Championship Week Predictions

It's that time of year again.  Time for Madness.  Our house, in the middle of our street.  Not that Madness, you son of a bitch.  THE Madness.  It kind of snuck on me this year.  I've been so busy the last few weeks that I nearly shit myself the other day when I saw that some conference tournaments have started.  Great day in the morning.

The next month is the most joyous in sports.  Dreams will be both realized and crushed. Buzzers will be beaten.  Memories will be made.  Brackets will be ripped to shreds.

At this time, no automatic berths have been clinched, but they will start to trickle in today.  Given that the seeding for some tournaments hasn't been set yet, I won't list the full schedule for those tournaments, since that would border on negligent misrepresentation, even in states where that is not a recognized tort.  I will, however, provide my predictions for the winners of all conference tournaments, since that's merely soothsaying.

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:

None

Remaining Tournaments (all times are Eastern)

ACC (Atlanta; March 8-11)

Predicted winner:  Duke

America East (Hartford, CT and campus sites; March 1, 3-4, 10)

Quarterfinals – 3/3

12 p.m. (1) Stony Brook vs. (9) Binghamton.  Winner:  Stony Brook

2 p.m. (4) Albany vs. (5) New Hampshire.  Winner:  Albany

6 p.m. (2) Vermont vs. (7) Maine.  Winner:  Maine

8 p.m. (3) Boston University vs. (6) Hartford.  Winner:  BU

Semifinals – 3/4

5 p.m. (1) Stony Brook vs. (4) Albany.  Winner:  Stony Brook

7 p.m.  (7) Maine) vs. (3) Boston University.  Winner:  BU

Championship 3/10 11 a.m. (at higher seed)

(1) Stony Brook vs. (3) Boston University.  Winner: Stony Brook

Atlantic Sun (Macon, GA; February 29-March 3)

Championship – 3/3 7 p.m.

(1) Belmont vs. (6) Florida Gulf Coast.  Winner:  Belmont

Atlantic 10 (Atlantic City, NJ; March 6, 9-11)

Predicted winner:  St. Louis

Big East (New York; March 6-10)

Predicted winner:  Syracuse

Big Sky (Missoula, MT; March 3, 6-7)

First Round (at higher seed) – 3/3

10 p.m. (6) Montana State at (3) Portland State.  Winner:  Portland State

5 p.m. (5) Idaho State at (4) Eastern Washington.  Winner:  Eastern Washington

Semifinals – 3/6

7:30 p.m. (2) Weber State vs. (3) Portland State.  Winner:  Weber State

10 p.m. (1) Montana vs. (4) Eastern Washington.  Winner:  Montana

Championship – 3/7 9 p.m.

(1) Montana vs. (2) Weber State.  Winner: Montana

Big South (Asheville, NC; February 27-March 3)

Championship 3/3 12 p.m.

(7) VMI vs. (1) UNC-Asheville.  Winner:  UNC-Asheville

Big Ten (Indianapolis; March 8-11)

Predicted winner: Indiana

Big 12 (Kansas City, MO; March 7-10)

Predicted winner: Missouri

Big West (Anaheim, CA; March 8-10)

Predicted winner: Long Beach State

Colonial (Richmond, VA; March 2-5)

Quarterfinals – 3/3

12 p.m. (1) Drexel vs. (9) UNC-Wilmington.  Winner:  Drexel

2:30 p.m. (4) Old Dominion vs. (5) Delaware.  Winner:  Delaware

6 p.m. (2) VCU vs. (7) Northeastern.  Winner:  VCU

8:30 p.m. (3) George Mason vs. (6) Georgia State.  Winner:  George Mason

Semifinals – 3/4

2 p.m. (1) Drexel vs. (5) Delaware.  Winner:  Drexel

4:30 p.m. (2) VCU vs. (3) George Mason.  Winner:  VCU

Championship – 3/5 7 p.m.

(1) Drexel vs. (2) VCU.  Winner: Drexel

Conference USA (Memphis; March 7-10)

Predicted winner: Memphis

Horizon (Valparaiso, IN and campus sites (higher seeds); February 28, March 2-3, 6)

Semifinals – 3/3

6 p.m. (2) Cleveland State vs. (3) Detroit.  Winner:  Detroit

8:30 p.m. (1) Valparaiso vs. (5) Butler.  Winner:  Valparaiso

Championship – 3/6 9 p.m. (at higher seed)

(1) Valparaiso vs. (3) Detroit.  Winner:  Valparaiso

Ivy League (no tournament)

Predicted winner:  Harvard

MAAC (Springfield, MA; March 2-5)

Quarterfinals – 3/3

2:30 p.m. (4) Fairfield vs. (5) Rider.  Winner: Fairfield

4:30 p.m. (1) Iona vs. (8) Marist.  Winner:  Iona

7:30 p.m. (2) Loyola (Md.) vs. (7) Niagara.  Winner:  Loyola (Md.)

9:30 p.m. (3) Manhattan vs. (6) Siena.  Winner:  Manhattan

Semifinals – 3/4

2 p.m. (1) Iona vs. (4) Fairfield.  Winner:  Iona

4:30 p.m. (2) Loyola (Md.) vs. (3) Manhattan.  Winner:  Manhattan

Championship – 3/5 7 p.m.

(1) Iona vs. (3) Manhattan.  Winner: Iona

MAC (Cleveland; March 5, 7-10)

Predicted winner:  Akron

MEAC (Winston-Salem, NC; March 6-10)

Predicted winner: Norfolk State

Missouri Valley (St. Louis; March 1-4)

Semifinals – 3/3

2:30 p.m. (1) Wichita State vs. (4) Illinois State.  Winner:  Wichita State

5 p.m. (2) Creighton vs. (3) Evansville.  Winner:  Creighton

Championship – 3/4 2 p.m.

(1) Wichita State vs. (2) Creighton.  Winner:  Wichita State

Mountain West (Las Vegas, NV; March 8-10)

Predicted winner: San Diego State

Northeast (Campus sites (higher seeds); March 1, 4, 7)

Semifinals – 3/4

TBD – (1) Long Island vs. (5) Quinnipiac.  Winner: LIU

TBD – (2) Wagner vs. (3) Robert Morris.  Winner:  Robert Morris

Finals – 3/7 TBD

(1) LIU vs. (3) Robert Morris.  Winner:  LIU

Ohio Valley (Nashville; February 29-March 3)

Championship – 3/3 2 p.m.

(1) Murray State vs. (2) Tennessee State.  Winner:  Murray State

Pac-12 (Los Angeles; March 7-10)

Predicted winner: Washington

Patriot (Campus sites (higher seeds); February 29, March 3, 7)

Semifinals – 3/3

TBD – (1) Bucknell vs. (5) Lafayette.  Winner:  Bucknell

TBD – (2) Lehigh vs. (3) American.  Winner:  Lehigh

Championship – 3/7 7 p.m.

(1) Bucknell vs. (2) Lehigh.  Winner:  Lehigh

SEC (New Orleans; March 8-11)

Predicted winner: Kentucky

Southern (Asheville, NC; March 2-5)

Quarterfinals – 3/3

12 p.m. (N1) UNC-Greensboro vs. (N5) Appalachian State.  Winner:  UNC-Greensboro

2:30 p.m. (S2) Wofford vs. (S6) Citadel.  Winner:  Wofford

6 p.m. (S1) Davison vs. (S5) Furman.  Winner:  Davidson

8:30 p.m. (N2) Elon vs. (N6) Chattanooga.  Winner:  Elon

Semifinals – 3/4

6 p.m. (N1) UNC-Greensboro v. (S2) Wofford.  Winner:  Wofford

8:30 p.m. (S1) Davidson vs. (N2) Elon.  Winner:  Davidson

Championship – 3/5 9 p.m.

(S1) Davidson vs. (S2) Wofford.  Winner:  Davidson

Southland (Katy, TX; March 6-10)

Predicted winner: Lamar

Summit (Sioux Falls, SD; March 3-6)

Quarterfinals

3/3

7 p.m. (1) Oral Roberts vs. (8) IPFW.  Winner:  Oral Roberts

9:30 p.m. (2) South Dakota State vs. (7) IUPUI.  Winner:  South Dakota State

3/4

7 p.m. (4) Western Illinois vs. (5) North Dakota State.  Winner:  Western Illinois

9:30 p.m. (3) Oakland vs. (6) Southern Utah.  Winner:  Oakland

Semifinals – 3/5

7 p.m. (1) Oral Roberts vs. (4) Western Illinois.  Winner:  Oral Roberts

9:30 p.m. (2) South Dakota State vs. (3) Oakland.  Winner:  South Dakota State

Championship - 3/6 9 p.m.

(1) Oral Roberts vs. (2) South Dakota State.  Winner: South Dakota State

Sun Belt (Hot Springs, AR; March 3-6)

First Round – 3/3

7 p.m. (8) Arkansas State vs. (9) FAU.  Winner:  FAU

7 p.m. (6) South Alabama vs. (11) Troy.  Winner:  South Alabama

9:30 p.m. (7) Western Kentucky vs. (10) FIU.  Winner:  Western Kentucky

Quarterfinals – 3/4

7 p.m. (1) Middle Tennessee State vs. (9) FAU.  Winner:  MTSU

7 p.m. (4) Louisiana-Lafayette vs. (5) North Texas.  Winner:  North Texas

9:30 p.m. (2) Arkansas-Little Rock vs. (7) Western Kentucky.  Winner:  UALR

9:30 p.m. (3) Denver vs. (6) South Alabama.  Winner:  Denver

Semifinals – 3/5

7 p.m. (1) MTSU vs. (5) North Texas.  Winner:  MTSU

9:30 p.m. (2) UALR vs. (3) Denver.  Winner:  Denver

Championship – 3/6 7 p.m.

(1) MTSU vs. (3) Denver.  Winner: Middle Tennessee State

SWAC (Garland, TX; March 7-10)

Predicted winner: Mississippi Valley State

WAC (Las Vegas, NV; March 7-10)

Predicted winner: Nevada

West Coast (Las Vegas, NV; February 29-March 3, March 5)

Semifinals – 3/3

9 p.m. (1) St. Mary's vs. (5) San Francisco.  Winner:  St. Mary's

11 p.m. (2) Gonzaga vs. (3) BYU.  Winner:  Gonzaga

Championship – 3/5 9 p.m.

(1) St. Mary's vs. (2) Gonzaga.  Winner:  St. Mary's