CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK!!!!

Here we are, second best week of the year is here.  Last chance for some bubble teams to make a statement and get in the dance.  Sunday saw another 16 teams lose out on their chance, one punched their ticket, and one more was added to the Zombie line. George Mason was close to the Zombie line but with a 79 RPI, I had to bury them for good.  Here is the rundown on that...

Added to the dead column...

Northeast - Wagner, Quinnipiac
Colonial - Old Dominion, George Mason
Missouri Valley - Illinois State
Metro Atlantic - Siena
America East - Albany, Hartford
Southern - UNC Greensboro, Elon
Sun Belt - Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Lafayette, South Alabama, Arkansas-Little Rock
Summit - North Dakota State, Oakland

Automatic Bid taken by...
Creighton wins the Missouri Valley Conference and should be looking at a top 8 seed in the tourney.

Dead but still alive, Zombie additions....
Metro Atlantic - Iona
(I understand they are a long shot and most have them out, but I'm just not ready to put them in the dead column.  They have a 41 RPI right now and they are 5-3 against the Top 100.  I say they are still in the conversation.)

BREAKDOWN

ALIVE                            200
AUTO BID                       4
AT LARGE LOCK           1
ZOMBIE                           2

DEAD                             144

TOTAL                           344

Two more tourneys start on Monday the 5th.  Here are my quick predictions....

MID AMERICAN
Hmm, I'll go with the Bobcats of Ohio.  Yeah, that's my alma mater, but there is more to my prediction then just that.  They destroyed Akron this year, they beat Buffalo twice, they destroyed Kent, they just play to their competition too much and seem to not be motivated all the time.  Well, with an auto bid on the line, they'll be motivated and they'll get it done and get to the dance for the second time in three years.

MID-EASTERN
Savannah State has ripped off 13 straight and looks to have this one in the bag.  Would take a major upset to knock them off.

Four more championship games on Monday night.  Just a reminder of my predictions from earlier in the week...

Colonial - I took VCU, still think they will win it.
Metro Atlantic - I took Iona, they bowed out, so it'll be Farfield or Loyola, MD.
Southern - I took Davidson and they are still the favorite.
West Coast - My BYU pick fizzled out, so it'll be either Gonzaga or St. Mary's, the best of the West.

Only looking at about 9 teams to go down on Monday, weak day, but still important.  Enjoy.

Curt