OVC

Overall Rank: #51

In the most recent installment in his coaching greats interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Murray State and South Carolina head coach Steve Newton. Newton's accomplishments include four conference titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances in six seasons at Murray before moving on to transition the Gamecocks into the SEC from the Metro Conference. Now retired from coaching, Newton is running a social marketing business with his wife.

Jon Teitel: You played at Indiana State in the early 1960s.

Overall Rank: #107

Overall Rank: #138

Conference Rank: #2 Ohio Valley Conference

Before getting into Saturday's action it's only right to salute the first team guaranteed a spot in the Field of 65. Cornell clinched their third consecutive Ivy League title on Friday night, winning at Brown by the final score of 95-76. The Big Red knocked down twenty (yes, twenty) three-pointers in the win, which is the fifteenth of the season away from home (a school record). All five scorers reached double figures with Jon Jacques leading the way with 20 points. The Big Red also limited the Bears to 30% shooting from the field and 29 points in the second half.

Had Cincinnati, Florida or Illinois won on Tuesday night they'd be the main story in the recap. However with all three dropping opportunities to vault themselves either into the NCAA Tournament or onto the bubble they could all look back at this night as the one that helped keep them out of the Field of 65. The Bearcats and Gators both hosted ranked teams at home and both fell by four points. Cincinnati held Scottie Reynolds scoreless in the first half but they most they could manage was a tie going into the locker room.

While three leagues begin conference tournament play on Tuesday there's also plenty of things to be settled in conferences who won't start their tourneys until next week. Florida and Illinois are two teams that look to be in good shape as of right now but both are faced with ranked opponents who would vault them into the Big Dance for sure were they to win. The Gators host Vanderbilt, a team that's still got designs on the SEC's overall title, in a game they can win provided guards Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton make sound decisions with the basketball.

Austin Peay

Eastern Kentucky

Morehead State

Murray State

Other (EIU, Tennessee-Martin, etc)

Tournament Odds: Mid-Major Conferences