Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 13, 1994 TAG: 9403130173
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
They will finish their job by 6:30 p.m. today, when the 64-team bracket will be revealed (WDBJ, ESPN cable). As Oklahoma, Minnesota and Virginia Commonwealth learned last year, the bubble will burst for some schools while they watch TV this evening.
So, who's in? Armed with the Ratings Percentage Index and a piece of paper with scribbled statistics, let's try to do in a few paragraphs what has taken the committee several days.
From the ACC, North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest and Virginia and one other team are locks. Maryland should rank ahead of Georgia Tech, and both could get in. One will for sure. If there are more upsets like Friday's late Weber State fall from the Big Sky bracket, a sixth ACC team could be in trouble.
The Big Ten gets seven - Purdue, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan State and Wisconsin. It's the nation's deepest and toughest conference, the RPI says. It deserves seven.
The Big East is a tough call. We're going with Connecticut, Syracuse, Boston College and Providence. Georgetown, which beat Seton Hall in a tournament semifinal Saturday, also goes.
The Big Eight sends Missouri, Oklahoma State, Kansas and Nebraska, the Cornhuskers going over Oklahoma after easily beating the Sooners in the first round of the conference tournament Friday.
The Pacific-10 gets Arizona, California, UCLA and Washington State. Stanford already was iffy, and has been hurt by a few upsets in other conferences that could produce an at-large team or two.
The Southeastern Conference has Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky and Alabama in the field. Mississippi State is possible.
The Great Midwest, without an automatic bid, sends Marquette, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Alabama-Birmingham as at-large teams.
The Metro likely will send UNC Charlotte in addition to Louisville, which rallied to beat Virginia Tech 76-67 in a semifinal Saturday night. UNCC lost to Southern Mississippi, but has the nation's fourth-toughest schedule - behind Ohio State, Michigan and Virginia - going for it.
The Atlantic 10 sends Temple and George Washington in addition to champion Massachusetts. The Sun Belt gets an at-large berth for regular-season champ Western Kentucky (No. 41 RPI) to go with Southwestern Louisiana's automatic spot.
New Mexico goes as an at-large from the Western Athletic Conference after losing Friday night in the tournament.
Subtracting for those named that will get automatic slots as conference champs, that's 33. So, who's playing musical chairs for the last seat?
Mississippi State, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Seton Hall and Stanford are the top candidates.
Can Virginia Tech get in? It could've happened only if the Hokies had beaten Louisville and UNCC had beaten Southern Mississippi. Southern Miss beat the Hokies twice during the regular season and played a tougher schedule, so it has the edge.
Coppin State? No way. Tulsa, which won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title? Possibly. Weber State, upset in a Big Sky semifinal Friday night? Weber may be more likely than Tulsa, because of a better non-conference schedule.
Xavier? Even coach Pete Gillen admits his Musketeers (60th RPI, 151st strength of schedule) aren't an NCAA club this year.
And what of College of Charleston (24-3), ineligible for the Trans America Athletic Conference tournament and conqueror of several name teams? It won't happen.
New Mexico State won't get a bid if it loses the Big West title game. Murray State takes 23 victories to the NIT after losing the Ohio Valley Conference title to Frankie Allen's Tennessee State team.
Of course, all of this is from only one crystal ball.
by CNB