NIT-2023

 You knew it was coming UAB/ USM. He!! they played each other twice a year in the CUSA until USM jumped to the SunBelt this season, And, don't go claiming you're keeping it regional when you have Colorado playing Seton Hall.  I'm intrigued by YSU(Horizon)/OK St.(B12), Sam Houston(WAC)/Santa Clara(WCC), and Cincy (AAC)/VTech(ACC). All those B10 teams here saved us from seeing them at the Dance.

AAC: I get Cincy in the NIT but how did UCF get the nod over Tulane or Temple. BTW, Temple moved McKie from HC to adviser.

I hope the announcers don't ramble on about religion during the Liberty(ASUN) /Villanova(Big East) game.

March 15, 2023

K. Buffen(26PTS 12REB) led UAB to an 88-60 blowout of USM. Blazers have been a hot team except for the loss to FAU in the CUSAT.

Liberty beat Nova and Toledo lost to Michigan.

Ga. Southern: Brian Burg is out and Charlie Henry, a Bama asst , replaces him. I'm sure they'll let CH coach at the Dance

No. 1 Rutgers vs. Hofstra 

No. 3 Michigan vs. Toledo

No. 4 UAB vs. Southern Miss 

No. 3 Liberty vs. Villanova |

No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. Yale 

No. 2 Wisconsin vs. Bradley 

No. 4 Washington State vs. Eastern Washington

No. 3 Colorado vs. Seton Hall 

March 15

No. 1 Oklahoma State at Youngstown State

No. 4 Florida vs. UCF | 7 p.m. 

No. 1 Clemson vs. Morehead State 

No. 2 North Texas vs. Alcorn 

No. 3 Sam Houston at Santa Clara 

No. 4 Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech 

No. 2 New Mexico vs. Utah Valley

No. 1 Oregon vs. UC Irvine 

March 16, 2023

Clemson loses to Morehead St (OVC). What a rapid descent for the Tigers who were looking like a dance team a month ago. VTech, another ACC team, loses to Cincy (AAC).  WAC winners: Sam Houston edged Santa Clara(WCC), and Utah Valley beat New Mexico (MWC). Pitino Jr's Lobos have looked bad in the past six weeks.

March 19, 2023

I tip my hat to the CUSA in post-season. FAU is still Dancing, and UAB and NTX have rd2 NIT games today. North Texas hosts Sam Houston(WAC) at The Super Pit, Denton, TX.

UAB hosts Morehead St(OVC) at Bartow Arena, Birmingham, AL

WKU: Out: Rick Stansbury | In: Steve Lutz

Stansbury's had .610 winning percentage (139-89) over seven seasons but didn't get WKU to the Dance. I'll be surprised if he's unemployed for long. Lutz took TAMU-CC to the Dance this season.

March 20, 2023

Another good day for the CUSA: UAB 77 Morehead 59. NTX 75 Sam Houston 55.

Refs let Wisky charge over Liberty in the final seven minutes yesterday.  Contact initiated by Badgers O was called D foul on Liberty. 

North Texas/Oklahoma State

Wisconsin /Oregon

 Cincinnati /Utah Valley

UAB /Vanderbilt

March 22, 2023

I couldn't keep my eyes open for OT, but NTX outscored OK St 10-6 for a 65-59. Sissoko had 12 points/15 reb for the winners.  Badgers beat the Ducks in the other matchup.

March 23, 2023

Coach Kennedy made some adjustments on D, and UAB outscored Vandy 43-32 in the second of a 67-59 win. Blazers face Utah Valley(WAC) who beat Cincy(AAC) 74-68. Nice stat line A. Bandaogo-UVU:15PTS 12REB 4BLK.

I didn't pay much attention to the CBI tournament. EKU(ASUN) rally, last shot, fell short in its CBI final loss to Charlotte(CUSA) 71-68 . It's possible the CUSA could sweep three post-season tournaments

March 29, 2023

All CUSA NIT final. NTX 56- Wisky 54.  UAB 88 UVU 86.  Wisky was horrible in the 2nd half and were outscored 27-13.

March 31, 2023

NTX   takes the NIT with a 68-61 win over UAB.  CUSA is 18-2 this postseason. 

and Boom: Texas Tech hires Grant McCasland away from NTX to be its men's basketball HC.

June 4, 2023

So this is how FAU kept Dusty May: a 10-year contract worth well north of $1 million annually. I guess he likes it in Boca Raton. 

June 19, 2023

I wonder if WV raids Youngstown St to replace Huggy. Jerrod Calhoun, Youngstown State worked at WV previously and had an incredible year for YSU. I've seen Andy Kennedy's(UAB) name mentioned, but, I'm not sure they want to re-run all the Cincy era stories.

June  25, 2023

Josh Eilert, who been at WV since 2007, will take the WV head coaching job on an interim basis. AD Wren Baker didn't have much luck moving a good coach from a non P5 this close to basketball season's tip-off.

However, this didn't stop Charlotte basketball head coach Ron Sanchez from resigning this month after leading the 49ers to their first 20+ win season in a decade and joining Bennett's staff at UVA less than an hour later. Aaron Fearne was named interim head coach.

July 16, 2023

What a name! Sundance Wicks, the new HC at Green Bay(Horizon) will need to live up to his rep "Bring the Juice". His last gig was an asst at Wyoming.  

He helped launch the Arizona Power Basketball Academy in 2011. 

Oct 29, 2023

All CUSA NIT final. NTX 56- Wisky 54.  UAB 88 UVU 86. This must've really bugged the NIT.

NIT changed format: No automatic bids for regular-season champions, and power6 conferences to get first 12 spots.

And San Diego St made the final at the Dance.

Success breeds Revenge.

Early Non-power conference tourneys March 2023

I'm not seeing a lot of hope for these regular season conference champs to make the Dance if they lose in their conference tourneys. 

SunBelt:  USM deserves to be Dancing regardless of how it does in its tourney, but the Lunardi's don't  have them on their radar. Marshall and ULL had great seasons, and South Bama has been hot and tips off against Appy at 12:30PM.

WCC- Santa Clara may need to win the tourney to Dance. Zags and St Marys are in. I can't get over Gonzaga playing Chicago St last night when the WCCT tips off today.

Horizon: Youngstown St, the regular season champ, has tough matchup today facing Detroit Mercy led by Antoine Davis, who is trying to break Pete Maravich's scoring record.

MVC: Bradley (16-4) and Drake(15-5) had decent seasons, but only the MVCT winner is going to the Dance.

March 3, 2023

 SunBelt:South Bama, Troy, Georgia Southern, and Tx St won yesterday. TX65 ODU 36 is a crazy score.

 Horizon: Davis missed a hurried pull-up 3-pointer in the final seconds of Detroit-Mercy's 71-66 season-ending loss to Youngstown State, leaving him three points shy of tying Pete Maravich’s NCAA career scoring record.

March 4, 2023

WCC: BYU beat Portland to move to rd2 against LMU and needs to build something as the Big 12 move nears. San Fran beat Pacific and faces Santa Clara.

MVC: Bradley got a scare from UNI led by Bowen Born's 34 points but hung on for a 72-66 and faces Indiana St today. Drake gets SIU.

Sunbelt gets back into action today: USM/USA. Marshall TX/ST. Troy/JMU. ULL/Georgia Southern

March 5, 2023

Sunbelt : USM and Marshall fall.  Big game for O. White, guard for South Bama 23PTS 6REB.  South Bama/JMU . TXST/ULL in Pensacola today.

MVC: Top teams, Bradley and Drake are in the MVCT final today.

WCC: Santa Clara's Dance chances look bleak after they lost to San Fran who faces Gonzaga next. R. Williams scored 23 PTS for BYU to defeat  LMU and  move on to face St Mary's.

Horizon: Monday slate: N.Kentucky/Youngstown St.  Milwaukee/Clev St

ASUN Championship - Final: Liberty(26-7 15-3)/Kennesaw State(25-8 15-3). Keep your eyes on D. McGhee for LU.

March 6, 2023

SunBelt: South Bama continues its march from the middle of the pack with a 77-66 win over JMU. They'll face ULL, a winner over TX St. , in the title game.

MVC:  Two-seed Drake blew out top seed Bradley 77-51 for the automatic Dance ticket.

ASUN: Kennesaw St edged Liberty 67-66 to punch its Dance ticket. You can't get any closer than the two teams who tied for the ASUN regular season title being separated by a point. I doubt if the Liberty gets an at large. LU goes to the CUSA next season.

March 7, 2023

I was switching back and forth between the SunBelt and the Horizon games. ULL was the better team last night. Jags were too dependent on Moore to create a shot.

 In the HorizonT N.Kentucky knocked off top seed Youngstown St and Clev St beat Milwaukee. 

In the WCCT St Mary's beat BYU and the Zags beat San Fran. which likely means they'll be the only two WCC teams getting Dance tickets.

March 8, 2023

NKY edged Clev St. Vinson is a sharp kid on the floor. Norse HC Darrin Horn has revived his career. He left WKU for S.Carolina and had a bumpy ride. 

Zags pummeled St Marys.

Quick look at the WAC: Cal Baptist beat Abilene Christian, and Tarleton, coached by Billy Gillepsie, beat UTRGV.

Shout out to Oral Roberts(30-4 18-0 Summit) who beat N Dak St to go dancing.

March 9, 2023

Colgate (Patriot) and Montana state (Big Sky) capped off decent seasons and punched their Dance tickets.

CUSA, MWC, AAC, A10 and MAC are in tourney mode.

AAC: Houston and Memphis are in, but Tulane needs a great AACT run to get an at-large invite.

MWC: San Diego St is in. Boise St and Utah St are on the bubble.

CUSA- FAU should be in regardless of the CUSAT results. Same goes for VCU in the A10.

MAC and WAC- Only one dance ticket reserved for each!

March 10, 2023

Quick takes due to so much action.

MAC: I'm not surprised that Toledo, Kent St, and Akron advanced, but I didn't think Ohio would beat Ball St by 20 points.

MWC:  I checked in and saw San Jose St hang on against Nevada despite the refs taking forever to  keep the game moving in the final minute. I think Nevada is NIT bound despite what Coach Steve Alford thinks.

CUSA: FAU, NTX, UAB advance. MTSU got a trey from Camryn Weston with 19 seconds remaining to nip Charlotte 66-65.

March 11, 2023

AAC: K. Cross(24PTS 13REB) led Tulane to win over Wichita St, and they'll face Memphis who beat UCF. Cincy, a winner over Temple, faces Houston who beat ECU, and the Bearcats have to keep winning to Dance.

CUSA: UAB needed that 22-2 first half start to beat NTX 76-69 and will face FAU in the title game.

MWC: Utah St 's win over Boise St should be enough to get them dance shoes, and they face SDST in the title game today.

MAC: KentSt /Toledo is the final and it's a damn shame one of these teams won't make the dance.

March 12, 2023

 Lopsided games could hurt some teams' Dance chances.

AAC Memphis beat Tulane 96-57 and will face Houston, who beat Cincy 69-48, today.

CUSA: FAU made sure they got a ticket by beating UAB 78-56.

MAC: M. Jacobs (18PTS 13REB 6AST) led Kent St to a 93-78 win over Toledo.

MWC: SDST 62 Utah St 57. Ags will be nervous during selection time tonight.

A10: VCU faces Dayton is the final today and should be Dancing regardless. Dayton, too but Fordham and St Louis are on the bubble

MAAC- Iona -Pittino Sr., Big West- UCSB , WAC : Grand Canyon punched tickets.

March 14, 2023

MWC got four tickets. Just remember Ryan Odom, the Utah St HC, was the UMBC HC in 2018 that knocked off # 1 UVA at the Dance. I'm amazed Nevada got in.

Also, surprised A10 only got one ticket, and AAC only got two tickets.

March 17, 2023

ULL gave Tenn a scare but lost. NKY hung around Houston but lost.

Tough day for MWC- Utah St lost to Missouri, Boise lost to NW, and the Aztecs needed clutch free -throw shooting to survive against Charleston.

(14) Kennesaw State 43 (3) Xavier 36 at the half

March 18, 2023

Xavier roared back to beat Kennesaw 72-67.  Tough loss, good job of representing the ASUN.

FAU upset Memphis 66-65: Rosado FAU 15 PTS , 3 REB , 1 AST

Fairleigh Dickinson upsets Purdue 63-58. Moore FDU (19 PTS , 5 REB). Northeast Conference is definitely one of the weaker conferences.  Big 10 gets too much respect annually.

March 20, 2023

 FAU has allowed Dusty May to build a decent program since 2018. Can they keep him or does a power conference team swoop in? FAU beat FDU to make the Sweet 16.

Ok, I've been remiss in talking about the two best O5 squads. Houston (AAC) faces a MIami (AAC) team that knows how to make deep runs at the Dance. Coach Larranaga has been doing it for a long time and took George Mason , a small school in Fairfax ,VA, to the the F4 in 1999.

Coach Dutcher, who came over from Michigan with will Steve Fisher in 1999 , will have San Diego St(MWC) ready for Bama(SEC). Let's see if a Bama /Houston final occurs or if more brackets get busted.

March 21, 2023

Iona(MAAC) hired Tobin Anderson from FDU to replace Pitino. TA left St. Thomas Aquinas, a Division II school, last offseason for FDU, and in one season he took FDU to the Dance, despite losing to Merrimack by one-point in the Northeast conference championship game. Merrimack was ineligible to compete in the postseason as a transitioning school from Division II. 

BTW, he's paid his dues as a D2 and D3 coach for over 20 years. Quite a story!

 Wichita State(AAC) plucked Paul Mills from Oral Roberts(Summit).

2003–2017 Baylor (assistant)

2017–2023 Oral Roberts

2023–? Wichita State

March 24, 2023

FAU watchout, the Big boys are coming for your head coach Dusty May. FAU 62 Tenn 55. He!! of a post season for the CUSA. 

 Zags pull out a huge win over UCLA. Timme 36 points, 13 rebounds for the victors.

March 25, 2023

In a very physical game, the Aztecs beat Bama(SEC).

 Houston lost to Miami(ACC). You could sense Houston was in trouble early when the Canes rebounders were tossing football passes to their guards for easy layups.

March 26, 2023

Zags got spanked hard in the second half of an 82-54 loss to UConn. 

Hope Dusty May likes Boca Raton or else someone is going to get him with big $$$. V. Goldin(14PTS 13REB) for FAU in a 79-76 win over KST.

March 27, 2023

 So 1 of the 2 non power schools will be in the final with SDST facing FAU on Saturday. Pac12 may need SDST to get through these TV talks.

Miami faces UConn. MWC/CUSA , Big East/ ACC. I'm kind of laughing now at all the Pundits.

March 29, 2023

Amir Abdur-Rahim leaves  Kennesaw St St(ASUN), after getting them to the Dance, for the Head Coaching Position at South Florida(AAC). That's a brutal gig.

April 2, 2023

Aztecs win at the buzzer 72-71 over FAU and faces UConn on Monday night. Tip my hat to FAU for a hell of a season.

A. Martin- FAU 26PTS 7REB

M. Bradley SDSU 21PTS 6REB

April 4, 2023

UConn 76 SDST 59.  Tough to lose but a great season for the Aztecs. Maybe they're headed for the Pac 12, but California may need to fix it's travel issue. Its prohibition which forces sports teams at public colleges and universities to find other ways to pay for road games to states with what California labels anti-LGBTQ legislation.

June 18, 2023

San Diego State is talking exit from the MWC. Main reason:  It needs to give a year of notice to withdraw next June. If it waits past June 30, the exit fee it would owe jumps from nearly $16.5 million to nearly $34 million.

June 24, 2023

 Non power conference draft picks: AAC and WCC each had three kids drafted.

AAC: Houston U: Jarace Walker (No. 8 to Pacers) Marcus Sasser (No. 25 to Pistons)

Central Florida: Taylor Hendricks (No. 9 to Jazz)

WCC: Santa Clara: Brandin Podziemski (No. 19 to Warriors)

Pepperdine: Maxwell Lewis (No. 40 to Lakers)

Gonzaga: Julian Strawther (No. 29 to Nuggets)

MVC: Belmont: Ben Sheppard (No. 26 to Pacers)

A10: Dayton: Toumani Camara (No. 52 to Suns)

MAC: Eastern Michigan: Emoni Bates (No. 49 to Cavaliers) Ann Arbor kid who went to MemphisU than EMU.

Southern: Furman: Jalen Slawson (No. 54 to Kings)