Conf. Tourney Futures - Looking for opinions

[Beebs]

thinking about taking some longshots and would appreciate any thoughts.

I might take a flyer on

Tennessee 8-1
Michigan 8-1
Illinois 17-2
VT 10-1

thoughts?

 

[Beebs]

from cbssportsline.com

The Big Ten tournament in 2011 is going to be an exercise in urgency. Three teams (Michigan State, Michigan and Illinois) will most definitely be presented with win-or-worry circumstances.

Others, like Purdue and Wisconsin, won't be under the gun as much, but two and three seeds are out there for the taking. Wisconsin winning the Big Ten would certain garner them a three. Purdue doing it could warrant a two. We'll see.

But let's have some more fun by talking about the worry worms. Illinois going to make the tournament, to be sure, but if it were to lose its first game ? Friday, in the 4/5 tilt against Michigan ? then there's a decent chance the Illini will be sent to Dayton for the First Four. Interesting situation that team's presented with, as it's underachieved all year, but definitely has the resume to keep it safe, despite what would be a bad, opening-round loss.

Michigan, on the other hand, probably needs to win that game to get a bid. The Wolverines have been absolutely ignited by Tim Hardaway, Jr.'s play as of late. You always hear about how a certain sport is better when a certain team is good. Michigan in the NCAAs is a good thing. It's been seldom in the past 15 years, you know? Would love to see maize and blue back in The Dance, especially with ESPN airing that anniversary piece on the Fab Five this Sunday.

Anyway, UM has gotta win to get in, and I think one W is all that's required, believe it or not. Didn't think that would be the case even a week ago. As for Michigan State, well, let's get to the game capsules. These babies tip tomorrow, starting at 2:30 ET.

Northwestern (8) vs. Minnesota (9). Does Northwestern deliver one last heel to the jaw of the Golden Gophers' season? This is the feel-bad-for-you game. Both teams were believed to be at-large worthy back in November and December. But now: shadows of former selves. The loser just drapes the sheet over another lost season. The winner gets sacrificed to Ohio State.

Michigan State (7) vs. Iowa (10). The Spartans are absolutely, 100 percent not going to The Dance if they lose this game. Kalin Lucas (right) can elevate his status in terms of all-time Spartans if he somehow gets MSU to a Big Ten title game. The NCAA tournament is a different beast altogether. With a win here (and, really, again, MSU needs to get its March mojo going and win this game by 15) would put Sparty against Purdue Friday.

Penn State (6). vs. Indiana (11). You know it's a backward year in the Big Ten if Penn State is the sixth seed. Not much to glean from this, I guess. The Nittany Lions are of the bubble picture, but would get on if they won this game, upset Wisconsin, then won again to make the finals. Unlikely. But good on them to navigate near the top half of the conference. Expect Penn State's Talor Battle to put on a show. He could be the one that steals it in Indianapolis this week.

Posted by Matt Norlander

 

[Beebs]

from cbssportsline.com


Thanks to the funky divisional setup of the SEC tournament, some of the league?s most dangerous teams don?t even get a first-round bye. Florida and Kentucky get to skip a day, and that seems legit. But the top two seeds in the West are Alabama (OK, fair enough) and Mississippi State (Whaaaa?). Most college hoops fans wrote the Bulldogs off back when Renardo Sidney spent his holidays punching teammates, but here they are with a day off.

For the first day?s action, East and West teams meet across divisional lines in order to decide who moves on to play the privileged four mentioned above.

W5 Auburn (11-19, 4-12) vs. E4 Georgia (20-10, 9-7), 1:00 p.m. ET

The seeding here is surprising in a way, given the relative situations of these two teams. Georgia seemed primed to challenge for a national ranking at one time, with big-time talents like Travis Leslie (14.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Trey Thompkins (15.8, 7.6) on board. Second year coach Mark Fox couldn?t quite crack the league?s elite teams, but a look at the schedule shows no bad losses in the bunch. This team can still be a force in the postseason with a couple of good wins here. Auburn, on the other hand, struggled mightily under new head man Tony Barbee, who came over from UTEP in the offseason. Barbee got decent performances out of Kenny Gabriel (10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Earnest Ross (13.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg), but this team is not cohesive enough to emerge as a real threat.

The winner of this game will face W1 Alabama (20-10, 12-4) on Friday.

E6 South Carolina (14-15, 5-11) vs. W3 Ole Miss (19-12, 7-9), 3:30 p.m.

The Gamecocks love their little guards. This year, it?s 5-foot-9 Bruce Ellington (13.0 ppg, 3.2 apg), who has been the best player on the floor for an SC team that?s missing last year?s diminutive star, Devan Downey. Ole Miss has had some strong performances out of seniors Chris Warren (18.9 ppg, 3.8 apg) and Zach Graham (14.4, 4.5) in a mostly forgettable season. This game is like the SEC witness protection program, considering how difficult it will be for fans to recognize anyone who plays in it.

The winner of this game will face E2 Kentucky (22-8, 10-6) on Friday.

E5 Tennessee (18-13, 8-8) vs. W4 Arkansas (18-12, 7-9), 7:30 p.m.

Tough season to be a fan of the Vols, eh? The momentum generated by an Elite Eight berth in 2010 has evaporated under the weight of an NCAA investigation into recruiting practices. Bruce Pearl still has dangerous players, most notably Scotty Hopson (17.7 ppg) and Tobias Harris (14.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg). That should be enough to get past an Arkansas team that is once again relying on far too many jumpers from lone warrior Rotnei Clarke (15.1 ppg). Should be.

The winner of this game will face E1 Florida (24-6, 13-3) on Friday.

W6 Louisiana State (11-20, 3-13) vs. E3 Vanderbilt (21-9, 9-7), 10:00 p.m.

Here?s where the divisional imbalance will be most keenly felt. One of the nation?s most dangerous teams, the Vanderbilt Commodores, is forced into playing a first-round game against the miserable mess that is LSU. I don?t think Trent Johnson can expect any mercy under those circumstances. Freshman Ralston Turner (12.8 ppg) has been his best player this season, and that?s not nearly enough to hope for an upset in this game. Vanderbilt has a pretty clear path to the SEC semifinals, and they?ll employ tough defense and the eye-opening play of John Jenkins (19.4 ppg) to make sure that happens. Vandy gets double-digit scoring from Brad Tinsley, Jeffrey Taylor and Festus Ezeli on the regular as well, and Ezeli can be a real difference-maker up front with rebounds and blocked shots as well.

The winner of this game will face W2 Mississippi State (17-13, 9-7) on Friday.