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.