Updated Championship Week Predictions

Here are the highlights from yesterday's Championship Week action.  Only one more automatic berth was clinched, and for only the second day in the last seven, no 1-seeds lost.  Now that we are in the thick of things and there aren't any championship games until Saturday, rather than run down everything that happened, I'll just do that for the Big Ten (since that's the league I care about most), and for other leagues, I'll note if a Top 4 seed lost, if there was an upset by a really low-seeded team, or if there was an exciting game.  I'll also note which bubble teams won and lost each day.

• In the Patriot League final, 9-seed Holy Cross's Cinderella run continued, as the Crusaders -- who, before the Patriot League Tournament started, hadn't won a road game since December 12 -- beat 2-seed Lehigh 59-56 for their fourth road win in four games.  Lehigh had four three-point attempts on its final possession, but couldn't get the game-tying basket to go down.  The Crusaders became the lowest seed to ever win the Patriot League Tournament, and for their efforts, they will be going to their 13th NCAA Tournament and first since 2007.  Congrats to head coach Bill Carmody, who, in 2000, left a Princeton job in which he had been to several NCAA Tournaments to go to Northwestern, where he coached until 2013 but couldn't get over the hump and take the Wildcats to the Big Dance.  He is now back in the tourney in his first year at Holy Cross.
• In the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, 12-seed Illinois demolished 13-seed Minnesota, 85-52, leaving Gopher fans to continue to ask why Tubby Smith was fired three years ago after six winning seasons in Minneapolis and three NCAA Tournament berths.  The Illini will play 5-seed Iowa today.  In the other game, 11-seed Nebraska blew out 14-seed Rutgers 89-72 to set up a matchup with 6-seed Wisconsin today.
• In the second round of the ACC Tournament, 5-seed Duke got a scare from 12-seed NC State, needing a late turnover to pull out a 92-89 win.  The Blue Devils would have been in the NCAA Tournament regardless, but their seeding certainly would have slipped had they lost.  In the 7-10 game, 10-seed Georgia Tech came back from 18 down in the second half to beat 7-seed Clemson, ruining what little chance the Tigers had of making the NCAA Tournament.
• In the SWAC quarterfinals, 2-seed Alcorn State fell to 7-seed Mississippi Valley State, 64-61.  Somewhere, Jerry Rice is beaming, while making ridiculous sideline catches and keeping both feet inbounds.
• The most exciting game of the day came in the first round Mountain West, where 7-seed UNLV and 10-seed Air Force took three overtimes to determine a winner, with UNLV finally pulling away for a 108-102 win.  I was following this one a little more closely than I might normally follow a 7-10 matchup in the Mountain West because a friend of mine, Dan "Piss and" Binegar, was at the game.  Because that's what you do when you retire in your 40s and move to Vegas.  Taking second-place honors for most exciting game was the matchup in the Southland pitting 6-seed McNeese State against 7-seed Nicholls State.  Nicholls State won 94-90 in 2 OTs.
• Bubble teams that won yesterday:  Colorado, Oregon State, Pittsburgh, USC, Virginia Tech
• Bubble teams that lost yesterday:  Clemson, Florida State, Syracuse, Texas Tech (they weren't really on the bubble, but I think losing to TCU puts them on the bubble)
• The remaining four conference tournament start today, and 18 conferences have tournament games today.  
• There are 61 games today, including quarterfinals in 12 conferences.  To put that in perspective, the NCAA Tournament has 67 total games over 12 days on which games are played.  Nearly 35% of all D-1 schools will be playing basketball today.

Here are the tournaments starting today, the tournaments with games today, bids up for grab today, who has already clinched an automatic berth, and my predictions for the remaining conference tournaments.

Tournaments starting today

-AAC
-Big West
-Sun Belt
-WAC

Tournaments with games today
-AAC
-ACC
-Atlantic 10
-Big 12
-Big East
-Big Sky
-Big Ten
-Big West
-Conference USA
-MAC
-MEAC
-Mountain West
-Pac-12
-SEC
-Southland
-Sun Belt
-SWAC
-WAC

Bids up for grabs today (all times Eastern)

-None

Already clinched automatic berths (in parentheses is the NCAA tournament appearances, including the bid just clinched)

-Atlantic Sun:  Florida Gulf Coast (2)
-Colonial: UNC-Wilmington (5)
-Big South:  UNC-Asheville (4)
-Horizon:  Green Bay (5)
-Ivy League:  Yale (4)
-MAAC:  Iona (11)
-Missouri Valley:  Northern Iowa (8)
-NEC:  Fairleigh Dickinson (5)
-OVC:  Austin Peay (7)
-Patriot League:  Holy Cross (13)
-SoCon:  Chattanooga (11)
-Summit:  South Dakota State (3)
-WCC:  Gonzaga (19)

Remaining Tournaments (all times are Eastern)

AAC (March 10-13; Orlando)

3/10 – First Round

3:30 p.m. (ESPNU) (8) East Carolina vs. (9) South Florida.  Predicted winner:  East Carolina

6 p.m. (ESPNews) (7) Central Florida vs. (10) Tulane.  Predicted winner:  Central Florida

3/11 – Quarterfinals

12 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Temple vs. (8) East Carolina.  Predicted winner:  Temple

2 p.m. (ESPN2) (4) Cincinnati vs. (5) Connecticut.  Predicted winner:  Connecticut

7 p.m. (ESPNU) (3) Tulsa vs. (6) Memphis.  Predicted winner:  Tulsa

9 p.m. (ESPNU) (2) Houston vs. (7) Central Florida.  Predicted winner:  Houston

3/12 – Semifinals

3 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Temple vs. (5) Connecticut.  Predicted winner:  Temple

5 p.m. (ESPN2) (2) Houston vs. (3) Tulsa.  Predicted winner:  Tulsa

3/13 – Finals

3:15 p.m. (ESPN) (1) Temple vs. (3) Tulsa.  Predicted winner:  Tulsa

ACC (March 8-12; Washington, D.C.)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

12 p.m. (ESPN) (1) North Carolina vs. (8) Pittsburgh.  Predicted winner:  North Carolina

2 p.m. (ESPN) (4) Notre Dame vs. (5) Duke.  Predicted winner:  Duke

7 p.m. (ESPN) (2) Virginia vs. (10) Georgia Tech.  Predicted winner:  Virginia

9 p.m. (ESPN) (3) Miami vs. (6) Virginia Tech.  Predicted winner:  Miami

3/11 – Semifinals

7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2) (1) North Carolina vs. (5) Duke.  Predicted winner:  Duke

9 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2) (2) Virginia vs. (3) Miami.  Predicted winner:  Virginia

3/12 – Finals

9 p.m. (ESPN) (2) Virginia vs. (5) Duke.  Predicted winner:  Virginia

America East (March 2, 7, 12; campus of higher seeds)

3/12 – Finals

11 a.m. (ESPN2) (3) Vermont at (1) Stony Brook.  Predicted winner:  Stony Brook

Atlantic 10 (March 9-13; Brooklyn)

3/10 – Second Round

12 p.m. (NBCSN) (8) Fordham vs. (9) Richmond.  Predicted winner:  Fordham

2:30 p.m. (NBCSN) (5) George Washington vs. (13) St. Louis.  Predicted winner:  George Washington

6:30 p.m. (NBCSN) (7) Rhode Island vs. (10) Massachusetts.  Predicted winner:  Rhode Island

9 p.m. (NBCSN) (6) Davidson vs. (14) LaSalle.  Predicted winner:  Davidson

3/11 – Quarterfinals

12 p.m. (NBCSN) (1) Dayton vs. (8) Fordham.  Predicted winner:  Dayton

2 p.m. (NBCSN) (4) St. Joseph's vs. (5) George Washington.  Predicted winner:  St. Joseph's

6:30 p.m. (NBCSN) (2) VCU vs. (7) Rhode Island.  Predicted winner:  VCU

9 p.m. (NBCSN) (3) St. Bonaventure vs. (6) Davidson.  Predicted winner:  St. Bonaventure

3/12 – Semifinals

1:30 p.m. (CBSSN) (1) Dayton vs. (4) St. Joseph's.  Predicted winner:  Dayton

4 p.m. (CBSSN) (2) VCU vs. (3) St. Bonaventure.  Predicted winner:  St. Bonaventure

3/13 – Finals

12:30 p.m. (CBS) (1) Dayton vs. (3) St. Bonaventure.  Predicted winner:  Dayton

Big 12 (March 9-12; Kansas City)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

12:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (4) Texas vs. (5) Baylor.  Predicted winner:  Baylor

2:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Kansas vs. (8) Kansas State.  Predicted winner:  Kansas

7 p.m. (ESPNU) (2) West Virginia vs. (10) TCU.  Predicted winner:  West Virginia

9:30 p.m. (ESPNU) (3) Oklahoma vs. (6) Iowa State.  Predicted winner:  Oklahoma

3/11 – Semifinals

7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2) (1) Kansas vs. (5) Baylor.  Predicted winner:  Baylor

9 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2) (3) Oklahoma vs. (3) West Virginia.  Predicted winner:  Oklahoma

3/12 – Finals

6 p.m. (ESPN) (3) Oklahoma vs. (5) Baylor.  Predicted winner:  Oklahoma

Big East (March 9-12; New York)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

12 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) (1) Villanova vs. (8) Georgetown.  Predicted winner:  Villanova

2:30 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) (4)Providence vs. (5) Butler.  Predicted winner:  Butler

7 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) (2) Xavier vs. (7) Marquette.  Predicted winner:  Xavier

9:30 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) (3) Seton Hall vs. (6) Creighton.  Predicted winner:  Creighton

3/11 – Semifinals

6:30 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) (1) Villanova vs. (5) Butler.  Predicted winner:  Villanova

9 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) (2) Xavier vs. (6) Creighton.  Predicted winner:  Xavier

3/12 – Finals

5:30 p.m. (Fox) (1) Villanova vs. (2) Xavier.  Predicted winner:  Villanova

Big Sky (March 8, 10-12; Reno)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

3:05 p.m. (1) Weber State vs. (8) Portland State.  Predicted winner:  Weber State

5:35 p.m. (4) Idaho State vs. (5) North Dakota.  Predicted winner:  Idaho State

8:35 p.m. (2) Montana vs. (10) Sacramento State.  Predicted winner:  Montana

11:05 p.m. (3) Idaho vs. (6) Eastern Washington.  Predicted winner:  Idaho

3/11 – Semifinals

8:35 p.m. (TBD) (1) Weber State vs. (4) Idaho State.  Predicted winner:  Weber State

11:05 p.m. (TBD) (2) Montana vs. (3) Idaho.  Predicted winner:  Montana

3/12 – Finals

8:45 p.m. (TBD) (1) Weber State vs. (2) Montana.  Predicted winner:  Weber State

Big Ten (March 9-13; Indianapolis)

3/10 – Second Round

12 p.m. (BTN) (8) Michigan vs. (9) Northwestern.  Predicted winner:  Michigan

2:30 p.m. (BTN) (5) Iowa vs. (12) Illinois.  Predicted winner:  Iowa

6:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (7) Ohio State vs. (10) Penn State.  Predicted winner:  Ohio State

9 p.m. (ESPN2) (6) Wisconsin vs. (11) Nebraska.  Predicted winner:  Wisconsin

3/11 – Quarterfinals

12 p.m. (ESPN) (1) Indiana vs. (8) Michigan.  Predicted winner:  Indiana

2:30 p.m. (ESPN) (4) Purdue vs. (5) Iowa.  Predicted winner:  Purdue

6:30 p.m. (BTN) (2) Michigan State vs. (7) Ohio State.  Predicted winner:  Michigan State

9 p.m. (BTN) (3) Maryland vs. (6) Wisconsin.  Predicted winner:  Wisconsin

3/12 – Semifinals

1 p.m. (CBS) (1) Indiana vs. (4) Purdue.  Predicted winner:  Indiana

3:30 p.m. (CBS) (2) Michigan State vs. (6) Wisconsin.  Predicted winner:  Michigan State

3/13 – Finals

3 p.m. (CBS) (1) Indiana vs. (2) Michigan State.  Predicted winner:  Indiana

Big West (March 10-12; Anaheim)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

3 p.m. (Fox Sports West Prime Ticket) (1) Hawaii vs. (8) Cal State Fullerton.  Predicted winner:  Hawaii

5:30 p.m. (Fox Sports West Prime Ticket) (4) UC Santa Barbara vs. (5) UC Davis.  Predicted winner:  UC Santa Barbara

9 p.m. (Fox Sports West Prime Ticket) (3) Long Beach State vs. (6) UC Riverside.  Predicted winner:  Long Beach State

11:30 p.m. (Fox Sports West Prime Ticket) (2) UC Irvine vs. (7) Cal Poly.  Predicted winner:  UC Irvine

3/11 – Semifinals

9:30 p.m. (ESPNU – tape delayed) (1) Hawaii vs. (4) UC Santa Barbara.  Predicted winner:  Hawaii

11:59 p.m. (ESPNU) (2) UC Irvine vs. (3) Long Beach State.  Predicted winner:  UC Irvine

3/12 – Finals

11:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Hawaii vs. (2) UC Irvine.  Predicted winner:  Hawaii

Conference USA (March 8-12; Birmingham, AL)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

1 p.m. (ASN) (1) UAB vs. (8) Western Kentucky.  Predicted winner:  UAB

3:30 p.m. (ASN) (4) Louisiana Tech vs. (5) Old Dominion.  Predicted winner:  Louisiana Tech

7 p.m. (ASN) (2) MTSU vs. (7) Charlotte.  Predicted winner:  MTSU

9:30 p.m. (ASN) (3) Marshall vs. (6) UTEP.  Predicted winner:  UTEP

3/11 – Semifinals

4 p.m. (CBSSN) (1) UAB vs. (4) Louisiana Tech.  Predicted winner:  UAB

6:30 p.m. (CBSSN) (2) MTSU vs. (6) UTEP.  Predicted winner:  MTSU

3/12 – Finals

2:30 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) (1) UAB vs. (2) MTSU.  Predicted winner:  UAB

MAC (March 7, 10-12; Cleveland)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

12 p.m. (Time Warner Sportschannel/BCSN/ESPN3) (1) Akron vs. (8) Eastern Michigan.  Predicted winner:  Akron

2:30 p.m. (Time Warner Sportschannel/BCSN/ESPN3) (4) Central Michigan vs. (12) Bowling Green.  Predicted winner:  Central Michigan

6:30 p.m. (Time Warner Sportschannel/BCSN/ESPN3 ) (2) Ohio vs. (7) Northern Illinois.  Predicted winner:  Ohio

9 p.m. (Time Warner Sportschannel/BCSN/ESPN3) (3) Buffalo vs. (11) Miami (OH).  Predicted winner:  Buffalo

3/11 – Semifinals

6:30 p.m. (Time Warner Sportschannel/BCSN/ESPN3) (1) Akron vs. (4) Central Michigan.  Predicted winner:  Akron

9 p.m. (Time Warner Sportschannel/BCSN/ESPN3) (2) Ohio vs. (3) Buffalo.  Predicted winner:  Ball State

3/12 – Finals

7:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Akron vs. (6) Ball State.  Predicted winner:  Akron

MEAC (March 7-12; Norfolk, VA)

3/10 - Quarterfinals

6 p.m. (3) South Carolina State vs. (11) Coppin State.  Predicted winner:  South Carolina State 

8 p.m. (4) Bethune-Cookman vs. (5) Savannah State.  Predicted winner:  Savannah State

3/11 – Semifinals

6:00 p.m. (1) Hampton vs. (5) Savannah State.  Predicted winner:  Hampton

8:00 p.m. (2) Norfolk State vs. (3) South Carolina State.  Predicted winner:  South Carolina State

3/12 – Final

1:00 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Hampton vs. (3) South Carolina State.  Predicted winner:  Hampton

Mountain West (March 9-12; Las Vegas)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

3 p.m. (CBSSN) (1) San Diego State vs. (9) Utah State.  Predicted winner:  San Diego State

5:30 p.m. (CBSSN) (4) New Mexico vs. (5) Nevada.  Predicted winner:  Nevada

9 p.m. (CBSSN) (2) Fresno State vs. (7) UNLV.  Predicted winner:  Fresno State

11:30 p.m. (CBSSN) (3) Boise State vs. (6) Colorado State.  Predicted winner:  Boise State

3/11 – Semifinals

9 p.m. (CBSSN) (1) San Diego State vs. (5) Nevada.  Predicted winner:  San Diego State

11:30 p.m. (CBSSN) (2) Fresno State vs. (3) Boise State.  Predicted winner:  Fresno State

3/12 – Finals

6 p.m. (CBS) (1) San Diego State vs. (2) Fresno State.  Predicted winner:  San Diego State

Pac-12 (March 9-12; Las Vegas)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

3 p.m. (Pac-12 Network) (1) Oregon vs. (8) Washington.  Predicted winner:  Oregon

5:30 p.m. (Pac-12 Network) (4) Arizona vs. (5) Colorado.  Predicted winner:  Arizona

9 p.m. (Pac-12 Network) (2) Utah vs. (7) USC.  Predicted winner:  Utah

11:30 p.m. (FS1) (3) Cal vs. (6) Oregon State.  Predicted winner:  Cal

3/11 – Semifinals

9 p.m. (Pac-12 Network) (1) Oregon vs. (4) Arizona.  Predicted winner:  Oregon

11:30 p.m. (FS1) (2) Utah vs. (3) Cal.  Predicted winner:  Utah

3/12 – Finals

11 p.m. (FS1) (1) Oregon vs. (2) Utah.  Predicted winner:  Oregon

SEC (March 9-13; Nashville)

3/10 – Second Round

1 p.m. (SEC Network) (8) Florida vs. (9) Arkansas.  Predicted winner:  Florida

3 p.m. (SEC Network) (5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) Tennessee.  Predicted winner:  Vanderbilt

7 p.m. (SEC Network) (7) Mississippi vs. (10) Alabama.  Predicted winner:  Alabama

9 p.m. (SEC Network) (6) Georgia vs. (11) Mississippi State.  Predicted winner:  Georgia

3/11 – Quarterfinals

1 p.m. (SEC Network) (1) Texas A&M vs. (8) Florida.  Predicted winner:  Florida

3 p.m. (SEC Network) (4) LSU vs. (5) Vanderbilt.  Predicted winner:  Vanderbilt

7 p.m. (SEC Network) (2) Kentucky vs. (10) Alabama.  Predicted winner:  Kentucky

9 p.m. (SEC Network) (3) South Carolina vs. (6) Georgia.  Predicted winner:  South Carolina

3/12 – Semifinals

1 p.m. (ESPN) (5) Vanderbilt vs. (8) Florida.  Predicted winner:  Vanderbilt

3 p.m. (ESPN) (2) Kentucky vs. (3) South Carolina.  Predicted winner:  Kentucky

3/13 – Finals

1 p.m. (ESPN) (2) Kentucky vs. (5) Vanderbilt.  Predicted winner:  Kentucky

Southland (March 9-12; Katy, TX)

3/10 – Second Round

6 p.m. (SLCDN) (4) Houston Baptist vs. (5) Southeastern Louisiana.  Predicted winner:  Houston Baptist

8:30 p.m. (SLCDN) (3) Sam Houston State vs. (7) Nicholls State.  Predicted winner:  Sam Houston State

3/11 – Semifinals

6 p.m. (ESPN3) (1) Stephen F. Austin vs. (4) Houston Baptist.  Predicted winner:  Stephen F. Austin

8:30 p.m. (ESPN3) (2) Texas A&M-CC vs. (3) Sam Houston State.  Predicted winner:  Texas A&M-CC

3/12 – Finals

9:30 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Stephen F. Austin vs. (2) Texas A&M-CC. Predicted winner:  Stephen F. Austin

Sun Belt (March 10-13; New Orleans)

3/10 – First Round

6 p.m. (ESPN3) (5) Georgia Southern vs. (8) South Alabama.  Predicted winner:  Georgia Southern

8:30 p.m. (ESPN3) (6) Georgia State vs. (7) Texas State.  Predicted winner:  Georgia State

3/11 – Second Round

6 p.m. (ESPN3) (4) Louisiana Lafayette vs. (5) Georgia Southern.  Predicted winner:  Louisiana Lafayette

8:30 p.m. (ESPN3) (3) UT-Arlington vs. (6) Georgia State.  Predicted winner:  UT-Arlington

3/12 – Semifinals

2 p.m. (ESPN3) (1) Arkansas-Little Rock vs. (4) Louisiana Lafayette.  Predicted winner:  Arkansas-Little Rock

4:30 p.m. (ESPN3) (2) Louisiana Monroe vs. (3) UT-Arlington.  Predicted winner:  UT-Arlington

3/13 – Finals

1 p.m. (ESPN2) (1) Arkansas-Little Rock vs. (3) UT-Arlington.  Predicted winner:  Arkansas-Little Rock

SWAC (March 8-12; Houston)

3/10 - Quarterfinals

3:30 p.m. (3) Jackson State vs. (6) Prairie View A&M.  Predicted winner:  Jackson State

9:30 p.m. (4) Southern vs. (5) Alabama State.  Predicted winner:  Southern

3/11 – Semifinals

3:30 p.m. (1) Texas Southern vs. (4) Southern.  Predicted winner:  Texas Southern

9:30 p.m. (7) Mississippi Valley State vs. (3) Jackson State.  Predicted winner:  Jackson State

3/12 – Finals

6:30 p.m. (ESPNU) (1) Texas Southern vs. (3) Jackson State.  Predicted winner:  Texas Southern

WAC (March 10-12; Las Vegas)

3/10 – Quarterfinals

5 p.m. (4) Utah Valley vs. (5) UKMC.  Predicted winner:  Utah Valley

7:30 p.m. (2) Cal State Bakersfield vs. (7) Chicago State.  Predicted winner:  Cal State Bakersfield

10 p.m. (3) Seattle vs. (6) UT Rio Grand Valley.  Predicted winner:  Seattle

3/11 – Semifinals

9 p.m. (1) New Mexico State vs. (4) Utah Valley.  Predicted winner:  New Mexico State

11:30 p.m. (2) Cal State Bakersfield vs. (3) Seattle.  Predicted winner:  Cal State Bakersfield

3/12 – Finals

11 p.m. (ESPNU) (1) New Mexico State vs. (2) Cal State Bakersfield.  Predicted winner:  New Mexico State