Northern Iowa, Hofstra, UAB, Utah St, and George Mason: The Answer Key to Who Should Be In & Who Should Be Out in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

As you know, today is one of the best days in sports, the day the NCAA Selection Committee announces the Field of 65. March Madness is underway. With that in mind, sine the committee usually has so much trouble, I thought I would list for them the 65 teams that should be included, in case they need this as a guide for their discussions. So, here we go, I present to you the right answers….

Locks:

1. Albany (America East Champion)
2. Duke (with a win today, Duke should get the #1 overall seed. Even if the Devils lose, they should avoid a possible meeting with Calhoun’s criminals until the National title game)
3. Boston College (could get a #3 seed if the Eagles upset the Devils today)
4. North Carolina
5. N.C. State (huge slump to end the season, could be one and done for Sendek’s crew next week)
6. Belmont (Atlantic Sun Champion)
7. Ohio State (probably won’t jump Memphis and Texas for a #1, but why not?)
8. Iowa
9. Illinois
10. Michigan State
11. Indiana
12. Wisconsin (another team that will have a tough time winning a game)
13. Texas
14. Kansas
15. Oklahoma
16. Texas A&M
17. Syracuse (they went from being out to being a 4-6 seed in four days. Wow. Now they will be lucky to survive one round)
18. Pittsburgh
19. Villanova (fortunately, Allan Ray will be OK, that looked nasty)
20. The Criminals of Connecticut (their new official name)
21. Marquette
22. Georgetown
23. West Virginia
24. Montana (Big Sky Champ)
25. Winthrop (insert Billy Ray Valentine voice. Big South Champ)
26. Pacific (Big West Champ)
27. UNC-Wilmington (Colonial Champ)
28. Memphis ( a probable #1 seed, though I would favor Texas or Ohio St)
29. UW-Milwaukee (Horizon Champ)
30. Pennsylvania (Ivy Champ)
31. Iona (MAAC Champ)
32. Kent (MAC Champ)
33. Hampton (MEAC Champ)
34. Oral Roberts (Mid Continent Champ)
35. Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley Champ)
36. Wichita St (Missouri Valley regular season winner)
37. San Diego St (Mountain West Champ)
38. Monmouth (NEC Champ)
39. Murray State (Ohio Valley Champ)
40. UCLA (Pac 10 Champ, #4 seed?)
41. Washington
42. Arizona
43. California
44. Bucknell (Patriot Champ)
45. Florida
46. LSU
47. Tennessee
48. Arkansas
49. Alabama
50. Davidson (Southern Champ)
51. Northwestern St (Southland Champ)
52. South Alabama (Sun Belt Champ)
53. Southern (SWAC Champ)
54. Nevada (WAC Champ)
55. Gonzaga (4th rated team will be a #3 seed, and lose in 2nd round, if they escape the #14)

That leaves, in my opinion, 16 teams fighting for the last 10 spots. Here is how I would tell the committee to stack em up:

1. Northern Iowa (beat Iowa, beat LSU, beat Wichita State twice. #23 in RPI)
2. Cincinnati (11 wins against RPI top 100; 7th best schedule in country)
3. Kentucky (they are Kentucky, so they get the benefit from the committee, plus they actually won enough games to earn their way in)
4. Bradley (won 20 games in brutal conference depite best player O’Bryant missing a lot of time; finished strong, winning 7 straight before losing in Missouri Valley Final)
5. Missouri State (they have the #19 RPI, the committee has never passed over anyone even close to this high)
6. George Mason (regular season champ in very tough Colonial Conference. Won at Wichita St. #26 RPI. They deserve to go)
7. UAB (Beat Memphis. Won enough games to overcome terrible strength of schedule)
8. Hofstra (beat George Mason TWICE in last ten days and lost in Colnial Finals. RPI #30)
9. Utah St (they would not be in this mess if they could MAKE A LAYUP)
10. South Carolina OR Creighton (The Blue Jays would a 6th team from the Missouri Valley, probably an impossibility with the committee, but their numbers stack up versus the teams on the outside looking in)

So, Creighton is the team that should be most closely watching the SEC Final today. If Florida wins, I would put Creighton in as the last team. If South Carolina wins, they will take the Blue Jays spot and Dana Altman and company will be bitterly disappointed. Well, that leaves the following schools as out. You can probably make some arguments for most of them to get in over the schools in the 56-65 slots, but they did not do enough in my mind to get in. So my last six out, in order, are:

1. Seton Hall (some big wins but way, way too inconsistent. Plus, I do not care what the committee says, they will be hard pressed to put a 9th Big East team in over some of the mid majors with just as good resumes)
2. Florida State (one big win. Besides, their students rushed the court too early. Maybe next year they can go back, figure it out, and get to the dance. Plus, their strength of schedule was only 112th despite playing in the ACC)
3. Western Kentucky (only three wins against the RPI top 100)
4. Michigan (only two wins in their last nine games)
5. Maryland (Marvel and Kalinock will have to get jazzed for the NIT)
6. Colorado (not enough big wins, cannot win on the road, collapsed in Big 12 tourney)

So that is my list. I know the committee will mess things up, and probably give a couple of the bids to BCS schools instead of the more deserving mid majors. But who knows, maybe they will look at this today, see the light, and just run with it. I hope so.