Conference Tournament Results: March 15th

A whopping 11 Conference Tournaments concluded on Saturday. Exciting times for 11 college basketball programs, but not for me. After starting out so strong with these Conference Tournament picks, I have absolutely bottomed out. My winning percentages are going downhill faster than Steve Gutenberg's career. I had three of my predicted Conference Tournament champions lose in the finals of their respective tournaments today (BYU, Stanford, & Morgan State). That killed any chance I had of going 50% in picking Conference Tourney champs. I will continue moving forward though. The big Tournament starts next week, and that's all that matters.

PAC 10:

• Actual Champion: UCLA (42nd NCAA appearance)
• My Predicted Champion: Stanford (lost in finals to UCLA)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 77.8% (7 of 9 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 74% (91 of 123 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 46.7% (7 of 15 correct)

Conference USA:

• Actual Champion: Memphis (21st NCAA appearance)
• My Predicted Champion: Memphis
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 63.6% (7 of 11 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 73.1% (98 of 134 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 50% (8 of 16 correct)

Mideastern Athletic Conference (MEAC):

• Actual Champion: Coppin State (4th NCAA appearance, first since 1997)
• My Predicted Champion: Morgan State (lost in finals to Coppin State)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 70% (7 of 10 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 72.9 % (105 of 144 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 47% (8 of 17 correct)

Big East Conference:

• Actual Champion: Pittsburgh! (20th NCAA appearance, 7th in a row)
• My Predicted Champion: Louisville (lost in quarterfinals to Pittsburgh)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 63.6% (7 of 11 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 72.3% (112 of 155 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 44.4% (8 of 18 correct)

Atlantic 10:

• Actual Champion: Temple (26th NCAA appearance, first since 2001)
• My Predicted Champion: Massachusetts (lost in quarterfinals to Charlotte)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 45.5% (5 of 11 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 70.5% (117 of 166 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 42.1% (8 of 19 correct)

Mid-American Conference (MAC):

• Actual Champion: Kent State (5th NCAA appearance, first since 2006)
• My Predicted Champion: Kent State
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 81.8% (9 of 11 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 71.2% (126 of 177 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 45% (9 of 20 correct)

Mountain West Conference:

• Actual Champion: UNLV (16th NCAA appearance)
• My Predicted Champion: BYU (lost in finals to UNLV)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 37.5% (3 of 8 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 69.7% (129 of 185 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 42.9% (9 of 21 correct)

Big West Conference:

• Actual Champion: Cal St. Fullerton (2nd NCAA appearance, first since 1978)
• My Predicted Champion: UC Santa Barbara (lost in semifinals to UC Irvine)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 28.6% (2 of 7 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 68.2% (131 of 192 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 41% (9 of 22 correct)

Southwest Athletic Conference:

• Actual Champion: Mississippi Valley State (4th NCAA appearance, first since 1996)
• My Predicted Champion: Alabama State (lost in semifinals to Jackson State)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 42.9% (3 of 7 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 67.3% (134 of 199 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 39.1% (9 of 23 correct)

Western Athletic Conference:

• Actual Champion: Boise State (5th NCAA appearance, first since 1994)
• My Predicted Champion: Utah State (lost in semifinals to Boise State)
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 62.5% (5 of 8 games correct)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 67.1% (139 of 207 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 37.5% (9 of 24 correct)

America East Conference:

• Actual Champion: UMBC (1st ever NCAA appearance)
• My Predicted Champion: UMBC
• Bracket Winning Percentage: 100% (8 of 8 games correct - second perfect bracket)
• Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 68.4% (147 of 215 games correct)
• Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 40% (10 of 25 correct)

What a terrible day for my Conference Tournament brackets. At least two of my Bracket Busters selections won their Tournaments (Kent State & UMBC). Five more Conference Tournaments tomorrow then the Selection Show at 6pm.

Bracket Busters (Definitely! Maybe?) #3

May I present to you the Kent State Golden Flashes!

Horrible team name, but please stay with me.

Now it's hard to give Kent State credit, as they prevented a very good Pitt team from going to the Elite Eight back in 2002. That sweet sixteen game remains one of the most difficult Tournament disappointments for Pitt fans to get over. That Panther team was stacked with Brandin Knight (the co-Big East player of the year that year), Julius Page, Jaron Brown, & Chevy Troutman. The interesting thing about that 2002 Kent State team was that it featured future NFL star and Fantasy Football hero Antonio Gates. I can't believe that it has been 6 years since that game. I'm getting way too old way too quickly. Let's move on from past Pitt defeats.

Kent State is currently 24-6, 12-3 in the Mid-American Conference after defeating Miami of Ohio last night, 50-39. I watched most of this game and yes, the action was about as exciting as a 50-39 score gets. Because of extreme prejudice, and the fact that I'm making Kent State one of my five Bracket Busters, I'm blaming the style of play, execution, and low score solely on Miami of Ohio. I still like this team. The Golden Flashes solidified their place in the field of 65 (at least I think so) after winning AT Saint Mary's during BracketBusters week (a contrived week of games pairing mid-major teams against each other to help give them national exposure, as well as to help better define the bubble picture). They have clinched the #1 seed in the MAC tournament and was ranked for the first time ever in a national poll when they came in at #23 in the AP two weeks ago. Actually, clinching the #1 seed in the MAC might actually be a bad thing, as the #1 seed hasn't won the MAC Tournament for like 15 years or something. But I still have faith! Even if Kent State doesn't win their Conference Tournament, I think they deserve an at-large bid into the field. This is the best team Kent State has had since that 2002 team, which was their best team ever, so it's time for them to take care of business. Some facts and info about the Golden Flashes:

• They have an RPI of 34 - which is ahead of 'bubble' teams like West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio State, Syracuse, USC, & Oral Roberts. I know, I know...I just REALLY wanted to get Oral Roberts into this blog. Welcome Oral Roberts!


• They've beaten George Mason, the Rick Majerus coached Saint Louis squad, and Saint Mary's when Saint Mary's was #20 in all the land. Actually, they don't have many great wins outside of the always tricky MAC. They even lost their season opener to Detroit...yikes! Detroit just lost to Wright State 60-37 in the Horizon League Tournament (gulp). But wait...Kent State defeated Cleveland State earlier this season 84-69 and Cleveland State was better in the Horizon League than Wright State. Phew...order restored. I'm sticking with this Kent State pick!!!


• There are like a million jokes the announcers can make during a Kent State game when discussing their shooting...or outside shooting...or shooting percentage, but they never seem to go there. Probably a good call.


• Kent State (also known as Kent or KSU) is the third largest university in Ohio. Who would have known? Take that you pompous assholes at the University of Toledo!


• Now for what has become my favorite running segment - some notable Kent State alumni include: Arsenio Hall (insert your own joke here), Antonio Gates (as mentioned above), Jack Lambert (go steelers), Lou Holtz (go irish), actors Michael Keaton and Drew Carey both dropped out of Kent State, Nick Saban (turncoat football coach), and my personal favorite...all 4 of the founding members of the band Devo - Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, Brian Chojnowski, and Bob Lewis. Damn I love researching that segment.

Kent State has enough athleticism to give any team fits, and they play good enough defense to stay close in any game. They are a great first round upset pick as they will probably end up with an 11 or 12 seed. Come on now boys, make me look good. Just don't beat Pitt again, I can't take it anymore. And hopefully I'll pick up Antonio Gates this year in my Fantasy Football draft.