This is March!
Need a brief breakdown of everything that’s on the horizon for Championship Week?
We’ve got you covered below:
American Conference
NCAA Tournament Locks: Houston
On The Bubble: Cincinnati, Wichita State
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: UConn
The Skinny: This league has been a jumbled mess for the majority of the season and that’s not likely to change during the conference tournament. Houston has been clearly the most consistent team in the American Conference all season long, but even the Cougars have their warts. Kelvin Sampson’s squad lacks the reliable point guard it boasted last year with Galen Robinson and has lost five league games on the road by six points or less. The team to monitor closely this week in Fort Worth? UConn. Dan Hurley has led the Huskies to five straight victories and UConn has a burgeoning star in freshman James Bouknight. The 6-4 guard has scored 16 or more points in 10 of his last 11 games and has the chops to put this program on his back in a conference tournament just like Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier did in previous years. This will be the Huskies’ last league tournament in the American before joining the Big East next season.
Atlantic 10
NCAA Tournament Locks: Dayton
On The Bubble: Richmond
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: Saint Louis
The Skinny: The Flyers have an inside track to be one of the top four seeds in the NCAA Tournament and things will only stay that way if they’re the last team standing in Brooklyn at the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Meanwhile, Richmond hasn’t been to the field of 68 since 2011 and there’s a realistic chance that it may not return if it loses to anyone other than Dayton. Why is Saint Louis so intriguing as a bid stealer? The Billikens’ two losses to Dayton have come by a combined eight points and one of those defeats occurred thanks to a late three-point shot by Jalen Crutcher. Travis Ford returns a strong nucleus from last season’s team that reached the NCAA Tournament led by juniors Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French. If Saint Louis gets a third crack at Dayton next Saturday at the Barclays Center in the semifinals, it will be appointment television.
ACC
NCAA Tournament Locks: Florida State, Louisville, Duke, Virginia
On The Bubble: NC State
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: North Carolina
The Skinny: Things in this conference seem pretty set for the teams that are for the that are cemented in the NCAA Tournament. Florida State could potentially play its way to a top seed if it wins the ACC Tournament and other things happen around the country. It’s been a season to forget for North Carolina, but the Tar Heels still have an opportunity to give their fans something to remember. It’s very rare for a potential bid stealer to boast a future lottery pick on its roster and that’s just what North Carolina possesses in Cole Anthony. The freshman guard didn’t have his best offensive game in Saturday’s loss at Duke as he only scored nine points, but that doesn’t mean he’s not capable of going on a massive tear. With Anthony on the perimeter and Garrison Brooks on the interior, the Tar Heels have a chance to make things interesting in what has been a down year in the ACC.
Big 12
NCAA Tournament Locks: Kansas, Baylor, West Virginia, Oklahoma
On The Bubble: Texas, Texas Tech
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: None
The Skinny: While Kansas is essentially assured of being the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens this week in Kansas City, Baylor needs to use its next couple of games to get its mojo back. The Bears have lost three of their last five and don’t seem to be as connected defensively as they were early in the year, giving up an average of 75.5 points in a pair of recent defeats to TCU and West Virginia respectively. The can’t miss game this week at the Big 12 Tournament? Thursday’s quarterfinal tilt between Texas and Texas Tech. The loser will likely miss the NCAA Tournament.
Big East
NCAA Tournament Locks: Creighton, Villanova, Seton Hall, Marquette, Butler, Providence
On The Bubble: Xavier
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: St. John’s
The Skinny: St. John’s has been better this season at Carnesecca Arena than at the World’s Most Famous Arena, but Mike Anderson’s style could be tough to prepare for on a 24-hour turnaround if the Red Storm can win their first few games this week. While Creighton, Seton Hall, and Villanova all split the Big East regular season title, the team to watch this week at Madison Square Garden is Providence. Ed Cooley’s team is now comfortably in the NCAA Tournament after winning its last six games and will be playing with house money moving forward. One other thing to keep in mind? It’s likely going to be a tense Selection Sunday for Xavier if it doesn’t win two games this week in Manhattan.
Big Ten
NCAA Tournament Locks: Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers, Indiana
On The Bubble: None
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: Purdue
The Skinny: It’s not likely that the Boilermakers wind up as the last team standing next Sunday, but they’re a capable squad that’s currently not projected to be in the NCAA Tournament. The Big Ten has been a monster all season long and that’s not going to change during the conference tournament. One thing to keep in mind? After a 20-game regular season, some teams in this conference may very well be fresher for the field of 68 if they wind up not playing all the way to the final game next weekend. If one of the top four seeds winds up winning the Big Ten Tournament, it will have played a total of 23 conference games before the NCAA Tournament.
Pac-12
NCAA Tournament Locks: Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State, USC, Colorado
On The Bubble: UCLA, Stanford
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: Washington
The Skinny: All five NCAA Tournament locks in this league likely won’t see their seed overly affected based on how they perform in Las Vegas. UCLA and Stanford meanwhile, need to win one more game each to feel safe about their chances of comfortably reaching the NCAA Tournament; the two teams are currently slated to meet in the quarterfinals if the Cardinal beat Cal on Wednesday. And Washington? Be afraid. Be very afraid. The Huskies are coming off back-to-back road victories at Arizona and Arizona State and have two top flight talents in freshmen Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels. This was a dark horse pick to go to the Final Four before Quade Green was ruled academically ineligible in January.
SEC
NCAA Tournament Locks: Kentucky, Auburn, LSU, Florida
On The Bubble: Mississippi State
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: Mississippi State
The Skinny: It’s been a down year in the SEC compared to the past few seasons, but the league’s most talented team other than Kentucky is still not projected to be in the NCAA Tournament. Mississippi State’s chemistry has been a work in progress all season after its starting point guard Nick Weatherspoon missed the first 10 games of the year due to suspension. The Bulldogs still have the SEC’s best player in Reggie Perry and two high-level wings in Robert Woodard and D.J. Stewart, but it remains to be seen if Ben Howland can get this team to be committed defensively. If Mississippi State advances to the finals of the SEC Tournament, it will likely be in position to hear its name called on Selection Sunday. If it wins the SEC Tournament, it will be a trendy pick to be a sleeper in the field of 68. And remember, the Bulldogs are also more than capable of losing their first game in the quarterfinals. Why? This is March.
WCC
NCAA Tournament Locks: Gonzaga, BYU, Saint Mary’s
On The Bubble: None
Potential Bid Stealer To Watch: San Francisco
The Skinny: The WCC’s top three teams — Gonzaga, BYU, and Saint Mary’s — are all in position to be single digit seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga is locked in to be one of the top four when the brackets are announced next Sunday while BYU could potentially play its way to a three seed in the field of 68 if it wins two games this week in Las Vegas. And San Francisco? 34-year old Todd Golden has quietly done one of the best jobs among first-year head coaches in college basketball this season, leading the Dons to 22 wins entering Monday’s semifinal showdown with Gonzaga. San Francisco has won five straight games.
