When the braintrust of NCAA basketball announced they were potentially expanding to a 96 team tournament and after Jennifer Hudson got more airtime in One Shining Moment than Duke did, I felt my favorite non-fiancee related pasttime slipping away from me like the hair over Jamie Dixon’s Penalty Spot (his combover/combback is reaching Gene Keady proportions). Then, in a Lost-like twist, the NCAA chose to respect the game and not let money make all their decisions. They may have used the 96 as an elaborate flim-flam so that they could sneak the total to 68 without much grief, but 68 makes so much more sense than the completely irrelevant 65. If the NCAA decides to use the extra teams as a bubble buster battle it could be as exciting as the traditional opening round games since the matchups are as close seed wise as any can be in the first round.
While we don’t know if the 15-16 seeds or the 12-13 seeds will be dancing in the play-in games, we do know that the 2011 NCAA tournament will have the best framework ever for a sporting event. Four channels (CBS, TNT, TBS, TruTV) will carry all the games when four regionals are going at once and while the Network formerly known as Court TV doesn’t seem like a good fit for college hoops, it won’t matter if the traditional CBS broadcast teams are doing the games. America loves Ian Eagle and JimSpanarkel regardless of how high the channel number sits on your cable box. Also, with the announcement, I’m $69 richer since I don’t have to pay for the Mega March Madness package this St. Patty’s Day month to see my favorite Big East powers via my satellite in Denver.
The annual mass exodus of players trying to be “Costanza: Lord of the Idiots” offered few surprises, but did leave the defending champs in the pole position for 2011 with a rematch of the greatest title game since 1985 evaporating with Gordon Heyward’s declaration to enter the draft without an agent. Heyward, Greg Monroe, and Kyle Singler provided the only real intrigue of the early entry period, so with mad respect for the NCAA, check out this preseason 68.
68 to 55: Jackson St., Lehigh, Jacksonville, Morgan St., Winthrop, Robert Morris, Stephen F. Austin, Boston, North Texas, Princeton, Weber St., Oakland, Pacific, Kent St.- The cheating against Bobby Mo in their 2-15 game with Villanova was worse than Scottie Reynold’s girlfriend’s activities with Corey Fisher. Bobby Mo’s little guards are fantastic for the NEC, Winthrop is Winthrop, and Weber St.’s Damian Lillard is the stud of the Big Sky, a title which normally goes to a horse in that region.
54. Siena- They lose Fran McCaffery who has coached the crap out of Siena to Iowa, but the Saints can keep it rolling. Why McCaffery would leave Siena after all his success and patience for Iowa, when he could actually go into a good situation is so bizarre. Good luck at Iowa where you have a required number of white players on the roster per section 7, line 9, clause iv of his contract.
53. Indiana- This selection is crazier than a ACC lacrosse player, but Maurice Creek’s injury last year was a killer for the Crimson and Crean. Creek, as a freshman, was scoring 16.4 ppg when he went down and hung 31 on Kentucky with a jumper for all ranges. Creek can stroke it from distance and rise up over defenders in the lane on pull-ups.
52. St. John’s- This one isn’t as wild because the Johnnies are senior-laden, but Steve Lavin is a horrible coach so nobody should pick the Red Storm to make the tournament. However, St. John’s will be one of 10 Big East teams in the field next year.
51. Seton Hall- Continuing the Catholic block of the Big East, Seton Hall gets in this season because they are way too talented not too and they might actually have a coach now in Kevin Williard, not just the My Bloody Valentine 2′s killer stalking the sideline.
50. Minnesota- The Big 11 in 2010= boring + strong.
49. Marquette- Continuing the Catholic tradition of this column, Marquette will get in the tourney again, because they are always tough, no matter who the coach. Freshman point guard Vander Blue is fantastic too.
48. UCLA- Don’t think they are going to be down again even if Ben Howland’s monotone makes you fall alseep quicker than Big 11 football.
Durand Scott will become a star as a sophomore for Miami.
47. Miami- Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott will be the second best backcourt in the ACC (behind Duke). The scare they gave Duke in the ACC tourney for 30 minutes was also proof this team is ready to step up in what should be a weak ACC.
46. Cincinnati- Lance Stephenson might have actually been good for this team in 2010-2011, but “the Cancer” is gone and the Bearcats need to open up the Gates to the post.
45. Vanderbilt- AJ Ogilvy should not have left, but Jeffrey Taylor and John Jenkins are really young and already really good. Vandy might not make it out of a good conference, but somebody has to survive the SEC.
44-43. Louisville, Florida St.- These two teams do nothing for me, but raise your hand if you think Pitini misses the NCAA tourney.
42. Wichita St.- Northern Iowa loses everything, so the MVC will have a contender. It’s Man-Law.
41. Ole Miss- They lost Terrico White to the draft and if you had not heard of him, he could really play. Otherwise, this team underachieved like Eminem’s love-life, but they have everybody else back.
40. Arizona- Five non-conference losses to NCAA tournament teams and a 10-8 record in conference mean Arizona’s 16-15 record was not as bad as it looked. Nic Wise runs out of eligibility, but Sean Miller can coach and four starters plus the entire bench should bring quality basketball back to Tuscon even if Lute Olsen tried to destroy it, thus protecting his legacy.
39-38. Wofford, St. Louis- Nobody will want to play these guys next year. St. Louis was awesome down the stretch last season and maintains their complete roster, while Wofford scared the bejesus out of Pitt and Wisconsin last year, so don’t be surprised if the Terriers are more pitbull than puppy in 2011.
37-36. Utah St., Clemson- Yawn…
35. Murray St.- Anybody remember how they probably should have beat Butler in the second round?
34-33. Notre Dame, Old Dominion- Great first round game in 2010 and both should be good again, unless of course Mike Brey can’t keep it in his pants or get his arse kicked by Chris Zorich.
32. Georgia- Andy Katz loves them, I love Andy Katz, I love Georgia. They did beat Illinois, Georgia Tech, St. Louis, Florida, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and blew one with Kentucky, so Katz might be on to something for the Bulldogs who have one of the highest fliers in the land:
31.-30. San Diego St, Richmond- Both teams could easily win their leagues next year and both have strong lineups returning. Who would have thought that after all these years, that Steve Fisher could still coach?
PART TWO: 29-1 to be continued on May 18…
