Drexel

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 16-30

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:45:04 -0700

With most teams eliminated from competition, its time to start looking ahead to the 2012-13 season. Following up on yesterday's Early 2012-13 Top 15, here are teams 16 to 30.

I had to make many assumptions about the NBA Draft in compiling the following list, and I've noted which assumptions I've made. Once players make their official Draft decisions later in the summer, this ranking will be updated. Also uncertain is where some remaining unsigned recruits will end up. In particular, Shabazz Muhammad (#1 by Rivals.com), Anthony Bennett (#7), Devonta Pollard (#9), and Nerlens Noel (#3 in 2013) remain up for grabs. I purposely made no assumptions about where unsigned prospects will end up. (All prospect rankings are according to the Rivals 150 ranking.)

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 16-30

16 Kansas St Kansas State had a solid season, but they were always a step behind the elite teams. With Jamar Samuels being the lone senior of note, they should be able to take another step forward next year. A pair of solid bigs including 43rd ranked Robert Upshaw join the fray.

17 Memphis The key for Memphis is whether Will Barton decides to enter the Draft. Assuming he doesn't, the Tigers return a talented squad that only loses Wes Witherspoon. Three more 4-star recruits also enter the mix. With Barton back, Memphis has top 10 talent, but it remains to be seen whether Pastner is a top 10 coach.

18 Gonzaga While Robert Sacre graduates, the question remains whether Elias Harris goes pro. If Harris bolts, the roster would be deep, young, and talented, but thin up front. Little used guys like Hart and Spangler would need to emerge as legit contributors. Even without Harris, Gonzaga has top 20 potential.

19 Texas With such a young squad this year, simply making the tournament was an accomplishment. Veteran bigs Chapman and Wangmene graduate, but they'll be replaced by better prospects such as big man Cameron Ridley (#21 on Rivals) and Prince Ibeh (10th ranked center). I'm assuming J'Covan Brown returns, but that's no guarantee.

20 Saint Mary's Rob Jones graduates after a great career, but the rest of this squad returns intact. Freshman Brad Waldow has the potential to be even better than Jones, and so long as Dellavedova is around, Saint Mary's will be fine. They also have solid a solid PF prospect on the way who can help ease the Jones loss.

21 Notre Dame The Irish endured a lot of difficulties to put together a surprisingly fine season. If Tim Abromaitis is granted a redshirt season, Notre Dame could even exceed this ranking. Scott Martin graduates, but the 3-person recruiting class is full of solid forwards.

22 New Mexico Drew Gordon is a huge loss, as he was by far the Lobos best player. But 3 of their 4 next highest scorers were sophomores who should improve substantially. UNM's recruiting class is solid but unspectacular.

23 Florida Erving Walker is the Gators lone senior loss, but I'm assuming that both Brad Beal and Patric Young go pro in this projection. If even one of them returns, they could move up the ranking. Either way, Boynton, Murphy, and Rosario are solid players who will be joined by a 3-man class that lacks a blockbuster name (although 62nd ranked PG Braxton Ogbueze could be underrated).

24 Marquette In Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette loses its two best players and 36 ppg. But although they'll take a step back, don't expect Marquette to be complete irrelevant. There are emerging talents on the roster and the 4-person recruiting class will add scoring punch.

25 VCU Unlike most schools that will be awaiting NBA Draft decisions, the big x-factor for VCU is whether Shaka Smart returns. Brad Burgess was the lone senior on a team that looks very dangerous next year. There are even 3 solid newcomers, led by Jordan Burgess, an underrated wing.

26 florida St the Noles will take a step back after a surprise ACC title. They lose the core of the team in James, Dulkys, and Louks. However, a quality 4-person class full of Top 100 prospects will provide added depth. The real key is whether Michael Snaer decides to go pro. As of now, I'm assuming he's back.

27 Saint Louis The Bills lose their leading scorer in Brian Conklin, but the rest of this deep roster remains intact. There is no help on the way in terms of major recruits, but many of this year's sophomores could take major steps forward.

28 Alabama While losing senior JaMychal Green hurts, the bigger question is whether Anthony Grant returns as head coach. He did a fine job this season despite many distractions. However, if he leaves, the Tide would have to drop.

29 Drexel The dragons do lose their leading rebounder in Samme Givens, but the rest of the roster returns. Its been 13 years since Bruiser Flint has made the NCAA Tournament, this should be the year.

30 UCLA Despite a seemingly disastrous season, UCLA remained competitive in the Pac-12. Senior's Lazeric Jones and Jerime Anderson depart, but those losses are more than made up by the entry of Kyle Anderson, the country's 2nd best prospect. If UCLA were to also add Shabazz Muhammad, they'd jump even higher.

>> Continue to 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 31 to 45

<< Return to 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 1 to 15

Consensus Ranking: Drexel, Murray, San Diego St Overrated

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:24:09 -0800

In the latest Consensus Ranking (CR), Colorado St, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and NC State are the hottest teams over the last 10 days. All four of those squads are on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and rising at the right time. Cincinnati also rose 9 spots to 41st and has to be considered a Tournament lock at this point. The bubble team that fell the most was Seton Hall.

According to the CR, Drexel, San Diego St, and Murray St are extremely overrated vs the AP ranking. This is something to consider when you fill out your brackets next week. On the underrated side, Saint Louis and Memphis remain the most underrated. If these two teams get 6 or 7 seeds, they could be very dangerous to 2 or 3 seeds.

The computers like Ohio St as much as AP #2 Syracuse, and think Indiana is better than their AP ranking suggests. In general, the computers think the Big Ten is even better than people realize, with the lone exception being Michigan.

What Is It?
With the advent of computer rankings & metrics, we have many tools that attempt to overcome historical biases to rank teams fairly. Taking a consensus average of these rankings, we get a good sense of the lay of the land and can see where the human voters differ with the computers. More importantly, we can see whether there is a pattern to the human biases and whether certain teams are consistently mis-valued compared to their peers.

83 teams are ranked, consisting of A) any team with AP votes, B) any team in the RPI Top 60, C) any team in CHN Top 50, D) any team in the KenPom Top 50, and E) any team previously included. The teams are ranked by an average of their RPI, Sagarin, and KenPom ratings. At the right of the chart is the team's current AP ranking and their consensus ranking in the last two updates.

Rank	Team	RPI	KenPom	Sagarin	Avg	Last	2 Weeks	AP
1	Kentucky	2	1	1	1.3	1	1	1
2	Ohio St	7	2	2	3.7	3	4	7
3t	Syracuse	1	6	5	4.0	4	2t	2
3t	UNC	3	5	4	4.0	6	6	4
5	Kansas	6	4	3	4.3	5	5	3
6	Michigan St	5	3	6	4.7	2	2t	8
7t	Duke	4	16	10	10.0	7	8	6
7t	Indiana	11	10	9	10.0	13t	13	15
9	Missouri	16	9	7	10.7	9	7	5
10	Wichita St	14	8	11	11.0	8	14	16
11	Baylor	9	14	12	11.7	11t	12	12
12t	Wisconsin	24	7	8	13.0	13t	9t	14
12t	Marquette	8	17	14	13.0	10	11	9
14	Georgetown	17	13	13	14.3	11t	9t	13
15	Memphis	18	11	15	14.7	15t	23	31
16	Michigan	12	19	20	17.0	18	18	10
17	Saint Louis	30	12	17	19.7	19	16	37t
18	Florida	29	18	16	21.0	15	15	22
19	UNLV	10	32	22	21.3	17	19t	20
20	Louisville	20	26	19	21.7	21	21	27
21	New Mexico	34	15	18	22.3	20	17	29
22t	Vanderbilt	28	20	29	25.7	22t	24	32t
22t	Florida St	23	28	26	25.7	26	19t	17
24	Temple	13	34	34	27.0	27	25	21
25	Creighton	22	36	27	28.3	30	28	19
26t	Kansas St	44	21	21	28.7	29	31t	36
26t	California	35	23	28	28.7	28	22
28t	Purdue	41	22	24	29.0	32	40
28t	Gonzaga	25	31	31	29.0	25	26	24
30	Virginia	42	25	23	30.0	24	27	30
31	Alabama	32	29	30	30.3	22t	29
32t	Texas	43	27	25	31.7	34	31t
32t	Iowa St	33	30	32	31.7	31	35t	25
34	St. Mary's	26	42	35	34.3	35	39	26
35	Murray St	19	44	41	34.7	40	46	11
36	UCONN	31	37	37	35.0	33	33
37	Notre Dame	37	38	39	38.0	36	38	23
38	Belmont	60	24	33	39.0	38	44
39t	Harvard	36	40	44	40.0	37	30	37t
39t	Long Beach St	39	39	42	40.0	39	41	35
41t	Cincinnati	59	33	36	42.7	50	52	34
41t	San Diego St	27	55	46	42.7	46	48	18
43	Miami	52	35	43	43.3	44	45
44t	West Virginia	51	43	38	44.0	45	34
44t	VCU	38	45	49	44.0	51t	57	32t
46	BYU	45	49	40	44.7	41	35t
47	Southern Miss	15	68	54	45.7	42t	37
48	Iona	40	53	52	48.3	47	49
49	NC State	55	48	45	49.3	59	53t
50	Seton Hall	64	47	47	52.7	42t	42
51t	South Dakota St	48	56	60	54.7	55	x
51t	Colorado St	21	72	71	54.7	66	69
53t	Drexel	70	41	56	55.7	58	64	28
53t	MTSU	58	59	50	55.7	48	43
55	Northwestern	57	57	55	56.3	49	47
56	Xavier	54	60	57	57.0	53	53t
57	Arizona	77	50	48	58.3	51t	50
58	South Florida	46	65	67	59.3	62	62
59	St. Joseph's	61	64	58	61.0	54	51
60t	Minnesota	87	54	51	64.0	64t	55
60t	Tennessee	78	52	62	64.0	75	x
60t	Oregon	63	63	66	64.0	63	61
63	Washington	68	66	61	65.0	56	58
64	Dayton	74	62	63	66.3	57	75
65t	Stanford	97	51	53	67.0	70	71
65t	Davidson	65	67	69	67.0	61	68
67	La Salle	80	58	65	67.7	69	56
68	Marshall	56	75	76	69.0	73	63
69	Akron	62	79	73	71.3	67t	60
70	Ole Miss	53	80	82	71.7	80	79
71	Ohio	69	74	74	72.3	72	78
72t	Illinois	91	70	59	73.3	60	59
72t	UCF	50	81	89	73.3	76	70
74	Mississippi St	71	83	68	74.0	67t	66
75	Oral Roberts	47	100	80	75.7	64t	65
76	UCLA	129	46	64	79.7	x	x
77	Northern Iowa	73	96	78	82.3	71	67
78	Cleveland St	84	84	81	83.0	74	73
79	Denver	92	76	84	84.0	77	74
80	Nevada	49	103	101	84.3	79	76
81	Virginia Tech	114	86	79	93.0	78	77
82	Wagner	88	115	102	101.7	81	72
83	Arkansas	110	132	110	117.3	82	80

Most Overrated: AP vs. the computer ranking:

Drexel +25

Murray St +24

San Diego St +23

Notre Dame +14

VCU +12

Saint Mary's +8

Cincinnati +7

Iowa St +7

Creighton +6

Michgan +6

Most Underrated: AP vs. the computer ranking:

Teams w/ votes

Saint Louis -20

Memphis -16

Kansas St -10

Vanderbilt -10

Indiana -8 / UNM -8

Teams w/ no votes

California

Purdue

Alabama

Texas

UCONN

Biggest Changes In Last Week:

Rising

Colorado St +15

Tennessee +10

NC State +10

Ole Miss +10

Cincinnati +9

Falling

Illinois -12

Oral Roberts -11

Alabama -9

Seton Hall -8

What do you think? Post comments below, send a tweet to @collegehoopsnet, or follow facebook.com/collegehoopsnet.

VCU Hangs On to Win CAA Tournament

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:57:43 -0800

There was no doubt that a lot was on the line in the CAA tournament final between two-seed VCU and top-seed Drexel, and that goes beyond the title that was at stake. A win would wrap up an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament, which in turn would remove the need to worry about whether or not their gaudy win total would be enough to sway the selection committee.

VCU was able to take over the game early with their chaotic brand of defense, leading 35-19 at the half, and the gap established in the latter stages of the first half proved to be too much to overcome for Bruiser Flint's Dragons. The Rams were able to withstand a Dragon rally, never relinquishing a lead that dwindled to as small as one point in a 59-56 victory in Richmond.

Shaka Smart's team shot 4-for-15 from three and was out-rebounded 41-24, but Drexel was unable to take full advantage of those issues. The Dragons turned the ball over 18 times for the game with 12 coming in the first half, and VCU was able to convert those turnovers into 16 points. Drexel fought their way back into the game in the second half by taking better care of the basketball, which in turn meant more scoring opportunities for guards Chris Fouch and Damion Lee (26 points combined in the second half).

"Sixteen points off turnovers in the first half, and they had two in the second. Bottom line," said Flint when asked what the difference was. "We wanted them to run half-court offense and we made them run half-court offense in the second half."

VCU was able to take Drexel out of their comfort zone, especially when it came to dealing with big men Samme Givens and Darryl McCoy. The Rams didn't allow Drexel's big men to set up on the block offensively, and on the other end they were able to make those bigs defend action on the perimeter. VCU's big men limited Givens, McCoy and Dartaye Ruffin to seven points...combined. That's a development that few would have expected of the likes of D.J. Haley and Juvonte Reddic back in December.

"I'm excited about the future with those [big men] and they're development's been good. Again they have a long way to go," said Smart of his frontcourt. "But you don't win a conference championship without big guys stepping up and playing high-level basketball."

Senior Bradford Burgess was quiet with six points on 2-for-9 shooting, but his leadership has been something VCU has been able to rely on all season. Also point guard Darius Theus stepped up in a big way, finishing with 16 points, five assists and five steals, leaving his fingerprints on the game at both ends of the floor. Treveon Graham scored 13 points off the bench and Troy Daniels knocked down four key free throws in the final minute to hold off the Dragons.

VCU was in a similar position to Drexel last year, having dropped the CAA final and having to watch other teams throughout the country in hopes of having enough on their resume to get into the Big Dance. The Rams' story is well-documented at this point, but will Drexel receive a similar opportunity? With an RPI (as of Sunday) of 63 and a strength of schedule of 259, those numbers don't look to be in the Dragons' favor.

But they did win 19 straight games going into the title game, and it's tough to argue against an outright conference title and 27 wins. It will definitely be an interesting case to keep track of in the days leading up to Selection Sunday, with the question being whether or not the selection committee believes that the combination of on-court product and resume is good enough to warrant giving Drexel a spot in the tournament.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)
31 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the Jackrabbits' 63-47 win over Southern Utah.

2. F Elias Harris (Gonzaga)
22 points (10-14 FG), 13 rebounds and two steals in the Bulldogs' 78-74 overtime loss to Saint Mary's.

3. F Jake Cohen (Davidson)
17 points (7-9 FG), seven rebounds, seven blocked shots and four assists in the Wildcats' 93-91 double overtime win over Western Carolina.

Bracketology: Tennessee In, VCU and 11 Seed, Drexel Out

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:43:46 -0800

Bracketology projections will be coming fast and furious this week. Tennessee enters the field for the first time all season, replacing Arizona, who choked in a loss to Arizona State. UCONN also returns, replacing South Florida. South Florida still has a strong chance to return, while Arizona has been replaced by Oregon as the Pac-12's third most likely team.

Near the top of the bracket, North Carolina reclaimed a #1 seed in place of Duke, Murray St moved up to a #4 seed, and Creighton jumped to a #5 after winning the MVC. VCU won the CAA Monday night and moved into an #11 seed, but loser Drexel remains on the bubble needing help. With just one Top 50 win all season (against VCU) and no Top 100 road wins, the Dragons don't have an overwhelming resume. Iona and Oral Roberts, two other mid-majors that lost Monday night, are even farther back in the pack.

Why Pay Attention to What I Have to Say: Collegehoops.net's projections have consistently proven to be the best in the business. Over the last 4 years, Shawn Siegel is the #1 ranked Bracketologist according to the Bracket Project. This ranking includes the likes of Joe Lunardi, Gary Parrish, Jerry Palm, and Andy Glockner.. none of whom come close.

As always, the field below is a prediction of what the committee would do as things stand today, not what they should do. This is done by taking into account standings, polls, computer rankings, and the committee's historical biases. Check out the follow up Bubble Watch for updates about teams on the NCAA Tournament Bubble, and NITology for a ranking of the best of the rest.

Notes:

Arrows indicate how many seeds a team has moved up or down since the previous update. Teams in Green are new to the field today. Teams in CAPS have locked up a bid. **=Projected Conference Champs. Locked Up Bid.

ONE

Kansas**

TWO

Duke**

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

Temple**

SIX

SEVEN

Memphis**

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

Harvard**

ELEVEN

Mississippi St

Miami

Washington**

VCU**

TWELVE

THIRTEEN + 2

Xavier / Texas

Tennessee / UCONN

Belmont**

Nevada**

FOURTEEN

Davidson**

South Dakota St**

Akron**

Montana**

FIFTEEN

Loyola (MD)**

Valparaiso**

Bucknell**

Long Island**

SIXTEEN + 2

Texas-Arlington**

UNC-Asheville**

North Texas** / Mississippi Valley St**

Stony Brook** / Savannah St**

Last In: UCONN, Tennessee, Texas, Xavier

First Out: Colorado St, South Florida, Drexel, Oregon

Further Four: NC State, St. Joseph's, Iona, Ole Miss

Dropped Out Of Field (at-large): Arizona, South Florida

New (at-large): Tennessee, UCONN

Conference Bids

- Multiple Bid Leagues

Big East - 9

Big Ten - 7

Big 12 - 6

ACC - 5

SEC - 5

A-10 - 3

MWC - 3

Pac-12 - 3

WCC - 3

CUSA - 2

MVC - 2

------------------- (20 one-bid leagues)

League Leaders/Winners (31)

- #1 team according to current standings

- New leaders in green

- Locked Up Bid

America East - Stony Brook
A-10 - Temple
ACC - Duke
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
Big 12 - Kansas
Big East - Syracuse
Big Sky - Montana
Big South - UNC-Asheville
Big Ten - Michigan St
Big West - Long Beach
CAA - VCU
Conference USA - Memphis
Horizon - Valparaiso
Ivy - Harvard
MAAC - Loyola (MD)
MAC - Akron
MEAC - Savannah St
MVC - Creighton
MWC - San Diego St
Northeast - Long Island
Ohio Valley - Murray St
Pac-12 - Washington
Patriot - Bucknell
SEC - Kentucky
Southern - Davidson
Southland - Texas-Arlington
SWAC - Mississippi Valley St
Summit - South Dakota St
Sun Belt - North Texas
WAC - Nevada
WCC - Saint Mary's

Check out Bubble Watch for updates and more in-depth looks at teams on the NCAA Bubble. Also, NITology covers teams that are 2nd best..

Predictions: CAA, MAAC, Southern, WCC Finals

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:22:41 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every conference tournament game over the next week, including tonight's four key championship games. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

CAA CHAMPIONSHIP: AT RICHMOND, VA.

(1) Drexel (27-5, 16-2) vs. (2) Virginia Commonwealth (27-6, 15-3)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Drexel 64-58. RPI: Drexel 65, VCU 66. Analysis: With 35 wins in their last 36 games combined, the Dragons and Rams should both be in the NCAA Tournament. However, neither will want to leave that up to the Selection Committee. Line: VCU -2. Pick: Virginia Commonwealth 57, Drexel 53.

MAAC CHAMPIONSHIP: AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

(2) Loyola (Md.) (23-8, 13-5) vs. (4) Fairfield (19-13, 12-6)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 13 – Loyola 66-63*; Feb. 12 – Fairfield 68-51. RPI: Loyola 84, Fairfield 111. Analysis: The Stags are finally playing like they were expected to all season, but Loyola has been the more consistent team through the season. Line: Fairfield -2. Pick: Loyola 68, Fairfield 64.

SOUTHERN CHAMPIONSHIP: AT ASHEVILLE, N.C.

(1S) Davidson (24-7, 16-2) vs. (3N) Western Carolina (17-17, 8-10)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 12 – Davidson 88-67. RPI: Davidson 68, Western Carolina 216. Analysis: Aside from Davidson, the SoCon was really bad this year. This won’t be close. Line: Davidson -12½. Pick: Davidson 85, Western Carolina 64.

WCC CHAMPIONSHIP: AT LAS VEGAS

(1) Saint Mary’s (26-5, 14-2) vs. (2) Gonzaga (25-5, 13-3)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 12 – Saint Mary’s 83-62; Feb. 9 – Gonzaga 73-59. RPI: Saint Mary’s 33, Gonzaga 23. Analysis: Saint Mary’s just isn’t the same team with Stephen Holt – and the Bulldogs are playing really well. Line: Gonzaga -1½. Pick: Gonzaga 80, Saint Mary’s 72.

SUMMIT LEAGUE SEMIFINALS: AT SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(1) Oral Roberts (27-5, 17-1) vs. (5) Western Illinois (17-13, 9-9)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: Midco Sports Network/Fox College Sports. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 12 – Oral Roberts 71-70 (2OT)*; Feb. 11 – Oral Roberts 61-51. RPI: Oral Roberts 41, Western Illinois 188. Analysis: Oral Roberts should be a lock for the NCAA Tournament, but the Eagles will play like their lives are on the line. Line: Oral Roberts -8. Pick: Oral Roberts 67, Western Illinois 56.

(2) South Dakota State (25-7, 15-3) vs. (6) Southern Utah (14-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: Midco Sports Network/Fox College Sports. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – South Dakota State 75-68*; Feb. 4 – South Dakota State 66-56. RPI: South Dakota State 58, Southern Utah 244. Analysis: Nice comeback win for the Thunderbirds against Oakland on Sunday, but that’s as far as it goes. Line: South Dakota State -12. Pick: South Dakota State 70, Southern Utah 54.

SUN BELT SEMIFINALS: AT HOT SPRINGS, ARK.

(9) Arkansas State (13-19, 6-10) vs. (5) North Texas (16-13, 9-7)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: Sun Belt Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Arkansas State 75-72; Jan. 28 – North Texas 76-64. RPI: North Texas 200, Arkansas State 243. Analysis: Arkansas State used the second-day advantage to knock off the top seed, but playing a third straight day is exponentially tougher. Line: North Texas -1. Pick: North Texas 71, Arkansas State 63.

(3) Denver (21-8, 11-5) vs. (7) Western Kentucky (12-18, 7-9)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: Sun Belt Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 15 – Denver 78-65. RPI: Denver 84, Western Kentucky 214. Analysis: Denver’s last six wins have been by double-figures. This game will be no different. Line: Denver -8½. Pick: Denver 69, Western Kentucky 57.

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 128-94-3

Monday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:01:55 -0800

WCC: #1 Saint Mary's vs. #2 Gonzaga, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

The top two teams in the WCC meet in Las Vegas, and it should be fun as the two teams don't care much for each other. Gonzaga won 11 straight WCC regular season titles before Saint Mary's grabbed this year's crown, and that should spice things up even more. Mark Few's Bulldogs played very well on Saturday night in their semifinal win over BYU, with Kevin Pangos going off for 30 points to lead the way. The Gaels had a little more trouble in their semifinal, as a talented San Francisco team gave them all they wanted before Randy Bennett's team pulled away late.

With second and third-round games being played in Portland this season, the winner of the WCC's automatic bid could lay claim to a protected seed there given the struggles of the Pac-12. Saint Mary's will look to counter Pangos with veteran point guard Matthew Dellavedova, who can also fill it up when left alone on the perimeter. He's been a constant for the Gaels in both meetings with the Bulldogs, which the two teams split with the home team winning both. The Australian averaged 23 points per game against Gonzaga this season, but the key for Saint Mary's will be how effective forward Rob Jones can be.

Jones scored just two points in the Saint Mary's win over Gonzaga, with the Gaels being able to withstand that thanks to 17 points and ten boards from redshirt freshman Brad Waldow. But in the 73-59 loss in Spokane, Jones and Waldow were kept in check on the glass (ten combined rebounds to 21 in the first meeting), and guard Stephen Holt went scoreless as well. Page is going to be a key figure on the perimeter tonight, because it's not just Pangos that the Gaels have to worry about.

Junior wing Guy Landry Edi has reached double figures in two of the last three games, most recently scoring 11 against BYU. The athleticism that both he and freshman Gary Bell have can make for tough matchups, especially when the Bulldogs can get out and run. Add in forwards Elias Harris and Robert Sacre, and Saint Mary's will have multiple areas they need to take care of in order to win. Pangos scored 27 points in the second meeting between the two but the contributions of those two can't be overlooked, as they combined for 22 points and 19 rebounds. Gonzaga's going to need more of the same if they're to take another title back to Spokane.

CAA: #1 Drexel vs. #2 VCU, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
When two teams with 27 wins apiece still aren't considered a lock for the NCAA tournament there's no real need to state just how important that title game may be. That's the situation that the top two seeds in the CAA find themselves in going into Monday's title game, because while both have the look of a tournament team on the court the resume is considered by some to be lacking when it comes to strength of schedule numbers. Drexel won the lone regular season meeting (64-58) but that game was played way back on January 8th, and both teams have improved a great deal since then.

Freshman Damion Lee has been outstanding for the Dragons, helping out the likes of Chris Fouch, Samme Givens and Frantz Massenat. VCU's youngsters have become more comfortable in their roles, as has senior wing Bradford Burgess. There will be a lot on the line and a nice contrast of styles as well, with the Rams looking to pressure all 94 feet and Bruiser Flint's squad playing a half-court defense befitting of his name. The winner won't have to spend the next six days worrying about their fate, while the loser may have to endure a few sleepless nights.

MAAC: #4 Fairfield vs. #2 Loyola (MD), 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
Fairfield pulled off the upset of the tournament as they beat top-seed Iona in the semis, but even with Derek Needham out for the season (broken foot) was it really that big of an upset? Sydney Johnson's Stags are talented and they have depth, led by senior forwards Ryan Olander and Rakim Sanders. Houston transfer Desmond Wade has played well at the point, and a team that struggled to find its was under a first-year head coach early in the season has rounded into form at just the right time. As for Jimmy Patsos' Greyhounds, they've got depth as well and guard Dylon Cormier is one of the best players in the MAAC. Loyola also features the versatile Erik Etherly, Robert Olson and MAAC 6th Man of the Year Justin Drummond. Look for this one to be a tight affair as the two teams split their regular season meetings with the road team winning both.

MAC: # 12 Northern Illinois at # 5 Eastern Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
# 9 Ball State at # 8 Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
# 10 Miami at # 7 Toledo, 7:00 p.m.
# 11 Central Michigan at # 6 Bowling Green, 7:00 p.m.

The Mid-American Conference changed up their tournament format before the season, doing away with divisional seeding and giving the top two seeds byes to the semifinals. That means we won't see either Akron or Buffalo until Friday night, and six of the eight teams playing in the first round come from the West Division. Eastern Michigan was the lone team in the West to finish with a winning conference record, which is a testament to what first-year head coach Rob Murphy has been able to do with the program. But the second place team in the division, Toledo, needs to be careful with ten-seed Miami (OH), as forward Julian Mavunga ranks among the best players in the MAC. The four winners advance to Cleveland, but it's difficult to figure out if any of these teams can truly do some damage once they get there.

SoCon: #3N Western Carolina vs. #1S Davidson, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
Western Carolina has won seven straight games, which makes them a dangerous foe for top-seed Davidson. However, Bob McKillop's team has been the class of the SoCon and with forwards Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks leading the way it's easy to see why. Harouna Mutombo leads four Catamounts in double figures with an average of 13.7 points per game, and that balance is going to be key if WCU is to have any shot at knocking off the Wildcats. Davidson won the lone regular season meeting 88-67, outscoring the Catamounts by 18 from beyond the arc and by 15 from the foul line. Those margins need to be close tonight.

Summit League: #1 Oral Roberts vs. #4 Western Illinois, 7:00 p.m.
#2 South Dakota State vs.#6 Southern Utah, 9:30 p.m.

Southern Utah is the lone team not in the top four to advance to the semis as they knocked off three-seed Oakland on Sunday night. The Thunderbirds now get to take on South Dakota State, who is led by guard Nate Wolters. Wolters handles his many responsibilities very well in leading the Jackrabbits, and if Southern Utah doesn't have an answer for him it's going to be a long night for them. SDSU averages just two more possessions per game but they're far more efficient, and they average 12 more points per game as well. In the first semi top-seed Oral Roberts takes on Western Illinois, a team they swept during the regular season but their win at WUI was by just one point. Dominique Morrison shot just 2-for-11 from the field in their quarterfinal on Saturday, but he did score 27 points in the first meeting between these two.

Sun Belt: #9 Arkansas State vs. #5 North Texas, 7:00 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)
#3 Denver vs. #7 Western Kentucky, 9:30 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)

Neither of the top two seeds reached the semis with both Middle Tennessee and UALR falling in Sunday's quarterfinals, which in theory opens the door for three-seed Denver. But given the nature of the Sun Belt tournament all that did was guarantee the Pioneers the right to wear their home whites the rest of the event. Joe Scott's Pioneers take on WKU in the second semifinal, and Ray Harper's Hilltoppers are playing well as they've won four straight. Guard Derrick Gordon is going to be a star in the Sun Belt, but the Hilltoppers dropped their lone meeting with Denver by 13 (78-65).

The first semifinal features North Texas, who more than a few people picked to win the conference tournament based on the presence of Tony Mitchell. Mitchell averages 14.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, and it's a safe assumption that the Missouri transfer will have Arkansas State's attention from the start. John Brady's Red Wolves knocked off top-seed Middle Tennessee, but they can struggle offensively.

Sunday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 08:01:10 -0800

Missouri Valley - Title Game
#4 Illinois State vs. #2 Creighton, 2:00 p.m. (CBS)

The eyes of many bubble teams and their fan bases will be focused on St. Louis and the title game of the MVC tournament. The reason why: Illinois State, a team that was unlikely to be an at-large selection, is 40 minutes away from grabbing the Valley's automatic bid and making it a three-bid league. Standing in the way of the Redbirds is two-seed Creighton, who looked outstanding in their 99-71 win over Evansville and will be headed to the Big Dance with or without the automatic bid.

The problem for Illinois State, who beat Wichita State 65-64 on Saturday to reach the final, is that they've been unable to slow down the Bluejays in either meeting. Creighton averaged 94.5 points per game in two wins over the Redbirds, most recently handing ISU a 102-74 beating in Omaha on February 1st. Doug McDermott led six players in double figures that game with 25 points, and in the two meetings Creighton has shot 57.1% (87-78 win at ISU) and 56.4% from the field.

Tim Jankovich's team has improved since that loss on the defensive end of the floor as only three teams have shot better than 45% from the field since, but the Redbirds' improved defense will be tested this afternoon. Big man Jackie Carmichael has been outstanding all season long, and his physical play is a big reason why Illinois State has been able to reach this point. But he and Tyler Brown are going to need their teammates to step up if they're to have a shot at knocking off this powerful Creighton squad, and Nic Moore's 12 points on Saturday could be a step in the right direction in that regard.

In addition to McDermott the Bluejays have Gregory Echenique inside, and on the perimeter players such as Antoine Young, Grant Gibbs and Jahenns Manigat all have the ability to make plays. The offensive production is rarely a question for Greg McDermott's team, but how well they play defensively will ultimately determine how far they can go in the NCAA tournament. If Creighton can clamp down defensively the upset bid becomes even tougher for Illinois State, but they've got a shot. And at this point in the season that's the least a team can ask for.

America East - Semifinals
#1 Stony Brook vs. #4 Albany, 5:02 p.m. (ESPN3)
#2 Vermont vs. #6 Hartford, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN3)

Three of the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals in West Hartford, with the host Hawks being the lone exception. They were able to slow down a potent Boston University attack, winning 53-49, and at 9-21 on the season John Gallagher's Hawks really don't have anything to lose. But beating a Vermont team that swept the regular season series, winning both games by double digits, will be very tough to do. The Catamounts scored just 14 points in the first half of their 50-40 win over Maine on Saturday but with the likes of Matt Glass and Luke Apfeld don't expect that to happen again.

The first semifinal should be highly entertaining, as regular season champ Stony Brook takes on four-seed Albany, who has the league's leading scorer in Gerardo Suero. Suero, a guy many thought would be Player of the Year, can flat-out light it up and if Logan Aronhalt is effective the Great Danes can be a tough out. Steve Pikiell's Seawolves have five players averaging at least eight points per game with Bryan Dougher leading the way, and in Tommy Brenton they've got the league's best defender.

CAA - Semifinals
#1 Drexel vs. #4 Old Dominion, 2 p.m. (CAA-TV)
#2 VCU vs. #3 George Mason, 4:30 p.m. (CAA-TV)

There's no underestimating how important these two games are from an NCAA tournament standpoint, because while the chances of a second bid are slim given the troubles of bubble teams throughout the country the possibility for the CAA remains. Drexel won the regular season title outright and keeping in mind UAB's selection last season that achievement may hold weight with the selection committee. Frantz Massenat and the Dragons take on an ODU team that played arguably its best offensive game of the season on Saturday, but don't expect offensive fireworks given how good both teams have been defensively. The rubber match between VCU and George Mason will most likely determine the team with the best shot at an at-large should Drexel end up with the automatic bid, but more importantly the winner would control their own fate with a shot at the title on Monday night. Mason escaped Georgia State on Saturday night while VCU was able to take care of Northeastern.

Metro Atlantic - Semifinals
#4 Fairfield vs. #1 Iona, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
#2 Loyola (MD) vs. #6 Siena, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

Similar to America East the six-seed is the one "crashing" the party in the MAAC, as a Siena team that goes six deep knocked off three-seed Manhattan in Saturday's quarterfinals. Owen Wignot sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer with eight seconds remaining, and senior Brandon Walters picked a good time to play arguably the best game of his career. The question now is whether or not Mitch Buonaguro's team has enough left in the tank (especially with Evan Hymes battling a knee injury) to battle one of the MAAC's deepest teams in Loyola. Erik Etherly and Dylon Cormier may lead the way, but the Greyhounds can also call on the likes of Robert Olson and MAAC 6th Man of the Year Justin Drummond when needed.

The first semifinal matches the two teams expected to fight it out for the regular season title in top-seed Iona and Fairfield. It took the Stags a little longer than expected to mesh given the addition of Rakim Sanders and Desmond Wade, not to mention head coach Sydney Johnson just arriving by way of Princeton. The loss of guard Derek Needham hurts but Fairfield has the depth needed to navigate such a loss. The Gaels are deep as well, led by seniors Scott Machado and Mike Glover, and with their run last season ending in the MAAC title game there's going to be motivation to take care of business. If Iona can defend at a solid level they have more than enough offensive talent to advance to Monday's final.

NEC - Semifinals
#3 Robert Morris at #2 Wagner, Noon (MSG/FCS)
#5 Quinnipiac at #1 LIU Brooklyn, 6:00 p.m. (MSG/FCS)

The battle between the Colonials and Seahawks will be entertaining, especially when considering a likely matchup between RMU's Velton Jones and Wagner's Kenneth Ortiz. Jones leads the Colonials in scoring with an average of 16.4 points per game, and Ortiz is one of the NEC's best defenders. Both teams are deep, and with Latif Rivers and Tyler Murray also at his disposal on the perimeter Wagner head coach Dan Hurley won't lack for options. The same goes for RMU's Andy Toole, who also has sophomore Coron Williams and freshman wing Lucky Jones. RMU has been the better rebounding team this season, so if Jones and Russell Johnson can control things on the glass they can leave Staten Island with a win.

In the other semifinal high-scoring LIU Brooklyn hosts Quinnipiac, who have one of the league's best scoring guards in James Johnson. The key for QU however could be how well Ike Azotam does inside against Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere. The Bobcats are the best rebounding team in the NEC and Azotam is a big reason why, but Boyd and Olasewere can both step out on the perimeter and draw him away from the basket. Add in guards Jason Brickman and C.J. Garner and the Blackbirds have a rotation that's been tough to slow down all season long.

Southern - Semifinals
#1N UNCG vs. #3N Western Carolina, 6:00 p.m.
#1S Davidson vs. #2N Elon, 8:30 p.m.

Three of the four teams still alive in the SoCon hail from the North Division, which may be seen as a surprise based on how the regular season played out. Wes Miller's Spartans have played so well since he took over that the youngest head coach in America was named SoCon Coach of the Year, and with Trevis Simpson leading the way UNCG can reach the final. But the Spartans will face a Western Carolina squad that's won six straight, and they looked very good in their 82-59 win over Wofford on Saturday afternoon. In the other semifinal the clear favorite to win the automatic bid, Davidson, takes on an Elon team led by Jack Isenbarger. The question for the Phoenix is whether or not they have enough inside to deal with Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks, but then again no one's really had an answer for these two within the league.

Summit League - Quarterfinals
#4 Western Illinois vs. #5 North Dakota State, 7:00 p.m.
#3 Oakland vs. #6 Southern Utah, 9:30 p.m.

The top two seeds, Oral Roberts and South Dakota State, advanced on Saturday night and Sunday's slate features one of the country's most prolific scorers in Oakland's Reggie Hamilton. Hamilton averaged 25.5 points per game in two wins over the Thunderbirds, and Travis Bader is a capable scorer as well. Jackson Stevenett leads four SUU players in double figures with an average of 14.1 points per game, and that balance combined with better defense on Hamilton is the formula for a Southern Utah win. North Dakota State and Western Illinois each have three players averaging double figures in scoring, and guards Taylor Braun (NDSU) and Ceola Clark (WIU) are both capable of leading their teams to the victory. The winners will take on ORU and South Dakota State in Monday's semifinals.

Sun Belt - Quarterfinals
#1 Middle Tennessee vs. #9 Arkansas State, 7:00 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)
#4 Louisiana-Lafayette vs. #5 North Texas, 7:15 p.m. (Convention Center Court)
#2 UALR vs. #7 Western Kentucky, 9:30 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)
#3 Denver vs. #6 South Alabama, 9:45 p.m. (Convention Center Court)

The top five teams take the court for the first time in the Sun Belt tournament, and while Middle Tennessee has to be considered the favorite given how well they played throughout the season they won't go unchallenged. Denver put together an outstanding season thanks to the tandem of Brian Stafford and Chris Udofia, and if there's a player who can go on a run and make the tournament his own personal playground that would be North Texas' Tony Mitchell. UALR should also be in the conversation as Steve Shields' team won the automatic bid last season, and they're the two seed entering this year's tournament.

Quarterfinals Predictions: AE, Big Sky, CAA, MAAC, SoCo, Summit

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 10:12:45 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every conference tournament game over the next 2 weeks. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

AMERICA EAST QUARTERFINALS: AT WEST HARTFORD, CONN.

(1) Stony Brook (20-8, 14-2) vs. (8) Maryland-Baltimore County (4-26, 3-13)

Tipoff: 12:05 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Stony Brook 89-49*, Feb. 9 – Stony Brook 80-68. RPI: Stony Brook 151, Maryland-Baltimore County 334. Analysis: It will be hard for Stony Brook to cover because its starters could be resting by halftime. Line: Stony Brook -3. Pick: Stony Brook 73, Maryland-Baltimore County 56.

(4) Albany (18-13, 9-7) vs. (5) New Hampshire (13-15, 7-9)

Tipoff: 2:15 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Albany 86-63; Feb. 9 – New Hampshire 69-64. RPI: Albany 232, New Hampshire 303. Analysis: New Hampshire has nice balance, but Albany has a solid go-to scorer in Gerardo Suero for the stretch run. Line: Albany -3. Pick: Albany 71, New Hampshire 64.

(2) Vermont (20-11, 13-3) vs. (7) Maine (12-16, 6-10)

Tipoff: 6:05 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 16 – Vermont 79-65; Feb. 6 – Vermont 73-63. RPI: Vermont 161, Maine 281. Analysis: Vermont is a serious contender to win this tournament and secure an NCAA bid. Line: Vermont -9. Pick: Vermont 75, Maine 63.

(3) Boston U. (16-15, 12-4) vs. (6) Hartford (8-21, 7-9)

Tipoff: 8:15 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 22 – Boston U. 65-46*; Feb. 25 – Boston U. 64-55. RPI: Boston U. 188, Hartford 308. Analysis: Curious line after the Terriers whipped Hartford twice. It’s concerning, but you still have to go with BU. Line: Boston U. -3. Pick: Boston U. 66, Hartford 55.

BIG SKY QUARTERFINALS: AT CAMPUS SITES

(5) Idaho State (9-20, 7-9) at (4) Eastern Washington (14-16, 8-8)

Tipoff: 5 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 23 – Eastern Washington 85-78*; Feb. 28 – Eastern Washington 77-64. RPI: Idaho State 280, Eastern Washington 211. Analysis: If familiarity breeds contempt, this one should be contention. It’s the third time the two sides have played in two weeks. Line: Eastern Washington -7½. Pick: Eastern Washington 72, Idaho State 65.

(6) Montana State (12-16, 7-9) at (3) Portland State (16-13, 10-6)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 30 – Montana State 86-73; Jan. 26 – Montana State 70-65*. RPI: Montana State 277, Portland State 176. Analysis: The Bobcats gave Portland State two of its six losses, but the Vikings will find a way to get it done in a close one in Portland. Line: Portland State -7½. Pick: Portland State 76, Montana State 70.

COLONIAL ATHLETIC QUARTERFINALS: AT RICHMOND, VA.

(1) Drexel (25-5, 16-2) vs. (9) UNC-Wilmington (10-20, 5-13)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Drexel 79-57*. RPI: Drexel 63, Wilmington 213. Analysis: Wilmington took advantage of a beat up James Madison squad on Friday. No such luck today. Line: Drexel -12½. Pick: Drexel 73, Wilmington 53.

(4) Old Dominion (19-12, 13-5) vs. (5) Delaware (18-12, 12-6)

Tipoff: Approx. 2:30 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Old Dominion 68-66 (OT)*. RPI: Old Dominion 115, Delaware 143. Analysis: ODU is the better team – but not by a whole lot. Line: Old Dominion -6. Pick: Old Dominion 60, Delaware 56.

(2) Virginia Commonwealth (25-6, 15-3) vs. (9) Northeastern (13-16, 9-9)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 4 – VCU 59-56. RPI: VCU 61, Northeastern 179. Analysis: The Rams defense will give Delaware fits and force double-digit turnovers and convert them into points. Line: VCU -12. Pick: VCU 69, Northeastern 56.

(3) George Mason (23-8, 14-4) vs. (6) Georgia State/Hofstra (20-10, 11-7)

Tipoff: Approx. 8:30 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – George Mason 61-58. RPI: George Mason 84, Georgia State 147. Analysis: This is one of the strangest lines I’ve ever seen, but GMU is the better team – and the Patriots are desperate for a win. Line: Georgia State -1. Pick: George Mason 71, Georgia State 58.

METRO ATLANTIC QUARTERFINALS: AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

(4) Fairfield (17-13, 12-6) vs. (5) Rider (13-18, 10-8)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 16 – Fairfield 61-52; Feb. 26 – Rider 65-62. RPI: Fairfield 128, Rider 198. Analysis: The Stags have lost 3 of 4, but they have enough talent to win the MAAC’s NCAA bid. Line: Fairfield -8. Pick: Fairfield 61, Rider 51.

(1) Iona (24-6, 15-3) vs. (8) Marist (14-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Iona 100-76*; Feb. 12 – Iona 83-74. RPI: Iona 44, Marist 225. Analysis: The Red Foxes were a different team in the second half of the season, but do they have enough to stay close against Iona’s high-powered offense? Probably not. Line: Iona -15½. Pick: Iona 90, Marist 74.

(2) Loyola (Md.) (21-8, 13-5) vs. (7) Niagara (14-18, 8-10)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 2 – Niagara 66-61*; Jan. 27 – Loyola 69-57*. RPI: Loyola 86, Niagara 206. Analysis: With the advantage of already having played a tourney game, Niagara can keep it fairly close. Line: Loyola -7. Pick: Loyola 67, Niagara 62.

(3) Manhattan (20-11, 12-6) vs. (6) Siena (13-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Manhattan 72-53; Feb. 14 – Siena 70-64. RPI: Manhattan 142, Siena 239. Analysis: Expect the Jaspers to be a serious player in this tournament. Line: Manhattan -7. Pick: Manhattan 67, Siena 54.

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS: AT ASHEVILLE, N.C.

(1N) UNC-Greensboro (12-18, 10-8) vs. (5N) Appalachian State (13-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – Appalachian State 78-64; Jan. 26 – Greensboro 77-73 (OT). RPI: Greensboro 227, Appalachian State 252. Analysis: If the Mountaineers are good enough to beat Charleston by 12 points, they’re good enough to beat Greensboro. Line: Greensboro -7. Pick: Appalachian State 77, UNC-Greensboro 66.

(2S) Wofford (19-12, 12-6) vs. (3N) Western Carolina (15-17, 8-10)

Tipoff: 2:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Western Carolina 67-57; Jan. 30 – Wofford 82-56. RPI: Wofford 170, Western Carolina 241. Analysis: Wofford has won 4-of-5 since a 3-game losing streak in early February and the Terriers should do it again. Line: Wofford -5. Pick: Wofford 73, Western Carolina 66.

(1S) Davidson (16-2, 22-7) vs. (5S) Furman (15-15, 8-10)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Davidson 86-65; Feb. 1 – Davidson 71-53*. RPI: Davidson 67, Furman 245. Analysis: The Wildcats are ready to roll through this tournament. Line: Davidson -11½. Pick: Davidson 84, Furman 65.

(2N) Elon (14-15, 9-9) vs. (3S) Georgia Southern (15-14, 12-6)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – Georgia Southern 69-63*. RPI: Elon 243, Georgia Southern 194. Analysis: Tough one to call, but Southern may have found itself in the second half of Friday’s win over Chattanooga. Line: Georgia Southern -1. Pick: Georgia Southern 67, Elon 58.

SUMMIT LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS: AT SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(1) Oral Roberts (26-5, 17-1) vs. (8) IPFW (11-18, 5-13)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: Midco Sports Net/Fox College Sports. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Oral Roberts 65-54; Feb. 15 – Oral Roberts 75-71*. RPI: Oral Roberts 43, IPFW 279. Analysis: ORU played a lot of tough games down the stretch and this one will be no different. Line: Oral Roberts -13½. Pick: Oral Roberts 66, IPFW 57.

(2) South Dakota State (24-7, 15-3) vs. (7) IUPUI (14-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: Midco Sports Net/Fox College Sports. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – South Dakota State 97-93 (OT)*; Feb. 25 – South Dakota State 75-64. RPI: South Dakota State 57, IUPUI 202. Analysis: The Jackrabbits should have a bit of a home crowd advantage in Sioux Falls, but talented Jaguar star Alex Young won’t let it get out of hand. Line: South Dakota State -8½. Pick: South Dakota State 79, IUPUI 68.

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 100-69-2

CAA Quarterfinal Preview

CHN — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 07:34:14 -0800

Robert Canady is covering the CAA Tournament for CollegeHoops.net. His quarterfinals preview:

#2 VCU 25-6 vs. #7 Northeastern 14-16

This has the potential to be one of the more lopsided games of the day.

How They Got Here:

VCU earned 1^st round bye as the No. 2 seed.

Northeastern beat William & Mary 57-49 in the first round.

Key Players:

VCU - Senior guard Bradford Burgess 13.5 ppg and 5.2 rebounds, Juvonte Reddic 10.8 ppg and 7.0 rebonds, Troy Daniels 10.0 ppg

Northeastern - orward Quincy Ford 18 points in 1^st round win. Reggie Specer 10 rebounds in 1^st round win.

What They Do Best:

VCU - Rank 1^st in the country with 10.6 with 10.6 steals per game. 2^nd in the country with a +6.1 turnover margin.

Northeastern - Held William & Mary to .273 on 3-Pt shot and outrebounded them 42-27.

Previous Game: VCU won at home 59-56 in February.

Prediction: VCU 73 Northeastern 65

#3 George Mason 23-8 vs. #6 Georgia State 21-10

A matchup of teams that are strong on the inside and play very physical. Based on GSU’s route of Hofstra in the first round, it could be quite a battle to the end.

How They Got Here:

George Mason earned 1^st round bye as the No. 3 seed.

Georgia State beat Hofstra by a CAA Tournament record 35 points 85-50.

Key Players:

Mason - 2011-12 CAA Player of the Year Ryan Pearson 17.8 ppg and 8.5 rebounds, Sherrod Wright .521 from the field and .401 from 3-pt range.

Georgia St. - Eric Buckner 21 points 11 rebounds in 21 minutes in 1^st round victory over Hofstra, senior Jihad Ali 13.0 ppg.

What They Do Best:

George Mason-.463 shooting from the field.

Georgia St.-hold opponents to .382 FG% 1^st in the CAA and 8^th best in the country. 5.4 blocked shots per game, 1^st in conference and 15^th in the country.

Previous Game: George Mason won 61-58 in Fairfax in January.

Prediction: George Mason 61 Georgia St. 59

#4 Old Dominion 19-12 vs. #5 Delaware18-12

This could be the most anticipated matchup of the day. Delaware has won 9 games in a row and Old Dominion spent most of the season tied for first or second before a couple late season losses.

How They Got Here:

ODU earned a first round bye as a result of being the No. 4 seed.

Delaware beat Towson for the 3^rd time this season 72-65 in the first round.

Key Players:

Delaware - Devon Saddler averaging 18.7 ppg, Jamelle Hagins 12.7 ppg, Kyle Anderson 64 3-pointers on the season.

ODU Sr. Kent Bazemore 15.3 ppg and League Defensive Player of the Year, Chris Cooper averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds per game.

What They Do Best:

ODU - Leads the conference in 40 rebounds per game. Chris Cooper is second in the league in offensive rebounds with 4.2 per game.

Delaware - Scoring, Delaware is second in the league with 69 ppg. FT% .725 is second in the league.

Previous Game: ODU won 68-66 in overtime at the buzzer on an offensive put back.

Prediction: Delaware 71 ODU 66

Poll: Which Projected 13 Seed Would You Be Most Afraid to Face?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:16:12 -0800