College Basketball: 2006 March Madness Preview (Men and Women)

[JohnBM01]

GTPlanet, I'm at school and have a bad ZIP Disk drive, so I can't print up my favorites or introduction in this post for now. Expect an update for this thread soon.

Until then, talk about in this thread:

* who will make the NCAA Tournament
* who will miss the NCAA Tournament and go to the NIT
* who will likely be snubbed of a National Title bid
* which conference will deliver the most teams/the fewest teams to the NCAA Tournament
* who is on the bubble come March
* who will completely miss out on any tournament play.

Now note, this is available to both Men's teams and Women's teams. The Men will go to Indianapolis for their Final Four, and the Women will go to Boston for their Final Four. So, comment at will. In the meanwhile, my preview is coming soon.

 

[JohnBM01]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL POSTSEASON: MEN'S PREVIEW

The boys will play in Indianapolis at the RCA Dome (I believe). I also believe that I have some teams I think will make the postseason, especially the NCAA. I don't have extreme confidence and won't select all 64 teams including that extra slot. Last season, a very special team made the NCAA's #65 spot. That team was Oakland University in Oakland or Rochester, MI. What's so special about them? Well, they are the college of GTPlanet's own BlazinXtreme (or BionicXtreme). Sadly, they'd lose to Alabama A&M on Opening Day. I make my list of teams who I think will make the postseason. My picks aren't perfect, but I have made only a few picks as to who may make The Big Dance.

MY POSTSEASON MEN'S PICKS, NCAA
Duke {ACC}
North Carolina {ACC}
Maryland {ACC}
Miami {ACC} (signature win at North Carolina, barely make The Dance.)
Boston College {ACC}

??? {America East}

George Washington {Atlantic 10}
Richmond {Atlantic 10}
Xavier {Atlantic 10} (these Cincinatti boys may scrape NCAA, but NIT is very likely.)

North Carolina-Wilmington {CAA} (best NC team not from a major conference)

Illinois {Big Ten}
Indiana {Big Ten}
Michigan State {Big Ten}
Ohio State {Big Ten}
Iowa {Big Ten) {with all due respect, the new Illinois. Hawkeyes are great in basketball as their football team. May not surpass Sweet Sixteen.)

Texas {Big XII} (Texas are National Champs in football, and with work, could be champs in basketball too. When was the last time a team won a championship in football and in basketball, granted they have a football team? If it's never happened, Texas can make history in March. Best place I see them is Elite Eight or higher.)
Oklahoma {Big XII}
Kansas {Big XII} (barely.)

Connecticut {Big East}
Georgetown {Big East} (They un-unbeaten Duke, then beat Pittsburgh at home. Shown life since the 1980s.)
West Virginia {Big East} (The Morgantown boys have one hell of a winter. Football successful, basketball successful. Sweet Sixteen or higher to me.)
St. John's (may be a lock for the NIT, but playing spoiler to Pittsburgh was an awesome win.)
Pittsburgh {Big East}

Houston {Conference USA} (beat LSU at LSU, then beat Arizona at home. Was ranked.)
Memphis {Conference USA} ("weak conference" or not. They are surely stars.}
Alabama-Birmingham {Conference USA} (may make NIT, but a nice team.}

Wisconsin-Milwaukee {Horizon League} (best team in the Horizon League since Detroit's sort of a disappointment.)

Akron {Mid-American Conference} (may slightly miss out.)
Ohio {Mid-American Conference} (possible.)

Manhattan {Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference} (likely.)

Oral Roberts {Mid-Continent} (best team in conference.}

Northern Iowa {Missouri Valley}
Southern Illinois {Missouri Valley}
Creighton {Missouri Valley}
Wichita State {Missouri Valley} (may make NIT, but still a good team)

Murray State {Ohio Valley}

Washington {Pac-10} (disappointing losses to Washington State, but still a solid team.)
California-Los Angeles {Pac-10}


Louisiana State {SEC} (tough losses to Houston and Connecticut, but still solid.)
Florida {SEC} (once unbeaten, done surprisingly well}
Kentucky {SEC} (may or may not advance. Built surges doing losses.)
Tennessee {SEC} (Once unbeaten and quite solid.)

Alabama A&M {SWAC}

Gonzaga {West Coast Conference} (Morrison is clutch. It would be a shame if they don't make at least the Sweet Sixteen.)



MY POSTSEASON MEN'S PICKS; NIT
This is for teams that are good, but not good enough to make the NCAA. Many of these teams, I give them the benefit of a doubt.

Louisville {Big East}
Niagara {Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference} (slightly disappointing in MAAC, but still solid.










MY POSTSEASON WOMEN'S PICKS; NCAA
Duke {ACC}
North Carolina {ACC} (ladies ranked #1 first time in school history}

Purdue {Big Ten}
Indiana {Big Ten}
Ohio State {Big Ten}

DePaul {Big East} (former C-USA team with great year.}


These are only a few of who I'd want/who will make it/who might make it. So offer your ideas. Oh, and one thing. Don't come up with something like "Savannah State's going to the NCAA and win it all!" You dig? Reply or comment at will.

 

[JohnBM01]

As an update, Wichita State won the MVC championship, even in the midst of Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Creighton, and Missouri State. I'm telling you. The MVC may make a lot of noise in March Madness.

Recently notching up 20+ wins, Northern Arizona and Montana (or Montana State?) had their games as Montana (or Montana State?) won. They may have a chance to make noise in either the NCAA or NIT.

I don't know too much about George Mason or North Carolina-Wilmington, but North Carolina-Wilmington is looking VERY good for March aspirations. I'd like to see them either at the Second Round or have a good run past the Second Round. The highest I'd imagine NC-Wilmington is likely (could happen with luck) the Elite Eight. I don't think the Seahawks will have a performance like Chaminade beating Virginia, but I'd hate to see them not advance to anything higher than the first round. I think people talked a lot about the Missouri Valley, Big East, SEC, Pac-10, and all those other conferences, but I heard almost no one talk about North Carolina-Wilmington. They are in the same conference as... uh... George Mason and George Washington? This is why I mention smaller schools in addition to big ones, because it can be the ones you don't hear about that can make a hell of a lot of noise in the NCAA tournament.

If I come up with any more stuff on ones to watch or who could make The Big Dance, look to this thread in my signature.