC.

#18 Virginia vs. #24 Florida St.: The Cavaliers started off the season on a tear, but now it’s the Seminoles who look to be unstoppable. The winner of this can contend for the ACC title with Duke and UNC.

Bubble Bursters

#15 Marquette vs. Notre Dame: The Irish must build off of their recent success to continue to prove themselves tournament worthy. A win over Marquette would be huge.

#20 Indiana vs. Purdue: The Hoosiers are in a free fall and desperately need a win, but the Boilermakers need one even more to send Robbie Hummel to the dance.

Seton Hall vs. Connecticut: The Pirates have lost five straight and the Huskies have lost four straight. Something’s got to give in this rematch from earlier this season.

La Salle vs. St. Joseph’s: The Explorers want to hold onto the A-10 lead while St. Joe’s would like to add to their quietly impressive resume.

N. C. State vs. Wake Forest: Without a good win, the Wolfpack must continue to beat everyone in their path.

Xavier vs. Memphis: Both previously ranked teams have fallen from grace, so will a win against the other really be a resume booster?

Arkansas vs. LSU: The Razorbacks try to keep their slim hopes for March alive.

Arizona vs. Stanford: Now revived after a win over California, Arizona makes a push for the tournament, which is the same thing the Cardinal is trying to do.

UCF vs. SMU: UCF needs a win and the Mustangs need the season to end.

New Mexico vs. Boise St.: The Broncos have given good teams a scare; will they finally knock one off in the form of the Lobos?

Kansas St. vs. Texas A&M: The Wildcats are falling fast, so they can’t lose to the Aggies.

Arizona St. vs. California: This is a good bounce back game for the Golden Bears, who suddenly see themselves on the outside looking in.

Air Force vs. Colorado St.: The Rams have great computer numbers, but they need more wins to be taken seriously.

Dayton vs. St. Louis: The Flyers are flirting with disaster while the Billikens are surging. Both of these teams could be one of the last four in or first four out.

Old Dominion vs. George Mason: Now out of first in the CAA, the Patriots try to fend off the gritty Monarchs.

Iowa St. vs. Oklahoma: The Sooners’ chances for March are just about dead, but that won’t stop them from spoiling it for the Cyclones.

Drexel vs. Towson: A real contender in the CAA, the Dragons should roll over lowly Towson.

Massachusetts vs. George Washington: Massachusetts needs this game as a pick me up.

Texas Tech vs. Texas: The Longhorns have a shot at the big dance, but they must take care of the Red Raiders first.

DePaul vs. Cincinnati: The Bearcats’ resume doesn’t look that great, so they must beat the Demon Deacons.

Iona vs. Manhattan: The top two teams in the MAAC square off. Can Manhattan ruin it for the tournament bound Gaels?

Northeastern vs. VCU: The Rams are now in first in the CAA and should want to keep it that way.

Marshall vs. Tulsa: The losing streak hurt Marshall, but there is still time to make amends.

Ole Miss vs. Alabama: Both of these SEC teams are on the bubble, but the Tide is in better shape.

Wright St. vs. Valparaiso: The Crusaders are quietly making a run in the Horizon League.

Oregon vs. Colorado: Both Pac-12 teams need a win after tough losses the other night.

BYU vs. Portland: The last thing the Cougars can afford to do is slip up against Portland after beating Gonzaga.

Upset Potentials

#1 Kentucky vs. South Carolina: The top ranked Wildcats should have no problem with the Gamecocks, but a loss here would be devastating.

#2 Syracuse vs. St. John’s: The Johnnies are at home, playing better, and have won two of three; can they topple the Orange?

#6 Baylor vs. Oklahoma St.: The Bears should have this one in the bag, but they don’t want to end up like Missouri.

#6 North Carolina vs. Maryland: The Tar Heels seem to have righted the ship, but a road contest with the Terps looks dangerous.

#9 Murray St. vs. Tenn-Martin: After a close call against SE Missouri St., the Racers look for win number 23 against the Skyhawks.

#12 Creighton vs. Northern Iowa: In a battle of overachiever against underachiever, the Blue Jays look to keep their national credibility intact.

#13 UNLV vs. Wyoming: The last three times they’ve been on the road, the Runnin’ Rebels have either been forced to overtime or lost. Watch out; the Cowboys are sneaky good.

South Florida vs. #14 Georgetown: Despite their success in the Big East, no one is taking the Bulls seriously; they will if they beat the Hoyas.

TCU vs. #17 San Diego St.: The Horned Frogs beat Virginia earlier this season; are the Aztecs an upset target?

Auburn vs. #19 Mississippi St.: The Bulldogs have looked good all year, so they can’t afford to slip up now against the Tigers.

Columbia vs. #23 Harvard: Harvard is playing the night before as well, but they shouldn’t have trouble dispatching their Ivy League foe.

Rutgers vs. #25 Louisville: Maybe the Cardinals have gotten back on track, but the Scarlett Knights always seem primed for an upset.

Temple vs. Rhode Island: The Owls seem to be a lock for the tournament if they win all of the games they should win. This is one of them.

Middle Tennessee vs. Denver: The Blue Raiders have dominated the Sun Belt this year, but Denver (wins over Southern Miss and St. Mary’s) seems like a trap game.

Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine: The Zags need to get back on track after losing to BYU. A spoonful of pepper should make the medicine go down.

Indiana St. vs. Wichita St.: The Shockers have proven to be one of the best mid major teams in the country, so they don’t want to dispel that notion.

USC vs. Washington: The Huskies are now in control of the Pac-12; they must keep it that way.

Check in tomorrow for my picks of all these Super Saturday games!

1. St. Mary’s @ Murray St.: The obvious favorite matchup has the 21-2 Gaels taking on the undefeated Racers. St. Mary’s has had an impressive season. They have taken out solid opponents like Northern Iowa, Weber St., BYU, and Gonzaga, and have looked impressive in doing so. They are loaded across the board, being in the top 50 in the nation in scoring, rebounding, assists, and field goal percentage. Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones have been the two stars, both having WCC player of the year type seasons. Dellavedova averages 15.4 points and 6.4 assists while Jones is scoring 14.3 points and pulls down 10.8 boards a game. The Gaels will be the best team that Murray St. has played all season, and it will truly test them in their quest to an undefeated season. The Racers have beaten the likes of Southern Miss and Memphis, but will face a huge test in St. Mary’s. Not a very good rebounding team, Murray St. must keep Jones off the glass as much as they can. Their big three, Isaiah Canaan, Donte Poole, and Ivan Aska, will have no trouble scoring, but the key will be playing their game and forcing the Gaels to do the same.

2. Long Beach St. @ Creighton: Doug McDermott, a contender for national player of the year, is leading the Blue Jays to a stellar mid-major season. He averages an outstanding 23.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, while shooting .617 from the field, .831 from the free throw line, and .500 from behind the arc. Those numbers are incredible. With wins over San Diego St., Wichita St., and Northern Iowa, Creighton has put together an impressive resume. However, they face an interesting test in Casper Ware and a talented Long Beach St. squad. Ware and Larry Anderson will be pests for the Blue Jays, but the key for the 49ers is to get T. J. Robinson going. Robinson averages a double double and could be the x-factor in this game. The 49ers have been battle tested, facing Louisville, Kansas, UNC, and Kansas St. already so far. They won’t be fazed when facing Creighton, which could be an upset in the making.

3. Nevada @ Iona: On a 15 game winning streak, the Wolfpack may have finally met their match. Iona is a team that leads the nation in assists, is fifth in scoring, and sixth in field goal percentage. The Gaels receive the majority of their production from a trio of players that could truly be called the big three: Michael Glover, Lamont Jones, and Scott Machado. Glover leads in scoring with 18.8 points and also has 9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Jones is solid across the board with 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Finally, Machado is the player I feel is the most important part to this team. He averages 13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 9.9 assists, and 1.5 steals. Machado is a huge reason why the Gaels lead the country in assists. Meanwhile, Nevada is certainly going to put up a fight. Four players average in double figures as Deonte Burton is scoring 15.5 points per game, while Dario Hunt is a beast on the glass, getting 9 rebounds per contest. The Wolfpack is still looking for that signature win, so expect them to being playing extra motivated. In what looks to be an extremely up-tempo and close game, you will not want to miss this one.

4. Drexel @ Cleveland St.: Two of the top mid-major conferences have a representative in this matchup: Drexel of the CAA and Cleveland St. of the Horizon League. The Dragons are the underdogs in this one, as they would receive a nice resume boost by beating the Vikings, who lead the Horizon League. Drexel has two players who average over 7 rebounds per game in Sammie Givens and Daryl McCoy. These two are the best way to beat the Vikings, who have a guard-oriented team that is led by Trevon Harmon (12 ppg), D’Aundray Brown (11.5 ppg), and Jeremy Montgomery (10.6 ppg). Cleveland St. has already beaten Vanderbilt, but could use another big win. However, the game is more crucial for the Dragons, who have a bad loss to Delaware. Drexel will be upset-minded, but I expect Cleveland St. to hold strong.

5. Wichita St. @ Davidson: The Wildcats rely heavily on two of the basic facets of the game: scoring and rebounding. They are 19^th in scoring and 47^th in rebounding. Losses to Charlotte and Samford hurt, but the road win against Kansas speaks volumes for their resume. Another solid win would be nice, however. The two big men, De’Mon Brooks and Jake Cohen, are the embodiment of their team, scoring 15.2 and 14.2 points, and 6.4 and 6.1 rebounds respectively. They will have their hands full with a very balanced Wichita St. team. The Shockers hold a win over UNLV and still have another chance to beat Creighton, so they are looking good at the moment. Senior center Garrett Stutz has been a leader both on and off the floor. The seven-footer averages 13.6 points and 7.5 assists. This game pits two similar and evenly matched teams against each other; the winner will be the team who wants it more.

6. Akron @ Oral Roberts: The Zips have rebounded from a tough start to win seven of eight. Like Davidson, they are led by their frontcourt. Nikola Cventinovic averages 10.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, but the true x-factor is Zeke Marshall. Marshall averages 3 blocks a contest and is a complete game changer. When Marshall patrols the paint, the opposing team will think twice about attacking it. Since its first win of the season over Mississippi St., Akron hasn’t really beaten anyone of note, so they have a golden opportunity here. Speaking of golden, the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles have won 13 straight and have already reached the 20 win plateau. Their resume isn’t the best, but the reason for their great success is that they’re shooting .487 from the field as a team. Dominique Morrison averages 20.2 points and is a terror from long range. If the Zips can contain Morrison, they have a shot, but if he is on his game, Oral Roberts will be flying high.

7. Northern Iowa @ VCU: With the daunting task of opening the Bracket Busters, the Panthers of Northern Iowa have a chance to revive their season against the surging Rams. It has been a tale of two halves for both teams. For Northern Iowa, they started the year off 10-1 with wins over Old Dominion and Iowa St. and their only loss to St. Mary’s. Since then, they have lost eight of twelve, two of the losses coming to Evansville and Bradley. VCU has been the opposite. An average start at 3-3, they have gone 15-2 since then. Both teams have two players that are staples to their teams: Anthony James and Jake Koch for Northern Iowa and Bradford Burgess and Juvonte Reddic for VCU. Burgess was key to the final four run for the Rams this year; he could be the difference in this game.

8. UT-Arlington @ Weber St.: Damian Lillard should be in consideration for player of the year, but because he plays for Weber St., he won’t receive any votes. Lillard averages 24.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for Wildcats, who are most likely tournament bound. Scott Bamforth has also been a key with 15.6 points per game. However, it’s hard to determine just how good Weber St. is because they have lost to every good team they’ve played, so this will be a nice test. Texas-Arlington is in the top 25 in the nation in both scoring and rebounding, so you know they are an impressive ball club. They will do whatever it takes to keep their 11-game winning streak alive. LaMarcus Reed III is a star, scoring at a 16.8 clip. It will be a lot of fun to see Lillard and Reed battle with each other, and whoever has the better game will probably be the one to lead their team to victory.

9. Valparaiso @ Loyola Marymount: Some people may be surprised that the Lions got a home game, but they are battle tested and will try to prove their worth against the Crusaders. Valparaiso has been more impressive, but has also had an easier schedule. Kevin Van Wijk and Ryan Broekhoff are the top performers for the Crusaders. Broekhoff (8.8 rebounds per game) will have to control the glass to keep Valparaiso at their best. They will have to contend with the scoring of Loyola Marymount. Drew Viney, Anthony Ireland, and Ashely Hamilton all average more than 12 points per game. The game is huge for both teams, who have rough paths to winning their conference championship, but it’s bigger for Loyola Marymount. The Lions won’t be able to climb over St. Mary’s and Gonzaga, so they’ll need this win for both a resume builder and momentum.

10. Old Dominion @ Missouri St.: This matchup is very underrated and has a chance to be special. Old Dominion has been a strong rebounding team as usual, and although they are not as good as they were last year, they still have their two seniors Kent Bazemore and Chris Cooper. Bazemore is an offensive threat at 13.6 points per game, while Cooper is averaging a double double. The Monarchs have played some tough teams like Kentucky and Missouri, but have also lost to some teams that they shouldn’t have lost to (Vermont, Fairfield, Richmond). Missouri St. has had a tough season, losing four of six, but their claim to fame is a road win over Creighton. Kyle Weems is a star player for the Bears with stats such as 16 points and 7.5 rebounds. Weems will have his hands full, and Missouri St. desperately needs this win. Sometimes desperation is all a team needs.

11. UNC Asheville @ Ohio: There’s a lot to like about UNC Asheville even though some people may think they don’t belong in the Bracket Busters. They are third in the nation in scoring, and are led by the duo of Matt Dickey and J. P. Primm, who average a combined 33 points per game. Chris Stephenson, Jaron Lane, and Jeremy Atkinson all score in double digits as well. The reason for their high-powered offense is their .494 field goal percentage, good for ninth in the nation. You can talk all you want about the Bulldogs, but Ohio has had a better season. At 17-4 and with two of their losses coming on the road to Louisville and Akron, the Bobcats have been cleaning house. D. J. Cooper is an all around player who averages 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. Cooper and the Bobcats are still looking for that signature win, and they may find one in UNC Asheville.

12. Drake @ New Mexico St.: The Bulldogs are in the lower tier of Bracket Busters, while the Aggies have already beaten New Mexico and are only two games out of first place in the WAC. New Mexico St. is 4^th in the nation in rebounding, a surprising stat. The biggest reason for that is Wendell McKines. The senior forward is averaging 18.3 points and 10.3 rebounds. He’s going to be a terror for Drake, who need this win badly. After just beating Wichita St. in triple overtime, they will look to sustain their momentum. Rayvonte Rice and Ben Simons do the majority of the work for the Bulldogs, but they lack depth. It’s going to be difficult for Drake to hold off New Mexico St., but expect them to enter this game focused.

13. Buffalo @ South Dakota St.: Buffalo is actually a very solid team overall. They are 4^th in rebounds and 14^th in assists in the nation and are on a four game winning streak. In need of a big win, the Bulls will look towards Javon Mcrea and Mitchell Watt. Both averaging nearly 15 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The duo will try to hold off Nate Wolters and the Jack Rabbits of South Dakota St. Wolters is a star, averaging 20.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. He is certainly one of the best mid-major players out there, and now he will have a chance to shine on a national stage. A win over Washington is all they have to their name, so South Dakota St. will be looking for a key win. It’s Jack Rabbits against Bulls. Who will be the better Bracket Buster?

• 71 games with teams from 16 conferences
• All 71 games being platyed from Feb. 17-19
• 13 games will be on ESPN
• Best Mid-Major schools are included in the Bracketbusters

February 17, 2012
VCU vs. Northern Iowa
Loyola Marymount vs. Valparaiso

February 18, 2012
Murray State vs. Saint Mary’s (CA)
Creighton vs. Long Beach State
Iona vs. Nevada
Davidson vs. Wichita State
Oral Roberts vs. Akron
Cleveland State vs. Drexel
Old Dominion vs. Missouri State
Buffalo vs. South Dakota State
Ohio vs. UNC Asheville
UT-Arlington vs. Weber State
New Mexico State vs. Drake
Kent State vs. College of Charleston
North Dakota State vs. Western Michigan
Green Bay vs. Eastern Michigan
Ball State vs. Southern Illinois
Bowling Green vs. Morehead State
Sam Houston State vs. Toledo
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. Central Michigan
SIU-Edwardsville vs. Northern Illinois
Texas-San Antonio vs. Georgia State
Montana vs. Hawaii
Sacramento State vs. San Jose State
Northern Colorado vs. Cal Poly
Northern Arizona vs. UC Davis
CS Fullerton vs. Montana State
UC Irvine vs. Eastern Washington
Idaho vs. Portland State
Pacific vs. Idaho State
George Mason vs. Lamar
McNeese State vs. Southeastern Louisiana
Stephen F. Austin vs. High Point
Louisiana Tech vs. Central Arkansas
Northwestern State vs. Campbell
South Dakota vs. Texas State
Nicholls State vs. IUPUI
Albany vs. Rider
Radford vs. Binghamton
Loyola (MD) vs. Boston
St. Peter’s vs. Hartford
Maine vs. Marist
Canisius vs. UMBC
New Hampshire vs. Towson
Northeastern vs. Stony Brook
Vermont vs. Niagara
Morgan State vs. Liberty
Jacksonville State vs. Presbyterian
Appalachian State vs. Winthrop
Charleston Southern vs. Wofford
Coastal Carolina vs. Tennessee Tech
Gardner-Webb vs. Delaware State
VMI vs. William & Mary
Butler vs. Indiana State
Milwaukee vs. Fairfield
Detroit vs. James Madison
Eastern Illinois vs. Illinois-Chicago
uMKC vs. Wright State
Austin Peay vs. Youngstown State
Eastern Kentucky vs. IPFW

February 19, 2012
Miami (OH) vs. Tennessee State

On the Rise

Iowa St.: The Cyclones deserve a spot on this list because of their enormous win over Kansas. Iowa St. has won three of their last four and is only two games behind the Jayhawks in the Big 12. The driving force behind their success is do-it-all man Royce White. White leads the team in scoring, rebounds, and assists. The Cyclones are poised to grab some more solid wins in the conference on their way to a tournament berth.

Notre Dame: As if losing Tim Abromaitis wasn’t enough, some tough losses in a tough schedule all but spelled the end for the Irish. Then, out of nowhere, Notre Dame has won three straight, all over quality Big East opponents (Syracuse, Seton Hall, Connecticut). The Fighting Irish are proving their worth, and can make it to March if they keep up their strong play.

La Salle: The Explorers have won three in a row and are leading the Atlantic 10 conference. La Salle’s only two conference losses have come to Dayton and Temple, both close games on the road. Ramon Galloway and Earl Pettis are both averaging over 15 points. The A-10 has been wacky to say the least, as ten teams have a realistic ability to take the title. The Explorers are at the top right now, but for how long?

Marquette: Expected to be a contender this year, the Golden Eagles have certainly not disappointed. After winning seven straight, the balanced effort of Marquette’s offense has put it alone in second place in the Big East. Darius Johnson-Odom is scoring at an 18.5 clip and Jae Crowder has been a monster with 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds. The Golden Eagles have hit their stride and have had only one bad loss this season. They have the best chance to compete with Syracuse, who is also deep like themselves.

Wisconsin: The Badgers began Big Ten play with a 1-3 record, having some people questioning if they’re for real. Since then, they’ve won five straight, with the last two coming against Illinois and Indiana. The way Wisconsin plays is always a slow defensive battle, but the way they’ve played in crunch time, especially in these past two games, have shown their toughness. Jordan Taylor is the leader of this team and although he hasn’t been as good as advertised, he is still a solid point guard. They play the Buckeyes at home on Saturday, which could go a long way in the final standings.

Long Beach St.: After playing an incredibly brutal nonconference schedule, the 49ers have rolled off nine in a row and are looking like they have upset potential to a bigger team. They seem to be the clear cut favorite to win the Big West. Casper Ware is averaging 16.8 points per game and leads the high-powered offense that has gotten Long Beach St. to the top.

VCU: The Rams are 17-3 in their last 20 games and are trying to channel their magic from last year’s NCAA tournament. Bradford Burgess has been the top player on a squad that has a lot of balance. Beating nearly everyone in the CAA, VCU is only a game behind George Mason for first place. That is an interesting matchup to watch, as the two play each other twice at the end of the season.

Washington: The huskies have won six of their last seven and are now tied with Calfornia for first place in the Pac-12. They are 11^th in the nation in rebounding and have a plethora of fiends on the glass, led by Aziz N’Diaye. Their ability to bang down low looks like it could be the difference in an incredibly winnable conference. Washington has a great opportunity here, and at this point, I feel like it’s their division to lose.

Bucknell: Looking sluggish out of conference, the Bison have broken out and are undefeated in the Patriot League. Mike Muscala, the beast of last year’s conference champs, is gunning for Patriot League Player of the Year with 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. Their toughest remaining game will be against American on February 23^rd, but other than that, Bucknell should have no problem running the table.

Vanderbilt: An awful start has been erased by the Commodores, who now look like the team they were expected to be. John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor are both shooting the lights out, with percentages of .484 and .536 from the field and .443 and .480 from behind the arc respectively. Lance Goulbourne and Festus Ezeli have both been effective on the glass, averaging a combined 13.8 rebounds. Vanderbilt has won 10 of 11 with their only loss by one in overtime to a very good Mississippi St. team. They have beaten Marquette and Alabama on the road by double digits, so they are for real. However, their true tests will come soon; they still have to play Kentucky and Florida both twice.

Falling

Boston College: As expected, the Golden Eagles have fallen from the sky. After starting off conference play 2-1, they have lost four in a row. Although no one really expected much of them, it has become clear that Boston College belongs at the bottom of the ACC. Without a scorer in double figures, their offense has suffered. The Golden Eagles will have trouble getting wins for the rest of the season.

Connecticut: As if the back-to-back losses to Seton Hall and Rutgers weren’t bad enough, Connecticut has lost its last three games by a combined eight points. Jim Calhoun cannot be happy with the way his team is performing. Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier are having good campaigns, and Andre Drummond is really starting to come on, but Alex Oriakhi’s dip in production has been rather alarming. The Huskies need to step up their game. Last year, they were a team who could make a deep run in any tournament, but this year, they look like they could be an early out.

Seton Hall: The Pirates started off the season with so much promise, but have since lost four in a row. Their road woes against South Florida and Villanova were grouped with back-to-back home defeats from Notre Dame and Louisville. Seton Hall has really struggled to shoot the ball, especially Jordan Theodore and Fuquan Edwin. Their defense has still been strong, but they’ve been cold shooting the three, which has put their offense in a rut. There is still time for the Pirates to turn it around, but if they continue their recent slump, they could miss the tournament altogether.

SMU: It looked like the Mustangs would be able to compete in Conference-USA, but they have lost five of their last six, and are falling fast. There is still time for them to catch up, but they must improve on the glass; they only average 29 rebounds per game as a team. With the strength of Conference-USA this year, it appears that SMU is just not ready to be considered in the upper echelon of teams.

Northern Iowa: Northern Iowa was expected to be one of the top mid-major teams this season, but they have been too up and down to be considered that now. Losers of five of their last seven, the Panthers have the look of a weak team. They get a golden opportunity on Saturday to face Creighton at home, but it looks like at this point, the only way Northern Iowa gets to March is by winning the Missouri Valley tournament.

LSU and Auburn: The two Tigers of the SEC have had their shares of recent struggles. Although neither was expected to contend, promising starts have gotten ugly quickly. Both teams are 2-5 in the SEC. All of LSU’s losses have been against solid teams, and they do hold a win over Auburn, so you can say that things don’t look too bad for them, but it’s still hard to see them challenging in this conference. As for Auburn, they’ve lost six of their last eight and have been knocked around by nearly everyone. Tigers are not trending this year in the SEC.

#3 Ohio St. 78, Penn St. 54: The Buckeyes were dominant, bettering the Nittany Lions in nearly every statistical category. They out-rebounded them 41-31 and shot 50% from the floor. Big man Jared Sullinger led the way with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Penn St. never got it going, as the score was 38-18 at the half. Tim Frazier had 16 points, but the Nittany Lions shot 31.3% as a team, not a number that will help you beat a ranked team.

#6 Duke 71, Maryland 64: The Terrapins put up quite a fight as they actually had a lead late in the second half, but Duke was able to pull away in the final minutes. Everyone expected the Blue Devils to roll after losing to Florida St., but Maryland proved to be a tough road test. On a night where the Duke players couldn’t shoot a three to save their lives, Mason Plumelee stepped up with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Terrell Stoglin paced the Terps with 16.

#11 Michigan St. 68, Minnesota 52: Draymond Green was all over the place, totaling 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9 of 11 shooting as the Spartans got head coach Tom Izzo his 400th career win. It was an emotional night at home as Michigan St. shot the lights out at a 54.2% clip. Branden Dawson helped on the defensive end with four blocks. Rodney Williams scored 15 for Minnesota who saw a three game winning streak end.

#14 Creighton 77, Drake 69: The Bulldogs provided a test on the road, but Creighton showed why they are a top 15 team in the country with an impressive road win. Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott had 30 points and 9 rebounds and helped hold off Drake’s second half surge. The Blue Jays won the battle of the boards 35-23. Rayvonte Rice scored 23 for the Bulldogs.

#15 UNLV 77, Boise St. 72 OT: The Runnin’ Rebels forced an extra period on the Broncos when Mike Moser blocked a shot at the end of regulation, and then rolled in overtime. Moser was an animal, scoring 18 points and grabbing an astounding 21 boards. Both teams shot poorly, but Moser’s dominance in the paint was enough to fend off the upset-minded Broncos. Derrick Marks had 21 for Boise St.

#16 Mississippi St. 76, LSU 71: Arnett Moultrie scored 28 points and 12 rebounds and the Bulldogs survived a scare against LSU. Despite being out-rebounded and forced into 17 turnovers, Mississippi St. found a way to win. Dee Bost made up for a poor shooting night to grab 7 boards and deliver 10 assists. Andre Stringer had 17 points off the bench for the Tigers who were competitive throughout the entire game.

#24 Kansas St. 69, Texas Tech 47: The Wildcats had no trouble handling lowly Texas Tech as they received a balanced effort with 37 bench points. The Red Raiders continued to be the whipping boy of the Big 12, as they turned the ball over 24 times. Three of Texas Tech’s starters did not score.

#25 Louisville 84, Villanova 74: The Cardinals have now overcome a slow start in the Big East to reach .500, as they brushed off the pesky Wildcats at home. Louisville had balanced scoring with five players getting double-digit points. 45 second half points proved to be the difference over Villanova who was led by Maalik Wayns with 19 points.

Offense
QB- Chris Lum, Lehigh
RB- Shakir Bell, Indiana State
RB- Tim Flanders, Sam Houston State
WR- Nicholas Edwards, Eastern Washington
WR- Aaron Mellette, Elon
TE- Colin Anderson, Furman
OL- Paul Cornick, North Dakota State
OL- Chris Crockett, Sam Houston State
OL- Gino Gradkowski, Delaware
OL- J.C. Oram, Weber State
OL- Brett Moore, Georgia Southern

Defense
DL- Adrian Hamilton, PrairieView A&M
DL- Ben Boothby, Northern Iowa
DL- Andrew Schaetzke, Georgetown
DL- Ronnie Cameron, Old Dominion
LB- L.J. Fort, Northern Iowa
LB- Matt Evans, New Hampshire
LB- A.J. Storms, Idaho State
DB- Marcus Williams, North Dakota State
DB- Justin Bethel, Presbyterian
DB- Trumaine Johnson, Montana
DB- Kejuan Riley, Alabama State

Special Teams
K- Tyler Sievertsen, Northern Iowa
P- David Harrington, Idaho State

Coach
Rob Ambrose, Towson

The All-FCS Football Network Team consists of eleven players on offense and defense, a kicker, a punter, and a coach. The team is selected based on all regular season and playoff performance. Below is the breakdown of selections by conference.

Missouri Valley- 6
Big Sky- 5
CAA- 4
SoCon- 3
Southland- 2
Patriot- 2
SWAC- 2
Big South- 1

LB Travis Beck was named MVP of the 2011 FCS championship game. Beck and his teammates on defense have up just 12.7 points/game this season. (Photo courtesy of NDSU/Dennis Hubbard

In the weeks preceding the FCS championship game, all signs pointed towards a rugged, defensive battle. That’s exactly what fans saw as North Dakota State (14-1) finished off Sam Houston State (13-1) on Saturday.

A capacity crowd of 20,586 people watched the Bison beat the Bearkats in Frisco, Texas. Thousands of others watched the finale of the most popular FCS tournament ever on ESPN. The tournament set a new FCS playoff attendance record, as 256,384 fans attended the 19 playoff games. The previous record was 209,761 set in 1994.

Defense truly did win the championship for North Dakota State. Bison linebacker ended up with the game’s most valuable player award after his 63-yard interception return set up the touchdown that would be the dagger in the heart of the Bearkats. Beck’s interception was just one of many turnovers for the Bison this year; NDSU forced at least one takeaway in all fifteen games they played.

Certainly, the defense was the heart of this year’s North Dakota State team. The Bison have scored 470 points while surrendering 191 in their 15 games. The 12.7 points/game the Bison have given up was the best mark in the entire Championship Subdivision.

Although this is the first Division I football championship for North Dakota State, the Bison can add this year’s trophy to eight other national championships won in Division II before the school moved to the FCS.

“Our guys wanted to make sure they returned Bison football back to national prominence,” said NDSU coach Craig Bohl. “It’s not easy to do. Certainly want to thank them, because we certainly returned Bison football back to national prominence today.”

“It’s extremely rewarding,” continued coach Bohl, “andthat doesn’t happen without the efforts of a whole lot of people. Our challenge now is to keep the momentum going, but we’re going to sit back and enjoy this victory for quite some time.”

North Dakota State RB D.J. McNorton makes his return to Texas in his final game as a Bison. NDSU will take on Sam Houston State in the FCS title game on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of North Dakota State Athletics/Jeff Schwartz)

The saying is almost as old as football, and it’s something that football fans of any level have heard numerous times; however, North Dakota State and Sam Houston State have proven once again that, “Defense wins championships.”

Whether you’re talking about the steel curtain or the high school team from across town that never seems to lose, winning teams are always built on defense, which is why it should not be a surprise to college football fans that both the Bison and the Bearkats will be playing for the highest honor in college football, the real Division I national championship.

Surprisingly, both teams’ defenses have been largely underrated all season long because of the dominance of the run game. It’s true that Tim Flanders and D.J. McNorton are household names for the well-informed FCS football fan, but make no mistake about it; both NDSU and SHSU are playing in Frisco on Saturday because of their defense.

The Bearkats enter Saturday’s game with the Bison ranked fourth in the country in overall defense, and it’s important to keep in mind that Sam Houston State has spent the last two months playing some of the best teams in the entire Championship Subdivision on their way to the title game. The 283 yards/game given up by Sam Houston State is incredibly impressive, especially given their three extra games, two of which came against Big Sky schools that have put up big numbers in 2011.

“They are very skilled, they are well coached and they have great athletes,” said NDSU coach Craig Bohl. “They have a tremendous amount of speed, and some of the things they do on offense and defense, they provided some really challenges in that schematically they execute really well. As a result, we have to make sure that we are bringing out A-game and our guys know what they are doing because if you make a mistake on offense or defense, they are going to make you pay.”

The Bison might have given up a little bit more yardage this season, but their defense should still be considered a serious asset. North Dakota State has only given up 23 offensive touchdowns this season, which is the third lowest total in the FCS. The two teams that have given up less touchdowns, Harvard and Jackson State, both did not play in the playoffs this season, meaning the Bison have played three more games than the only two teams ahead of them in scoring defense.

The main statistic to watch out for is turnovers. Sam Houston State has forced 40 fumbles and interceptions this season, which is first in the country. The Bison aren’t far behind, having forced 29 turnovers in 2011. Both teams, however, know how to take care of the ball on offense. Saturday’s matchup between the Bearkats and Bison will feature two teams with incredible turnover margins.

The winner of this game will probably be the team that makes the fewest mistakes. Expect both teams to grind the gridiron with strong running games and ferocious defense in what should be a classic, old-school football game in Frisco, Texas.

“They [North Dakota State] are very balanced overall. There are no apparent weaknesses. They are very sound. They are just a very disciplined football team, and they don’t beat themselves. They do a great job taking care of the football and they play with outstanding leverage,” said Bearkats coach Willie Fritz. “Defensively, they play over the top. They really know where their guys are supposed to be, and they have excellent coverage units.”

Update: On Andy Glockner’s SI.com Bubble Watch (HERE), he has sections for each conference titled “Locks,” “Should Be In,” and “In the Mix.”  The Pac-12 has NO “Locks” and NO TEAMS that “Should Be In.”  If the regular season champ wins the Conference Tourney, this could be a one-bid league.

Striving for immortality - in a way no one strives to do so.

The league’s worst team, Utah, is unquestionably the worst team in a Big Six conference.  By year’s end, they might end up the worst Big Six league team EVER.  Right now, their “resume” includes the following:

• A season-opening 3-point home win in a squeaker against NAIA San Diego Christian College
• A 6-point loss at home to Montana State (ranked 301 at KenPom.com)
• A trip to the Bahamas where they lost to Harvard, UMASS, and UNC-Asheville by a combined 64 points
• A 31-point home loss to Cal State Fullerton
• A 29-point road loss at Weber State

I know what you’re thinking – that every conference’s basement has bad teams.  Let’s consider the league’s best team by KenPom ranking (Cal) and the one considered to be the league’s most talented (Washington).  First, Cal.  They have a nice record, but here are their high-profile games/opportunities:

• A 39-point loss to Missouri in Kansas City
• A road loss at San Diego State – who’s supposed to be rebuilding this season
• A 17-point loss at UNLV

The most impressive wins are Georgia and Denver – neither are ranked higher than 75 in KenPom’s rankings.

Washington’s schedule has given them chances to make a splash.  Let’s see what they’ve done with those chances:

Team Name: Jackrabbits. Young, high-scoring guard. Get them in the Dance.

• A loss at St. Louis
• A close loss to Marquette
• A closer-than-it-really-was loss to Duke

Also on Washington’s rap sheet are losses at mediocre Nevada and a 19-point home loss to unheard-of South Dakota State.  (Note: don’t sleep on Nate Wolters though.  If SD State makes the NCAA’s, he could be this year’s Steph Curry.  He’s averaging 21.5 points per game.)

Here are some more Pac-12 FAIL’s:

• Arizona State alone has lost home or neutral site games to the following teams: Pepperdine (KenPom 227), Fairfield (105), DePaul (151), Nevada (107), Northern Arizona (302), Southern Miss (71), and Fresno State (166).
• USC lost a home game to far-travelling Georgia – which is bad but not as bad as losing another to Cal Poly
• Washington State lost a neutral site game to UC Riverside

The league’s best win is either a neutral win over Texas by Oregon State, a neutral win over Oklahoma State by Stanford, or a home win over NC State by Stanford.  Those are bubble teams on their best days.

To put a bow on this, I see the following conferences having more NCAA bids than the Pac-12 when Selection Sunday comes along:

• Mountain West (UNLV, San Diego State, New Mexico)
• A-10 (Xavier, St. Louis, Temple)
• Missouri Valley (Creighton, Northern Iowa, Wichita State)
• West Coast Conference (Gonzaga, BYU, St. Mary’s)

Here is the latest BRACKET – released last Thursday, 12/15 – and some quick-hit thoughts:

• My new favorite non-UCF team – Xavier – is on the 2-line. And I think they have a legitimate shot of staying there when the year ends. They’ll likely have to win the A-10 regular season and Conference Tournament to do so.
• Duke is on the 1-line – primarily due to North Carolina’s two losses. Out of all the 1-seed’s (Syracuse, Kentucky, Ohio State, Duke), the Devils are probably the least likely to stay there. However, if they beat UNC twice and win the ACC Tourney, they could hang on to coveted position of being the first 1-seed to be eliminated from the Dance.
• The best team not in the top four lines is UNLV – who was a 5-seed before they went to Illinois Saturday and won convincingly.
• Northwestern – with zero NCAA berths – is comfortably in the tourney at this point as a 10-seed and not being one of the Last Four In. They may have trouble holding on, though, as KenPom.com currently has them as the 9th-best team in a 12-team Big Ten.
• The Pac-12 is an awful league. This will continue to be a theme. Currently, they have three teams in the bracket – the same amount as the following non-BCS leagues: Mountain West, West Coast, Missouri Valley, Conference USA, A-10. I don’t if all five tie/beat the Pac-12, but I’d guess that at least three will.

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Director of Athletics Gary Friedman announced the completion of a football and basketball contract with Northwestern, which includes a football game in 2016 and two men’s basketball games, including a home contest against the Wildcats on Doug Collins Court in Redbird Arena.

The football game will be held at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., on Sept. 10, 2016. This will mark the second game in the series, as Redbirds and the Wildcats first played each other on the gridiron in 2010. Northwestern won that game 37-3.

“We are excited about this agreement with Northwestern,” Friedman said. “This gives us the opportunity to be in the Chicagoland area where we have a number of Illinois State alumni, as well as bringing a Big Ten team into Redbird Arena. I personally want to thank (Northwestern Director of Athletics) Jim Phillips for his leadership and assistance in making this contract happen.”

The scheduled dates for the two men’s basketball games are to be determined, but the series will start at Evanston, Ill., for the 2013-14 season. The Wildcats will return to Doug Collins Court at Redbird Arena for the 2014-15 campaign.

The Redbirds lead the overall basketball series, 2-1, including wins in each of the last two meetings. The two teams have not played since ISU’s 67-47 win at Northwestern on Dec. 18, 1996.