MARCH MADNESS: Chapter 2, Conference Tournaments, Part 2
Here's Part 2 of TMG's conference championship week predictions.
March 7-10
1.Colonial Athletic Conference (Washington D.C.)
Regular Season champion: Hofstra
Notes: This is an upset minded conference with no real home court advantage. Beware of the sleeper.
Projected winner: William& Mary
March 7-14
2.America East Conference (Higher seed, campus sites)
Regular season champs: Vermont
Projected Winner: Vermont
March 9-14
3.Mid-American Conference (Cleveland, Ohio)
Regular Season Winner: Akron, Buffalo, Northern Illinois
Note: Wide open tournament, with no team on a hot streak.
Projected Winner: Akron
March 10-14
4. Atlantic Coast Conference (Greensboro, N.C.)
Regular Season Champ: Florida State
Note: Virginia is the hottest team, but watch out for last place North Carolina if it can put its game face on during tournament week at a friendly site.
Projected winner: Florida State
5. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (Norfolk, Va.)
Regular season Champ: North Carolina Central
Projected Winner: North Carolina Central
6. Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (Atlantic City)
Regular season champ: Siena
Note: Siena hottest team in league, but must prove it can win away from home.
Projected winner: Saint Peter's
7. Southwestern Athletic Conference (Birmingham, Ala.)
Regular season champ: Prairie View A&M
Projected Winner: Prairie View A&M
March 11-14
8. Pac-12 Conference (Las Vegas)
Regular season winner: Oregon
Note: Wide open league could produce 7 tournament teams
Projected winner: Oregon
9. Southland Conference (Katy, Texas)
Regular season winner: SF Austin
Note: Lumberjacks have had a spectacular regular season, which includes a win at Duke. Could get into at-large discussion, but don't expect an upset.
Projected winner: SF Austin
10. Western Athletic Conference (Las Vegas)
Regular season winner: New Mexico State
Projected winner: New Mexico State
11. Big 12 Conference (Kansas City)
Regular season winner: Kansas
Notes: Kansas and Baylor are No. 1 seed caliber teams. Texas has pushed its way into at-large discussion, which could give conference 6 teams.
Projected winner: Kansas
12. Big East (New York City)
Regular season winner: Seton Hall
Notes: Most balanced conference in college basketball. Seven bids possible and all could win Big East tournament
Projected winner: Villanova
13. Big Sky Conference (Boise, Idaho)
Regular season champion: Eastern Washington
Projected winner: Eastern Washington
14. Conference USA (Frisco, Texas)
Regular Season champion: North Texas
Projected winner: North Texas
March 11-15
15. Southeastern Conference (Nashville, Ten.)
Regular season champion: Kentucky
Notes: Until they hit a speed bump against Tennessee last week, Kentucky looked like a Final Four caliber team. Don't bet against Coach Cal's teams in March.
Projected winner: Kentucky
16. Atlantic 10 Conference (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Regular season champ: Dayton
Notes: Dayton has Final Four credentials.
Projected winner: Dayton
17. Big Ten Conference (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Regular season champion: Michigan State
Notes: Conference is in the mix for a record 11 teams, but the problem is that the No. 1 team has 6 losses. Too much parity. Michigan State always dangerous in March.
Projected winner: Michigan State
March 12-15
18. Big West Conference (Anaheim, Ca.)
Regular season champ: UC Irvine
Projected winner: UC Irvine
19. American Athletic Association (Fort Worth. Tx)
Regular Season champion: Tulsa
Projected winner: Wichita State
March 14-15
20. Ivy League (Cambridge, Ma.)
Regular season champion: Yale
Note: Home court edge in this tournament goes to Harvard, which will give a payback to Yale for last year.
Projected winner: Harvard