Bearcat Fever:
Exactly how good are those Cincinnati Bearcats? Ranked #5 in the country with a 22-2 record, the Bearcats are 9-1 in Conference USA, their only loss at the hands of a strong Marquette team. However, Bob Huggins’ club is still not demanding the level of respect Duke, Kansas, and Oklahoma are garnering. You can fault the Bearcats’ weak schedule for that. With only two match-ups against ranked opponents this year (#12 Oklahoma State and #16 Wake Forest), the Bearcats will be at the mercy of the NCAA selection committee come tourney time. Sprinkling lightweights such as Dayton, Duquesne and Coppin State throughout the schedule, the Bearcats have only hurt themselves. Even if Cincinnati is ranked in the top four come selection time, the team will be holding hands praying for a #1 seed. Regardless, judging from tournament play in the past, a high seed and Steve Logan might not even matter.
Gonzaga No Fluke:
After coming into the NCAA Tournament unranked the past two years, the #10-ranked Bulldogs will not have the luxury of sneaking up on teams again this year. Gonzaga is lead by tournament-tested point guard/shooting guard Dan Dickau, who’s averaging 20.6 points and 5.0 assists per game. Complementing the senior guard is sophomore center Cory Violette. Violette, who stepped up his play in crucial minutes last year, is averaging 11.8 points and 7.8 boards per game. Gonzaga has also made sure that the competition it has faced during the season is comparable to the opponents it will face later on. Scheduling an opening away game against then #2-ranked Illinois, along with matchups against Texas, Marquette, Fresno State, and Pepperdine are sure to keep the Bulldogs’ position entering the tournament strong. Gonzaga recently came off a scare in a 77-76 win over the University of San Diego, in which Violette dropped 25 points and came away with 15 rebounds.
Surprise Down South:
Both the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Georgia Bulldogs were left for dead prior to the opening of the season. The Yellow Jackets have followed that preseason prediction, while the Bulldogs have surprised. Led by former UCLA head coach Jim Harrick, the Bulldogs have put together a roster of home grown talents which could surprise many come postseason time. Led by sophomore forward Jarvis Hayes and junior guard Ezra Williams, Georgia has posted upsets against #7 Florida, #9 Kentucky, and Georgetown. However, a recent loss to unranked Auburn-which featured the ejection of Harrick-has the team tied with the Gators for first in the SEC East. Georgia still has to play both Florida and Kentucky at home in the next two games. While the team is close to being a lock for the tournament, their seeding will hinge greatly on the final five games prior to the SEC tournament.
Studlife Top 5:
1.) Duke – Blue Devils have been fired up ever since Krzyzewski emptied the locker room.
2.) Maryland – Final Four team from last year looks even stronger entering March.
3.) Oklahoma – Tough wins over Oklahoma State and Texas speak volumes of team’s character.
4.) Florida – Never count Billy Donovan’s hard-nosed club out.
5.) Kansas – Strong Roy Williams teams have never translated into postseason success.
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