Durzblog

Less than a week until the pairings are announced -- followed by the moans from a few schools that will have their bubble's burst. At large fringe teams should be pulling for teams like South Alabama, Drake, Kent State, Butler and Memphis to take their conference tournaments and prevent a Cinderella from swallowing one of the precious spots left (like VCU losing in the CAA semis).

update 3/11
San Diego upsets Gonzaga and snares a bid from the shallow at-large pool.

Mid major conference tournaments (Sun Belt, West Coast) are not helping teams like Syracuse, Nova, Arizona and Maryland. I have 22 teams playing for 11 spots -- bubble teams (from top conferences) who can string together a couple of wins in their league tourney should have some good news coming on Sunday.

Seeds --
#1 -- UNC, Memphis, UCLA, Kansas
#2 -- Georgetown, Duke, Texas, Tennessee
#3 -- Louisville, Wisconsin, Stanford, Xavier
#4 -- Butler, ND, Purdue, Miss State
#5 -- Vandy, Indiana, Uconn, Wash State
#6 -- Drake, Clemson, Marquette, Mich State
#7 -- BYU, Gonzaga, Kansas State, Miami
#8 -- Baylor, Pitt, USC, Oklahoma
#9 -- West Virginia, Arkansas, St Mary's (38), UNLV (28)
#10 -- Umass (40), Kentucky (48), Ohio State (49), Arizona (29)
#11 -- South Alabama (37), Villanova (56), Oregon (53), Florida (65)
#12 -- Virginia Tech (57), George Mason, San Diego, Western Kentucky
#13 -- Kent State, American, Davidson, Santa Barbara
#14 -- Winthrop, Cornell, Boise State, Oral Roberts
#15 -- Stephen F Austin, Robert Morris, Siena, Hartford
#16 -- Morgan State, Belmont, Portland State, Alabama State/Austin Peay

already in at large (34)
winner or projected winner of one-bid leagues (teams
that would not otherwise qualify) (20)
bubble teams w/ RPI (11)

outside looking in w/ RPI (11): Dayton (34), Illinois State (35), Mississippi (43), Texas A&M (47), UAB (50), New Mexico (52), VCU (54), St Joseph's (55), Houston (66), Maryland (69), Arizona State (76)


SWAC -- Alabama State
MEAC -- Morgan State
Ohio Valley -- Austin Peay
Atlantic Sun -- Belmont
America East -- Hartford
Big South -- Winthrop
Big Sky -- Portland State
IVY -- Cornell
Northeast -- Sacred Heart
Summit -- Oral Roberts
Southland -- Stephen F Austin
Big West -- Santa Barbara
Western Athletic -- Boise State
MAAC -- Siena
Patriot -- American
Southern -- Davidson
Colonial -- George Mason
MAC -- Kent State
Horizon -- Butler
C-USA -- Memphis
Missouri Valley -- Drake
Sun Belt (2)-- South Alabama, Western Kentucky
Mountain West (2) -- BYU, UNLV
A-10 (2) -- Xavier, Umass
West Coast (3) -- Gonzaga, St Mary's, San Diego
Big 10 (5) -- Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State
SEC (6) -- Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Florida
Big East (8) -- Georgetown, Connecticut, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Marquette, West Virginia, Villanova
Big 12 (5) -- Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor
Pac 10 (6) -- UCLA, Stanford, Washington State, USC, Arizona, Oregon
ACC (5) -- North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech
*automatic bid bolded
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PREDICTIONS


Wednesday, 1st Round
(9)Syracuse over (8)Villanova
(12)Providence over (5)West Virginia
(7)Pittsburgh over (10)Cincinnati
(6)Marquette over (11)Seton Hall

Thursday, Quarterfinals
(1)Georgetown over (9)Syracuse
(4)Connecticut over (12)Providence
(2) Louisville over (7)Pitt
(6)Marquette over (3)Notre Dame

Friday, Semifinals
(4)Uconn over (1)Georgetown
(2)Louisville over (6)Marquette

Saturday, Championship
(2)Louisville over (4)Uconn
____________________________

-All Big East- Teams Announced:
*denotes unanimous selection


2007-08 All-BIG EAST First Team

*A.J. Price, Connecticut, Jr

*Roy Hibbert, Georgetown, Sr

*David Padgett, Louisville, Sr

*Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, So

Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, So

Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, Jr

Kyle McAlarney, Notre Dame, Jr

Sam Young, Pittsburgh, Jr

Brian Laing, Seton Hall

Kentrell Gransberry, USF, Sr

Joe Alexander, West Virginia, Jr