For myself, I catergorize Memphis, Gonzaga & Xavier as "major" programs. And there are no teams from the so-called "Super 6" conferences. So after a couple weeks off & on, doing research in mags & the internet, here are my rankings.....

20. VERMONT (16-15)

The Catamounts finished a dissappointing 4th in the America East conference. But they are the favorites this season with good reason. They return the conference POY in Marqus Blakely, who led the league in scoring, rebounding and blocks at 6'5". Along side him will be PG Mike Trimboli's per game averages of 18 points & 4.5 assists. Add Michigan State transfer Maurice Joseph and some freshmen with size and you've got a squad primed to represent their conference in the tourney.

19. TN-MARTIN (17-16)

The story here is pro prospect, Lester Hudson. He's good for about 3-4 3-pointers a game while pumping in better than 25 points per contest. He's also a master thief, finishing in the top 10 nationaly in steals last season. Marquis Weddle's 17 per game gives the Skyhawks a nice 1-2 punch. If big men Sleepy Massey and Dominique Mpondo can provide some inside production, then Hudson will get a chance to show his skills in the tourney. And who knows what that will lead to.

18. CORNELL (22-6)

The defending Ivy League champs return 4 players who at least made all-Ivy 2nd team. Leading the group is Louis Dale. He poured in 13.7 a game while dishing 5 dimes. Leading scorer Ryan Wittman returns on the wings, with 7-footer Jeff Foote patrolling the paint. Look for Big Red to go unbeaten in the Ivy for the 2nd consecutive year. No one else in the league had fewer than 6 losses in conference play.

17. BELMONT (25-9)

Ask dook the merits of the Bruins. They nearly ousted the Blue Devils the first day of the tournament, coming up 1 point short. Now they return 9 of their top 11 players. This isn't your typical "small" school. Five players are listed at 6'8" or taller. Chief among them is SR Matthew Dotson. Taking care of buisness on the perimeter will be his fellow classmates, swingman Shane Dansby and point Alex Renfroe. The Bruins will have trips to Tennessee and Pittsburgh to show their mettle.

16. CLEVELAND ST. (21-13)
Odd not to see Butler in these rankings. But the fact is the Bulldogs have lost 4 starters from last season's 30 win club. It will be up to the Vikings to carry the Horizon banner. And they are capable. They beat Butler last season as well as Florida St. So they are used to upper competition. J'Nathan Bullock and Cedric Jackson will lead the way. Breyhon Watson and D'aundray Brown join them as returning starters.

15. CHARLOTTE (20-14)

The good news: 9 of 10 starters are back for the 49ers. The bad news: None of the 9 is last year's leading scorer, Leemire Goldwire. The task of leading Charlotte back to the tourney falls on SR F Lamont Mack's shoulders. There is little size on the roster, so the Niners must rely on their shooting from 3. Make enough of them and Charlotte should finish in the top 3 of the A-10.

14. NEVADA (23-11)

Truth be told, the Wolf Pack's presence here is mostly due to past performance. Gone are Marcellus Kemp and JaVale McGee, undoubtedly the best talent in the WAC. And there is only one senior on the team. But Nevada has shown before they know how to navigate their way despite lost talent. Expect guards Brandon Fields and Arnon Johnson to keep the Pack atop the WAC.

13. ILLINOIS STATE (25-10)

This looks to be a down year in the Missouri Valley, consistently among the best of the mid-major conferences. You might see a more top heavy league in 08-09. Expect the Redbirds to be among them. They have one of the MVC's better players for another year in Osiris Eldridge. And they are expecting Dinma Odiakosa to continue his improvement. The key is finding someone to man the point. Their OOC schedule isn't that formidable, so they'll have time to shore that up.

12. VCU (24-8)

The Colonial has fallen in stature since George Mason's miracle run to the Final 4. Case in point, the Rams 24 wins failing to get them an at-large bid for the tourney. Oklahoma is the only "name" on the schedule, so the Rams will probably need to win the conference tourney this year as well. Good thing they are the favorites. Conference assists leader, Eric Maynor, brings his team leading 18 ppg back to Richmond. The mission is to find the pieces to surround him. One of those is sure to be Larry Sanders 3 blocks per game.

11. BYU (27-8)

The Mountain West regular season champs lost C Trent Plaisted early and both starting guards. That means its up to forwards Lee Cummard and Jonathan Tavernari to get the Cougars back to the big dance. Jimmer Fredette will man one of the guard slots and Chris Miles is ticketed to replace Plaisted. How they fill the other guard spot and the bench will go a long way to determining the success of their season.

10. DRAKE (28-5)

The Bulldogs will be hard pressed to repeat last season's surprising record. Not only do they lose 3 contributers to a 28 victory team, but also gone is head coach, Keno Davis. To pick up the pieces will be leading point producer, Josh Young, and their best rebounder, Jonathan Cox. Only 2 other returnees averaged 10 minutes last season. So expect alot of playing time for 3 JUCO transfers. What will also help is the fact the MVC isn't as formidable as in the past.

9. TEMPLE (21-13)

The Owls used a run in their conference tourney to earn an automatic bid last season. This year, they might not need it. Forward Mark Tyndale's elgibility is up. But four starters are back. Dionte Christmas averaged almost 20 a game last year. Big men Lavoy Allen and Sergio Olmos will make sure the Owls aren't short in the paint. To make this season special, Temple needs Luis Guzman to take over the PG position and make it his own. If a true leader doesn't emerge from that spot, the Owls might find themselves needing another A-10 tourney run to make the NCAA's.

8. SIENA (23-11)

Don't laugh. The MAAC rep blew out Vandy in the NCAA 1st round. And all 5 starters return to try to march the Saints further in March Madness. Senior Kenny Hansbrouck and JR's Alex Franklin and Edwin Ubiles provide the triple threat expected to dominate the MAAC this season. And don't be surprised if they make some noise OOC as well. On the slate is Ivy champ, Cornell, as well as Tennessee and Pittsburgh. Oh yeah, and NCAA champ Kansas.

7. SAN DIEGO (22-14)

Maybe the West Coast conference can't match the A-10 or MVC for depth. But you could put their top 3 against any other mid-major conference in the country. The Toreros shocked everyone by earning the WC's automatic bid. Now there are 5 starters back to prove it was no fluke. They have a nice mix of outside firepower w/inside force. Brandon Johnson runs the ship from the point guard position while fellow senior, center Gyno Pomare provides offense in the paint. It should be an interesting race atop the WC this season.

6. CREIGHTON (22-11)

The beauty of Dana Altman's squad is that there is no standout. Only 2 players averaged double digits in scoring last year, yet 9 players did so in minutes. That versitality makes them tough to prepare for. Anyone can step up and be the star on any given night. And all know they need to ready to contribute from the opening tip. P'Allen Stinnett led the Bluejays in scoring last season as just a freshman. JUCO G Justin Carter and his 20ppg/7reb is added to the lineup as well. Sophomore Kenny Lawson will anchor the Jays' efforts in the paint.

5. TULSA (23-11)

Conference USA didn't provide much in the way of competition for Memphis last season. Expect the league to provide more drama for the Tigers. First up is Tulsa. The Hurricanes welcome back 4 of their top 6 scorers from a season ago. Headlining the crew is 7'0" pivot, Jerome Jordan. Many sources say Jordan out performed Hasheem Thabeet over the summer. He provided more than 3 blocks per contest and will be a force in the middle. Leading the offense is off guard Ben Uzoh. Chief project for the Canes was to find a point to glue the whole thing together.

4. UAB (23-11)

Candidate number 2 to challenge Memphis will be the Blazers. Gunner Robert Vaden leads the charge after flirting with going to the NBA. There's more good news with the return of Paul Delaney, who received a medical redshirt after tearing his ACL. Seniors Lawrence Kinnard and Channing Toney bring in 20 more points for the cause, and the minute Aaron Johnson will provide depth at point. The Blazers main concern is finding a way to win when their size disadvantage is more pronounced. But there is enough surrounding the paint to think Mike Davis can get UAB to the Big Dance.

3. ST. MARY'S (25-7)

The Gaels welcome back 4 starters who helped gain 25 wins a year ago. Those victories included Drake, Oregon and Gonzaga. Remember this name: Patrick Mills. The Aussie had a terrific freshman year. Then spent the summer dropping 20 on the Redeem Team in China. He is the deal. And he's got a partner on the inside, Diamon Simpson, who's good for a double-double most nights. He'll also have fellow Aussie, 6'11" Indiana transfer Ben Allen, join returning 6'11" C Omar Samhan in the middle. Stanford and Cal may no longer be the best teams in the Bay Area. That title might belong to the Gaels.

2. UNLV (27-8)

Lon Kruger may be close to bringing the Rebs out of "mid-major" status. He's got the PG in Wink Adams. The wings in Joe Darger & Rene' Rougeau. Now he puts in the mix FR 7-footer Beas Hamga, along w/6'10" Brice Massamba & Memphis transfer Tre'Von Willis. Hamga's defensive presence should allow Darger to excell, now that he won't have to spend time at center. And Willis gives Kruger the luxury of playing different lineups as he sees fit. The Rebs are poised to win the MVC and make a run at the Sweet 16.

1. DAVIDSON (29-7)

No surprise who lands at number 1. The Wildcats became America's darling with their run to the Elite 8. They only lost to the eventual national champs....by 2 points. While Bob McKillop loses 3 key contributors, the main weapon, all-American Stephen Curry, remains. And McKillop always made use of a number of players. However, point Jason Richards will be missed. The graduate ran the offense, set up Curry and others, without turning the ball over. While Curry is expected to take over much of the ballhandling, McKillop's son Brendan is expected to lend a hand. Continued progress is expected from Andrew Lovedale and McKillop also adds Frank Ben-Eze, target of UVa, VT and Marquette. After going unbeaten in Southern play last season, the Wildcats seek a return to Ford Field, this time at the Final 4.

1st Round

Jon Beason (LB) - Miami(FL)
There really wasn't another LB worthy of getting selected in the top half after Patrick Willis went to the Niners. But Carolina had to get one. So dropping down for an extra pick in the 2nd round was a good idea. Beason seems to be a productive player. And he claims his disappointing 40 time was due to a knee injury at the time. So it looks like they maximized their #14 pick's value.

2nd Round (Pick A)

Dwayne Jarrett (WR) - USC
Many people had him as a first rounder till his slow 40 time. But the guy has shown an ability to get open & make big plays. He seems to be in the mold of Keyshawn Johnson, which is good since he's there to show Dwayne the ropes. Carolina needs a 3rd target in the passing game. I was personally hoping it would be addressed with a TE. But with Zach Miller getting selected early in the 2nd, this might have been the best the Panthers could hope for.

2nd Round (Pick B)

Ryan Kalil (C) - USC
Hard to argue with getting the best player at his position with your 3rd pick of the day. When you add the fact they weren't expecting this pick to start the weekend, Carolina fans have to be giddy. I've heard nothing but good things about Kalil. Most credit him with being a good smart leader. Panthers have had tons of injuries on the front, so getting him is great for depth. And might bring them a starter for the next 10 years.

3rd Round

Charles Johnson (DE) - Georgia
Johnson was credited with 9.5 sacks last season. Someone to put the pressure on the other side of Peppers was sorely lacking last year. Johnson's instincts have been questioned. And I would have preferred they select Aaron Rouse here. Fox is a little obsessed w/the defensive front. The Panthers' defensive line isn't what it used to be. But safety is a bigger concern, in my opinion.

4th Round

Ryne Robinson (WR) - Miami (OH)
Worst pick of the Panther draft. Not a knock on Robinson. But WR was not a priority. Maybe Jarrett was too good to pass up, but to select 2 in the first 4 rounds was a waste. They say he can make tough catches & return punts, which reminds you of Steve Smith. But we already have Steve Smith. Again, safety is a need. Josh Gattis from Wake Forest would have been a solid pick here.

5th Round

Tim Shaw (OLB/DE) - Penn State
Shaw is really a tweener. Reports I've read show he's shifted positions in 3 of his 4 years. It shows versitality. But it also means he needs polish. It's been awhile since the Panthers have had a pass rusher from the LB spot. Probably since the Salt & Pepper days.

7th Round

C.J. Wilson (CB) - Baylor
By now, nine safeties have been selected since Carolina's 4th round pick. They say Wilson can play FS, but most sites I see list him at corner. He made the BigXII 2nd team as a senior. But you don't expect much from the 7th round, let alone a 7th rounder from Baylor who maybe asked to play an unfamiliar position.


Overall Analysis:

Probably the best draft the Panthers have had in their history. They maneuvered well & helped them have the best first 2 rounds in the NFL, in my eye. They are going to get alot of use from their first 6 picks. But they shouldn't pat themselves on the back too much. Not picking up a legitimate safety the 2nd day was really a missed opportunity. That misstep costs them an A.

FINAL GRADE: B+

The pessimist in me still refuses to call UNC a favorite to make the Final Four. I'm not one to get  to oelated over a simple 5 game winning streak. And certainly, when you saw the Heels almost completely blow a 27 point lead last night, you can't get overly positive noticing Carolina's inconsistency.

But in watching the Tar Heels play some pretty ugly basketball over the last 5 games, there is one reason for optomism. If you read my last post on the Heels, I lamented that Carolina's biggest problem was leadership. Someone needed to call a player's only meeting & give them the "check your ego at the door" speech. The most optimal candidate to handle that burden was Reyshawn Terry. He was the lone scholarship senior. The one with the most experience. And the talent to provide it on the court.

Problem was, Terry didn't seem to have it in his makeup to provide it. Reyshawn has seemed to have trouble thuout his career with his own confidence, focus and decision making. How could he provide it to his own teammates if he's not able to provide it to himself.

But something happened after that post. Terry called that player's only, check-your-ego-at-the-door meeting. Just before the final game against dook. The Heels responded with their best defensive energy of the season so far. But could that carry over into the next weekend, at the ACC tournament?

Well, while the defense remained, the offense began to sputter at times. There was an ugly victory vs Florida State. Then the Heels were dominating the BC Eagles. But Boston College began to comeback & cut a huge deficit to 9. With the momentum squarely in the Eagles corner, Terry calmly sank a 3 from the corner. A defensive steal & breakaway dunk followed & the Tar Heels were never threatened again.

Next, came the Cinderella Wolfpack. NCSt refused to die. And despite the fatigue, the Pack had cut their deficit to one. Enter once more, Terry. The senior went on a personal 8-2 run. First came a jumper from the baseline. Then a 3pt play as he hit the floor. When the Pack went to a zone, the Heels could do nothing more than pass the ball around the perimeter. Terry grabbed as the shot clock reached critical and calmy sank a 3 point basket over Atsur. State never got within 3 after that.

Last night Eastern Kentucky got on a roll. After looking as bad as you possibly can, the Colonels nearly erased a 27 point hole. After the underdogs cut it to four, Terry responded by scoring 13 of his 18 points. Making 6 of 6.

This is what the Heels have needed all season. Someone to step up and make the big baskets late in the game. When the pressure is at it's highest, every team needs that player everyone trusts to make the play that turns the tide. Reyshawn has seemed to have an epiphany these last 2 weeks.

Maybe its later than we wanted. But it couldn't have come at a better time.

The aftermath of Selection Sunday is always the same. Some teams are happy & elated. Most are miffed. For a few, its because they felt disrespected in seeding. Most are dissapointed in a team that didn't reach expectations. And then there are those who feel they should have been selected for the NCAA tournament and were left out. For those fans, there is anger & bile hurled at the committee because of some percieved slight.

But this year, those teams have no beef. The loudest crying has come from Syracuse, Missouri State & Kansas State. The reality is, those teams did not do enough to be included in the dance.

Syracuse

This whining from upstate New York irritates me the most. The Orangemen sat up in the Carrier Dome all through 2006 playing out-of-conference (OOC) schools with no chance of making the NIT.  The only road game was a visit to Canisius. They played Oklahoma State at "neutral" Madison Square Garden. A loss. When you consider the Cowboys didn't beat one team in an opponents' gym, that's a real indictment of Syracuse's tourney worthiness. The Orange didn't beat one OOC team with a chance at an at large bid.

"But they won 10 Big East games," you say?

So what? If the Big East had round-robin schedules, I'd give that some credit. But they don't. Would a team winning 22 games overall merit better consideration than one that won 21? Of course not, because both of those teams wouldn't have played exactly the same teams. So why would 10 Big East wins necessarily be better than 9 if both schools didn't play the same schools the same amount of times?

Syracuse never played any of the BE's top 5 finishers twice. Marquette had to play the Pitt & Louisville twice. Villanova had to play the Hoyas & Irish twice. So of course they had a comparable BE record. Villanova's 9 wins are just as good, if not better, than Syracuse's 10. & Marquette's 10 is definitely better than the Orange's. When you put a so-so BE season with a nondescript, & frankly, cowardly, OOC schedule, Syracuse doesn't deserve inclusion.

Missouri State

Here's one that puzzles me. Why do people feel the Bears should be in the tournament? They had as mediocre a season as you can get. Somehow they manage to get a 36 rpi. Through no fault of their own, I can tell you that. The only thing that stands out is a win vs Wisconsin on a neutral court. They had other chances to make some noise. Two games each vs Southern Illinois & Creighton, the top dogs in the MVC. But they came out w/L's in each of those games. And when they got a 3rd chance vs Creighton in St.Louis, they failed again.

So why is Missouri State's rpi so high? The only explanation I can find is that they benefited from what the teams they played did, not what the Bears accomplished themselves. And you should earn your spot on your own, not on the backs of the teams you play.

Kansas State

The meat of the argument for K-St is the comparison to Texas Tech. The Wildcats finished w/a better conference record than the Raiders & beat them by 20 in the Big XII tournament. But that's not telling the entire story.

K-St played a much easier conference schedule. Much, much easier. The only top 5 Big 12 team they played twice was Kansas, losing both. However, they did get to play Iowa St, Colorado, Nebraska & Missouri twice. Of the Wildcats 10 Big XII wins, 9 came against the bottom 7 of the league.

People forget that Texas Tech beat K-St in the regular season. In Manhattan. TxT had to face the Horns & Aggies twice. They swept A&M, plus beat Kansas. Now add an OOC schedule that had Air Force, Marquette, Arkansas & UNLV. K-St played just 2 teams in the rpi's top 40 in their OOC.

Its easy to see why K-St was passed over for the Red Raiders. What's distateful is people "making" me an advocate of a #### Knight team, whom I despise.

Drexel

I will conclude by saying there is one school that should be upset. Drexel. The NCAA says mid-majors have to play good competition in order to gain at large bids. And their own conference does not qualify. The problem is, those major schools that are considered "good competiton" refuse to play the Drexels of the world in their own gym. So the Dragons did what they were forced to do. Play these teams on the road w/no hope of ever seeing them visit their campus. Not only that, but try to win @ those places.

Thing is, the Dragons succeeded. They beat Villanova @ 'Nova. They beat road warrior Syracuse in the Carrier Dome. And they took care of Creighton @ the Blue Jays place in Nebraska. They took on the committee's Herculean task & came out victors.

And yet, they are still NIT-bound. Why? In all likelihood, because of an 0-2 record vs Old Dominion. The good competiton in the conference. Sounds fair doesn't it? Give them, & other like them, a losing proposition, see them come out winners, & then make them losers anyway.

How they let Stanford in ahead of them, I'll never know. Eighteen, count 'em, 18! non-champion teams had better rpi's than the Cardinal and are not in the tournament. That includes Air Force, who beat them by 34. In Stanford's building. And Santa Clara beat them by 16. IN STANFORD'S BUILDING!!! How in the world did this team look to be good enough to make the field? If they finished on a hot streak, maybe I could see it. But they went 4-7 to finish the year. The only win in their last 5 was the basement school of the Pac 10, Arizona State.

Drexel has a right to feel snubbed.

Here's a breakdown of the bubble teams.

Illinois 23-11; t4th Big 10
RPI:31
OOC wins: Bradley (39), Missouri (90)
Notes: Had a favorable schedule in getting to play Wisc & OhSt @ home only. Lost both games.


Air Force 22-8; t3rd Mt West
RPI:32
OOC wins: Tex Tech (53), Stanford (66)
Notes: After starting 6-1, limped to the finish w/a 6-7 record. Lost last 4.

Missouri St 21-10; 3rd MVC
RPI:35
OOC wins: Wisconsin (5), Toledo (93)
Notes: Wisconsin is a good win. But all of their other tough games were losses. Creighton x3, S.Ill twice, Ok St & Winthrop.

Arkansas 21-12; t3rd SEC west
RPI:37
OOC wins: S.Ill (6), W.Virginia (59)
Notes: Finishing w/a flourish, which is what the committee wants to see. I would guess they would also want a SEC-W rep in the tourney.

Old Dominion 24-8; 2nd CAA
RPI:40
OOC wins: G'twn (10), Toledo (93)
Notes: Beating the Hoyas on the road looks good now, but came when they were starting out slow. More important, IMO, is beating fellow bubble buddy Drexel (45) twice. It gives them a distinct advantage.

Purdue 21-11; t4th Big 10
RPI:41
OOC wins: Virginia (54), DePaul (68)
Notes: Beat bubble buddy Illinois in their only matchup. Unlike Illinois, they had to play Wisc & OHSt 3 times, 2 of them on the road.

Flor State 20-12; t8th ACC
RPI:42
OOC wins: Florida (7), Providence (76)
Notes: I'm not a big promoter of "good" losses, but the 'noles did play Wisc, Pitt, UNC & dook all on the road, beating the devils. Also split w/MD & won a do or die w/Clemson.

Oklahoma St 21-12; t4th Big 10
RPI:44
OOC wins: Pitt (4), Missouri St (35), Syracuse (51)
Notes: Zero road wins. Won only 5 of their final 15. Beating the Aggies in the tourney may save them.

Drexel 22-8; 4th CAA
RPI:45
OOC wins: Villanova (19), Creighton (20), Syracuse (51)
Notes: Those wins above were all on the road. Somehow, managed to lose to Penn, Rider (200) & William & Mary (198). Sweep to ODU looms large.

Vandy 19-11; t2nd SEC East
RPI:49
OOC wins: Ga Tech (52), Toledo (93)
Notes: Unimpressive OOC resume. They have to make it on their SEC play alone. Sweep of Kentucky, & wins vs Florida & Tennessee. Back to back losses to Arkansas.

Syracuse 22-10; t5th Big East
RPI:51
OOC wins: Holy Cross (62), Hofstra (72)
Notes: Like Vandy, they'll have to depend on their record inconference. Beat Marquette on the road. Victories vs 'Nova & G'twn.

Ga Tech 20-11; t6th ACC
RPI:52
OOC wins: Memphis (8), Purdue (41)
Notes: Only one road win was @ FSU (41), making the series a sweep. Finishing w/victories over UNC & BC helps. I don't know if losing to Wake will hurt or not. Game did go to 2OT & ended @ 1am.

Texas Tech 21-12; t5th Big 12
RPI:53
OOC wins: Arkansas (37), Bucknell (78)
Notes: Swept A&M & beat Kansas. Lost by 19 to K-St in the tourney when opportunity was there to eliminate the Wildcats & solidify their own qualifications.

Kansas St 22-11; 4th Big 12
RPI:56
OOC wins: So Cal (38), Tenn Tech (144)
Notes: Road win vs Texas. Until beating TxT Friday, they had alternated wins & losses in their last 8 contests.

W.Virginia 21-9; t7th Big East
RPI:59
OOC wins: UCLA (2), NCSt (98)
Notes: Syracuse & Louisville wasn't on their conf schedule, 0-5 vs the other top 4. Played 5 games vs the bottom 5. If a win vs short-handed, jet-lagged UCLA wasn't on their application they wouldn't even be considered.

Stanford 23-10; 6th Pac 10
RPI:66
OOC wins: Tex Tech (53), Virginia (54)
Notes: Lost 7 of their last 11. Last 2 were in OT. Did beat all the top Pac 10 teams @ least once.


I'm going to say Arkansas has graduated to lock status. My final 6: Illinois, Texas Tech, Purdue, Ga Tech, Ok State & ODU. If UNC wins today, Drexel enters as well.