Now that the field of 64 teams in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is down to the Elite Eight, I thought it might be fun to see how the different conferences have fared over the past two weeks.
The tourney committee had definite feelings about the comparative strength of the conferences, and gave slots to the teams according. Let’s review how many:
Big East: 8
Big 12: 7
ACC: 6
Big Ten: 5
SEC: 4
Mt West: 4
Horizon: 1
(A lot of other conferences got one slot, too.) And now, let’s review how many remain:
Big East: 1
Big 12: 2
ACC: 1
Big Ten: 1
SEC: 2
Mt West: 1
Horizon: 1
So, what’s my point?
Historically, the Big Eight, Big Ten, and ACC get the most at-large berths to the NCAA tourney. Since its inception, the Big 12 has been added to that list.
This year, only the Big 12 has lived up to their billing, with two of their seven teams in the Elite Eight. The Big East and ACC were big disappointments — and not for the first time. When will the committee learn?
But with both Kentucky and Tennessee still in the hunt, the SEC boasts a 50 percent showing, since tourney officials only saw fit to send four teams to the big dance.
Kentucky plays West Virginia tonight for the East Regional Championship and a berth in the Final Four. Tomorrow, Tennessee plays Michigan State for the Midwest Regional Championship.
I hope the tourney selection committee will be watching.
Guys? That’s the SEC in action.
Blowing bubbles and picking fights
Have you ever heard of Jeff Goodman?
Me either…until about 15 minutes ago.
It’s the spirit of college sports.
Sure, we start with a Number 1 seed for the tournament, and Number 1 seeds for each of the regions. But the games that truly inspire us — that have made this championship the tradition it is today — are those David-and-Goliath victories.
The Cinderella teams. The lower-seed overachievers. The bubble teams who prove they belong.
Which brings me back to Jeff Goodman, a CBS sportswriter based in Boston who seems to have forgotten all that. If it is that difficult for you to watch, Mr. Goodman, simply look the other way.
The rest of us enjoy the view.
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Posted in Basketball, Commentary, Life, March Madness, Sports
Tagged basketball, basketball team, Boston, bubble teams, CBS Sports, CBS sportswriter, Cinderella story, college basketball, college sports, commentary, David and Goliath, Final Four, inspiration, Jeff Goodman, March Madness, NCAA Championship, Number 1 seed, overachiever, road to the Final Four, spirit, Sports, the most wonderful time of the year