Final Championship Week Predictions

Yesterday pretty much sucked, basketball-wise anyway.  IU continued to make Wisconsin look like a better team than it is by scoring a season-low 56 points, losing in the Big Ten Tournament semis.  The loss shouldn't cost IU a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but given that Louisville won the Big East Tournament, IU may not be getting the 1-seed in the Midwest (where the first two rounds would be in Dayton and the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 would be in Indy).  If they do end up in the East, it wouldn't be terrible (probably Lexington or Dayton then Washington), but obviously Indianapolis is a lot bigger advantage for IU than DC.  Such is life.  March Madness is a fickle mistress.  However, Wisconsin's win should mean that the Big Ten will have 5 teams with a 4-seed or better.

The NCAA Tournament Selection Show starts at 6 Eastern on CBS.

The last four automatic bids are up for grabs today.  Here are the details (all times are Eastern) and my predicted winner

ACC (1 p.m.; ESPN) (1) Miami vs. (3) North Carolina.  Winner:  Miami

Atlantic 10 (1 p.m.; CBS) (1) St. Louis vs. (2) VCU.  Winner:  VCU

SEC (1 p.m.; ABC) (1) Florida vs. (3) Mississippi.  Winner:  Florida

Big Ten (3:30 p.m.; CBS) (2) Ohio State vs. (4) Wisconsin.  Winner:  Ohio State

Here is who has already clinched an automatic berth.  I added in parentheses the number of NCAA tournament appearances, including the bid just clinched, and the team's last NCAA Tournament appearance, where applicable.

America East:  Albany (3 - 2007)

Atlantic Sun:  Florida Gulf Coast (1)

Big East:  Louisville (39 - 2012)

Big South:  Liberty (3 - 2004)

Big Sky:  Montana (10 - 2012)

Big 12:  Kansas (42 - 2012)

Big West:  Pacific (9 - 2006)

Colonial:  James Madison (5 - 1994)

Conference USA:  Memphis (25 - 2012)

Horizon:  Valparaiso (8 - 2004)

Ivy League:  Harvard (3 - 2012)

MAC:  Akron (4 - 2011)

MAAC:  Iona (10 - 2012)

MEAC:  North Carolina A&T (10 - 1995)

MVC:  Creighton (18 - 2012)

Mountain West:  New Mexico (14 - 2012)

NEC:  LIU-Brooklyn (6 - 2012)

OVC:  Belmont (6 - 2012)

Pac-12:  Oregon (11 - 2008)

Patriot:  Bucknell (6 - 2011)

Southern:  Davidson (12 - 2012)

Southland:  Northwestern State (3 - 2006)

Summit:  South Dakota State (2 - 2012)

Sun Belt:  Western Kentucky (23 - 2012)

SWAC:  Southern (8 - 2006)

WAC:  New Mexico State (20 - 2012)

West Coast:  Gonzaga (16 - 2012)