Good Night for Tech
03.03.04
If you were rooting for any team with a "Tech" in its name, it was a good night.
Georgia Tech 76, Duke 68. The Jackets end the longest home winning streak in the nation and boost their NCAA seeding. Sorry, but Duke is still a frontrunner for a #1 seed. The current longest home streak is now in the hands of Stephen F. Austin, seriously! You don't want to play there, not in front of their rabid student section, the "Crazy Steves." (not seriously)
Texas Tech 87, Missouri 76. Just about a must-win for the Red Raiders. It looks even better in the face of Colorado's loss at Iowa State. However, there are few signs of life in Bobby Knight's program. This is not a team capable of going deep in the big dance.
Virginia Tech 71, Rutgers 70. Any at-large possibilities for Rutgers went out the window here. In their previous meeting, Rutgers jumped out to a 32-3 lead! So overconfidence might have been a factor, except for the fact that Rutgers held a 14 point lead late in this one, before giving up a 23-8 run to close the game.
Hoo’s Grillin’ Gillen Now?
03.02.04
It's not often or maybe ever that a team loses 8 of it's first 10 conference games and then ends up playing for an at-large bid in the regular season finale. But that's exactly what has happened to Virginia this year. Tonight, for the 4th time in their last 5 games, they won on a last second shot. 3 of those wins have been against top 20 teams, and tonight it was against Wake Forest.
The same fans that have assailed coach Pete Gillen over the past 2 years have rushed the University Hall court in the last 3 home games. Sunday's UVa @ Maryland game in prime-time becomes a play-in game with the loser likely removed from at-large consideration.
Gonzaga not a #1
One of the oft-asked and often irrelevant questions about the NCAA field is regarding the number one seeds. Duke, Stanford, and Saint Joe's are all assumed to be guaranteed this honor, but who will get that final top seed?
It won't be Gonzaga. They have no wins against the RPI top 25. The last thing the committee ever wants to do is reward a team with a weak schedule - not that it's the 'Zags fault. Already, #1s are going out to the best teams in the 7th (A-10) and 8th (Pac-10) best conferences. They can't give one out to the champion of the 12th (WCC) best conference also.
That last #1 is probably going to go the winner of the SEC tourney, assuming it is Mississippi State or Kentucky. MSU is unbeaten on the road - only Stanford and Saint Joe's can share that claim. UK has 9 top 50 wins, topped only by Duke's 10. But it's a risky assumption to think one of them will get the SEC title. Should both teams stumble, Pitt, UConn, and Oklahoma State would be in line to be #1, for whatever it's worth. Which is nothing really.