NCAA Capsules-South Regional

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/15/2010 -

Durham, N.C., 29-5.

Nickname: Blue Devils. Coach: Mike Krzyzewski.

Conference: Atlantic Coast. Bid: ACC champion.

Region: South. Seed: No. 1.

Tournament Record: 88-30, 33 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (78.4); Jon Scheyer 18.7; Kyle Singler 17.5; Nolam Smith 17.4.

Rebounds: Team (39.3); Brian Zoubek 7.3; Kyle Singler 7.0; Miles Plumlee 5.0; Lance Thomas 4.9.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.1/11.1); Jon Scheyer 5.1/1.7; Nolan Smith 2.9/1.8; Kyle Singler 2.4/1.9.

3-pointers: Team (.385); Jon Scheyer 94; Kyle Singler 71; Nolan Smith 49; Andre Dawkins 34.

Last Ten: 6-4.

The Skinny: The Blue Devils were the top seed in the ACC tournament for the first time since 2006, when J.J. Redick was the star. After a brief lull, it appears Duke is back on track. Krzyzewski's boys went 17-0 at Cameron Indoor Stadium this season, setting a school record for home wins.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Pine Bluff, Ark., 17-15.

Nickname: Golden Lions. Coach: George Ivory.

Conference: Southwestern Athletic. Bid: SWAC champion.

Region: South. Seed: No. 16 (opening round).

Tournament Record: First Year. Last appearance: First year.

Scoring: Team (64.9); Terrance Calvin 10.6; Savalance Townsend 10.4; Lebaron Weathers 10.1; Tavaris Washington 9.4.

Rebounds: Team (38.2); Lebaron Weathers 6.8; Terrance Calvin 5.2; Tavaris Washington 4.6; George Davis 4.3.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (12.5/17.1); Terrance Calvin 4.1/3.2; Savalance Townsend 1.9/2.4; Tavaris Washington 1.9/2.5.

3-pointers: Team (.306); Savalance Townsend 30; Alle Smith 29; Lebaron Weathers 27.

Last Ten: 9-1.

The Skinny: Started the season 0-11 with a brutal non-conference schedule. Some of those losses were to UTEP, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, Missouri and Kansas State. The Lions went 14-4 in the conference and won three more to win the conference tournament.

Winthrop

Rock Hill, S.C., 19-13.

Nickname: Eagles. Coach: Randy Peele.

Conference: Big South. Bid: Big South champion.

Region: South. Seed: No. 16 (opening round).

Tournament Record: 1-8, 8 years. Last appearance: 2008.

Scoring: Team (62.4); Reggie Middleton 10.3; Matt Morgan 9.6; Mantoris Robinson 8.2.

Rebounds: Team (38.8); Andy Buechert 6.5; Mantoris Robinson 6.2; Charles Corbin 5.2; Matt Morgan 4.6.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (10.7/12.3); Reggie Middleton 2.9/2.0; Andre Jones 1.8/1.5.

3-pointers: Team (.255); Reggie Middleton 30; Mantoris Robinson 21; Robbie Dreher 21.

Last Ten: 7-3.

The Skinny: Winthrop upset Coastal Carolina in the championship game, providing some vindication for Peele. He took over when Greg Marshall bolted for Wichita State, and a couple lean years had folks in South Carolina wondering whether he was right for the job. What do they think now?

---California

Berkeley, 23-10.

Nickname: Golden Bears. Coach: Mike Montgomery.

Conference: Pac-10. Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 8.

Tournament Record: 18-15, 15 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (78.0); Jerome Randle 18.7; Patrick Christopher 16.0; Theo Robertson 14.1; Jamal Boykin 12.0.

Rebounds: Team (35.8); Jamal Boykin 6.7; Patrick Christopher 5.4; Theo Robertson 4.7; Omondi Amoke 4.6.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.5/12.0); Jerome Randle 4.5/3.5; Jorge Gurierrez 2.7/1.4; Theo Robertson 2.3/2.0; Patrick Christopher 2.1/1.5.

3-pointers: Team (.373); Jerome Randle 88; Patrick Christopher 55; Theo Robertson 44.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: Cal is hoping that rough start to the season has been forgotten, along with how weak the Pac-10 was this season. The Golden Bears finished the season strong and guys like Randle and Christopher and give opposing coaches headaches.

Louisville

Louisville, Ky., 20-12.

Nickname: Cardinals. Coach: Rick Pitino.

Conference: Big East. Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 9.

Tournament Record: 60-37, 35 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (76.3); Samardo Samuels 15.3; Edgar Sosa 13.3; Jerry Smith 8.4.

Rebounds: Team (36.9); Samardo Samuels 7.0; Jared Swopshire 6.0.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (15.6/13.7); Edgar Sosa 4.5/2.7; Preston Knowles 2.4/1.4.

3-pointers: Team (.339); Edgar Sosa 66; Reginald Delk 42; Preston Knowles 37; Jerry Smith 32.

Last Ten: 6-4.

The Skinny: The Cardinals nearly went from a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament to missing it altogether, but a late run that included a Freedom Hall-closing victory against then-No. 1 Syracuse saved them. That loss in their first game of the Big East tournament shouldn't be discounted.

---Texas A&M

College Station, 23-9.

Nickname: Aggies. Coach: Mark Turgeon.

Conference: Big 12. Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 5.

Tournament Record: 8-11, 10 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (71.8); Donald Sloan 18.2; Derrick Roland 10.5; Ryan Davis 9.5; B.J. Holmes 9.3; David Loubeau 9.0.

Rebounds: Team (36.5); Bryan Davis 7.9; David Loubeau 4.6.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (12.2/12.3); Dash Harris 3.3/1.7; Donald Sloan 2.0/2.6.

3-pointers: Team (.333); B.J. Holmes 57; Donald Sloan 45.

Last Ten: 7-3.

The Skinny: The Aggies are making their fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance, a run that is even more remarkable considering it had never before played in consecutive tournaments. Sloan may be one of the best players in the country that nobody knows anything about.

Utah State

Logan, 27-7.

Nickname: Aggies. Coach: Stew Morrill.

Conference: Western Athletic. Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 12.

Tournament Record: 6-20, 18 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (73.7); Tai Wesley 13.6; Jared Quayle 12.5; Nate Bendall 10.4.

Rebounds: Team (35.5); Tai Wesley 6.6; Jared Quayle 6.3; Nate Bendall 5.4; Brady Jardine 4.6; Tyler Newbold 4.0.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (16.9/10.3); Jared Quayle 4.2/1.6; Tai Wesley 3.4/1.7; Tyler Newbold 3.0/0.9; Pooh Williams 2.3/1.0.

3-pointers: Team (.419); Jared Quayle 68; Tyler Newbold 57; Brian Green 52; Pooh Williams 36.

Last Ten: 9-1.

The Skinny: Quick, name the three teams that have 23 or more wins in 11 straight seasons. Give up? How about Kansas, Gonzaga and Utah State. In fact, the Aggies have averaged more than 25 wins per year over that run, though few expected it to continue after a modest 6-4 start to this season.

---Purdue

West Lafayette, Ind., 27.5.

Nickname: Boilermakers. Coach: Matt Painter.

Conference: Big Ten. Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 4.

Tournament Record: 31-23, 23 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (71.1); E'Twaun Moore 16.6; Robbie Hummel 15.7 (injured); JaJuan Johnson 15.2.

Rebounds: Team (33.3); JaJuan Johnson 7.1; Robbie Hummel 6.9 (injured); E'Twaun Moore 3.7.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.0/10.9); E'Twaun Moore 2.7/2.2; Chris Kramer 2.3/1.3; Robbie Hummel 2.1/1.0 (injured).

3-pointers: Team (.319); E'Twaun Moore 48; Robbie Hummel 43 (injured); Keton Grant 27.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: Everybody knows that the Boilermakers miss Hummell, their go-to playmaker who is done for the season with a knee injury. Guys like E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson have had to help cover his 31 minutes and nearly 17 points per game. Look no further than a 53-44 loss to Michigan State on Feb. 28 to realize it hasn't been easy.

Siena

Loudonville, N.Y., 27-6.

Nickname: Saints. Coach: Fran McCaffery.

Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic. Bid: MAAC champion.

Region: South. Seed: No. 13.

Tournament Record: 4-5, 5 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (75.5); Alex Franklin 16.3; Edwin Ubiles 15.2; Ryan Rossiter 13.9; Clarence Jackson 13.6.

Rebounds: Team (38.3); Ryan Rossiter 11.1; Alex Franklin 8.0.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.5/12.2); Ronald Moore 7.8/2.9; Edwin Ubiles 2.3/1.9.

3-pointers: Team (.323); Clarence Jackson 71; Edwin Ubiles 28.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: The Saints can only wish their first-round game was played at home, where they've won 38 in a row. Even so, they're the first team to win three straight MAAC titles since La Salle 20 years ago. Keep an eye on Rossiter, who can get lost in the shuffle.

---Notre Dame

South Bend, Ind., 23-11.

Nickname: Fighting Irish. Coach: Mike Brey.

Conference: Big East. Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 6.

Tournament Record: 30-33, 29 years. Last appearance: 2008.

Scoring: Team (76.0); Luke Harangody 22.4; Tim Abromaitis 16.3; Ben Hansbrough 11.8; Tory Jackson 9.8.

Rebounds: Team (35.6); Luke Harangody 9.2; Tyrone Nash 5.3; Tim Abromaitis 4.8; Carleton Scott 4.5.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (16.9/10.4); Tory Jackson 5.3/2.0; Ben Hansbrough 4.4/1.8.

3-pointers: Team (.394); Tim Abromaitis 81; Ben Hansbrough 64; Tory Jackson 41.

Last Ten: 6-4.

The Skinny: The Irish went on a run when Harangody missed five of six games late in the season with a deep right knee bruise. He looked healthy in the Big East tournament and make no mistake, Notre Dame is a much better team when the big guy is banging down low.

Old Dominion

Norfolk, Va., 26-8.

Nickname: Monarchs. Coach: Blaine Taylor.

Conference: Colonial Athletic Association. Bid: CAA champion.

Region: South. Seed: No. 11.

Tournament Record: 2-9, 9 years. Last NCAA Appearance: 2007.

Scoring: Team (67.5); Gerald Lee 14.6; Frank Hassell 8.9; Ben Finney 8.8; Kent Bazemore 8.4.

Rebounds: Team (39.2); Frank Hassell 6.6; Ben Finney 5.9; Gerald Lee 4.9; Keyon Carter 4.9; Kent Bazemore 4.2.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (15.5/12.8); Darius James 3.4/1.7; Kent Bazemore 3.3/2.0; Ben Finney 2.4/1.5.

3-pointers: Team (.316); Ben Finney 34; Darius James 33.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: Lee is the unquestioned leader of the Monarchs whose father, Gerald Sr., played professionally in Finland. Lee went to high school at a place called Uusikaupunki - think the Old Dominion coaching staff had a tough time pronouncing that one?

---Baylor

Waco, Texas, 25-7.

Nickname: Bears. Coach: Scott Drew.

Conference: Big 12 . Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 3.

Tournament Record: 3-7, 5 years. Last appearance: 2008.

Scoring: Team (77.6); LaceDarius Dunn 19.4; Tweety Carter 15.7; Ekpe Udoh 13.9; Quincy Acy 9.3.

Rebounds: Team (39.1); Ekpe Udoh 9.8; Quincy Acy 5.1; Anthony Jones 4.9; LaceDarius Dunn 4.8.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (14.0/13.9); Tweety Carter 6.1/2.7; Ekpe Udon 2.6/2.4.

3-pointers: Team (.390); LaceDarius Dunn 105; Tweety Carter 72.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: Drew is considered one of the most controversial coaches in the Big 12 because of his perceived negative recruiting. When he gets guys on the court, though, he can coach. Has it really been seven years since Dave Bliss left the program in shambles?

Sam Houston State

Huntsville, Texas, 25-7.

Nickname: Bearkats. Coach: Bob Marlin.

Conference: Southland. Bid: Southland champion.

Region: South. Seed: No. 14.

Tournament Record: 0-1, 1 year. Last appearance: 2003.

Scoring: Team (80.4); Gilberto Clavell 16.7; Corey Allmond 15.8; Ashton Mitchell 12.6; Preston Brown 9.2.

Rebounds: Team (37.9); Gilberto Clavell 6.4; Josten Crow 5.8; Preston Brown 5.2; Lance Pevehouse 4.1.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (20.5/13.5); Ashton Mitchell 5.0/2.8; Josten Crow 3.9/1.3; Drae Murray 3.7/1.5; Lance Pevehouse 2.3/1.0; Corey Allmond 2.3/1.4.

3-pointers: Team (.381); Corey Allmond 91; Ashton Mitchell 50; Lance Pevehouse 39; Preston Brown 31.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: The Bearkats are making their second trip to the NCAA tournament, and it's been seven years coming. Clavell played for Puerto Rico in the U19 world championships a couple years ago, and in the 2006 Tournament of the Americas against Miami Heat star Michael Beasley, Jonny Flynn of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Duke star Kyle Singler.

---Richmond

Richmond, Va., 26-8.

Nickname: Spiders. Coach: Chris Mooney.

Conference: Atlantic 10. Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 7.

Tournament Record: 6-7, 7 years. Last appearance: 2004.

Scoring: Team (69.3); Kevin Anderson 17.8; David Gonzalvez 14.5; Justin Harper 10.6.

Rebounds: Team (33.0); Justin Harper 5.5; David Gonzalvez 4.2; Dan Geriot 4.1.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (12.7/11.3); Kevin Anderson 2.6/2.4; David Gonzalvez 2.3/1.6; Dan Geriot 2.0/1.6.

3-pointers: Team (.351); David Gonzalvez 74; Ryan Butler 52; Justin Harper 41; Kevin Anderson 37.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: The year couldn't have been more charmed for the Spiders, who set a school-record for regular-season wins and was ranked for the first time in 24 years. Anderson was voted A-10 player of the year and scored 31 against Wake Forest at South Padre Island.

St. Mary's, Calif.

Moraga, Calif., 26-5.

Nickname: Gaels. Coach: Randy Bennett.

Conference: West Coast. Bid: WCC champion.

Region: South. Seed: No. 10.

Tournament Record: 1-5, 5 years. Last appearance: 2008.

Scoring: Team (79.5); Omar Samhan 20.9; Mickey McConnell 13.7; Matthew Dellavedova 12.5; Ben Allen 10.8.

Rebounds: Team (36.8); Omar Samhan 11.0; Ben Allen 7.6.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (16.5/11.6); Mickey McConnell 5.3/2.2; Matthew Dellavedova 4.5/1.9; Ben Allen 2.2/1.5.

3-pointers: Team (.412); Matthew Dellavedova 70; Mickey McConnell 67; Clint Steindl 48; Ben Allen 43.

Last Ten: 8-2.

The Skinny: The Gaels' 81-62 rout of Gonzaga in the conference title game was no fluke, and Samhan has the size (6-11, 265) to create problems. The biggest question is whether he can keep a cool head. Samhan was hit with a technical against the 'Zags and has been known to get into foul trouble.

---Villanova

Philadelphia, 24-7.

Nickname: Wildcats. Coach: Jay Wright.

Conference: Big East. Bid: At large.

Region: South. Seed: No. 2.

Tournament Record: 48-30, 30 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (82.5); Scottie Reynolds 18.5; Corey Fisher 13.7; Antonio Pena 10.9; Corey Stokes 9.5.

Rebounds: Team (39.0); Antonio Pena 7.4; Taylor King 5.6; Reggie Redding 4.7; Corey Stokes 4.0.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (13.9/13.8); Corey Fisher 4.0/2.1; Scottie Reynolds 3.3/2.6; Reggie Redding 2.6/1.5.

3-pointers: Team (.376); Scottie Reynolds 67; Corey Stokes 55; Taylor King 38; Corey Fisher 36.

Last Ten: 4-6.

The Skinny: This was the school-record sixth straight 20-win season for the Wildcats, and Reynolds has been around for four of them. The senior joined Kerry Kittles as the only Villanova players with at least 2,000 points and 400 assists. If he gets shut down, look for Fisher to try to get to the basket.

Robert Morris

Pittsburgh, 23-11.

Nickname: Colonials. Coach: Mike Rice.

Conference: Northeast. Bid: Northeast champion.

Region: South. Seed: No. 15.

Tournament Record: 1-6, 6 years. Last appearance: 2009.

Scoring: Team (68.5); Karon Abraham 13.4; Rob Robinson 9.9; Mezie Nwigwe 8.2; Velton Jones 8.2.

Rebounds: Team (35.1); Rob Robinson 5.5; Russell Johnson 5.1; Dallas Green 4.9; Mezie Nwigwe 4.3.

Assists/Turnovers: Team (12.5/14.7); Velton Jones 2.9/2.4; Mezie Nwigwe 2.5/2.0.

3-pointers: Team (.365); Karon Abraham 80; Russell Johnson 26.

Last Ten: 7-3.

The Skinny: The Colonials played in their ninth NEC tournament title contest but first on the road. It didn't seem to matter against Quinnipiac. The key to Robert Morris making any headlines is balance, with several players who can score.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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Syracuse, N.Y., 28-4.Nickname: Orangemen. Coach: Jim Boeheim.Conference: Big East. Bid: At large.Region: West. Seed: No. 1.Tournament Record: 50-32, 32 years. Last appearance: 2009.Scoring: Team (81.5); Wesley Johnson 16.0; Andy Rautins 11.7; Kris J

How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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