Big Dance Update
Who already has an invitation, who needs connections to make the party
Plus - conference tournamnets
are underway (scroll down for
matchups)
By D-Wil
allsportsinsider.com
We?re gonna let you get a head start on who to research for your brackets. Starting with ?The Locks? and ending with ??be the bubble,? these are the teams allsportsinsider is projecting to go dancing in March.
At the moment we have 50 teams listed that, barring an amazing run by a surprise team in a major-conference tournament, have a realistic shot at and invitation to the Big Dance. As we approach the conference tourneys, some teams may be added and some teams will definitely fall off the charts.
We?ll update this tale of the road to the Big Dance as it progresses.
The Locks, by conference
ACC - Duke, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, North Carolina
Atlantic 10 - St. Joseph?s Hawks
Big 10 ? Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin
Big12 ? Oklahoma State, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Texas Tech
Big East ? Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Providence, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Boston College
Conference USA ? Cincinnati, Memphis, UNC-Charlotte, Alabama-Birmingham, Louisville
Pac-10 - Stanford
SEC - Mississippi State, Kentucky, South Carolina, Florida, Vanderbilt, Alabama
Others - Gonzaga
That?s 33 teams. Now, include these 17 conference winners only teams?
CAA
MAC
MAAC
MEAC
SWAC
American East
Atlantic Sun
Big Sky
Big South
Horizon
Ivy
Mountain West
Northeastern
Ohio Valley
Southern
Southland
Sun Belt
?and you?re left with choosing 14 teams from the following list.
See the bubble? be the bubble. These teams need a run in their respective conference tournaments
Florida State, Maryland, Dayton, Richmond, Xavier, Colorado, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Villanova, Michigan, DePaul, St. Louis, Marquette, BYU, Washington, LSU, Georgia.
All of these teams are from big-name conferences. They still have a week to play themselves into a better position or play themselves out of Big Dance consideration.
It'll be a fun week to watch.