Saturday, March 11, 2006

Bubble Wrap 3/11/06

There are eleven automatic bids and a few last bubble spots still up for grabs today. Every bubble team will be intently watching the results from Reno (WAC Championship), Nashville (SEC semifinals), Denver (MWC Championship) and Dallas (Big 12 semifinals). If any of the cinderella teams (Utah State, South Carolina, Wyoming, and Nebraska) should win, there would be a ripple effect on every bubble team with hopes of getting in to the bracket.

Memphis: The Tigers complete their domination of Conference USA with a resounding win in the championship game against 2 seed UAB. Memphis won 16 of 17 games they played this season against Conference USA competition.

Albany: The Great Danes win the America East Conference Tournament and advance to their first NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska and Wake Forest: The Huskers and Deacons both lose giving bubble teams a collective chance to catch their breath. However, trouble does await in........

South Carolina: The Gamecocks continue their improbable run to a SEC Tournament title and a possible spot in the NCAA Tournament. If the Cocks should win just one more game against Florida (a team they defeated twice during the regular season), they would "steal" a bid from a team whose name is already on the board and considered "in" by the NCAA Selection Committee.

UCLA: The Bruins follow up their regular season Pac Ten title with the Pac Ten Tournament title. UCLA is now in line for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Xavier: The Musketeers become the lowest seed to win the Atlantic Ten Tournament on two free throws by Justin Doellman with 5 seconds remaining in the game.

Kent State: The Golden Flashes win their 25th game and advance to their first NCAA Tournament since 2002 with a narrow victory against Toledo in the MAC championship.

Hampton: The Pirates win four games in four days to capture the MEAC Championship. With the win, Hampton avenges a two-point loss in last year's title game to Delaware State.

Southern: The Jaguars win the SWAC Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993 when they upset 4 seed Georgia Tech in the first round.

Syracuse: The Orange complete an improbable run and become the first team to win the Big East Tournament after playing four consecutive days. Syracuse defended their Big East Tournament title from 2005 and in the process became the lowest seeded team to win the Big East Tournament.

Nevada: Every bubble team breathes a HUGE sigh of relief as Nevada holds off Utah State to win the WAC Tournament in overtime. Utah State missed two shots at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime. In overtime, Marcellus Kemp hit a HUGE 3 with just under a minute remaining to stretch the lead to four and the Aggies never got closer than 3 points from there.

San Diego State: The Aztecs are yet another tournament champion that save the list of bubble teams from additional worry on Selection Sunday. It was doubtful that San Diego State would have received an at-large bid, but the Aztecs made that a moot point with an exciting overtime win against upset-minded Wyoming.

Pacific: The Tigers withstand an early second half rally from Long Beach State to win their second Big West Tournament in the past three years.

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