Southland (2 pointer)

1st Round: #1 Stephen F. Austin over #8 SE Louisiana, #5 UT-Arlington over #4 Texas A&M Corpus-Christi, #3 Sam Houston St. over #6 UT-San Antonio, #2 Nicholls St. over #7 Texas St. 

Semi’s: The Ringmaster over UT-Arlington, Sam Houston St. over Nicholls St. 

Champion: Stephen F. Austin 3:16

Thoughts: I was shocked to see that this was a 2 point conference, and glad to see that Pat started the Stone Cold references with Stephen F. Austin. 

Big Ten (3 pointer)

1st Round: #9 Northwestern over #8 Minnesota, #6 Penn St. over #11 Indiana, #10 Iowa over #7 Michigan

2nd Round: #1 Michigan St. over Northwstern, #5 Ohio St. over #4 Wisconsin, #3 Purdue over Penn St., #2 Illinois over Iowa

Semi’s: Michigan St. over Ohio St., Purdue over Illinois

Champion: Michigan St. 

Thoughts: Agree with Pat both on the crappiness of this conference and Izzo being a great March coach. Seriously though, I’d pick Georgia Tech by 10 on a neutral court against Penn State, what a joke of a conference. Just because all the teams are the definition of mediocre and beat each other doesn’t mean they should all get into the tournament. 

SEC (3 pointer)

1st Round: E4 Kentucky over W5 Mississippi, W3 Mississippi St. over E6 Georgia, E3 Florida over W6 Arkansas, E5 Vanderbilt over W4 Alabama

2nd Round: W1 LSU over Kentucky, E2 South Carolina over Mississippi St., W2 Auburn over Florida, Vandy over E1 Tennessee

Semi’s: LSU over South Carolina, Auburn over Vandy

Champion: LSU

Thoughts: I don’t actually think LSU is good, but they seem to have an easy road to the finals, and although I agree that Tennessee is the most talented team in the conference, I like the Vandy upset. Kentucky really has no business being this bad, and I do see a possibility of them winning this whole tournament too, but they’ve just shat the bed in so many games this year that I’m not putting any faith in them. 

ACC (3 pointer)

1st Round: #8 Virginia Tech over #9 Miami, #5 Clemson over #12 Georgia Tech, #6 Boston College over #11 Virginia, #10 NC State over #7 Maryland

2nd Round: #1 UNC over Virginia Tech, Clemson over #4 Florida State, #3 Duke over Boston College, #2 Wake Forest over NC State

Semi’s: UNC over Clemson, Wake Forest over Duke

Champion: UNC

Thoughts: As a Wake fan, I have more confidence that they’d win a semifinal game over Duke than I do that they’re going to beat either Maryland or NC State in the 2nd round. Like Pat, I really like Florida State in the big dance, but I have to think that Clemson will have some self-respect and not lose to them three times in one year. Aside – Trevor Booker is the most overrated player in the ACC, I haven’t seen him play one game that’s really impressed me. KC Rivers is the real star of that team, and they need Oglesby to have a good game more than they need Booker to have one. I can see UNC losing to either V Tech or Miami and also Florida St., but if they get to the final, I think they’ll win it. And if Wake does win this tournament, beating Duke and UNC along the way, how do they not deserve a #1 seed? I know they won’t get it, partially because the timing of the game, but they will have swept UNC, beaten Duke twice, and be 7-1 against the other top 5 teams in the ACC, along with their road win at BYU. That’s a better resume than Michigan St., Oklahoma, Memphis, and Louisville.