Games to review

A10 title game
Dayton 3OT game

Offseason Column

This offseason I want to pick a game a week to breakdown. I will be working off the games provided as replies to @A10Talk. It will be limited to games that were on ESPN+ or games that I can easily find full game video for.

My goal is to start the week after Easter, and do 1 or 2 games for each team. Most of these games will be from the 2019 season but occasionally I plan to do a game from the recent past. These games will most likely feature the Bonnies since they are my team but I will try to make all the breakdown's as unbiased as possible.

Proposed Conference Alignment

Under my proposed conference alignment the SEC, Big Ten, and PAC 12 all maintain there current members as of the beginning of the 2011 football season. The Big East, A10 and Mountain West would see the biggest changes with small tweaks to the ACC and Big 12 conferences.  These are the big 8 conferences for basketball and football. The Big 12 would see Boise St and TCU join to maintain 12 teams. Boise State would join the Big 12 north as well as OK St. TCU would then join the south division. OK St. vs. Oklahoma would also be a guaranteed out of division match up every season.

The Big East would include the following teams:
Cuse, Pitt, Louisville, WVU, Cincinnati, Rutgers, UConn, Nova, Georgetown, Boston College, St. Johns, Notre Dame, Marquette, and Xavier
South Florida would essentially be traded to the ACC for BC to be returned to the Big East. No other adjustments would be seen for the ACC.
St.Johns, Marquette, Xavier, and Notre Dame would be non football members.

The Atlantic 10 would include the following:
Charlotte, Dayton, Duquesne, UMass, Rhode Island, Providence, Fordham, George Washington, Seton Hall, Temple, St. Joes, LaSalle, and St. Bonaventure
The schools that support football teams in this conference would continue to play in their current football conference the CAA.
Duquesne would move from the NEC to the CAA to take Nova's spot in the conference and create two conferences with 8 teams a piece for football purposes.

The Mountain West would merge with the WAC (except for Idaho and San Jose St.) and receive non football members of Depaul and St. Louis University. The new conference would have the following members:
Air Force, Colorado St., New Mexico, New Mexico St, San Diego St, UNLV, Wyoming, Fresno St, Nevada, Utah St, Hawaii, Louisiana Tech, and Depaul, Saint Louis as non football schools.

The Big Sky would pick up the remaining WAC schools and be an 11 team conference for the time being.

The outcome would be 6 power football conferences 5 with 12 teams, and one (Big East) with 10 teams.  The Mountain West would also be a 12 team football conference.

Let the Madness Begin!

March 3, 2010

On the Bubble will discuss the NCAA Men's Basketball tournement and rank schools based upon SOS, RPI, Good/Bad Wins/Losses, and the all important eye test.  The schools will be broken down into conferences to be discussed but then will be ranked based upon the aforementioned criterion.  Some of what I post will be merging the major sports sites but I strive to create a unique take on the Bubble and the potential seeding.

ACC - RPI 5, SOS 6
Locks: Duke, UNC

• Duke (RPI 5 SOS 36) hurt its chances for a 1 seed by losing at VT but much of the competition faltered over the weekend as well leaving things still undecided.
• UNC (RPI 10 SOS 14) continues to steam roll its way through a weak ACC but the loss of Bullock for the season could hurt its seeding. Big match-up ahead between these two schools but plenty of bball to be played between now and then.

In the mixer: Va Tech, Florida State, Clemson, BC

• VT (RPI 55 SOS 88) The Hokies have earned this by beating Duke over the weekend and by virtue of their head to head win over Florida St. (with Singleton).  Bad losses to Ga. Tech and Virginia twice hurt there overall standing probably still need to win to close out the season. The quality wins in the ACC tourney could dramatically improve their seed. The loss tonight against BC is another example of the up and down nature of the Hokies this season.
• Florida St.(RPI 48 SOS 89) The loss of Chris Singleton hurts them more than it first appeared.  A win this week over UNC would seal the deal for FSU but seems unlikely given the result of the first game ( a 20 pt loss with Singleton).  Overall FSU is in a similar position as VT they could use 2 more wins and the win over Duke should get them in. 
• BC (RPI 44 SOS 16) has great computer numbers and a win against Texas A&M but is brought down by losses to several other bubble teams both in and out of conference.  The A&M win was early in the year and BC has struggled down the stretch with its tough schedule. A win against VT has moved the Eagles up the ladder past Clemson
• .Clemson (RPI 69 SOS 97) faces a potential play in game at home against VT in the regular season finale.  But first they travel to Cameron Indoor to take on the Dukies.  Clemson has yet to get a marque win could it happen this week? I find this highly unlikely and this could be the biggest contributor of Clemson missing the cut.

Big 10 - 

Locks: Ohio St., Purdue, Wisconsin

• Ohio St. (RPI 3 SOS 27) looks to lock up a number one seed in the final week of the regular season.  Other than lapses at Purdue and Wisconsin the Buckeyes have looked the part so far this year. 
• Purdue (RPI 6 SOS 16) the year started questionably for the Boilermakers who lost Robbie Hummel in the early going with an ACL tear.  The remaining members of the team however have stepped up big knocking of both Wisconsin and Ohio State at home this year.  They look to close the season strong against Iowa before the start of tourney play.
• Wisconsin (RPI 12 SOS 29) took down Ohio St. for the first time this season and beat Purdue both at home. They could improve their seeding with a win in the final game of the regular season on the road against Ohio St.  Both Wisconsin and Purdue are in the 3-4 seed range if the season ended today.

Mixer: Illinois, Michigan St., Penn St. Michigan

• Illinois (RPI 39 SOS 17) failed to capitalize today on an opportunity to move into lock status by squandering a lead against Purdue.  Now they must win their final game against Indiana and have a good showing in the Big 10 tourney to ensure they are on the correct side of the Bubble
• Michigan St. (RPI 38 SOS 5) their were high hopes for this team going into the 2010-11 season.  The team played an extremely tough non conference schedule that included 2 potential number one seeds.  Their computer numbers are great and are keeping them in the mix but they need to close out the season with wins against Iowa and fellow bubble team Michigan to keep their dream alive.  This team's biggest challenge might be exactly that playing as a team and having everyone performing at the same time. When it has happened they look like the team we expected however it has not happened often.
• Penn St. (RPI 56 SOS 9) This is a team with some head scratching losses given the teams they have beaten this year. If you discount their quality wins all being at the BJC (home) they need to make a run and pick up at least one more quality win in the conference tourney. They have the guard play however to make a run in the Big 10.
• Michigan (RPI 57 SOS 20) has played its way onto the bubble by defeating fellow bubble team Penn St. and by knocking Minnesota of the bubble in the month of February.  This Michigan team lacks the quality wins that many of its fellow bubble teams possess and will be looking to make a run in the Big 10 tourney to pick up a few more high profile wins.

 Big 12 - 

Locks: Kansas, Texas, Kansas St., Texas A&M

• Kansas (RPI 2 SOS 13) has been a top 10 team all season and has only 2 losses.  The Jayhawks close out the season with two tough games against Texas A&M and at Mizzu.  Winning even one of these games should be enough to wrap up a 1 seed.
• Texas (RPI 13 SOS 21) has wins against the top teams in the Big 12 as well as a few great non conference wins.  On the flip side however Texas has not finished the season strong. They need a good performance against Baylor in the finale to stay on the 2-3 line.
• Kansas St. (RPI 25 SOS 6) has finished the season exactly the opposite of Texas. The Wildcats are on a tear through the Big 12 knocking of both Kansas, Texas, and Mizzu on a 5 game win streak.  The need avoid a let down against lowly Iowa State as they close out their regular season.
• Texas A&M (RPI 30 SOS 59) had a great non conference record although had a softer schedule than some of their counterparts.  The Aggies have kept it up in Big 12 action only losing to Texas x2, Baylor x2 and Nebraska.  They still have a show down with Kansas in which they can improve their seeding. For now A&M is a 6 or 7 seed.

Mixer: Missouri, Baylor, Colorado, Nebraska

• Missouri (RPI: 28, SOS: 58) should be in but has no marque wins in conference or out of conference.  They are probably a lock at this point but could use a big win against KU to close out the year.
• Baylor (RPI: 74, SOS: 50) beat Texas A&M x2 but it seems alot of bubble teams have wins against the Aggies.  A win to close out the season vs Texas would secure their spot in the tournament.
• Colorado (RPI: 76, SOS: 70) Has huge wins against Texas Missouri and Kan St. x2. This does not seem to be enough however to put them in at the moment but they will have a chance to play there way into the tourney.  A final game against Nebraska could be a final play in for both teams.
• Nebraska ( RPI: 79, SOS: 75)  As stated above needs to beat Colorado to get in or needs a few big wins in the Big 12 tourney

Big East - 
Locks: Pitt, Nova, Gtown, St. Johns, UConn, Louisville, Syracuse, and West Virgina


This is the definition of a power conference.


Mixer: Cincinnati, Marquette

• Cincinnati (RPI: 40, SOS: 80) should be in the tourney right now giving the Big East 10 teams. 
• Marquette (RPI: 53, SOS: 30) the loss to Cincinnati hurt Marq but they still have the Big East tourney to make some noise.  They already have good computer numbers are close to being on the right side of the bubble. If the season ended today they would be in the last 4 in or first 4 out.

Pac 10 - 
Locks: Arizona, UCLA


The traditional powerhouses have shown up but overall the Pac 10 has been a terrible conference this season.  They all seem to be able to win at home but are terrible on the road.


Mixer: Washinton, USC

• Washington (RPI: 35, SOS: 65) there only good wins are against Arizona and UCLA. They have numerous bad losses in conference.
• USC (RPI: 79, SOS: 52) beat a quarto of good teams: Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, and UCLA. Their problem is the same as Washington.