NCAA Spec Sheet 3/6

KJ's 2006 NCAA Bid Spec Sheet
Picks as of 3/6

Penn became the first team with a guaranteed slot Friday, as they clinched the Ivy League title. Since that league is the only D-1 conference without a conference tourney, their league clinch gets them a dance ticket. Over the weekend Belmont, Winthrop, Southern Illnois , Murray State and Davidson also punched their dance ticket as well The West Coast Conference MAAC and Colonial play their championship games tonight. Only the Missouri Valley looks to be a conference that may get multiple bids of the conferences that crowned champs this weekend. Also only in the event the Gonzaga gets beat will their be multiple bids from the West Coast. The Colonial is just as crazy as a couple teams are deserving of bids.

Atlantic Coast
Locks Duke, Bost College, UNC, NC State
Work to Do Florida State
Win it to get in it Field
KJ Sez: Forget Duke, UNC might be the team no one wants to deal with. Fla. State is still in the work to do column, though they are looking more and more like a lock.
Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament: Mar 9-12 Greensboro Coliseum; Greensboro, NC

Atlantic 10
Lock George Washington
Win it to Get in it Charlotte
KJ Sez: You know, maybe G-Dub isn't in as much danger of losing their 2 seed as I thought. A 1 seed may be a stretch, but possible. The Colonials finished a perfect A-10 season with a thrilling OT win versus a snakebit Charlotte team. The Niners are NIT bound unless they win it all. Which is something the big boys don't want to happen.
Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament: Mar 8-11 US Bank Arena, Cincinnati

Big East
In- W. Va, UConn, Pitt, Villanova, Marquette, Georgetown, Cincy
Work To Do Seton Hall, Syracuse
KJ Sez: Syracuse may have blown their to bits with an abysmal blowout loss to lowly Depaul and a senior day thumping by 'Nova While the Cats have struggled, getting a woodshed treatment does more harm. The Cuse is trouble. Seton Hall may have locked themselves in with a stunna at Pitt and Cincy got a badly needed win against West Virginia. In short, the Cats and Pirates are doing what they need to do to get in and the Orange are trying to play their way out. Big East Conference Tournament: Mar 8-11 Madison Square Garden, New York

Big 10
In Illinois Michigan Wisconsin, Iowa , Michigan State, Ohio State
Work To Do Indiana
Win It to Get in it Minnesota
KJ Sez: Gee this sounds like something I said last year. Everyone squawks (Jay Bilas the loudest) that Indiana should get in, why? They lost 7 of 8 at one point. Yes they have played a decent non-conference schedule, but their only notable win came against UK and that was soooo long ago. The committee wants to see what a team has done lately and they are doing nothing to impress me or the committee. If they don't take a 1st round plunge, I'll entertain talk of them getting in. Big Ten Conference Tournament: Mar 9-12 Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Big 12
Locks Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas , Texas A&M
Work To Do Colorado
Win It to get in Nebraska
KJ Sez: Nebraska needs to get to the Big 12 finals, if not win to have a shot. Colorado went from In to needing work as they have gotten repeated blastings. With lots of deserving bubble teams, the Buffs had better get right or get left on Selection Sunday
Big 12 Conference Tournament: Mar 9-12 American Airlines Center, Dallas

C-USA
In Memphis
Work To Do UAB
Win it to Get In it UTEP
Bandit Sez:The C-USA tourney is set up perfect for a Tiger victory parade and only UAB could even hope to stop it. Memphis is playing on its home court and will get the early game times all the way to the Saturday morning final. IF UTEP wants to crash this party they had better hope to play their best right now.
Conference USA Tournament: Mar 8-11 FedEx Forum, Memphis.

Colonial
Lock George Mason
Work To Do Hofstra
Win It To Get in it UNC-Wilmington
KJ Sez: George Mason is safe despite their semifinal loss, Hofstra should get in, if UNCW wins it'll make it harder for some of the other bubble teams.
Colonial Athletic Association Conference Tournament Final: Hofstra vs UNC-Wilmington 7p- Richmond Coliseum, Richmond Va.

Mountain West
Lock San Diego State
Work To Do Air Force Win It to Get In it BYU
KJ Sez: SDSU is safe unless they lose the tourney opener. Air Force and BYU may be playing an elimination game Friday night. BYU may just need to run the table.
Mountain West Conference Tournament: Mar 7, 9-11 Pepsi Center; Denver

Mid-American
Locks- either Akron, Kent St but not both
Work To Do Miami, Northern Illinois
KJ Sez: Akron and Kent are on opposite sides of the MAC Bracket and may face off in the title game, Miami's best chance to get a serious look is to ruin that equasion and upset Kent in the MAC semis. NIU is guaranteed nothing unless they get to the MAC title game themselves
Mid American Conference Tournament: Mar 6 (Campus Sites) Mar 9-11 Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland

Missouri Valley
Clinched Bid Southern Illnois
Locks Wichita State, Northern Iowa, Bradley
Hoping for the Best Missouri St, Creighton
Bandit Sez: Salute the Salukis! They held off a game Bradley squad to earn a Tournament bid and will rest easy. The Braves have forced their way into the picture with an impressive run to the MVC title game. The Shockers and Panthers have impressive resumes and should be in. On the other hand, Missouri State put themselves in deep trouble as did Creighton with their first round losses. The winner and three at larges get in.
Missouri Valley Conference Winner: Southern Illinois

Pac-10
In UCLA, Cal, Washington, Arizona
Work To Do Stanford
Win It To Get In It USC
KJ Sez:If Stanford beats Arizona they might just get in, USC has got to beat Cal, and likely Washington to get a serious look.
Pacific 10 Conference Tournament: Mar 8-11, Staples Center; Los Angeles

Patriot
Lock Bucknell
Win It To Get In It Holy Cross
Hoping for the Best Lehigh
Bandit Sez: Holy Cross has four days to figure how to beat the rampaging Bison on their home court. If they can they will get a bid. Bucknell will go regardless. Lehigh's loss leaves them the odd man out
Patriot League Tournament Final: Mar 10th-4:30p Holy Cross at Bucknell- Sojka Pavillion; Lewisburg, PA

SEC
Locks Tennessee, Florida, LSU, 'Bama, Arkansas, UK
Win It To Get In It Field
KJ Sez: UK's win in Knoxville gets them in...grudgingly. Even despite their senior day thumping by Florida. Unless something screwy happens in Nashville the aforementioned five get in. Southeastern Conference Tournament: Mar 9-12 Gaylord Events Center; Nashville

WAC
Lock Nevada
Win It To Get In It Field
KJ Sez: Nevada is the only true lock here. The WAC tourney is on their floor and the tourney bid is theirs to lose
Western Athletic Conference Tournament: Mar 9,10 &12 Lawler Events Center, Reno, NV

West Coast In Gonzaga
Win It To Get In It Field
KJ Sez: The big boys breathed a huge sigh of relief when Gonzaga gutted out a tight OT win versus a better than advertised USD squad, now they have to hope that Loyola Marymount doesn't pull off the mammoth upset, so the Bulldogs will not take an at-large bid.
West Coast Conference Tournament Championship: Loyola Marymount at Gonzaga- 10p McCartney Athletic Center Spokane, WA

Automatic Bid Clinched: Penn (Ivy) Winthrop (Big South), Belmont (Atlantic Sun), Southern Illnois (Missouri Valley) , Murray State (Ohio Valley) and Davidson (Southern Conference) 1 bid conferences (tourney winners): Tourney winners of the following will get the auto bid with no other expected at-large bid from the conference: Amer. East, Atlantic Sun (Belmont), Big Sky, Big South (Winthrop), Big West, Horizon, Ivy (Penn), MAAC, MEAC, Mid-Continent, Northeast, Ohio Valley (Murray State), Southern (Davidson), Southland, Sun Belt, SWAC
This list is under the provision that no are wild card/cinderellas in their respective tourneys. That won’t happen right?