Championship Week Predictions

Championship Week is upon us. Do you know what that means? Only one week until we're filling out brackets. Brackets, people! It's the most wonderful time of the sporting year.

As you may know, I get a little geeked about college basketball in March. Championship Week is great because most conferences only get one team into the NCAA tournament, which makes the conference tournament that much more exciting. When a mid- or low-major team wins it's conference tournament, it's just one of those rare pure, joy-filled moments in sports. It doesn't matter that, in one week, the same team is going to be breakfast for Duke because right now, this is probably the happiest those kids have ever been.

And then of course, there is the NCAA tournament itself. Great googly moogly. Is there a better three weeks in sports? I don't even know why I ask that question because the answer is "hell no." But we can get to that next week, for now it is Championship Week.

With that, here is who has already clinched an automatic berth, as well as my predictions for the remaining conference tournaments.

Already clinched automatic berths:
Atlantic Sun – Belmont
Big South – UNC-Asheville
Missouri Valley – Indiana State
Ohio Valley – Morehead State

Remaining Tournaments (all times are Eastern)

ACC (Greensboro, NC; March 10-13)
First Round – 3/10
-Noon (8) Virginia vs. (9) Miami. Winner: Miami
-2 p.m. (5) Boston College vs. (12) Wake Forest. Winner: Boston College
-7 p.m. (7) Maryland vs. (10) NC State. Winner: Maryland
-9 p.m. (6) Virginia Tech vs. (11) Georgia Tech. Winner: Virginia Tech

Quarterfinals – 3/11
-Noon (1) UNC vs. (9) Miami. Winner: UNC
-2 p.m. (4) Clemson vs. (5) Boston College. Winner: Clemson
-7 p.m. (2) Duke vs. (7) Maryland. Winner: Maryland
-9 p.m. (3) Florida State vs. (6) Virginia Tech. Winner: Virginia Tech

Semifinals – 3/12
-1 p.m. (1) UNC vs. (4) Clemson. Winner: UNC
-3 p.m. (6) Virginia Tech vs. (7) Maryland. Winner: Virginia Tech

Championship – 3/13
1 p.m. (1) UNC vs. (6) Virginia Tech. Winner: UNC

America East (Hartford, CT; March 3-6, 12)
Championship 3/12 12 p.m.
(5) Stony Brook vs. (2) Boston University. Winner: Boston University

Atlantic 10 (Atlantic City, NJ; March 8, 11-13)
First Round – 3/8 (at higher seeds)
-9 p.m. (8) UMass vs. (9) Dayton. Winner: Dayton
-7 p.m. (5) George Washington vs. (12) St. Joseph's. Winner: George Washington
-5 p.m. (7) St. Bonaventure vs. (10) LaSalle. Winner: St. Bonaventure
-7 p.m. (6) Rhode Island vs. (11) St. Louis. Winner: Rhode Island

Quarterfinals – 3/11
-Noon (1) Xavier vs. (9) Dayton. Winner: Xavier
-2:30 p.m. (4) Duquesne vs. (5) George Washington. Winner: Duquesne
-6:30 p.m. (2) Temple vs. (7) St. Bonaventure. Winner: Temple
-9 p.m. (3) Richmond vs. (6) Rhode Island. Winner: Richmond

Semifinals – 3/12
-1 p.m. (1) Xavier vs. (4) Duquesne. Winner: Xavier
-3:30 p.m. (2) Temple vs. (3) Richmond. Winner: Richmond

Championship – 3/13
1 p.m. (1) Xavier vs. (3) Richmond. Winner: Xavier

Big East (New York, NY; March 8-12)
First Round – 3/8
-Noon (9) UConn vs. (16) DePaul. Winner: UConn
-2 p.m. (12) Seton Hall vs. (13) Rutgers. Winner: Seton Hall
-7 p.m. (10) Villanova vs. (15) South Florida. Winner: Villanova
-9 p.m. (11) Marquette vs. (14) Providence. Winner: Providence

Second Round – 3/9
-Noon (8) Georgetown vs. (9) UConn. Winner: Georgetown
-2 p.m. (5) St. John's vs. (12) Seton Hall. Winner: St. John's
-7 p.m. (7) Cincinnati vs. (10) Villanova. Winner: Villanova
-9 p.m. (6) West Virginia vs. (14) Providence. Winner: West Virginia

Quarterfinals – 3/10
-Noon (1) Pitt vs. (8) Georgetown. Winner: Pitt
-2 p.m. (4) Syracuse vs. (5) St. John's. Winner: St. John's
-7 p.m. (2) Notre Dame vs. (10) Villanova. Winner: Villanova
-9 p.m. (3) Louisville vs. (6) West Virginia. Winner: Louisville

Semifinals – 3/11
-7 p.m. (1) Pitt vs. (5) St. John's. Winner: Pitt
-9 p.m. (3) Louisville vs. (10) Villanova. Winner: Louisville

Championship – 3/12
9 p.m. (1) Pitt vs. (3) Louisville. Winner: Pitt

Big Sky (Greeley, CO; March 5, 8-9)
Semifinals – 3/8
-7:30 p.m. (2) Montana vs. (3) Weber State. Winner: Montana
-10 p.m. (1) Northern Colorado vs. (4) Northern Arizona. Winner: Northern Colorado

Championship – 3/9
9 p.m. (1) Northern Colorado vs. (2) Montana. Winner: Montana

Big Ten (Indianapolis, IN; March 10-13)
First Round – 3/10
-2:30 p.m. (ESPN2) - (8) Northwestern vs. (9) Minnesota. Winner: Northwestern
-5 p.m. (ESPN2) - (7) Michigan State vs. (10) Iowa. Winner: Michigan State
-7:30 p.m. (BTN) - (6) Penn State vs. (11) Indiana. Winner: Indiana

Quarterfinals – 3/11
-Noon (ESPN) - (1) Ohio State vs. (8) Northwestern. Winner: Ohio State
-2:30 pm. (ESPN) - (4) Michigan vs. (5) Illinois. Winner: Michigan
-6:30 p.m. (BTN) - (2) Purdue vs. (7) Michigan State. Winner: Michigan State
-9 p.m. (BTN) - (3) Wisconsin vs. (11) Indiana. Winner: Indiana

Semifinals – 3/12
-1:40 p.m. (CBS) - (1) Ohio State vs. (4) Michigan. Winner: Ohio State
-4:10 p.m. (CBS) - (7) Michigan State vs. (11) Indiana. Winner: Indiana

Championship – 3/13
3:30 p.m. (CBS) - (1) Ohio State vs. (11) Indiana. Winner: Indiana

Big 12 (Kansas City, MO; March 9-12)
First Round – 3/9
-12:30 p.m. (8) Nebraska vs. (9) Oklahoma State. Winner: Nebraska
-3 p.m. (5) Colorado vs. (12) Iowa State. Winner: Colorado
-7 p.m. (7) Baylor vs. (10) Oklahoma. Winner: Baylor
-9:30 p.m. (6) Missouri vs. (11) Texas Tech. Winner: Missouri

Quarterfinals – 3/10
-12:30 p.m. (1) Kansas vs. (8) Nebraska. Winner: Kansas
-3 p.m. (4) Kansas State vs. (5) Colorado. Winner: Kansas State
-7 p.m. (2) Texas vs. (7) Baylor. Winner: Texas
-9:30 p.m. (3) Texas A&M vs. (6) Missouri. Winner: Missouri

Semifinals – 3/11
-7 p.m. (1) Kansas vs. (4) Kansas State. Winner: Kansas State
-9:30 p.m. (2) Texas vs. (6) Missouri. Winner: Texas

Championship – 3/12
6 p.m. (2) Texas vs. (4) Kansas State. Winner: Texas

Big West (Anaheim, CA; March 10-12 (teams reseeded after every round))
Quarterfinals – 3/10
-3 p.m. (1) Long Beach State vs. (8) UC-Irvine. Winner: Long Beach State
-5:30 p.m. (4) Pacific vs. (5) UC-Santa Barbara. Winner: UC-Santa Barbara
-9 p.m. (2) Cal Poly vs. (7) UC-Riverside. Winner: Cal Poly
-11:30 p.m. (3) Cal State-Northridge vs. (6) Cal State-Fullerton. Winner: Cal State-Northridge

Semifinals – 3/11
-(1) Long Beach State vs. (5) UC-Santa Barbara. Winner: Long Beach State
-(2) Cal Poly vs. (3) Cal State-Northridge. Winner: Cal Poly

Championship – 3/12
(1) Long Beach State vs. (2) Cal Poly. Winner: Cal Poly

Colonial (Richmond, VA; March 4-7)
Championship 3/7 7 p.m. (ESPN)
(4) VCU vs. (2) Old Dominion. Winner: VCU

Conference USA (El Paso, TX; March 9-12)
First Round – 3/9
-1 p.m. (8) East Carolina vs. (9) UCF. Winner: UCF
-3:30 p.m. (5) Southern Miss vs. (12) Tulane. Winner: Southern Miss
-7:30 p.m. (6) Marshall vs. (11) Houston. Winner: Marshall
-10 p.m. (7) SMU vs. (10) Rice. Winner: SMU

Quarterfinals – 3/10
-1 p.m. (1) UAB vs. (9) UCF. Winner: UAB
-3:30 p.m. (4) Memphis vs. (5) Southern Miss. Winner: Memphis
-7:30 p.m. (3) UTEP vs. (6) Marshall. Winner: UTEP
-10 p.m. (2) Tulsa vs. (7) SMU. Winner: Tulsa

Semifinals – 3/11
-(1) UAB vs. (4) Memphis. Winner: UAB
-(2) Tulsa vs. (3) UTEP. Winner: UTEP

Championship – 3/12
11:35 a.m. (1) UAB vs. (3) UTEP. Winner: UAB

Horizon (Campus sites (higher seeds); March 1, 4-5, 8)
Championship 3/8 9 p.m. (ESPN)
(2) Butler at (1) UW-Milwaukee. Winner: UW-Milwaukee

Ivy League (no tournament)

MAAC (Bridgeport, CT; March 4-7)
Championship 3/7 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
(4) St. Peter's vs. (2) Iona. Winner: Iona

MAC (Cleveland, OH; March 8, 10-12)
First Round – 3/8 (at higher seeds)
-7 p.m. (7) Bowling Green vs. (10) Northern Illinois. Winner: Northern Illinois
-7 p.m. (6) Akron vs. (11) Eastern Michigan. Winner: Akron
-7 p.m. (8) Buffalo vs. (9) Central Michigan. Winner: Central Michigan
-7 p.m. (5) Ohio vs. (12) Toledo. Winner: Ohio

Quarterfinals – 3/10
-Noon p.m. (2) Western Michigan vs. (10) Northern Illinois. Winner: Western Michigan
-2:30 p.m. (3) Miami vs. (6) Akron. Winner: Miami
-7 p.m. (1) Kent State vs. (9) Central Michigan. Winner: Kent State
-9:30 p.m. (4) Ball State vs. (5) Ohio. Winner: Ball State

Semifinals – 3/11
-7 p.m. (2) Western Michigan vs. (3) Miami. Winner: Miami
-9:30 p.m. (1) Kent State vs. (4) Ball State. Winner: Ball State

Championship – 3/12
6 p.m. (3) Miami vs. (4) Ball State. Winner: Miami

MEAC (Winston-Salem, NC; March 8-12)
First Round – 3/8
-6:30 p.m. - (7) Florida A&M vs. (10) Maryland-Eastern Shore. Winner: Florida A&M
-9 p.m. - (8) Delaware State vs. (9) South Carolina State. Winner: Delaware State
3/9
-3 p.m. - (6) Norfolk State vs. (11) Howard. Winner: Norfolk State

Quarterfinals – 3/10
-(1) Bethune Cookman vs. (8) Delaware State. Winner: Bethune Cookman
-(4) Morgan State vs. (5) North Carolina A&T. Winner: Morgan State
-(2) Hampton vs. (7) Florida A&M. Winner: Hampton
-(3) Coppin State vs. (6) Norfolk State. Winner: Coppin State

Semifinals – 3/11
-(1) Bethune Cookman vs. (4) Morgan State. Winner: Bethune Cookman
-(2) Hampton vs. (3) Coppin State. Winner: Coppin State

Championship – 3/12
-(1) Bethune Cookman vs. (3) Coppin State. Winner: Bethune Cookman

Mountain West (Las Vegas, NV; March 8-12)
First Round – 3/9
-5 p.m. (8) Wyoming vs. (9) TCU. Winner: Wyoming

Quarterfinals – 3/10
-3 p.m. (1) BYU vs. (8) Wyoming. Winner: BYU
-5:30 p.m. (4) Colorado State vs. (5) New Mexico. Winner: Colorado State
-9 p.m. (2) San Diego State vs. (7) Utah. Winner: San Diego State
-11:30 p.m. (3) UNLV vs. (6) Air Force. Winner: UNLV

Semifinals – 3/11
-9 p.m. (1) BYU vs. (4) Colorado State. Winner: Colorado State
-11:30 p.m. (2) San Diego State vs. (3) UNLV. Winner: San Diego State

Championship – 3/12
7 p.m. (2) San Diego State vs. (4) Colorado State. Winner: San Diego State

Northeast (Campus sites (higher seeds); March 3, 6, 9)
Championship 3/9 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
(3) Robert Morris at (1) Long Island University. Winner: LIU

Pac-10 (Los Angeles, CA; March 9-12)
First Round – 3/9
-9:10 p.m. (8) Stanford vs. (9) Oregon State. Winner: Stanford
-11:40 p.m. (7) Oregon vs. (10) Arizona State. Winner: Oregon

Quarterfinals – 3/10
-3:10 p.m. (1) Arizona vs. (8) Stanford. Winner: Arizona
-5:40 p.m. (4) USC vs. (5) Cal. Winner: Cal
-9:10 p.m. (3) Washington vs. (6) Washington State. Winner: Washington
-11:40 p.m. (2) UCLA vs. (7) Oregon. Winner: UCLA

Semifinals – 3/11
-9:10 p.m. (1) Arizona vs. (5) Cal. Winner: Arizona
-11:40 p.m. (2) UCLA vs. (3) Washington. Winner: Washington

Championship – 3/12
6:10 p.m. (1) Arizona vs. (3) Washington. Winner: Arizona

Patriot (Campus sites (higher seeds); March 2, 6, 11)
Championship 3/11
(6) Lafayette at (1) Bucknell. Winner: Bucknell

SEC (Atlanta, GA; March 10-13)
First Round – 3/10
-1 p.m. (E4) Georgia vs. (W5) Auburn. Winner: Georgia
-3:30 p.m. (W3) Mississippi vs. (E6) South Carolina. Winner: Mississippi
-7:30 p.m. (W4) Arkansas vs. (E5) Tennessee. Winner: Tennessee
-10 p.m. (E3) Vanderbilt vs. (W6) LSU. Winner: Vanderbilt

Quarterfinals – 3/11
-1 p.m. (W1) Alabama vs. (E4) Georgia. Winner: Alabama
-3:30 p.m. (E2) Kentucky vs. (W3) Mississippi. Winner: Kentucky
-7:30 p.m. (E1) Florida vs. (E5) Tennessee. Winner: Florida
-10 p.m. (W2) Mississippi State vs. (E3) Vanderbilt. Winner: Vanderbilt

Semifinals – 3/12
-1 p.m. (W1) Alabama vs. (E2) Kentucky. Winner: Kentucky
-3:30 p.m. (E1) Florida vs. (E3) Vanderbilt. Winner: Florida

Championship – 3/13
1 p.m. (E1) Florida vs. (E2) Kentucky. Winner: Florida

Southern (Chattanooga, TN; March 4-7)
Championship 3/7 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
(S2) Wofford vs. (S1) College of Charleston. Winner: College of Charleston

Southland (Katy, TX; March 9-12)
Quarterfinals – 3/9
-1 p.m. (2) Northwestern State vs. (7) UT San Antonio. Winner: Northwestern State
-3:30 p.m. (3) Sam Houston State vs. (6) Stephen F. Austin. Winner: Sam Houston State
-8 p.m. (1) McNeese State vs. (8) Nicholls State. Winner: McNeese State
-9:30 p.m. (4) Texas State vs. (5) Southeast Louisiana. Winner: Texas State

Semifinals – 3/10
-(2) Northwestern State vs. (3) Sam Houston State. Winner: Sam Houston State
-(1) McNeese State vs. (4) Texas State. Winner: McNeese State

Championship – 3/12
(1) McNeese State vs. (3) Sam Houston State. Winner: McNeese State

Summit (Sioux Falls, SD; March 5-8)
Semifinals – 3/7
-7 p.m. (1) Oakland vs. (3) South Dakota State. Winner: Oakland
-9:30 p.m. (2) Oral Roberts vs. (3) IUPUI. Winner: IUPUI

Championship – 3/8
-9 p.m. (1) Oakland vs. (3) IUPUI. Winner: Oakland

Sun Belt (Hot Springs, AR; March 5-8)
Semifinals – 3/7
-(E3) Western Kentucky vs. (W4) North Texas. Winner: North Texas
-(E2) Middle Tennessee State vs. (W5) Arkansas-Little Rock. Winner: Arkansas-Little Rock

Championship – 3/8
(W4) North Texas vs. (W5) Arkansas-Little Rock. Winner: North Texas

SWAC (Garland, TX; March 9-12)
Quarterfinals – 3/9
-1:30 p.m. (2) Jackson State vs. (7) Prairie View A&M. Winner: Jackson State
-9 p.m. (1) Texas Southern vs. (8) Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Winner: Texas Southern
3/10
-1:30 p.m. (3) Mississippi Valley State vs. (6) Grambling. Winner: Mississippi Valley State
-9 p.m. (4) Alabama State vs. (5) Alabama A&M. Winner: Alabama State

Semifinals – 3/11
-(1) Texas Southern vs. (4) Alabama State. Winner: Texas Southern
-(2) Jackson State vs. (3) Mississippi Valley State. Winner: Jackson State

Championship – 3/12
-(1) Texas Southern vs. (2) Jackson State. Winner: Jackson State

WAC (Las Vegas, NV; March 9-12)
First Round – 3/9
-3 p.m. (5) Hawaii vs. (8) San Jose State. Winner: Hawaii
-5:30 p.m. (6) Nevada vs. (7) Fresno State. Winner: Nevada

Second Round – 3/10
-(4) Idaho vs. (5) Hawaii. Winner: Idaho
-(3) New Mexico State vs. (6) Nevada. Winner: New Mexico State

Semifinals – 3/11
-(1) Utah State vs. (4) Idaho. Winner: Utah State
-(2) Boise State vs. (3) New Mexico State. Winner: Boise State

Championship – 3/12
-(1) Utah State vs. (2) Boise State. Winner: Utah State

West Coast (Las Vegas, NV; March 4-7)
Championship 3/7 9 p.m. (ESPN)
(1) St. Mary's vs. (2) Gonzaga. Winner: Gonzaga