That Xavier thug instigated it by approaching the Dayton player and slapping the ball out of his hands well after he called a timeout and the official blew the whistle. It doesn't make what Rob Lowery did any better, but both players could have been called for the technical foul. Instead the official ignored the actions of the Xavier player.

Mississippi State close to getting one needed. If they advance and beat Vanderbilt tomorrow they are in great shape.
Georgia Tech get huge wins tonight and they are moved to in.
Florida with their loss is back in the bubble mix.
Really tough loss for Dayton, they are definitely done.

ralphus33 wrote: That Xavier thug instigated it by approaching the Dayton player and slapping the ball out of his hands well after he called a timeout and the official blew the whistle. It doesn't make what Rob Lowery did any better, but both players could have been called for the technical foul. Instead the official ignored the actions of the Xavier player.

In what reality does going for the ball warrant a technical foul? The X player gets there within a second of the whistle being blown and touches nothing but the ball. Lowery then decides to show how tough he is and single handedly lost UD the game.

Like I said, tough break. For a fan base that is notorious for blaming officials for their losses, do yourself a favor and don't do it this once. You can't punch a guy. I promise.

Lowery lost his cool. He's a senior. Inexcusable. I was watching with a bunch of Dayton fans and they agreed.

He seemed ready to go off just about the whole game. There was a point in the first half where he pushed off on a guy really hard.

I can see where he is coming from though. They had to win that game.

Thug haha. What a horrendously overused word.

Here is my breakdown as of 11:38 PM today

15 Automatic Bids Sealed - Northern Iowa, Butler, Old Dominion, St. Mary's, Cornell, Wofford, North Texas, Oakland, Siena, Montana, Murray State, ETSU, Robert Morris, Winthrop, Lehigh.

16 Automatic Bids Remaining (favorites listed) - Kentucky, Duke, Ohio State, West Virginia, Kansas, New Mexico, Utah State, Temple, UTEP, Akron, UCSB, Vermont, Sam Houston State, Morgan State, Arkansas Pine-Bluff.

29 At-Large Bids - Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Florida State, Clemson, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, Syracuse, Georgetown, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Louisville, Marquette, Kansas State, Baylor, Texas A&M, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas, BYU, Xavier, Richmond, Gonzaga, UNLV, San Diego State.

14 Remaining Bubble Teams For 5 Remaining Spots
Washington - Beat Oregon State 59-52, vs Stanford (P10 QF)

Rhode Island - Beat St. Louis 63-47 (A10 QF), vs Temple (A10 SF)
Mississippi State - Beat Florida 75-69, vs Vanderbilt/Georgia (SEC SF)
Minnesota - Beat Michigan State 72-67, vs Purdue (B10 SF)

Wake Forest - (ACC (1st), 19-10, 9-8, RPI 39, SOS 28)
Virginia Tech - (ACC (1st), 23-8, 10-7, RPI 56, SOS 131)
Mississippi - (SEC (4th), 21-10, 9-8, RPI 59, SOS 64)
Florida - (SEC (4th), 21-12, 10-8, RPI 51, SOS 32)
Memphis - (C-USA (11th), 23-9, 13-4, RPI 54, SOS 82)
Seton Hall - (Big East (2nd), 19-12, 10-10, RPI 60, SOS 33)
UAB - (C-USA (11th), 23-8, 11-6, RPI 45, SOS 98)
Wichita State - (Missouri Valley (9th), 24-9, 14-7, RPI 42, SOS 103)
Arizona State - (Pac 10 (8th), 22-10, 12-7, RPI 61, SOS 73)
Dayton - (A10 (6th), 20-12, 9-9, RPI 53, SOS 31)

Minnesota looking very good against MSU.
SDSU can get to lock status with a win over New Mexico.

Bubble teams have to like the wins by Utah State and UTEP and likely wins by California and Richmond.

SDSU got the big win over New Mexico, 70-69.

Do you really think ppl are following your INS, OUT and LOCKS? Youu are basically talking to yourself here.....................108 posts and 45 are yours.

Minnesota gets a huge win over Michigan State.

More good news for bubble teams. Georgia won't be making a run as they are about to lose to Vanderbilt. North Carolina State is staying alive in the ACC however. Stanford is still alive to come out of nowhere to win the Pac 10 auto-bid.

A few bids to possibly be stolen tomorrow as UTEP takes on Houston in the C-USA finals and Utah State will play NMSU or Nevada in the WAC finals. UTEP and Utah State would take bids with losses.

september63 wrote: Do you really think ppl are following your INS, OUT and LOCKS? Youu are basically talking to yourself here.....................108 posts and 45 are yours.

What the hell is your problem? Why don't you give it a rest!

Some people appreciate good information. Apparently you don't, which doesn't surprise me.

LOL Good Information I appreciate. 47 posts updating someones opinions on who is IN, OUT and BUBBLE............I dont much need here. I get enough of this on TV.

Then why are you reading this thread to begin with? Go watch the talking heads on TV, you know, the guys who are giving their OPINION about who is a lock, out, or on the bubble.

Personally, I think it has nothing to do with "getting enough of this" on TV. You just like to complain.

ironman02 wrote: Then why are you reading this thread to begin with? Go watch the talking heads on TV, you know, the guys who are giving their OPINION about who is a lock, out, or on the bubble.

Personally, I think it has nothing to do with "getting enough of this" on TV. You just like to complain.

I agree. Personally, I love reading Azu's predictions, just like I love reading the professional predictions on ESPN.com, Yahoo.com, etc. March Madness is my favorite time of year sports-wise and I gobble up any information I can get, regardless of whether it comes from Lunardi or a random dude on a board I frequent. There is no legitimate reason to create some "who cares what you have to say?" rampage against him or anyone else who desires to give their bubble watch prediction.

Although I will criticize Azu for putting Akron down as the "favorite" to claim the MAC auto-bid. They might be the higher seed, but Ohio is the favorite to win tomorrow's game. Right now, they are on a higher level than any team in the MAC and they will win. 64-49. I'm !!CALLING IT!! for the second time. I was right with Kent State and I'll be right with Akron.

Wa..........Wa......Wa..........I am so hurt by your allegations!! Even Az knows when I am pissing with him.

From reading some of ^^^'s posts, I'm just wondering if he needs some Prozac or possibly a punch to the throat.

Here is how I would rank those 14 bubble teams.

In the field of 65:

1. Wake Forest (19-10, 9-7 ACC)

RPI: 37
SOS: 28
vs. RPI Top 50: 6-4 (Wins: Gonzaga, Richmond, Xavier, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Clemson)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): None

2. Florida (21-12, 9-7 SEC)

RPI: 52
SOS: 32
vs. RPI Top 50: 3-8 (Wins: Florida State, Michigan State, Tennessee)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 1 (South Alabama)

3. Minnesota (20-12, 9-9 Big Ten)

RPI: 73
SOS: 56
vs. RPI Top 50: 4-6 (Wins: Butler, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 1 (Indiana)

4. Seton Hall (19-12, 9-9 Big East)

RPI: 60
SOS: 31
vs. RPI Top 50: 4-9 (Wins: Cornell, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): None

5. Washington (22-9, 11-7 Pac-10)

RPI: 49
SOS: 64
vs. RPI Top 50: 2-2 (Wins: Texas A&M, California)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): None


Just missed:

6. Virginia Tech (23-8, 10-6 ACC)

RPI: 53
SOS: 132
vs. RPI Top 50: 3-4 (Wins: Clemson, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): None


Not that close:

7. Dayton (20-12, 8-8 Atlantic 10)

RPI: 51
SOS: 34
vs. RPI Top 50: 2-8 (Wins: Georgia Tech, Xavier)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 1 (St. Joseph's)

8. Arizona State (22-10, 12-6 Pac-10)

RPI: 61
SOS: 77
vs. RPI Top 50: 2-6 (Wins: San Diego State, Washington)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 1 (Stanford)

9. Mississippi (21-10, 9-7 SEC)

RPI: 56
SOS: 72
vs. RPI Top 50: 1-6 (Wins: Kansas State)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 1 (Arkansas)

10. UAB (23-8, 11-5 C-USA)

RPI: 45
SOS: 96
vs. RPI Top 50: 1-2 (Wins: Butler)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): None

11. Rhode Island (23-8, 9-7 Atlantic 10)

RPI: 41
SOS: 95
vs. RPI Top 50: 1-4 (Wins: Oklahoma State)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 2 (St. Bonaventure, Massachusetts)

12. Memphis (23-9, 13-3 C-USA)

RPI: 55
SOS: 85
vs. RPI Top 50: 1-5 (Wins: UAB)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 2 (Massachusetts, SMU)

13. Wichita State (25-9, 12-6 Missouri Valley)

RPI: 42
SOS: 100
vs. RPI Top 50: 1-4 (Wins: Northern Iowa)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 2 (Drake, Evansville)

14. Mississippi State (22-10, 9-7 SEC)

RPI: 67
SOS: 103
vs. RPI Top 50: 0-4 (Wins: None)
Bad Losses (RPI > 150): 2 (Rider, Arkansas)

MSU did beat Old Dominion, which is a top 30 RPI win.

They swept Ole Miss, who is currently 59th.

They beat Florida who is currently at 51.

Obviously they have to beat Vanderbilt, but you have to give them, Rhode Island, Minnesota and Washington because all 4 are still alive.

Huge wins for the MWC teams last night. UNLV over BYU and SDSU over New Mexico.

That league is definitely going to be getting 4 bids. Quite and accomplishment if you ask me.

Houston just stole one of those available bids.

25 Automatic Bids Sealed - Northern Iowa, Butler, Old Dominion, St. Mary's, Cornell, Wofford, North Texas, Oakland, Siena, Montana, Murray State, ETSU, Robert Morris, Winthrop, Lehigh, Houston, Vermont, Sam Houston State, Morgan State, Washington, Ohio, San Diego State, Kansas, U.C. Santa Barbara, Arkansas Pine-Bluff.

6 Automatic Bids Remaining (favorites listed) - Kentucky, Duke, Ohio State, West Virginia, Utah State, Temple.

31 At-Large Bids - Tennessee, Vanderbilt, California, Florida State, Clemson, Maryland, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue, Syracuse, Georgetown, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Louisville, Marquette, Kansas State, Baylor, Texas A&M, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas, Xavier, Richmond, Gonzaga, BYU, UNLV, New Mexico, UTEP.

6 Remaining Bubble Teams For 3 Remaining Spots
Mississippi State - Beat Vanderbilt 62-52, vs Kentucky (SEC Final) - (SEC (4th), 23-10, 11-7, RPI 56, SOS 95, 2-4 vs top 50)
Minnesota - Beat Purdue 69-42, vs Ohio State (B10 Final) - (B10 (5th), 21-12, 12-9, RPI 57, SOS 44, 5-6 vs top 50)

Virginia Tech - (ACC (1st), 23-8, 10-7, RPI 59, SOS 133, 3-4 vs top 50)
Illinois - (B10 (5th), 19-14, 11-9, RPI 75, SOS 36, 5-8 vs top 50)
Florida - (SEC (4th), 21-12, 10-8, RPI 53, SOS 35, 3-8 vs top 50)
Rhode Island - (A10, (7th), 23-9, 11-8, RPI 40, SOS 72, 1-5 vs top 50)

Bubble Long Shots
Memphis - (C-USA (11th), 23-9, 13-4, RPI 52, SOS 82)
Mississippi - (SEC (4th), 21-10, 9-8, RPI 63, SOS 68)
Seton Hall - (Big East (2nd), 19-12, 10-10, RPI 61, SOS 31)
UAB - (C-USA (11th), 23-8, 11-6, RPI 47, SOS 99)
Wichita State - (Missouri Valley (9th), 24-9, 14-7, RPI 44, SOS 102)
Arizona State - (Pac 10 (8th), 22-10, 12-7, RPI 64, SOS 81)
Dayton - (A10 (6th), 20-12, 9-9, RPI 54, SOS 32)

Has Washington, Minnesota and Mississippi State done enough, all reaching the finals of their respective leagues?

That 8 teams for 5 spots is very intriguing, and at this point, you have to favor the teams still alive.

Washington just took the auto bid from the Pac-10 by beating Cal...no bubble for the Huskies.

Looking at the resumes of the bubble teams, it would be a shame if Illinois and Minnesota don't both get bids.

Well, if we look at the resumes, it all depends on what you prefer. Do you prefer a team who played a tough schedule, lost a majority of the games but had a few huge wins? If so, my last 4 teams in would be, in order:

1. Wake Forest
2. Illinois
3. Minnesota
4. Florida

5. Mississippi State takes one of the spots if they win

6. Virginia Tech
7. Rhode Island

If we are going to go by who challenged themselves AND who got key wins, Rhode Island and Virginia Tech should not be in. With only 2 of the 7 still playing, you have to figure if Rhode Island is the 7th team out of 7 on this list, you can't conceivably find any way to move them back in.