NCAA Moving From Domes To Arenas In All But Final Four

Cowboys Stadium is hosting this year's Final Four, but will no longer be the site for regional
NCAA Tournament games. (gamedayr.com)

The college basketball atmosphere might soon be returning to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, at least leading up to the Final Four.

Football stadium domes — with often unfilled 70,000 seats with some vantage points so bad it makes 7-foot giants look like ants fighting over a piece of bread — had been the go-to home for the tournament from the Sweet 16 to the national championship game. Now both Andy Katz at ESPN and Matt Norlander at CBS Sports have reported the NCAA is cutting back on its dome fetish.

From now on, any rounds not named the Final Four will no longer be played in domes, unless a dome has never hosted a regional. So for example, Cowboys Stadium in Dallas and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis were regional sites last year and will no longer be eligible to host a non-Final Four round again.

So what's the big deal? Well, for one it should help the quality of play during those four rounds. It's been talked about at length throughout the past few years how the vastness of the background in the domes throws of players' depth perception and makes it harder to hit long shots. Not to mention the raised courts that are asking for players to fall off the floor going for a loose ball.

More importantly for the fans, the smaller arenas (20,000+ seats as opposed to 70,000) make for a louder, more intimate environment that mimics what fans see during the regular season at the great arenas around the country and makes for a better experience. Why not try to get an atmosphere that feels more like Assembly Hall or Cameron Indoor Stadium with the stakes and intensity of a single-elimination tournament game? Instead, teams are playing in front of semi-empty domes that automatically takes away from the spectacle. Cowboys Stadium can hold roughly 80,000 people, yet only 40,000 attended the Sweet 16 and 36,000 saw the Elite 8 in the dome this year.

It was a smart move by the NCAA to not think about dollar signs and make a decision that bettered the game. The NCAA makes a killing off TV revenue and if the domes are not selling out for the regional rounds, then lose 15,000 people and raise ticket prices slightly to account for the difference. The product and atmosphere will be better and worth the extra money.

The next step of bringing the Final Four back to the arena like the good old days seems like a long way off, if it ever happens. The difference is the Final Four will bring in 70,000 people, and it is unlikely the NCAA would say no to losing that kind of cash from ticket sales. And to give domes credit, they are better at capacity.

But this is a victory for the little guys, the 20,000-seat arenas who get to provide the intimate, loud and intense atmosphere that makes college basketball a popular sport.

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Fixing College Basketball: What Rules Need To Be Changed For Next Season

Freshmen Marcus Smart (left), Ben McLemore and Anthony Bennett are all expected to be in this June's NBA Draft, but should the one-and-done rule be changed? (espn.com)

Reputations are powerful, especially bad ones, and right now college basketball's reputation is heading south. This reputation isn't about cheating or steroids. It's about the on-court product, although the NCAA does have its own issues to work out in terms of "amateurism."

A brilliant and entertaining national championship game wasn't enough to mask months of low scoring and poor officiating. Now that college basketball has entered the offseason, it's time to make the changes necessary to improve the game. If the NCAA needs some suggestions, how about starting with these:

One-and-done rule
This should be first and foremost on the NCAA's to-do list. It is difficult for the casual fan to become attached to the game when the teams go through complete overhauls each season because the star players sprint to the NBA Draft just as the country gets to know them. Imagine this – Kyrie Irving, Austin Rivers, Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Tristan Thompson, Brandon Knight and others all entered the draft as freshman and if not for the rule, they could all still be playing college basketball. What a March this could have been.

Six freshmen from this past season have already put their names in the draft, two of which, Ricky Ledo and Norvel Pelle never even played a game in college. Some players are talented enough to be ready for the NBA out of high school. That's fine, let them go. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard did not need college. But most do. Josh Selby left Kansas as a freshman and now has been jumping back and forth from the D-league. So let those leave out of high school if they are projected lottery picks. Otherwise make them stay in college for three years. The players will develop their games, mature and the fans get players and teams they can look forward to watching for more than one season.

Charge/block rule
The addition of the charge arc under the hoop, as seen in the NBA, is meant to protect offensive players from defenders laying out for a charge under the basket. If the defender is on or inside the arc, it can't be a charge. The problem lies in the focus on the arc. Officials are paying more attention to the defender's feet in relation to the arch that they are missing crucial factors such as if the defender is shuffling his feet or leaning into the play or if the offensive player was out of control.

The charge/block call is the focal point on an overall issue of officiating as the game has become more physical. The whistles constantly blowing breaks up the flow of the game. Part of this is poor defensive principles by the players, but too often are officials the story of the game and eventually players need to be able to make plays when the game is on the line.

Shot clock
Those 35 seconds on the shot clock in the college game can feel like an eternity, especially when teams like Wisconsin slow the game down and play a low-scoring, grind-out game. You could make dinner and do your taxes in the time Wisconsin has the ball for one possession when they grab offensive rebounds and throw the ball back out to start again.

There is no reason why college offenses should need 11 more seconds to hit the rim than NBA teams get with a 24-second clock. Take the college clock down to 24 seconds, or 30 even if 24 is a little too extreme. This will speed up the game, increase scoring and keep fans from falling asleep when those teams that play at the pace of a geriatric league don't bore people into turning the channel.

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Andrew Wiggins and the Mid-Major Dream

Mid-dunk, McDonald's All-American Andrew Wiggins ponders his college options. (McDonald's via SBNation)

The NCAA Tournament has been whittled to four remaining teams and the NBA regular season is wrapping up. Andrew Wiggins will make his way, quickly, through the collegiate ranks and play on basketball's biggest stage as soon as fall 2014. Right now, though, Wiggins is a senior at Huntington Prep in Huntington, West Virginia.

The 18-year-old small forward was originally on track to leave high school in 2014, but reclassified to finish a year early — and with good reason. Wiggins is 6'7", 205 pounds and immediately passed fellow recruits Jabari Parker and Julius Randle to become the top prospect in the 2013 high school class and a very early projection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. His picked up national momentum after ripping opponents in tournaments last summer and has since established his status by doing things like throwing down between-the-legs, 360 dunks at the McDonald's All-American game.

Although Wiggins isn't tipping his hat toward which college program will land him, none of his suitors are in the Final Four. Two were eliminated before the Elite Eight (Kansas and North Carolina) while the other two finalists (Kentucky and Florida State) fell outside the March Madness bubble. Wiggins' parents both attended Florida State as student-athletes, and the Seminoles are a quietly understood frontrunner despite their blue-blood competition.

What no one is talking about is a possible darkhorse entering the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes late: the Wichita State Shockers. That's fair because, even though his brother Nick Wiggins is a reserve guard for WSU and the Shockers' Cinderella run to the Final Four will surely put them in the hunt for better recruits in the near future, Andrew Wiggins is not going to play out his (probably) lone college season at a mid-major in the heartland. A high major program with sterling history that happens to reside on the bountiful Kansas plains, such as KU, has a legitimate chance to snag such a recruit, but Wichita State does not.

That isn't to take away from the program. Like Mark Turgeon before him, head coach Gregg Marshall has done a fantastic job building the Shockers and raising their national profile. Occasionally a highly touted recruit will opt to play for a smaller program for one reason or another, but this late in the game — Wiggins has already visited three of the four contending schools and will announce his decision before May 15 — Wichita State has no chance. Even Nick is prodding his younger brother in other directions.

There are no murmurs about Andrew Wiggins suiting up in black and yellow like his brother because such things are beyond the scope of rational thought. Andrew Wiggins is the kind of player who stars at a traditionally premier program before moving on to an inevitable career in the NBA. That much we know before he even graduates from high school, and that's fine. The Shockers have a shot a national championship. Making the Final Four is an accomplishment for any team, let alone one that was slated to finish third in their non-power six conference in preaseason polls. Adding the top recruit of the incoming freshman class would undoubtedly be a windfall for Wichita State. It won't happen.

But it's a nice daydream.


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NBA Draft Stock Tracker: Forwards Fall as Guards Rise

Russ Smith is showing off at the right time of year. (Chris Chambers/Getty Images)

For some players, the NCAA tournament is a chance for players to represent their schools and to play hard for realizing their dreams of being a champion. For others, it is a springboard to help show off their talents for the NBA draft. Here are the list of some of the best and worst performances by players who may be going to the draft this summer. 

Russ Smith, Louisville: Buy

Smith may be the best player on the No. 1 ranked team in the tournament this year, but he hasn’t gotten a lot of attention from NBA scouts. Smith has mostly been trailing other point guards like Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart and Michigan's Trey Burke because of his perceived inconsistency, but in the first game of the tournament he had 23 points on 10-16 shooting with eight steals. In the second game, he dropped 27 points on 7-15 shooting.

Ben McLemore, Kansas: Sell

As a KU fan, this one hurts me. McLemore had only 11 points against 16-seeded Western Kentucky while committing four turnovers. Not terrible, but not what you would expect from a possible No. 1 draft pick either. Against North Carolina, McLemore went 0-9 and finished with just two points. If he doesn’t rebound from this slump against Michigan in the Sweet 16, McLemore might actually see his name drop in the NBA draft.

Otto Porter, Georgetown: Sell

I’m a big Otto Porter fan and I still think he’ll go in the top 10 and be a good player in the NBA, but losing to Florida Gulf Coast is a bad way to end your college career. Porter was in a shooting slump late in the season and had only shot above 40 percent once in his last five games. He’s still rebounding and playing good defense, but Porter's shooting woes may turn scouts off.

Aaron Craft, Ohio State: Buy

Not many have him going high in the draft, but Craft is still playing excellent ball in the tournament. He had 18 points against Iowa State, including a last-second shot to win the game, while continuing to lock down opponents on the perimeter and provide the Buckeyes with veteran leadership.

Jeff Withey, Kansas: Buy

He’s most likely going to be a low first round pick for his size and regular season statistics alone, but his recent performances could boost his stock. Withey had 17 points and seven blocks against Western Kentucky and followed it up with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocks against North Carolina.

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How Southern Almost Upset Gonzaga

Gonzaga narrowly survived a second-round game against No. 16 seed Southern. (espn.com)

It is common knowledge that a No. 16 seed has never bested a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Even in years with high parity, the talent gap is usually wide enough for top seeds to glide to easy victories over their less lauded opponents. The knowledge still holds true, but the Southern Jaguars nearly made college basketball and tourney history by upsetting the Gonzaga Bulldogs. It took the Zags a late surge to escape with a 64-58 win that wasn't as close as the final score indicates.

So how did Southern do it? It was a perfect storm. Jaguars head coach Roman Banks built this season's team in the Gonzaga mold and his players knew they were to consider themselves to be like the former Cinderella program. When the round of 64 game was announced on Selection Sunday, the comparison already existed; Southern saw itself on par with the Zags in spite of seeding.

Speculation about Gonzaga already filled national headlines, maybe not concerning overall record but questioning strength of schedule during West Coast Conference play and the legitimacy of the Bulldogs' No. 1 ranking heading into the tournament, which parlayed into a No. 1 seed.

Banks knew all this and one would expect his players did, too. Southern came out hitting 3-pointers and tightened the screws on defense, playing Gonzaga to a 34-34 draw at halftime. The Jaguars didn't let up in the second half and it wasn't until Gary Bell, Jr. and Kevin Pangos hit a pair of treys as Southern went cold from the field that the Bulldogs had some breathing room with under four minutes to play.

Half psychological. Half physical. All Southern. The Jaguars were truly not intimidated, something another 16-seed has already taken to heart when Western Kentucky put a scare into Kansas Friday night. Expect the trend to continue because, eventually, a No. 1 seed will lose in the round of 64 and Banks' Jaguars will be the prototype for the No. 16 team seed that makes history.

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March Madness Five-Word Descriptions

Need some knowledge on each of the schools in the tournament? We've got you covered. (sportingnews.com)

The first four teams will play tonight for a chance to play again with the rest of the NCAA Tournament field. With a large diversity in power conference and mid-major teams and some teams who are either new to the tournament or have not been dancing for a while, we've compiled five-word descriptions of all 68 teams in the tournament to help you get to know who you are picking in your brackets.

Akron - Let them wear Twitter handles!
Albany - Upstate NY's only canine mascot.
Arizona - Was great until Pac-12 play.
Belmont - Tourney's second-most historic Bruins.
Boise State -No, their court isn't blue.
Bucknell - Giant Major-not-major killer
Butler - Found out A10 > Horizon League.
California - Want to avenge UNLV loss.
Cincinnati - Bear claws better than Bearcats.
Colorado - University of Chauncey Billups-Boulder
Colorado State - Hide the Lexington co-eds.
Creighton - Minnesota Timberwolves junior varsity squad.
Davidson - Riding a big winning streak.
Duke - Championship lock, if at home.
Florida - Duke version 2.0: Southern comfort.
Florida Gulf Coast - Forgotten in East/West beef.
Georgetown - Best player named Otto since...?
Gonzaga - Wearing first round short shorts?
Harvard - Less stylish warm-ups than Princeton.
Illinois - If only performance = Groce's energy.
Indiana - Top seed and still underachieving.
Iona - Iowa's urban, middle class cousin.
Iowa State - Threes on threes on threes.
James Madison - Biggest achievement since U.S. Constitution.
Kansas - Mid-major loss? Championship or bust?
Kansas State - Strength: grit. Weakness: Big Ten.
La Salle -One basketball HOFer, Tom Gola.
Liberty - Could potentially face Seth Curry.
Long Island - The world is yours, guys.
Louisville - Drake's new favorite Kentucky program.
Marquette - Cool name, cool coach's name.
Memphis - Josh Pastner continues working magic.
Miami (FL) -Paternal professional baseball player? Check.
Michigan - Wolverines might actually eat Jackrabbits.
Michigan State - Never underestimate Izzo in March.
Middle Tennessee State -'I' in 'Ten-I-See'
Minnesota - Experienced, strong, but mostly inconsistent.
Mississippi - "Is this like a bowl game?"
Missouri - There's always SEC football, MIZ.
Montana - Big Sky champs, big upside.
New Mexico - Possibly underseeded; maybe Arizona's neighbor.
New Mexico State -Properly seeded; Arizona's stately neighbor.
North Carolina - Improving at the right time.
North Carolina A&T - They have great cell service.
North Carolina State - Plenty of Wolves, no Pack.
Northwestern State - Not just "Northwestern." Sorry, Wildcats.
Notre Dame -Irish will need some luck.
Ohio State - If Craft becomes scorer, intimidating.
Oklahoma - Lon Kruger really gets around.
Oklahoma State - Smart among tourney's best players.
Oregon - Chip Kelly's high-powered, wait....
Pacific - Nice while it lasted, right?
Pittsburgh - Dixon knows how to coach.
Saint Louis - Consensus Cinderella for good reason.
Saint Mary's - Buzzer-beaters don't make a resume.
San Diego State - SD Not-A-State University
South Dakota State - Wolters v. Burke will be epic.
Southern - Branford Marsalis free-form athletics.
Syracuse - Tough with game on line.
Temple -Indiana Jones joke here somewhere...
UCLA - Popular pick to be upset.
UNLV - The NBA's summer league team.
Valparaiso - Fourth best team from Indiana.
Villanova - Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
Virginia Commonwealth - Scary as a No. 5.
Western Kentucky - Anagram for "Crunk tween tykes."
Wichita State - Could advance on athleticism alone.
Wisconsin - Badgers will be tough out.

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Spying Cinderella - Can Bucknell Make A Run In The NCAA Tournament

Can Bucknell build on past tournament success? (nydailynews.com)

In a year with the greatest parity college basketball has seen in some time, where to begin when searching for this year's Cinderella(s)? Butler and VCU have been-there, done-that and St. Louis is hotter than Kate Upton in a parka, but to find a true Cinderella, you've got to dive down to the double-digit seeds. Which of these is poised for not just one second-round upset, but a legitimate Sweet Sixteen, or even Final Four run?

Many teams in this field could find themselves dancing in glass slippers, but to me, 11-seed Bucknell stands out in the crowd. Few teams in the tournament boast an interior weapon like the Bison's 6-11 center Mike Muscala. Muscala averages 19 points and 12 rebounds per game and has legitimate NBA potential. He will be a load for any team to deal with, regardless of seeding. Bucknell also finds senior leadership in 6-2 guard Bryson Johnson and 6-7 forward Joe Willman, both of whom are double-digit scorers.

The Bison enter the tournament on a roll, cruising to the Patriot League Championship by winning 12 of their last 13 games in impressive fashion. Furthermore, their five total losses this year have only come at an average margin of 4.4 points. Most importantly, though, they are hot and brimming with confidence at just the right time.

Bucknell came onto the scene in a big way by beating 3-seed Kansas as a 14-seed in a 2005 first-round game for the program's first NCAA victory. I think this is the year they take the extra step and go from a one-hit wonder to Belle of the Ball. If Bucknell can get past Butler, a well-coached, experienced unit, the bottom half of the East Region sets up well for an Elite Eight appearance and a true Cinderella story.

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Initial Reaction To The NCAA Tournament Seedings

Louisville: The NCAA Tournament's top overall seed. (Getty)

No. 1's: Louisville - Midwest (overall), Kansas - South, Indiana - East, Gonzaga - West

Bubbles/snubs: St. Mary's, Middle Tennessee St., La Salle and Boise St. are in. Maryland, Tennessee, Southern Mississippi, Virginia and Kentucky left out.

Best "second round" match-ups: Let me start by saying I hate calling it the second round due to the play-in games. It will always be the first round in my mind.

There are some 8-9 matchups that automatically jump out (Pitt vs. Wichita St. and Colorado St. vs Missouri), but those are always very close.

Oregon should have been higher than a No. 12 seed and will give a great battle to an athletic Oklahoma State team. Also look for Michigan vs. South Dakota State and elite scorer Nate Wolters, then there's match-up with two teams that couldn't be more different: Wisconsin vs. Ole Miss. Marshall Henderson going against the physical Badgers defense should make for a great contest.

Easiest region: I would have to say the East, although many analysts feel the West wins the crown. The No. 1 (Indiana) and No. 2 (Miami) are tough teams, but Marquette (No. 3 seed) and Syracuse (No. 4 seed) could both see early upsets. Neither Big East team has a lot of momentum entering the tournament.

You'll see the toughest region below, but the South has a strong No. 1 in Kansas, No. 2 in Georgetown and No. 4 in Michigan, while Ohio State has earned it's No. 2 seed out West and Kansas State at the No. 4 doesn't have a bad loss all season, not to mention Gonzaga, who has the best record in the country and comes in as the No. 1-ranked team.

Toughest region: The Midwest, hands down. The selection committee's overall No. 1-seed present to Louisville was putting Duke, Michigan St., St. Louis and Oklahoma St. as the 2-5 seeds. Then throw in a dangerous Creighton team at No. 7 and an Oregon team who many feel were wildly under-seeded at a No. 12 and this will be a battle in Indianapolis.

Second-round upset pick: Obviously when we talk upsets, we're not looking for a No. 9 over a No. 8 or a No. 10 over a No. 7. We're talking double-digit seeds advancing to the weekend. Lots of people are looking at Montana over Syracuse, but I think Belmont could give Arizona all the Wildcats can handle as a No. 11 vs. a No. 6. For a big pick, don't forget about No. 14. Davidson against No. 3 Marquette. This is more about Davidson's strengths than Marquette's weakness. The Wildcats are a strong fundamental, defensive team than can scorch it from 3-point range. They are also a little undersized in the post but match up well with Marquette, which is also undersized except for Chris Otule, who is 6-11.

Sleeper: For sleepers, we're talking about high-seeded teams advancing to the Sweet 16 and beyond. I really like two of the No. 10 seeds (Iowa St. and Colorado) who have the ability to advance into the Sweet 16. Iowa State will need to play better defense, but can score at will and Colorado hasn't been overly consistent, but is balanced enough to make a run if the Buffs could find some momentum.

Never doubt Butler, a No. 6 seed with a decent path to the Elite 8, and when No. 7-seed Creighton and Doug McDermott are on, the Bluejays are very good. As mentioned earlier, watch out for Davidson and Belmont, as well.

Final thought: As we all know, this tournament is up in the air. In a year with no dominant team, the parity seems to be at an all-time high. Any number of teams could make a run to the Sweet 16 and there are a handful of teams that are legitimate title contenders. What that means for the fans: this is going to be a fun March.

Good luck with your brackets and let the madness begin.


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Play-In Game Winners Deserve 16-Seeds, Not 12-Seeds

As a 12-seed, USF beat Temple, but was frustrated by Ohio. (orlandosentinel.com)

The term "field of 64" lost its meaning in the college basketball landscape several years ago with the addition of a single play-in game bringing a 65th team into the NCAA Tournament. Since those simpler and, frankly, better times, the field has been expanded to include 68 teams and three more play-in games, turning the traditional first round into what is now coined the "second round." The play-in games are by no means necessary, but they have become a part of the fold. But why reward the teams involved with anything more than a 16-seed?

If the tournament selection committee cannot bring themselves to award teams with outright berths, should they given play-in winners a 12-seed and a lighter assignment upon entering the group of 64? Save the higher seeds for a team that has legitimately earned a spot in the tourney, whether a strong resume warrants an at-large bid or teams each improve one seed through the 12th spot, thus giving teams that have proven themselves and conference tournament champions a slightly easier assignment while sliding the play-in game winners into the bottom seed.

Allowing a team to compete for a lighter weight second round opponent can certainly make for a great story if any of the play-in teams move past the second round — a feat more likely to come out of a 12/5 match than a 16/1 game — but only one of 36 teams to participate in 18 games has ever entered the round of 32, when South Florida claimed a 12-seed and defeated Temple before suffering a six-point dismissal by Ohio in 2012.

Had the Bulls been able to overcome the Bobcats, they would have almost certainly been eliminated by No. 1-seeded North Carolina, and that possibility reveals the true problem with USF getting a 12-seed at all. The Bulls caught two lucky breaks by meeting mid-major teams after gaining entry into the larger tournament round. As good as the Atlantic 10 has been as a conference in recent years, Temple was not scaring anyone after last year's regular season ended, and D.J. Cooper and Ohio were not expected to beat a No. 4 Michigan team laden with young talent.

USF parlayed an anomalous play-in game spot into an low seed-over-high seed upset. The Bulls' success in the tournament last season is a perfect example of why college basketball in March is a thing of beauty. However, it was the machination of a committee that underrated an Ohio team, placing the Bobcats at No. 13 in their region, one spot below the USF team lacking that same committee's faith.

The Bulls' wins were not part of the natural magic of March Madness. Giving them and other teams with undefinable seasons a 12-seed is an artificial push to make play-in games relevant and until one of these programs makes a deep run into the tournament, it will remain this way. Let the deserving teams have higher seeds, let play-in game winners take their chances with a 16-seed and let the teams they beat eat cake, especially if it is a top seed.

Now that would be magical.

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Where is the Great West's Automatic NCAA Tournament Bid?

Chicago State and UTPA don't have the luxury of an AQ bid to the NCAA Tournament. (greatwestconference.org)

While keeping up with which teams get automatic admission to the NCAA Tournament by winning their conference tournaments, you may have noticed the qualifier "No automatic bid" next to the Great West. Although there is more parity in college basketball than in college football, with most non-power conferences being allowed at least one representative in the field of 68, not every league is allowed to send its tournament champion into the big dance without proving itself elsewhere.

Unlike the Ohio Valley (established in 1948) and even the relatively young Conference USA, which has existed since 1995, the Great West has not been around long enough to be granted an auto-bid. Due to the three NCAA standards a conference must meet to put a tournament champion directly into the NCAA Tournament, the earliest the Great West, as currently comprised, could be eligible to receive an automatic bid is 2020.

"As currently comprised" is the catch there. The system in place was described by Kyle Whelliston at ESPN when the Great West was planting its seeds in 2008:

"NCAA men's basketball rules require conferences to pass a three-step eligibility check for auto-bid qualification: at least seven fully fledged Div. I members, seven that have been Div. I for at least eight years (known as "core members"), and six core members who have been league mates for five years."

The current five full members — Chicago State, Houston Baptist, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Texas Pan-American and Utah Valley — are the most the Great West has had since coming into existence. But the goal of obtaining an auto-bid by 2020 is a pipe dream. Houston Baptist will join the Southland Conference this summer and CSU, UTPA and UVU will be in the WAC before next season begins, effectively widdling the Great West's basketball programs down to two.

NJIT and UTPA are one and two, respectively, in the rankings going into the conference tournament with the Highlanders getting a first-round bye and facing the winner of Houston Baptist-UVU in the second round. Fittingly, NJIT and UTPA stand the best chance at making the field of 68, although it is unlikely either will since neither have especially strong records. The Highlanders are 16-12 overall (6-2 in conference) and the Broncos hold a 16-15 record (5-3 in conference).

The Great West will not be represented in the NCAA Tournament by an automatic qualifier — or any team — this season and will probably not break in for years, as the conference's weakness forces its members to play up against opponents from bigger conferences with better recruiting and thus higher skilled players. The Great West tourney champion does receive immediate admission into the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, a third- or fourth-tier (depending on your perception of the College Basketball Invitational) option for teams in top conferences.

So the CIT it is and the Great West, on the precipice of being entirely deconstructed, will enjoy the the slightly dimmer limelight.

Liberty Flames are NCAA Tourney-Bound with 15-20 Record

Despite a 15-20 record, the Liberty Flames are going dancing. (Willis Glasgow)

Four years ago, none of the Liberty Flames could see the light. They were coming off the heels of a 23-12 record but failed to receive an at-large big to the NCAA Tournament after losing in the Big South Tournament and missing out on the conference's automatic bid. On top of it all, their star freshman announced he was transferring to a higher profile school after breaking Liberty's 3-point field goal record and leading the nation's froshes in scoring. Now? Seth Curry is finishing his college career at Duke and the Flames, with a 15-20 overall record including a late run to the Big South tourney title, are anticipating the moment their name is announced on Selection Sunday.

As the first league to complete a concluding tournament, the Big South gave Liberty plenty of time to enjoy the hype around the school's third-ever NCAA Tournament berth. The turnaround from its previous appearance in 2004 was not necessarily a quick one, but for a small program that has only held Division I membership since 1988 — and made the jump from the NAIA to Division II in 1980 — this is monumental. Especially considering the way Winthrop has monopolized most of the Big South's bids since 1999, until UNC-Asheville supplanted the Eagles in 2011. Especially considering their record, as the Flames become the second team with 20 or more losses to feel March Madness, joining Coppin State's 16-21 2008 squad.

If the devastating 84-42 final of Liberty's season opener at Richmond didn't feel damning, the following seven games must have. The Flames began on an eight-game losing streak before picking up one win that was quickly humbled with two more defeats. But spearheaded by John Caleb Sanders and the junior guard's team-leading 14.2 points and 3.5 assists per game, the Flames strung together three straight victories heading into conference competition. They then played with an inconsistency that dotted their schedule with alternating W's and L's, blocking them from winning consecutive games until their final regular season contest prefaced a run through four games in six days on the way to the Big South title.

Of course, that last game — the one against a Charleston-Southern team tied for first place in the conference, with two times more wins (12) than Liberty in Big South play and four more on the season — is the one that mattered, and it ended with the Flames in championship regalia. Whether or not a sub-.500 team be admitted to the field of 68 is an argument for a different time; it should be appreciated in March.

History is not on Liberty's side. The Flames are 0-2 in NCAA tourney appearances, losing 82-63 to Saint Joseph's in 2004 and 71-51 to North Carolina in 1994. The present evidence does not do much to support the Flames either, as their total record and RPI (.429 winning percentage, ranked 290 out 347) seemingly leave them unprepared to face the higher seeded team they will inevitably draw.

Liberty lost most of its games this season, but if there is anything such as a "good loss," the Flames have it. On Nov. 14, they went to Georgetown and left with a nine-point loss. Granted, the Hoyas were a much different team then, but so was Liberty. And, if you're playing the odds, most teams won't go into the NCAA tournament with a five-game winning streak.

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Living with the Catholic 7's New Big East

The new Big East is not unsettling until you think about it. (holylandofhoops.com)

Has anyone properly addressed how odd the new Big East is going to be if Creighton joins the Catholic 7's 2.0 version with Butler and Xavier? Not according to Google because there were no appropriate results when I searched for "weird Big East Creighton." In fact, the most out-of-the-norm headline was a rumor about the Big 12 dropping all football programs and adding Creighton as well as Missouri Valley competitors Wichita State and Missouri State.

While the Big 12 getting rid of the biggest money-making sport would have been a surprise even at the conference's lowest point in realignment, it will not be a shock if the Bluejays defect from the MVC to take a place in college athletics' newest old conference.

What will make this conference so unique, if the Bluejays end up as a member, is the roster of teams that will be gunning for the same regular season championship. The grouping will encompass some of college basketball's historic cornerstones playing alongside programs that have surged more recently in a league that stretches across nearly half of the contiguous United States, although geography is less of an issue than ever in the realignment game.

Mid-major darlings like Creighton and Butler will mix with contenders like Georgetown and Villanova in a conference that, although it will be a conglomeration of solid teams, lacks a true powerhouse program. Despite the majority of schools coming from a (former) Power Six conference, the new Big East will more closely resemble a mega mid-major -- a conference that is at the top of it's class, but not quite on par with what remains of the NCAA's top Division I basketball leagues.

The Hoyas, along with Providence and St. John's, were founding members of the original Big East with 'Nova joining slightly later. History is on their side, but recent years have seen the programs post decent-to-good records, while rarely being legitimate threats to win their conference championship. (Georgetown's very strong season in progress is more of an outlier than a standard.) The other side of the coin sees the Bluejays, Butler and Xavier being marquee teams in their own less heralded conferences and either winning outright or sharing titles year in and year out in their respective spheres.

This would seemingly put the best of the Catholic 7 on the level with the mid-major imports. The sentiment is furthered with the speculative inclusion of programs such as Saint Louis, Dayton, Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth as soon as 2013-14 or 2014-15. These purported additions draw heavily from the Atlantic 10, often seen as the class of mid-major conferences, especially after sending eight teams to the NCAA Tournament just a few years ago.

Of Creighton and the nine schools already committed to joining this iteration of the Big East, four are locks to hear their names announced on Selection Sunday (Georgetown, Marquette, Butler and the Bluejays) in under two weeks and ESPN's Joe Lunardi is projecting Villanova as a play-in team. VCU and SLU are the only two prospective teams expected to make the NCAA tourney at this point, although that could change depending on the outcomes of conference tournaments.

Since only nine teams are committed to the new Big East at this point, this is merely one idea of what could happen. But if things shake out the way they are expected to, there needs to be a new term for such a unique conference; one that encompasses the strength of nouveau riche programs and those that could compete what was once the stacked Big East of old but can lay realistic claims to the new league's top spot. That term is not Catholic, after the majority of the schools' affiliations, but perhaps it is catholic, as in universal, appealing to a wide range of tastes.

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Storm the Court, Duke

Security escorts Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski off the court after a loss at Maryland. (AP)

It's okay, Mike Krzyzewski. Really, it is. Your Duke Blue Devils have been court-stormed four times this season, eac after a loss on the road, and that is embarrassing. It is humbling. But it is also flattering.

Having opposing fans storm the court means that a pivotal game has just concluded — not necessarily for Duke, but for the other teams. The Blue Devils are a historically fantastic program that, thanks to stellar recruiting and coaching, have not missed an NCAA Tournament since 1995 and before that, last failed to capture a berth in 1983. They are more or less guaranteed to contend for the ACC title and make the big dance each season with expectations to make it to the second weekend of competition.

The current season is no different, with the Blue Devils holding a top-three ranking in early March and winning 15 games before falling for the first time this season, meaning none of Duke's losses have been more important than the others. The Blue Devils were on the wrong end of a 27-point thrashing by then-No. 25 Miami in January, but redeemed themselves this past weekend by eeking out a three-point home victory to a Hurricanes squad boasting a top-five ranking. North Carolina State was No. 20 when the Wolfpack dealt Duke its first loss; Maryland is underwhelming enough to miss being a bubble team, but the Terps are close to completing a rebuilding process; and Virginia is currently projected as 10-seed in the NCAA tournament.

Aside from the first Miami outlier, the Blue Devils have lost three games by a combined 15 points. Most teams would love to have such a record at this point in the spring. Only one team in the country, Gonzaga, has fewer losses and it is not like Duke is posting one of the worst verifiable seasons in college basketball history like a program a few states away.

The ACC is filled with proud programs, topped by Duke and North Carolina. Coach K's recent comments against the tradition of court storming after big wins are undoubtedly an extension of his program's pride and seem to come from a place of frustration rather than one of sourness. He has taken a level-headed approach, acknowledging opposing players and fans' right to celebrate while encouraging practices that would keep the Blue Devils — and likely any other losing programs besieged by a rush from the stands — safe in the process. After all, Krzyzewski made the comments when Virginia fans filled the court before he and the Blue Devils exited last week.

The truth is that it happened in a controlled environment and, according to Virginia officials, one in which Coach K was notified of what procedures would be taken in the event of a court storming. He was aware that a similar plan was in place at Miami before the Hurricanes throttled the Blue Devils. Despite this, an unnamed ACC athletic director is dedicated to addressing the court storming "issue" in a meeting with the conference's other AD's.

Thanks, anonymity, but you're not hiding much. Timed almost directly after Duke's fourth flustered performance of the season and Kryzezewski's criticism, the commenting AD is almost certainly housed in an office down the hall from Coach K and Duke's other coaches.

If Coach K and Co. are mad, that's fine, but the anger is probably not genuine. It is from the knowledge that they have been stormed in 100 percent of their losses this season and none of the losses were to the ACC's other traditional powerhouse. After several years of teams across the college hoops spectrum urging fans not to storm the court, the groupthink action is back. Based on competition, ranking and history, Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils just happen to be in the position most likely to find themselves in a sea of a different color.

Be upset, Coach K. Your team definitely has been, but it is still an elite program. It is your right, just as it is your opposition's right to celebrate after a big win. But don't forget to see the act of court storming for what it really is: a backhanded compliment to yourself and the Blue Devils. And maybe, just maybe, enjoy being immersed in the blue sea during Duke's next triumphant chapter.

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Bill Self Earns 500th Win And We Breakdown The Numbers That Got Him There

Bill Self earned his 500th career win Monday night as Kansas defeated Iowa State 108-96.

With the Kansas Jayhawks' Monday night win against Iowa State, Bill Self cemented his 500^th win as an NCAA head coach, with 293 of those wins at KU. Self's coaching resume includes time at Oral Roberts (one year), Tulsa (three years), and Illinois (three years) in addition to his nine years at KU. To recognize his achievement, here are some stats breaking down Self's career so far.

293 – Number of wins Bill Self has at Kansas

24 – Number of Jayhawks he’s coached that have gone pro

94.4% – win percentage at Allen Fieldhouse

2 – number of times I’ve imitate this dance move

8 – Big 12 conference titles in nine years

5 – Big 12 postseason titles

70% – win percentage in NCAA Tournament

8 – losses against his former alma mater, Oklahoma State University, which is the most losses he has to any school

3,641,420 – number of views the KU harlem shake video has gotten

3 – wins against teams coached by former KU coach Roy Williams - one while Self was at Illinois and two while at KU

2 – Final Four appearances

1 – National Championship

Friday Roundtable: College National Player of the Year

Trey Burke and Victor Oladipo are No. 1 and 2 in the latest Player of the Year straw poll and will be two of a handful of players battling for the award in the last month of the season. (espn.com) 

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among three of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: If the season ended today, who would be your choice for college basketball's National Player of the Year?

Alex:
If voting ended today, Trey Burke would be at the top of my ballot. However, it doesn't and after a few surprising losses, Creighton is poised for a late comeback with Doug McDermott leading the Bluejays.

The junior is third in the latest NPOY straw poll after making a run at the award last year and with good reason. He is averaging 22.5 ppg, 7.8 rebounds per game and nearly as many nightly assists (1.8) as Indiana guard Victor Oladipo, who came in second in the same poll.

McDermott's race toward NPOY could mirror Jimmer Fredette's. Preceded by a stand-out year on the national stage, Fredette shouldered the workload for his team and won the title the following season. Both players are from schools outside of Power Six conferences, and an argument could be made for this year's Missouri Valley being tougher than the Mountain West in which Jimmer competed when he won NPOY.

Voters have soft spots for athletes from mid-major schools and players whose teams succeed based almost entirely on their play. McDermott fits both those descriptions and Creighton is on the path to finish at or near the top of the MVC before playing in the NCAA tournament.

Kyle:
Trey Burke has been one of the front runners in the NPOY race all season, and for good reason. Burke is one of the best scoring guards in the game and yet is still a great passer and makes his team better. If the season ended today, Burke would receive my vote, but there's still another player that I think has a legitimate chance to overtake Burke in the final month of the season.

I've always been a fan of Doug McDermott, but I'm afraid Creighton's struggles will keep him out of the race. I think Kelly Olynyk of Gonzaga has been the most improved player in the country and has turned into one of the best and most versatile big men in college basketball. Again, playing in a weaker conference without the national attention on a weekly basis as a Burke or Mason Plumlee will keep him from being in the top three.

Then there's Indiana's Victor Oladipo. While he averages fewer points per game than Burke (14 to 18.6), although he is one of the best rebounding guards in college averaging six boards per game, Oladipo seems to make big play after big play for the Hoosiers and has proven to be their most valuable player. Take the Michigan State game Tuesday as an example. Oladipo tallied 19 points, but more importantly, every time a game-changing play needed to be made for Indiana, Oladipo was the one with the ball. With Indiana inbounding the ball with under a minute left in the game against the Spartans, it was Oladipo who broke free from his defender for a wide-open dunk that all-but sealed the Hoosiers' victory. Not to mention Oladipo had nine rebounds and five steals in the contest.

Burke still has the upper hand at this point in the season, but if Oladipo's numbers remain consistent and if he continues to be the most clutch player on the nation's No. 1 team, I could see Oladipo taking the crown from Burke.

Eddie:

The point guard is the most important position on a basketball team. He sets the tone defensively and is the quarterback for the offense. So how is it, then, that no point guard has won the Wooden Award since Jameer Nelson in 2004 (there is some dispute regarding whether Jimmer Fredette classified as a true point guard)? If the Player of the Year were to be chosen today, I believe that streak should finally come to an end, as Trey Burke (G, Michigan) and Marcus Smart (G, Oklahoma St.) have pushed out in front of a crowded field of contenders.

Burke dominates the statistical categories that are typically strong for a point guard, posting 18.6 points and 6.9 assists per game. Meanwhile, Smart does it all. He has a remarkably strong stat line across multiple categories, with 15 points, six rebounds, 4.4 assists, and three steals per game. It may be that no single player in the country is more valuable to his team than Smart. He has time and again led the Cowboys to victory, seemingly by will alone. Not to mention, Smart is still a freshman.

All said, I would ultimately cast my ballot for Burke. He has excelled as the premier floor general in the nation's best conference. He is a consistent scoring threat, whether he is shooting from deep or taking his defender off the dribble. Most impressively, though, he posts an eye-popping 3.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. Michigan and Burke ran into a rut recently, but he has averaged 23.5 points the last two games and looks poised to gain momentum down the stretch.

There is no position more important than point guard, and no one I would rather have filling it than Trey Burke. At least until Marcus Smart proves me wrong.

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NCAA Says No To Akron Twitter Handle On Back Of Jersey

The NCAA said no to Akron having the team's twitter handle on the back of its jerseys Saturday. (theverge.com)

Social media's presence in college athletics, and across the world, continues to grow, but it may have reached its limit within college basketball.

The Akron Zips are having a social media night for their home game against Ohio Saturday in which the team announced Monday it was planning to have its @ZipsMBB twitter handle on the back of each jersey instead of the player's last name. The Zips first checked with the NCAA to see if it would allow the twitter jerseys and the NCAA said no and that it was not allowed. However, the Zips will still be able to show off the handle on their warm-up shirts in front of a nationally televised audience.

Coaches, players and the programs themselves are all over social media pages, and team hashtags are everywhere, even on the courts. In fact, Akron's court on Saturday will feature the hashtags #ZipsGameday and #ThinkBigger. Yet jerseys look to still be untouchable territory for Twitter.

It was a catchy and smart marketing campaign by the university to garner support. Media members such as CBS Sports' Jeff Goodman and ESPN's Jay Bilas even received customized jerseys with their handles on the back.

It was an interesting move by the NCAA to put its foot down, but as Bilas pointed out on Twitter, Akron is receiving even more attention from the NCAA rejecting the move than it would have if it was allowed to keep the jerseys.


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Friday Roundtable: Is One-And-Done the Right Rule for College Basketball?

Freshman classes like Kentucky's last year can be great while they are in college, but Kentucky is proving it's tough to rebound when they're gone. (claysdaze.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among three of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: John Calipari, the maestro of pulling successful performances from freshmen, coached the Kentucky Wildcats to a national championship last spring. With UK (12-6, 3-2 in the SEC) facing a down season and showing flaws in the all-freshmen strategy, is now the time for the NBA to think about changing the one-and-done draft rule?

Kyle Davis: 
The one-and-done rule, even with all of its flaws, would make it seem like it is best for both parties. The NCAA gets a piece of the limelight from the biggest stars, if only for a season, and NBA gets players who are a little more seasoned and won't have to make such an extreme jump in talent level.

It doesn't look to be as positive for the NCAA as the organization may think. The NCAA gets players like Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist winning a championship one year, and Kentucky being on the verge of missing the tournament the next. Players leaving early did the same for UNC, although many of them were sophomores and juniors. This puts the college coaches in a much more difficult situation. They spend an entire season incorporating these great players into their systems and then have to start over the next year when they leave, making it much more difficult to win at a high level for multiple years.

The problem is some special players are talented enough to make the jump from high school to the NBA, but countless more are not and head to the Association before they are ready, damaging their careers. Instead of having a hard one-year rule for everyone, let a player enter the draft out of high school if he is truly ready, but if they do not, make the rule similar to the NFL where players have to be three years out of high school in order to enter the draft. That way the players who truly could be ready can go to the NBA (I actually really like my colleague Alex's idea of having them in the D-League for a year) and the rest of the players will benefit from three years of college or overseas basketball to hopefully prevent them from ruining their careers by leaving before they are physically and mentally mature enough. It will also improve the college game as it may lose out on the occasional Anthony Davis's, but overall this would enhance the playing field as the other great players have three years to awe the college basketball world and learn from great coaches.
 
Alex Skov:

The ball is in the NBA’s court here since the league decides age limits for the draft, though the player’s union could request/pester a reversion to the former high school-to-the-pros standard. From a business standpoint, the answer lies somewhere between one-and-done and the direct route. Rather than requiring a player to spend one year (or any amount of time, for that matter) in the NCAA or with an overseas club, the NBA should allow players to enter the D-League straight out of high school. This not only allows the NBA to enhance the branding of its second tier, theoretically making it more marketable and appealing to some kind of broadcast deal, but it also means the players would be competing at a level between collegiate and professional ball. They would be exempt from call-ups and 10-day contracts, obviously, but would be eligible to enter the draft after one season. Thanks to the NBA-ready coaching they would receive, these young talents would have more refined skills upon entering the selection pool. There are many flaws to this plan (losing the marketing momentum of those with the skills to make a direct jump, missing out on promotion received on the NCAA stage, etc.), but I’m just spitballing here. The Association pays other people to resolve these issues.

Some people are loyal fans of either the college or pro games, while some like me have interest in both. As a member of that demographic, I would love to see a rule that requires a player to be 20 before entering the draft. This would give them A) an undergraduate experience that connects them to a program’s fan base and B) a sizeable amount of time to develop their game under one coach, whom they have had a say in selecting for themselves. It also gives them time to mature personally and from a basketball perspective with progressively serious stakes under typically more experienced coaches at each level.

Champ:

Ever since the one-and-done rule was conceived, there has been a lot of controversy over the rule. There are some good arguments for the rule, but personally I think the rule is a joke.  

It seems the main reason for the rule is to make the player at least try college for a year, but the players rarely do that. In many cases, like Josh Selby at Kansas, they only go to class the first semester and then ignore classes the second semester, since it doesn’t count toward their eligibility.  The rule makes a mockery of higher learning systems.  

The second reason the rule fails is because it makes the game much less exciting. Who wants to watch a final four when you know that all of the players are going to bolt next year? I know this was a problem before the rule, but it is definitely a problem now. The rule should be changed to make the kids go for two years or for none at all. Two years is enough to make the students take some serious classes and help with their maturity. But I also understand that these kids have a freedom of choice and shouldn’t have to go to college if it isn’t necessary. As of right now, the rule is of little benefit to anyone.

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The SEC: Boynton's Back, but can Kentucky be Stopped?

The long wait will soon be over when the first official NCAA basketball game of the 2012-13 season will tip-off on Nov. 15. Some of our favorite players have moved on the ranks of professional athletes, new recruits have been polishing their games in gyms with recognizable logos on the court, and schools have switched conference allegiances. Through a series of conference previews, the BDD crew will do its best to prepare you for the next 4.5 months of collegiate hoops.

Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel's potential is higher than his flattop. (Chet White/UK Athletics)

Favorite: Kentucky Wildcats

Coming off a national title, the Wildcats are primed and ready to make another run in the SEC. Even though Kentucky lost all five of its starters to the NBA draft, it did bring in the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. Head coach John Calipari has shown he can bring a young group of talented individuals together and turn them into an unselfish team. Young players like Nerlens Noel, Alex Poythress, Archie Goodwin and Willie Cauley will do their best to replace the likes of Anthony Davis, Michael-Kidd Gilchrist, Terrance Jones and Marquis Teague. With Calipari at the helm, the Widcats should run away with the SEC, even with the additions of a strong Missouri team and Texas A&M to the conference.

Dark Horse: Florida Gators

Despite losing stud shooting guard Bradley Beal to the NBA, the Florida Gators are returning a solid nucleus. The Gators are bringing back three of their top five scorers this year, all of whom averaged double digits. The team’s leading scorer, Kenny Boynton, is returning to the team as a senior, so leadership should not be an issue. Add in a solid recruiting class, and the Gators are poised to take a run at the Kentucky Wildcats for the top spot in the conference.

POY: Kenny Boynton, Florida

Boynton averaged 16 points per game last season as a junior to lead the Gators — including Beal — in scoring. In each of his first three seasons, Boynton has seen his statistics get progressively better across the board. His 3-point shot is lethal, as he drained 40 percent from downtown in 2011-12. If his track record is to be believed, Boynton should take another step forward this season, which should put him at the head of the player of the year race in the SEC.

Coach of the Year: John Calipari, Kentucky

Coach Cal has shown he has the ability to reload his team with talent, ready to win despite the number of players he sends to the NBA each season. Calipari will again have the best recruiting class in the NCAA coming to Kentucky, and will have yet another opportunity to push for a title. If he can even come close to replicating his success from last season, Calipari will be a shoe in for coach of the year.

Newcomer of the Year: Nerlens Noel, Kentucky

At 6'10", Noel is a long, lean forward, with the ability to throw back a lot of shots. Wildcat fans will take little time in beginning the comparisons to former Kentucky big man Anthony Davis. Noel has some polish to apply to his game, but his raw talent is undeniable. If he reaches his potential, the Wildcats will have yet another one-and-done on their hands.


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