Ren was massacred on Thursday losing 10 teams, many that were his best chances for at-large bids. Here's a recap...
Dead Group 1: DOA - These teams weren't going anywhere anyway so their death was not a surprise and while an improbable run to a conference title game would be welcomed, it was not meant to be for this motley crue of underachievers.
Boston College
Texas Tech
Nebraska
Penn St
Prairie View
Oregon
UNC As the #6 pick in the entire draft, ahead of #1 seed Kentucky, the Tarheels will go down as the worst pick in draft history.
Dead Group 2: - These teams were positioned to advance further than they did and challenge for the conference crown. Nope
Texas A and M Corpus Christi
Buffalo
Dead Group 3: Devastating losses by bubble teams and title contenders who had a real shot at making the tournament. The bubble just burst and NIT plans are in the works.
UAB, Memphis - Conference USA gets brutalized losing its #2 and #3 seeds on the same day in ugly fashion. The Tigers lost a heartbreaker 66-65 as Houston's Aubrey Coleman hit the game winner with 5 seconds left. Memphis who were among the first four teams in/out for the past week, will get passed and miss the tournament for the first time in 5 years. UAB on the other hand forgot to show up and was blitzed vs S Mississippi 58-44.
Kent St - Heavily favored to reach the conference finals with a 13-3 record in conference, the Golden Flashes were ambushed by Ohio 81-64. Former Indiana player Armon Bassett lit up the scoreboard with 38 points for Ohio. Kent St had won both contests vs Ohio during the regular season too.
Arizona St - ASU appeared to be on a collision course with Washington in the Pac 10 semifinals for a "play out" game between the two. Someone forgot to tell Stanford as Jeremy Green (18pts) and Landry Fields (17 pts) led a balanced attack for the Cardinal. ASU with a barren resume is out and headed to the NIT.
Cincinnati - Heartbreak hotel for the long shot Bearcats in the Big East quarterfinals who bowed out to W Virginia 54-51. After a steal gave Cincinnati the ball with 6 seconds left in a 51-51 tie, Dion Dixon lost the ball out of bounds. Then like so many times this season, D'Sean Butler stepped up and drained a 3 at the buzzer to send the Mountaineers into the semifnals and the Bearcats home.
I'm a Survivor...
Akron - The Zips performed a near miracle outlasting E Michigan in double OT. It was tied 78-78 in the first OT when with 8 seconds left, E Michigan guard Jay Higgins hit the go ahead 3. The Zips with no timeouts rushed up the court and Steve McNees hit an equally huge 3 with only one second left to send the game into double overtime. In the 2nd OT, the Zips scored the first 9 points and never looked back winning it 97-89.
Georgia Tech - Avoided a bubble bursting loss to UNC
Minnesota - Kept its slim hopes alive with a win over hapless Penn St 76-55. Up next: Michigan St
Tulsa - Used its home court advantage to advance to the semifinals of Conference USA. Its championship or die for the Golden Hurricanes though.
Florida - If the bubble continues to shrink, Florida's win Thursday over Auburn may have punched their ticket to the NCAAs.
Sam Houston St - The top seed in the Southland avoided disaster as Ashton Mitchell broke an 85-85 tie with 11 seconds left to preserve the win. The Bearkats were in serious trouble down 83-78 with 3 minutes left before a 10-2 run saved the season.
San Diego St - DJ Gray hit a pair of free throws with only 23 seconds left to lift the Aztecs in a squeaker 72-71 into the semifinals. Up next: a must win game against top seeded New Mexico.
Alabama, Miami, UCLA, Northwestern, Michigan - All survived in championship or die scenarios.
TGI Friday
Need to shock the world to stay alive:
Michigan vs Ohio St
Michigan vs Ohio St
Alabama vs Kentucky
Illinois vs Wisconsin - The Illini who were safely in the tournament a month ago are now backed against the walls now. They pulled off an unlikely win in Madison and another performance against the Badgers will get them in the tournament.
Northwestern vs Purdue - The Wildcats need to overheat the Boilermakers to keep their dreams of a first ever conference appearance alive. Northwestern is infamous for being one of the five original division I schools who have never reached the tournament.
Minnesota vs Michigan St
Tulsa vs UTEP
Other Key Battles
- 5 Rhode Island vs 4 St. Louis- Atlantic 10 quarterfinals, a must win game for Rhody.
- 2West Ole Miss vs 3 East Tennessee - Ole Miss may clinch a spot in the NCAAs if they can pull the major upset in Nashville in an SEC quarterfinal
- 7 Dayton vs 2 Xavier
- 4East Florida vs 1West Miss St - This one might be a "playout" game for these 2 bubbles in an SEC quarterfinal
- 7 Georgia Tech vs 2 Maryland - The Yellowjackets can feel safe on Sunday with a win over 2nd seed Maryland in the ACC quarterfinals
- 1 Utah St vs 2 Louisiana Tech - Win or go home for Louisiana Tech, a very sleepless night for Utah St if they lose in this all important rubber match in the WAC semis.
- 2 Pacific vs 3 Long Beach St - Ren invested 3 picks in the Big West and two of them (UCI, UCR who didn't even make the conf tourney nice pick) are dead and buried. Winner advances to the finals.
Game of the Day
- San Diego St vs New Mexico - The Aztecs won the first meeting 74-64 as Malcolm Thomas dominated the game with 18 points and 15 boards. They narrowly missed a sweep of the conference leaders losing 88-86 in OT on the road. The Lobos superstar forward Darington Hobson had 29 points and 12 rebounds in the win.
IN: Ren 16 Stimpy 23
Alive: Ren 11 Stimpy 6
Bubble: Ren 12 Stimpy 14
Dead: Ren 26 Stimpy 23
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