Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Updated Championship Week Predictions

Three more teams punched their cards for the Big Dance last night. The Sun Belt championship was a great game, with both North Texas and Arkansas-Little Rock making huge shots in the final minute, with UALR hitting a 3 with 1.5 seconds left to clinch a one-point victory and the school's first NCAA berth in 21 years.

Tonight, there are two more berths up for grabs. Here are my predictions:
Northeast – 7 p.m. (ESPN2) (3) Robert Morris at (1) Long Island University. Winner: LIU
Big Sky – 9 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Northern Colorado vs. (2) Montana. Winner: Montana

Here is who has already clinched an automatic berth, as well as my updated predictions for the remaining conference tournaments (other than those listed above), taking into account as many results as I know up to this point.

Already clinched automatic berths:
Atlantic Sun – Belmont
Big South – UNC-Asheville
Colonial – Old Dominion
Horizon – Butler
MAAC – St. Peter's
Missouri Valley – Indiana State
Ohio Valley – Morehead State
Southern – Wofford
Summit – Oakland
Sun Belt – Arkansas-Little Rock
West Coast – Gonzaga

Remaining Tournaments (all times are Eastern)

ACC (Greensboro, NC; March 10-13)
First Round – 3/10
-Noon (ACC Network) (8) Virginia vs. (9) Miami. Winner: Miami
-2 p.m. (ACC Network) (5) Boston College vs. (12) Wake Forest. Winner: Boston College
-7 p.m. (ESPN2) (7) Maryland vs. (10) NC State. Winner: Maryland
-9 p.m. (ACC Network) (6) Virginia Tech vs. (11) Georgia Tech. Winner: Virginia Tech

Quarterfinals – 3/11
-Noon (ESPN2) (1) UNC vs. (9) Miami. Winner: UNC
-2 p.m. (ESPN2) (4) Clemson vs. (5) Boston College. Winner: Clemson
-7 p.m. (ESPN2) (2) Duke vs. (7) Maryland. Winner: Maryland
-9 p.m. (ESPN2) (3) Florida State vs. (6) Virginia Tech. Winner: Virginia Tech

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

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

America East (Hartford, CT; March 3-6, 12)
Championship 3/12 Noon (ESPN2)
(5) Stony Brook vs. (2) Boston University. Winner: Boston University

Atlantic 10 (Atlantic City, NJ; March 8, 11-13)
Quarterfinals – 3/11
-Noon (CBS College Sports) (1) Xavier vs. (9) Dayton. Winner: Xavier
-2:30 p.m. (CBS College Sports) (4) Duquesne vs. (12) St. Joseph's. Winner: Duquesne
-6:30 p.m. (CBS College Sports) (2) Temple vs. (10) LaSalle. Winner: Temple
-9 p.m. (CBS College Sports) (3) Richmond vs. (6) Rhode Island. Winner: Richmond

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

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

Big East (New York, NY; March 8-12)
Second Round – 3/9
-7 p.m. (ESPN2) (7) Cincinnati vs. (15) South Florida. Winner: Cincinnati
-9 p.m. (ESPN2) (6) West Virginia vs. (11) Marquette. Winner: West Virginia

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

Semifinals – 3/11
-7 p.m. (ESPN) (1) Pitt vs. (5) St. John's. Winner: Pitt
-9 p.m. (ESPN) (3) Louisville vs. (2) Notre Dame. Winner: Louisville

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

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
-7 p.m. (ESPN Full Court; Big 12 Network) (7) Baylor vs. (10) Oklahoma. Winner: Baylor
-9:30 p.m. (ESPN Full Court; Big 12 Network) (6) Missouri vs. (11) Texas Tech. Winner: Missouri

Quarterfinals – 3/10
-12:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Kansas vs. (9) Oklahoma State. Winner: Kansas
-3 p.m. (ESPN Full Court; Big 12 Network) (4) Kansas State vs. (5) Colorado. Winner: Kansas State
-7 p.m. (ESPN Full Court; Big 12 Network) (2) Texas vs. (7) Baylor. Winner: Texas
-9:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (3) Texas A&M vs. (6) Missouri. Winner: Missouri

Semifinals – 3/11
-7 p.m. (ESPN Full Court; Big 12 Network) (1) Kansas vs. (4) Kansas State. Winner: Kansas State
-9:30 p.m. (ESPN Full Court; Big 12 Network) (2) Texas vs. (6) Missouri. Winner: Texas

Championship – 3/12
-6 p.m. (ESPN) (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
-9:30 p.m. (ESPNU) (1) Long Beach State vs. (5) UC-Santa Barbara. Winner: Long Beach State
-Midnight (ESPNU) (2) Cal Poly vs. (3) Cal State-Northridge. Winner: Cal Poly

Championship – 3/12
-8 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Long Beach State vs. (2) Cal Poly. Winner: Cal Poly

Conference USA (El Paso, TX; March 9-12)
First Round – 3/9
-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. (CBS College Sports) (1) UAB vs. (8) East Carolina. Winner: UAB
-3:30 p.m. (CBS College Sports) (4) Memphis vs. (5) Southern Miss. Winner: Memphis
-7:30 p.m. (CBS College Sports) (3) UTEP vs. (6) Marshall. Winner: UTEP
-10 p.m. (CBS College Sports) (2) Tulsa vs. (7) SMU. Winner: Tulsa

Semifinals – 3/11
-4 p.m. (CBS College Sports) (1) UAB vs. (4) Memphis. Winner: UAB
-6:30 p.m. (CBS College Sports) (2) Tulsa vs. (3) UTEP. Winner: UTEP

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

Ivy League
-Championship – 3/12 4 p.m. (ESPN) Harvard vs. Princeton (at New Haven, CT). Winner: Harvard
(NOTE: The Ivy League does not have a tournament. This is a one-game playoff because Harvard and Princeton tied for the regular season title and split their two head-to-head games.)

MAC (Cleveland, OH; March 8, 10-12)
Quarterfinals – 3/10
-Noon p.m. (SportsTime Ohio/Comcast Michigan/ESPN Full Court) (2) Western Michigan vs. (7) Bowling Green. Winner: Western Michigan
-2:30 p.m. (SportsTime Ohio/ESPN Full Court) (3) Miami vs. (6) Akron. Winner: Miami
-7 p.m. (SportsTime Ohio/ESPN Full Court) (1) Kent State vs. (8) Buffalo. Winner: Kent State
-9:30 p.m. (SportsTime Ohio/Comcast Indiana/ESPN Full Court) (4) Ball State vs. (5) Ohio. Winner: Ball State

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

Championship – 3/12
-6 p.m. (ESPN2) (3) Miami vs. (4) Ball State. Winner: Miami

MEAC (Winston-Salem, NC; March 8-12)
Quarterfinals – 3/9
-7 p.m. (1) Bethune Cookman vs. (9) South Carolina State. Winner: Bethune Cookman
-9:30 p.m. (2) Hampton vs. (10) Maryland-Eastern Shore. Winner: Hampton
3/10
-6 p.m. (3) Coppin State vs. (6) Norfolk State. Winner: Coppin State
-8 p.m. (4) Morgan State vs. (5) North Carolina A&T. Winner: Morgan State

Semifinals – 3/11
-6 p.m. (1) Bethune Cookman vs. (4) Morgan State. Winner: Bethune Cookman
-8 p.m. (2) Hampton vs. (3) Coppin State. Winner: Coppin State

Championship – 3/12
-2 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Bethune Cookman vs. (3) Coppin State. Winner: Bethune Cookman

Mountain West (Las Vegas, NV; March 9-12)
Quarterfinals – 3/10
-3 p.m. (The Mtn.) (1) BYU vs. (9) TCU. Winner: BYU
-5:30 p.m. (The Mtn./CBS College Sports) (4) Colorado State vs. (5) New Mexico. Winner: Colorado State
-9 p.m. (The Mtn.) (2) San Diego State vs. (7) Utah. Winner: San Diego State
-11:30 p.m. (The Mtn./CBS College Sports) (3) UNLV vs. (6) Air Force. Winner: UNLV

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

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

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

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

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

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

Patriot (Campus sites (higher seeds); March 2, 6, 11)
Championship 3/11
-4:45 (ESPN2) (6) Lafayette at (1) Bucknell. Winner: Bucknell

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

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

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

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

Southland (Katy, TX; March 9-12)
Quarterfinals – 3/9
-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
-7 p.m. (7) UT San Antonio vs. (3) Sam Houston State. Winner: Sam Houston State
-9:30 p.m. (1) McNeese State vs. (4) Texas State. Winner: McNeese State

Championship – 3/12
-4 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) McNeese State vs. (3) Sam Houston State. Winner: McNeese State

SWAC (Garland, TX; March 9-12)
Quarterfinals – 3/9
-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
-3:30 p.m. (2) Jackson State vs. (3) Mississippi Valley State. Winner: Jackson State
-9 p.m. (1) Texas Southern vs. (4) Alabama State. Winner: Texas Southern

Championship – 3/12
-8:30 p.m. (ESPNU) (1) Texas Southern vs. (2) Jackson State. Winner: Jackson State

WAC (Las Vegas, NV; March 9-12)
Second Round – 3/10
-3 p.m. (ESPNU) (4) Idaho vs. (8) San Jose State. Winner: Idaho
-5:30 p.m. (ESPNU) (3) New Mexico State vs. (6) Nevada. Winner: New Mexico State

Semifinals – 3/11
-9 p.m. (1) Utah State vs. (4) Idaho. Winner: Utah State
-Midnight (ESPNU) (2) Boise State vs. (3) New Mexico State. Winner: Boise State

Championship – 3/12
-10 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Utah State vs. (2) Boise State. Winner: Utah State

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