February 25, 2010 Bracket Breakdown

Mitch Light's seventh Bracket Breakdown of the season is right here with 65 teams that would be in if the season ended today, a few more that are worth a mention and plenty of notes.

ACC (7)

In: Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Notes: Virginia Tech didn’t help its case with a no-show effort against Boston College Wednesday night, but this team is still in good shape. Beating Maryland at home this weekend would be a good move. Clemson let one get away at Maryland; a win would have ended any doubt. Now? There is still some work to be done.

America East (1)

In: Stony Brook

A-10 (5)

In: Dayton, Rhode Island, Richmond, Temple, Xavier

Worth a mention: Charlotte, Saint Louis

Notes: Charlotte was the final team out of the field. There is a lot to like with this team (road wins over Richmond and Louisville, a win over Temple at home), but the 49ers have lost three of their past four, including a troubling defeat at home vs. Duquesne. Saint Louis lost an opportunity to play its way onto the bubble by losing at home to Xavier Wednesday night.

A-Sun (1)

In: Jacksonville

Big 12 (7)

In: Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M

Notes: There is no bubble in the Big 12. All seven teams are solidly in the field. Texas Tech was lurking for a few weeks, but the Red Raiders have lost four straight to fall to 4–9 in the league.

Big East (8)

In: Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia

Worth a mention: Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, South Florida

Notes: Connecticut is back from the dead, thanks to a three-game winning streak that featured a win at Villanova and a home win over West Virginia. The Huskies are now 7–8 in the league and have a 3–5 record vs. RPI top-25 teams and a 4–6 mark vs. top-50 teams. Seton Hall is close; the Pirates are 7–8 in the league and have three top-50 wins (including an underrated 10-point victory at Cornell). A win over Marquette this weekend would be big for the Hall. Cincinnati has three more opportunities for quality wins -- Feb. 27 at West Virginia, March 2 vs. Villanova and March 6 at Georgetown. Win two and the Bearcats would put themselves in great position. Notre Dame picked up a nice win vs. Pittsburgh Wednesday night, the Irish’s second over a top-15 RPI team. But both of those wins have come at home.

Big Sky (1)

In: Weber State

Big South (1)

Coastal Carolina

Big Ten (5)

In: Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin

Worth a mention: Minnesota

Notes: Illinois is in the field on the strength of its four top-35 wins (two on the road) and its 10–5 record in league play. The Illini should be in good shape with two wins in their final three regular-season games (Minnesota, at Ohio State, Wisconsin). Minnesota has played its way back into the conversation, though the Gophers still have plenty of work ahead of them. They don’t have a road win vs. a team ranked in the top-175 of the RPI. That hurts. Beating Illinois on Saturday would be a good place to start.

Big West (1)

In: UC-Santa Barbara

Colonial (1)

In: Old Dominion

C-USA (2)

In: UAB, UTEP

Notes: UAB is one of the last teams in the field. The Blazers have a gaudy record (22–5), but they only have one win vs. a top-50 foe (Butler, at home). They don’t have any real bad losses either. Virginia is a bad loss RIP-wise (No. 113), but there is no shame in losing in Charlottesville.

Horizon (1)

In: Butler

Ivy (1)

In: Cornell

MAAC (1)

In: Siena

MAC (1)

In: Kent State

MEAC (1)

In: Morgan State

MVC (1)

In: Northern Iowa

MWC (3)

In: BYU, New Mexico, UNLV

Worth a mention: San Diego State

Notes: San Diego State is very, very close. A win at BYU last night would have been huge, but it didn’t happen. The Aztecs need to beat Colorado State and Air Force to close the regular season and then knock off at least one of the Big Three (BYU, New Mexico, UNLV) in the MWC Tournament. One thing that could haunt SDSU: A 22-point loss at Saint Mary’s, another bubble team.

Northeast (1)

In: Robert Morris

OVC (1)

In: Murray State

Pac-10 (1)

In: California

Worth a mention: Arizona State, Washington

Notes: Washington has the talent to be an NCAA Tournament -- but the Huskies are lacking an NCAA Tournament resume. If they can get to 11–7 in the league by winning their final three regular season games and get to the Pac-10 tournament finals, they could be in the discussion.

Patriot (1)

In: Lehigh

SEC (4)

In: Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Worth a mention: Mississippi State, Ole Miss

Notes: Florida is safely in the field after improving to 9–4 with a win over Tennessee. Mississippi State has three winnable games remaining; if the Bulldogs get to 11–5 in league play, they would be in very good shape.

Southern (1)

In: Wofford

Southland (1)

In: Sam Houston State

Summit (1)

In: Oakland

Sun Belt (1)

In: North Texas

SWAC (1)

In: Jackson State

WAC (1)

In: Utah State

WCC (2)

In: Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s

Notes: Saint Mary’s is one of the final teams in the field. There isn’t much to like with this team -- but there isn’t much not to like either. The Gaels might get passed by another bubble team that improves its profile, but SMC is in the field as of today.