Nyghtewynd
02-28-2007, 12:28 AM
Okay, so I'm not as...um...dedicated as JH4P, but I love conference tournaments. They're not exactly the NCAAs, but they're as close as single-elimination tournaments as a lot of teams can get. And since I'll be the one walking around the tournament with not only a bunch of stats but also the brackets for every other conference tournament, I figured that I ought to share some of these results and what I think they mean. So here goes...
BIG SOUTH: (RPI rank 29, SOS 30)
Winthrop (26-4, RPI 69) did what they had to do so far, winning in a 72-42 laugher over Charleston Southern and getting into the tourney proper held in their home building starting on March 1. While most of the rest of these teams don't really matter in terms of RPI, the closest rival to them took care of business as #2 seed High Point (22-9, 167) got by Radford at home 90-73. The other two home games tonight, though were upsets as six-seed VMI (13-19, 308) got by at Liberty 79-78, and will face High Point next. On the other side, Winthrop will face five-seed UNC-Ashville (12-18, 258), who beat Coastal Carolina 77-64.
Tournament Implications: None. The only thing that's a concern is if Winthrop loses, and I really don't think they get in if they do. Their RPI will be right around 100 or so if they do lose one of these games, and it may be in the mid-70s even if they win.
HORIZON LEAGUE: (Conference RPI 12, SOS 14)
Tonight was the play-in to the play-in, as the top two seeds Butler and Wright State don't have to break a sweat until the semis. #3 seed Loyola gets a pass until the next round, but the bottom six teams began their tourney trip on home courts tonight, and all three games went exactly to form. Loyola draws #6 UIC (14-17, 150) who got a 83-77 home win over UW-Milwaukee tonight. The other two teams play one another in the second round: and that game will feature 4-seed Wisconsin-Green Bay (17-14, 179; winner over Cleveland State 78-59) against five-seed Youngstown State (14-16, 159) who squeaked out an 82-80 win over Detroit.
Tournament Implications: None Yet. But Butler's going to be rooting hard for UIC in the next round, because they would give the Dogs a much easier game than #3 Loyola.
OHIO VALLEY: (Conference RPI 24, SOS 25)
This is the only one of the three tourneys tonight to be a true single-elimination game. No one here's getting an at-large bid, and the only way an NIT team comes from here is if conference champ Austin Peay (20-10, 120) falls in the next three days. It should, however, be one of the most competitive tourneys in the country after today, as the four remaining teams are quite evenly matched in terms of RPI. This one saw one of the four home teams fall as four-seed MURRAY! State lost to Samford (16-15, 168) 70-60. They'll face the top-seeded Governors, who needed overtime to outlast Tennessee State 89-84. The other bracket stayed in form, as two-seed Eastern Kentucky (19-11, 141) bested Morehead State 63-49, and third seed Tennessee Tech (19-12, 136) defeated SEMO 88-60.
Tournament Implications: Not a one. But, as I said, the semis on Friday should be very good games. They're both available on ESPNU if you're one of the eight people who get that channel.
TOMORROW: Three tournaments kick off their first session with play-in games for the Sun Belt and Southern Conferences, and the quarterfinals of the Patriot League features tourney hopefuls Holy Cross and Bucknell.
BIG SOUTH: (RPI rank 29, SOS 30)
Winthrop (26-4, RPI 69) did what they had to do so far, winning in a 72-42 laugher over Charleston Southern and getting into the tourney proper held in their home building starting on March 1. While most of the rest of these teams don't really matter in terms of RPI, the closest rival to them took care of business as #2 seed High Point (22-9, 167) got by Radford at home 90-73. The other two home games tonight, though were upsets as six-seed VMI (13-19, 308) got by at Liberty 79-78, and will face High Point next. On the other side, Winthrop will face five-seed UNC-Ashville (12-18, 258), who beat Coastal Carolina 77-64.
Tournament Implications: None. The only thing that's a concern is if Winthrop loses, and I really don't think they get in if they do. Their RPI will be right around 100 or so if they do lose one of these games, and it may be in the mid-70s even if they win.
HORIZON LEAGUE: (Conference RPI 12, SOS 14)
Tonight was the play-in to the play-in, as the top two seeds Butler and Wright State don't have to break a sweat until the semis. #3 seed Loyola gets a pass until the next round, but the bottom six teams began their tourney trip on home courts tonight, and all three games went exactly to form. Loyola draws #6 UIC (14-17, 150) who got a 83-77 home win over UW-Milwaukee tonight. The other two teams play one another in the second round: and that game will feature 4-seed Wisconsin-Green Bay (17-14, 179; winner over Cleveland State 78-59) against five-seed Youngstown State (14-16, 159) who squeaked out an 82-80 win over Detroit.
Tournament Implications: None Yet. But Butler's going to be rooting hard for UIC in the next round, because they would give the Dogs a much easier game than #3 Loyola.
OHIO VALLEY: (Conference RPI 24, SOS 25)
This is the only one of the three tourneys tonight to be a true single-elimination game. No one here's getting an at-large bid, and the only way an NIT team comes from here is if conference champ Austin Peay (20-10, 120) falls in the next three days. It should, however, be one of the most competitive tourneys in the country after today, as the four remaining teams are quite evenly matched in terms of RPI. This one saw one of the four home teams fall as four-seed MURRAY! State lost to Samford (16-15, 168) 70-60. They'll face the top-seeded Governors, who needed overtime to outlast Tennessee State 89-84. The other bracket stayed in form, as two-seed Eastern Kentucky (19-11, 141) bested Morehead State 63-49, and third seed Tennessee Tech (19-12, 136) defeated SEMO 88-60.
Tournament Implications: Not a one. But, as I said, the semis on Friday should be very good games. They're both available on ESPNU if you're one of the eight people who get that channel.
TOMORROW: Three tournaments kick off their first session with play-in games for the Sun Belt and Southern Conferences, and the quarterfinals of the Patriot League features tourney hopefuls Holy Cross and Bucknell.