NCAA Tournament, NIT, and CBI Teams to Look Out For

NCAA Tournament

New Mexico

Tony Snell and Kendall Williams
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New Mexico was a surprise number three seed to many. However, that doesn't mean anything, they earned and deserve that ranking. I believe the Lobos will make the final four. They are second in the RPI (Ratings Performance Index) and ninth in the BPI (Basketball Power Index). There out of conference schedule was tough, which is always good for preparation of the the tournament. The team is led by C Alex Kirk, G Tony Snell, and G Kendall Williams. The seven-footer Kirk averages 11.9 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game. Snell is averages 12.6 ppg and when he is hot, he is hard to stop. Williams averages 13.5 ppg and 5 assists per game. They have a great team this year and will make a name for themselves in the tournament. 

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State have fallen under the radar, even as a five seed. The team is led by Big 12 Player of the Year, G Marcus Smart. Smart is the team leader in points (15.4 ppg), assists (4.2 apg), and steals (2.3 steals per game). He is also in the top three in rebounds with 5.7 per game. His sidekicks are Markel Brown with 15.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg and Le'Bryan Nash with 14.3 ppg and 4.1 rpg. Oklahoma State will surprise many people. I believe they will upset Louisville and make an appearance in the elite eight.

Bucknell

Mike Muscala
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Bucknell, the regular season and postseason champions of the Patriot League, is a good team. They are tied for the third least amount of losses with five of teams in the tournament. The Bison got an excellent draw for the tournament. They face a very beatable Butler team in the second round. Then, they will face either Marquette or Davidson. Marquette is the worst of the four three seeds. Davidson is a good team but will have a tough time with the Bison. Their team is centered around their big man, 6'11" senior Mike Muscala. He averages a double-double with 19.0 ppg and 11.2 rpg. He definitely is going to a breakout player of the tournament. Every year, there is a lower ranked seed that makes a run during the tournament. Bucknell has the skill and the schedule to be that team this year.


National Invitational Tournament

Baylor

The Bears are a really good team. They underperformed this season, going 9-9 in conference play and 17-14 overall. What really killed them was their record against teams in the top 50 of the RPI, which was 2-11. Given them a few of those wins and they are in the NCAA Tournament. Baylor is led by their three stars, F/C Isaiah Austin, G Pierre Jackson, and F Cory Jefferson. The 7'1" Austin averages 13.2 ppg and 8.6 rpg. Jefferson shoots a very high percentage from the field, .586%, and can rebound (8.3 rpg). Jackson, a senior, is the team leader in points and assists with 19.8 and 6.5 respectively. For the team to go, they need Jackson to play his best. What really gives me even more confidence the I did before is their dominating win over Long Beach State in the first round of the NIT yesterday. They won 112-66 with seven of their players scoring double digits.

College Basketball Invitational 

TaShawn Thomas
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Houston

The Houston Cougars upset the Texas Longhorns yesterday, 73-72. After the win, I have gained a lot of confidence in the team from Conference USA. Even though they are not highly ranked in the RPI or BPI, they have a good chance to make a run in the tournament. The are led by two very good scorers in Joseph Young and TaShawn Thomas. They have 17.9 and 16.7 ppg respectively. Thomas is also a great rebounder, averaging 9.5 rpg. What they will need to improve on is passing the ball. No one has more then 2.9 apt on the team. Houston may not be the best team in the CBI, but I really like the way they are playing now.