Conference tourney pickems - the 31 Automatic Qualifiers

[BRS24]

Sun Belt - 2 Arkansas State takes down #1 James Madison in OT, 86-79. Ark St outscored JM 16-9 in OT.

Congrats to @Shocker47 for making the pick!

 

[nwhoopfan]

With George Mason winning yesterday, we could have two Virginia schools named for founding-fathers in the dance.

You jinxed it!

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well at least we get Green Bay vs. Purdue Ft. Wayne in the Horizon finals, as it should be.

 

[BRS24]

#4 Oregon State beats #1 Gonzaga (sob), 63-61 to advance to the WCC final.

 

[triaddukefan]

Carnage today

 

[BRS24]

UConn wins BET. Here are the standings of our little contest after 11 tourney finals:

8 - @triaddukefan, @Topsail, @Jbs600
7 - @Stagnant, @RoadMaster, @Phil, None, @mrmojack, @Jonathan14, BRS24, @Bigboote, @bballnut90
6 - @Zarathustra, @RSHERMVIKES, @maple
5 - @Shocker47
2 - @kat0189

 

[Bigboote]

You jinxed it!

Yeah, shoulda kept my trap shut. JMU looked really good at the beginning, but c’est la vie.

 

[triaddukefan]

I may be getting ahead of myself.... But @BRS24 any great donut places or sandwich shops around where you live?

 

[BRS24]

GM campers! Here's a look at today's semis and finals:

Finals
Horizon pics - Green Bay (17)
WCC pics - Portand (3)

Semis
Big Sky - Montana St (7), N AZ (3)
ASUN - FBCU (17)
AAC - N Texas (3), USF (5)
MW - UNLV (17)

 

[azfan]

GM campers! Here's a look at today's semis and finals:
Finals
Horizon pics - Green Bay (17)
WCC pics - Portand (3)

Semis
Big Sky - Montana St (7), N AZ (3)
ASUN - FBCU (17)
AAC - N Texas (3), USF (5)
MW - UNLV (17)

WCC final tips at 1pm with Portland favored. In addition to dancing Portland with hit the 30 win mark with their anticipated win. Interestingly Massey has Oregon State by 4.

Is it possible the Beavs are a team of destiny? Two last second victories vault them into the final and they do have the best pep band playing in Vegas right now.

I expect a sea of Orange this afternoon as the team from Corvallis will be well supported at The Orleans.

Montana State is a lock and Loree Payne's Lumberjacks are on upset alert after a lackluster effort against Sac State. This is a virtual home game for Montana; fingers crossed the Jacks are hitting their threes, jacking up more shots than the Griz and turning the ball over less than 15 times. Even if they hit these marks it's possible the Griz will pull off the upset.

In the Mountain West semis Massey has UNLV and Wyoming as 12 point favorites. Looking ahead based upon what I've seen I think Wyoming may end the UNLV streak. Tomorrow night I expect the cowboy hats to outnumber the Red at Thomas and Mack.

Two tiny complaints about UNLV hosting. You have to pay to get Wi-Fi in the arena and parking is $30 per session. The parking fee has really stimulated both Uber and Lyft so I wonder if the local unions had something to say about it.

After the game I was walking back to my motel on the corner of Tropicana and Paradise and met two other fans who specifically picked this Best Western to avoid the parking fee. I was wearing my Nika Muhl shirt and one of them commented I was a long way from the Big East.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Green Bay beat Purdue Ft. Wayne 76-63.

 

[nwhoopfan]

WCC final tips at 1pm with Portland favored. In addition to dancing Portland with hit the 30 win mark with their anticipated win. Interestingly Massey has Oregon State by 4.

It's kinda hard to bet against Portland, they've won 3 of the last 5 WCC tourneys. Pulling for Oregon St. though. What a story that would be if they somehow find their way back to the Big Dance after the team got absolutely decimated with outgoing transfers with the conference realignment and all that stuff.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Anybody tuning in 1st round action out of the WAC pitting 4-25 Seattle U. against 5-24 Utah Tech?

 

[triaddukefan]

Anybody tuning in 1st round action out of the WAC pitting 4-25 Seattle U. against 5-24 Utah Tech?

Throw out the record books

 

[12au]

Portland favored by 4.5

On Dec 30, Oregon State won at Portland 76-72. On Jan 18, Portland won at Oregon State 86-61.

 

[azfan]

It's kinda hard to bet against Portland, they've won 3 of the last 5 WCC tourneys. Pulling for Oregon St. though. What a story that would be if they somehow find their way back to the Big Dance after the team got absolutely decimated with outgoing transfers with the conference realignment and all that stuff.

They had to survive OT to get here. We'll see whose right Massey (Oregon State) or the bookies-dah (Portland). Another sea of Orange at the Orleans. Just saw a shocked Beav fan pay six bucks for a 16 oz water bottle.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Oregon St. did it! Congrats to the Beavs.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Big Sky title game will be Montana St. vs. Montana. @triaddukefan can we throw out the record book?

 

[nwhoopfan]

For the Griz Mack Konig dropped 29 points today, younger sister of former NC State player Ace Konig.

edit-- @cancontent Canadian players as I'm sure you're aware

 

[BRS24]

Congrats to 4 seed Oregon State, with a win over Portland, 59-46, and now they are going dancing! Pretty epic after losing all those players to the portal last year.

 

[azfan]

Big Sky title game will be Montana St. vs. Montana. @triaddukefan can we throw out the record book?

No. Bobcats won their first to tournament games by 32 and 31 the Cats extend their winning streak into the dance

 

[azfan]

Disappointing Reb turnout here at Thomas Mack as Lindy leads her team against the Aztecs....maybe fans are waiting till tomorrow night? Easily twice as many Oregonians at Orleans for the Beav win this afternoon

 

[azfan]

1 day after looking like Sheryl Swoopes, Amarachi Kimpson looks like the last one picked in a backyard game....the Aztecs are running the Rebs out of Thomas Mack.....hard to believe

 

[nwhoopfan]

maybe fans are waiting till tomorrow night?

Bad choice? Sometimes, there is no tomorrow.

 

[nwhoopfan]

No. Bobcats won their first to tournament games by 32 and 31 the Cats extend their winning streak into the dance

Yeah but didn't Northern Arizona just blow out Montana recently? And Montana St. somehow lost to Sacramento St. Sometimes crazy things happen.

 

[azfan]

Yeah but didn't Northern Arizona just blow out Montana recently? And Montana St. somehow lost to Sacramento St. Sometimes crazy things happen.

True..............but . . .

 

[azfan]

In other news .....Rebs have closed to 8 with 5 minutes remaining.....

 

[BRS24]

Today's semis and finals. "Upset" teams shaded:

BY semi picks:
Southland - SE LA (14), SFA (2), Lamar (1)

BY final picks:
Big Sky - Montana State (13)
AAC - USF (5)
MW - none

 

[azfan]

Yeah but didn't Northern Arizona just blow out Montana recently? And Montana St. somehow lost to Sacramento St. Sometimes crazy things happen.

@nwhoopfan your speculation on Griz upset over Cats may well be in the process of materializing!

After wining their first 2 tourney games by 32 and 31 Montana State is clinging like a baby to its mommy to a 1 point lead in the 4th

 

[nwhoopfan]

@nwhoopfan your speculation on Griz upset over Cats may well be in the process of materializing!

After wining their first 2 tourney games by 32 and 31 Montana State is clinging like a baby to its mommy to a 1 point lead in the 4th

I hate to say I told you so...wait, no, I love saying it!

Conference tourneys are crazy! Regular season just doesn't mean anything when you get in these situations. Countless times the team that was clearly the best in their conference for 2 or 3 months doesn't end up getting the auto bid.