"BRACKETOLOGY" TALK, TGS STYLE!

Throughout the years, many customers have asked what our favorite time of the year is at THE GOLD SHEET. Truth be told, we like every month of our publishing season, but we have to admit to a special thrill whenever it comes to college basketball tourney time. Like clockwork, our collective pulses start to quicken each February in anticipation of ever-looming NCAA Tournament. And when the calendar turns to March, it might as well be Christmas all over again at our offices.

So, it’s no surprise that we’re getting excited again, as we at TGS are again fast approaching our favorite time of the year! Indeed, from this point forward, "March Mayhem" will become the major talking point of the college basketball campaign. And the postseason is approaching quicker than you might imagine, as, believe it or not, we’ll be starting our conference tournament previews next week.

Hey, didn’t they just play the Super Bowl?

Whatever, we have long believed a mid-February look at college hoop squads vying for potential NCAA invitations to be a worthwhile exercise. Knowing where teams might (or might not) fit into the postseason equation can be especially useful handicapping information this time of the year. The NCAA prospects of many teams (especially those on the proverbial "bubble") will be decided in the next few weeks, adding an extra factor to be considered when forecasting their upcoming games. Beyond the aforementioned "bubble" teams that need every win to stay in the good graces of the NCAA Tourney Committee, it’s also worth paying attention to the squads with "Big Dance" bids securely in hand. Those squads might not all approach the final weeks of the regular season (or conference tourneys) in the same manner, some seeking to develop extra depth and avoid key injuries, others emphasizing a strong drive through the regular-season tape and hopefully carry that momentum into the postseason.

Following is a mid-February look at the major "board" conferences and their chances of sending multiple entries to the NCAA Tournament. We are our own "Bracketologists" at TGS and have divided the teams into three categories—Solid, Looking Good, and Bubble. Solid is self-explanatory. Looking Good teams can expect an NCAA invitation as long as they don’t slump badly in the next few weeks. Bubble teams, however, remain at the mercy of the Tourney Committee, and desperately need every win to keep their Big Dance hopes alive.

Keep in mind that nearly every Division I team can qualify for an automatic Big Dance berth by winning its conference tournament. With the Big Ten finally relenting earlier this decade, and the Pac-10 re-instituting its tourney in 2002 after a 12-year hiatus, the Ivy League remains the lone conference tourney holdout—and even the Ivies are now talking about conducting their own postseason shindig in the near future! Stay tuned for further developments. In the meantime, as always, the number of upsets in conference tournaments can alter the look of the Big Dance. Also included below are conference tourney sites and dates; Conference Power Rankings (thru Feb. 11); and last year’s postseason participants.

ACC—Solid...North Carolina. Looking Good...Duke, Florida State, Boston College, Virginia, Virginia Tech. Bubble...Clemson, Georgia Tech, Maryland. Conference Power Ranking-1st. Notes...Tourney March 8-11 at St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL. Last year...NCAA-4 (Duke-Sweet 16, Boston College-Sweet 16, North Carolina-2nd round, NC State-2nd round); NIT-6 (Miami-Florida-3rd round, Clemson-2nd round, Florida State-2nd round, Maryland, Virginia, Wake Forest). Left: Coach K and Roy Williams.

ATLANTIC TEN—Bubble...UMass, George Washington, Xavier, Dayton, Saint Louis. Conference-11th. Notes...Tourney March 7-10 at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ. Last year...NCAA-2 (George Washington-2nd round, Xavier); NIT-3 (Charlotte-2nd round, St. Joe’s-2nd round, Temple).

BIG EAST—Solid...Pitt, Marquette, Georgetown. Looking Good...Notre Dame & West Virginia. Bubble...Villanova, Louisville, Providence, Syracuse, UConn. Conference-6th. Notes...Tourney March 7-10 at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY. Last year...NCAA-8 (Villanova-Elite 8, UConn-Elite 8, West Virginia-Sweet 16, Georgetown-Sweet 16, Pitt-2nd round, Syracuse, Marquette, Seton Hall); NIT-4 (Louisville-semifinals, Cincinnati-3rd round, Notre Dame-2nd round, Rutgers). Right: Georgetown HC John Thompson III

BIG TEN—Solid...Ohio State & Wisconsin. Looking Good...Indiana. Bubble...Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa. Conference-4th. Notes...Tourney March 8-11 at United Center, Chicago, IL. Last year...NCAA-6 (Illinois-2nd round, Indiana-2nd round, Ohio State-2nd round, Iowa, Michigan State, Wisconsin). NIT-3 (Michigan-2nd place, Minnesota-2nd round, Penn State).

BIG XII—Solid...Texas A&M & Kansas. Looking Good...Oklahoma State, Texas, Kansas State. Bubble...Oklahoma & Texas Tech. Conference-5th. Notes...Tourney March 8-11, Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Last year...NCAA-4 (Texas-Elite 8, Texas A&M-2nd round, Kansas, Oklahoma); NIT-3 (Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma State).

BIG WEST—Bubble...Long Beach State, UCSB, CS Fullerton. Conference-16th. Notes...Tourney March 7-10 at Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA. Only one NCAA bid likely. Last year...NCAA-1 (Pacific).

COLONIAL—Looking Good...Virginia Commonwealth. Bubble...Drexel, Hofstra, Old Dominion. Conference-15th. Notes...Tourney March 2-5 at Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA. Last year...NCAA-2 (George Mason-Final Four, NC-Wilmington); NIT-2 (Old Dominion-semifinals, Hofstra-3rd round). Left: Drexel HC James "Bruiser" Flint

C-USA—Solid...Memphis. Bubble...UCF. Conference-10th. Notes...Tourney March 7-10 at FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN. Last year...NCAA-2 (Memphis-Elite 8, UAB); NIT-2 (Houston-2nd round, UTEP-2nd round).

HORIZON—Solid...Butler. Bubble...Wright State. Conference-13th. Notes...Tourney February 27 at campus sites (first round); quarters and semis March 2-3 at home of number one seed. Final March 6 at home of highest-remaining seed. Last year...NCAA-1 (UW-Milwaukee-2nd round); NIT-1 (Butler-2nd round).

MAC—Bubble...Akron, Ohio, Kent State, Toledo. Conference-14th. Notes...Tourney March 7-10 at Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH. Last year...NCAA-1 (Kent State); NIT-2 (Akron-2nd round, Miami-Ohio).

MISSOURI VALLEY—Solid...Southern Illinois. Looking Good...Creighton & Missouri State. Bubble...Northern Iowa, Wichita State, Bradley. Conference-7th. Notes...Tourney March 1-4 at Savvis Center, St. Louis, MO. Last year...NCAA-4 (Bradley-Sweet 16, Wichita State-Sweet 16, Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa); NIT-2 (Missouri State-3rd round, Creighton-2nd round).

MOUNTAIN WEST—Solid...Air Force. Looking Good...BYU & UNLV. Bubble...San Diego State. Conference-8th. Notes...Tourney March 6-10 at Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV. Last year...NCAA-2 (Air Force, San Diego State); NIT-1 (BYU).

PAC 10—Solid...UCLA, Washington State, Southern Cal. Looking Good...Arizona, Oregon, Stanford. Bubble...Washington. Conference-2nd. Notes...Tourney March 7-10 at Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA. Last year...NCAA-4 (UCLA-2nd place, Washington-Sweet 16, Arizona-2nd round, California); NIT-1 (Stanford-2nd round).

SEC—Solid...Florida & Kentucky. Looking Good...Vanderbilt, Alabama, Tennessee. Bubble...Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss. Conference-3rd. Notes...Tourney March 8-11 at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA. Last year...NCAA-6 (Florida-Champs, LSU-Final Four, Tennessee-2nd round, Kentucky-2nd round, Alabama-2nd round, Arkansas); NIT-1 (South Carolina-Champs).

SUN BELT—Bubble...South Alabama. Conference-22nd. Notes...Tourney February 28 at campus sites (first round); then March 4-6 at Cajundome, Lafayette, LA (home court of La.-Lafayette). Only one NCAA bid likely. Last year...NCAA-1 (South Alabama); NIT-1 (Western Kentucky).

WEST COAST—Bubble...Santa Clara & Gonzaga. Conference-12th. Notes...Tourney March 2-5 at Chiles Center, Portland, OR (home court of Portland). Last year...NCAA-1 (Gonzaga-Sweet 16).

WAC—Solid...Nevada. Bubble...New Mexico State. Conference-9th. Notes...Tourney March 6-10 at Pan American Center, Las Cruces, NM (home court of New Mexico State). Last year...NCAA-2 (Nevada, Utah State); NIT-1 (Louisiana Tech).

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