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TGS COLLEGE HOOPS…BRACKET BUSTERS…OR BUBBLE BUSTERS?
Still, it is good fun to see so many of these “mid-majors” on network TV after a steady diet of Big East, Big Ten and Big XII action. And we find it ironic that a couple of flagship mid-major sides that begged out of “Buster” action this season, Gonzaga and Butler (which each believed they had outgrown the event), could have probably used a chance at another high-profile non-conference scalp this season. Neither the Zags nor the Bulldogs are involved in this season’s BracketBusters. But the whole “Busters” concept seems to be working just fine for the mid and lower-level D-I leagues that participate; the entire BracketBusters slate mostly involves games that will be having no impact on Selection Sunday, but nonetheless provide the “feel” of a special event for the participating teams. The “Buster” games also often give us a chance to take a sneak peak at contenders in conferences such as the SoCon and Ohio Valley that are usually involved in the festivities and will be involved in upcoming tourney action.
By this time, every weekend until Selection Sunday on March 13 is packed with crucial games involving teams on the proverbial NCAA “bubble,” and the BracketBusters event allows more of those matchups to come into focus. Following are some of the more-important “Buster” games to watch this weekend.
Virginia Commonwealth at Wichita State (Friday night, ESPN-2)…This matchup has suddenly become a lot more important for VCU, which has seen its NCAA at-large candidacy take a real hit in the last week with lopsided home losses to Colonial heavyweights Old Dominion and George Mason. This one at the Roundhouse now becomes a must-win for the Rams; anything less will require them to win the CAA Tourney (held in hometown Richmond, by the way) in a couple of weeks. As for Wichita, the Shockers are sitting pretty nicely at the moment, on the safe side of the Big Dance cut line, and can further solidify their status with the Selection Committee (and maybe not force themselves into must-win mode for upcoming “Arch Madness” in St. Louis) with a win over VCU.
Miami-Ohio at James Madison (Saturday)…Neither of these two figure to be in the NCAA at-large queue (they’ll need to win their respective conference tourneys to get to the Big Dance), although both are likely to surface somewhere in the postseason. We’re most intrigued by the recent uptick of Charlie Coles’ Miami-Ohio, especially since the RedHawks amazingly began to ascend at the same time key swingman Antonio Ballard went out with a wrist injury. Miami has won five in a row since to move atop the MAC East, and if nothing else the RedHawks will not intimidated by a trip to Harrisonburg after facing the likes of Duke, Ohio State, San Diego State, and Kansas (all potential number one NCAA seeds) in pre-league action.
Morehead State at Indiana State, and Evansville at Murray State…Not that there is anything particularly special about Ohio Valley vs. Missouri Valley matchups, but we find these two rather intriguing as they feature the top contenders (Morehead State and Murray State) in the OVC. Morehead, which put up a pretty decent fight in pre-league games vs. Florida and Ohio State, has won eight games in a row and could be entering the fast-approaching OVC Tourney (which we’ll preview, along with other early D-I tourneys, beginning next week) as the favorite. Watch bullish 6’8 frontliner Kenneth Faried, who does almost all of his work on the blocks, who’s scoring 17.5 ppg, and had his number 35 retired by the Golden Eagles prior to last weekend’s win over SE Missouri State. As for the Racers from Murray, remember how they beat Vanderbilt in the NCAA first round last season and almost did the same to Butler in the second round. Like last year, Murray’s terrier-like 3-G lineup led by srs. B.J. Jenkins and Isacc Miles could cause some real matchup problems for many potential March foes.
Vermont at College of Charleston (ESPNU)…This could be a sneak peak at a pair of sides that could easily be participating in the Big Dance, with each leading their respective leagues (Vermont in the America East, Charleston in the SoCon South). The Catamounts, who have already clinched the A-East regular-season crown, are assured of home-court edge throughout their conference tournament. We need a bit more evidence, however, that Vermont (a possible Big Dance play-in game candidate) can deal with upgraded opposition after losses vs. BYU (not close), UConn (closer) and Metro-Atlantic leader Fairfield (even closer) in pre-league play. The Catamounts, if you recall, made the Dance last year under HC Mike Lonergan, and have a nice inside-outside combo with 6-8 PF Evan Fjeld providing the power on the blocks, and one of our favorite-named players in the country, 6’4 G Brendan Bald (this guy has to be dear to our hearts), proving a tough matchup on the perimeter. Bobby Cremins’ Cougars, however, are a bit more accomplished, having won at Tennessee and playing ACC reps Maryland (losing by only 1) and Clemson (losing by only 7) to the hilt on the road. Cremins’ star G Andrew Goudelock (23.7 ppg) will be one of the featured Buster performers on display this weekend; we would have loved to see a matchup vs. Hofstra (instead playing Wright State in another Saturday BracketBuster) and a battle vs. the Pride’s Charles Jenkins in what would likely have been a showdown of the best two mid-major guards in the country.
George Mason at Northern Iowa (ESPN-2)…When these matchups were announced in late January, Mason was in the early stages of what has become a 12-game win streak (and 13-game cover streak); we suspect if the matchups were made last week, we might have seen the Patriots facing Wichita (which would have been a rematch of a memorable 2006 Buster at the Roundhouse). And Northern Iowa might not have been granted such a featured matchup, either, as the Panthers have since lost their “garbage man deluxe” PF Lucas O’Rear to injury and dropped 3 of their last 4, effectively removing them from Big Dance at-large consideration. Another win for GMU likely wraps up an NCAA at-large spot and takes a bit of pressure off of Jim Larranaga’s troops for the fast-approaching Colonial Tourney in Richmond.
Utah State at Saint Mary’s (ESPN-2)…Neither of these two are taking anything for granted with the Selection Committee after both having been among the last cuts from Big Dance fields in recent memory. And there is heightened urgency on the Saint Mary’s side after a shock loss to WCC cellar-dweller San Diego (huh?) on Wednesday night. For Utah State, this a chance to avenge a 5-point loss to a bigger Gaels side last season that featured mammoth C Omar Samhan. SMC is a smaller but quicker this season, with USD transfer Rob Jones replacing Samhan’s post presence with an athletic, slashing element, although everything on the attack end for the Gaels is designed to set up long-range bombers Mickey McConnell (47.3% triples) and Aussie Matthew Dellavedova beyond the arc. The veteran Aggies, however, feature an experienced lineup that made the Dance last season while adding a more-athletic element at PG in Houston transfer Brockeith Pane, who can attack the bucket with more abandon than some of Stew Morrill’s recent floor leaders. The winner of this one will all but punch their at-large ticket to the Dance.
Montana at Long Beach State (ESPN-2)…Another matchup similar to the Charleston-Vermont showdown featuring a pair of teams currently leading their respective loops, although both Montana (Big Sky) and Long Beach (Big West) are going to have to win their conferences tournaments to get a call from the Selection Committee. There is another angle to consider with this matchup in that the winner of this one, should it advance to the Big Dance in three weeks, likely avoids one of the 16 vs. 16 play-in games. Montana, if you recall, made the Dance last season after upsetting Weber State in the Big Sky finale thanks to a memorable effort from now-graduated Grizzlies G Anthony Johnson, who pumped home 42 in Ogden. Remember, too, that Montana won at UCLA in December and has a legit post presence in 6-11, 260-lb. C Brian Qvale (15.0 ppg & 8.8 rpg). Watch the injury report for this one, however, because Montana HC Wayne Tinkle might decide to rest star soph G Will Cherry (ankle; 14.5 ppg) to make sure he is ready for the upcoming Big Sky Tourney. Cherry’s presence would be important vs. Dan Monsen’s go-go Long Beach side that has won five in a row and boasts of five DD scorers, led by whippet-like PG Casper Ware (16.4 ppg) and big 6-5 G Larry Anderson, a local product from LB Jordan High who causes matchup problems on the perimeter and is scoring 14.6 ppg. How the smaller Beach frontline handles the 6’11 Qvale will be an important factor, as well as the 49ers’ desire to speed up the tempo. Very interesting style clash.
