National | Kentucky wins 10 of last 12 in case for NCAA Tournament
Matt Ehalt
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: Sports
Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury, though, thinks 10 conference wins in the SEC should be enough to get a team into the dance.
"It's hard for me to say any team that wins 10 league games in this league doesn't deserve an NCAA opportunity because we understand how good this league is from top to bottom; (there are) no easy games," Stansbury said.
Will the Wildcats end up in the tournament? If they are unable to win the SEC, the world will just have to wait until March 16 to see. But Bradley had no doubts about whether Kentucky will be dancing.
"I would say that the teams that should be in the tournament are the best going into postseason play," Bradley said. "Right now, I feel like there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we are one of those teams."
A dubious honor
Three teams are currently winless in league play heading into the final games of the season, and one team finished the season winless.
Oregon State is 0-16 in the Pacific-10 and hosts Arizona and Arizona State in its last two games, both NCAA tournament candidates.
Colorado State is 0-15 in the Mountain West and has one home game left against New Mexico, which is 23-7.
Rounding out the list of those winless in conference play is Rice, who is 0-14 in Conference USA. There is hope for the Owls, though, as they close the season against East Carolina and SMU, who have a combined seven conference wins.
The New Jersey Institute of Technology went 0-29 on the season.
Game of the week
No. 1 North Carolina at No. 6 Duke
Saturday, ESPN, 9 p.m.
If there is one college rivalry that can mirror the level of the Yankees and Red Sox feud, it's the battle of Tobacco Road between UNC and Duke.
This game has everything that college basketball enthusiasts want in a rivalry. Great coaches? Check. Great players? Check. Intensity on every possession? Check. Fans that can't stand to lose to the other team? Check.
This year's game is set to determine the top seed for the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, so the magnitude is even bigger.
Duke dominated UNC in its building earlier this year. With all the implications of the game, don't be surprised if it pulls it out in Cameron Indoor and sweep the rivals - at least until the ACC Tournament.
Duke 84, UNC 76
mrehalt@syr.edu
"It's hard for me to say any team that wins 10 league games in this league doesn't deserve an NCAA opportunity because we understand how good this league is from top to bottom; (there are) no easy games," Stansbury said.
Will the Wildcats end up in the tournament? If they are unable to win the SEC, the world will just have to wait until March 16 to see. But Bradley had no doubts about whether Kentucky will be dancing.
"I would say that the teams that should be in the tournament are the best going into postseason play," Bradley said. "Right now, I feel like there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we are one of those teams."
Three teams are currently winless in league play heading into the final games of the season, and one team finished the season winless.
Oregon State is 0-16 in the Pacific-10 and hosts Arizona and Arizona State in its last two games, both NCAA tournament candidates.
Colorado State is 0-15 in the Mountain West and has one home game left against New Mexico, which is 23-7.
Rounding out the list of those winless in conference play is Rice, who is 0-14 in Conference USA. There is hope for the Owls, though, as they close the season against East Carolina and SMU, who have a combined seven conference wins.
The New Jersey Institute of Technology went 0-29 on the season.
No. 1 North Carolina at No. 6 Duke
Saturday, ESPN, 9 p.m.
If there is one college rivalry that can mirror the level of the Yankees and Red Sox feud, it's the battle of Tobacco Road between UNC and Duke.
This game has everything that college basketball enthusiasts want in a rivalry. Great coaches? Check. Great players? Check. Intensity on every possession? Check. Fans that can't stand to lose to the other team? Check.
This year's game is set to determine the top seed for the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, so the magnitude is even bigger.
Duke dominated UNC in its building earlier this year. With all the implications of the game, don't be surprised if it pulls it out in Cameron Indoor and sweep the rivals - at least until the ACC Tournament.
Duke 84, UNC 76
mrehalt@syr.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
rooterdaddy
posted 3/06/08 @ 9:30 AM EST
The Cats are in. They sealed the deal last night in Columbia. They'll put the icing on the NCAA cake on Sunday when Billy D. comes to Lexington.
Post a Comment