Dead or Alive March 9

What a Saturday of College Basketball.  By my count, we lost 39 teams and moved two teams into the AUTO category.  With all those losses, I still don't believe that any team warrants Zombie status.  Detroit, Murray State, and Robert Morris had good seasons, but whether it's RPI, top wins, or Strength of Schedule, they don't have the profiles to make the dance.  Next 8 days will bring some Zombie teams, don't worry.  Here are the teams that died or lived on a crazy Saturday...

DEAD:
America East - NEW HAMPSHIRE, HARTFORD, BINGHAMTON, MAINE
Southern - GEORGIA SOUTHERN, FURMAN, UNC-GREENSBORO, WESTERN CAROLINA
Big South - VMI, GARDNER-WEBB
Atlantic Sun - MERCER
Northeast - WAGNER, ROBERT MORRIS
Patriot - LEHIGH, ARMY
Missouri Valley - INDIANA STATE, ILLINOIS STATE
MAAC - SIENA, CANISIUS, RIDER, LOYOLA (MD)
Colonial - DREXEL, HOFSTRA, WILLIAM & MARY
Ivy - PRINCETON
Horizon - DETROIT, GREEN BAY
Ohio Valley - MURRAY STATE,
Sun Belt - ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE, SOUTH ALABAMA, TROY
Summit - IUPUI, SOUTH DAKOTA
West Coast - LOYOLA MARYMOUNT, SAN DIEGO
Atlantic 10 - ST. BONAVENTURE
Big Sky - EASTERN WASHINGTON, SACRAMENTO STATE



AUTO BIDS:
Atlantic Sun - FLORIDA GULF COAST (First bid ever.)
Ohio Valley - BELMONT (Nobody wants to play these guys.)
Ivy - HARVARD (2 straight bids, three straight Ivy League titles.)



STANDINGS:
TEAMS             347
DEAD               136            
AUTO                  3                                                
LOCK                  0
ZOMBIE              0
ALIVE              211                           

We have 14 more conference tourney games on the slate for Sunday.  No tourneys get started on Sunday, but we have two championship games.  Here they are, and who I like.

Big South - Liberty vs. Charleston Southern
With 20 losses, Liberty has a chance to be a true Cinderella and pack their bags to Dayton, OH, ha.  I don't think they get it done, but it would be pretty cool if they did.

Missouri Valley - Wichita State vs. Creighton
Wow, awesome game.  Glad it came down to these two.  They've played two great games already this year.  No bid stealers in the MVC for the first time in awhile.  I still like Creighton because they have the best player on the floor in McDermott.  I always say, the most dangerous teams are the ones that have a guy that can take over if need be.  Either way, the loser will be the first team in the LOCK category.

7 days until Selection Sunday.

But even more important than these title games and other tourney games is the game at noon on CBS.  Temple vs. VCU.  HUGGGGEEEEE game for the Owls.  I think they get it done, and in a convincing fashion.  Senior day, chance for a first round bye in the A10 tourney, chance to lock up a bid.  VCU gets their points off of steals and creating ummm, havoc or something.  You can't speed up the slowest player in the league, Khalif Wyatt.  As long as Temple doesn't try to play VCU's game, I think they'll take care of business.  Crazy to think they could get a bye after a home loss to Duquesne put them at 5-5 in the conference.  Oh well, LET'S DO THIS!!!!!!



Any thoughts on what you saw yesterday?  What do you think of some of the bubble teams wins and losses?  I didn't have time to mention those, but there were some bursts and some survival wins.

Til next time, thanks for reading.

Curt