With many of the power conference league tournaments starting yesterday, the Circle of March took a 30-team hit over the last 24 hours. Every team that lost on Wednesday was clinging to the unlikely notion of making a run to a conference title for entry into the NCAA Tournament, but it wasn’t to be. There was, however, one team that won its automatic bid — American University, from the Patriot League. Heading into what will be a ginormous Thursday of action, there are now 168 teams remaining, which means a couple of things. First, we’ve blown through the 50 percent mark, with 172 of the 340 previously-eligible teams now eliminated. Second, over the course of the next four days, a hundred more teams will drop off that list. With 60 tournament games scheduled today, nearly half of those could drop off over the next 16 hours. Enjoy today’s marathon of games!

 Teams Eliminated From National Title Contention (03.12.14)

Read the rest of this entry »

The regular season is over, Championship Week is here, and it’s now or never for all of the teams that have talked a rather big game but haven’t necessarily backed it up with their play on the court. To that end, we’re going to be rolling out nine RTC Podblasts this week, one to preview each of the seven power conference tournaments as well as the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West (to scroll through all that have been released, click here). In this, our Mountain West Tournament edition, RTC correspondents Andrew Murawa (@amurawa) and Bennet Hayes (@hoopstraveler) join us to discuss what appears to be a two-horse race in Las Vegas. The Big East, AAC, SEC and Big 12 Tournament pods were released on Monday, and the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC Tourney previews came out yesterday. Today we finished off the series with the Atlantic 10 Tournament pod and this one. Enjoy!

Make sure to add the RTC Podcast to your iTunes lineup so that you’ll automatically upload it on your listening device after we record.

• 0:00-3:09 – San Diego State’s Place in the National Picture
• 3:09-9:04 – Boise State, UNLV and the League as a Whole Disappoints in 2014
• 9:04-11:48 – Mountain West Superlatives
• 11:48-13:42 – The Inevitability of San Diego State-New Mexico, Part III
• 13:42-16:14 – What to Expect In a Potential Aztec/Lobo Rubber Match
• 16:14-18:15 – MW Tournament’s Impact on NCAA Tournament
• 18:15-20:35 – San Diego State and New Mexico’s Chances For a NCAA Tournament Run
• 20:35-22:12 – Best Parts of the MWC Tournament
• 22:12-25:17 – Final Thoughts on a Week of Hoops in Vegas

The calm before the storm. With last night’s results, which included championship games from the Horizon, NEC, Summit and WCC Tournaments, we’re now down to a grand total of 199 eligible teams for the 2014 NCAA Championship. Oh, and hey, Mount St. Mary’s, Milwaukee, North Dakota State and Gonzaga. Nice to see you all dancing. As for today’s games, a boatload of leagues get under way as we push hard over the next five days to get this thing to 68. We’re not going to list them all here, but five power conferences and the A-10 and Mountain West all have games today, and the bloodbath will continue in these leagues at least through Friday. Expect the culling of the Circle to take its most direct hit over the next 48 hours.

Teams Eliminated From National Title Contention (03.11.14)

• Jackson State
• North Carolina A&T
• Rice
• Bethune-Cookman
• Robert Morris
• Wright State
• Penn
• Princeton
• Florida Atlantic
• Delaware State
• IPFW
• Texas-San Antonio

The regular season is over, Championship Week is here, and it’s now or never for all of the teams that have talked a rather big game but haven’t necessarily backed it up with their play on the court. To that end, we’re going to be rolling out nine RTC Podblasts this week, one to preview each of the seven power conference tournaments as well as the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West (to scroll through all that have been released, click here). In this, our Atlantic 10 Tournament edition, RTC microwriter Joe Dzuback (@vbtnblog) joins us to discuss the week ahead in Brooklyn. The Big East, AAC, SEC and Big 12 Tournament pods were released on Monday, and the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC Tourney previews came out yesterday. Today we’ll finish off the series with this blast and the Mountain West releasing a bit later. Enjoy!

Make sure to add the RTC Podcast to your iTunes lineup so that you’ll automatically upload it on your listening device after we record.

• 0:00-4:33 – Measuring the True Talents of Saint Louis
• 4:33-6:35 – Which Team Is Actually the Best?
• 6:35-8:50 – Surprise Teams in the A-10
• 8:50-10:58 – LaSalle Falls Victim to Sweet Sixteen Hangover Season
• 10:58-14:23 – First Team and POY Discussion
• 14:23-21:00 – Teams Outside the Top Two That Can Make a Run
• 21:00-21:01 – What the A-10 Bubble Teams Need to Do
• 23:01-25:03 – A-10 Loses Teams and Keeps on Ticking
• 25:03-26:26 – Dayton’s Potentially Curious NCAA Tournament Situation
• 26:26-29:35 – Final A-10 Tournament Thoughts

The regular season is over, Championship Week is here, and it’s now or never for all of the teams that have talked a rather big game but haven’t necessarily backed it up with their play on the court. To that end, we’re going to be rolling out nine RTC Podblasts this week, one to preview each of the seven power conference tournaments as well as the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West (to scroll through all that have been released, click here). In this, our ACC Tournament edition, RTC microwriter Matt Patton (@rise_and_fire) joins us to discuss a top-heavy field headed to Greensboro. The Big East, AAC, SEC and Big 12 Tournament pods were released on Monday, and the Big Ten and Pac-12 Tourney previews came out earlier today. Be sure to check back for the A-10 and MW preview podblasts tomorrow. Enjoy!

Make sure to add the RTC Podcast to your iTunes lineup so that you’ll automatically upload it on your listening device after we record.

• 0:00-3:17 – Virginia Earned Its ACC Title
• 3:17-8:06 – Best ACC Team and NCAA Tournament Potential
• 8:06-12:09 – Disappointing ACC Teams
• 12:09-13:51 – Predictions to Be Proud Of
• 13:51-20:29 – ACC POY and First Team Discussion
• 20:29-23:43 – Is Virginia the Favorite in Greensboro?
• 23:43-25:43 – Dark Horse Picks
• 25:43-28:04 – Pitt’s Upside/Downside in the ACC Tournament
• 28:04-30:53 – Team With the Most to Gain
• 30:53-33:40 – Final Thoughts on the ACC Tournament

With six days of hoops left until Selection Sunday, we still have a lot of work to do. Thirteen more teams were eliminated on Monday night, and that leaves a grand total of 211 “eligible” schools remaining on the Circle of March. Eight of those teams are now locked into next week’s field of 68, with Delaware, Wofford and Manhattan last night joining the previous five automatic entrants. Penn and Princeton finish their regular seasons this evening and four other championship games will be held in the Horizon, NEC, Summit and WCC Tournaments, but we won’t really start to see a lot of progress (also known as white space) in the Circle until the Thursday and subsequent editions.

Teams Eliminated From National Title Contention (03.10.14)

• Maryland-Eastern Shore
• Ball State
• Kent State
• William & Mary
• Iona
• Denver
• Central Michigan
• Bowling Green
• South Carolina State
• Saint Mary’s
• Western Carolina
• South Dakota State
• San Francisco

The regular season is over, Championship Week is here, and it’s now or never for all of the teams that have talked a rather big game but haven’t necessarily backed it up with their play on the court. To that end, we’re going to be rolling out nine RTC Podblasts this week, one to preview each of the seven power conference tournaments as well as the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West (to scroll through all that have been released, click here). In this, our Pac-12 Tournament edition, RTC microwriter Andrew Murawa (@amurawa) joins us to discuss what he expects to see this week in Sin City. And he talks some basketball too. The Big East, AAC, SEC and Big 12 Tournament pods were released on Monday, and the Big Ten preview came out earlier today. The ACC will drop a bit later this afternoon, with the A-10 and MW coming tomorrow. Enjoy!

Make sure to add the RTC Podcast to your iTunes lineup so that you’ll automatically upload it on your listening device after we record.

• 0:00-5:16 – With or Without Brandon Ashley – Arizona is the Class of the Pac-12
• 5:16-6:57 – Disappointing Teams
• 6:57-9:02 – Stanford Vindicates Drew
• 9:02-13:02 – What the Pac-12 Bubble Teams Need to Do in Vegas
• 13:02-13:58 – Teams With the Most to Gain
• 13:58-19:02 – Non-Arizona Options to Win
• 19:02-25:03 – Pac-12 Superlatives
• 25:03- Previewing Drew’s Days in Vegas

The regular season is over, Championship Week is here, and it’s now or never for all of the teams that have talked a rather big game but haven’t necessarily backed it up with their play on the court. To that end, we’re going to be rolling out nine RTC Podblasts this week, one to preview each of the seven power conference tournaments as well as the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West (to scroll through all that have been released, click here). In this, our Big Ten Tournament edition, RTC microwriter Deepak Jayanti (@dee_b1g) joins us to discuss one of the most interesting conference tourneys heading into Indianapolis. The Big East, AAC, SEC and Big 12 Tournament pods were released on Monday, and the Pac-12 and ACC will be out a bit later today with the others dropping on Wednesday. Enjoy!

Make sure to add the RTC Podcast to your iTunes lineup so that you’ll automatically upload it on your listening device after we record.

• 0:00-2:52 – Michigan’s Surprise Big Ten Title
• 2:52-9:47 – Which Team Is the Best and Which Team Has the Most Potential
• 9:47-13:00 – Big Disappointments in the Big Ten
• 13:00-14:52 – Preseason Predictions Review
• 14:52-17:49 – All-Big Ten and POY Discussion
• 17:49-22:09 – Non-Michigan Choices to Win the Big Ten Tournament
• 22:09-23:57 – Bubble Team Requirements to Make the NCAA Tournament
• 23:57-25:37 – Teams With a Lot to Gain
• 25:37-27:03 – Can Michigan State’s Vets Get It Together?

The regular season is over, Championship Week is here, and it’s now or never for all of the teams that have talked a rather big game but haven’t necessarily backed it up with their play on the court. To that end, we’re going to be rolling out nine RTC Podblasts this week, one to preview each of the seven power conference tournaments as well as the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West (to scroll through all that have been released, click here). In this, our Big 12 Tournament edition, RTC microwriter Brian Goodman (@bsgoodman) joins us to discuss one of the deepest tourney fields in college basketball heading into Kansas City. The Big East, AAC and SEC Tournament pods have already released, and the remainder will come out a bit later this week.

Make sure to add the RTC Podcast to your iTunes lineup so that you’ll automatically upload it on your listening device after we record.

• 0:00-7:53 – Death, Taxes and Kansas Winning the Big 12 Regular Season Title
• 7:53-11:22 – Biggest Surprise in the Big 12
• 11:22-14:34 – Reactions to the Conference Awards
• 14:34-17:01 – Kansas a Less Than Prohibitive Favorite in Kansas City
• 17:01-19:04 – Non-Kansas Picks to Win the Tournament
• 19:04-23:10 – What The Big 12 Tournament Means for NCAA Tournament
• 23:10-25:25 – Anything Can Happen at the Sprint Center

The regular season is over, Championship Week is here, and it’s now or never for all of the teams that have talked a rather big game but haven’t necessarily backed it up with their play on the court. To that end, we’re going to be rolling out nine RTC Podblasts this week, one to preview each of the seven power conference tournaments as well as the Atlantic 10 and the Mountain West (to scroll through all that have been released, click here). In this, our AAC Tournament edition, RTC microwriter Mike Lemaire (@mike_lemaire) joins us to discuss the haves and have-nots in this unbelievably stratified league. The Big East and SEC Tournament pods have already released; the Big 12 Tournament edition will release a bit later today; and the remainder will come a bit later this week. So keep an eye out.

Make sure to add the RTC Podcast to your iTunes lineup so that you’ll automatically upload it on your listening device after we record.

• 0:00-4:37 – Cincinnati and Louisville Tied at the Top
• 4:37-5:54 – Disappointing Teams
• 5:54-8:58 – Evaluating First Year of the American
• 8:58-13:19 – Great POY Race and Other First Teamers
• 13:19-15:13 – Will Lack of Size Affect Teams in the NCAA Tournament?
• 15:13-17:58 – Preseason Predictions Reviewed and Celebrating SMU
• 17:58-18:44 – Which Top Team is the Favorite?
• 18:44-20:47 – Team With the Most to Gain
• 20:47-23:08 – Bottom Five Team With Best Chance to Win a Game
• 23:08-25:25 – Dream Championship Game
• 25:25-27:50 – What Will the Crowd Be Like for Louisville and Memphis?