Super Tuesday Wrap-Up

Last night provided a chance for many bubble teams to prove there worth and shine in the eyes of the selection committee. Some teams rose to the occasion, while others faltered. The run down:

Big East
Syracuse 70, Rutgers 40: The Orange were in excellent shape to begin with, and a 30 point win at the Carrier Dome solidifies the Orange's resume. If Syracuse did not have a recent history of getting screwed by the selection committee this game would not even be mentioned here. They are a lock for the post-season.

St. John's 59, Georgetown 56: This game killed the Hoyas' chances at an at large bid, they have to win the Big East tournament to get to the dance. Bigger question: Did anyone envision St. John's and Georgetown tied in conference play this late in the season? No didn't think so.

South Florida 70, Cincinnati 59: This game was a shocker. Cincinnati's resume would have looked much better with a 9-8 conference record, and a road win. Instead the Bearcats got outplayed by a South Florida team that came in with three conference wins. Cincinnati now faces major pressure and must make a splash in the Big East tournament in order to get an at-large bid.

ACC
Wake Forest 65, Maryland 63: An absolute heart breaker for the Terps, who now fall to 7-8 in the conference. A win would have meant another shocker at home and another quality win to chalk up. Maryland isn't dead, but they still have major work to do.

Big 12
Oklahoma St. 77, Kansas State 71: Two teams that have strong resumes played a strong game in Stillwater. This game would have been a great win for the Wildcats, but they still have a strong resume with 20 wins and a good conference record. The game was a must win for the Cowboys who notched every one's magic number of wins (20) while beating a quality opponent at home. Both teams are in favorable position to earn an at large bid.

Big 10
Ohio State 60, Iowa 58: The Buckeyes needed this win. A loss to Iowa would have been a disaster, especially since the Hawkeyes have collapsed in conference play. A blowout would have looked great, but a road win in the Big 10 is still a good win. The Buckeyes need to avenge a crucial defeat by beating a game Northwestern team at home to straighten their resume.

MWC
New Mexico 77, Utah 71: The Lobos won at home, getting win #20 and providing a strong case. The Utes hung tough and are still an at large candidate. Strong showings in the conference tourney would probably lead to both these teams getting in.

SEC
Auburn 77, Alabama 73: Honestly if you read an earlier post, you understand my feelings for the SEC. However, despite not having to deal with Ronald Steele, Auburn beat their archrivals on the road in a game that would have been tough no matter who was playing. Twenty wins and a 9-6 conference record would get you in any other year in the SEC, but with the state of the conference this year, Auburn's work is far from done.