Griffin is a lock to go number 1 unless the Clippers get the pick. He will be very good at the next level. Hanborough's lack of foot speed will kill him in the NBA. Havent seen enough of Thabeet to make a judgement though the Pitt game makes him look weak.

Don't like UNC - if they can't beat MD, they will hit a bump in the tourney.

It's UConn-OK in the final, with UConn winning it all.

Providence could get in by default. Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati sure have done a hell of a job showing they don't belong.

Maryland took a step back tonight too. If Providence manages to win at Villanova on Thursday, I can't see how it gets left out.

Is Ok st in and Kansas state out after tonight?

Not quite, but both teams took steps in those directions. They're both still on the bubble, but the Cowboys are on the strong side and K-State's on the weak side for now.

Oklahoma State has good computer numbers, no signature win and no bad losses.

Kansas State has crappy computer numbers, a few signature wins and a few bad losses.

Remember though that both are likely to finish 9-7 in the conference since Oklahoma State finishes at Oklahoma while Kansas State closes at home against Colorado. A lot may still depend on how the two do in the Big XII Tournament.

Is AZ in yet or do they need a run in the Pac10 tourney? I know they are a flawed team but it would be painful to see the Scum Devils in and we have to go to the NIT

A week ago, I would've said they're in. That loss to Arizona State where they came back from 17 down to take the lead, then lose, has kind of put them in a bad way.

Arizona has six wins against the RPI Top 50 (three against the Top 25) and they can get a seventh if they beat Cal at home on Thursday. Right now there's no other bubble team that has more than six. Arizona also has no terrible losses that'll come back to haunt them, i.e. Maryland losing to Morgan State.

If one thing is going to keep Arizona out of the Tournament, it's their piss poor road/neutral record. After these last three losses, they're now 4-9 in road/neutral games with their four wins coming against Oregon State (road), Santa Clara (neutral), Oregon (road) and Mississippi Valley State (neutral). That's why I think they need to win at least one game on a neutral floor in the Pac-10 Tourney, since their last two regular season games are at home.

The disappearance of the three Big East teams and Maryland's loss means they might only have to get to 20 wins to get in, but if no more bubble teams falter, they may need to get to 21. Thursday's game against Cal should be interesting, mainly to see if Arizona is visibly tight or shaken. If they win that, they're back in business, but a fourth straight loss would be really bad news this late.

Providence beat a quality team away from home? Surely you jest. They should wind up with Cincy or Notre Dame in their first game of the Big East tourney, they win that and they are in. Lose and they'll have to sweat it out but will likely still be in unless Cincy or Notre Dame go on to upset UConn, Louisville, or Pitt the next day.

I think Okie St is a lock now. A loss at Oklahoma and they finish with a top 30 RPI. K St might have had a shot with a win last night but their terrible non-conference schedule will not be rewarded by the committee and they may need a run to the B12 finals to have a shot.

Hey Joey, what are your thoughts on Rhode Island? I think they are in if they win out to their conference tourney final but most of the major bubble watches are completely ignoring them. On the surface the resume looks weak but the closer you look at them the better they look. They beat Penn State on a neutral court and only lost by 4 to Oklahoma St. They played a very tough non-conference road schedule going to Duke, Providence, and Villanova and lost by 3 at Duke and 1 at Providence. The committee will also recognize that beating VCU and winning at Northeastern are both quality non-conference wins. They didn't get the luxury of top teams coming to their building like many of the other bubble teams got. I think they'll have a stronger resume than many of the teams they'll be competing with for the final spot.

They have been really unlucky, seven of their eight losses have come by six points or less, but they still lost to Richmond and St. Joe's and don't really have a quality win to balance that out. If they beat UMass on Saturday, they'll be 12-4 in conference with a seven-game winning streak to close the season, but like you said, I think they have to get to the A-10 Tourney Final to be seriously considered. Not sure whether they'll be on the same side of the bracket as Xavier, but they really need a win over the Musketeers to point to. When your best wins are @ Duquesne, @ Northeastern and vs. Penn State, you've got work to do.

There's a sentence I didn't think I would ever here talking about a tourney team (Duquesne is my alma mater). They look like they are turning the corner to respectability.

Question for Ateam, Sniper or any other big hoop fan. Are teams like Pitt or UConn, which will be a 1 or 2 seeds at the worst, have anything to gain by trying to win the Big East Tourny? It seems because of the depth and physical play of that league it takes its toll on teams that have to play 3 or 4 nights in a row.

Please tell me that a KY loss to Georgia will knock them out

Please tell me THE KY loss to Georgia will knock them out

It would be easier to knock Kentucky out
if the if the SEC was better as a whole.

I would have to think Kentucky is gone.

But we still have all the conf. tourneys
for some bad teams to take at Large bids.

Ok St. is a mediocre team in a bad conf.
TExas and Ok. ST. are out 1st round imo.
Missouri also most likely.

If Texas ATM and or Kansas St. make it
without winning the conf. tourney I will
be forced to regurgitate on myself.

Whoa... Missouri beating OU.

It's a good question. Playing in the Garden and establishing yourself as the #1 seed overall in the Tournament may be enough motivation to get them up, but you're right, I wouldn't be shocked to see Pitt or UConn take an early exit.

They're probably done. That was an inexcusable loss. Add that to the choke against LSU and the blowout at South Carolina and they'd have to do a lot of damage in the SEC Tourney to be considered again.

Florida's loss at Mississippi State last night makes Saturday's UK/Florida game very interesting. The loser will finish the season with a four-game losing streak and miss the Tournament, while the winner will still have the slightest pulse.

The Big XII really isn't that bad. It's not the ACC, but it's not the SEC either. I can't see Texas A&M not making it. They've got too many good wins (Arizona, LSU, Texas, Oklahoma State) and no bad losses, good computer numbers and a good road/neutral record. If they beat Missouri, forget it, they're a lock, but I think even without that game, they're in good shape.

For the last time, Oklahoma is not that good. A team like Missouri with a big and deep frontcourt will give the Sooners trouble every time. If they have to rely on their guards against good teams, they get flustered and into trouble.

Of course, Kansas got smacked by Texas Tech last night, so I guess everyone gets a mulligan.

fsu sleeper..

I've never subscribed to any theory that says losses are good for a team. Now, that doesn't mean that some losses aren't OK and won't hurt but I don't think that as a coach or player, you EVER go in thinking that it's ok if you lose. That's just against everything in the nature of a competitor. The stories are legendary about Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and how competitive they were in PRACTICES, never wanting to lose. I think it's really overrated how much of a toll it takes on these kids. They are all 18-22 years old and in prime physical condition. If they weren't playing on this stage, they'd be out at some local gym playing for hours and hours straight, day after day. It's comical when people talk about how players are tired on the second night or third night in a row of playing. They aren't. You want to win every game you play in. Period. For teams like UConn and Pitt, the difference could be between being a #1 or #2. As a #2, you theoretically have a tougher path to the title. Not only that but there is also a big lift to being able to claim the conference title. You may not have a lot to gain by winning the conference tournament title but I think you do lose a bit more by not winning it.

The winner of the UConn/Pitt game will be a #1 for sure. Maybe the loser of that game is in danger of falling behind Memphis, but the winner has nothing to gain except the #1 overall seed.

Assuming that it's Pitt/UConn in the tournament final, yes, a sure #1 spot is guaranteed. But say UConn wins at Pitt on Saturday. If they were to beat them again in the conference title game, they could be looking at a #1 overall. But if Pitt wins Saturday and then UConn wins the final, I don't think either team can get the #1 overall. And if either team were to lose twice, especially Pitt, I don't see that team possibly getting even a #1 seed and they'd possibly fall to a low #2.

I'm not talking about a Pitt/UConn final. They play this Saturday. The winner is a 1-seed.

if i were pitt or uconn , i would rather play UNC in the final 4 then have to play each other again

don't think we see a piit/uconn big east final , 1 will lose

i think either team handles a UNC team that doesn't like to play defense

Almost impossible to imagine any of Pitt, UConn, and NC as anything but a 1 seed. Oklahoma was in that same position before losing to Texas, Kansas, and Missouri in their last four. If Louisville wins the Big East tourney it would make a compelling case for the Big East getting three number 1s. If Michigan State wins their tourney they'd be likely to get the fourth spot. Oklahoma still has a chance if they can win their conference tourney. If all of them fail then it will probably wind up with Memphis by default, a team whose only wins over tourney teams would be Gonzaga and Tennessee who could be 6 and 8 seeds.

Florida-Kentucky and Minnesota-Michigan loom as a couple elimination games this week. Penn St can stamp their ticket with a win tonight against Illinois. Lose and they could be in big trouble. USC must sweep the Oregon schools at home to have a shot. Maryland needs to take care of business at Virginia and they'll probably get in. Texas A&M and Providence are both on the right side of the bubble right now but could assure themselves a spot with a big time win in their finales against Missou and at Villanova. Ohio St needs to get by Northwestern to feel good about their chances. I know everyone has UNLV in for some reason but if they can't win a tough game at San Diego State to get to 10-6 in conference they shouldn't even be in consideration. Assuming they lose how could you put them in at 9-7 in a conference that New Mexico is 12-4 and San Diego St 11-5 in? Should be an interesting couple days, especially after all the bubble wackiness the past two nights.

don't think memphis beat much last year either during the regualr season and got a #1

Last year they beat 7 tourney teams (including 1st and 4th place in the Big East) non-conference and only had one loss compared to three this year.

I totally disagree that Michigan/Minnesota is an elimination game. I think it's absolute lunacy if Minnesota gets left out, especially if Penn State gets in. What the hell else does Minnesota have to do? RPI of 32, SOS of 43, 21-8 and 9-8 in the league, no bad losses, a neutral court win over Louisville, a sweep of Wisconsin, wins over Ohio State and Illinois. Penn State has done OK in conference, but their nonconference resume is embarrassing. The only two decent teams they played (Rhode Island and Temple), they lost to. They split with Minnesota, winning by five and losing by 20. What am I missing?

I also disagree that Maryland just has to beat Virginia. They really blew a chance to cement a bid against Wake, and now they're only 3-8 against the RPI 1-50. I think they need to beat Virginia and win two games in the ACC Tournament to be seriously considered.

Minnesota is at home with everything on the line. If they can't beat a bad Michigan team in that situation the committee will not look favorably on that and they will need a B10 tourney run to have a shot. I agree with you on Penn State, they will be a weak option at 10-8 and I think there is a possibility of the B10 only getting five if Michigan knocks off Minnesota and Penn St winds up 10-8.

The committee loves the ACC, 7-9 will get you in sometimes. At 8-8 they'll be the 7 seed and just need to beat NC St in the play-in round before losing to Duke or Wake in the quarters.

So you think that Pitt could lose to UConn on Saturday, either lose to them again in the Big East final or not even make it to the final.....and they are still a #1? With UNC, Oklahoma/Kansas, and Memphis all winning conference titles? I don't see it. Especially if Louisville were to win the Big East title.

Yes, they would have 5 losses, 3 to 1 seeds, 1 to a 3/4 seed, and 1 to a 10-12 seed.

Oklahoma would have 4 losses, 1 to a 2/3 seed, 1 to a 3/4 seed, 1 to a 8-10 seed, and 1 to a 2-14 team in the SEC.

Memphis would have 3 losses, 2 to 5-7 seeds, and 1 to a 7-11 team in the Big East.

Pitt not only wins on quality of wins but their 5 losses would be far better than Oklahoma's 4 losses or Memphis' 3. They'd also be ahead of both in RPI.

I couldn't see a team that wouldn't be ranked in the top eight getting a #1 seed no matter how much quality was in their losses. They are at #3 now and if they lose Saturday and again in the Big East tourney while those other teams win out, no way are the Panthers getting a #1 even though I agree with you that their losses are better and they are a better team than either Kansas, Oklahoma, Memphis, and Michigan St.

You can forget about Kansas, they got blown out at Texas Tech last night so now have more losses than Pitt would. And I can't see Michigan St either with equal losses and a much weaker resume. The only two that would have a shot are Oklahoma and Memphis and I don't think either should be ahead of Pitt.

I'd say Louisville's still in the discussion if it can win at West Virginia and get to 16-2 in conference. Same goes for Duke with a win at North Carolina.

I was assuming Louisville, Connecticut, and North Carolina would be the #1s under the scenario KG offered of Pitt losing twice. Then I think the fourth spot would be between Pitt, Oklahoma, and Memphis with Pitt holding the edge. Duke would still have to beat North Carolina twice to get a 1 seed which is asking a lot.

So Pitt would be lower ranked than all of them, would be without a conference title and Oklahoma, Memphis, and Michigan State would all have conference titles and Pitt would get a #1? Do you really believe that? We aren't talking about which teams are better here.

I wouldn't discount Minnesota if they lose to Michigan. I think Michigan is considered more of a quality opponent. They did beat Duke, Purdue, UCLA on the road, and gave UConn a rough time.

(They only played Mich. St. once this season. That's weird)

Why would Pitt be ranked lower than Michigan State and Oklahoma?

If they both win out and Pitt loses to UConn on Saturday and again in the Big East tourney, I think they'd be ranked lower.

You know Oklahoma lost last night, right? Pitt will be ahead of them and Michigan State in the final rankings before Selection Sunday. The rankings that come out the day after Selection Sunday are pretty irrelevant. And the committee doesn't care about rankings anyways.

One thing Oklahoma does have working in their favor is that the B12 got smart and moved their tournament final to Saturday. When you have a final late Sunday the committee is largely settled on the bracket and won't make major changes. Waiting until 4 PM to see if you are going to move Oklahoma up to the one line isn't plausible with the amount of work that then needs to go into restructuring the rest of the bracket to avoid first or second rematches.