Field of 65--version 2
(12 days have passed since last version)
1
UCLA (12-0); North Carolina (11-1); Florida (11-2); Ohio State (10-2)
*After watching the Florida-Ohio State game, it almost seems impossible to deny that Florida will win when they put forth the effort. However, I’m not convinced the effort is always going to be there.
2
Kansas (11-2); Arizona (10-1); Wisconsin (13-1); Oklahoma State (12-1)
*Even after the Tennessee loss (which they bounced back from with a victory over Pittsburgh), I’m very impressed with Oklahoma State.
3
Butler (12-1); Tennessee (11-2); Connecticut (11-0); Duke (11-1)
*Tennessee is making me a believer. Bruce Pearl’s club may have as good a tourney resume as anyone in the country—their 2 losses are to UNC and Butler, and they have wins against Memphis, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Western Kentucky. UCONN falls only because they haven’t beaten anyone. Even though I hate to admit it, Coach K has done quite a job with this Duke squad.
4
Marquette (12-2); Notre Dame (11-1); Oregon (12-0); Alabama (12-1)
*I’m not really sure how Notre Dame is winning. Oregon hasn’t beaten anyone. Alabama is a big climber, improving from an 8 seed to a 4 seed (not so much because they beat anyone but because the Notre Dame loss is beginning to look like no big deal and no one else is doing anything).
5
Gonzaga (9-4); LSU (10-3); Pittsburgh (11-2); Clemson (13-0)
*I don’t buy Clemson’s undefeated start, but they have beaten Mississippi State, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Georgia (the last 3 by at least 15).
6
Wichita State (9-2); Washington (10-2); Memphis (10-3); Maryland (12-2)
*Wichita State falls after losses to New Mexico and USC. With SMU falling out of the field, Memphis is the only C-USA representative. This development makes me very sad (seriously).
7
Texas A&M (11-2); Michigan State (12-2); Texas (9-3); Kentucky (9-3)
*Texas A&M is one of the most overrated teams in college basketball—only win of note against an uninspiring Auburn team (although they did play UCLA close).
8
Villanova (9-2); West Virginia (10-1); Syracuse (10-3); Washington State (11-2)
*You have to love Curtis Sumpter averaging 19.5ppg for the Wildcats after what happened to him last season. I’m not convinced this Syracuse team will be going to the Big Dance when all is said and done. Washington State may be for real—they lost to UCLA by only 3 and have wins over Gonzaga, UAB, and San Diego State.
9
Illinois (12-3); Nevada (11-1); Florida State (12-2); Georgetown (9-3)
*Georgetown needs to beat someone. Plus, they need to establish a scorer—not a single Hoya is averaging 12ppg.
10
Purdue (10-3); Missouri State (10-2); UNLV (12-2); Missouri (9-2)
*UNLV gets the nod over San Diego State with wins over Nevada, Minnesota, and Texas Tech. I believe in this Missouri team, but their only big win was against Arkansas. The Tigers have since lost to Purdue and Illinois.
11
USC (11-3); Oklahoma (8-3); Boston College (7-4); Michigan (12-2)
*USC may deserve to be ranked even higher after wins against Wichita State and Washington. However, they’ve also lost to South Carolina and Kansas State. Boston College is as unpredictable as any team in the nation. While they’ve beaten Michigan State and Maryland, they’ve lost to Vermont, Providence, and Duquesne. The Wolverines are lucky to even be on this list after the 92-55 beating they took from UCLA.
12
Air Force (12-1); Southern Illinois (10-2); Drexel (9-2); Dayton (10-2)
*Drexel has wins over St. Joseph’s, Villanova, Syracuse, and Temple.
13
Western Kentucky (10-4); Cal State Fullerton (10-2); Winthrop (10-3); Akron (8-3)
*Seems like the MAC used to be tough.
14
Davidson (11-3); Princeton (7-4); Eastern Kentucky (8-3); Oral Roberts (6-7)
*Wow, not much to say here.
15
Albany (7-4); Holy Cross (7-6); Belmont (8-5); Marist (9-3)
*Holy Cross takes the place of American after giving Duke a scare.
16
Portland State (9-5); Sam Houston State (7-5); Farleigh Dickinson (6-5); Florida A&M (6-6); Jackson State (6-7)
*Jackson State’s Trey Johnson, the nation’s 2nd leading scorer at 29.7ppg, would make the play-in game watchable.
IN: Air Force; Albany; Cal State Fullerton; Drexel; Holy Cross; Jackson State; Oklahoma; UNLV; USC
OUT: Alabama A&M; American; Arkansas; Old Dominion; San Diego State; SMU; UC Santa Barbara; Vermont; Xavier
1
UCLA (12-0); North Carolina (11-1); Florida (11-2); Ohio State (10-2)
*After watching the Florida-Ohio State game, it almost seems impossible to deny that Florida will win when they put forth the effort. However, I’m not convinced the effort is always going to be there.
2
Kansas (11-2); Arizona (10-1); Wisconsin (13-1); Oklahoma State (12-1)
*Even after the Tennessee loss (which they bounced back from with a victory over Pittsburgh), I’m very impressed with Oklahoma State.
3
Butler (12-1); Tennessee (11-2); Connecticut (11-0); Duke (11-1)
*Tennessee is making me a believer. Bruce Pearl’s club may have as good a tourney resume as anyone in the country—their 2 losses are to UNC and Butler, and they have wins against Memphis, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Western Kentucky. UCONN falls only because they haven’t beaten anyone. Even though I hate to admit it, Coach K has done quite a job with this Duke squad.
4
Marquette (12-2); Notre Dame (11-1); Oregon (12-0); Alabama (12-1)
*I’m not really sure how Notre Dame is winning. Oregon hasn’t beaten anyone. Alabama is a big climber, improving from an 8 seed to a 4 seed (not so much because they beat anyone but because the Notre Dame loss is beginning to look like no big deal and no one else is doing anything).
5
Gonzaga (9-4); LSU (10-3); Pittsburgh (11-2); Clemson (13-0)
*I don’t buy Clemson’s undefeated start, but they have beaten Mississippi State, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Georgia (the last 3 by at least 15).
6
Wichita State (9-2); Washington (10-2); Memphis (10-3); Maryland (12-2)
*Wichita State falls after losses to New Mexico and USC. With SMU falling out of the field, Memphis is the only C-USA representative. This development makes me very sad (seriously).
7
Texas A&M (11-2); Michigan State (12-2); Texas (9-3); Kentucky (9-3)
*Texas A&M is one of the most overrated teams in college basketball—only win of note against an uninspiring Auburn team (although they did play UCLA close).
8
Villanova (9-2); West Virginia (10-1); Syracuse (10-3); Washington State (11-2)
*You have to love Curtis Sumpter averaging 19.5ppg for the Wildcats after what happened to him last season. I’m not convinced this Syracuse team will be going to the Big Dance when all is said and done. Washington State may be for real—they lost to UCLA by only 3 and have wins over Gonzaga, UAB, and San Diego State.
9
Illinois (12-3); Nevada (11-1); Florida State (12-2); Georgetown (9-3)
*Georgetown needs to beat someone. Plus, they need to establish a scorer—not a single Hoya is averaging 12ppg.
10
Purdue (10-3); Missouri State (10-2); UNLV (12-2); Missouri (9-2)
*UNLV gets the nod over San Diego State with wins over Nevada, Minnesota, and Texas Tech. I believe in this Missouri team, but their only big win was against Arkansas. The Tigers have since lost to Purdue and Illinois.
11
USC (11-3); Oklahoma (8-3); Boston College (7-4); Michigan (12-2)
*USC may deserve to be ranked even higher after wins against Wichita State and Washington. However, they’ve also lost to South Carolina and Kansas State. Boston College is as unpredictable as any team in the nation. While they’ve beaten Michigan State and Maryland, they’ve lost to Vermont, Providence, and Duquesne. The Wolverines are lucky to even be on this list after the 92-55 beating they took from UCLA.
12
Air Force (12-1); Southern Illinois (10-2); Drexel (9-2); Dayton (10-2)
*Drexel has wins over St. Joseph’s, Villanova, Syracuse, and Temple.
13
Western Kentucky (10-4); Cal State Fullerton (10-2); Winthrop (10-3); Akron (8-3)
*Seems like the MAC used to be tough.
14
Davidson (11-3); Princeton (7-4); Eastern Kentucky (8-3); Oral Roberts (6-7)
*Wow, not much to say here.
15
Albany (7-4); Holy Cross (7-6); Belmont (8-5); Marist (9-3)
*Holy Cross takes the place of American after giving Duke a scare.
16
Portland State (9-5); Sam Houston State (7-5); Farleigh Dickinson (6-5); Florida A&M (6-6); Jackson State (6-7)
*Jackson State’s Trey Johnson, the nation’s 2nd leading scorer at 29.7ppg, would make the play-in game watchable.
IN: Air Force; Albany; Cal State Fullerton; Drexel; Holy Cross; Jackson State; Oklahoma; UNLV; USC
OUT: Alabama A&M; American; Arkansas; Old Dominion; San Diego State; SMU; UC Santa Barbara; Vermont; Xavier
posted by Natty Bumpo at 3:07 AM
1 Comments:
Not convinced this Syracuse team will make the tourney? Don't you realize that all Syracuse needs is a winning record and ESPN will consider them a darkhorse come March? Plus, Eric Devendorf has mad street cred. Jim Boeheim has to specifically request not to make the tournament in one of his weekly spots on PTI for the Orangemen not to make it. I'll pretend to be really surprised when Syracuse gets a questionably higher seed than most believe they deserve and then a no-name mid major knocks them out in the first round. At least Carmelo is representing the Cuse well at the next level...as long as he avoids Jared Jeffries' intimidating presence.
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