November 15, 2009

Rivals.com Staff

At the College Basketball Roundtable each week, we ask each member of the college basketball coverage staff for his opinion about a topic in the sport.

Today's question: How many NCAA tournament bids do you think each Big Six conference will get this season?

Mike Huguenin's answer:
I think the ACC and Big East get seven each, the Big Ten and Big 12 six each and the Pac-10 and SEC five each. (By the way, that would be 30 at-large bids from the Big Six, leaving just four for the other 25 leagues to fight over. Those four: two from the Atlantic 10, one from Conference USA and one from the Missouri Valley.) I'm least sure about the Pac-10; the league may get just four. As for the team breakdown, let's go with Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Maryland and Wake Forest from the ACC; Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova and West Virginia from the Big East; Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Purdue from the Big Ten; Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M from the Big 12; California, Oregon State, UCLA, Washington and Washington State from the Pac-10; and Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt from the SEC.

Jason King's answer:
The parity in college basketball -- especially in the Big Ten and the ACC -- is going to make for an exciting race for NCAA tournament bids. I think the ACC will get seven bids with North Carolina, Duke, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Boston College, Maryland and Wake Forest all getting in. The Big East should receive eight berths: Villanova, West Virginia, Connecticut, Georgetown, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Louisville (and don't be surprised if Notre Dame and Seton Hall are in the mix at the end, as well). I think the Big 12 gets at least seven bids (Kansas, Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Texas A&M). I like six teams in the Big Ten: Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State, Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan. This may be wishful thinking, but the vastly-improved SEC could get as many as seven berths (Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, LSU and Ole Miss). The Pac-10 will be far and away the worst of the Big Six conferences, with four bids (Washington, Cal, UCLA and Arizona) being the best-case scenario.

Steve Megargee's answer:
I'll pick seven teams from the ACC and Big East. North Carolina and Duke are sure things in the ACC. Georgia Tech, Clemson, Wake Forest, Florida State, Maryland and Virginia Tech are in a bunch below those two squads. I'll guess that five of those six teams get bids. Villanova, West Virginia and Connecticut look like the sure bets in the Big East. And I'll pick Georgetown, Louisville, Syracuse and Pittsburgh to get bids as well. The Big Ten sent seven teams to the tournament last season and could be even better this season, but I can't expect an 11-team league to get that many bids once again. The improvement of the SEC and certain mid-major conferences (e.g. Missouri Valley, Conference USA) could remove some at-large bids from the major conferences. I'll say the Big Ten gets only six bids this season. Michigan State and Purdue are sure bets, with Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Northwestern fighting for three more spots. The Big 12 has three sure bets in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. I'm guessing the league also gets three more bids from the quintet of Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Iowa State and Baylor. The SEC should be the most improved of the six major conferences. Kentucky and Tennessee are sure bets to make the field. Mississippi State, Ole Miss, LSU, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Florida also should be in the hunt for bids. I wouldn't be surprised if the SEC got as many as six bids, though five may be more realistic. The Pac-10 is headed for a season of transition similar to what the SEC went through last season. The SEC ended up with only three bids last season, and I'm guessing the Pac-10 sends four teams to the tournament this year, with California, Washington and UCLA likely filling three of those spots.

David Fox's answer:
My question for the ACC is who will step up behind Duke and North Carolina? I say six or seven teams make it from the ACC, with Georgia Tech, Florida State and Maryland joining the Blue Devils and Tar Heels and then one or two from among Wake Forest, Clemson or Boston College. In the Big East, I have seven or eight making the field: Villanova, Connecticut, West Virginia, Louisville, Georgetown, Notre Dame and Cincinnati. Pittsburgh, Marquette and Syracuse have lost a lot, but the odds are that one of them makes it. I have six from the Big 12: Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Kansas State. In the Big Ten, Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota look like tournament teams, with Wisconsin and Northwestern on the bubble. The Pac-10 has four at best, with California, Washington and UCLA and then one from among the trio of Washington State, Oregon State and Arizona. The SEC gets four after sending three last season. Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State will join Kentucky.