They did it. We got new NIT Bracketology today and Michigan State’s in there, having impressed the committee (our computer) by making a freight train out of Minnesota. We’ve got a long way to go, but Michigan State could be headed for its first NIT appearance since 1997, and just its sixth ever. It’s shaping up to be a breakthrough year in East Lansing.
Elsewhere:
- Arizona’s announcement of its postseason ban came too late for us to get it in the model, and basically means Northwestern wouldn’t actually have been in our field anymore had we known. Given that we already thought Northwestern had overshot us, this isn’t all that concerning, but you know, thought we’d mention it. UCF was our first team out, so they’d theoretically be in, but there are other collateral effects this could have, so who really knows. Bottom line is we’ll update the model to exclude Arizona beginning next week.
- Not one to leave the party quietly, Arizona came through with a major wingman move for Colorado on their way out the door, pushing the Buffaloes back into our part of the college basketball landscape. Great guy, that Sean Miller.
- For every Michigan State falling into our world, there’s a Minnesota rising out. Fare thee well, Goldy. Take good care of Rich for us.
- Unclear what Maryland was doing last night, but it’s their loss. Err, win. Kind of.
- Vermont’s in trouble in the America East, which could have automatic bid ramifications (the ramifications being that an increasingly likely scenario is Vermont not winning the A-East title, but winning the tournament, sending someone like NJIT—who handed the Catamounts their second league loss yesterday—down our gullet. We wouldn’t mind. We hear (*checks where NJIT is located*) Newark’s really nice.
- Mississippi and Alabama meet up tonight, and perhaps some collaboration’s in order. The Tide are comfortably in the NIT no matter what they do (provided they don’t, you know, look really good or something). The Mississippees could use some help.
- Northwestern can come back to earth tonight by getting smoked at Iowa. We’ve said similar things about these guys before. They’ve yet to come back to earth.
- Miami and Virginia Tech could both get on track this evening in Blacksburg. Neither’s too far out of this thing, but the location’s backwards for their NIT hopes.
- Tulsa’s got a good home-conference-game-as-a-single-digit-underdog against Houston.
- Texas A&M and LSU are doing the same thing as Miami and Virginia Tech, but with a lot more generational pride and fury.
- Memphis is trying to hold onto relevance, facing a challenge from USF in the MemphisDome.
- USC’s been cautious about when to make their move, but whispers say they’re keyed in on dropping tonight’s affair with Santa Clara. Andy Enfield never shows his cards. That’s because they’re disgusting. Probably have pictures of unadopted shelter pets on them or something like that. Bastard.
- We aren’t sure anyone in the Big Ten’s safe, so we’ll mention that Purdue travels to Piscataway tonight, and if you don’t know what Piscataway means it means they’re playing Rutgers.
- Races in Conference USA and the Missouri Valley, combined with a surge from St. Bonaventure and some staying power from Boise State, have the middle ranks of our bracket feeling decidedly mid-major these days. We like it. Those guys get good crowds in the first three rounds.
